Mystery solved-weight gain not due to CPAP

I finally had the surgery on Sept. 2. It turned out to be an ovarian cyst and they were able to bag it, drain it and remove it laparoscopically. In so doing they nicked my colon and I had to spend a nightmarish night in the hospital under observation. Not that I slept long enough to have nightmares. The pressure cuffs that they had on my legs puffed up and pulsed every minute and woke me up every time. THe IV drip made a noise every 5 seconds. How in the world do they expect anyone to get any sleep in a hospital? I did bring my APAP and figured out how to hook up the oxygen to my Activa LT mask. It wasn't a perfect fit, but it held all night. I had to ask for an oximeter and it took nearly two hours before they brought one in. It wasn't hooked up to the nursing station, so if the alarms had gone off, nobody would have known. We had to turn the volume off so I could sleep (yeah, right).

I'm disappointed that none of my back pain is gone. In fact, it's worse. I had such high hopes that this would solve a lot of my pain issues. I know that I need to give it more time.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.

Bev

Bev,

I'm so glad you're out of the woods with your surgery. Since your insides are probably bruised and full of CO2, that's probably why your back pain is worse. Let us know how you're healing.

BTW, I am terrified of having surgery now that I know that I have apnea, and the fact that I stopes breathing after my gallbladder surgery pre-CPAP. How did that work for you in recovery?

Thank God thats over with Bev. I hope the back issues clear up too and you soon feel much better. Give yourself a chance to heal. If they nicked the colon that will take a long time to heal so don't expect too much but do keep on top of it. Glad to see you feel well enough to post and let us know how you did. Always a blessing to come through surgery and be on the mend. Sending good healing thoughts and prayers your way. Carol

OutaSync wrote:I finally had the surgery on Sept. 2. It turned out to be an ovarian cyst and they were able to bag it, drain it and remove it laparoscopically. In so doing they nicked my colon and I had to spend a nightmarish night in the hospital under observation. Not that I slept long enough to have nightmares. The pressure cuffs that they had on my legs puffed up and pulsed every minute and woke me up every time. THe IV drip made a noise every 5 seconds. How in the world do they expect anyone to get any sleep in a hospital? I did bring my APAP and figured out how to hook up the oxygen to my Activa LT mask. It wasn't a perfect fit, but it held all night. I had to ask for an oximeter and it took nearly two hours before they brought one in. It wasn't hooked up to the nursing station, so if the alarms had gone off, nobody would have known. We had to turn the volume off so I could sleep (yeah, right).I'm disappointed that none of my back pain is gone. In fact, it's worse. I had such high hopes that this would solve a lot of my pain issues. I know that I need to give it more time.Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.
Bev

Bev, I had similiar surgery August 28th......except I didn't want to wake up from the anesthesia, earned a neurology consult and admission.....I also had back pain above the waist on effected side. My pain was worse after surgery and resolving, so it might take a little time if it was your ovary causing the back pain. Different than my anticipation, the hospital staff managed my APAP well, put a pulse ox me...may have been more for monitoring because of anesthesia problems more than OSA. OSA was taken seriously and seemed comfortable integrating into treatment. I had a big increase in AHI, sleep disturbance of nightmares and sleep walking if not delirium first 10 days after surgery...Did you notice any differences in your data ? I found my recovery room data interesting!!!!! Best Wishes and Speedy Recovery.
elg5cats

tattooyu wrote:Bev,


BTW, I am terrified of having surgery now that I know that I have apnea, and the fact that I stopes breathing after my gallbladder surgery pre-CPAP. How did that work for you in recovery?

I was told that the anesthesiologist would discuss my CPAP needs with me prior to surgery. But the only thing he said to me prior to surgery was "Hola!" and that is the last thing I remember. I was in recovery a long time before they moved me to a room. I was in and out so don't know what happened there, except that no one was watching me as far as I could tell. They did not have me hooked up to my CPAP machine.

elg5cats wrote:I had a big increase in AHI, sleep disturbance of nightmares and sleep walking if not delirium first 10 days after surgery...Did you notice any differences in your data ? I found my recovery room data interesting!!!!!

There were a lot of people recovering in that room, separated by curtains. I passed a whole lot of feet as they wheeled me out. Surgery took about 2 and a half hours and recovery was about three hours. They moved me to the spinal unit, as the woman's unit was full of woman having babies. They said that it was a bumper crop that night. My throat hurt a lot and the nurse was kind enough to bring me ice chips, which she placed just out of my reach on the bedside table. I discovered it hours later, melted, after a bathroom trip.

My suggestion to you is to make sure your wife knows how to hook you up to your CPAP. Show her where the oxygen plugs are in your mask. If your mask doesn't have them, get a connector for your hose. Don't expect the hospital personnel to know anything about it. Mind didn't. Nor did they care. Next time, I'm bringing my own oximeter, too. It was crazy that they didn't have one available for me and I had to wait for them to find one.

Elg5cats,

I didn't get to get hooked up to CPAP till I got to my room. I didn't bring my SV because I didn't want other people handling it and I knew it would be hard for me to get it all reconnected when I got home. THe data doesn't mean much because I was awake most of the time, sleeping in 40 second increments as the stupid cuffs kept blowing up and keeping me awake. The other noises in that hospital were all night long. Every door in that hospital slams when it closes. It took 10 minutes for the nurse to come change by IV bag, with the alarm going all that time. I could also hear other peoples alarms going off all through the night. The night nurse was a very large woman who groaned and complained the whole time she was in my room. When I got the shakes and asked for another blanket, I heard her say as she walked out of the room, "I have to walk all the way down the hall in pain to get her a blanket". When she came back a half hour later I asked her why she was in such pain.. Turns out that she had been in an accident in June and was still in pain. The trucker who rear ended her is "gonna really pay", and her husband had had a stroke and was on dialysis. I hated to buzz her when I neded to go to the bathroom, she wouldn't help me get out of bed and it took her forever to show up.

