Question:
Incision - risk of coughing; breathing pain & fevers / diet, gas pain & taking pills

I'm sorry to post like this but I just got home from hospital yesterday and I'm already fretting. I figured I'd wrap this up all in one post rather than bog you guys down with individual ones. I'd appreciate advice on any or all questions. First I wanted to mention that my RNY (distal) was done on Mon. 5/21 at Pascack Valley Hospital in Westwood, NJ, by Dr. Elliot Goodmn (with his senior partner, Dr. Hollup also in OR supervising). I also wanted to say that I could have sworn that I read all over this site that there would be NO surgery pain b/c you'd be so drugged up with morphine. WAS I IN FOR A SURPRISE!!!!! Now reading through this site post-op, I'm reading about pain everywhere, so it was definitely my mistake. I guess I wanted this surgery so bad that I was in denial. Anyway, on to questions: 1) My incision is only about 4" long, with metal staples. While in hospital, I discovered the wonderful pleasure of coughing (NOT!!!). I tried pressing a pillow on the incision, then coughing, then I just braced the isicion with my hand & coughed, either way, baby coughs. Dr. said that I can't be doing those baby coughs I was doing & to really cough hard, as painful as it is. I expressed my concern that I'd tear everything open & have my guts pop out & then who knows what I'd do to the stomach staples. He said the incision line itself is well sealed & that I must work through the pain. Question: HOW CAN YOU TELL WHAT ACTIVITY/MOVEMENT IS TOO MUCH FOR THE INCISION TO HANDLE? I still feel my guts will pop out from a cough. 2) Whenever I take a deep breath in, I get a pain at the bottom of my left rib, from the side to the back. I was also battlig temperatures while in hospital, so I was (still am terrified of getting pneumonia). The docs & nurses just kept after me to get up & move as well as to use that respirator incentives* thing, or whatever they called it, 10X every hour (*a plastic tube with a ball inside & a tube coming out the side, where you take a deep breat in & try to hold the ball up at a certain increaseable level for as long as you can). I'm doing these things he best that I can, but Q: IF I'M NOT COUGHING AS HARD AS THE DOC SAYS I SHOULD, WILL I STILL GET PNEUMONIA? IS THAT PAIN A SIGN OF PNEUMONIA DEVELOPING? Btw, I haven't had a fever since last night, which I quickly got rid of by Tylenol. Lastly, 3) On the 3rd. day in hospital, they started introducing Boost drink (from can) to my diet. No sooner did I start that & I started blowing up like a balloon from the gas. Pain was terrible, even at incision. I refused anymore & gas SLOOOWLYY wet away. They said to try Carnation Instant Breakfast mixed with 6oz. skim milk. I did & had same reaction. So now I'm just taking in diet jello, broth, tea & water. I hope to send hubby out tomorrow for some other protien supplement. HOW LONG CAN I GO ON JUST THE JELLO, BROTH, TEA & WATER BEFORE ANYTHING NEGATIVE HAPPENS? ALSO, IF I GET MORE OF THIS GAS, CAN IT RIP MY INCISION OPEN? One more Q: Last night, I had to take 3 of my diantin (anti-seisure) pills, plus I took 1 extra-strength Tylenol gel-cap for that fever I mentioned earlier. I took the Tylenol first & realised it was a little bigger than the ones they gave me in hospital & I felt it going down for 15 minutes or so. Then I tried to get the Dilantin down & only managed to get 2 of the 3 I needed before I felt terribly sick. I felt like I needed to bring the pills up & was really nausous. This lasted a short time & thought I heard & felt something pop on the inside, alittle to the left of my incision. I was too nauseous to continue with my liquids so I went to bed. This morning, I had to take 1 Prevacid (Rx-ed by surgeoun), which is practically the same size as the Ex-strgth Tylenol, plus 2 Dilantin. I had a similar reaction. Q: SHOULD PILLS NOT BE TAKEN IN ONE SITTING? HOW FAR APART SHOULD YOU SPACE THEM? DID I DO ANY MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY NEW STOMACH?    — lalasmommy (posted on May 25, 2001)

May 25, 2001
Alexandria, I am 6 weeks post op and when I was in the hospital I almost developed pnuemonia they gave me 4 breathing treatments daily starting on day 1. I coughed constantly and not baby coughs. My incision was fine. I also read what I wanted to read I was in total denial for the pain I thought everyone who complained about it was woozies. Wow was I suprised. As far as the pills go my Dr prescribed pepcid and my blood pressure pill which is super tiny. I questioned him the last visit and he said to wait another month before taking tylenol by pill form I am still taking liquid tylenol. Trust me right now you are miserable it will get better. I am now feeling 100% better than 2 weeks ago. My only problem is when I eat too fast or don't chew good enough. Just focus on one day at a time.
   — susan V.

May 25, 2001
When I was in ICU, I had deep, deep coughing attacks. I was so frightened, I did not know what to do. I also felt like my guts were going to pop open. I was on a respirator for a few days and it irritated the daylights out of my resp. system. But everything held together. Since you are out of the hospital and doing better, you should not develop pneumonia. Just remember to breath deep and if you are having pain, take your pain medicine. With the gas, you may be bloated but it will not affect you incesion. You are healing at a fast rate.
   — Jan M.

May 25, 2001
You won't break open the incision from coughing though it hurts like heck! DO NOT lift over 10 pounds for 8 weeks though, that could hurt you badly!!! I wouldn't take more than 2 pills at once at this early point. Try some cream of chicken soup, or cream of potato or whatever. Boost is too high in calories and sugar for us, so don't try that again. Walk as much as possible throughout the day and breath deep and cough deep. I know it hurts, but do it. Try not to do stretching things to your incision like bending too much for a while. You'll do great.
   — Cindy H.