Done with surgery! But have some post op questions....help!

[vc2928]

Hey guys,

I would like to start off with thanking the admins and moderators of this website, as soon as I joined here is the time when I decided surgery was something I should go for! I dont know what clicked in me but in a few minutes I went from thinking I was the only one cursed with this to having a family of sorts, the only people who truly understood what I went through for years.....

Also, thanks to all those guys who had previously replied to my questions as I was and still am paranoid about the whole thing....

I went through surgery yesterday so this is day 1 post op and a few things that are of concern to me are as follows:

- my post op appointment isnt until 5 days post op. Because of this, I have to myself take off the bandages that are below the foam pads under the compression vest. I also have been asked to clean the area where the drains are attached to the skin with hydrogen peroxide. Frankly I am a bit mad that the doc's office didnt discuss this with me before the op. I have no experience with this and all of a sudden I have to do this myself! Anybody else had to do the cleaning part? Is this easy and am I just being paranoid?

- I have to push quite a bit in order to urinate. Is that normal? And is it bad for your stitches?

- So far I havent gone to poo yet, they told me that I will be constipated and though I am taking stool softeners they havent done me any help so far.

- I am going to take off the vest, foam pads and the bandages underneath, tomorrow. What can I expect to see - bruising, swelling....is there something thats going to freak me out?

- Also, I am feeling itchy at various spots since coming home from the docs office, not the chest area but all over the rest of the body - shoulders, legs, face, head etc...

- Did anybody else feel cranky afterwards? I feel like Im on the edge a bit and ready to yell at someone! Its weird... may be Im just mad at the nurse about not telling me regarding the cleaning part.

Thanks guys!! I cant wait to look at the final results and will keep you guys posted.

[xelnaga13]

- my post op appointment isnt until 5 days post op. Because of this, I have to myself take off the bandages that are below the foam pads under the compression vest. I also have been asked to clean the area where the drains are attached to the skin with hydrogen peroxide. Frankly I am a bit mad that the doc's office didnt discuss this with me before the op. I have no experience with this and all of a sudden I have to do this myself! Anybody else had to do the cleaning part? Is this easy and am I just being paranoid?

- I have to push quite a bit in order to urinate. Is that normal? And is it bad for your stitches?

That's most likely from the pain medication. Anyone with any opiate experience knows that urination is difficult. Google it for details. If you cannot urinate even after trying, fill a bath tub with warm water, urinate and then shower (last resort obviously)  It's not going to harm your stitches.

- So far I havent gone to poo yet, they told me that I will be constipated and though I am taking stool softeners they havent done me any help so far.

Pain medication causes the bowels to slow. Stool softeners and fiber help. However, If you have an on going issue you may need to switch to a laxative that will actively stimulate a bowel movement. 

- I am going to take off the vest, foam pads and the bandages underneath, tomorrow. What can I expect to see - bruising, swelling....is there something thats going to freak me out?
It might. Depends of your bruising and your tolerance for looking at injured tissue. Mine wasn't that bad. The biggest shock to me was looking down and realizing my gyno was gone forever.

- Also, I am feeling itchy at various spots since coming home from the docs office, not the chest area but all over the rest of the body - shoulders, legs, face, head etc...

Get ready for it.... YEP it's the pain medication again! Opiates can cause itching all over. It should subside on it's own, but if its unbearable call your pharmacist and get a recommendation.

- Did anybody else feel cranky afterwards? I feel like Im on th

Pain medication can make me very short tempered. Years ago it use to relax me... but now I get angrier than an old man at a deli trying to send back soup. Your body has just been through a great deal of trama and medication. Cover your basics like hydration, rest, and nutrition- doing so may help with the cranks.   


FYI make sure you are taking the recommended dosage of pain medication. Some of your complaints could be a sign that you are taking too much for your tolerance level. The sooner you can get off opiate pain meds and onto over the counter the better. Make sure you throw out the remaining pain meds.

[vc2928]

thanks a lot for the prompt reply xelnaga!

just wondering why you stressed on throwing out remaining pain meds? so i dont fall back on them?

Also, I have one more question guys, I can hear some liquid moving around in the chest area on both sides - is it left over fluids inside the skin that will get absorbed or something else? Its kind of freaking me out to hear it move when I get up or do any kind of movement.....

[xelnaga13]

thanks a lot for the prompt reply xelnaga!

just wondering why you stressed on throwing out remaining pain meds? so i dont fall back on them?

Also, I have one more question guys, I can hear some liquid moving around in the chest area on both sides - is it left over fluids inside the skin that will get absorbed or something else? Its kind of freaking me out to hear it move when I get up or do any kind of movement.....

It's always a good practice to properly dispose of medication. However, my advice was aimed at preventing the possible misuse of the medication. My generation (age 27) was the first to raid their families, relatives, and friends cabinets in search for an easy high. A friend of mine is a recovering pain medication addict. He said friends leaving pain medication in the bathroom is no different than leaving a cocktail out for an alcoholic.

Many people flush their medications down the toilet. This is a HUGE mistake. Most modern waste treatment facilities cannot filter out medications, so they inevitably wind up in our water supply.

The fluid is very common and should be absorbed naturally.

[pDiddy2]

Try to relax the best u can. In my opinion, the healing process is the worst part. My chest looked great for 10 weeks after surgery, then looked terrible for a couple months, and now look pretty good. Keep the vest on as long as possible and let your body heal. Remember, this is only temporary. You will get better 

[vc2928]

thanks for the replies guys! things are starting to get better but hearing it from others definitely helps quite a bit!

Im 2 weeks post op and though im not as flat as i thought id be its probably swelling so im just hanging in there for time being and hoping for the best!