Struggling after surgery

[MusicalFurbaby]

Hi guys, hope you are all managing as well as you can be. I had surgery last week, and man, it is kicking my butt. The surgeon repaired a massive hernia (12cm - the biggest he’d ever seen!) and did a partial fundoplication as well. I woke up delirious and disoriented, and they kept me in hospital 3 days to make sure I could tolerate fluids.

Since discharge last Sunday, I’ve been vomiting all week, only just stopped in the last couple of days. I’m still nauseous but able to tolerate small amounts of food (fluids only). I’m in a bit of pain too, but I find pain way easier to manage than constant vomiting! Apart from that, I’m very weak, as I’m not eating much and probably not absorbing all the nutrients when I do. Recovery is going to take a bit longer than I anticipated!

Any tips on post-operative recovery after major surgery, apart from the obvious-yet-impossible task of being nice to myself?!

[happytulip]

Good nutrition is vital. If you don't eat you won't heal. If you find soil food are too heavy then make ups one smoothies or soups. Homemade is better than the shop bought ultra processed stuff.

[MusicalFurbaby in reply to happytulip]

Thank you. I always prefer homemade over store-bought, for sure. Bring on the soups!

[Lizard28]

Hope you get well soon, can you maybe get your doctor to prescribe some of the small Ensure drinks for a short time. At least they will give you the nutrients you need and help in the healing process.

[MusicalFurbaby in reply to Lizard28]

Thank you, that’s a good idea!

[Paprika60]

If you can keep liquid down, perhaps try a bit of ginger tea? It is helpful with nausea. Honey will help with the taste. And it would be good for your much abused throat from vomiting. But only if you can have some food first, smashed banana, mashed sweet potato as such. Ensure would be good but you also need to bring back some appetite. Poached egg yolk could be good. Hope you recover soon.

[MusicalFurbaby in reply to Paprika60]

Thank you, I’ve been having lemongrass tea, as well as the pureed foods you mentioned. The nausea is improving a little each day, which is an immense relief. I’ll take pain over nausea any day!

[MrsMarigold]

Hi Musicalfurbaby. I had rotator cuff surgery last July. It has failed and I need to do a redo at the end of this July but with a different, and more expensive surgeon. Pain in my right shoulder and arm after surgery and this whole year requires/required much care. I’ve had other surgeries so my advice for you is to stay ahead of the pain. We are told that when we get our pain prescriptions filled. Without it, I vomit and can not eat. 2 weeks of good pain control and I’m able to eat fairly well. I hope you have someone to help. Surgery is a body traumatizing event. And sleep. Small walks at a time. Best to you. MM

[MusicalFurbaby in reply to MrsMarigold]

Thank you, yes I’m resting a lot to help with the pain. Going to start walking (briefly) in a few days’ time. The pain is actually not too bad, either that or I find it easier to tolerate than nausea. My sleep is improving, thank goodness, I am now sleeping right through the night! And I do have someone to help—don’t know what I’d do without them!

Hope things with your shoulder settle down sometime soon. Chronic pain is the worst.

[Pumpkin2009 in reply to MusicalFurbaby]

I had hernia surgery some years ago, not as bad as yours. I came home from the hospital vomiting and it was thought to be from the anesthesia. My GP called in something for the nausea which helped. Hope you get better soon.

Lots of healing hugs.

[MusicalFurbaby in reply to Pumpkin2009]

Thank you, yes initially I thought it was the anaesthetic too, but it continued for a week! Thankfully it has now stopped: 1 whole week since I last vomited! It feels good to be able to eat without worrying about it reappearing, for sure!