Really struggling - Please help!

[Cottoneye 0]

I am Day 4 post op and I am really really struggling! I was on the morphine clicker when I was in hospital and felt fine, but have been in such huge amounts of pain since that I am beginning to lose it! My doctor prescribed me Capadex which are HUGE capsules that get stuck and hurt like hell, and last night I threw them up which hurt heaps too. I have tried emptying the capsules and putting them in all sorts of things; ice cream yoghurt etc but they taste so bad I am gagging before I even swallow. My mum got me some soluble Panadeine but its not very strong and isnt helping. Plus I have to swallow the nexium and my antidepressant - It just seems like I am swallowing pills every few hours....OWW! I also have these weird hiccuppy thing which are excruciating, really really bad. I just dont know what to do now, Im out of options and in sooo much pain...please help me.

[Lillie24 2]

Maybe you should ask your doctor to put you on liquid lortab. That's what I was on. I can not begin to tell you have moving around and walking helps also. But I do know that even that doesn't help with some pains. I actually had a massage about 4 or 5 days post op that only lasted 30 minutes but was sooooooo worth the 30 bucks I spent on it. Other then that I bought liquid tylenol for adults to help me get through. Hope this helps.

[brittu 42]

What was your doctor thinking? You need a liquid pain killer. Liquid valium works and relaxes your stomach and esophogas. My doctor also gave me liquid oxycodone. It wiped me out completely and I had to take benadryl chewables for the itching (if morphine doesn't make you itch then you're fine). Toradol is a lighter pain killer that goes under your tongue. I don't know what the doctor was thinking give you pills.

Britt

[Mommyof4 1]

Swallowing pills 4 days out Is crazy I couldn't even swallow Water. Im only 11 days out so I remember those first couple of days very well. My Dr gave me liquid Tylenol Codene. It helped relax me me NOT drug me but relax my stomach muscles and help me get some liquids down.

Hang in there Call your Dr.

Randi

Sleeved June 8th

Dr. Yadegar Lancaster Ca

[Maddie 9]

I agree with the others, call your dr and ask for some liquid pain meds. The over the counter ones come in liquid too.

[Cottoneye 0]

Thank you for your suggestions. I live in Australia and it seems we dont have any of the things you guys have talked about. Get this - my doctor only gave me his office number which I assumed would give emergency details but didnt. i should have checked first. I could still call the hospital I guess?

What a mess, now Im terrified I am going to get a leak with these pills. Have walked around plenty which has helped a little with the gassy gurgling pain. I took some morphine tablets my mum had left over from surgery and vomited them straight up so no go! Do hot packs help?

[SParkle 4]

You need to contact your Dr..... mine gave me his mobile number in case of emergency. Or failing that, go to the A&E.

I thought we couldn't touch any form of time release capsule for quite a while after the op....and as for Nexium, I'm on it, and I used to crush it days 1-6, but it does taste very bitter no matter what you put it in, so at my post op check up he said just cut it i nhalf and swallow it, and they've gone down ok.

Ask for soluble or liquid forms of things to help get you thru this....I really feel for you as being sick after the surgery really isn't nice at all.

Good luck - do let us know how you get on.

Kathy

[KRYSTL166 0]

Omgoodness, I really hope u feel better soon. Do you have a primary care doctor you see? Maybe you could see him and get him to change your meds to liquid. If you have a pharmacy that filled your pills then they will have the liqid form too, if they don't have it in stock they can order it for next day delivery. Doc might can even give you Phenergan liquid to take with your meds so you don't feel sick. If pharmacy says the can't or won't fill the liquid then go to a different one. If they won't then try and order online. You will need to talk with your doctor who wrote the RX to see if they will approve the fax the online company will send them(they have to do this because of narcotics) and see if they will rush it to you. Be very carefull doing this. They might even ship it to the doctors office. If so make sure you let the office know that's where its comeing so you get it on time. I don't know if this is going to help you but good luck!

[pumpkin07 32]

Call the hospital. Be demanding. THey'll get your doctor or one that can help.

[LAN2k 18]

Thanks for reaching out... so sorry your in so much pain and distress. I've been there and know how it feels. To gain composure and get a bit calmer, do some immediate deep breathing while raising your arms up above your head. You need to relieve yourself of fear and anxiety. If your surgeon is inexcessable, formulate your message clearly, (what you feel and what you need--ALL your concerns) and leave a message w/date and time. Also, if you have a regular doctor (Primary Care Physician 'PCP'), contact him or her and let them know you need immediate help, ie. liquid precriptions..otherwise go to the ER and be sure to give them your surgeons information and bring some data/info on the surgery you just had, if necessary print info on the sleeve surgery out of your computer and make sure the staff knows what's going on. Let us know please how you make out.

[Cottoneye 0]

Hey guys!

Just a quick note to let you know I think I am on the downhill. I decided to not take anymore painkillers, I am sure the pain they cause are most of the problem. Last night was rough but I feel better today. I cant say I dont regret the surgery - pain is difficult to deal with when you chose to have it but I am trying not to think about it and take each day at a time.

Thank you so much for your advice, I have sent my mum (a doctor in occupational health so not that informed on painkillers) to the pharmacist twice and they have all said they do not have strong liquid painkillers. Isnt that crazy? I managed to get in about 100 mls of Sustagen this morning, and since I have stopped the capsules I am able to get in more Water etc. I still have to take a Nexium and an anti depressant which I am not looking forward to. The last pill I cut in half got stuck and I threw it up. I pray that the worst is over......

[mommytoethan 1]

Maybe you should ask your doctor to put you on liquid lortab. That's what I was on. I can not begin to tell you have moving around and walking helps also. But I do know that even that doesn't help with some pains. I actually had a massage about 4 or 5 days post op that only lasted 30 minutes but was sooooooo worth the 30 bucks I spent on it. Other then that I bought liquid tylenol for adults to help me get through. Hope this helps.

i was given liquid lortab as well, but i never used it. i can't believe your doctor gave you pills! i would call your doctor and ask for liquid pain medicine. good luck - i hope you feel better soon!!

[pcindy 8]

At this point, I'd urge you to go to your emergency department so they can give you some IV pain meds and rehydrate you (you're probably dehydrated at this point). You may even need some electrolyte replacement as well. They will contact your surgeon who will be forced to deal with the situation and get it under control.

[pumpkin07 32]

Okay, sounds good. I didn't take much pain killer at the point you are at either. But if you can't get liquids down at all, yeah, you gotta go back before you get worse. Just try to sip your way through it. Warm liquids may work better, I drank a lot of Decaf hot tea. I just drank it 'warm'. Also some like warm Jello. Real chicken broth worked very very well for me and it is very natural.

[Cottoneye 0]

DAY 6!!

Im am feeling so much better. Alot of what I was going through was panic I think. Its hard to imagine you will feel better when you are in so much pain.

In hindsight I really shouldnt have let it get that bad. I should have gone to ER and let them help me. Im not sure why I didnt? I think maybe I thought that if my doctor thought I was fine then I must have been being a baby. How silly. I paid that man good money and I do not feel like he even cared how I was that day, he would have sent me home regardless. I should have asked more questions, I should have demanded more. There is nothing I can do now but I will never let myself be in that much pain again.

On a more positive note, I feel great! Well actually I dont feel 'great' but comparatively I feel freeking amazing! I have settled into my routines of walking and sipping and I am well on my way. I still get uncomfortable and the big incision still hurts and the gas gurgling is awful, but every day I wake up I get better.

I am so glad I found you people. I am sure this will not be the last time I ask for help....but I am finally feeling pretty positive about this. So yeah, thanks

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxox