I know I typically try to write about each day post surgery as it’s own post, up until about day 7. However, unless you want to just read, “I slept” then “I slept some more” followed up by “I ate something then went back to bed”, I guarantee that days 2-6 were quite unremarkable. So this is why you’re getting a Day 6 Post Surgery update, with days 2-5 also included.
Sleeping Through the Tramadol Haze
While the opioid crisis rages in the USA, my surgeon likes to prescribe Tramadol for post surgery pain. Mind, it’s supposed to be a temporary solution since for most of the liposuction procedures, you can get away with only taking Paracetamol afterwards (I did for my calves, arms and butt). However, for both thighs, I needed stronger pain killers since my surgeon really bruised the muscles under the fat and that hurt. So he prescribed me Zaldiar which is a reduced amount of Tramadol paired with Paracetamol (paracetamol enhances the effect of an opioid so it’s not strange to see them paired together).
However, if you remember, it turns out one of the “rare” side effects for Zaldiar is extreme edema and I’m the special snowflake that the really rare complications talks about. So for my stomach liposuction, and now my sides and hips, I took straight Tramadol to avoid the additional edema swelling. However, while it reduces the surgery pain quite well, Tramadol also makes me sleepy.
So I spent the first 5 days post op lying around like a slug doing nothing but recovering. Really, not the most horrible thing in the world for a rather heavy surgery. However, I seriously hate the feeling it gives.
Don’t get me wrong, I do like the feeling of being stoned. I like full on body highs that marijuana edibles can give, it’s perfect for an evening of chilling and relaxing in front of the TV when I know I’m not expected to be “present”. It also doesn’t make me want to go to sleep immediately. Tramadol does.
For the first 5 days, I was able to sit in my computer chair and I decided to g
et some ESO play time in (Elder Scrolls Online, it’s a MMORPG). I did do some stuff in the game, but I mostly found myself staring at this spot on my ceiling for hours at a time. That really annoyed me.
One of my clients also kept skyping me to ask about my opinion on things. On Tramadol, I apparently sit there and keep trying to make my point for 30 minutes that nobody is arguing until everyone hangs up on me. Thankfully, I didn’t make any promises I shouldn’t have though I apparently didn’t email someone I should have (totally emailed that person in my head though) and mailed someone who I didn’t need to. I’m sure that left a very confused person.
Stupidest Day 6 Post Surgery Life Decision I’ve Ever Made
When it comes to life decisions, sometimes I’m like a cat and seriously miscalculate the jump from the table to the top of the cabinet. Because I hated myself for sleeping through life (did manage to stay awake for Silent Hill on day 4 post op), and I couldn’t properly work, I decided to go off Tramadol.
Yes, you read that right…go off Tramadol on Day 6 Post Surgery when my ribs, tail bone, and poor back was still in a lot of pain from the force of the liposuction procedure itself (my ribs and tailbone got bruised pretty badly, probably a mild concussion to the bones). Not to mention the liposuctioned spots still hurt.
Paracetamol did NOT touch the pain in the least. Neither did Diclofenac. Marijuana barely helped.
I was forced to go back onto Tramadol until Friday (Day 9 post surgery).
No Gym At This Point Either
Unfortunately, unlike liposuction procedures 1-5, I haven’t been able to go back to the gym. I have been out for a few short walks around the block, as my poor back will allow me (the unrelated to
liposuction back pain, but the surgery irritated it), but that’s about it. I haven’t been able to really lift my hands above my head without the skin on my sides stretching painfully, sit without a pillow at my back due to the tail bone bruising, or really anything because of the drugs. My range of motion with my arms, twisting from side to side, and even bending over and squatting totally sucks.
And anything that pulls at the stretch marks BURNS.
MLD Hurts Like Fuck Too
I’m sure my MLD therapist is quite happy I’m laying on my stomach and can’t get near her face to rip it off. Day 5 post op, I actually had a different MLD therapist since mine was out sick. Not only were her hands cold (this was actually heaven since the liposuctioned spots always seem to be burning hot), but she was actually pretty gentle. Probably too gentle for tackling the hard spots that were starting to form.
Hard Spots, Wounds, Swelling, Etc
Speaking of hard spots, up until Day 6 Post Surgery, there really hasn’t been the usual hard plates forming under the skin like with the other liposuction procedures. In fact, I didn’t really have the great Day 5 Post Surgery swelling like has happened with all my other surgeries. The pain increased on Day 5 (another idiotic reason to go off Tramadol on Day 6 Post Surgery) but not the swelling or hard spots. Of course this surgery would be different to all the others. I swear as soon as you learn what to expect, things change.
As for the rest, all the wounds are scabbed over and THANK GOD the incessant, relentless itching that started almost immediately after surgery has stopped. There’s still some itching around the healing wounds, but nothing like days 1-4. Oh my freaking lord that was the worst itching that it’s been through all 7 surgeries. I hate being itchy and this was honest to god torture. Since I was on Tramadol I didn’t want to take Benadryl on top of it (I think on Day 4 I took some NyQuil I smuggled into the Netherlands and was knocked out cold).
So as you can see, each day post op individually was pretty boring. So this is why you have it all on Day 6 Post Surgery!
PetraAnn
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