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vanessa_b
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4 week update
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Just a quick update since I wrote a long update yesterday. Today is the 4 week anniversary of my surgery! Woot! 
I saw the pain specialist today and we discussed how to wean off of the painkillers. The first drug he wants me to get off is the oxycontin, the 12
hour painkiller that I take twice a day. Starting at the beginning of next week, I'm going to cut out my morning dose and just take the night dose
for a week. Then the next week, if I'm feeling ok, I'll take away the night dose too. For the oxycodone, which I take every 4 hours, I'm going to
slowly reduce my dosage over the next 2-4 weeks and try to be off of that drug completely by the end of March. For the valium (diazepam), I'm already
mostly weaned off of that, and I can just keep taking it a few more times if I have a lot of pain in the upper back.
I asked about withdrawal symptoms and he said the typical symptom I might experience is diarrhea, but that nausea is not a symptom. So apparently
when I was feeling sick the last two days, it was just something random, not withdrawal.
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nrigali
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I did not realize why at the time, but I had terrible diarrhea for about a week after I stopped taking meds. Get a big bottle of pepto-bismol, it
REALLY helped settle me.
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vanessa_b
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Thanks, good to know about the pepto. The doc said I shouldn't have any symptoms if I do it slowly enough so fingers crossed I won't need it.
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kames
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Vanessa, I am so glad you are this far along in only 4weeks-speaks to your strength!
I don't know how much you know about probiotics, but I strongly recommend taking it. I ALWAYS KEEP some in my fridge, it aides in digestion, and
keeping things....moving along. With all the medications you are one, it will help keep your stomach's internal culture even out. I purchase all of
my stuff at purtianspride.com.
I use the liquid form, since I get sick so often, I always take 4 tablespoons with every antibiotic. Because antibiotics also kill the good bugs too,
it helps keep things evened out. It also fights the yeast while on antibiotics!
Since you are irregular and "slow moving" it suggests to me that your stomach's biotic culture is out of whack!
just a suggestion.
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vanessa_b
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Hey kames, believe it or not, I have not been on any antibiotics. I've heard good things about probiotics so I may try that if things aren't back to
normal soon. The pain doctor said that it's a side effect of the painkillers I'm on, so I'm hoping things will be more normal after I'm weaned off
the meds.
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kames
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Oh, let me clarify, there are other factors that will mess up the stomach's delicate balance than antibiotics alone. I have to avoid all things high
in trans fat, and high fructose corn syrup otherwise I am in the bathroom all night.
Not to get terribly controversial on this forum, but the medical industry is just starting to recognize the benefits of probiotics.
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vanessa_b
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4 week 4 day update
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Just a quick update. Yesterday was my first day taking away one of my daily doses of oxycontin. I was stupid and took the bus to school and walked
all over hell and back and by the end of the day I was miserable with pain. Dumb! Today I stayed home and my pain level is fine.
In other news, I'm so tired of sleeping in this freakin' recliner. And also spending so many hours sitting and napping in it during the day. I live
in this chair. I think I'm going to try to sleep in my bed tonight. I miss my bed so much!
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nrigali
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I know EXACTLY how you feel, I lived in the recliner too, and it was miserable.
Try getting a wedge pillow! (Bed Bath and Beyond $30) It props you up about 6 inches. It allowed me to sleep in my bed for 4-5 hours at a time, and
after my 4th week, I was sleeping on my back in bed every night, and now at 8 weeks on my side and occasionally stomach...
The time really went fast, soon you will be in your bed sleeping great again!
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vanessa_b
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5 week update
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Hello everyone. It has been 5 weeks and 2 days since my surgery! A few days ago I met with my surgeon for a follow-up. He said that I am recovering
very well for an adult patient. He also looked at my charts again and said my Haller index was 19.9 and was the most severe he ever operated on! How
about that!
He was very strict in reminding me that even if I feel back to normal, I am not allowed to do any strenuous activity such as twisting or lifting
anything until 3 months are up.
My pain level is pretty good at this point. I only find myself suffering if I overexert myself, for example, going out of the house for too long. I
would not be able to go back to work or school full time yet. I am still having some sharp pains in both sides near the incisions.
I haven't had any real success with sleeping in the bed yet. I can lay flat on one or two pillows without much pain, but for some reason I can't get
comfortable or really sleep deeply. I also still have trouble pulling myself up from laying so flat. On the other hand, sleeping in the recliner is
still something I dread every night, because I wake up so stiff and sore.
That's about it.
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withPC
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Mood: Happy!
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Your H index was 19.9 ???? WoW. I thought that you had 9 or something in that area. How this is humanly possible to have Heller index of almost 20?
Good to hear that your recovery is smooth.
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kames
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hey, how is sleeping in the bed?
why did your lungs collapse in the hospital? did the doctors offer an explanation?
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vanessa_b
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withPC - Yes, I have the dubious honor of having a Haller index of almost 20. 
kames - Well I might try sleeping in the bed again in a few days. The last few times I tried it I ended up with some lower back pain or discomfort
and I just couldn't sleep well and I felt better when I moved back to the recliner. I also had a hard time getting up. The first time, I tried to
get up, fell backwards, and laid there for about 5 minutes trying to psych myself up to do it again. Then I succeeded. My muscles are still healing
in the upper body.
As for the collapsed lungs, I'm not exactly sure why they collapsed but I think my surgeon said it was an after-effect of having my second drainage
tube removed. But my memory of the hospital is kind of fuzzy so I'm not sure. The treatment for it wasn't that bad. I just had to wear an oxygen
mask all night long and all day long and I was released the next day. I haven't had any problems with my lungs since then.
