unusual abdominal discomfort / queasiness

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I am now post-op 4.5 weeks from having a thorasic aortic dissection with aortic valve replacement. Recovery is going well except for this unusual abdominal discomfort. Whenever I walk, the area in my abdomen where there were draintubes, tightens up immediately. To the point that I become queasy. Very frustrating as this is very limiting in the amount of walking I am able to tolerate - as it occurs almost immediately and does not relent.

Has anyone else experienced a similar problem? Any suggestions on how to best deal with this issue. (Not scheduled to see my surgeon for f/u until May 12th).

By the way, great website.

Thanks,
Jay
 
Welcome Jay. I'm glad you found us. I don't have your experience, but I'm sure others will be along shortly to reply.
 
I don't recall anyone complaining of this one but our group will read and tell you. Are you still on pain meds? They cause constipation. If it continues you will ask your doctor - and then tell us. Blessins.........
 
Please check it out!

Please check it out!

I'm so sorry I didn't see this post til today.

I hope you've had it checked out. I had the same feeling recently, and it turned out to be pericardial effusion. I did NOT experience it as shortness of breath. The PA told me that nausea and a feeling of fullness are the main symptoms.

Please call your doctor--I'm really alarrmist on this one now. It's worth an x-ray.

And please, a followup to let us know...
 
Remember this OHS mantra:
"when it doubt, get it checked out" :)

It's good that you're seeing the doc on Monday, best of luck and I hope it's nothing.

Matt
 
Hi Jay - Yes, ask your doctors about it. I don't know if intestines ever get jostled around or injured from the drain tubes--have never heard of it--but I think it could be possible. I'm assuming the surgeons checked your aorta through your abdomen and it is in a healthy state? Hope you are okay; please let us know what you find out.
 
Jay, it's been a few day since your post and I hope that you are feeling better (and if not that you got in to see your surgeon). While I didn't have any sensations associated with where my drain tube was I felt short of breath and sick to my stomach about a week and a half after surgery. I went back to see my surgeon and after a chest xray and an echo I was told I had a periocardial effusion and was checked into the hospital for a surgical proccedure called a pericardial window and drainage. I had 60cc of fluid taken and after a follow-up visit yesterday was cleared to go back to work (3 weeks after AVR).

My advice is that while your symptoms are probably inconsequential, ALWAYS GET BACK INTO THE DOCTOR AND HAVE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY CHECKED OUT!! If I had waited for my scheduled check up I would have been in serious trouble..

My prayers are with you,

Dan
 
inflamation and pericardial effusion

inflamation and pericardial effusion

DebbyA said:
I'm so sorry I didn't see this post til today.

I hope you've had it checked out. I had the same feeling recently, and it turned out to be pericardial effusion. I did NOT experience it as shortness of breath. The PA told me that nausea and a feeling of fullness are the main symptoms.

Please call your doctor--I'm really alarrmist on this one now. It's worth an x-ray.

And please, a followup to let us know...
Click to expand...

Hi Debbie A.

I had an avr Feb 11, 2008

Eight days later I was back in the hospital with PPS. They performed a pericardial window. After the window I still had some fluid around the heart, with inflamation and some aches and pain. My cardio tried all the standard treatments, and nothing worked. He finally put me on prednisone. I started with 60mg ,then gradually went down to 2 1/2mg. The symptoms subsided, and I was pain free, but the steroids made me extremely nervous, and hyper with insomnia. I day after I was off the prednisone all the symptoms returned. I have been on the streroids for about 1 month. I am now back on 5mg, and taking aleve when needed. I will see my cardio in almost 2wks. In the meantime I still have some discomfort.
My question is this: How did your Dr. treat you, and with what meds? Are you currently well, or have you had relaspes? I noticed you have the same type of valve that I have, and that the surgery was done for the same reason. I want to be well again, but am beginning to loose hope.
Regards, Kathy M
 
unusual abdominal discomfort/queasiness

unusual abdominal discomfort/queasiness

Hi Jay,

Yes I would definitely have those symptoms checked. Mine were not exactly the same , but that can be a sign of pericardial effusion, and inflamation. It is not life threatening, IF IT IS DIAGNOSED, AND TREATED. It does take some time to get better, but you will need meds, and to be monitored by your cardio.

Good luck, and God bless
 
Hi Kathy,

I'm sorry you're having all that trouble with effusion. It sounds like our experiences are alike in name only. I was diagnosed and got the pericardial window within one day. I wasn't treated beforehand because I apparently didn't have typical symptoms, so my cardio thought the discomfort I described was due to high blood pressure. By the time I managed to use the right words to get their attention, I was (as I found out later) near tamponade, and spent 3 days in the hospital getting 2 liters drained from my pericardium. Also, there was no medication afterward to deal with effusion. They told me it wouldn't recur, and so far have been correct. After several weeks I recovered from the second surgery, and have started rehab and and feeling pretty normal now.

One difference is that my effusion was at nearly my 3rd month after AVR, so I was much further into recovery than you. Maybe that made it easier to recover from the effusion. From what you say, I'm sort of glad I missed the medical management route! Though I found the second hospital experience more painful than the AVR itself. They did tell me to walk a lot to get rid of the remaining fluid, but it was surely easier for me at 3 months than it would have been for you one week after AVR.

I think Lisa in Katy is one of the people who have ongoing effusion problems, also Geebee. Maybe you should start a thread with something like that in the title. I don't know what happened to the original poster of this thread.

I hope they figure out a treatment for you that works!

Debby
 
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