So, I'm post-op day 6. The gas has been exhausting. The lack of regular sleep has me exhausted. I can't get more than an hour or 2 in any given position, and cannot lie down fully, because of the gas bubbles. Ditto the sudden sternal pain. Yes, I'm taking Gas X. My husband has pointed out that my tongue is green.

I occasionally (when lying on my left side) get a ripping burning pain to the left of my belly button that makes me need to get up right away. I am like a miserable zombie.

I have lost 5 lbs since the surgery, but it feels like 10 lbs of life-force. I don't want my calorie count to get any lower. I'm taking some Omega 3-6-9 oil and today I ate 5 olives (pureed) and loved every second of them. They went down great and felt like life itself. They were also the first non-sweet/ non-fake-sweet thing I've ingested in a week. I'm definately adding a couple of olives to my daily regimen. That aside, It's a battle to get down the Protein shakes and Fluid I need. I feel like I'm getting the minimum in, but the effort it takes is demoralizing. It was literally easier getting the olives down (and less painful) than just some Water.

I had some definate "buyer's remorse" yesterday, and couldn't even give in to crying, because it's too hard to get liquid in to let it go in tears and snot.

My husband has been very supportive, but he's worn out with not having enough time to decompress himself (encouraged him to go to the movies this morning, and he's at the gym now).

I went to the ER yesterday, because I have a gradually spreading patch of redness on my belly that is unassociated with the incisions. It started like a weird bee sting post-op and is red, puffy, and itchy as all hell. They gave me hydrocortisone cream and a heavy antibiotic (that is really fun to swallow crushed, twice a day, and is supposed to be taken with a lot of fluids- HA!). The red patch is just getting gradually bigger. Great.

So, I see my doc tomorrow and am counting the minutes. I'm wondering if I need to go back in-patient to receive IV antibiotics and hydration so I can beat this infection/reaction I'm having. Being a nurse is both a help, and a hinderance. Meanwhile all I can do is outline it in permanent marker and date the lines, so I can chart it's growth. That's what they'd do in the hospital.

Bottom line, I'm bummed. Isolated. Hurting. I know that most of this is 'normal,' but I still feel like I've irreversably mutilated myself because I'm too weak-willed to get my ass to the gym and eat better. Whether or not this is or isn't true, it's how I feel. I feel pretty depressed. I'd rather be healthy and fat, than malnurished and miserable. Granted, I wasn't healthy or getting any healthier, but so far, this just sucks.

Sorry if I'm too pooped to shake my pom-pons right now. This is the reality for me right now. Hopefully I'll be posting a more up-beat reality this time next week.

Thanks for listening.

Edited August 22, 201015 yr by pcindy

I'm so sorry you're feeling this way! I wanted to give one suggestion that might help. I found it hard to drink all the super sweet Protein powders too and then I had some chicken broth with unflavored PP in it and I thought I was in heaven. I even sprinkled in some instant potato flakes to give it a little thicker consistency (more like soup) and it was great.

Warm fluids still go down much easier for me than cold ones, I think I made one shake with ice and then said to heck with it.

I hope you feel better soon!!

OMG, I love you guys and all of your comments!

I actually slept in this morning. Woke up a million times overnight, but finally felt like I caught up on a little sleep (anyone else experiencing night sweats- I've had one every night since the surgery- but no fever).

Feel much better today, and able to get more in. I have been taking in some small amounts of pureed Soups, and like some have posted, it's great. Goes down very well. The epigastric pain is letting up too, as well as some of the gas.

The Rash-From-Hell: The puffy area is still puffy, but the redness has come out of it largely, except for the center blistery part, which is still nasty. The cream is obviously working. I have zero doubt that it was a reaction to Lovenox (the article said that heparin/lovenox- made no difference). I only got that one shot (in response to the earlier question). I absolutely cannot STAND to have anything come into contact with it so (my poor poor huz) I can't wear anything but underwear and sit here with the fan on me (is that a great visual or WHAT???). Me, in my undies, towel across my chest, big ol scarred, bruised, swollen, fat, blistering belly hanging out. My husband really should be bronzed. God in heaven, it ITCHES.

I've lost 8lbs since the surgery (19 total) and couldn't care LESS. I know the weight will come off- right now, I just want to be healthy.

So, bottom line, corner turned. 1st sign of hope. Thank you, guys!

I am so sorry to hear about such a rough time you are going through, is it this bad for everyone at first? :mad0:

BIG HUGS goes out to you!!!!

No, I have heard of a few people who have a rough recovery, but for most of us,

it's a breeze. I really couldn't even tell I had surgery other than the first 24 hours.

I hope tomorrow is even better than today. You might want to try some room temp gatoraide and get some of those electrolites in. I still can't drink things cold.

Hi PCindy, I am so glad it's all resolving. I am thinking of you in your underwear with your towel etc LOL!! We've all been that picture but you have svelte, lithe, toned, fit PCindy to look forward too:-)

Jane x

I just hope that the recovery from my complete body lift next year is easier! :confused1: