I had my Botox injections today. It took forever to get into surgery, and I had the worst pounding headache due to the lack of water and solid foods over the past 24 hours (clear liquid diet). Then, to top it off, there was only one surgery waiting room, compared to their usual two, and someone brought like ten family members and proceeded to talk really loud, play music on their phones, and eat.
Finally, after waiting awhile, they paged my surgeon. In addition to having the Botox injections, I was also concerned about a skin tag/sentinel pile located at the bottom of the AF. I told the CRS to only remove the skin tag if he felt it was necessary. I went in and was really a bit nervous once I saw the OR (first surgery for me!) It reminded me of the movies with the big lights, table, all the machines and all of the staff in blue scrubs, and made me really shaky. Thankfully, the anesthesiologist reassured me that I wouldn't be worried for much longer, and then I was out. There was a question on what type of anesthesia to use, seeing I was lying on my stomach for surgery, but they opted for natural breathing with the anesthesia (which I honestly preferred). I woke up in the PACU and then was transferred to recovery. I devoured the two packets of graham crackers and two cups of apple juice in no time! Post-surgery, I had no pain whatsoever. I just felt awkward with all the gauze, my headache, grogginess from the anesthesia, etc.

I was prescribed several drugs - painkillers, ducosate sodium (to balance out the constipation effect of painkillers), an anti-nausea pill, and amoxicillin (to prevent infection). I have been keeping up with the painkillers, as I am afraid of what the pain might feel like in the first 24 hours. I might be more willing to test it tomorrow. Has anyone had any experience with the pain after the first 24 hours? I do feel a slight tenderness whenever I laugh (which I suppose is good, regardless, because at least I am laughing throughout all of this). The tenderness is from the skin tag removal, and it is becoming slightly more noticeable as the night wears on and the anesthesia wears off... It makes me nervous about tomorrow. The doctor said the skin tag removal pain could last 7-10 days, and I need to take 5 days of work off. He said had it just been Botox, I would be relatively pain-free and back at work tomorrow - a bit of a bummer.

Other instructions included: no running for three weeks (ugh - I have a race in mid-November, so this will be a "see as we go" situation), no swimming, no strenuous activity, no driving while on the painkillers, no drinking, and no heavy, fatty, fried or spicy foods for the first day after surgery.

I am nervous about my first BM, though, after reading others' experiences and especially with having the skin tag removed . Anyone have any experience with the Botox and skin tag removal in one procedure?

I am really hitting the water bottle hard before tomorrow for extra precaution, especially seeing I went without water for twelve hours today while on my special surgery diet. So far, I am 60 ounces in! Hope to double that yet tonight.

Also, would you recommend during the first 24 hours waking up in the middle of the night to take the painkillers every 4 hours? I am afraid I am going to wake up with excruciating pain in the middle of the night or in the morning if I don't.

Hoping the painkillers can keep the pain at bay over the next few days. Any recommendations of fun things to do while stuck at home? So far, I have Netflix (thank goodness they just added a bunch of new seasons of my favorite shows), a book, and catching up on work emails...