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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want some pain relief after my operation

58 replies

dessen · 29/12/2010 09:16

Title sums it up. Had an operation on my legs for varicose vain problems yesterday (not in the uk). Pain awful but just given paracetamol. Doesn't help. Tried to get more pain relief whiilst in hospital but only given nurofen equivelent but didn't do anything.

No help so my dh then had to queue at the hospital in a clinic to see a surgeon and did get a prescription for pain relief but when got it ourselves from a phamarcy on the way home(hospital wouldn't give out medicine) we realised it can't be taken if bf. My dh told the doctor I am bf but it was ignored.
Now I can stand with out my legs feeling like they're on fire. I still can't put any pressure on my left leg. The nurses wouldn't give me crutches at the hospital do my dh went to a&e and found a pair.
Just terrible.
Just needed a rant

OP posts:
KatieSantaPawskitty · 29/12/2010 14:08

Could be lots of bruising?

Where did they do the incisions?

Even if you get a day-to-day bruise, it hurts enough to stop you putting pressure on it - maybe you've got deep surgical-type (i.e. colossal) bruising all over? Can you see any bruises at all?

So sorry you're going through all this, it truly sounds horrendous

Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 14:10

makes me wince just reading your post santaspawkitty

must be loads but I've not peeked under the stockings. Must be bruising inside as you say. When you stub your toe it hurts alot I suppose this isone giant hit to the system

OP posts:
KatieSantaPawskitty · 29/12/2010 14:17

Oh no, sorry, I didn't mean to make you wince even more

I must be exactly like you say, a giant shock to the system and about a million times more painful than a stubbed toe or knocked knee.

Don't look under those stockings under any circumsances.

I hope the pain goes away soon and your poorly DCs are on the mend too

Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 14:19

thank you :)

OP posts:
TechnoKitten · 29/12/2010 14:31

Sounds like you need to go back & talk to the surgeon. Varicose vein surgery is not normally as painful afterwards as you are describing - normally regular paracetamol and diclofenac (voltarol) are more than enough. Think you may need to be checked over just to rule out infection (cellulitis is extremely painful).

A standard tie & strip involves a small incision in the groin to tie off one vein and lots of tiny incisions over the varicosities to pull out the little bits of damaged vein - no muscle splitting, just small cuts in the skin layer. There is normally some superficial bruising but it should be limited by compression bandaging.

Hope you get some better pain relief soon. If everything is ok, pain after this normally only lasts 3-4 days so it should be getting better.

Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 15:31

thanks technokitten - I got one paracetamol & then after having to really complain got one voltarol but they did nothing. Felt like my legs were on fire when I stood up. Now that has stopped thank goodness.
The apranax has helped but still painful on my ankle (like I've banged into a something hard) & at the top crease of my leg

OP posts:
Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 15:37

Have an appt tomorrow with the surgeon. When I asked why I wasn't given proper pain relief & that my dh had to scout out a pair of crutches in the emergency dept plus queue up to see another dr to get a prescription - the surgeoon had nothing to say.
Totally awful treatment here in Belgium - no pain relief, no doctors available, nurses that do cr*p all, , told I couldn't have crutches wtf

OP posts:
Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 15:39

I think the hospital has bf baby friendly status as well - total rubbish as I was given a prescription for pain relief that I couldn't take as bf. dh told the doctor over & over I am bf & was the pain relief ok with that. No respect for bf here at all.

OP posts:
Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 15:42

Sh*t for brains nurses - I can't walk on my left leg and as I've had an operation on the right as well it's too tough to hop. I ask the nurse can I have crutches & she says no & that I can go in a wheelchair to the car to go home. I ask well how will I get to the car from the wheelchair & how will I move about at home - drag myself on the floor? No crutches allowed was her answer.

OP posts:
brooker9 · 29/12/2010 16:10

I had similar operation for varicose veins 6 weeks ago in UK. Cut behind knee, laser pushed into vein up to groin and main vein zapped in both legs (called EVLA if I remember rightly). Had exactly same experience, no pain killers given, went back to the hospital 3 times to complain/beg for painkillers. Eventually got 5 days of diclofenac from them (plus shit loads of proper drugs from my pharmacist friends). I had pain walking/bending knee for a good 2 weeks. They told me I could return to work the following day Hmm that did not happen!
At my follow up appt, I told them clearly what experience I had, apparently I must have been mistaken, since no-one takes that long to recover Angry Now I've got some sclerotherapy to look forward to in January to tidy up the remaining small veins in the ankle.
I hope you get to feel better soon, feet up as much as you can and hot water bottle between thighs helped me. Keep moving every hour or so though, or you'll seize up...

