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Please, please help
- Thread starter shaunasmile
- Start date
marcusbm
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the losers' bench and welcome back to the UK.
I did get a morphine injection in Belgium but only because there was a complication during surgery that they knew would result in higher pain levels.
You might now want to hear this but the pain levels started easing off after two weeks and after three weeks were almost gone. Rest as much as you can. For me the most difficult part was standing up but you work out strategies. Speak to your GP or go to casualty. Go to the nearest casualty if you feel you can't complete the journey home.
It does get better.
I did get a morphine injection in Belgium but only because there was a complication during surgery that they knew would result in higher pain levels.
You might now want to hear this but the pain levels started easing off after two weeks and after three weeks were almost gone. Rest as much as you can. For me the most difficult part was standing up but you work out strategies. Speak to your GP or go to casualty. Go to the nearest casualty if you feel you can't complete the journey home.
It does get better.
shaunasmile
New Member
Hi Marcus,
Thanks so much for your response. This will sound crazy put i read your whole diary the day after my surgery and could not believe all the trouble you have been through.
Thanks for the advice - woke up this AM and took 2x co-codamol which has eased pain slightly.
If 2-3 weeks is the case then please can it fly by!! Lol.
Thanks so much for your response. This will sound crazy put i read your whole diary the day after my surgery and could not believe all the trouble you have been through.
Thanks for the advice - woke up this AM and took 2x co-codamol which has eased pain slightly.
If 2-3 weeks is the case then please can it fly by!! Lol.
Big Dave D
New Member
This degree of pain you are experiencing doesn't sound normal to me, but then again, I'm not quite sure how 'normal' is even defined after Bariatric surgery.
Personally, I was pretty much pain-free post-op and I had a bypass, not a sleeve, which has the potential for more pain due to the internal slicing and dicing and rearranging of your squidgy bits inside.
It may be wind pain, your abdomen is inflated with a large amount of Carbon Dioxide during surgery and this can take a few days to dissipate.
I'm glad you're in a UK hospital now - what are they saying is causing the pain?
Hope you feel better soon. x
Personally, I was pretty much pain-free post-op and I had a bypass, not a sleeve, which has the potential for more pain due to the internal slicing and dicing and rearranging of your squidgy bits inside.
It may be wind pain, your abdomen is inflated with a large amount of Carbon Dioxide during surgery and this can take a few days to dissipate.
I'm glad you're in a UK hospital now - what are they saying is causing the pain?
Hope you feel better soon. x
marcusbm
Well-Known Member
Do remember that the more complications there are the more people look for support. This also means many people who don't have complications will stop posting so the content on the forums will be skewed.
Best of luck for your recovery and future weight loss.
marcusbm
Well-Known Member
Post op pain is unpredictable to an extent. Pain in the left shoulder is common, as Dave said its caused by carbon dioxide from laparoscopic surgery. Pain at the port sites (especially the one on the left) is also common. You may also experience pain in your arms for a while. Most pain is usually in the left side. Anything beyond that needs investigation and you're in the right place for that.
Hopefully the hospital will have access to a bariatric team (my autocorrect suggested barbaric but I spotted it in time) that can offer the best advice. It sounds like you left hospital too early and travelled far too early but I can understand and relate to why you did that.
ladilindy
Active Member
Marcus I don't think Shauna left hospital or travelled early, it sounds like the normal schedule for Dr Chris. Because I am having a bypass I will have an extra night in hospital, so surgery Tuesday, discharge to hotel (all being well) Friday, travel home Saturday.
Lynn x
jan52
New Member
Dr Chris was very strict about keeping me in hospital until he was happy all was okay.... Because the X-ray showed swelling around the stomach to bowel junction and very slow passage of fluids he made me stay in an extra day and gave me several more drips to ensure I was well hydrated etc.... He said I could only go if I could drink the broth and keep it down and if necessary I would stay in there care until he was fully happy...... He said They would look after me and if need be they would change my flights if that was safest thing to do.
I can only assume he was happy that Shaunas surgery itself had gone well...... Pain is a very difficult and personal thing to assess...... I so hope she is feeling better now!
I can only assume he was happy that Shaunas surgery itself had gone well...... Pain is a very difficult and personal thing to assess...... I so hope she is feeling better now!
shaunasmile
New Member
Hi guys,
Sorry for lack of response I have only just left hospital and my phone battery died!
Turns out i had an infection where the drain was which was causing the agonising pain.
On meds now with lots of pain relief and should be in a better place by the end of the week.
In terms of care from dr chris i appreciate everyones journey is different and believe me i had researched him for 2 years before booking - it was all i was focused on for the 2 years.
When i was out there i did not see anyone until the day of my surgery, i met dr chris for the first time 30 mins before my surgery and was not visited after i had been discharged.
In terms of dr chris being 'happy' to discharge me. On the last day in hospital i was crying my eyes out to a nurse saying how much pain i was in and the response i got was 'well u need to leave now as we need your bed'
I had to carry my bags on my own all the way to the taxi which was painful considering i had only just had major surgery.
