Post op day 3
Today I am fatigued. I am completely and utterly fatigued. So much so that I have basically slept the day away. It is disheartening since yesterday I started off really well. I had my momentary small crisis but felt really energized after that in the morning and then progressively became more tired. Today, I can barely do more than eat. I have been up for about 3 hours total- about 1 hour for each meal I have eaten. It is 9 pm and I am finally writing because I slept most of the day. I had plans- many plans, but I had to readjust my thinking and realize my body needs to heal. I should allow it to heal.
Fatigue is a common symptoms post surgery. About 30% of people will be fatigued from just the anesthesia for a few days up to a few weeks. Unfortunately, the older we are the longer it might take for the anesthesia to fully get out of our system. Fatigue should be looked at in progressive chunks and not from a day to day progression. If you are less fatigued one day does not mean you will necessarily be even less fatigued the following day and you might be even more fatigued the following day. It is over the course of the week to evaluate whether you are overall less fatigued. If your fatigue is worsening over the weeks then talk to your doctor. There are a few things that can make your fatigue worse such as anemia or infection.
To help your fatigue, make sure you are eating well and drinking plenty of fluids. Some doctors recommend vitamins, but talk to your doctor first. Also make sure you get plenty of rest. If you need to go back to work but remain overly fatigued, then talk to your doctor about other treatments to help increase your energy and awareness. Some doctors will prescribe a stimulant medication but it depends on your circumstances and your doctor.