Help!!!!

[browneyes61]

I am a 29yr old single mother. I had surgery 9 days ago, to remove my gall bladder... I'm in sever pain still, the dr. gave my tylenol 3 which didn't work at all. I spent 3 days crying because the pain and swelling only intensified. I took 30 tyelonol in 3 days the dr. refuses to give me anything stronger or even a repeat. He told me the pain was normal and to take extra strength tylenol. 7 days after surgery I went back to the surgen to get the staples removed. I told him the pain was unberable I can barely walk, the swelling was getting worse, I cant stand my shirt touching the incision on my belly button and that there was a huge lump just bellow, I feel sick and I don't feel right. The surgen totaly brushed me off said everything I was feeling was normal and everything looked like it was healing nicely. That day after the staples came out, my stomach swelled up even more the pain got much worse, with nothing to even ease the pain, I couldn't get out of bed or move and I felt really sick. By the next morning I felt worse. I sneezed then the Incision on my belly button burst open, green puss mixed with blood (with a horrible oder) poured out I don't mean just a little it was a lot. I was hysteriacle.. I went to emerg it took 2 and 1/2 hrs for the dr to see me the infection was still coming out... It 's been 2 days it's still leaking. The Dr. in Emerg asked if the surgen gave me an antibiotic for after the surgery. He did not. I am now on Keflex my stomach is still swelling my leg hurts I have a stabbing pain in my ribs on the lower right side that goes into my chest and back, I still feel sick, my stomach is doing flipps and making strange gurgleing noises constantly, I cant sleep (I'm almost afraid to) I still don't feel right and I'm still in pain although not as severe. Also, I'm angry because the surgen didn't give me an antibiotic that could have helped prevent this from happening. He didn't take me seriously when I had genuine concerns. I know my body I know when I don't feel right. I'm scared too because I don't know if the infection is the only thing i need to worry about. Could it be something more severe that no one is looking into? What questions should I be asking the Dr.?   What test's should be done to make sure the rest of the surgery was performed correctly.  In the begining, I was told that I had gall stones. I wasn't in severe pain, but I was told by my Dr. it would be better if I had my gall bladder removed now rather then later. That the surgery would take less time to heal from and would be much less painfull. I do not believe I was properly informed about this proceedure.  And I don't believe  I am recieving the proper medical attention. What do I do?  


This discussion is related to Complications following Gall Bladder Surgery.

[lilkarla]

I too had my GB removed last month and had complications (bile leak).  When I returned to the ER they did tons of testing and my surgeon and my GI met me there.  They did emergency surgery to repair the leak.   Did they do a HIDA scan to check for leaking or blood work to check your white cell count?  I had laproscopic, it sounds like you were cut?  My doctor told me 99% of GB are by laproscopic.  If you were oozing infection why did the hospital send you home?  Sounds like something is not right.  When i called my surgeon in the middle of the night and said I was in pain and the darvacet was not helping he said for my husband to take me to the ER right away.  He did not blow me off.  Are you still bloated?  Are you running fever?  They wont send you home with a fever.  When did you have the surgery and when did you leave the hospital?  Just trying to get an idea of what they are doing.  

[mommyinnj1129]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE follow your "gut" feelings on this.  I will not go through all the horrific details but I am a survivor of an appendectomy gone bad.  If I stayed with the same surgeon, I would be dead.  I have had to have 8 surgeries to correct the doctors error (he left the stump of my appendix in)  which went unnoticed by him for 11 weeks.  I finally went to a top hospital 1 hour away where they started to fix me.  2 1/2 years later I am still having surgery to repair my abdominal wall.  I have also been on Keflex as I contracted Cellulitus in my abdomen.

the bottom line is that if this doctor is making you endure pain and only giving tylenol, DON'T GO BACK TO HIM.  Find another doctor, go to a very reputable hospital and don't ever doubt yourself.  You need to be VERY vocal, even if you are on the verge of obnoxious.  Remember, this is your life.

I would be interested if you post again to follow up..  Prayers and well wishes