Feeling like such a wimp. . .
I'm pretty sedentary too, so I totally get that! Thanks for the encouragement!
HW 287, GW 150, CW 168 ** Band to RNY 05/29/12 **
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish? Join us-Lightweights Board!
You just had surgery 6 days ago - you are doing great. I was in the hospital for 4 days. I dont work but if I did, I cant even imagine trying to go back after 2 weeks. You had major surgery and you have alot of healing - like my surgeon said to me, it may not look like alot on the outside but there was major work done on the inside and you need to give it time to heal.
You also need to take your pain meds when you need them - that is why they give them to you. You will heal faster if you arent in pain all the time. So many postops think it is a bad thing to take pain meds post op and that they are going to get addicted - surgeons wouldnt give them out if they thought you are going to get hooked - if you take them as prescribed for the first few weeks as needed or even a month if you have pain, you will be fine. You shouldnt suffer and should concentrate on your healing.
I take pain meds all the time for chronic pain - severe spinal problems -multiple hernited discs, severe arthritis in all my joints, fibromyalgia and that is the short list but I needed the pain meds for the RNY for about 3 weeks.
As far as energy levels, again you just had major surgery and you arent getting many calories in, much protein or than much fluids to start out. As the next few weeks go on, you will increase your fluids, increase your proteins and also add more supplements. By lack of foods, you arent getting any nutrition to give you any energy. I dont know if you had any labs done preop to know if you had any deficiencies before you started but almost everyone is severely vitamin D deficient which adds to your fatigue. You want to be taking all your supplements as soon as possible avoid any other deficiencies - especially iron, calcium, B12 and multi - this will help increase your energy.
as far as the specific pains - are they near the incisions? Do you have any drains? Did you have any drains while in the hospital? If the pains are in the area of the drains then this is probably pretty normal but if it continues for another day or 2, I would talk to your surgeon on Thursday. The pain in the kidney are, that I am not sure and Id call and ask. Many times when we are further out we can get flank pain as a sign of kidney stones but you are really too soon out for that - that doesnt usually happen for awhile, if at all. Have you had a bladder infection recently?
When I came home from the hospital on day 5 (had surgery on Monday and came home on Friday) my surgeon told me to walk as much as possible but he wanted us to walk about 30 minutes per day by the end of the month - he said to start by walking in 5 minute intervals - he didnt care if we walked 5 minutes 3 times per day to start and then increased slowly to 5 minutes 4 times per day to 10 minutes 3 times per day. I live in an apartment building and it was the end of October when I had my surgery and I came home on Halloween. So, it was pretty cold to walk many days. So, I walked the halls of my building. I live on the 4th floor, so I either walk the 4th floor back and forth (takes 5 minutes) a few times or I would walk each floor. This worked well for me until the spring when I could walk outside.
Going to the stores was very difficult for me. I made sure I bought everything I would need for the first month before I went into the hospital - enough shakes, broth, jello, puddings, yogurt, mushy stuff. Then when I got to solids, I was up to do a shopping on my own - I live alone and had no one to do my shopping.
Be glad that your surgeon fixed your adhesions and scar tissue - this will hopefully avoid you needing further surgery down the road. this doesnt usually cause more pain. When I had surgery after 9 months to fix adhesions and scar tissue which causes my intestines to get all kinked up causing terrible pain - when I woke up in recovery, my pain was gone.
You also need to take your pain meds when you need them - that is why they give them to you. You will heal faster if you arent in pain all the time. So many postops think it is a bad thing to take pain meds post op and that they are going to get addicted - surgeons wouldnt give them out if they thought you are going to get hooked - if you take them as prescribed for the first few weeks as needed or even a month if you have pain, you will be fine. You shouldnt suffer and should concentrate on your healing.
I take pain meds all the time for chronic pain - severe spinal problems -multiple hernited discs, severe arthritis in all my joints, fibromyalgia and that is the short list but I needed the pain meds for the RNY for about 3 weeks.
As far as energy levels, again you just had major surgery and you arent getting many calories in, much protein or than much fluids to start out. As the next few weeks go on, you will increase your fluids, increase your proteins and also add more supplements. By lack of foods, you arent getting any nutrition to give you any energy. I dont know if you had any labs done preop to know if you had any deficiencies before you started but almost everyone is severely vitamin D deficient which adds to your fatigue. You want to be taking all your supplements as soon as possible avoid any other deficiencies - especially iron, calcium, B12 and multi - this will help increase your energy.
as far as the specific pains - are they near the incisions? Do you have any drains? Did you have any drains while in the hospital? If the pains are in the area of the drains then this is probably pretty normal but if it continues for another day or 2, I would talk to your surgeon on Thursday. The pain in the kidney are, that I am not sure and Id call and ask. Many times when we are further out we can get flank pain as a sign of kidney stones but you are really too soon out for that - that doesnt usually happen for awhile, if at all. Have you had a bladder infection recently?
When I came home from the hospital on day 5 (had surgery on Monday and came home on Friday) my surgeon told me to walk as much as possible but he wanted us to walk about 30 minutes per day by the end of the month - he said to start by walking in 5 minute intervals - he didnt care if we walked 5 minutes 3 times per day to start and then increased slowly to 5 minutes 4 times per day to 10 minutes 3 times per day. I live in an apartment building and it was the end of October when I had my surgery and I came home on Halloween. So, it was pretty cold to walk many days. So, I walked the halls of my building. I live on the 4th floor, so I either walk the 4th floor back and forth (takes 5 minutes) a few times or I would walk each floor. This worked well for me until the spring when I could walk outside.
Going to the stores was very difficult for me. I made sure I bought everything I would need for the first month before I went into the hospital - enough shakes, broth, jello, puddings, yogurt, mushy stuff. Then when I got to solids, I was up to do a shopping on my own - I live alone and had no one to do my shopping.
Be glad that your surgeon fixed your adhesions and scar tissue - this will hopefully avoid you needing further surgery down the road. this doesnt usually cause more pain. When I had surgery after 9 months to fix adhesions and scar tissue which causes my intestines to get all kinked up causing terrible pain - when I woke up in recovery, my pain was gone.
Thank you!
I will be 3 weeks out this Tuesday and I still need some pain meds at night. I got a new prescription, less potent when I went for my postop visit and he gave me a pretty good size bottle thinking I will need it for a few more weeks.
I had a full panel of labs done and my potassium was the only thing that was a little low, but they gave me meds to fix that prior to my surgery.
The areas I was havinf the most severe pain turned out to be the spots where my Lap Band was attached under a layer of muscle and he had to go through the muscle in those spots to "unattach" it and than repair the muscles. The kidney area pain was actually gas pain; it was bouncing between my shoulder and my lower back, thank goodness THAT is done now!!!!!
I'm still having the pain in those two areas, but I feel much better knowing what it is and that I can expect it to continue possibly another week or two. It may resolve sooner, but at least I won't worry now!
HW 287, GW 150, CW 168 ** Band to RNY 05/29/12 **
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish? Join us-Lightweights Board!
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