I have a hard time getting over anesthesia, too. It takes about 10 days before I can think clearly. The body is much slower.

How long did it take to get your pathology report?

Bev

I didn't get to get hooked up to CPAP till I got to my room. I didn't bring my SV because I didn't want other people handling it and I knew it would be hard for me to get it all reconnected when I got home. THe data doesn't mean much because I was awake most of the time, sleeping in 40 second increments as the stupid cuffs kept blowing up and keeping me awake. The other noises in that hospital were all night long. Every door in that hospital slams when it closes. It took 10 minutes for the nurse to come change by IV bag, with the alarm going all that time. I could also hear other peoples alarms going off all through the night. I have a hard time getting over anesthesia, too. It takes about 10 days before I can think clearly. The body is much slower. How long did it take to get your pathology report? Bev

Bev, sorry you had such a challenging experience at the hospital. Maybe you'll get a feedback survey where you can comment about what went on. I had not planned to take my APAP anticipating an outpt procedure. When I met with anesthesialogist, they insisted I bring it with me. I protested I was concerned I would be suffocated with my own mask if it ended up in the hands of someone who didn't know how to "turn it on." After the events, I'm glad I took it and no damage was done. APAP and I were well managed. The leg cuffs were a little annoying but the alternative of post surgical blood clots is less desirable. I was so out of it a cath was put back in, so I wasn't up until the next day. A train could have came through my room and been uneventful to me!! My doctor called me last Wednesday with pathology report so it was 10 days post op I got it. Hope you are doing well!!!! This isn't a lot of fun, is it?
elg5cats

tattooyu wrote:BTW, I am terrified of having surgery now that I know that I have apnea, and the fact that I stopes breathing after my gallbladder surgery pre-CPAP. How did that work for you in recovery?

Tattooyu,
The anesthesiologist instructed me to insist on meeting with the anesthesiologist prior to any future surgeries, provide a copy of my medical record documenting my anesthesia complications (not waking up) before future surgery. I posted on the increased events I had from recovery and afterwards. I used to dread waking up with horrific nausea and vomiting......now I have to hope I wake up!!!

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elg5cats

Hi, Bev.

I'm sorry to hear of your difficult hospital experience, but I'm glad the surgery is done, the cyst is gone, and you're home now. Hopefully, as your body recovers from the surgical assault, your back pain will diminish.

Hang in there, and keep us posted.

I'm glad it's all over and that the results look promising. I think it took about two weeks to get the full pathology report when I had my hysterectomy for similar reasons.

Unfortunately that sounds like a typical hospital experience with a bad nurse. So sorry you had to go through that!

Anyway, I hope you're feeling better soon. The only laparoscopic surgery I had was when they removed my infected gallbladder. (For the rest, they split me down the middle.) What they told me is that even though there's not much healing to do on the outside, they did major surgery on the inside, and you'll need about three months to fully heal.

I hope you're feeling much better very soon!

Hi Bev,
Just wondering how you're doing, and hoping everythings back to normal.

O.

Bev, I second Ozij's question and everyone's good wishes. You may need to begin a program of back-strengthening exercises, if you haven't done so already, before your back feels good. The two most important IMO: progressively more challenging forms of the "birddog" (PM me if you need more information), and simple TA exercises involving pulling your lower abdomen in as far as possible when exhaling for progressively longer times.

ozij wrote:Hi Bev,
Just wondering how you're doing, and hoping everythings back to normal.

O.

Ozij,

Thanks for asking. I think I'm doing better, now. Friday night my back hurt so bad I laid awake for 6 hours before I finally fell asleep. I woke up with a terrible headache and by 3 pm lost everything I had tried to eat that day. That is the second time that has happened since my surgery. THe first time I attributed it to the prescribed pain medication, so I quit taking it.

Raj,

I started taking turmeric two days before that last vomiting episode and it scared me so I haven't taken it since. I don't see headache or vomiting as a side effect of turmeric, so when I feel better, I may try it again.

Yes, please share any back or abdomen strengthening exercises. I had been using "My Fitness Coach" on Wii for three months prior to the surgery and I'm looking forward to being able to get back to that. For now, I have a burning sensation across my abdomen, my left leg tingles and it takes more effort to move it.

My follow up with the Dr. in on Friday. I called him on Day 18, after patiently waiting for the pathology report. His nurse had brought him the wrong one and he couldn't find the right one, but he "remembered seeing it" and it was "benign". Five days later and I guess they still haven't found it, or maybe don't think it's important for me to know.

Bev

OutaSync wrote: My follow up with the Dr. in on Friday. I called him on Day 18, after patiently waiting for the pathology report. His nurse had brought him the wrong one and he couldn't find the right one, but he "remembered seeing it" and it was "benign". Five days later and I guess they still haven't found it, or maybe don't think it's important for me to know.

Bev

Ouch. That can be sooo annoying. Call them -- I think sometimes they don't realize that even when they say benign, we do want the final, formal report from the lab.

O.