Re: Finally on the other side: going on 5 days post op.

[Guest guest]

I had cocodamol which was very effective but I'm not sure you can

get that in America.

Best wiches,

(England).

> I am sitting here at 3am in the morning reading this message board

> going on 5 days post op from upper being done. I also was a

lurker

> here for the past year and a half, trying to learn everything I

could

> before that day. I became a desperate fool within the last week.

I

> was supposed to originally have upper/lower with possible genio

being

> done. I am swollen up to my eyes. I was being petrified out of

my

> mind after never having surgery ever before in my life as well.

The

> night before was the worst, and fell asleep after exhaustion. I

was

> in fear as well of having a panic attack post op and am currently

> wired shut. I had an NG tube in post op and it was removed 2 days

> later. They do leave a small amount of give in your jaw even when

> you are wired shut. I have to carry around with me wire cutters,

> just in case, and almost thought I was going to have to use them

in

> the hospital. My doctor gave me some benadryl when he thought I

was

> too anxious, and I did feel very anxious in the hospital. Just

being

> kind of claustrophoc-like being wired shut. Learn some deep

> breathing techniques if you can before you go, and learn to go to

> another place in your mind along with the breathing. It does

help.

> I am feeling better now, but the first 2 days were the worst. You

do

> fall asleep if you let yourself relax enough. I relied heavily on

my

> suction machine in the hospital, and have even gotten one for home

> use, because the drooling is annoying. I keep a lot of towels

> around. The thing that annoys me most now is the pain medicine.

> Tylenol with codeine exlir is AWFUL!! It feels to me like it

burns

> as it goes down, and I have avoided it if I can. My pain level is

> not that bad. It has only been about a 3 at the most on a pain

scale

> of 0-10. Most of the time it has been a 1 or a 2, due to the

> numbness. It really does get numb, and you don't feel a lot of

> discomfort. I had a PCA of Morphine for 2 days post op, but

didn't

> really use it that much, mostly just to make me relax so I could

go

> to sleep. Vomitting was my biggest worry post op. Of course, I

did

> it probably 8 times in the first 12 hours. It worried me so much

pre-

> op about vomitting. My dh didn't tell me about how I vomitted up

the

> blood immediately post op until today, when we came home. I don't

> even remember doing that, which is a good thing.

> I didn't even start eating till 2nd day post op, and really didn't

> have an appetite until then anyways. I was on clear liquids at

that

> point and am still continuing that now, but can introduce foods

that

> are already liquified, as my OS doesn't want me to start pureed

foods

> yet. It takes forever to eat, but I am getting better. Taking a

> shower really helped post op day 3 to make me feel better. I am

still

> recovering and have questions even now.

> I also wanted to say that I have found the syringe with the Zip N

> Squeeze tubing on it to work the best for me post op. I just took

> the tubing off the bags and it worked great! It gave me more

control

> over how much I was putting in my mouth compared to the zip n

squeeze

> bags themselves. I use the 20 and 35 ML syringes. The nurses

were

> really good at giving me more syringes to take home and the zip n

> squeeze bags. I really haven't used the bags much though, because

> the syringe worked better. Just my thoughts tonight, Lyn

>

> Anyone have suggestions for post op discomfort other than the

tylenol

> with codeine elixir?? I can't choke it down. It's awful!!

[Guest guest]

I had cocodamol which was very effective but I'm not sure you can

get that in America.

Best wiches,

(England).

> I am sitting here at 3am in the morning reading this message board

> going on 5 days post op from upper being done. I also was a

lurker

> here for the past year and a half, trying to learn everything I

could

> before that day. I became a desperate fool within the last week.

I

> was supposed to originally have upper/lower with possible genio

being

> done. I am swollen up to my eyes. I was being petrified out of

my

> mind after never having surgery ever before in my life as well.

The

> night before was the worst, and fell asleep after exhaustion. I

was

> in fear as well of having a panic attack post op and am currently

> wired shut. I had an NG tube in post op and it was removed 2 days

> later. They do leave a small amount of give in your jaw even when

> you are wired shut. I have to carry around with me wire cutters,

> just in case, and almost thought I was going to have to use them

in

> the hospital. My doctor gave me some benadryl when he thought I

was

> too anxious, and I did feel very anxious in the hospital. Just

being

> kind of claustrophoc-like being wired shut. Learn some deep

> breathing techniques if you can before you go, and learn to go to

> another place in your mind along with the breathing. It does

help.

> I am feeling better now, but the first 2 days were the worst. You

do

> fall asleep if you let yourself relax enough. I relied heavily on

my

> suction machine in the hospital, and have even gotten one for home

> use, because the drooling is annoying. I keep a lot of towels

> around. The thing that annoys me most now is the pain medicine.

> Tylenol with codeine exlir is AWFUL!! It feels to me like it

burns

> as it goes down, and I have avoided it if I can. My pain level is

> not that bad. It has only been about a 3 at the most on a pain

scale

> of 0-10. Most of the time it has been a 1 or a 2, due to the

> numbness. It really does get numb, and you don't feel a lot of

> discomfort. I had a PCA of Morphine for 2 days post op, but

didn't

> really use it that much, mostly just to make me relax so I could

go

> to sleep. Vomitting was my biggest worry post op. Of course, I

did

> it probably 8 times in the first 12 hours. It worried me so much

pre-

> op about vomitting. My dh didn't tell me about how I vomitted up

the

> blood immediately post op until today, when we came home. I don't

> even remember doing that, which is a good thing.

> I didn't even start eating till 2nd day post op, and really didn't

> have an appetite until then anyways. I was on clear liquids at

that

> point and am still continuing that now, but can introduce foods

that

> are already liquified, as my OS doesn't want me to start pureed

foods

> yet. It takes forever to eat, but I am getting better. Taking a

> shower really helped post op day 3 to make me feel better. I am

still

> recovering and have questions even now.

> I also wanted to say that I have found the syringe with the Zip N

> Squeeze tubing on it to work the best for me post op. I just took

> the tubing off the bags and it worked great! It gave me more

control

> over how much I was putting in my mouth compared to the zip n

squeeze

> bags themselves. I use the 20 and 35 ML syringes. The nurses

were

> really good at giving me more syringes to take home and the zip n

> squeeze bags. I really haven't used the bags much though, because

> the syringe worked better. Just my thoughts tonight, Lyn

>

> Anyone have suggestions for post op discomfort other than the

tylenol

> with codeine elixir?? I can't choke it down. It's awful!!

[Guest guest]

I did ok with just Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc) after the first

week. Check with your OS before you switch pain meds though. If

you're taking any anti-inflammatory meds Ibuprofen is a bad idea.

You may also want to try just plain old Tylenol without the codeine.

It may be all you need since your pain levels are so low.

I *think* both of these come in liquid form for children.

-Jen

> I am sitting here at 3am in the morning reading this message board

> going on 5 days post op from upper being done. I also was a lurker

> here for the past year and a half, trying to learn everything I could

> before that day. I became a desperate fool within the last week. I

> was supposed to originally have upper/lower with possible genio being

> done. I am swollen up to my eyes. I was being petrified out of my

> mind after never having surgery ever before in my life as well. The

> night before was the worst, and fell asleep after exhaustion. I was

> in fear as well of having a panic attack post op and am currently

> wired shut. I had an NG tube in post op and it was removed 2 days

> later. They do leave a small amount of give in your jaw even when

> you are wired shut. I have to carry around with me wire cutters,

> just in case, and almost thought I was going to have to use them in

> the hospital. My doctor gave me some benadryl when he thought I was

> too anxious, and I did feel very anxious in the hospital. Just being

> kind of claustrophoc-like being wired shut. Learn some deep

> breathing techniques if you can before you go, and learn to go to

> another place in your mind along with the breathing. It does help.

> I am feeling better now, but the first 2 days were the worst. You do

> fall asleep if you let yourself relax enough. I relied heavily on my

> suction machine in the hospital, and have even gotten one for home

> use, because the drooling is annoying. I keep a lot of towels

> around. The thing that annoys me most now is the pain medicine.

