Help! Need some words of encourangments

[vkcse03 0]

:mad:I'm 2 days post-op and feel like crap! Almost had an anxiety attack last night. Could not get comfortable no matter what I did. Took my painkillers but they did not do much. It just made me feel more 'out of control'. OMG! I had to labor and deliveries, elbow surgery, and laporscopy surgery in the past and this is by far the worst! It's just that I just can't not find a comforable postition to save my like. Finally feel asleep without pain in one postion but I had to stay like that all night. Help! I'm wondering what I've done to myself. I'm trying to think of the good things but not they don't feel so good.:incazzato:

[sghatl 2]

I was the same way after my gall bladder surgery. I found that the pain killers was making me have 'out of control' feelings. Try some liquid tylenol even with the pain killers. It worked alone for me. Please give youself some time. You will be surprised how you will even feel tomorrow and the next and the next. By day five you should be back to normal. Walk it off some too. Are you having the shoulder pain?

[BrownieUNC 0]

2 days post-op was my worst day. The IV which contained the monster painkiller was gone, and reality set in cause I had turned down the oral pain med prescription. Next day was a dramatic improvement. And then better each day afterwards. Its a gradual, daily progression.

If you're trying to sleep in a conventional bed at nite, I'd swith to a recliner.

Edited to add that Day 5 was a key improvement day for me, too. I'd been led to believe I could go back to work 3 days post-op which proved to be waaaay too optimistic. Also, those pain pills sometimes have a negative emotional effect on some people. Try to ditch them as soon as you can.

Edited June 8, 2008 by BrownieUNC
added comment

[mstrina27 0]

:mad:I'm 2 days post-op and feel like crap! Almost had an anxiety attack last night. Could not get comfortable no matter what I did. Took my painkillers but they did not do much. It just made me feel more 'out of control'. OMG! I had to labor and deliveries, elbow surgery, and laporscopy surgery in the past and this is by far the worst! It's just that I just can't not find a comforable postition to save my like. Finally feel asleep without pain in one postion but I had to stay like that all night. Help! I'm wondering what I've done to myself. I'm trying to think of the good things but not they don't feel so good.:incazzato:

Read my blog... I felt like hell on wheels... with a 3-year old to take care of by myself... when i say everyday gets better it does trust me....

[vkcse03 0]

No, no shoulder pain. But I've been trying to not take my vicoden just to see how I would feel. I've been walking around the house a bit. Should I take tyenol w/ my vicoden. I started to crush the vicoden but it tastes so nasty that I just spilt in half and swallowed it.

[LBHAR101688 0]

Don't take tylenol with the vicodan, just take tylenol. Like everyone else says the tylenol seemed to help more then the painkillers. Also remember to walk, walk, walk get outside and walk around the block if you can. I found that if I did that I felt so much better. Also a recliner, this helped out too. Best of luck. And yes it does get better as the days go by.:incazzato:

[Yvonne72 0]

You definitely did the RIGHT thing! I had the same issues you are having and now I am 3 weeks post op and feeling like my old self.

#1- Remember, you've just had major surgery. Your insides haven't settled down yet. Walk, walk, and walk some more. It will subside.

#2- You're on an emotional roller coaster- I found that writing in my journal every time I had a negative thought TRULY helped. I got everything out. And I went back to it this week as I have had a lot of family drama. Normally I would just eat- but that's not an option any more. Had to find another out.

Everything will be alright and the hardest part is over now. Wait until you get on that scale... I weighed myself this morning and found that I am down 25lbs. OMG- When was the last time I lost 25lbs in less than 3 weeks! LOL

Good luck to you :incazzato:

[vkcse03 0]

Thank you everyone!

[Erv 0]

No, no shoulder pain. But I've been trying to not take my vicoden just to see how I would feel. I've been walking around the house a bit. Should I take tyenol w/ my vicoden. I started to crush the vicoden but it tastes so nasty that I just spilt in half and swallowed it.

