Question:
I am two days post op and I'm kind of concerned...

I woke up in the hospital this morning, and my hand that had the IV in it was swollen. After a few hours and me going home, my hand is still swollen. Is this normal? Also, my stomach is still killing me which is making it hard for me to know if it's my stomach feeling full or just my incisions hurting. Any suggestions as to how to get the pain away?    — nubiangodess624 (posted on July 27, 2008)

July 27, 2008
Every day you will feel a little better, but just stick to the diet, get up and walk and plan your excerize that you are going tob e doing in two weeks and sip 100 oz of water each day. IV arms swell from the amount of liquid that you have taken during and following surgry. See how it looks in the morning, and if still concerned call the discharge nurse, your your sergeons office. The insision on the left huets for a few days up to at least a week after surgery. It is where the cameras, tools and staplers are inserted during surgery and they dtitch your stomack to your adabon wall there as well. Goive it some time.
   — William (Bill) wmil

July 27, 2008
Swollen area around IV's can happen. Some initial pain can be seen from the surgery too. Pain meds are normally prescribed for the first couple of weeks post op. you failed to mention if you had OPEN or LAP RNY. Smaller incisions from LAP should not hurt. Sometimes the staples can "bind" or the steri strips over them can irritate the skin too, causing a rash. DAVE
   — Dave Chambers

July 27, 2008
I don't have anything much different to say than Will really as he is always a good source of information. I am pretty impressed that you are just home and have the where with all to get on the computer. When I got home, I wanted fish anesthesia (a wrench to the head) and my recliner. Your hand: it is common to have some swelling after surgery from the IV fluids and the trauma from the surgery itself. The IV could have infiltrated and some fluid actually leaked out of the vein and under your skin if it is swollen larger than your other hand. If so, elevate it and place a warm, wet cloth over it several times a day. Of course your stomach is killing you, you just survived major surgery. Your belly filled full of gas, your stomach carved up, plumbing reconnected and sewn back up. You should expect to feel rough for a while. I know you probably are asking yourself "what have I done" which is common. Just try to take comfort in knowing that each day will get a little better from here on out. Take your pain meds, do your deep breathing exercises every hour, walk walk walk to get the gas bubbles up and out and try to take it easy. If you feel like something is not right, contact your surgeon right away... they are always the best source. We can give advice from our own experiences and jobs (I've been an RN for 22 years), but we are not to replace them. Good luck and feel better, Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
   — DawnVic

July 27, 2008
I'm 18 days post op. I remember when I came home, the hand with my IV in it was VERY swollen, that took a few days to go away. My stomach was also very sore and hurt. I couldn't sleep in my bed and ended up sleeping on the couch so I could get up to use the bathroom. I think it's normal what your feeling and it WILL get better day by day, you'll notice the difference when you wake up in the morning. If you think you're in too much pain, just call your doctor's office just to relieve your worried. Best wishes!
   — Kar708

July 28, 2008
yeh I had both hands swollen for a while after surgury it well go down and so well the pain just keep walking it hurts now but the walking helps it go away faster I am three months out and doing great trust your own body it well tell you what you need, be strong you can do it.... cathy berry
   — bratta

July 28, 2008
The day before I left the Hosp., with my IV still in the back of my hand, I woke up and it was all swollen, so they just removed the IV. The next day, the day I left the Hosp. The swelling had gone down. They said it was from fluid leaking out. Besides the insistions in your stomach, during surgery, they blow your stomach up with gas. It might be the gas disapating that is causing the pain. That's what happened to me. A mild pain reliever seems to help, like liquid Tylenol. Good Luck, Paula B.
   — paulajaneb

July 29, 2008
Could have been that your IV was going bad. I am a nurse in a hospital, and when that happens, we remove the IV and elevate the hand. It goes down after a while, depending on how much fluid escaped into the tissue. If warmth or ice makes it feel better, do that. You should have been prescribed some pain medication, by all means take it and take a nap. They do alot of manipulating through those tiny holes, and it is going to hurt. Good luck to you, I have surgery a week from today! Penney
   — penneynurse