> Tylenol with codeine exlir is AWFUL!! It feels to me like it burns

> as it goes down, and I have avoided it if I can. My pain level is

> not that bad. It has only been about a 3 at the most on a pain scale

> of 0-10. Most of the time it has been a 1 or a 2, due to the

> numbness. It really does get numb, and you don't feel a lot of

> discomfort. I had a PCA of Morphine for 2 days post op, but didn't

> really use it that much, mostly just to make me relax so I could go

> to sleep. Vomitting was my biggest worry post op. Of course, I did

> it probably 8 times in the first 12 hours. It worried me so much pre-

> op about vomitting. My dh didn't tell me about how I vomitted up the

> blood immediately post op until today, when we came home. I don't

> even remember doing that, which is a good thing.

> I didn't even start eating till 2nd day post op, and really didn't

> have an appetite until then anyways. I was on clear liquids at that

> point and am still continuing that now, but can introduce foods that

> are already liquified, as my OS doesn't want me to start pureed foods

> yet. It takes forever to eat, but I am getting better. Taking a

> shower really helped post op day 3 to make me feel better. I am still

> recovering and have questions even now.

> I also wanted to say that I have found the syringe with the Zip N

> Squeeze tubing on it to work the best for me post op. I just took

> the tubing off the bags and it worked great! It gave me more control

> over how much I was putting in my mouth compared to the zip n squeeze

> bags themselves. I use the 20 and 35 ML syringes. The nurses were

> really good at giving me more syringes to take home and the zip n

> squeeze bags. I really haven't used the bags much though, because

> the syringe worked better. Just my thoughts tonight, Lyn

>

> Anyone have suggestions for post op discomfort other than the tylenol

> with codeine elixir?? I can't choke it down. It's awful!!

[Guest guest]

I did ok with just Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc) after the first

week. Check with your OS before you switch pain meds though. If

you're taking any anti-inflammatory meds Ibuprofen is a bad idea.

You may also want to try just plain old Tylenol without the codeine.

It may be all you need since your pain levels are so low.

I *think* both of these come in liquid form for children.

-Jen

> I am sitting here at 3am in the morning reading this message board

> going on 5 days post op from upper being done. I also was a lurker

> here for the past year and a half, trying to learn everything I could

> before that day. I became a desperate fool within the last week. I

> was supposed to originally have upper/lower with possible genio being

> done. I am swollen up to my eyes. I was being petrified out of my

> mind after never having surgery ever before in my life as well. The

> night before was the worst, and fell asleep after exhaustion. I was

> in fear as well of having a panic attack post op and am currently

> wired shut. I had an NG tube in post op and it was removed 2 days

> later. They do leave a small amount of give in your jaw even when

> you are wired shut. I have to carry around with me wire cutters,

> just in case, and almost thought I was going to have to use them in

> the hospital. My doctor gave me some benadryl when he thought I was

> too anxious, and I did feel very anxious in the hospital. Just being

> kind of claustrophoc-like being wired shut. Learn some deep

> breathing techniques if you can before you go, and learn to go to

> another place in your mind along with the breathing. It does help.

> I am feeling better now, but the first 2 days were the worst. You do

> fall asleep if you let yourself relax enough. I relied heavily on my

> suction machine in the hospital, and have even gotten one for home

> use, because the drooling is annoying. I keep a lot of towels

> around. The thing that annoys me most now is the pain medicine.

> Tylenol with codeine exlir is AWFUL!! It feels to me like it burns

> as it goes down, and I have avoided it if I can. My pain level is

> not that bad. It has only been about a 3 at the most on a pain scale

> of 0-10. Most of the time it has been a 1 or a 2, due to the

> numbness. It really does get numb, and you don't feel a lot of

> discomfort. I had a PCA of Morphine for 2 days post op, but didn't

> really use it that much, mostly just to make me relax so I could go

> to sleep. Vomitting was my biggest worry post op. Of course, I did

> it probably 8 times in the first 12 hours. It worried me so much pre-

> op about vomitting. My dh didn't tell me about how I vomitted up the

> blood immediately post op until today, when we came home. I don't

> even remember doing that, which is a good thing.

