vertigo?

Ashera

Geannie -
You'll do fine with your hysterectomy! I had an abdominal hyst 21 yrs ago and looking back, it was scary on the going in, but not afterwards. It will take a while to heal and you'll be under lifting restrictions for a few weeks. I remember having a bed pillow handy when I had to go to the bathroom to hold against my incision. A towel roll will do the same. Pillow comes in handy when you cough or sneeze.
You'll also not want to get constipated so have stool softeners on board.

As far as what to take to hospital - no one stays very long anymore after surgery - Maybe only a day or two? And you'll be medicated most of that time. Maybe a short zip front or wrap robe to wear over the hospital gown. You won't feel like changing into anything from home. Loose pull on pants to wear home - shoes you can slip on easily (they'll give you those fashionable non-skid socks before surgery. You'll probably have heavy support hose they'll put on you before surgery as well.

But the number one thing I would not want to forget is lip balm or chapstick! They'll have if you forget. Maybe a book to try and read but your eyes may be wobbly from the medication but it seemed fun just to have.

Please let us know how you're doing!
Sending positive energy your way starting now!
Ashera

Ashera

MarciB - Hijacking your thread here cause if I post this question - it will be eaten by the system and never appear.

Scar Gel anyone?? Brands, results, etc?
I have two different kinds of Mederma - cream and gel - and the SMELL is driving me crazy. It wafts up out of my shirt or gown and smells like mild onions. Even out of the tube - I can catch the mild smell and it's making me ill -
I have some silicone tape to start using but I've got to replace the scar gel to one that is nose-friendlier.
Any suggestions?

MLT

Vertigo, have had it 2 times recently. 1st time while on oral chemo, not the cause. Blood pressure went up, got very nautious, dizzy after I had been up for awhile. I had MRI, EKG, echo. Nothing wrong. Few months later on different treatment, I woke up so dizzy I couldn't move. BP went up some, then back down within a few hours. No reason.
Definitely report to Dr. immediately.

Geannie

Thank you everyone for your good wishes and fantastic suggestions for my upcoming surgery.

Ashera, I will definitely get a pillow and that stool softener ASAP. I truly didn't have them on my list.

I waa told it would be more comfortable to sleep in my recliner chair rather than my bed, which is rather high.

MarcieB no word from John at all.

judithj

Hi Marcie B - happy to see questions again. I'm really puzzled about navigation here. Anyway, Going into last week of 30 day radiation and vertigo popping up after laying flat on table and mask bolted in. Getting up from that makes room spin. Hope it goes away. Cheers everyone!

Carool

judithj, I’m so glad your radiation is almost done. I know it’s a really tough place to have radiation therapy. I hope the vertigo goes away. Cheers!

ImWorthIt

Ashera, as to your question about scar treatment- I have found the silicone tape is one of the best things I have tried. I like the BioOil. I have also found the Therapeutic Derma-E scar gel is not too awful. As far as a rub on topical- the one I like best is the Bio Oil. I didn't like Mederma either. And there is always good old cocoa butter but you smell like chocolate. LOL

ImWorthIt

So good to see all of the friendly faces.

Another question for Ashera and the rest of you, I noted Ashera's reference to the support stockings they put on prior to surgery. I wish they had put some stockings on me before my mastectomy instead of leaving me hooked up to the freaking things that massage my legs. If I needed to get up to pee (sorry for not being artful), I had to get a nurse to come take them off or unplug them from the monitor. I tried to get up one time and this god awful alarm went off and I had a whole group of people rushing in to be sure I hadn't fallen. I wasn't really drinking anything but my bladder kept filling up. Didn't take into account IV fluids. I sneezed really hard or got a coughing fit it was certain I was going to wet the bed. Finally a nurse agreed

Carool

ImWorthIt, I remember that leg compressor from when I had my hysterectomy. “Freakish” is the perfect word for it. I had a catheter on the night of and following morning after my operation, so no need to go to bathroom.

Ashera

Geannie
Just thought of something important. DO NOT overload yourself with too much heavy food this weekend. Been there, done that and suffered horribly when the narcotics during anesthesia and take home pain meds caused severe constipation. I went to a full-out Easter Brunch before my surgery and ate everything. So of course, it had barely hit the intestines the day of surgery.
The pressure from constipation added a whole lot of pain to the abdomen after the operation.
Sending lots of positive energy to you this weekend. Let us all know how you are when your're home and able next week!!

Ashera

Imworthit -
Thanks for the suggestions. I just ordered BioOil before reading your post, and I have silicone surgical ready to go. So hopefully I'm set. And the horrid Mederma was sacrificed to the trash.
It just smelled horrid...

Ashera

MarciB -
Vertigo eased a bit hopefully?
It may just be one of those free-gifts-with-purchase deals we've all been generously given
after BC. I hope you get good news when you talk to your oncologist about it being something easy to fix.

