Hey, I’ve been on Meloxicam for lupus arthritis! And it WAS easier on my stomach! It’s on my list of what not to take before surgery (still an NSAID), but I wonder if I can’t take it AFTER surgery. Does it work on other kinds of pain than joint pain?
OK, so here is my experience and a question…
10+ years ago, melanoma surgery to remove a small, stage 1 tumor. In the pre-op area they hook me up to the IV to ensure I am hydrated, and while waiting I feel a need to go, uh, #2. I drag the IV stand across the floor to the bathroom, get inside and attempt to go, but no joy. I tried again a few minutes later, but nothing. A little while later they come to take me to the OR, and off I go (without relief).
Anyway, the surgery went fine, as some have described here, and when I came-to, they made sure I had a ride home, and that was that. On the ride home I got to thinking about my pre-op “situation”, that, as far as I know, was unresolved. But, I was no longer feeling any urgency in that regard.
My question: is it possible to lose control over excretory functions while on the operating table? Jeez, I hope I did not leave a present for the hospital staff to clean-up. :eek:
It is possible, but pretty unlikely. I’ve really only seen it in patients who are incontinent when conscious as well.
Sounds impressive!
Signed,
Doctor Jackson, IC, CS, WC, CoT (ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, cherry on top)
All I can contribute about this is that I don’t find it effective for headaches. When I have a headache, I take Tylenol, and when I overdid the yard work the day before, I take a Meloxicam.
Had the surgery yesterday and came through OK.–some trouble getting my blood O2 levels up afterward, so I was in the recovery room quite awhile. Also, because I was on an IV so long, I’m very bloated, but that’ll go down this week, the surgeon said. My sister is making sure I tay on top of the pain So far, the oxy alone has been sufficient.
The recovery room nurse asked if she could get me anything, and I had a private chuckle about the blow job remark. They didn’t have ice cream to offer at the hospital, but my sister is going to get me some. After all, DoctorJackson’s orders! 
Thanks again for all the info and shared experiences.
Glad you came through OK! But, what kind of hospital doesn’t have ice cream?!?
Just make sure you’re fully aware before you decide to fart. When I had my knee surgery about 4 years ago, I came to in the recovery room after the anesthetic wore off , was thankful that I was still alive, and felt what I thought was a good sized fart waiting to come out, so I pushed.
Turned out, it wasn’t a fart, but a giant dump. :eek::smack: I thought “Oh shit, that wasn’t a fart!” and then passed back out. Woke up clean sometime later, so that was good.
Good thing your sister is on top of the pain control. One thing they don’t really explain well is that it’s a lot easier to *keep *pain under control than it is to knock it back down. So take your pain meds on time if you want to remain mostly pain free.
I mangled an ankle a few years ago - my left foot was pointing in an alarmingly wrong direction - and I was under for hours getting lots of metalwork installed, plumbing repaired etc.
I asked the nurse who was sitting with me in the recovery suite as I came round to marry me. Lord knows what I was wibbling about to her before an actual memory formed.
I would have pretended to pass out if it did not happen on it’s own!
I definitely come around faster after a sedation procedure than after general anesthesia. After my wrist surgery in March, it was close to 2 hours before I was aware enough to know the time of day. After sedation, I’m feeling pretty lively within minutes.
Some people are nauseated when they come around (I’m not one of them). If you are at all queasy, tell someone - they have meds to stop that. They will probably have ice chips to spoon into your mouth at first. That ice tastes WOOOOOOONDERFUL.
You may have the chills - the last 2 times (wrist and gallbladder) I was shaking so badly my teeth were chattering. They have heated blankets for this - it’s a very common reaction.
You may really, really need to pee, as you’ve had an IV going the whole time. Peeing can be tough using bedpan- ask them to help you to the bathroom if you can’t go on the bedpan - I was unsuccessful and was nearly bursting before a nurse helped me to a bathroom after one surgery.
Your memory may be swiss-cheesed. I am fairly good at remembering what goes on afterward (I think…) but after a recent sedation procedure, my husband asked the same question 3 different times before he remembered the answer.
You’ll feel tired, and you’ll be in pain. and they’ll quite possibly kick you out sooner than you think you’re ready to go. I hope insurance isn’t a jackass about it if the staff decide you need to stay overnight after all… and I hope it’s unnecessary - a hospital is no place for a sick person.
I’d be surprised if peeing / farting was a requirement for leaving after that surgery (though as noted you probably will NEED to). A friend who had a hysterectomy had to prove she could pee a certain amount before discharge, but then they were working right next door to the bladder, so…
You won’t enjoy the ride home. Seatbelts might be a challenge given the location of your surgery. Hopefully you’ll be outta there well before (or well after) afternoon rush.
My jaunt home from the hospital was no big deal though I got very, very impatient at being stuck at a red light - we went by the drugstore to drop off my pain scrips before husband and friend got me home. And this was less than 4 miles total including the drugstore - we live about a mile from the hospital in one direction, and the drugstore in the other. When my husband had his knee surgery 10 days later, it was on the other side of the river, and a much longer and more painful drive for him :(.
Hah - reread, and found that this advice is all moot - but maybe it’ll help someone else. Glad all went well!!
After my husband’s surgery - which was in a private surgical center, and we were the last people there, so they let me back in the recovery area - he too was having trouble keeping his oxygen levels up. So I was talking to him to keep him alert and remembering to breathe, and at one point I started threatening to take my shirt off and dance around the recovery room.
Well, I’d had wrist surgery, and couldn’t type, so I’d been using my phone’s voice recognition to type a text earlier. The phone decided to interpret all the sounds it heard. The text I nearly sent made it sounds like we were all having a wonderful time. In fact, there was nothing going on involving sex, sex, sex, liquor stores, or Best Buy :D.