Question:
After surgery depresed ,crying and aggitated
I have had surgery 3 days ago,My doctor does not believe in narcotics and i am taking ibiprofun for pain.I am verry aggitated and depressed, cry all the time.I am not hungry and have not eaten.any answers?. — Sandy Hanson (posted on March 18, 2007)
March 18, 2007
These directions from your surgeon do not sound very healthy, and I am very
concerned for you.
You should NOT be taking ibuprofen - our new tummys cannot handle it and it
can cause serious damage.
You need to go an our of hours doctor or ER and get assessed - you are
probably dehydrated and in need of nurishment as well as some strong pain
killers.
Please let us know how you get on.
— theGeneva
March 18, 2007
you should not be taking ibuprofen/Motrin. As a matter of fact my MD said
no Ansaids at all. They can cause stomach upset and ulcers. I would go
to the Er and then maye get another MD.
Paulette
— paulettehill
March 18, 2007
Sandy
hang in there girlfriend. I was in the same boat as you- i was told only
Tylenol products though
Things will get better sweetie trust me in no time you will be feeling much
better and your clothes are gonna be swimming on you
It's all worth it kiddo !!!!
email me at [email protected]
Carol
— carol g
March 18, 2007
Definitely go see another DR... I stopped pain meds the day after I got
home because they were making me hallucinate, and it was really painful.
But I remember the first few days all I did was cry and wonder "what
have I done?" but it gets better every day! Having some pain meds that
work also might help, if I did it all over again, I would have asked for a
different pain med, not just waited it out. Hang in there! And in the
meantime go to the ER just to make sure everything is ok. email me with any
questions [email protected]... Aaryn :)
— airbear762000
March 18, 2007
Please don't take any kind of ibuprofen. It is very bad for you. Try extra
strength tylenol. I was depressed to, because Food, like many of us, is our
comfort. Take care Lee-Anne from Canada
— LeeAnne Burchell
March 18, 2007
Sandy,
1st stop taking the Ibrophren...it is HORRIBLE for you and esp. at this
stage. Any Tylenol products are OK to take - switch - ASAP. 2nd as you
rapidly loose weight, your fat is being burned. Your hormones are stored in
your fat cells, so as you are burning fat, you are releasing your hormones
back into your system. 3rd - in addition to the hormones being released
back into your system - mentally you are going to be going through food
withdrawls.Sounds funny, but your mental associaition with food and being
completely deprived it for how ever long you are/were - full fluids doesn't
seem to satisfy - mentally. Remember that your body is fine with the fluids
and that "eating" the fluids is going to help you heal. 4th - you
have to eat, take your supplements and get your protein in. I know it may
seem like a chore right now - but the sooner you get yourself on track, the
better you will feel...truly! If you have any more questions: email me at
[email protected].
— jammerz
March 18, 2007
Everything you're feeling is completely normal - please don't feel alone.
You've come to the right place for support. :) I echo the no NSAIDS. It
will cause ulcers - especially on your new tummy that is very fragile and
will take awhile to heal. I wasn't hungry either but you have to eat -
protein, protein, protein. And getting dehydrated isn't fun, trust me.
You may need fluids from the ER. I know it's tough but these hard times
pass and once you start seeing results, it's going to make all of this
worth it! Hang in there. Get a second opinion from a new doctor too. He
kinda worries me. Brightest blessings to you! ~Sarah in VA
— platypus
March 18, 2007
I agree with everyone else. STOP the Ibuprofin immediatly. I was given
hydrocodone after surgery (15 day supply) by my doctor. He stresses he
wants his patients to be comfortable. I stopped taking it after 4 days
post op. I was so glad I had it. I am 5 weeks post op and during the day
and night I am bursting into tears for no reason. I cry for a good 5 mins
and then I am fine. I asked the psychologist with our program and he sd
that it is normal and to just let myself have the crying jags and they will
get less and less over time. He sd that my body is going thru a process.
I also get mad at the stupidest things( I got mad at a piece of mail).
Don't know why. Time is what it takes. It does get better every day.
Go get a second opinion and if you are dehydrated go to the ER.
Love and strength.... :)
— hugger1021
March 18, 2007
If you are only 3 days out -- liquid Tylenol is what the doctor ordered for
me as well as giving me a prescription for a stronger liquid pain killer.
If your physician didn't prescribe any of this for you then (sorry to say)
-- that surgeon just performing surgeries and not fully paying attention to
his people's after care.
— the7thdean
March 18, 2007
Hi... just wanted to echo what everyone else is saying. We have all been
there, and trust us, it does get better. You have to focus on getting your
protein in though. You are not going to be hungry for a very long time, so
get in the habit of drinking your protein or following whatever guidelines
are being given in regards to your diet. STOP the Motrin. I am 5 1/2 mos
out and my surgeon still doesn't want me taking it. At your stage, there
are a couple of reasons that you are not supposed to take it. The first
and foremost is that it can affect how your platelets (clotting factor in
your blood) work and can set you up to bleed. 2nd is that NSAIDS (the
family that Motrin, Advil, Aleeve, etc) are in are VERY hard on the
stomach. That new pouch is very fragile and brand new. You have to treat
it like a newborn. Keep your chin up... believe it or not, Tylenol is a
very effective pain reliever. If you still need something stronger like
Tylenol with Codeine, and your surgeon won't give it to you , you can
always contact your primary physician and explain the situation to him or
her. Pain control is one of the most poorly controlled post op issues, has
been for years (I am in the medical field). You will begin feeling better,
if you start focusing on getting your fluids in. After you are feeling
better physically, look into counseling. I am a very big proponent for it.