> I didn't even start eating till 2nd day post op, and really didn't

> have an appetite until then anyways. I was on clear liquids at that

> point and am still continuing that now, but can introduce foods that

> are already liquified, as my OS doesn't want me to start pureed foods

> yet. It takes forever to eat, but I am getting better. Taking a

> shower really helped post op day 3 to make me feel better. I am still

> recovering and have questions even now.

> I also wanted to say that I have found the syringe with the Zip N

> Squeeze tubing on it to work the best for me post op. I just took

> the tubing off the bags and it worked great! It gave me more control

> over how much I was putting in my mouth compared to the zip n squeeze

> bags themselves. I use the 20 and 35 ML syringes. The nurses were

> really good at giving me more syringes to take home and the zip n

> squeeze bags. I really haven't used the bags much though, because

> the syringe worked better. Just my thoughts tonight, Lyn

>

> Anyone have suggestions for post op discomfort other than the tylenol

> with codeine elixir?? I can't choke it down. It's awful!!

[Guest guest]

Thank you to all who wrote back. I am unable to take Advil or Motrin

right now and the other med is not available to me, but thanks

anyways. I tried crushing some vicodin, and it worked somewhat. A

little gross to take, but much better than the liquid Tyl with

codeine. Thanks, Lyn

> > I am sitting here at 3am in the morning reading this message

board

> > going on 5 days post op from upper being done. I also was a

lurker

> > here for the past year and a half, trying to learn everything I

could

> > before that day. I became a desperate fool within the last

week. I

> > was supposed to originally have upper/lower with possible genio

being

> > done. I am swollen up to my eyes. I was being petrified out of

my

> > mind after never having surgery ever before in my life as well.

The

> > night before was the worst, and fell asleep after exhaustion. I

was

> > in fear as well of having a panic attack post op and am currently

> > wired shut. I had an NG tube in post op and it was removed 2

days

> > later. They do leave a small amount of give in your jaw even

when

> > you are wired shut. I have to carry around with me wire cutters,

> > just in case, and almost thought I was going to have to use them

in

> > the hospital. My doctor gave me some benadryl when he thought I

was

> > too anxious, and I did feel very anxious in the hospital. Just

being

> > kind of claustrophoc-like being wired shut. Learn some deep

> > breathing techniques if you can before you go, and learn to go to

> > another place in your mind along with the breathing. It does

help.

> > I am feeling better now, but the first 2 days were the worst.

You do

> > fall asleep if you let yourself relax enough. I relied heavily

on my

> > suction machine in the hospital, and have even gotten one for

home

> > use, because the drooling is annoying. I keep a lot of towels

> > around. The thing that annoys me most now is the pain medicine.

> > Tylenol with codeine exlir is AWFUL!! It feels to me like it

burns

> > as it goes down, and I have avoided it if I can. My pain level

is

> > not that bad. It has only been about a 3 at the most on a pain

scale

> > of 0-10. Most of the time it has been a 1 or a 2, due to the

> > numbness. It really does get numb, and you don't feel a lot of

> > discomfort. I had a PCA of Morphine for 2 days post op, but

didn't

> > really use it that much, mostly just to make me relax so I could

go

> > to sleep. Vomitting was my biggest worry post op. Of course, I

did

> > it probably 8 times in the first 12 hours. It worried me so much

pre-

> > op about vomitting. My dh didn't tell me about how I vomitted up

the

> > blood immediately post op until today, when we came home. I

don't

> > even remember doing that, which is a good thing.

> > I didn't even start eating till 2nd day post op, and really

didn't

> > have an appetite until then anyways. I was on clear liquids at

that

> > point and am still continuing that now, but can introduce foods

that

> > are already liquified, as my OS doesn't want me to start pureed

foods

> > yet. It takes forever to eat, but I am getting better. Taking a

> > shower really helped post op day 3 to make me feel better. I am

still

> > recovering and have questions even now.

