Post op day 5 and I feel full all the time. Help!

 I had my surgery on Monday and I was discharged yesterday after complications. I developed an infection and I had trauma caused by the catheter that resulted in bright red blood. My problem is I feel full all the time. Even when I haven't drank anything. I dont understand how I'm supposed to get all this protein and water down when I feel as if I'm going to throw up with even the tiniest sip. I'm on 6 medications and I'm having trouble getting them all down. I know I'm getting dehydrated because my urine is concentrated. What can i do? This is very uncomfortable. 

Hi there.

Well...my advice is that Rome wasn't built in a day. I sincerely hope your surgeon doesn't expect you to get it all in from day one because for some of us that's just not feasible.

I had really bad restriction at first. I just took it one day at a time. I drank a lot of really thin protein drinks (and hated them!****il I could get a bit more in. But my surgeon advised me he was more concerned with fluid intake than food in the beginning and said to try to get in all my water and as much protein as I could.

It does get better. One day at a time though! Just make sure everything you eat has some protein in it. It all adds up.

 Also another question. I gained weight in the hospital. All the hard work I did two weeks preop were for nothing because when I weighed myself yesterday after I was discharged I had gained 13 lbs back. I only had water in the hospital because I couldn't keep anything else down. How did I gain 13 lbs back?

You just had major surgery. It is swelling!

Stay off the scale for at least the next two weeks. Trust me...you'll thank yourself down the line.

 I gained 14 lbs from the morning i checked into the hospital until the next night in the hospital (they actually brought a scale in my room to weigh me). I think it was all the fluid they were pumping into me thru the iv. It all came off quickly once i was off the iv. I wouldn't worry about that. Good luck to you, and take care. I had my surgery on 2/27.

Barbara

I see your surgeon is Dr Stefanidis -I went to CWM as well (my surgeon was Dr Kuwada)-When I was leaving the hospital his advice was to focus most on staying hydrated (rather then trying to get protein in) for the first week or so.  Try to sip as much water as you can all day so you won't end up back in the hospital.  Hang in there -it will get easier as time goes by.   It's normal to feel full at first and not want to drink-just remember you are recovering from major surgery'!!  
and PS don't worry about the weight gain...it's from water retention.  Don't weigh for a week or 2...it will all fall into place!  Good luck!
   
Kelly