In hospital, in pain, in tears and feeling like an idiot

[GetTheFudgeOutOfRodge]

I feel so stupid at the moment.
I just had to call the nurses in to me because I tried to move to get comfortable to try and sleep and instead I managed to give myself searing agony and burst into tears. I could barely talk to nurses as crying so much and they had to pull me to help me move.
They're going to think I'm a right muppet aren't they. I've got myself all worked up now and can't stop crying and everyone I could talk to is asleep.
I know I sound pathetic posting this

It's not pathetic people cry when they are in pain. How long are you in for?

Only tonight thankfully.
People manage to have far more major surgery than I've had and keep their dignity, then there's me crying like a baby over a bloody gallbladder removal!

Oh dear - poor you. Whether you're in or out of hospital, it's horrible when you're in pain with no one to talk to.

Have you had an op or some procedure which caused such an agonising spasm? Have the nurses given you something to ease the pain and help you sleep?

If you're worried about waking other patients,perhaps a nurse could take you to a day room or other unoccupied spot so that you can offload how you're feeling?

As there doesn't appear to be much traffic here in the middle of the night, I suggest you post on AIBU on the lines of 'aibu to have burst into tears' or similar as I'm sure there'll be night owls and mumsnetters living in different time zones to the UK who'll be happy to chat to you and help ease your fears.

Hoping the rest of your night is painfree and wishing you a speedy recovery.

Hospitals aren't places where you should be worried about keeping your dignity and those who've had more complex surgery than your op may be morphined up to eyeballs and won't feel any pain until the drugs wear off.

Cheer up, honey, it could have been worse. The other day I leaned down to pick up something I dropped by the side of my chair and got a searing pain around my lower ribcage. It was so agonising I surprised myself with the number of four letter words and other expletives I know - had I been in your place I would have most probably woken the ward and taught them a new phrase or ten

That's not to discount the discomfort you feel; not so long ago you would have been in hospital for at least a week after gallbladder removal and your tears are a natural reaction to pain and also to the relief you feel that the damn thing's gone and you've come through.

Also, general anaesthetics are notorious for having depressing effect and it takes a while for the cocktail of substances to work its way out of the system. Hopefully tomorrow you'll be back in your own bed with your familiar things around you and you'll feel considerably better that you do on this first post-op night.

Thank you for the kind words goddess, have to admit I'd just stop crying and you've set me off again (but in a thankful for your kindness way!)

I'm very lucky to have gone through DHs work private healthcare so I'm in a lovely hospital in my own room. The doors are all open and everyone is sleeping from the sounds of it, well apart from the man opposite who is being incredibly rude to the nurses.

I considered posting in AIBU but it scares me a bit I'd rather have two kind posts from yourself and then no more posts that tens of people potentially telling me that I'm being stupid as I already feel that way

Are you suffering yourself from health problems/post op, or did you manage to twist yourself in an awkward way to make your body protest? I am fantastic at seriously hurting myself in the most mundane and ridiculous fashions and being laughed at when I retell my story at hospital/to family.

I didn't know that about anaesthetic. I suffer with depression as it is and am at quite a low ebb after being in pain for months with the stupid gallbladder/gallstones. I am so relived it's gone though. I'm sure a few days and weeks of pain now is better than living with pains worse than labour for the rest of my life.

I am a nurse and worked night shift for 10 years. What you describe is quite normal. You are in an unusual place, have had a GA and surgery and are sore. You should be comforted with a hot cup of tea and a nice biscuit (in the NHS the biscuits have to be pinched from the box kept for people who have given blood donations or the nurses packed lunch but surely they have nice biscuits in a private hospital). The nurses will think nothing of it.

Oh you poor thing .Don't beat yourself up about other people having more serious surgery and not making a fuss .
As another poster said - they are probably out of it on morphine .I know I was !

And don't underestimate the debilitating effects of a GA ,they really mess your whole body and mind up . Some people suffer much more than others ,it's a very individual thing .

and hoping this is all soon behind you .

Thank you both.
I was not offered biscuits but I did get tea :)

I didn't manage to get any sleep. I don't know how people do it in hospitals!
Back home now, still in a lot of pain but glad to be back.

Oh poor you.

I was going to suggest asking to speak to the Pain Management Team at your hospital but I now see you're home.

Have they given you adequate pain relief in your discharge meds?

Following up on Grays post ... pain meds .What have you got ? Are you taking them regularly or are you trying to manage with only a few ?

You shouldn't be in lots of pain ,it's not necessary . Can you or DH ring hospital or GP to discuss ?

And IME GA and/or pain relief = the hell that is constipation . Especially if pain meds are opiates . So lactulose /movicol or any favourite remedy ( dried apricots ,cauliflower - not necessarily together ) recommended .

Be nice to yourself ...

Greys I've been given paracetamol and ibuprofen for every couple of hours and Tramadol and codeine as and when needed.
Funnily enough I had quite a few Greys Anatomy dreams leading up to the surgery!

ginger I'm taking the paracetamol and ibuprofen regularly. It's awkward as laying still I feel fine now but when I have to move the pain was very intense so now I'm trying to take the stronger ones before I need to move IYSWIM so it's a bit easier getting about.
So the GA and meds give constipation and the gall bladder remova causes the runs so that will make for an interesting first poop!

