Post Op Questions...

Hi Kittykat and welcome to our group.

Do you mind me asking what sort of problems you had post op? Or maybe here is not a good place to put it in case it might scare the pre oppers. You could always PM me.

steph

Hi everyone, I'm Catherine and I'm 8 days post-op. I'm new to the forum and was glad to find a Australian based one, the American one I was on (obesityhelp.com) just had SO many people and posts on it I found it quite overwhelming !!!
I had complications with my surgery last week and ended up having a week from hell.....I wouldn't risk anything happening to my new tummy by doing rough 4 wheel driving for 6 weeks post-op. Why risk a stomach leak ?? My specialist says the first 2 weeks are crucial to sip...rest...walk...and so on...but it really takes 6 weeks for it to heal.
Catherine

Hi Applesauce
I dont get motion sick just sea sick but then the beach is 500km away. I may have to play the helpless female to change the tyre if required but it sounds as if I may be ok then as I wont be driving till I am home again at 2 weeks post op.

thanks jo

I had a c-section with my twins and hugged a pillow to be a passenger in the car still at least 2 weeks later. so leaving hospital I made sure I had a pillow to hug and NEVER needed it. I honestly had no real tummy pain at all. Nausea and off colour a bit, and the third week rather week and tired with issues going to the bathroom. But compaired to a c-section it was a walk in the park. It does sound strange that they cut out all this stomach it should hurt but I found the pain control offered keept me pain free. A tad akward getting up and down and moving around the first week and that was about it. I do agree tho that you are meant to treat it like a c-section for the first 6 weeks so if you have any real lifting in your job going back before 3-4 weeks might have to be something you judge at the 2 week mark. Having to sit in a car over rough roads 4 weeks out I can not see being a problem at all UNLESS you suffer bad motion sickness.

applesauce

Hi Jo
I don't have a 4WD, but I was told not to drive for 2 weeks. When I did, there was a slight twinge, but nothing that really bothered me.
Some of the others were told they could drive after 1 week, and did, with no bad effects.
Talk to your doc - s/he will let you know what you can and can't expect to do.
Cheers
Chris

Hi All

Once I get my annual leave apporved I will be having my op in mid November 08 hooray .....but the question I have to you all is "How do you cope with getting in and out of a 4WD in the first 6 weeks & of course driving over rough ground". Some of you live on farms / properties and I was just wondering. When I had my C- Section I was told don't pull, push, lift, over stretch and drive the car for 6 weeks.... of course that lasted maybe 4 weeks. My job is a bit rough and I am worried that when I go back to work 2 weeks after the op that I will have issues actually doing my job. I dont want to tell my boss why but he already knows about my previous lap band experince of which I was a little uncomfortable after 2 weeks ( mostly at my desk) but generally OK. This op I feel may be a bit harder. Any comments would be great. I am pretty much informed of the rest of the op and have the normal op jitters but the driving at work is really concerning me. Also if something does go amiss due to my 4WDing it involves a RFDS flight.

Cheers Jo

I had my dietitian appointment today, along with an assessor and an exercise physiologist.
The dietitian took about an hour, she asked about my health and family history (mainly regarding weight and stuff like diabetes), and went over my blood test results regarding cholesterol and blood sugar, etc.
She also asked a lot about my eating habits, such as when and what I eat, if I comfort eat / eat when I'm bored, what I eat at those times.
She gave me a booklet with detailed info on what to eat after the surgery, and went through it all with me, as well as some guidelines for eating to help maximise the benefit of the surgery.
It was very comprehensive in all, I'm impressed with the Mercy Bariatric team and I'd really recommend them.

Feeling less anxious about the surgery after all that today, so that's a plus :)

I just want to know if anyone had a gastrosope and if so what is it the doctor Im seeing has said something about it and this scares me more than the surgery as I have had 3 surgeries before..

An with the dietitian what kinds of things do they ask as my appointment with my dietitian is tomorrow.

Donna :flower:

Thank you all so very, very much. I appreciate the time you've taken to answer my questions.

