Mopey, sore, sad, demoralized -- 5-1/2 weeks post-op

This circumferential flab-ectomy has absolutely kicked my sorry @ss.

I am still sore and need to take serious pain meds to sleep, at night.

I am still only doing a fraction of what I might have done otherwise -- like ten percent.

I am still walking like a hunched over old crone.  I move about as quickly as my 85 year old mother who is blind, deaf, and has scoliosis.

I was so sure that by six weeks post-op I would be functioning normally again.  Keep in mind that pre-op I was NOT exactly a speed demon.  I mostly followed doctors' orders about activity level wiht the exception of ONE sorry, measly, awful day.

I feel that I am about where I was three weeks ago (though the incisions themselves look pretty good).

If you went through this, how far out did  you still have pain that was severe enough to keep you awake at night?!?!  I took an Ambien a couple of nights ago, and only got four hours broken sleep out of it -- then was wide awake and in pain -- unable to take anything for it because I'd had Ambien -- for the rest of the night.

The surgeon and the practice are wonderful.  Certainly, individual mileage on the pain thing may vary.  But NORMALLY I have an exceptionally high tolerance for pain (did I mention I teach middle school?).  And I was led to believe that it wouldn't hurt this much.

Maybe I'm an idiot -- many have thought so -- but I didn't think I'd hurt so badly this far out.  School begins tomorrow and I have no idea how I'm getting through that day.

Whine, whine, whine ..... done.

Hey
I don't have much in the way of advice but I know you  posted the other day about how you overdid it, so try to take it easy and when you are feeling better try not to be SuperWoman right away.  I hope you will be feeling better really soon:)

Thank you, Victoria.  I think I might still be paying for that one awful day!  Thank you for the well wishes!

First of all, don't beat up on yourself - you don't deserve it and it doesn't accomplish anything but to get you in a deeper funk. 

I didn't have issues like your's after my LBL but I had pain points on my hips - I was a side sleeper and was forced to retreat to the LaZboy some nights because I just couldn't overcome the discomfort of those nagging shots of pain. 

Do you still have lots of swelling from your surgery?  Perhaps some lymphatic massage will help.  Are you careful about sodium intake?

As for the activity level - sometimes it helps to suck it up and get out there and challenge your pain and just go for it!  I have days when I don't feel like getting out of bed in the morning but I force myself to get in the car and drive to the gym and get on that treadmill and push through a 30 minute run.  Somehow, it all works out.

My surgeon's partner in practice is a lady surgeon and she had an LBL and said that she wasn't back to "normal" for 15 months PostOp.  She did come to work and perform surgery and keep up with her schedule but we all heal differently, like you said and as long as you are taking the normal precautions - avoiding high sodium foods and getting your fluids, you should overcome this without too much more diffuculty.

Keep the faith.  Someday you'll have a good laugh over this!  Donna

Holy cow, Donna -- if it takes me fifteen months to feel normal, I might do myself in, first!

I haven't been to the LaZboy yet ... I know what you mean about being a side sleeper, that's my favorite, too.  But I've been propped up on pillows, belly-up, for six weeks now, yikes!

Still waiting for the moment to come when I say, I would do it all over again.  But despite the flat belly, it's a little hard to see things that way now!

Despite all of that, I'm doing a lot of back-to-school shopping today -- in bed, from my laptop!  

On the bright side, look how far you've come in your weight loss journey!  Incredible.  Don't worry, everything will work out fine.

I am sorry you are having such a hard time recovering; I will say a special prayer for you.

I recently had surgery and I know how you feel regarding sleepless nights and pain.  I normally take Tylenol PM at night for the pain and sleep and I usually wake up every hour on the  hour.  I refuse to take anything stronger because I have a 5 year  old and I refuse to be drugged while he's in the house.

Hang in there, it will get better!

Sherline

Wow, Sherline -- is there no other adult in the house who can be responsible for your child while you sleep through the pain?  Omigosh --

Thank you for keeping me in your prayers.

My husband is home, but I'm afraid he won't get up when my son calls out in the middle of the night.  I've been sleeping in the recliner in the living room since surgery and my son usually wakes up calling for one of us during the night.  So of course mommy wants to be available just in case, which means no percocept for pain.

Sherline

I'm sorry you are still down and not feeling well.

Hopefully with school starting it will help you get back in your normal routine and you'll get better!

I'll be thinking of you!
Hugs
Kim J!.