Day 3 post op-was I hit by a truck?!

Hi all!

I had RNY on Monday and it went fabulously! It took about 2 hours and I was awake while being wheeled to recovery and eating ice chips and walking to the bathroom easily within about 2 hours. I stayed overnight at the hospital and although I didn't sleep much (wayyyy too many visitors coming in and out to take blood pressure, *****ly my finger, etc) I was really comfortable. My pain meds were given through my IV and in fact when the surgeon came to check on me I asked if he had really done anything or if I was part of a placebo group!

I came home yesterday (Tuesday) so was only in the hospital for less than 24 hours. I've never been so happy to see my bed. HOWEVER now my body feels like it wa**** by a truck! My abdomen isn't the worst pain-it's almost like my knock and thighs and arms are super sore. The doc did mention something about being in stirrups during surgery so maybe that explains my sore inner thighs? Has anyone else experienced this whole body ache? Is it normal?

On a positive note I can for in my fluids and the abdominal pain and incisions are not terrible. They said I was a perfect patient. So I'm pretty much feeling like today is the first day of the rest of my life!!!

I don't have a recliner so I have been in bed since I got home and MAN is it tough to pull myself out of it or roll over! I look like a beached whale I am sure :)

Good luck to all my fellow recovery people going through this at the same time and I hope to hear from some people who are farther out who can tell me if full body soreness is normal!!!

Thanks!

The morphine pump, for me, controlled the pain great! After I left the hospital, it was much more difficult to manage with oral meds! 3 weeks later, the only pain I have is back pain; I'm assuming its from rapid weight loss and my two young kids! 

I didn't have full body soreness but I wasn't in stirrups either. At least not that I was aware.  But I was quite sore. Think about it. You are three days out from a major rerouting of your digestive system. Your body is still trying to figure out exactly what happened and how it plans to fix it all. Most of it's energy is directed towards that purpose. You have to take it a little at a time.

That being said you said that you had been in bed since you had been home. You are getting up and walking yes? Just checking. Gotta move you know. Sip and move. 3 days out that's probably about what you can do. Sip your fluids and walk around a bit.

 

I'm sipping but mostly laying-I've only walked a little. I plan to walk 2 blocks to the drugstore this afternoon. Thanks for putting my sore body into perspective :) I just didn't imagine my neck and legs would hurt lol. Overall though it's all gone wonderfully and positively. I will walk in a little while and make sure I get activity in!  Thanks again!

As I read it back now, I hope my post didn't seem sharp. It's just easy for us to forget that because they let us go home doesn't mean we are recovered. Just make sure you are getting up every couple of hours. You don't want your legs to get blood clots. They can be a problem after surgery.

I like what the other poster said. I didn't even think about the fact we are strapped down. First week for me=tired & sore. It wasn't until around the 3rd month that things really started to fall into place for me and I began to recognize things were getting easier. Easier to get my vitamins in. Easier to drink my fluids. I was learning more ways to make things I could eat and get my protein in...stuff like that. One day at a time and you will be fine.

Always here if you need someone to talk to. Holidays+fat burning+release of large amounts of estrogen=

Hi Jazzycatz-your note wasn't sharp at all! It was a good reminder that although I'm sore and tired, I need to get up and get moving. It's easy to recline that's for sure :) I totally appreciate your experience and advice!

After you are asleep, you get positioned for surgery - which involves strapping your arms and sometimes you legs into a position that gives the team the best access - and you are kept in that position for the full surgery (1-2 hours).  Imaging holding any odd position for that amount of time!  That is what the arm and leg pain is from, your muscles didn't like it (can't blame them) -

I put a dining room chair (tall, ladder back) next to my bed and used it to help myself up and down - it worked really well.  Still was tough, but manageable - and keep in mind that you want to keep moving and walking.  Staying reclined after major surgery can lead to serious complications - specifically with blood clots to the lungs.  It gets easier pretty quickly.  I felt just like you describe, but was doing much better within 4-5 days - just super tired.

Congratulations on starting your journey to health!!!

Thank you pathchic!!! That makes sense why I am so sore! It was unexpected so I was concerned and I may have the occasional hypochondriac moment :) now I feel so much better, now that I understand why my body is sore!

My arms and legs didn't hurt, it was the left side of my stomach where I'm assuming they did the majority of their work. Its very sore and extremely tender, but getting better as I progress. Ill be 1 wk post op tomorrow. I can't wait to get over this hump so I can feel normal again.

Morning of day 4 and morning of day 5 were my worst and it only got better from there. Like you, I was in the hospital less than 24 hours and have generally felt great!