Concerns !!

Hello Sisters,

I am 6 days post op and have a few questions.

1) The past few days I have had a yellowish discharge from the incision not a lot but some and I was wondering if this is normal or should I be concerned.

2) I have this heavy feeling in my tummy around the incision that causes me some discomfort.

3) Also having a hard time to sleep especially last night I just could not get comfortable.

4) One minute I feel great and the next minute I could just go to sleep exactly where I am sitting.

5) I also have not been eating a lot just don't feel like it at the moment. I have to say I drink a lot and have ate a lot of fruits but not much past that. Supper is usually some soup and maybe toast through the day.

Sorry for so many questions.

If anyone has some answers to the above that would be great.


Thanks

TeddyB

Hello can't answer the other questions but the 1st one, you should call your md, sounds like possilbe infection. I would get it checked out.
Had clear oozing the day after i came home and they said come in, was ok, but if you have an infection don't wait.

Teddy,
Did you have TAH??? I agree that you should check with your doc re: oozing. You're other concerns probably described me pretty well at 6 days post. It should get better, although slowly. Lay down, rest, & take it easy. If you're hungry, eat. If not, I wouldn't force it.

Hi, I am twelve days post-op and also have a very heavy feeling around the incision. Also, a lumped up area just above it. I didn't have any seeping from the incision. My sleeping improved each day. It's just hard to get comfortable.

Yes I had a TAH/BSO done on March 12th. My husband looked at the incision around noon time today and there was no discharge then, we are keeping an eye on the incision and if it starts again I will call the DR's office tomorrow to see if I should come in. Do you have any answers for the heavy feeling in the tummy....


Thanks

TeddyB

I'm guessing that the heavy feeling must be from the swelling. Mine seems to be better the last few days.

The heavy feeling is from the swelling and will get better. I also had a very hard area behind the incision, mostly on the sides, I noticed this morning that that was not as big either. Still have some numb feeling when I touch the belly. Had asked md about that and she said that may go away or not, kind of the consequences of having nerves cut. My belly is not as sore to touch all the time anymore, but still have areas of sudden sharp pain.
I also have an area in left lower abdomen that seems to be a cronic pain and sometimes gets real bothersome, will ask md about that next week.

The heavy feeling sounds like swelling. I asked ahead and my doc said I could soothe my tummy with ice or heat. I have used ice all along and it helps. In the very beginning, my ice bag had to be very light. Now, I fill it a little more because the pressure feels nice. I have also learned that gravity seems to make swelly belly worse. So, I go right back to bed and put my feet up as soon as I see it - a nice hangover above my incision. That way, it never gets to the uncomfortable stage. If I wait too long, it starts pulling and hurting.

Are you still taking pain meds? There is no reason to play superwoman. Pain is actually a bad thing when you are trying to heal. It puts too much stress on the body. So, take what your doc gave you. I had to get off of the narcotics because they made me sick, but my doc encouraged me to keep taking ibuprofen for both the pain and the swelling. She even told me to keep taking it after my two week visit.

Since you had the BSO, are you on HRT? You may experience some insomnia from the lack of hormones. You said it is from discomfort, though. I slowly discovered that a whole bunch of pillows helps with that. I put two under my legs - one under knees and one under feet. That helpe take some pressure off of the belly. Then, when I really felt icky, I would stack pillows on either side of me to provide extra support to my tummy. To sleep on my side, I would roll over with one pillow still between my legs and one pillow up agains my tummy.

I hope that helps a little. I drank a lot - and made a bunch of trips to the little princesses' room But, I didn't eat much at first. I have slowly worked up an appetite. May have to do with increasing activity a little each day. Listen to what your body wants and only eat when you are hungry.

I hope this has helped a little. Do call your doc about the oozing if it comes back.

Thank you so much for the great advice. I had a HRT shot in the hospital either the saturday or the sunday not sure days are a little blury. I have used the pillow process at night and it does help some. Just last night was not one of the nights to help me. I am careful in what I eat as I don't want to over do it and don't want that full feeling on my tummy. I will try the ice/hot packs to see if that helps some. I am still taking pain meds T3 and the anti inflamatory ceposatories (sp). I will keep you posted on the discharge if anything should change. Thanks for your input.

TeddyB

Just a quick note--I had some bright yellow discharge the first day home--no smell--but bright yellow. Almost neon. Almost thought it might have been an antibiotic ointment or something the surgeon had used inside. I know what pus looks like, and it wasn't pus. I called the doctor's office and they wanted me to come in. It was totally normal. Actually the doctor I saw wasn't mine--and he made an uncalled for comment that women with a larger fat pad on their abdomens have more of this yellow discharge. Hmmm--not going to see him again anytime soon!

I also felt the "heaviness". As others have said, it's the swelling. Also remember you have 3 sets of stitches or closures on each "layer" between your skin and the deepest level of the incision. Each layer pulls and swells.

Please understand that this isn't an OK for you not to talk to/see your physican. Only my experience! I'd hate for you to have a problem and not have it checked out because of my experience!