Just had plication surgery and need urgent help with pain

[jg62 0]

Hi folks,

I would go into greater detail right now about my experience but as I sit here, I am fighting back major pain in my chest and am in desperate help.

For all those who have had the plication or even if you are on the boards Dr. Watkins, what can I do to help alleviate this servere tightening pain in my chest. I am on day 3 from surgery, my first day home. While I was in the hospital, the pain meds they gave me via IV worked like a charm. When I was experiencing the chest pains, they would give me the pain injection in my IV and it would go away. Now that i am at home, with supradol as prescribed by doctor, it doesn't work! I tried crushing extra strength tylenols as well at doesn't work either. Both actually cause me to be naseaus and throw up the little liquids that I have in my system. I'm not able to sleep at all with this pain and lying flat on my back, sitting up, lying sideways and even piling pillows up and lying face down on them while sitting up doesn't help.

Please if anyone can offer any help please let me know. I don't know if I can endure this pain which is causing me to have cold sweats due to how much it hurts.

[jg62 0]

and I'm also not tolerating liquids very well because it hurts when it goes down and the pain just eventually makes me gag it back up.

I don't want to say yet that I regret this decision to have this surgery done, I just want to get through today.

[GayleSBennett 0]

Seems you have gas left over. The easiest thing to do is walk around as much as possible to break up the gas and start burping and farting. Also taking GasX strips can help. My friend had the same pain for several days and all she could do was walk around until it broke up.

[jg62 0]

Thanks GaylesBennet

But I have been walking and took the gas x strip and neither has helped. The pain is getting more severe rather than lessening. Plus all I want to do is sleep.I haven't slept in 36 hours because of this pain. I just don't understand why I was feeling okay in the hospital but now that I am home, it's the worse ever. Did they give me a different pain medication through my IV that actually worked?

I've just tried calling the hospital and they are closed Sundays :thumbup:

[Cknorte 7]

it sounds like leftover gas. Walk, maybe a heating pad and try super small sips of warm tea or broth. Are you taking the Nexium? Does it feel like pain or like something is stuck and feels like pressure? Make sure you get some calories in, regular gatorade or some fruit juice. You may be getting cold sweats due to too much medication on empty stomach.

Have you tried calling your coordinator or Esmeralda on her cell phone? They should be able to contact the Dr. Even on Sunday.

I don't know what else to suggest. I'm so sorry you are feeling so crappy. Sip and Walk and start annoying anyone on any phone number you may have.

Thanks GaylesBennet

But I have been walking and took the gas x strip and neither has helped. The pain is getting more severe rather than lessening. Plus all I want to do is sleep.I haven't slept in 36 hours because of this pain. I just don't understand why I was feeling okay in the hospital but now that I am home, it's the worse ever. Did they give me a different pain medication through my IV that actually worked?

I've just tried calling the hospital and they are closed Sundays :thumbup:

[jg62 0]

CKnorte,

Did you experience this tightening on your chest too? Right where the wound is. And yes, it also feels like pressure and gas is stuck. Did the supradol work for you? Do you know what they were giving to us through the IV to deal with the pain when we were at the hospital.

I've been trying to eat anything to keep my stomach from feeling upset but nothinng is staying down. Even the meds I try and take are coming back up. I'm afraid to take any more meds because i'll just throw them up and what a waste that would be!

And how were you able to sleep when you first got home? I find that sleeping on my back builds pressure on my chest and sleeping on my side also puts pressure.

I feel a bit hopeless right now like I have to just bear the pain until it goes away and can do nothing about it?

it sounds like leftover gas. Walk, maybe a heating pad and try super small sips of warm tea or broth. Are you taking the Nexium? Does it feel like pain or like something is stuck and feels like pressure? Make sure you get some calories in, regular gatorade or some fruit juice. You may be getting cold sweats due to too much medication on empty stomach.

Have you tried calling your coordinator or Esmeralda on her cell phone? They should be able to contact the Dr. Even on Sunday.

I don't know what else to suggest. I'm so sorry you are feeling so crappy. Sip and Walk and start annoying anyone on any phone number you may have.

[lguidry 5]

So sorry to hear that, I'm taking notes, I'm scheduled for my GSP a week from tomorrow. Any recommendations....anyone?

[Cknorte 7]

I did have the tightening/pressure, but it wasn't that bad, or I have a high pain tolerance. I made sure to get warm broth in, I had some home-made stuff, and ice cold gatorade. I knew the supradol would make me sick on an empty stomach. The nexium helps with the acid/pressure feeling. I was able to sleep at night, but I had some ambien that I would dissolve/crush. Also tylenol PM.

