Nerve in abdomen is inflamed?

[BetsyB0101 25]

Hi! Just need some advice. I had surgery Monday. Came home Tuesday. All was pretty good until Thursday night when I started having this burning pain in my left lower abdomen. If I try to get up and move it hurts so bad it makes me cry. No fever or vomiting or anything else that seems wrong. Called the surgeons office Friday morning, the PA said it sounds like I have an inflamed nerve that runs alongside a tethering stitch that they put in. He said it can cause referred pain all over the abdomen. It feels like someone lit me on fire. So I am to lay still and Ice my abdomen and hopefully the inflamed nerve will calm down in a few days. So I laid all day yesterday, except for trips to the bathroom. I have been putting cold packs on my abdomen off and on. Has anyone had this happen? I don't seem to be getting better yet and it is really scaring me. This is not a pain I can ignore and go on. It hurts so bad I get very nauseous. I am so afraid it won't get better on its own and then what happens? I am taking the lortab elixir they sent me home with and it makes laying still more comfortable but doesn't touch the pain if I move. Any advice??

[Kay P 8]

Betsy, I too had the abdominal nerve pain you are experiencing. I had bypass surgery in early

December and it took a full three weeks before I felt comfortable. My pain medication didn't help much but I was sure to time my doses so that I could take the pain medication just before going to bed or I didn't get any sleep. I feel, personally, that I may have overdone my physical activities

following surgery. My husband kept reminding me to take it easy, I'd just had major surgery. In

my mind, because the surgery was done laparoscopically, I didn't consider it major surgery, very

foolish thinking on my part. After two weeks of this burning pain I decided to listen to my

husband and give my body the time it needed to heal. By the end of the third week the pain was

completely gone and has not returned. Another thing that helped a great deal was to wear the

abdominal binder that was given to me at the hospital after surgery. The binder keeps everything

snug and secure and makes getting up and down much less painful. Hang in there, the pain will

go away, just be sure to take it easy.

[BetsyB0101 25]

Thank you, KayP, for answering me. I was beginning to think I'm crazy. It hurts so bad! I am glad someone else has been thru it too and it did eventually go away. That makes me feel a lot better. I was envisioning lying in this bed forever. I know that sounds dramatic but literally that is all I can do. My mom went to town to try to find me an abdominal binder. I really do think that might help and thank you for the suggestion. I hope I don't have to lie here for a week like you did before you got better but guess I will do whatever I have to! Thank you again for sharing your experience with me.

[kraney 219]

When I came home from the hospital I also had a similar sounding pain. However mine turned out to be a leak with an abscess and infection. I am surprised they are not asking you to go get checked. If I wouldn't have went to the emergency room and had a ct and MRI they would not have found my leak.

[kraney 219]

Guess I replied before reading your response. I'm glad you have been feeling better.

[BetsyB0101 25]

Kraney, I am not better. Did you have a fever with your leak? Maybe I should call my surgeon back again? Did it hurt all the time or was it okay if you laid still?

[kraney 219]

Honestly I was hurting so bad I don't remember if it was a constant or off and on. I didn't feel like I had a fever at first but I ran a pretty high one in the hospital. I tried to suck up the pain for a few days and just take my pain meds, but it kept breaking through the meds. After one sleepless night I called my nurse practitioner. He said it was probably just residual pain from the surgery and it should get better. The next night the same thing. Couldn't sleep..so much pain, literally moaning myself to sleep and waking back up in pain. That morning I went to the ER. After all their tests I ended up in the hospital for 16 more days on tpn (iv nutrition) lots of pain meds, antibiotics for two entire weeks to get rid of the infection, and an accordion drain I even came home with. If I hadn't gone in when I did...well I don't know what would be. My thought process is this..if you think something is wrong it is best to get it checked.

[BetsyB0101 25]

I called my surgeon back. Got the PA again. He was very nice. He still thinks it is probably the nerve inflammation but said if I think it is getting worse that I should probably come and have it checked out. When I lay flat and don't move, it doesn't hurt. If I try to do anything, it kills me. I haven't even been able to do anything other than go to the bathroom today and fall back into bed in tears. Can't even stand long enough to brush my teeth. The hospital I had the surgery done at is 3 hours away so I may wait and try to head up there tomorrow morning if I am still this bad. My husband doesn't get home tonight until at least 6, maybe later. I hope I don't have what you had, kraney, that sounded awful. I am glad you are okay now.

[Kay P 8]

Betsy, I've been thinking of you and wondering how you're doing today, I hope you are feeling

better.

[kraney 219]

I hope you are feeling better. I would absolutely go get checked if you feel any worse or if it continues. I don't know if I'd travel that far to get checked but that's a personal call. I hope your recovery goes much better

[BetsyB0101 25]

I am better today! I am still in pain when I get up but I would give it a 7 instead of a 10! I got a shower today for the first time since Thursday. I got really nauseous and had to lie down quickly afterward, but I think I am just weak from laying in bed for so long. So I think I am on the upward swing! The swelling in my abdomen seems to be going down. Tomorrow is my one week follow up so it will be a really long day on the road but I am glad to even be a little better. Thanks to both of you for all your help and advice!!

[BetsyB0101 25]

Kraney, I am on my way to KC to my one week follow up. Still lots of left side pain but not as bad as it was. So guess what just happened? I crossed my left leg, felt this little pull, and wham, all this brown drainage starts pouring from my incision. It is the incision on the left side that they did all the work through. Great right. So now I guess I know why I have been in so much pain!

[kraney 219]

Omg that is awful! I am glad you are seeing the doctor today!! Keep us updated!

[BetsyB0101 25]

I was freaking out! Luckily it was just a pocket of Fluid and not an infection! Yay! Though it is the reason I was in so much pain. They said it should get better now that it is draining. They took out the staples and it kind of opened up and now I have to pack it with gauze until it heals closed. It is so sore! But I am home and very grateful that it wasn't an infection.

[kraney 219]

I'm so glad you know what it is! Thanks for keeping us updated..I was worried about you! Now you take time to heal!!