I appreciate it is 'cheaper' than the UK but i feel completely let down by Belgium surgery services and will never recommend them to anyone. It doesn't matter how much u pay, u should receive the care and support that they tell u they will give u.
On another note:
Thank you to every single one of you who has posted in this thread. In my darkest hours you were there for me and your words of support mean more than u will ever know.
S
X
Sorry for lack of response I have only just left hospital and my phone battery died!
Turns out i had an infection where the drain was which was causing the agonising pain.
On meds now with lots of pain relief and should be in a better place by the end of the week.
In terms of care from dr chris i appreciate everyones journey is different and believe me i had researched him for 2 years before booking - it was all i was focused on for the 2 years.
When i was out there i did not see anyone until the day of my surgery, i met dr chris for the first time 30 mins before my surgery and was not visited after i had been discharged.
In terms of dr chris being 'happy' to discharge me. On the last day in hospital i was crying my eyes out to a nurse saying how much pain i was in and the response i got was 'well u need to leave now as we need your bed'
I had to carry my bags on my own all the way to the taxi which was painful considering i had only just had major surgery.
I appreciate it is 'cheaper' than the UK but i feel completely let down by Belgium surgery services and will never recommend them to anyone. It doesn't matter how much u pay, u should receive the care and support that they tell u they will give u.
On another note:
Thank you to every single one of you who has posted in this thread. In my darkest hours you were there for me and your words of support mean more than u will ever know.
S
X
nicola1723
New Member
Get well soon. Sorry you had such an ordeal! X
marcusbm
Well-Known Member
Sorry your experience wasn't so good although it seems the surgery went well and the complications are under control.
When I had my first surgery in Belgium they wouldn't let me leave until I had four nights in hospital - it shows the variation in care in different circumstances (and different surgeons). Belgium is a very good conveyor belt. Personally I'd recommend staying in a hotel for 3-4 days after surgery before travelling so you have the bariatric team accessible if you need them in the most critical recovery period.
I met Dr Dillemans the day before both surgeries, around the surgery itself (he updated me on how it went) and in the ward almost every day with other members of his team visiting regularly. Admittedly I was known to have complications so the extra care may have been more justified.
When I had my first surgery in Belgium they wouldn't let me leave until I had four nights in hospital - it shows the variation in care in different circumstances (and different surgeons). Belgium is a very good conveyor belt. Personally I'd recommend staying in a hotel for 3-4 days after surgery before travelling so you have the bariatric team accessible if you need them in the most critical recovery period.
I met Dr Dillemans the day before both surgeries, around the surgery itself (he updated me on how it went) and in the ward almost every day with other members of his team visiting regularly. Admittedly I was known to have complications so the extra care may have been more justified.
jan52
New Member
Hi Shauna.... I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience! But I'm relieved for you that you now know what the problem was and hope it's resolving now hun... It's such a shame our experiences were so far removed..... I do hope you have sent a letter of complaint to Belgium surgery services?... It sounds like that nurse didn't even ask for clinical advise and needs sacking!!
How are you coping with your fluids and in general ,aside the pain from your infection hun? .... Hopefully now the worst is over and you will start loosing fast... The first few weeks I found it hard to get my head to catch up.... You should be just on clear / light liquids only for the first 2 weeks, then purée for 2 weeks and then transition to soft/ normal food..... Drink as often as you can hun, little sips all day long and get loads of rest........ Sending healing wishes!
How are you coping with your fluids and in general ,aside the pain from your infection hun? .... Hopefully now the worst is over and you will start loosing fast... The first few weeks I found it hard to get my head to catch up.... You should be just on clear / light liquids only for the first 2 weeks, then purée for 2 weeks and then transition to soft/ normal food..... Drink as often as you can hun, little sips all day long and get loads of rest........ Sending healing wishes!
kurstywursty
Active Member
Wishing you a speedy recovery xx
Caroline jess
New Member
Hi Shauna. So glad that you are feeling better now. I hope that you will email Dr Chris and advise him of what happened to you!
Those of us that have surgery abroad do not have access to the same after care as uk patients have, as someone who has had WLS twice abroad now I strongly recommend that you stay in touch with this and the other forums available to you, that way you will still be able to ask advice/research things and you will not feel that you are alone (because you are not). Also I hope that you have been to see your GP and they are supportive of your decision x
Those of us that have surgery abroad do not have access to the same after care as uk patients have, as someone who has had WLS twice abroad now I strongly recommend that you stay in touch with this and the other forums available to you, that way you will still be able to ask advice/research things and you will not feel that you are alone (because you are not). Also I hope that you have been to see your GP and they are supportive of your decision x
marcusbm
Well-Known Member
I'll second this. Without a support network provided by the health provider I'm totally reliant on online sources and this forum is probably the most helpful.
femfrankie
Shrinking For Sophie
Hi shauna just caught up with your thread hun. What a horrendous time you have had and I'm so glad you are in safe hands now. Rest up and heal now x