Carool

Geannie, good luck on Monday.

MarcieB

Ashera, thank you for asking about the vertigo - like I said, *vertigo* might not be the right way to describe it? It was gone the next morning, and nothing since, which is usually how it goes. I wake one morning with a little feeling of unsteadiness and it goes within hours or at least by the next morning. And it doesn't happen often - maybe once a month or so? It's just that it did happen to me last week when I was thinking about what you said about having no lymphs on one side. Knowing that most of us have had lymph nodes removed I just sent it out there for discussion.

I'm glad you asked about the scar cream. I only use the old fashioned cocoa butter because that is what works for me. Yes, I smell a little like chocolate, but I've smelled like worse things. :-)

Geanne, good luck on Monday! If you have any angst we can help you with, please let us know?

Geannie

Hello everyone!

I packed my suitcase, did all the required pre-op requirements, and now everything is suddenly on hold!!!!

I know stress is disastrous, especially before a surgery. However, it's there pondering heavily!!!!!!

My surgery scheduled for Monday is now pending due to an error during the hospital registration. The surgeon's staff is working on it's correction, but haven't informed me yet the new date for the surgery. I'm hoping it's either Tuesday or Wednesday, because my daughter arrives tomorrow to take care of me, and can only stay for a limited time.

Keep those prayers coming.
Thank you and lots of blessings to everyone!

From: Geannie

Bug

Oh, Geannie, I’m sorry to hear this. That’s frustrating and definitely anxiety producing. I hope the surgery won’t be too far out. Thinking of you.

Carool

Geannie, that’s a pain! I hope you’ll get the surgery on Tuesday or Wednesday.

beachbum5817

That is crazy. How do these things happen? You get all prepared mentally and then the rug is pulled out from under you. I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this upset when you are due to have surgery. I sure hope that it will be sooner rather than later. Keep us posted. Thinking of you.

Geannie

Good morning everyone:

Guess what?

At the last minute, the hospital called me yesterday to confirm the surgery will indeed be today!!!!!!

I am getting ready to head to the hospital. I confess I am very nervous!!!!

I will communicate in a few days!! Please, keep me in your prayers!

Thanks for everything!
You all mean a lot to me!!

From: Geannie

Bug

Good luck, Geannie! You are indeed in my prayers. Looking forward to hearing from you when you feel up to it. We are there with you in spirit.

beachbum5817

Gennie, I am so glad that you are going to be able to get your surgery today. I am sending prayers to you.

Carool

Geannie, I’m so glad you got the surgery today after all. I send best wishes for a smooth recovery. Please let us know how you’re doing, when you feel up to it.

Ashera

Geannie,
Yay! We'll be waiting when you're up to typing!

faithfully58

Not been on here in awhile but seen this question and thought I would share my first time experience with vertigo. Last year I woke up one morning fine then all of a sudden the whole room started spinning. I couldn't even walk to my car to go to ER had to use a walker..Got sick as me and my sister were leaving.Get to ER by wheelchair. As sitting in wheelchair waiting the whole room was spinning got sick one last time.So by the time I got back in exam room I felt better.Seems I had a inner ear infection causing me to have vertigo. Since several years ago I had a TIA don't mess around with things going on in the head.Had a CT scan as well.Not had any issue but once with vertigo since then.Had a nurse friend recommend Dramamine it worked! Good to see some movement on this site!! Greg would be happy to see it! Much love to you all...Keep it going!

beachbum5817

faithfully58, I am so thrilled to see a post from you. I think about Greg and you every time I am on the site. It isn't what it used to be, but we haven't thrown in the towel yet. I am glad that you have found Dramamine to be a help with your vertigo. I use it as well. There is a stronger, prescription version if you ever need it. I hope things are going well for you. I know it isn't easy to adjust to being a widow. Take care.

faithfully58

Aww thanks beachbum5817 I do check in from time to time! Goodto know about stronger version of Dramamine should I ever need it.So far I think mine was more caused by the inner ear infection. Not been a problem since then!Things are going is about all I can say.Had to have our sweet Bella our Sheltie who was 13 put to sleep a couple of weeks ago!That was hard Greg bought her for me right before he was diagnosed in 2008!Thankful to have my family just across the driveway.Both my sister and brother have been my anchors in this life without Greg!My brother takes care of all the honey do chores and don't know what I'd do without either of them! Take care much love to you

Carool

faithfully58, it’s so good to hear from you. I’m sorry about your and Greg’s Bella. Sending warm wishes.

faithfully58

Thank you Carool always hard to lose a fur baby! I do check in from time to time to see if their is any movement or oversight. Much love to you

Bug

faithfully58, I’m so sorry about Bella. Yes, losing a fur baby is so hard.

Carool

Thank you, faithfully58. Yes, we’re doing our best to keep WhatNext going. We all remember Greg with great fondness and respect for what he built (in addition to his beautiful furniture!). Much love to you, too.