Just wondering

Just wondering--how long until the abdominal distension goes away? I feel like my tummy is huge, what with the gas they pumped in there and what I'm sure is inflammation from the surgery itself. Not in too much pain except a little from the incision all the way to the right where they removed my stomach. Also have a rash near my breasts from the EKG pads that itches like crazy, but called dr today and they said I could use hydrocortisone cream as long as it didn't get anywhere near my incisions.

Also, I feel mentally fuzzy, probably from low caloric intake. I am looking forward to getting my brain back eventually :)

I've heard this is different for everybody but that the distension goes away a lot quicker if we walk, walk, walk after surgery. It sounds like everybody gets their brain back, but, again, this differs for everyone. Are you on full liquids yet?

Yes, I am on full liquids until 10/5. It is getting a bit easier each day to get the fluid and nutrition in.

It can take a week or so for the worst aftereffects from surgery to go away. But you'll likely still tire easily for a couple of months. This was major surgery! And the mental fog is leftover from anesthesia, not lack of food.

Hang in there. Walk, and drink as much as is comfortable like it's your job.

Getting the required nutrition/fluid in IS like a full-time job, definitely :)

So, generally, it takes your body 6 weeks to heal from any surgical procedure. You have just had major abdominal surgery. Even once the gas goes away, there is going to be distention because there is swelling, internally, from what the surgeon did. It will take weeks for that swelling and inflammation to go away. Look at the big picture - 6 months or a year from now. Odds are the hydrocort cream for the rash won't be an issue (I'm that way with non-paper tapes - I understand). So give it time. Because we can't see what they did reflected as a big scar, we forget it was a big deal. When I had my knee scoped the last time, it took a good three months for the swelling to go away - even then it looked puffy for a while after

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