FaddingAway - I'm very much a straightshooter myself and I appreciate your honesty. It hasn't freaked me out at all. I've had a drain before about 17 years ago in my shin when I had a tumour removed - now that was agony coming out!

About the house cleaning - I figure if I sweet talk my Husband and kids enough they'll look after me. They know how fussy I am and you're all right, the housework will still be there when I'm up and about!

I have had to see a Dietician prior to seeing the Surgeon and have to go back 2 weeks after the surgery and every 2 weeks thereafter for about 8 weeks or until I am confident about the food thing on my own.

Thanks again and take care.

x

Hi Xena and everyone
I haven't had my surgery yet - due on 23rd June - yay!
But I did ask the doc all these questions and more - he was very good and answered everything, and even made jokes!
Of course what he told me and what happens could be two different things, but this is what he said about your questions:
About pain - he said that there won't be any stomach pain. In fact, he told me that he could set fire to my stomach and I wouldn't feel it! I asked him not to - have no wish to be BBQ'd Chris!
About drains and catheters etc - he said I wouldn't have any.
About walking around after the op - he said it wouldn't be a problem because he was going to leave me both my legs! Then, seriously, that I'd be walking around as soon as I felt like it, and that wouldn't take long.
About time in hospital - he said usually about 3 days, but since I live so far away, he'd like to keep me in for 4 or 5, just to make sure everything's okey before I leave.
By the time I was half way through my many, many questions, I got the impression that he thought I was worrying about it way too much, as it isn't a complicated operation - from his poitn of view, of course. Having said that, he was very good about allaying my fears, and giving me as much information as he could.
Hope this helps.
Chris

Hi
1. only pain was in my shoulder, the morphine pump was a god send. I was in pain once I left hospital Dr sent me home with no pain medication.
2. I had 2 drains that I was sent home with, they were removed on day8 they were still draining when they were removed and the drain ports leaked for another fortnight.Yes they did hurt comming out ,they were very long about 4 foot in length. They were stitched in with 1 stitch each.
3. I never felt any different still don't feel the removed part :lol!: its gone..just kidding, it feels the same as pre op
4.I was not weighed in on arrival at hospital but was asked how much I weighed.
5. Yes I was out of bed about 14hrs after surgery. I went to the toilet ,then had a rest,sat up on a chair for a while then back to bed, after a few hrs walked up and down the ward,very slowly and hubby was close as I was very shakey. I did this 3 times a day to help with recovery.It was not easy and I pushed my self .
6. Don't think about doing any house work . Remember that with this surgery they have to get in around your organs move some to get to your stomach and this will take time to settle down.I am sure there are no house work fairies at your place and it will be there for you in a couple of weeks.No lifting ,no pushing,no pulling these include the vacume and mop and bucket.You don't want to do any damage and be back in hospital,These restrictions are there for a reason.You would of had major surgery on your abdomin .If you can't stand not doing the house work get a cleaner for a month at least , then still no lifting or pushing the grocery trolley.I live on a few acre and never feed the animals for 2 months. If hubby could not do it I got in the handy man to feed them.
7.I lost 8kgs the 1st week.My date of surgery was 11/2/08 and have lost 31kgs.I was 110 prior to WLS
8.make sure that your surgeon makes your stomach the sleeve shape not a pouch as this will cause problems .
I am an RN and have always been straight down the line,sorry if I have come across as anopinionated b.
I am sure that your surgery will go ok
Fadding Away

Hi everyone,

I also had to see a dietician. She gave me lots of info for the 2 weeks following my surgery and then i need to go back to her to get info on the next phase.

Xena, i to havent had my surgery yet im booked for the 27th june....2 and a bit weeks :affraid:
Most of the questions you asked have been answered for me from all of these lovely ladies also. isnt it great having this forum.

Regards
Nicole

Hi Steph,
Although I had gone through the dietician previously with the band, it was compulsory for me to go and see the dietician again, even though it was really the same sorta info...
I think it is important to see a dietician, they can show you all sorts of good ideas as you are spending so much time drinking liquids instead of meals, then your mushie stage etc.
You would be surprised at how much you can learn, even if you think you have heard it all before, just like I did!! LOL.

