Im sleeved and home and have been through hell

OK, first things first. I'm alive, I'm home, and my pain is moderate. Ok - now my experience with my surgery. Day 1 and 2 in the hospital were ok. I had a morphine pump, so at the press of the button my pain would pretty much go away. They took away my pump at the end of day 2. They gave me liquid oxycodone, I much more would have preferred the pump to better  manage my pain, but they wouldn't let me have it.

Ok here is the part where I had to push through the limits. All I could think of is getting on this forum and cussing everyone out for lying about how such an easy procedure this is. On day 3 ga**** me about 10 oclock in the morning. Unbelievable pain. I could not sit, or lay, I tried to walk it off and no relief. It came in waves about once a minute. The nurse told me there was nothing they could do for me. Just told me to walk. I tried to be a good sport and walk and that didn't help. My wife wasn't getting off work for another 6 hours, so I begged my friend to come be with me. He came and walked and talked with me. All I know is that was the WORST pain I have ever experienced. There is no way to fluff it up. It is HELL! So as the hours progressed I felt the need to pass gas and a little pressure was relieved. Few hours later another little bit. When I got home the last bit came out. I was finally able to sit on a chair and lay my head back on one of those neck pillow things. I cant lay in bed which sucks, but I will take a chair over standing everyday.

The last thing that made things worse was the doctor refused to give me one of my psychiatric medications for depression and anxiety. After 2 days of not taking it I started to panic and feel like I was losing my mind. I refused to talk to the nurses or discharge people. I just shook and stared out into the distance.

Also the drain that they pulled out sucked and hurt. And the swallow test to look at the new pouch was so disgusting I almost vomited.

As I have the energy now to type this, I think to myself, Anything in life worthwhile, requires pain and perseverance and this surgery is no different..

I'm sorry you were in so much pain. The gas was also horrible for me. At one point I was walking the floor at 3 am and broke down and cried I felt so horrible.

But guess what??????  The hardest part is over for you--- everyday it will get easier and easier and you will get lighter and lighter and more energy and happier!!!  You peaked at the top of the roller coaster now get ready for some crazy exciting loops!!

Aaah.. the good bad and ugly that they NEVER tell ya (really) ahead of time. Maybe for good reason.

But I want to validate that your experience was horrible and difficult to deal with..though as you mentioned.. worthwhile?

This is just MY idea but I was told they REALLY pump you up with air..so BIG (super duper pregnant BIG) so that the surgeon can SEE..a good thing. BUT the bigger you are, the more air and therefore more air that needs to dissipate. Only no one really knows how long that will take.

Yes the morphine pump works for most, but it slows down everything else like digestion and elimination causing another problem=constipation. So yes walking, changing positions and time ONLY way to get that air out.

Was this your first surgery? Cuz abdominal surgery is just like you describe. To comfort oneself..all this misery is not for colon or stomach cancer.. WE WIL LIVE and improve.

I had NO pain, discomfort, no drain and no air bubbles to deal with.. BUT.. I kept vomiting which only made my tummy swell up all over again. I ended up dehydrated with a rare kidney disease that was very threatening.

I wish I HAD a drain..better than seeing it come UP.

This sacrifice will make us stronger.. Bull..but its true I guess LOL

Just teasin..glad you are improving..soon to be a fading memory..

Thanks for venting my new OH friend, Jan

I know what you mean about wanting to cuss people out! LOL! Maybe I just paid more attention to the ones with easy recoveries because i wanted to be like that. But there were stories about horrible pain and hard recoveries as well. Mine was by no means easy as pie, but I got through it and now I feel absolutely great! (Please don't cuss me out if you don't feel great in a couple of months!) But after the first 2 weeks it started getting better every day. 

I'm so glad you're home and feeling better. And yes, pain and perseverance is part of it!

SO glad you are sleeved! You will come to love it, I promise.
Yeah, that gas is NO JOKE!! My experience was that it was trapped around my lungs, and I felt like I couldn't breathe! That was kinda scary- thinking I had a blood clot in my lung or something. But by day 5 , it had all disipated and things started looking up.
I look forward to your, " I feel so much better!" post soon!
Sheri

Hey there. I'm sorry you had such a rough time:( As you know I had mine done in the same place, same doc. I however can honestly say my pain just wasn't that bad. I never had ANY gas issues like so many people report.

The drain though..uggh that hurt like a mother beeper. I totally understand on that one! The barium swallow as well was horrific and made me want to gag.

If it makes you feel any better...the lady that took me down for that barium swallow...dropped my catheter bag full of pee and ran over it with the wheelchair, said "oh dear" and then proceeded to run back over it to get the wheelchair off of it. Took me to my room,  got me into bed, hung up that bag and hauled ass out of there. Later that night the nurse wanted to know what all that liquid on the floor was...apparently she had torn the bag and it leaked on the floor.

Overall my experience was great! lol

 OK - the catheter bag thing made me laugh out loud!  

I'm so sorry those first days were so hard for you, SimplyAdge.  I was fortunate that my doctor understood and was sympathetic to my anxiety issues.  I don't understand why these people think a blood pressure med is more important than a psychiatric med.  I think I would have just taken it anyhow - but that's the way I am.  If you don't help me, I will help myself.  

They really do blow you up!  I could tell because of how sore my ribs were from being pushed out and yes, the drain was otherworldly.

They had me swallow some kind of contrast material, it wasn't barium, and I was so darned thirsty that I told them it didn't taste all that bad.  They thought I was crazy.

Well, that bites.

This procedure runs the gamut.  Some, like my friend in Michigan, bounced out of her hospital bed and went home the next morning feeling fine.  No pain, little gas and was back to work in four days.  Others (me) had complications (I had a leak), spent time in ICU, in the hospital a week, pain, nausea, feeling like death eating a cracker.  Out of work for a month.

But, I promise it will pass.  The "what the hell have I done to myself?" will pass.  You will feel better at some point and then start to feel really good.

Sorry your experience was one of the more awful ones.

That's why I want to slap people that say surgery is the easy way out!  I don't know if anyone said the surgery was easy.  Easy pain wise compared to other surgeries like C-sections and such yes, but no surgery is easy for everyone. And we all have different experiences.  I had little nausea and more pain than my hubby, but hubby was had terrible nausea and heartburn with little pain. 

Glad you are feeling a bit better and it is good you posted for all those pre-ops that might have delusions that surgery is simple.  You never know what you are gonna get.  But from here on out...hopes for a easy recovery.

I find these types of posts really helpful.  It is one thing to be told "You may experience pain from gas."  It is another thing entirely to hear a first person account of what it is like.  And I know that words can't fully capture what you experienced.  But it does help me make informed decisions and be realistic. 

I'm sorry you suffered so much, but thanks for sharing this.