4 days out and I feel horrible..

I just want to know if this is normal...My back is killing me, it burns and aches like I have a fever and I don't. I am also so light headed and dizzy. I guess I just need to hear this is normal and it too will pass or maybe I need to call the doctor.
Cassie

Your back my be hurting simply due to lying down so much. I know that I had some discomfort from being in bed so much. Mine was more on my butt than my back LOL!

Being lightheaded and a bit dizzy is not out of the ordinary. You have been through major surgery, so you simply need time to rest and take it easy. I had one bout of dizziness, etc. It came a day after I over did it.

You are only a few days post op, so in my non-professional opinion, it sounds fairly normal to me.

Are you taken your pain meds on schedule as well as Ibuprofen?

Hi Caissie, I had serious back pain and found that it was also from laying flat on my back and not being to lay on my sides for the first while. I also found that when I walked, I was hunched over protecting my tummy which contributed to my back hurting.

I had someone rub back lotion to help out and it was great relief.

Give it a few more days and you will start to feel better. The first week and a half is the worst but with each day, it got better and better.

I hope your feeling better soon.

I was in quite a bit of pain for the first 10 days and had a few different episodes when I got dizzy and felt like I was going to pass out. It will keep getting better but slowly. If you are having serious pain, take meds on schedule at first. Don't try to stretch it out right away. Once the pain starts to build up, it is harder to get it back under control.

Cassie,
Always feel free to call your doctor and run your symptoms by him, it is better to be safe than sorry. Having said that, the dizziness I think is pretty normal and I had that too. Do you have a recliner you could try to sleep on or at least spend some time on during the day to help ease the back pain? Don't forget to get up and walk a bit every day because that really helps with the healing process. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Things will get better.
Val

I'd never hesitate to call the doctor, but I think I'm feeling much the same as you - and as you know, I'm 4 days out as well. I find that when I get too warm, I get really nauseated and dizzy...and I don't necessarily have to be burning up..just..warmer than necessary I guess. My back is KILLING me and I can tell it's just from laying so much. I've also noticed that it does help to get up and walk kind of frequently, but I had repairs done down below and so it gets pretty uncomfortable to be up for too long. Oh, I've also noticed that if I drink anything other than water - sometimes I get nauseated or dizzy.
I've thought about lounging in the recliner, but that gives me back pain of another kind (muscle spasms) and I have 2 rambunctious kids who I do NOT trust. Day after surgery i'd been kicked and hit twice..by each of them...it was then that I retired to the bedroom and I only come out to get myself something (ie: walking time). My pain meds were knocked off the nightstand and now they cant be found...and I'm just going to say, that ibuprofen is not enough for me. Thankfully, as I pm'd you, the doc has called me in something and dh has gone out to get it. I'm also sure I've got a yeast infection, UGH, with episiotomy repair and labial reduction, yeast infection is NOT fun (as if it ever is)...

ANYWAY...so sorry to go off on myself, but I just wanted to let you know that whether it's normal or not - I'm feeling the same way..and we're right there at the same recovery time....

Good luck and I hope you start to feel better soon..

again, we did it!

ETA: Oh! Has anyone else got 'sunburned' from the operating table?? my face is so "sun"burned and couldn't be from anything other than the lights of the operating room.

Hi there! Don't forget that your abdominal muscles have been stretched and stretched and - well, you get the picture. Those muscles really help keep you upright - without them, your back muscles are doing most of the work. So, between lying in bed and taxing your back muscles when you aren't, your back is bound to be sore. My back pain lessened a great deal after week 2 and now at week 5, I have none. It was a great day when I "pulled in" my abs when I stood and they actually responded! Hang in there!

Thank you everyone....it did make me feel to know that this is normal and I am not alone...thanks agian for such great support

Cassie the dizzy and lightheaded are things I dealt with. Doc asked me where I was spending my time and when I told him the recliner he mentioned that the blood was not circulating to my legs well in that chair and when I stood up, for my body to redistribute the blood supply was a real chore (your legs use a lot!). He told me to exercise my legs a bit before getting up. He wanted me to continue with that chair but be aware of the legs thing.

As far as the backache, without knowing how they positioned you it could be anything. They had my legs so far back and up that my tailbone is still sore and the tendons inside my thighs are not fully recovered but I expected it.

Always call if in doubt.

I think if the discomfort becomes more than a minor annoyance, that you should call your doctor. I had a backache that I thought was because of lying too much, but then it increased in severity, and I took a trip to the ER. I don't want to scare you, but they determined there that I had a hematoma and that was a big cause of my pain.

Also, I got one of those 2" memory foam mattress toppers from Costco (you can get them online if you don't have one near you) and it has literally saved me. It removes all the pressure points and I can lay for hours and not get stiff. I get great sleep. They are not cheap, but I figure that the money I spent is well worth the healing I achieve with quality sleep.


Good Luck.