2 weeks post op

[texsc]

Okay I am 2 weeks post op today and I feel great. The last few days have been a little uncomfortable (off all pain meds). I am able to walk a mile twice a day and doing 2 flights of stairs about 4 to 5 times a day. Chest is still sore (coughing) but is getting better.

I would say the major road bumps have been I have stopped sleeping. I was getting 6 hours a night and now maybe 2 hours. I relax during the day but not any naps. I go to see my surgeon on the 5th, will ask for some sleeping meds if it dont get better. The only other problem I've had is constipation. If I could give any advice to someone it would be take something other than softners. Sorry if thats too much info but I wish someone would have told me that.

Anyway I feel that I am recovering fast. I actually feel like I could do more but am afraid of over doing it. I will leave everything as is until I see my doc next week.

Thanks for the prayers and well wishes.

Bryan

 

[Bill B]

Good to hear you feel great. Trouble sleeping seems quite common after VR. I had terrible problems for a few weeks as well. Not sure why, but I was just real anxious and could not fall asleep for the life of me. My doctor prescribed lorazepam, an anti-anxiety drug, and that did the trick. There is reluctance to prescribe these drugs because some people find them addicting. I only took it in a tiny dose once a day for about a week and then was able to sleep most night without it the next week and never need it again after the second week. A standard sleep medication may work better for you, but be sure to tell the doctor if your trouble is falling asleep or staying asleep as that should lead to different types of sleep medicine.

Constipation is probably a post-anesthetic problem. I didn't have constipation, but I had serious gastric problems, basically paralysis - nothing would move out of my stomach after meals and it caused terrible discomfort and was one of the reasons I could not sleep. My cardiologist gave me Reglan and it was extremely helpful. It took me a month before I could eat without getting bloated, but after that I was fine.

For constipation I highly recommend Miralax (polethylene glycol) or another brand of polethylene glycol. Yes, it is a stool softener, but MUCH more effective then Dulcolax or Colace. It's also expensive, but it works and you should only need it for a short while. I'm not only a pharmacist but I suffer from hemorrhoids, so I know all about treating constipation. I know, that's more information than you wanted to know.

Bill

 

[nngbwh]

Nice to hear you are feeling great. You are still in the healing process. Try to keep
things mellow.

 

[echoguy]

Great to hear that things are going well texsc. I think it is a good idea to not push things too much until you get to your check up.

Have fun tonight