Thank you again for those that have posted and not taken the piss out of my woe is me moment from last night!
I do feel quite a bit more chipped being home and having slept.

You've had a bit cut out of your insides. Of course it hurts. Sounds like you need better pain relief.

I know what you are going through, you have my sympathy. This pain will pass and it is nothing compared to the pain of gallstones, as you know. If they haven't already said, continue to be careful with fatty foods when you feel up to eating - they are inclined to go straight through at first! TMI I know, but get well soon.

Hello, glad you are home and have had some sleep.

I had my Gallbladder out a couple of months ago, admittedly it was a tricky op as it had fused to my liver and they had to dissect them apart, but they gave me an IV morphine pump to stomp on the pain overnight, so perhaps they were a bit stingy with your meds

I had 9 months of flippin agony before it came out, 2 days after surgery I felt like a new woman and in the ten weeks since i have had not one jot of pain or discomfort. Hang in there

Lots of sympathy - I remember feeling quite amazed after having my gallbladder out that they expected me to go home that afternoon!

The pain gets massively better once the gas has gone which takes a couple of days. Get a pillow to press against your abdomen, makes the world of difference, much better than the painkillers. Also don't expect the runs after your gallbladder is gone - has made no difference to me (TMI) and the first poo afterwards was tricky constipation wise.

I have a few problems if I eat foods that are too fatty (gooseberry fool consisting mainly of double cream level fatty) but 99.9% of the time I just feel normal again.

It will get better v soon but it's OK to feel very very sorry for yourself right now

Thank you for the kindness.

Just in case anyone is due to have the op and comes across this post, I had the operation a week ago today I am absolutely fine now. Not on any pain killers, can move about fine and just feel a little bruised but overall a million times better than I did with the gallstones so don't be put off by my complaining!

So pleased to have stumbled across this thread. I had mine out on monday and can't believe how much pain i have been in. Think i was more bothered about the anaesthetic that id not given much thought to anything else. Im feeling more human today, though i have stopped taking the co-codamol as it just made me feel sick. I have also been constipated and was thinking this wasn't normal as everything i'd read lead me to believe otherwise. Hoping now that im actually starting to eat that things will get back to normal. Your latest post has made me feel a lot better, that things will start to get better now. Hope u are still well on the road to recovery. X

How was yours done anon?
Mine was removed via belly button which I'm led to believe takes a few days off the recovery period, but that aside the difference between my day 3 where you are now and today is miraculous. I thought I'd be struggling to move and on strong pain killers for weeks at that time.

Keep resting, try and eat normally and you'll soon feel better
I also had quite bad constipation which got better around day 4/5. Really surprised me considering all I got told before was to expect the opposite, as you said, but as PP pointed out the anaesthetic and pain killers do clog you up.

Hope you're feeling soon and here's to no more gallstone/gallbladder problems!

Hi. Mine sounds the same as yours, via the belly button, i have 4 dressings on, i have to go for stitches out after 7 days. Im still in a lot of pain but figured i could handle that better than the sick spaced out feeling, just taking paracetomol and ibuprofen now, the cushion tip is a fab help, that is the only way i can get comfortable. How is your diet, are you eating normally? My triggers were anything with eggs, which im yet to try, im a bit nervous of trying anything yet.

Oh and glad you are feeling well and yes heres to no gallbladder problems!! Never felt pain like it. I swear its worse than childbirth lol x

It's horrible feeling spaced out on them strong pills. I was told to keep taking the paracetamol and ibuprofen at regular intervals, so swapping them over and taking them every two hours, which I found helped more than waiting until they wore off and then taking them.

Beforehand I was suffering awfully at anything with an average or more amount of fat and sugar. The day after I'd eaten anything that would be a write off consisting of me bringing up bile, too weak to move, being as white as a sheet and being in agony despite being on Tramadol.
Last night I felt stupid brave and had a small pizza, and I had a little tummy ache for maybe half an hour when I woke up this morning and that was it! I've spent all day waiting for the attack, but no, nothing!

I absolutely agree that it's worse than childbirth. Horrific pain. Such a miserable time.

GA always makes me weepy.

I was in hospital once after a jaw op and was lying opposite a young girl who had been in for the same as you, she looked in sheer agony poor thing and was crying a lot. I took over some magazines and sat with her even though I couldn't talk much!
I hope you feel better soon, and as others have said don't feel bad to ask nurses for anything

Just to give you all hope Im 4 weeks post op and feel 99% fine (heavy lifting is a no no - tried the other day and something pulled near my belly button scar!)

Day 6 was the turning point for me and I drove on day 7. Its amazing how quick you recover - on day 2 I felt like I had been hit by a bus.

Thanks for the update. Day 6 for me today and am feeling a lot better, although i do get tired easily. i've even managed a short walk, just for some fresh air. Ure right about the being hit by a bus feeling. If you don't mind, can i ask if you work and if so, how long you were off for? I have a sick note for 2 weeks post op and hoping that if i keep improving like i feel i am, that i could go back after that, office based and no heavy lifing involved, my employers are excellent and would be happy with a phased return, although i will be sensible and not go back until i feel ready.

I had a 2 week sick note and was fine to work after that time (both office work and bar work) although please stick to the no heavy lifting rule!