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What Causes Vomiting, Diarrhea, And Dizziness Post Operative Recovery?
Question: I am 28, 3 1/2 weeks post op, LAVH and BSO. First two weeks were awful, six days u in hospital. Have had vomiting, diarrhea, fever off and on (99-101f), dizziness, chills, shaky hands for a week. Vaginal pain and spotting for three days. Brown discharge with very strong smell. Severe pain where right ovary and endometriomas were removed, incision pain and pain after urination.
Called surgeon and was told it is unrelated. What could this be and how is it unrelated to the surgery?
Called surgeon and was told it is unrelated. What could this be and how is it unrelated to the surgery?
Brief Answer:
Detailed answer below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I understand your concern.
There are three possible reasons for the symptoms:
1. It is due to surgery and post operative recovery: Many patients are sensitive to suture materials used during surgery and may experience a lot of pain due to tissue reasction. Also the sites of enodmetriosis may have needed more dissection and as a result there was more tissue inflammation and severe pain.
2. There was infection as suggested by the fever and vaginal discharge. A small amount of discharge may occur post op but if it is excessive and foul smelling then may indicate an infection. A vaginal swab culture would help.
3. Other infection unrelated to surgery. May be gastric infection and diarrhea that caused the chills and fever.
As of now, if still symptomatic, please get your total and differential leucocyte count evaluated. If there is infection the counts would be raised. Also a urine culture and a vaginal swab culture must be done to rule out infection. If the fever is still there then antibiotics like metronidazole and ciprofloxacin or cephalexin may be prescribed initially as discussed with your doctor. Use of B complex vitamins and vitamin C help faster wound healing. A healthy diet with eggs, sprouts and green vegetables is very important to help in recovery. Tablets like serratiopeptidase and analgesics like acetaminophen help in decreasing the inflammation and help in healing.
Please do not worry, get evaluated and find the source.
These things can be treated.
Hope this satisfies your query.
Thanks for using HCM.
Feel free to ask any more questions that you may have.
Dr Madhuri Bagde
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist
Detailed answer below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I understand your concern.
There are three possible reasons for the symptoms:
1. It is due to surgery and post operative recovery: Many patients are sensitive to suture materials used during surgery and may experience a lot of pain due to tissue reasction. Also the sites of enodmetriosis may have needed more dissection and as a result there was more tissue inflammation and severe pain.
2. There was infection as suggested by the fever and vaginal discharge. A small amount of discharge may occur post op but if it is excessive and foul smelling then may indicate an infection. A vaginal swab culture would help.
3. Other infection unrelated to surgery. May be gastric infection and diarrhea that caused the chills and fever.
As of now, if still symptomatic, please get your total and differential leucocyte count evaluated. If there is infection the counts would be raised. Also a urine culture and a vaginal swab culture must be done to rule out infection. If the fever is still there then antibiotics like metronidazole and ciprofloxacin or cephalexin may be prescribed initially as discussed with your doctor. Use of B complex vitamins and vitamin C help faster wound healing. A healthy diet with eggs, sprouts and green vegetables is very important to help in recovery. Tablets like serratiopeptidase and analgesics like acetaminophen help in decreasing the inflammation and help in healing.
Please do not worry, get evaluated and find the source.
These things can be treated.
Hope this satisfies your query.
Thanks for using HCM.
Feel free to ask any more questions that you may have.
Dr Madhuri Bagde
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you,
I cannot get in to see my dr til next week.
I have not been able to hold down vitamins since surgery 4/1, but have been drinking smoothies daily.
Promethezine has not been controlling nausea/vomiting and have had increase in diarrhea, all black btw.
Very painful abdomen.
Do I need to seek medical attention before next week?
I cannot get in to see my dr til next week.
I have not been able to hold down vitamins since surgery 4/1, but have been drinking smoothies daily.
Promethezine has not been controlling nausea/vomiting and have had increase in diarrhea, all black btw.
Very painful abdomen.
Do I need to seek medical attention before next week?
Brief Answer:
If the symptoms are severe then see your doctor.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome back,
I understand that you are still having diarrhea.
In that case you need to stop the smoothies for a while till the diarrhea gets corrected. Eat a really soft diet like clear soups and gruel or oatmeal gruel. Do not use spices.
Withold vegetables till the diarrhea clears. Also withhold oily food milk and cheese till the infection subsides.
Take a probiotic twice daily. Check to see if you are receiving iron supplement. If yes then stop them. Tablet ondenstrone will help control the nausea and vomiting. Start B complex as soon as you are able to tolerate things. Please also check if you are on antibiotics as they too cause diarrhea and nausea. If yes then you may need testing for clostridium difficile infection that is very common after antibiotics. Also antacids like omeprazole will help soothen the inflammed stomach.
Once the infection and diarrhea as well as nausea decrease then start semisolid and solid food gradually.
Weather you need to see a doctor or not depends upon your general condition. If you have become very weak, the diarrhea and nausea is severe then you may go to see your doctor as you may need injectable drugs to help control the symptoms.
I understand that you are in agony and are having a stormy recovery.
It will get corrected but will take some time before you regain your strength.
I am always here to help and also do not hesitate to see your doctor at all if you feel that things are not getting controlled.
Take care. and feel free for any further queries.
Dr Madhuri
If the symptoms are severe then see your doctor.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome back,
I understand that you are still having diarrhea.
In that case you need to stop the smoothies for a while till the diarrhea gets corrected. Eat a really soft diet like clear soups and gruel or oatmeal gruel. Do not use spices.
Withold vegetables till the diarrhea clears. Also withhold oily food milk and cheese till the infection subsides.
Take a probiotic twice daily. Check to see if you are receiving iron supplement. If yes then stop them. Tablet ondenstrone will help control the nausea and vomiting. Start B complex as soon as you are able to tolerate things. Please also check if you are on antibiotics as they too cause diarrhea and nausea. If yes then you may need testing for clostridium difficile infection that is very common after antibiotics. Also antacids like omeprazole will help soothen the inflammed stomach.
Once the infection and diarrhea as well as nausea decrease then start semisolid and solid food gradually.
Weather you need to see a doctor or not depends upon your general condition. If you have become very weak, the diarrhea and nausea is severe then you may go to see your doctor as you may need injectable drugs to help control the symptoms.
I understand that you are in agony and are having a stormy recovery.
It will get corrected but will take some time before you regain your strength.
I am always here to help and also do not hesitate to see your doctor at all if you feel that things are not getting controlled.
Take care. and feel free for any further queries.
Dr Madhuri
Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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