I'm scared

[XanaDUer2]

In a worrier with GAD. i just had gallbladder surgery Tue. I misunderstood the post-op instructions, and pulled off the clear covering over the incisions yesterday. So, now I'm worried about infection. I'm so fucking stupid. When I get rattled, my decision making becomes bad.

Still passing gas and belching with stomach rumbling. Life used to be easier and i didn't have scary things that ate expensive happening to me. Even with traditional Medicare, this will cost me. If having my gb out was not the underlying problem, then I'm not sure how to proceed.

I'm sorry every one. I need to vent. I'm so so tired of it all. I took a tranquilizer its not helping. Ever feel like the angel of death is over you? I was used to good physical health. I'm only 59. What is happening? Life seems out of control and scary. Thanks for letting me vent

[Dennis Donovan]

1. I'm 59 and was just diagnosed with Parkinsons

The symptoms are minor so far, but the trembling has started in my hands, jaw and neck and all three are causing residual pain. It only gets worse, even with the dopamine.

Like I said in the past, 50 is a brick wall and anything can happen. As my Mom always said about aging, "all in going West."

[CincyDem]

2. Take a deep breath friend.

I gave up my gall bladder when I was a little younger than you. 10 years later, I still consider myself in good health. More aware of what’s on my dinner plate but I can’t remember it preventing me from eating something I really wanted…just not in huge quantities.

In the post op stuff, I’m not a doc so maybe call the surgeons office for specific advice. I didn’t have any kind of incision covering. My instructions were to stay out of the bath/show for 3-4 days.

Just remember…you’re not the first and you won’t be the last person to pull that covering off. And I’ll bet few, if any got infected.

Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do great.

[Clouds Passing]

3. Take a deep breath. Call the doctor.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. GB surgery takes more than a few days to settle down

I've never had it but went through it with a relative. Medicines, diet. Hang in there.

[OLDMDDEM]

5. Put neosporin over the incision

Then put on a new bandage.

[PikaBlue]

6. You are going to be okay!

The following is based on my observations gained from caring for two family members following their gall bladder surgeries. It's normal for many people to be anxious and depressed after surgery. My mother was sensitive to anesthesia and cried for days following her surgeries. Once the drug "washed out" of her system, she was fine. Gas is normal following gall bladder removal. Your body has to adjust to functioning without an organ and it will take a little time for your digestive tract to get back on track. With respect to infection, keep the incision area clean and watch for any reddening of the incision sites. If the prospect of infection is of great concern to you, contact your physician for a recommended antimicrobial topical ointment. It really will get better over time. Healing may come in spurts. Some days you will feel so much better and some days you may feel anxious, depressed, and lethargic. Give it a few more days and don't lose heart.

[3catwoman3]

7. Call your surgeon's office.

They can advise you on what to do about caring for the surgical site to help prevent infection. You are probably not the first person who has messed up the post-operative instructions.

You are not even 72 hours out from your surgery, so I wouldn't expect normal gastrointestinal function just yet. You could also ask the surgeon's office about this. It may well be that this was discussed before you were discharged to home, but as anxious as you are you probably didn't retain everything that was said (this is NOT a criticism).

A couple of years ago, I treated myself to elective plastic surgery to revise an ugly, droopy C-section scar - something known as C-section overhang - what a repulsive term. I went home with a drain in place, that I accidentally pulled out 2-3 days after the procedure. It was supposed to stay in place at least a week. Nothing bad happened.

Let us know how you get on.

[XanaDUer2]

10. I read the instructions and interpreted bandages

As this glue like clear stuff. I should have called first, but i thought i under stood. I truly have problems functioning mentally I think. I'll think something is a solution, and a relative will point something. Out so obviously better and more logical i get embarrassed.

Not sure how i made it to 59, frankly.

[3catwoman3]

13. Being anxious definitely screws up our abilities to think clearly.

Hang in there -

[Attilatheblond]

8. Is there any sort of 'ask a nurse' options available to you via Medicare or insurance, or even local health care places?

