Updates (pain & weight)
I am now five days post surgery and just wanted to provide a few updates on things. The first is an update on my pain and pain management. Since I was discharged I’ve been taking a 5 mg hydrocodone (a.k.a. Vicodin) and 325 mg acetaminophen tablet every six hours for pain. The problem with this medication is that it causes constipation. So, I’ve been given a stool softener as well. I’ve still not had a bowel movement since my pre-op bowel cleanse that started the day before surgery. I’m not really feeling any major pain at the moment. If anything it’s more just discomfort. I do feel pain if I have to do anything that requires forced expulsion (coughing, hiccoughs, blowing my nose, etc.) and there is a portion of my stomach that has no feeling. It is right along the large incision for the kidney removal. I’m hoping it’s the nerves needing to heal. As of right now, my last pain pill was at 9:30 PM last night and I skipped my overnight dose, even though I was up and uncomfortable at the time. So far, so good.
As for my weight….prior to starting this journey my weight had reached 170 pounds. The most I have ever weighed in my life. I was on the verge of having to up my pants size again. And most of this weight was sitting right around my belly and I could see it in my cheeks and face. Once I stopped drinking soda, changed my diet and started to be more active, I began to slowly lose weight and at one point was down to 152 pounds. The day before I started my bowel cleanse, I splurged knowing it would be a while before I had a good meal and on the morning of the bowel cleanse, I weighed 156. Following the bowel cleanse, on the morning of surgery I was down to 151.5. I had lost 4.5 pounds due to my reduced diet and the cleanse. As of this morning my weight is 145. This is probably a little further than I needed to go. I’m hoping that my appetite recovers soon and I can also get back to being active and this leads to some sensible (muscle) weight gain.
Filed under: Living Donor - @ June 9, 2013 8:56 am