Anyone else have these concerns?

Hi, so glad I found this site! I am going for my pre-op tomorrow, will see the surgeon on Fri. and surgery a week from today. I am having TAH for numerous and large fibroids. I have gotten a lot of good advice so far and I think I'm getting close to being ready. Have to get the house cleaned, give the dogs a bath, get some yard work done, buy some new pjs, cook and freeze a few meals for the DH (a wonderful man by the way - but he doesn't cook) to re-heat, and find some really good books to read while I'm recovering.
I'm concerned that my large flabby tummy will be a hindrence to recovery since it will maybe hang over the incision a little especially when I sit. Also I have a very touchy stomach as far as acid reflux and not being able to eat certain things etc. Anyone have that problem with taking strong painkillers?

Hi jrtfan, Yes I have a somewhat of a overhang of my tummy too, some due to needing to lose 40 lbs. but also from a previous surgery, all the support is like gone. I am planning on keeping it as uncovered and nothing touching it when I am resting on my back, maybe put something over it to keep the blankets up. Standing up well, what can you do? walk around holding it up?no seriously-- maybe some of the sister's can help with that one. Also have a bad stomach, taking axid alot I've been on motrin for pain for along time. I had to drink the bowel prep stuff today and came real close to welllll ,you know, I had to take antibiotics too all on a clear liguid diet today Just eat spoonfuls of jello drink some apple juice and ginger ale all day every 20 minutes or so. Nothing after midnight tho! deep breathes& keep busy. Good luck I hope this helps Randi

Thanks Randi, Yes I feel like I want to walk around holding my stomache up sometimes! Good luck tomorrow! Rita

I have a friend wh o said the surgery felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach (she'd expected to feel much worse).

She felt like she wanted to hold her sore belly when she walked around... so that's what she did!

She had a very quick and easy recovery, by the way, in spite of vertical incision and everything taken out.

I have to share this "holding the belly" story...

Just today at lunch dh and I were having a minor (and I do mean "minor", sisters) disagreement. Here's the set-up: ds (all of 4 years of age) wants to keep a fan on in his room (we're big on the "white noise" factor in our house) when he's in bed. Now, he doesn't really care what speed the fan is on, but he insists that it must be on "high". I always let him turn it on "high", then I turn it to "low" later when he's asleep. Anyhoo -- for all those who are actually still reading this -- dh insists that a) we must go through 15-minute-long screamfests each night by showing ds who is boss and not allowing him to have the fan on "high", and b) that we run a risk of a fire because of the fan being on "high".

OK, so we're having this discussion, and suddenly I realize how funny it is. I can just hear Dan Rather now: "Minnesota home goes up in flames when floor fan is left on high speed."

And I'm sitting on my couch, laughing harder than I have since surgery, holding my tummy, hurting more than I have in two weeks -- but it was worth it for the laugh. And of course dh isn't amused. I sure was, though.

As for the question at hand -- problems with strong painkillers -- I haven't heard about the acid problems. My major problem with painkillers was constipation. But I took the stool softeners and was very patient, and that corrected itself!

Hey, mjd2351 -- the panniculectomy part -- I guess that's an elective thing that you'd have to have pre-approved by insurance, who might not want to pay for it if it's cosmetic?

(Rather than just saying to my doc "AND WHILE YOU"RE IN THERE, it would be great if you could suck out a few pounds of flab...")

Yep -- mine got turned down by insurance initially. They're writing my appeal letter now.

It cost me $7100 up front for the panniculectomy, and they pretty much told me I should have it -- they didn't really make it sound like an option. They took 4 pounds of fat and skin off to aid the healing process (so I wouldn't have a bit old roll of fat lying on my incision). I can tell you, if it was a beauty procedure, for $7100 I want to be SKINNY afterwards!

And I do believe that losing the fat helped the healing.

My first BIG piece of advice...this is important.

ASK FOR THE ON-Q PUMP. This is a small bulb-like pump that hangs from a bag and feeds lidocaine into your incision and op site continuously through two or three tubes. It is implanted while you are still unconscious, and I swear I never had incisional pain. I had the normal internal healing pains, and I had some bladder problems from a bladder suspension that I suspect were the cause of my pain. BUT I didn't have incisional pain. I was swollen and tender, but I didn't feel the incision at all. It ran out about the time that I was ready to go home, and it gave me a real head start in healing, I think. It stayed numb for another day or two (in my case, one tube was implanted under the muscle layer and another into the area just below the incision), and I wouldn't have been without it. It doesn't hurt when they take it out. You don't have to push a button or anything...you won't even know its there until you have to put the strap around your shoulder to walk the halls in the hospital. It was a total lifesaver for me.

I am also overweight with a panus (I HATE that word!!!) and I was concerned about the hang-over afterwards. My doctor made the incision just above where they usually would so that it would get some air, and I haven't had a single problem. I have gotten yeast infections there before, and that was a huge concern for me. Wear cotton undies, and if you have to, put a menstrual pad up against the incision when the bandage comes off to keep it dry and from sticking to your undies or the skin it rubs against.

I also have a sensitive stomach. I've had ulcers before, and I have pretty bad reflux. I was given Prevacid 30 mg a day in the hospital. It helped a lot. I didn't have a lot of problems with the pain meds (which I'm still on at night), but did need to take my regular Zantac when I took my ibuprofen. Keep your head elevated as much as possible and watch what you eat, and you should be fine. If not, it is really easy for the doctors to give you an Rx for Nexium or Prevacid.

Good luck, and ask your doctor about the On-Q pump. I can't imagine a recovery without it.

I know what you mean about our "aprons" (as I was always told it was called).
I had it 10yrs ago whenever I had my first bladder tie-up & it seemed to help me in that I didn't need to carry a pillow with me.
It is still there (& then some) now & I'm 9 days away from my
TAH/BSO, Bladder tie-up, & 3 hernia repairs. I pray it will all go OK. Don't worry about holding your stomach - I do it now out of habit. LOL
Connie

Thanks for all your good advice. I've never heard of a panniculectomy. Is it the same as a tummy tuck? Anyone tried the swelly-belly band that they sell? Rita