Now the after "AAA" surgery

Greetings To All: Its been since Feb/23rd/16 having gone through a AAA surgery and now just awaiting clearance from VA doctors after my first physical/lab work to be cleared. First thank God for all the prayers and thoughts and support of going through this surgery. I read a many of you that went through this surgery and took head of your reply and out putt. Thank all for the insight.

Now I am just wanting to put out some questions and inquire of the after surgery of any situations, things that you are still going through. Some that have gone back to work, how soon, etc.. And even now, that still have issues of small amount but to us that have gone through it, can relate to them.

I am just looking around to see if some are in the same results of the after as I am now. We all have gone through some issue of after surgery and now. Well I am in the now picture. And allow me to throw some things I am curious about that some one could relate and inform others coming down the path or are recovering, and are still at home waiting to return to work maybe, or just return to normal life itself!

Yes, I gone through excess gas built up and bloating, about now, I have pretty much cleared the air if I may say this with a pun! But I do once in while get a bloated feeling and hurt, but then all gone, feel better, do some of you still get that feeling and off course the smell is always the same, Sulphur and rotten egss in the air. I really get that feeling if I can pin down the food I ate, related back to the food. I should have cleared out any excess air/gas built up already.

I am finally off pain meds, and yes, most have gone through the pain against the plumping not working too well or not a all. I was put on softners while on pain pills and before I left the hospital, which I forgot to mention. Was Wake Forest Hosptial Dr. Kon. Out standing top line heart surgeon of this kind. And did stay 7 day after to recover and make sure all systems were ok. But I was given lax toward the end to be sure all pipes are working before released and yes, all system go!

My chest area is still touchy, and sore! I am able to get out of bed with out help, sit in chairs and get up, and walk around well. I was cleared to drive on my last follow up. But as much as I love to drive, I have to cut back. I notice when I drive for some long period, when I get home, my chest does hurt and I can feel the hurt when I sit or lay down, but after that its ok. I take Tylenol to help cut the edge of pain, but truthfully not as good as pain meds. Cant get refill till my exam, which I don't mind. And of course all system in the pipes are good. I still use the heart cushion between me and seat belt, I tried with out it, irritates the chest area. But that ok, I expect that.

My scars are healing well. Since I had bariatric surgery before, and now this surgery, one can connect the dots, ahahah. MY granddaughter comes over and puts her hand on my chest and tells every in the room Boob bo, no touch! and kiss the chest. I want to pick her up so bad, but she is smart and knows. She likes to look at the scar. God thank you for this precious granddaughter of her smartness of my surgery. She is 1 and half old.

Now here is some questions I hope some can answer if any still reading this novel. I am starting to get into a stage where I can not sleep at all. I lay down try to sleep, but nothing works in the sleep mode. I tried sleeping stuff, no go, pm stuff and pain combo. Nothing working, at time while still up, my body goes into small spas attack's that both arms/hands, legs just shake them selfs in wild motion. Could be my back of the mind trying to shake off non sleepness, and get me into sleep. Also, I notice that I can sleep when it happens only if I lay flat, no pillows or lift head up on them! I am going to wait a little bit more and then see any reply on this subject and no result or answers I will email the doc, and see what he says at the VA.

Now, those that are down the road from your surgery, are you still having chest pains from the cut to the chest, and some have told me, it will be there and just live with it. How long are some of you still feeling this situation in the chest.

Taste of foods! TERRIBLE< NO TASTE, food to me taste terrible, liquids leave metallic taste in mouth, pesi/coke some time helps with taste. But food, wow, smell and taste throws me for a loop. I can eat just small amount, and then BLAH, terrible, no more eat. I do eat yogurt apple sauce, some ice cream, only certain ones. Coffee I can stand, frappes, were on the top of the best, now, cant even finish one, taste terrible. In general, is this common to some folks, food just taste terrible and fluids the same. Yes, I lost weight keeping eye on that one. I do drink insure to help put what I need when I don't eat.

Soon as start to warm up, do some walking, I am finding the limits of how far before I pay for back home. So there, you have it, I would venture to say, I came out of this with no problems, thank GOD and prayers and following docs order. I know reading some other folks stories, some I pray for the best and thoughts go out to those who still in the not so good results in their lives. But for those who have come through this AAA surgery, oh yea, I got valve also replace and aorta, and all else that goes with it. And its interesting to ready the medical log of what happened in the surgery room once they roll you in, had to use it to be able to claim insr. They want to see how or what was done to classify my surgery as a claim. And insr. situations I know is a complete other side of the coin. But again thank you all that are in this forum and have gone through this surgery, and those who are can only wish you the best, and offer Prayers and thoughts. But I know one needs to seek all they can information about the surgery, listen to what folks have done and gone through, some things will work for and some not, but seek all the info you can and seek inquires into forums like this one and ask, read, reply, we are all here to assi/help and guide how we can for you to be able to approach this with calmness and peace of mind for yourself first and family also. Involve them, don't push them out, this is a big step in our body and lives, every needs to be on board, thank you all again. I will keep reading and reply to any one, GW




GW, I have made some paragraphs in your post to make it easier to read. Some of our members have tracking problems when reading. Thanks

Post Edited By Moderator (straydog) : 4/7/2016 3:11:13 PM (GMT-6)

excellent stuff. am super pleased. cheers for the paragraphs Susie.

The only way GW could be having withdrawal symptoms from pain medications given after surgery were if he was on them a very long time & abused the medications. People do not become addicted to pain medication for post op pain if they take the medication as instructed by the dr. & again the person would have to be on the medication a long time for that to happen.

thank you all for your reading my story, long as it was, but thanks. And the replies were great. I do not think I am going through withdrawal from pain pills or meds. The only ones I take are for the heart, some dietaries fluid built up, and that is only if I gain 3 or more lbs from yes, salty foods, and there seems to be plenty of that out there.

And as to return to regular life, and stuff, I think every ones will be different. I am now waiting to be released to return to work. I am on MFL from my work, which they gave till Aug. I am seeing some of you doing close to what you did before. But I believe most of do not want to push our limits to get to normal was. I sure don't. But that is me.

Now, my main concern is sleeping, this has gone on for 4/5 nights in a row. Does any one have problems with not able to sleep? I am now looking into different sites, on what and why about not able to sleep. Its quite interesting. One thing I see is, I had bariatric surgery prior to this surgery, and it was an open y, and in the situation, one has to keep taking iron to supplement what the body does not. And also, I was anemic so I had to keep taking. But I stopped prior to this surgery and not taken it since. Now I would guess the blood coming back while in hospital would show some thing. But unless one looks for it, you will not see in a regular blood work. So, I going to get back in taking my iron to be sure, it will not effect any thing dealing with this surgery. Maybe the light will come on! But just wondering if any one has this situation of not able to sleep after surgery, I am 2 months out, just started this at the beginning of April.

So, it seems folks who are about the same time frame or even more down the road are doing well, thank goodness for you and family. I got rid of the sign, dead man walking, ahahahha! Now alive and well walking. Oh, one more thing, does any one after this surgery, hear your heart beating loud and good. I always now hear the heart beating, hey, good thing, its beating! But resting, quite room, watching tv, on the computer, etc...that heart is strong and loud! any one? and again, I am thank full they found what they did, and in time, surgeon told wife it was worst looking after they opened me, but all is well. Thanks folks GW