just home from surgery, huge muscle spasms?

Got home today, had my TAH on Tuesday. So last night I started having little muscle spasms, but today when I try to sleep My whole body starts jerking. (not all at the same time, different areas) Anyone else have this happen? I jumped so hard one time it really hurt my incision. I would call my dr but if its not an emergency they charge $25 for calling.

Thanks!

Finally a

They charge you to call them for after care? That is terrible. The only thing I had problems with were my legs were a little twitchy but I think that was from the inflatable things they had on me. Some one will be along that knows more than me. I hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for your response Seabutterfly1. I thought maybe it had something to do with the anesthesia leaving my body. I really hate the feeling though.

That is very interesting as I developed severe muscle spasms of both thighs and my jaw the night after my surgery (happened twice but lasted for over 10 minutes each time). It was very scary and the nurses just stood watching me. They thought it could have been the anesthetic or my pain medication (morphine pump). I hope yours are lessening.

Well, it helps to know I am not alone going through this. Sorry to hear your nurses just stood there. I have had back muscle spasms in the past and thats how they started last night, but today I was having violent spasms. They only happen when I am sleeping. Thanks for your post. I love my sisters!

Hi there Heather,

I think it is worth you making the $25 call. The muscle spasms could be related to opiate (narcotic) pain medication. I posted a thread about this a while ago and it sounds like the sisters who have already replied have experienced the same problems that I had.

The concern I have is that from the literature I read about my own reaction, if this is caused by the pain medication and the twitching and jerking continue to progress, you could end up having a seizure.

I had to cut back on my Percocet rather quickly and take 1000 mg of naproxen (Aleve) every 12 hours to make up the difference in pain control. That combination worked and I was able to wean myself off Percocet in another week. As soon as I started weaning myself, the jerks (including a whole body spasm) died away and the twitches disappeared within 24 hours of my last dose.

I really hope that you can figure out what's causing this, and if it's the pain medication, that you can find a way to maintain adequate pain control without the risk of symptom progression.