3 days after laparotomy and feeling terrible

[Eggz]

Hi. I had my laparotomy on Tuesday and got discharged yesterday. I've never had surgery before and I guess I didn't realise it would floor me this much. I didn't sleep great again last night and I've now got a temperature today and just feel unwell. It's 38.2 but paracetamol hasn't lowered it. My husband doesn't seem too concerned but I'm worried about some sort of infection. My temp was normal the whole time in hospital. I'm just waiting for the hospital to call me back. Did anyone else have this 3 days after surgery? I also seem to be an emotional wreck today and keep crying.

[Whippit]

Hi Eggz

Sending loads of love. We have such a lot to take in and surgery for first time can feel a big deal so take it easy and be pampered for a day or so. Keep an eye on the temperature and if it gets worse or you get severe pain you should get in touch with the hospital. Does Paracetamol help temperature? I'm not sure whether I'd bother to take it unless I had a pain. Drink plenty of fluids because that helps temperatures and let's hope it will all pass.

Keep in touch and let us know how you're getting on. I hope the sky's as blue outside your house as it is mine. It lifts the spirits to think spring is on the way.

xxx Annie

[HogwartsDK]

Hey Eggz,

As whippit says keep an eye on that temp! I am on chemo and was warned if temp went to 38 to go to hospital! I see you have rang them so hopefully you will have a response soon!

As for the tears yes I experienced that too after both surgeries! My GP told me that it was the side effect of the anesthetic and of course the way you are feeling about diagnosis etc! Just give into the tears it's less energy consuming that trying to fight them back and it does get better as days go by!!!

Mind yourself and take it easy!! Hugs and positivity going your way!!!

Onwards and Upwards! !!

Dxx

[Eggz]

Thanks for your replies ladies. Paracetamol is supposed to help with a temp, it does for my kids anyway.

Even though I'm 41 I'm so glad my mum is here. While my husband has been amazing at all the practical stuff like sorting the kids out, he's not so great at the emotional side of things. My mum is supplying hugs and tissues while I'm bawling like a baby.

Yes, the sun is out here after a foggy start. Might try and go for a walk around the garden.

Does anyone have any advice on sleeping? I usually sleep curled up on my side but I'm finding it very hard to sleep on my back. I've hardly slept in 3 nights so that's probably not helping. Xx

[HogwartsDK]

Hey Eggz!

No matter what age you are (I am 45) you always need your mum! Mine passed away last year just before my diagnosis so cherish your time with yours, tears and all!!

I too had trouble with sleep after surgery and it was very frustrating! You should talk to your GP about help with sleeping I was reluctant to go down that road as I was afraid I would get dependent on them but I did take ativan a couple of times! I also got a great tip of some of the ladies in the Chemo ward, antihistamine makes me sleepy so I have taken Piriton on occasion to help me sleep! It has sorted itself out now TG!!!

Hope it sorts itself out for you cos sleep is very important for recovery and there is nothing more frustrating than sleep deprivation as I am guessing as a mother you are only too well aware 😀

Take care and mind yourself! !!

Dx

[Hidden]

I agree sleep is very important and we feel so down if we dont get our proper share. I think go to your gp and get sorted for a sleeping tablet to help you over the next few days. You are lucky to have your Mum with you. Try and relax and watch tv and take deep breathes. It is very early days yet so you are not allowed to do much anyhow. So start being kind to yourself you are doing as best you can at this moment

[charlie12]

Hi there

I had a very weepy day on day 3 after surgery and the Aneasthetist said that this is very very common. The surgeon, who had major surgery herself saaid the same. You have had a massive trauma and this takes time to get over. Try to take things very very easy , spoil yourself with as many treats as you can. Things do get better from now on, honestly!

Love and hugs

[Lyndy]

Hello Eggz..just wondering do you have cushions or pillows to prop yourself up? I can't sleep on my back but found I could zzzzzz in a semi sitting position after surgery. Hope you feel better really soon xxxxx

[Hidden]

Yes I remember feeling weepy after surgery,big hugs and enjoy your mum taking care of you, some TLC does wonders!!! As for sleeping I put a pillow under me, I sleep on my side curled up so I put the pillow right underneath me so it was nice and soft it helped me. Take care and hope your temp comes down just keep an eye on it I case on infection xxx

[Eggz]

Thank you everyone for your replies. The kindness on here has made me feel even more weepy!

