Disappointed with Anesthesiologist

To make a long story short, the snesthesologist RIPPED ME OFF! All these claims about how "pain-free" I would be when I woke up from surgery (It woke up around 12 :20 p.m. Tuesday) were TOTAL BUNK! Ooops! I forgot I'm not supposed to dump on the doctors. Leave it say I was very disappointed and surprised at the amount of post-op pain. Also, I GAINED 10 pounds post-op! Is this normal? The fibroid(s), actually a cluster of several, weighed only about two pounds altogether, I've got terrible swelly belly and the doctor gave me a belly band, which REALLY helps. She REALLY wanted to keep me in last night, too, becuase my inscision isn't healing well, but my insurance wouldn't pay for a third night, so I had to ednure (sory about bad typing) a very painful, long ride home.

Enuff! Can't type too well, hope all you other princesses this week are doing well!

Sorry to here your experience so bad! I too woke in great pain,but I had been taken care of pronto. I never understood how my belly could be so numb yet I felt EVERYTHING when I woke in recovery. Very scary!

Isn't the surgeon the one who makes decisions on pain control?
The anesthesiologist's job is to make sure you sleep thru the operation (and wake up afterward).

Who told you that you would be pain free? There is always a certain amount of pain with surgery. Maybe it was in reference to getting the fibroids out that you would feel much better after they were removed? The Anesthesiologist is only there to put you under and bring you back out. The pain is generally controlled by your dr. Try to keep on top of the pain by taking your meds as directed and not missing any doses. You will take a step backward if you do and willhave to play catch-up on the pain you are trying to control.

Also, I was a bit heavier after sugery as well. In a few days/weeks, you will have peed that all out. Mine was water retention from the IV's. I came home and my toes all looked like my big toe!

You are so fresh out of surgery it is easy to be discouraged. You will begin to feel better with every day passing. Just keep hanging out with us...we will get you through it! Take care,

I too was surprised at the amount of post op pain, although it was only upon awakening in the recovery room.

I remember then putting the pain scale in front of my face asking me what level was I at between 1 and 10, I told them a 9.

It most definitely was the most painful thing I had ever experienced, although it lasted only a minute or so I think before they introduced the pain medicine into my IV.

The only reason I can think of for this happening was that the anesthesiologist has to make sure you are awake before they can start the pain medicine....I don't really know. I was not expecting it.

Sorry you experienced so much pain...I hope each day gets a little bit better for you.

-QB

Queenbee,
I'm glad you are talking about this.That is one of the things that stands out in my mind the most .I really felt my pain was not managed in the recovery room the way I was told it would be.The person who spoke to me about pain control was the anesthesiologist.That was the worst part for me.
Hope you are doing fine now.
Cheryl

I weighed myself the morning of surgery and again when I got home later the next day. Much to my surprise (dismay!), I was 11 pounds heavier. Not what I expected! But it was clearly fluid, because each day I have dropped weight and am now 3 pounds under my pre-surgery weight, and I have been eating fine. I do drink lots of water (lots and lots, along with peppermint tea) and I have been eating more of a protein-centric diet (the doc recommended proteins for healing - not all protein, but more proteins than carbs). Just today I had my first real walk - around the block twice but even that felt great (and was enough).

So don't worry too much about the surgery weight gain - it's not fat, it's water.

Don't know about the pain - I was expected lots and had virtually none, even without the pain meds. I feel lucky in that regard.

Hello, this post is the reason why I am sooo confused when I read posts s about how the surg. was walk in the park, and pain free, and uncomfortable, but not painful. I had a hyst and none of the above statements were true. I had a tah, and let me tell you, when I woke up I was in what some would refer to as PAIN. Yes I was on a pump, and it was controlled after a while, but this is major surg. ladies, and it always makes me scratch my head when ladies refer it as a walk in the park. I have been through 5 abdominal surg., and chemo 3 times a week for a year, so I am not a stranger to pain. i think that sometimes when pre-op ladies read these pain free posts they believe they will not really experiance any moderate pain, when in fact, if you have a tah ladies, there will be pain. It will be controlled, but it is far from a walk in the park. Granted, everyone has different levels of what they are able to tolerate, but with major surg. there usually comes a certain amount of pain. when someone wakes up and is in pain thinking that it was suppose to be a walk in the park, they think there is something wrong if they feel pain. sorry ladies, been through alot in my life, and still continue to shake my head when I read, it was a walk in the park. carol

So true Carol, I wouldn't descibe as a walk in the park , manageable or tolerable pain "yes" I don't know if it is the same in the US but here it is the anesthesist job to administer the initial pain relief , and like surgeons some also have there faults, I've probably had just as many bad experiences with them. I can't praise my last anesthesist enough , after telling him of my past woes he told me "alot" depends on how anesthetic is administered and getting the combinations right for the individual, I do feel for the ladies who woke up in unbearable pain, I have experienced this too, I suppose the lesson learnt is it is equally important to find a surgeon and anesthesist who you feel confident with , surgery is a team effort. Wishing you all speedy and painfree recoveries

Hi Carol

I can sympathize with what you are saying, but I also think that there are many, many posts on these boards that do discuss pain and problems and more pain.

As a pre-op patient I read lots of the postings - both the "I feel great" and the "I feel lousy" ones. This gave me a more realistic view of the possibilities - for some it is very difficult and for others not so difficult.

I think that it's great that we can read all kinds of postings on this site. We can only tell it like it is for us, ask questions and make suggestions and laugh and love together - for we are all hyster sisters down (way) deep! But, like all sisters, we don't experience or feel or see things the same ways, and I think that we do the best we can to tell it like we see it, for good or for bad.