Hi All, I had my gastric sleeve one week ago today. So far, I haven't been able to focus on the positive, the future, even though I've planned for and looked forward to this for a long time. I'm a rather active and upbeat person--for someone with morbid obesity, and I felt well prepared for finally having the procedure.
My big problem right out of the gate was lack of pain management in the hospital. My surgery was performed at the University of Virginia by Dr Bruce Schirmer. I have rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, so I was off of all of my RA medications for over 3 weeks prior to surgery and I was off of all steroids and NSAIDs for 5 days prior. Needless to say, I ached all over. However, this was going to be the case for me to have any major surgery and there was no way of getting around it. About 24 hours after surgery I had pain that I could not tolerate. They were giving me liquid tylenol and oral oxycodone for pain but it felt like the pills were just scratching down my throat and I was barely getting any pain relief from it.
They were expecting to send me home that afternoon and PT came in to get me up to walk further than to the bedside commode. PT had me stand up and they put a big band around my abdomen. That band sent me reeling with pain. I just fell back into the bed and tore the band off. I spent hours just laying there crying, holding the nurse's hand and begging her to give me something IV just to give me a half-hour of relief. She made the request but the Drs just came back with an order for more oral pain meds. I just whimpered all night.
I went home the following day; the pain has been improving steadily. But I'm so fatigued .... I hear of people going back to work after a week. I can barely get from one room in my house to the other without wanting to collapse! I'm taking oxy only once each morning now and don't feel like the trauma to my abdomen is a big issue.
Per my surgeon's instructions, I'm on a clear liquid diet with the addition of 2 protein shakes per day (totaling 60 mg protein) plus 2 Flintstones Complete and 3 chewable calcium w/D. My surgeon said not to start B12 supplements yet because my level was above normal prior to surgery.
Is it common that no IV pain meds are used once you're out of surgery?
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