The hospital called me back and they're not too concerned about my temp at the moment but to keep an eye on things. It's fluctuated all day but it's high again now.

I've started bleeding tonight. I forgot to mention I had one one ovary, tube and large cyst removed. it's a jelly like bleeding. Is this normal? I'm also still finding it uncomfortable to wee (catheter came out weds). And I have nightmare trapped wind!

Definitely going to steal all the pillows tonight. Xx

[indego]

Hi Eggz

I've had two laparotomies, and day three is insanely early after surgery. I spent 4 nights in hospital after each of mine.

I always get "post op blues" as well. I've had tree keyholes ontop of the two opens and I've been a teary mess for a week or so after all of them.

The ladies on the endometriosis forum I'm on say the same thing as well, it's just one of those things that happens after surgery.

It's physically/emotionally traumatic to have surgery, you're sore and tired, general anesthetics can make you over emotional all on their own... and then hormones go haywire. (Even if you hadn't have had an ovary removed, poking ovaries makes them shut down for a while. They kick back into gear pretty quickly, but it still messes with hormones.)

Do you have a rolled up towel or something for your stomach? They're the single best thing in the world after open surgeries. But I also found it to be very emotionally comforting. To the point I bonded with my towel roll, and have refused to let anyone unroll it five and a half months later...

I wasn't able to get on my side until day five after my open surgeries because I felt like my guts was going to fall out (mine were vertical, apparently horizontal ones can feel more secure?).

But the key to getting comfy was pillows and a rolled up towel for my belly.

When I was on my back, I'd have a pillow under my thighs and knees (ankles unsupported) with the towel on my belly and pillows propping me up in a low reclining position.

When I could get on my side, I'd wedge the rolled towel into my belly, underneath the incision (not on it) so the incision was kind of being held up. Then a pillow wedged in my back, so I could relax back into it and not have to use any muscles to support myself on my side, a pillow between my legs, and hugging another pillow into my stomach. (...This particular position takes up 3/4s of a queen sized bed, but when my partner complained I cried and told him he had to be nice to me and he stopped complaining, lol)

I honestly can't remember if I bleed after my last surgery. (I always bleed after keyholes, my first open I was on my period... I THINK I bled? But it's always best to check with your doctor.)

The wind pain is also brutal. I found Simethicone capsules really helpful. Short, slow walks can help loosing things up, or very gently sitting on a chair and leaning forwards/backward if you're not up to the walk.

Now I have overloaded you with a really long post, I hope you feel better soon.

Open ops suck, and they take a while to recover from, so be kind to yourself

[Maus123]

Eggz , it's very early days yet and it's a big operation. I've never had anything like it before either (do wisdom teeth count?). It took me 8-10 days to recover enough to go home from hospital.

For sleeping position, as Lyndy said: Try propping up the upper body with pillows a little. I'm afraid you might have to try and sleep on your back for a few weeks. For me, I slept in the 'corpse position' (courtesy of Susan Gubar's 'Memoirs of a debulked woman' book ) , on my back, for about 6 weeks before I started turning on my sides again.

Indego's rolled towel tip is good too. I had a rolled towel with me after the op for a good while. Mostly, I used it to press on my stomach when coughing, sneezing or laughing.

Also had some discharge for at least 2 weeks after surgery if that helps.

Peppermint team helped me with the wind. I was kinda grateful to have bowel activity at all, even if it was wind, so I didn't mind it too much.

The fever I'd probably worry about because my nurses said to definitely ring the doctor if any high temperature occured. Never happened to me but I could tell they wanted a close eye kept on it. So maybe call your team again or your GP, about the fever? I'd definitely ask about it again.

Be well again soon and all the best.

[Eggz]

Thanks everyone. Fever got worse today as did my pain with passing urine. Went to hospital to give urine sample and they've given me antibiotics as they suspect a UTI.

[indego in reply to Eggz]

Ugh, I had a UTI after my first open surgery... It makes you feel so much worse...

I hope the antibiotics kick in nice and quickly and you can start feeling better soon