Vicodin HAS Tylenol in it! Please don't take them together! One or the other, but not both. I recommend the GAS-X chewables for the gas pains. I'm day two post op as well and I feel a bit worse today than yesterday. Stomach is doing some weird spasms. Warm tea will help with these I hope! Good luck to you! As you feel better, just take the vicodin at night and do the tylenol durig the day.

I've been sleeping on the couch on about a hundred pillows! LOL! :incazzato:

[gdf18 2]

Almost all surgeries are worst by day 3 and then better and better. YOU MUST WALK CONSTANTLY- EVERY HOUR GET UP AND WALK. It will make all the difference. To heal, you need good circulation of your blood. Walking moves everything. Will help rid you of gas, help you move bowels- everything.

Everyone else has told you about Vicodin. I personally don't do well on it. I take Darvocet. Much better as far as I'm concerned. Tylenol alone may not be enough. YES, you have to crush it and bear the bitter taste. Put in the back of your mouth on a spoon, and have some nice think Protein drink at the ready. Toss in the drink and get it down quickly. Then swish around some more Protein Drink and the taste will go away. It's all doable.

You'll find many people here who have faced challenges getting this going,but you won't find people sorry the did it because we're talking about life-saving surgery. You'll do fine. Just go with the flow right now and let your body heal. It was rough for me. I never thought I'd get to soft foods when I was on liquids for weeks.

When I adjust my weight below it will show a weight loss of 37 pounds today. There are trials now, but you will live a longer life and feel better much soon.

Good luck.

[JenniPenni 0]

I found that sleeping in a recliner the first few nights really helped. You won't get the sleep you're used to, but it's better than none. If you're pain pills aren't helping, call your doctor. I only took tylenol the first week because the codiene they gave me made me sick...so they gave me some darvacet and that REALLY helped.

[HF2008 0]

Well,

I am 6 days post op and I have this excrutiating pain on my side, and I can't sleep at night. No matter how I try to toss and turn to find the just right position, it doesn't exist! i tried to do without the pain meds because I swore I was going to get addicted, LOL! But that was very short-lived. I have found a bit of peace in taking liquid tylenol during the day, and my Vicodin at night to sleep for the minimal hours I am granted. Over the first couple of days, I swear there was a war going on in my belly. Whomever was sitting by me would always look at me like I had control over the war. And I mean it was literally a war.... I heard bombs, grenades, and even some gun shots inside my belly. But I guess the lap band won it's place in there because my belly is much more settled now! :incazzato: It's just this damn pain that keeps me up at night and won't allow me to get adequate rest. It does get better by each passing day so I am so ready to fast forward and get passed this pain. Man, sometimes I wish I was a super hero! I'd live to have rewind and fast forward powers!

Goodluck, in this case, time is the key element!

[vkcse03 0]

Thanks to all for sharing your pains. When doc put in band he said that I did not have much fact around the pouch and that he put in band in empty. So now I'm still having hunger pain? Is this normal? Of course, there's no way I'm going near solid at this point but I won't have a fill until 6 weeks out?!

[Newme76 0]

When they place the band, it's empty. Yes, it's normal to be hungry but that too will get better. Some people have a lot of swelling and therefore, the sensation of hunger may be decreased. Hang in there for that 6 weeks!! We all know it's not easy but it's better for your healing process. I found that the hunger went away in about 1 1/2 weeks. Take care!!!

[MSnika3 0]

2 days post-op was my worst day. The IV which contained the monster painkiller was gone, and reality set in cause I had turned down the oral pain med prescription. Next day was a dramatic improvement. And then better each day afterwards. Its a gradual, daily progression.

If you're trying to sleep in a conventional bed at nite, I'd swith to a recliner.

Edited to add that Day 5 was a key improvement day for me, too. I'd been led to believe I could go back to work 3 days post-op which proved to be waaaay too optimistic. Also, those pain pills sometimes have a negative emotional effect on some people. Try to ditch them as soon as you can.

I'm with Brownie on this one. Actually, everyone has good points, but I can relate to the bed thing. I had to get out of my bed. Couldn't find a comfortable position at all. I don't have a recliner, but I have a huge comfy chair that I positioned myself in comfortably with pillows propped everywhich way. It was the only way I could lounge or sleep in comfort.