I used a heating pad and propped myself up on a bunch of pillows. Your tummy is swollen and needs to recover. But you need liquid and calories if you are going to take pain meds. They gave us the same stuff in the hospital in the IV. The stronger pain med they would have given you a shot in your arm. Since it was via IV your stomach didn't feel like hurling.

If you can't keep anything or sip anything you will get dehydrated and will compound your malaise. Try different temp fluids and just sip. Don't drink plain Water that might make you sick, the acid in the flavored drinks is easier on your excess acid. It doesn't have to work as hard to neutralize.

And seriously call the coordinator and have them contact the Dr. He may have some suggestions.

[lguidry 5]

I did have the tightening/pressure, but it wasn't that bad, or I have a high pain tolerance. I made sure to get warm broth in, I had some home-made stuff, and ice cold gatorade. I knew the supradol would make me sick on an empty stomach. The nexium helps with the acid/pressure feeling. I was able to sleep at night, but I had some ambien that I would dissolve/crush. Also tylenol PM.

I used a heating pad and propped myself up on a bunch of pillows. Your tummy is swollen and needs to recover. But you need liquid and calories if you are going to take pain meds. They gave us the same stuff in the hospital in the IV. The stronger pain med they would have given you a shot in your arm. Since it was via IV your stomach didn't feel like hurling.

If you can't keep anything or sip anything you will get dehydrated and will compound your malaise. Try different temp fluids and just sip. Don't drink plain Water that might make you sick, the acid in the flavored drinks is easier on your excess acid. It doesn't have to work as hard to neutralize.

And seriously call the coordinator and have them contact the Dr. He may have some suggestions.

Thanks for your post, I'm definitely taking notes;)

[lguidry 5]

I did have the tightening/pressure, but it wasn't that bad, or I have a high pain tolerance. I made sure to get warm broth in, I had some home-made stuff, and ice cold gatorade. I knew the supradol would make me sick on an empty stomach. The nexium helps with the acid/pressure feeling. I was able to sleep at night, but I had some ambien that I would dissolve/crush. Also tylenol PM.

I used a heating pad and propped myself up on a bunch of pillows. Your tummy is swollen and needs to recover. But you need liquid and calories if you are going to take pain meds. They gave us the same stuff in the hospital in the IV. The stronger pain med they would have given you a shot in your arm. Since it was via IV your stomach didn't feel like hurling.

If you can't keep anything or sip anything you will get dehydrated and will compound your malaise. Try different temp fluids and just sip. Don't drink plain Water that might make you sick, the acid in the flavored drinks is easier on your excess acid. It doesn't have to work as hard to neutralize.

And seriously call the coordinator and have them contact the Dr. He may have some suggestions.

Thank you, Thank you...Would love the receipe for the "home-made" stuff broth. Seriously, I welcome any and all suggestions!! What is your total wl to date?

[mp8btpc 33]

Besides the obvious need to call the doctor. Have you ruled out anxiety attack? They have similar symptoms and can often come on suddenly after having surgery. The lack of sleep and the chest pain along with your general tone (if i am gauging correctly) sounds to me similar to what I was feeling after surgery and since I deal with anxiety attacks on occasion I knew what to look for and as soon as I took a half an ativan, my chest calmed down and I was able to rest. I am not sure this is the case for you but don't rule out the possibility.

Edited September 27, 2010 by mp8btpc

[*susan* 1,709]

If you are in that much pain, and your surgeon who did the surgery is not available, I personally would not risk my health. I would head to the nearest emergency room. In fact, that is what I did when I had problems and was glad I did. I hope you get to feeling better quickly.

[NotSoLittleMermaid 14]

Please give us an update as soon as you are able. We are worried! I hope you can figure out what the problem is and fix it and get some rest.

[Cknorte 7]

Please give us an update on how you are doing. If you still aren't getting any Fluid or food to stay down, and you haven't gotten in touch with Dr., then go to the ER, you may need IV fluids, or they may be able to prescribe a stronger pain med.

For whatever reason, the pain medication from Mexico is not as strong as our narcotics here in the US. I was luck to not have as much pain, but I know that sometimes pain just spirals out of control....

Hope you feel better soon.

CK

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I agree with Susan. If you're in a lot of pain, you need to go to the emergency room. The medication they told you to take at home may not be stong enough, and it's easy to get dehyrated. You might need an IV at the hospital.