I am out of surgery and at home. Dr Bumpous said it was a textbook surgery. He removed part of the left one but I was too out of it to ask how much. Still a bit out of it and the pain is starting to set in. There is a drain in place. A few questions for the ones that have gone through this
When should I start to put ice on the area
How soon should I start the pain killers
How long until the pain starts to dissipate (days/weeks)
How in the world am I supposed to sleep with the drain in place
Any input or other tips would be great
Also just wanted to give an update to my journey
I’m so glad you sent an update. I prayed for you this morning & hoped your surgery would go well. Though I expect you’ve worked out answers to some of your questions by now, I will answer them.
Ice should start as soon as you get home from surgery. Use gel ice packs if possible w/ a thin towel or washcloth between the ice pack & your skin to protect your skin. Ice 15 min on & 45 off every couple of hours. Pain meds should be taken soon after you get home & should be taken according to the schedule on the bottle. It’s critical to stick w/ the pain meds schedule even during the night in order to stay on top of the pain. You will likely need your pain meds for most of the first week post op. Days 3-5 can be the worst as swelling reaches its peak then. Pain will start to dissipate in week 2 post op & will gradually disappear over the next several weeks to months. It can take up to a year for nerves to fully recover. If you’re taking an opioid, you’ll also need to take a stool softener & laxative daily as opioids are VERY constipating.
Sleeping - sleep on your back w/ your head elevated to 30º if possible as this will help reduce swelling in your neck & throat. A wedge pillow for head/upper body elevation & a U or V shaped pillow to keep your head stable are useful for this.
You may find you don’t sleep very well the first week post op as the surgery pain & sleeping upright are a challenge. Rest as much as you can during the day & that will help make up for lack of sleep at night.
Praying for you! I just went through a different surgery and had a drain. Did they give you directions on milking the drain etc? I had a hard time keeping mine from clogging. Mine also dislodged. We used an alcohol swab from top to bottom while holding the top down. Also, I had a friend loan me a wedge and also a pregnancy pillow. I sure hope you have help at home.
I had a drain in, just for 24 hrs, so I feel for you; I had virtually no sleep! Luckily there was good TV…How long will your drain be in?
Isaiah’s covered everything, so will just add in my prayer for a good recovery too, God bless
