Well I went to the surgeon's office today to get my stitches out. He wasn't there, but the main nurse, Diane was. And she's pretty great so I didn't care much.
We talked about my leg as she took out my stitches (yes, it hurt).
She said it's likely because I'm moving in weird positions to get up and around, depending more on my right side, twisting around strange to get up, etc etc. So in doing these weird maneuvers, plus my weight and "center of gravity" shifting, the muscles around my sciatic nerve have tightened, pinching the nerve. She said I could go to my general doctor about it, but suggested I just use heat and elevation to try and relax the muscles. It seems to make sense...it just sucks :)
As for the big bump under my sorest incision, she said it was dried blood, not an infection. I'm still skeptical because it's warm and I did have a bit of a fever...but, she's the nurse so I will believe her on this one.
In an unrelated note, I ate a slice of chicken breast last night (not pureed!) and it stayed down! For breakfast this morning I had a half of a hard-boiled egg -- also stayed down!
Woot!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Doctor visit update
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
comment! comet! i love dara!
keep an eye on your symptoms dude and go back to doctor if you don't see changes soon.
Nurses sometimes answer questions that they THINK they know the right answer to- everyone does this in their job at times- they see things and THINK they have the knowledge and experience to answer questions that seem similar to other experiences they might have witnessed or had throughout their careers - but bottom line is this person is not the doctor- and if push comes to shove the only person who should be checking your symptoms and making diagnosis is your doctor. I dont want to discredit nurses because they bust their ass for patients more than doctors do sometimes but at the end of the day a doctor is thinking about your symptoms within your body systems as a whole and a nurse is comparing your symptoms to another experience she may have seen or had with another persons/patients situation and applying it to yours which leaves room for error
I don't buy that the bump is dried blood under your skin ...would that cause a fever? And fever is usually indicative of an infection. So if its still tender in a couple days and hot and you still have a fever (or if the fever slightly increases in less than a couple days) - GO TO THE DR!
As far as your leg- keep an eye on that too - and be really well versed in the world of embolisms (which I think you are- we talked about this right?!). Blood clots are the enemy as you are well aware- and I just want to make sure what you are experiencing symptom wise has no chance of being a clotting problem. Better safe than sorry is my motto!
I have seen nurse practitioners in place of a doctor at times, as well as physicians assistants etc... and usually the experience is a good one- but unless this nurse was a "nurse practitioner"- I would talk to your doctor especially if your symptoms are not getting better.
Other than that - I think you are showing amazing progress! That Pizza must have been torture you poor thing! Stay strong dude- This surgery is not only going to aid you with great weight loss success but its going to give you such a positive sense of self, amazing self control/discipline and you will wield the power of being incredibly strong willed!
Its totally going to give you your aha! moment. Im gonna tell oprah about you.
xoxo
the muscle/nerve thing does sound reasonable. but keep your eye on the incision. if the redness gets worse or the fever lingers then it is a sign of infection for sure and that could be very serious. i'm sure you are aware already! lol.
wow... sorry you're feeling so shitty. I, too, have experienced sciatica... if I sit for long periods of time, it's SO HORRIBLE and painful and intense. starts in my left butt cheek and just slides down the left side of my leg. man oh man does that suck.
anyway, your symptoms do sound pretty indicative of an infection - i really would make sure. how does she know just by feeling the bump??? *weirded*
Post a Comment