That might help calm you regarding the clear film you removed that was covering the incision. You probably know the signs of infection if that happens, which probably won't. Just don't touch the area and maybe take sponge baths rather than actual baths or showers until the skin starts to heal. If it were me, I'd call the doctor's office and ask them to have a nurse call you regarding the removal of that film over the incision.

That might lower your stress a bit.

As to the other worries, yeah, they are real, and I have some too, at 70+. Cost of living going up but SS not going up is a concern. Also, mad as hell the most of the inflation is actually corporate greed and perhaps even corporate action to piss off consumers so more might vote GOP. I can't control that, except to try to raise people's awareness about the actual cause of the inflation we have had SINCE 2019.

Re gas, pretty sure that is normal after any abdominal surgery. Thinking back to something I read years ago, there will be some air getting into one abdominal cavity, either by design to make the surgery easier for the doctors, or just the fact that the abdomen is open for a while. Gas takes time to get thru tissue and into the organs that can expel it.

If your gallbladder was not the root problem, it is your doctor who is responsible for how best to precede. The doctor will figure it our, explain it to you, and help you decide how to proceed. It's not on you alone and not a 'right this very minute' sort of decision.

Breathe and remind yourself that you do not have to solve everything this very minute. As far as possible for you right after your surgery, find AND DO something that you like. When going thru a horrible time in my life, a counselor told me to make a list of 5 things I enjoy, and then do at least one a day.

A 5 item list sounds easy, to people who are not in panic mode or who are stuck in depression, but it can be damned difficult when you are in a bad state of mind. But it comes along, and with the practice of actually doing simple things you like, such as reading a good book, listening to music, sitting outside and noticing all the different sounds, just being in the moment, well, soon you will find yourself adding to the list of things you like. Simple things mean a lot when you are in the moment enough to actually EXPERIENCE the good. Simple good things can really start to multiply.

I wish you healing, calming, and understanding that YOU CAN & WILL feel better. Walking thru personal darkness is hell, I know, believe, me I know! But you can get thru it, then you get to be a light bearer, holding your lamp of survival up so some other person, lost in a dark tunnel, can see there is hope and success at getting beyond the tunnel. I predict YOU will be a great light bearer, and maybe even sooner than you think.

[GPV]

9. Anxiety shuts down the thinking part of our brains. Great for

escaping a tiger, not so great when problems require that higher level of thinking. I can literally feel myself get stupider when that happens.

Hope everything will be OK! *hugs*

[XanaDUer2]

11. Tuesday was the perfect storm

Fear, worried about my SO being able to help me due to health of his own, the expense of this. Will it help .needles feeling out of control

[GPV]

14. Yep. I'm on overload a lot too

[XanaDUer2]

12. Emailed the dr

[crosinski]

15. After I had my gallbladder out, I had more pain too.

Turned out I had an ulcer. I ended up going to my family doctor who was able to diagnose the ulcer by where the pain was located. When I first talked to a nurse about a pain in my stomach, she said I didn’t need to see the doctor and to call back in a week or two if I still had the problem. I guess ‘pain in the stomach’ is low on their ‘must see’ list of symptoms. Anyway, my advice to you is to keep advocating for yourself!

[OldBaldy1701E]

16. I am right there with you.

I am 60 and I cannot get my head around the fact that I cannot fix much anymore. I cannot do a lot each day like I used to. And, no one seems too worried about it. Probably because nothing bad has happened yet. I do find it really cringey that this loss of ability looks obvious as hell to me but others don't seem to see the depth or the severity of it.

But... what can we do? I can find distractions to keep my mind off of this, but all distraction is temporary. And, the evidence is getting worse. We certainly cannot afford to get me any kind of assistance or help, and my husband is getting bad with his own issues.

It doesn't seem to ease up, does it?

[XanaDUer2]

17. As always