We all had to go see a therapist to get our psychological clearance, but
many do not address the issues that made us use food as a form of coping.
If you don't address those issues, the road can be very hard, or you can
eventually gain the weight back that you lose with the surgery. So please
consider this. Good luck to you and keep your head and chin up, it will
truly get better. And welcome the other side... :-)
— Kari_K
March 18, 2007
You should have two doctors caring for you now, the Surgeon & The
Primary. If one won't prescribe the Meds you need talk to the other one.
— Michael Eak
March 19, 2007
Hi Sandy, it sounds like you are having a tough time. I am truly sorry for
that. I am not clear about why you think you need narcotics, but I will
tell you that motrin for pain is a bad thing with this type of surgery. It
causes ulcers. That is a HUGE rule with this surgery, not anti-inflamitory
medications for life girl. If your doctor does not understand this, you
may need a new doctor. Narcotics are for those in serious pain, but you
don't mention pain, you are aggitated, angry and depressed. Narcotics are
not for these things. Why are you angry? Why are you depressed? The
surgery didn't cause this, so you have to be honest with yourself and
evaluate your situation. You are just out of surgery and this can be a
very tender and trying time. As much as you want the weight loss and the
small pouch, you now cannot run to food for your expression of anger and
depression or disappointment. That is a scary place to be. Obesity is a
head issue with a body consequence, and Sandy, you have to meet those head
issues straight on. It will be a fight, and like it or now, you are
beginning the battle. If you don't have a local support group, then you
need some sort of support. Family, support group, or counselor. Books can
help, but the choice is yours. You can sit back and be depressed and cry,
be angry and take it out on others or maybe even yourself by forcing foods,
or you can take control of this situation, wipe your tears, and buy a book
or two, find a support group or two, call your doctor and remind them that
motrin is for non-surgical patients, and to not put you at risk for ulcers
thank you, and stand up for yourself. You will be fighting yourself to get
through this, but if you don't take care of yourself, no one else will.
There is help out there for you, but only you can find it. If there are no
groups, maybe this is a time for you to organize one. All "hospitals
of excellence" are required to have support groups, so your hospital
should sponsor one by law, if they don't they should be called on it. This
surgery is life changing and it isn't just surgery for success. It is
surgery for a tool and learn success. My first advice is to rest, sleep
and heal. You are only a few days out. If you are passing gas (your other
question not listed here), then don't take anything. Gas is my biggest
problem since surgery, but I pass it so I don't take anything for it. I
desire to be on the least amount of meds as possible. Gas is just gas, it
is the body working, so I leave it alone. I wouldn't try and prevent gas
just a few days out of surgery, your body is already mad enough at you for
the changes you forced on it. It needs time to adjust and heal. Please
give it that time. You need rest, reading and some tools to deal with your
head issues. Next you will need to begin exercise and drink that water and
protein. Then, please celebrate every small success you get, not with
food, but with a smile, a yipee, and maybe a hot bubble bath! Enjoy the
gift you have of the small pouch, and fight to protect it, like a small
child, protect it. Learn the needs of your body and work with your body.
It has been abused for too long, time Sandy, for healing. Let it begin
today:) Take care, Patricia P
— Patricia P
March 19, 2007
First of all I think that some crying is normal, and some frustration, due
to the fact that if your like many of us you love food and it was one thing
that you truely enjoyed. BUT, Ibuprofen is a major no no according to my
doctor, is eats at the stomache lining. I was told this from more than one
doctor. You may want to check into this. The not hungry part was normal
for me, some days I would just forget to eat in the beginning. But that
has changed, I am 3 days from a year out though. Check into the medicine
though. That scares me that you are taking the Ibuprofen. You don't want
to feel worse. Take care.
Melissa
— Melissa M.
March 19, 2007
Sandy- I agree w everyone about ibuprophen-not good! You NEED nutrition-
especially protien! You can get water w protien-special k water. That
will help you feel better. And yes things will get better! I cried my
eyes out for 3 days! I thought 'what have I done?' , but now its been 3
months and I am glad I did it. Use the message board- it saved my life!!
Hang in there!
— suzyins.d.
March 19, 2007
Stop the ibuprofin immediately. It is a Major NO NO.You can have tylenol
if you need it for pain. I just did without and worked through it. I did
not want to put any more drugs in my pouch than I had to after surgery. For
me walking was the key. The more I walked the better I felt. Keep the
liquids going too. Sip Sip Sip. As for the crying. Some of that is to be
expected. If you think it is out of control, call your Dr. If you were on
an antidepressant before surgery you should be back on it now. Believe me
it will get better. In just another week you will be feeling better and in
another month you will have no doubts this was the right thing to do. I am
two months out and no regrets at all. I can eat regular food again, in
small amounts of course, but life is good. The pounds are coming off and I
feel wonderful most of the time.They don't call this the "wild
ride" for nothing. Good Luck on your journey and God Bless,
Norma
— njkbutton
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