Pre-Op today....nervous

Hello Ladies:

I hope that everyone is doing well. I had my pre-op today and also a final appointment with my doctor. I'm having a TLH on Monday 8/7 and I'm starting to panic a little more each day, especially since he told me that I can't take any Xanax the morning of my surgery. The ride is going to be a nightmare for me. It's only a 40 minute drive, but my nerves are totally frayed right now. As soon as I get to the hosptial I'm asking for some good calming meds!

I'm not afraid of the surgery itself, I'm afraid of feeling nauseous afterwards and of the referred gas pains in the shoulders. I had a laparoscopy done in May and though I didn't feel nauseous at all, I did have horrific gas pains in my shoulders that lasted about 4-5 days.

I asked if I could go home the same day and my doctor advised against it. He wants me to stay in overnight I tried to explain that I would have less anxiety if I was home in my bed. He said, "We'll see."

Any TLH'ers out there with any advice?

Best of luck to all
Sandra : )

Im new hear... and I have a possibly dumb question... what are gas pains in the shoulders??? (Did I read that right?)

Hi there:

I'm so nervous I'm not even writing right! My mind is not with me!!!!

Anyway, to answer your question, when they do surgery, the doctor's have to inflate (for lack of a better term) your abdomen so they can have room to move around. Sometimes because of this, you can get gas pains up in your shoulders. Walking helps to break them up. My doctor said that usually thin women have a harder time with this because there isn't alot of tissue to absorb the gas. I only weigh 100lbs and suffered terribly with them. When they're up in your shoulders GasX and other things don't relieve it because it's not in your GI tract. Hope this helps.

Sorry for the confusion ladies. Please bear with me!

Sandra

I had no idea.... thanks....

I just had the surgery a week ago today and had not gas in my shoulder. I had A TON of gas when I had my galbladder out but now this time. Good luck to you. I hope this settles you a little.

Hi Sunshine:

Thanks for letting me know. There's hope yet! How was your recovery (if you don't mind me asking)? Did you have to stay overnight? How did you feel when you woke up from anesthesia?
I see you're up North. I just moved to Florida 3 years ago. I had lived in Massachusetts for 32 years before moving.

Thanks for your reply and happy to hear that you are feeling well.

Sandra

Cookiesandcream: You're welcome. Just remember, everyone is different. Good luck.

My nervs were shoot 4 or 5 days before the surgery. By the day before if anyone talked to me about it I was either going to throw up, cry, or have diariaha. The morning of the surgery I cried all morning. I cried all the way to the room were they put you before your surgery. They do give you a relaxing shot. The nurse said it was like having a margarita. I told her she forgot the salt. Then I was feeling much better. If they don't ask you, you ask them for that. It's good stuff. After the surgery I had a morphine drip. That was the worst stuff. Yes it works good but it made me feel like I was paralyzed. I could talk to my husband or nurses but I could not open my eyes or move my hands. They finally took me off that and gave me percoset and ibprofien too. That worked much better. I could not walk on my own the first time I stood up because of the morphine. Ounce that was out of my system I was much better. I was up and walking down the halls the next day. I stayed in the hospital for 2 days due to having nobody home with me the next day. My Dr was really good and let me stay. Don't be affraid to ask if you are not ready to go home. The 1st few days at homw were ok. The pain is much better. The tiredness is getting better. I have a 3yr old and not being able to pick her up is really hard. There was a few days that I felt awful but that is it. Tomorrow is the 1st day that I am going to have my daughter all day. I have had a wonderful family that has helped me alot. Don't be affraid to ask fot help or take someones help. It will make your recovery much better. I hope this helps. It's good to have help from people that have already been thru it. Let me know if you want to chat again. I want to help in anyway. HUGS!

Hi Sunshine. I'm glad to hear that things are going well for you and thank you for the support. I know that I will be glad when it's done and over with. It's just nerves that seem to get the better of us. I hope that you will do o.k. with your daughter by yourself. Just don't over do it. Thanks for listening.

Good Luck NursingStudent..I am having a TLH on 8/30. I also am basically thin, about 115 and had bad gas pains on my last 2 laparoscopies...I think it also has to do w/ how much the surgeons can get it out of you at the end of the surgery ... I am also a bit freaked about this same thing..I think the more you can walk around, the faster it will dissolve....I just dont know how fast we will feel like doing that..LOL. Anyway, I also was told I will need to stay overnite but somebody better give me something to calm me down the second I arrive, b/c I know I am going to be a basket case that morning...so someone better be waiting with a valium with my name on it...

Best of Luck to you...let us know how it went...