Post-op

[MooseMom]

I had surgery to create my fistula almost two weeks ago.  I was told that the surgery went "perfectly"; it was all done on an outpatient basis, and there were no complications that I was told about.

I know that someone with such advanced renal disease as myself shouldn't expect to be able to run a marathon, but I had always had enough energy to propel me through my daily walks.  But since that surgery, which wasn't supposed to be a big deal, has left me incredibly enervated.  I sleep a lot.  It took every ounce of self-discipline to drag my sorry butt out the door today for a walk, and it was tough going once I hit the pavement.  I can feel the thrill of my fistula, but I also feel it in my heart; it's as if my heart has been lifted up closer to the inside of my chest so that I can feel every single pulse.

I will see various doctors for various things next week, and I will bring it up with them, but for now, I wondered if anyone else has experienced such a reaction to what was relatively minor surgery.  It's like someone just flicked my light off.  Any thoughts?

[kitkatz]

I find it takes six to eight weeks to fully recover from any surgery.  Take it easy for awhile on yourself.

[Wayne]

My first fistula surgery was a success as well.  I didn't have much pain but I was pretty tired for a couple of weeks.

[calypso]

Maybe the tired feeling afterwards is anemia? Perhaps a lot of blood loss, it is after all an hour long surgery on blood vessels with high blood flow. Maybe ask the dialysis unit to check H&H after the surgery rather than waiting for the month to be up.

[MooseMom]

I am sleepless because my arm is bugging me.  It feels like nerve pain; it feels like someone is pinching me along the side of my lower arm down past my wrist and onto the bony bit beneath my thumb.  And I get lightning jolts in the crook of my elbow.  Neither of these areas have been operated on.  The lower part of my arm, again beneath my wrist is still numb except for the nerve pain.  I take Vicodin only at night before bed because if I take it during the day, it makes me nauseous.  Otherwise, I take Tylenol with doesn't eradicate the pain.  My left hand works fine, though, and is not cold or numb, so I don't think it is a circulatory problem; it feels neurological in nature.  I imagine that during the surgery, some nerves got bandied about, and maybe what I am feeling is just those nerves rerouting.  I did phone the surgeon's office and was told that it sounded like it was just the normal sensations of healing, and I'm sure that's what it is, but it just doesn't seem logical that this procedure has caused me more gyp than a hysterectomy. 

I had labs done today and will get results next week, so I will see if anemia is the culprit, although no one mentioned any excessive loss of blood.

[jbeany]

Your symptoms sound similar to my nerve damage.  Pain in parts that weren't close to the incisions, some of it excruciating.  Almost 5 years later, I still have a numb spot from one fistula surgery, but I only notice when someone grabs my hand at that spot.  The pain I felt did go away, though, thankfully.

Don't underestimate the amount of energy that constant, low levels of pain can drain from you, either.

 

[sullidog]

No problems here, hg did go down a bit though which sounds like the same happened in your case.
Troy

[Stoday]

Sorry to hear you're having a bit of a rough time MM.

I guess I was lucky — I didn't have any problems at all with my fistula surgery.