Lizcat · 29/12/2010 16:30

I had massive varicose vein surgery both legs groin to ankle strips (Worst case in under 35 person ever tackled by team - 3 hour surgery). I am afraid the real truth is no matter how much it hurts you need to get moving the faster you do this the quicker things improve. When you are not standing up legs should be raised up to reduce swelling.
I took two weeks off work as my job is a high infection risk, but walked three miles a day from 48 hours after surgery yes it hurt, but it did reduce the swelling a lot.

Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 16:47

brooker9 - how awful for you. Why don't they give painrelief out. I got disbelief as well at the hospital - how could it hurt so much - was told it was all in my mind!!! I've also got sclerotherapy to have. Hope yours goes well - good luck with this. Will try with a hot water bottle - thanks for the tip.

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Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 16:53

Lizcat - whince at your op. Good that you could get up & about. I'd like to be able to walk but I just can't put any weight on my left leg (that I had the groin/ankle vein removed plus others - dr said afterwards there had been lots to do)Once I hurt my knee & just couldn't walk on the leg - it's a similiar thing now)

OP posts:
oldandgreynow · 29/12/2010 17:23

Oh for ggodness sake -your 'baby' is 1!! You just express off the milk and give her normal milk or formula for a few days

Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 18:00

I don't want a bf/formula/express debate - the only thing is respect for what people choose to do. There are medications suitable with bf.

OP posts:
confusedeasterbunny · 29/12/2010 18:05

It's not a debate its a solution.What a drama queen!

TruthSweet · 29/12/2010 18:10

Yes, it's really easy to explain to a 1y/o that Mummy's milk is not suitable for them to drink as a Dr didn't pay enough attention to Mummy!

You can't just stop bfing for a few days whilst with your child and expect them to understand and not be distressed at all, especially after a separation for OP to have her op in the first placeShock

confusedeasterbunny · 29/12/2010 18:13

I did.She was distressed.It's life .She survived

TruthSweet · 29/12/2010 18:35

I get that it is an option for some but dessen appears to not want to cease bfing early just because a Dr isn't listening properly/can't be bothered to check out what is safe.

Can you accept that what worked for you might not be an option for another mother? Not all babies/children are able to have bfing ceased before they are ready to wean. We don't know the 'back story' to why dessen is bfing a 1 y/o so it might be inappropriate to wean earlier than normal.

Not implying to say bfing a 1y/o is in any way odd or unusual as then I'm odd and unusual too!

Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 19:11

I'm bf my 3yr old as well as my 1yr old - on demand. It's a normal function & one that can be accomodated when taking painrelief & other medication. dr's (& others) need to respect this.

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Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 19:13

well said truthsweet. I respect peoples choice and what option worked for them. Everyone is different.

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Original poster
dessen · 29/12/2010 19:17

truthsweet - my kids are concerned as I'm stuck in bed (hopefully will know why I can't walk on my left leg at my appt tomorrow) I'm trying to be as usual as possible & having a bf in bed with my one year old was lovely for her & me. My three yr old has given me her favourite sticker. My others have made presents that are on my bedside table & found buttons so I can make wishes on them - heartbreakingly lovely

OP posts:
TruthSweet · 29/12/2010 19:20

Snap dessen! DD2 is 3.1y/o and DD3 is 14m/o and are both bfing happily even with me taking meds and having had pancreatitis and gall bladder surgery this year.

Sometimes you need to bash some heads at consultant level to get anywhere with regards to meds whilst bfing. I can really recommend Dr Thomas Hale's website forum here (you can log in as a guest) to check out meds prescribed or in advance of appointments to know what may be given for X condition. Also his book Medications and Mothers' Milk should be in every pharmacists book shelf......

TruthSweet · 29/12/2010 19:31

dessen - DD2 wouldn't bf while I was in hospital (wouldn't even look at meSad) but soon started up bfing again when I was home. She didn't trust me for a while though as she kept expecting me to be rushed back to hospital (after my gall bladder op I came home and then had to be taken back the next day due to complications). DD1 was very tearful about the whole thing and really struggled being apart from me but they have all forgiven me for being ill now Smile

I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you can get some better treatment soon.

KatieSantaPawskitty · 29/12/2010 19:32

just checking in to see how OP is - how you bearing up Dessen? Have you got any rest?

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