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Biz_mikee
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Glad to hear your recovery continues to go well vanessa!
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jojane13
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Vanessa,
Glad to hear you're making such great progress! I hope that soon you can escape that dang recliner though. I know I'd be stiff and sore from
sleeping on one night after night too.
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kames
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hey lady, hows it going with you?
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vanessa_b
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6 1/2 week update
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Hi pectus peeps! Things are going very well for me. My pain has gone down so much and spring is here, which always lifts my spirits. I'm still at home lazing around because I'm on a medical break from school and I can
work on my thesis from home. The few times I've gone to school for a few hours, I've ended up with a lot of back pain, but not a whole lot of pain in
the chest. I'm not sure if I could go back to a full time job yet. Maybe a desk job with a comfortable chair.
General pain level:
My pain level is really pretty low right now. It's more of an achy, dull pain and some occasional sharp pains in my underarms. Laughing barely hurts
anymore. Coughing is a little worse but I can usually suppress a cough into a mini-cough which isn't that bad. (Apparently I'm not much of a sneezer
because I haven't sneezed once since the surgery.)
Meds:
I've been completely off the oxycontin for a while now, and I'm down to only 1.5-2 doses of oxycodone a day (compared to 4 or 5 doses right after the
surgery). I'm still taking a valium every once in a while for back spasms. I still also take ibuprofen and tylenol alternating around the clock.
And I'm also taking a lot of hot baths. I wish I had a hot tub. That would be divine.
Sleeping:
I've been having more success sleeping in the bed. For several nights, I've slept there for 1-3 hours before moving to the chair. It might not sound
like much, but it felt great. The only problem is getting up from laying flat on my back. It's still really hard for me. I do a move where I lift
my head up, raise my knees, grab around one of my thighs with both hands, and rock myself upwards, pulling on my thigh for leverage. I'm looking
forward to when I move in with my fiancé in 2 weeks. I showed him how to do the "spatula" move with his arms behind my back to help lift me.
I'm going to visit my parents in Florida in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to wearing lots of low-cut tops and bathing suits without worry. 
I hope everyone else is doing well!
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BullyBulldog
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great to hear you're doing well, keep up the good recovery.
You seem very happy and positive, so all the pain was worth it?
Nussed in the UK (NHS) on May 21st 2010 by Hans Pilegaard at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital.
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vanessa_b
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Most definitely! The pain was less than I had anticipated, reading some of the other stories on this site. (Although the first week in the hospital
was pretty hard.) I would do it all over again. I hope your recovery goes as well as mine has Bully.
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BullyBulldog
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me too, ive read some awful journals that have scared the **** out of me but gotta do this thing, cant continue with this dent of mine. I'm not
reading anymore bad journals now, just focusing on the positive stuff!!
hope things continue to improve for you vanessa
Nussed in the UK (NHS) on May 21st 2010 by Hans Pilegaard at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital.
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jojane13
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Vanessa,
Sounds like you're progressing so nicely with your recovery - that's wonderful! And now you have the trip to Florida to look forward to - I can only
imagine the freedom of being able to wear whatever you want and not having to worry about the PE anymore. Once the warm weather hits it's such a
struggle for me to hunt for tops and bathing suits that aren't too low cut. And since I'm tall, I also have to find ones that are long enough, so
it's practically impossible to find stuff that works! Enjoy your new-found wardrobe options!! I'm so happy for you!
I have one question for all you post-Nuss people: what happens when you sleep in a bed that makes it so uncomfortable? I'm just curious. Sleeping
in a recliner for months doesn't sound like fun, but it seems a necessary part of the recovery.
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vanessa_b
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There are a couple of reasons. First of all, your muscles are still very weak, so you can't adjust your position very well in the bed at all. For
instance, if your pillow is crooked under your head, it's hard to lift up your head and shoulders and it's almost impossible to reach your arms
backwards to adjust it. So every time I get in bed, it takes me a couple of tries to get myself in just the right position where I'll lie straight on
my back without being able to roll or move around at all.
Secondly, I find it kind of painful for my back to be stretched out so much. It's only gotten better recently.
Thirdly, it's very hard to lower yourself into a lying down position and as I mentioned, it's even harder to raise yourself up.
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jojane13
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Thanks for clearing that up Vanessa - it all makes sense. Little movements that we take for granted can be incredibly painful after surgery!
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vanessa_b
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Yep, the movements were really painful at first but now there's almost no pain. It's just a matter of being incapable of making the motions because
the muscles are still weak.
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kames
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That is amazing Vanessa, I am so excited about your progress. I dream about what it is like to wear a bra that fits, or not worry about my boobs
slipping out from underneath my bathing suit top. *sigh* I am a little jealous, I won't tell a lie!
Are you a grad student? What is your thesis about? I will have to take off the summer. I commute an hour during the summer to take classes at the
university. I am having problems multi-tasking health, work, & school (with health taking up much of my time.)
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vanessa_b
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Yes I am a grad student. My thesis is in biology. I study the evolution of animal behavior. In particular, I'm interested in why many species show
a sexual preference for symmetry in potential mates. . What are you studying?
An hour commute is a long way, I don't know if I could do that! I just decided for myself that the surgery was worth taking a couple of months off
school.
As for the clothing, I have to tell you that I must be losing my mind. I went and tried on clothes today and I tried a few low cut tops and summery
dresses and they fit great in the chest but all I could think was that I missed my cleavage!! Is that dopey or what? I really am glad that I don't
have to worry about popping out of my tops anymore, but I guess I'm still getting used to the way my chest looks now.
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