> > I also wanted to say that I have found the syringe with the Zip N

> > Squeeze tubing on it to work the best for me post op. I just

took

> > the tubing off the bags and it worked great! It gave me more

control

> > over how much I was putting in my mouth compared to the zip n

squeeze

> > bags themselves. I use the 20 and 35 ML syringes. The nurses

were

> > really good at giving me more syringes to take home and the zip n

> > squeeze bags. I really haven't used the bags much though,

because

> > the syringe worked better. Just my thoughts tonight, Lyn

> >

> > Anyone have suggestions for post op discomfort other than the

tylenol

> > with codeine elixir?? I can't choke it down. It's awful!!

[Guest guest]

Thank you to all who wrote back. I am unable to take Advil or Motrin

right now and the other med is not available to me, but thanks

anyways. I tried crushing some vicodin, and it worked somewhat. A

little gross to take, but much better than the liquid Tyl with

codeine. Thanks, Lyn

> > I am sitting here at 3am in the morning reading this message

board

> > going on 5 days post op from upper being done. I also was a

lurker

> > here for the past year and a half, trying to learn everything I

could

> > before that day. I became a desperate fool within the last

week. I

> > was supposed to originally have upper/lower with possible genio

being

> > done. I am swollen up to my eyes. I was being petrified out of

my

> > mind after never having surgery ever before in my life as well.

The

> > night before was the worst, and fell asleep after exhaustion. I

was

> > in fear as well of having a panic attack post op and am currently

> > wired shut. I had an NG tube in post op and it was removed 2

days

> > later. They do leave a small amount of give in your jaw even

when

> > you are wired shut. I have to carry around with me wire cutters,

> > just in case, and almost thought I was going to have to use them

in

> > the hospital. My doctor gave me some benadryl when he thought I

was

> > too anxious, and I did feel very anxious in the hospital. Just

being

> > kind of claustrophoc-like being wired shut. Learn some deep

> > breathing techniques if you can before you go, and learn to go to

> > another place in your mind along with the breathing. It does

help.

> > I am feeling better now, but the first 2 days were the worst.

You do

> > fall asleep if you let yourself relax enough. I relied heavily

on my

> > suction machine in the hospital, and have even gotten one for

home

> > use, because the drooling is annoying. I keep a lot of towels

> > around. The thing that annoys me most now is the pain medicine.

> > Tylenol with codeine exlir is AWFUL!! It feels to me like it

burns

> > as it goes down, and I have avoided it if I can. My pain level

is

> > not that bad. It has only been about a 3 at the most on a pain

scale

> > of 0-10. Most of the time it has been a 1 or a 2, due to the

> > numbness. It really does get numb, and you don't feel a lot of

> > discomfort. I had a PCA of Morphine for 2 days post op, but

didn't

> > really use it that much, mostly just to make me relax so I could

go

> > to sleep. Vomitting was my biggest worry post op. Of course, I

did

> > it probably 8 times in the first 12 hours. It worried me so much

pre-

> > op about vomitting. My dh didn't tell me about how I vomitted up

the

> > blood immediately post op until today, when we came home. I

don't

> > even remember doing that, which is a good thing.

> > I didn't even start eating till 2nd day post op, and really

didn't

> > have an appetite until then anyways. I was on clear liquids at

that

> > point and am still continuing that now, but can introduce foods

that

> > are already liquified, as my OS doesn't want me to start pureed

foods

> > yet. It takes forever to eat, but I am getting better. Taking a

> > shower really helped post op day 3 to make me feel better. I am

still

> > recovering and have questions even now.

> > I also wanted to say that I have found the syringe with the Zip N

> > Squeeze tubing on it to work the best for me post op. I just

took

> > the tubing off the bags and it worked great! It gave me more

control

> > over how much I was putting in my mouth compared to the zip n

squeeze

> > bags themselves. I use the 20 and 35 ML syringes. The nurses

were

> > really good at giving me more syringes to take home and the zip n

> > squeeze bags. I really haven't used the bags much though,

because

> > the syringe worked better. Just my thoughts tonight, Lyn

> >

> > Anyone have suggestions for post op discomfort other than the

tylenol

> > with codeine elixir?? I can't choke it down. It's awful!!