Hayley

Hi Xena!
I will answer what it was like for me.

Straight after the surgery i woke up in the operating room and felt fine there was no pain at all. When i next woke up i was in recovery and there was abit of pain which they got on top of pretty quick once they put the painkiller pump thing in.

I had just one drain in my tummy which didn't bother me at all. When they took it out it just felt, well kinda weird but didn't hurt at all. They took my drain, drip, catheter all out the morning of the day i was discharged (I was only in for 2 days).

I didnt feel different after the surgery - I thought with part of my stomach gone that I would but i didn't.

I was never weighed at the hospital but expect I will be at my next visit with the surgeon in 6-8 weeks time.

I wasn't up and walking on the day of my operation either, but the next day i did as much as i could, and when i wasn't I sat up in a chair most the time.

I would stay in hospital as long as you and your surgeon are happy for you too. I was itching to get out!

I am being pretty slack around the home and taking it easy- the place needs a vaccum and mop bad but im ignoring it - it can wait awhile and most my visitors understand that.

In 7 weeks your weight should have dropped abit I think - though I am almost a week out and weigh as much as i did on the day of surgery which is dissapointing but im sure its fluids from the iv and also that i am a little dehydrated so my body is holding fluid like crazy

Hi Girls,

Hayley, I just notice you talk about the dietitian you see and Gary told me last night that he sees one too but my surgeon hasn't even mentioned me seeing a dietitian.

Would love to hear from other sleevers if they were recommended to see one.

Steph

PS I also went in with my list but didn't end out taking it out of my handbag. Although it was mainly reasons why I felt I should be able to have the surgery

Hi Gals,

I think that its almost impossible to remember every question to ask at the appointment.
I had a list I took with me, and I had planned that list for a week or so before I even went in!! But I walked out and thought... Oh no, I could have asked him about this too!! LOL.
I spent alot of nights sleepless, every morning I would wake up feeling like I had got no sleep at all, and I couldnt stop thinking about it. I was glad to get to the hospital on the day because I was so over the wait! Now all that waiting and the recovery seems like a blur, and now its on with the hard part... putting all of what I learned from the dietician and the surgeon to good use!

Hayley

duh, call me thick.... I just noticed you're in Townsville :lol!:

Hi Xena,

I agree with Hayley, great questions.

I haven't had my surgery yet. I am booked for 23rd July so you have asked some questions for me too.

I've also got 3 kids except I am a single mum so can't afford too much time off work and have only booked 12 days sick leave although I may extend it if need be. However, I actually told my boss i would be back earlier if I am feeling up to it. Stupid hey?

I have only told 2 good friends I am having this surgery and have only told my work that I need to have an operation. My boss said I hope it's nothing serious but I didn't reiterate. If I have to my surgeon has told me to tell them I am having a hiatus hernia repair because the post op care is much the same as for the diet and that is why I will be losing weight.

You know I realise that at my appointment with surgeon I didn't ask a lot of questions about what they would do to me apart from him explaining the actual operation and drawing a picture I didnt ask about cuts and drains and stuff. I think it was because I was just so excited that he agreed to do the surgery that all I wanted was to set the date and couldn't think past that.

Anyway I have come down to earth a lot since then and have started to get really nervous. But I am a lot like you, I'm not really sleeping well and wake up thinking about the op. In fact it's pretty much on my mind all the time.

What date is your surgery booked for and what state are you in?

steph

Hey Xena, great lot of questions!!
I will be the first to answer them!!

ok.... here I go.
I was in alot of pain as soon as I came out of theatre and woke up. But that eases as soon as they gave me some pain releif and I was able to hit my pain button.
Shoulder tip pain does not usually come along until a few days after surgery, when you are up and moving about.

I had one drain, it was not painful at all, but it was awkward sleeping with that in and the catheter and the IV. LOL so much going on. No the drain did not hurt at all coming out.. I didnt watch it come out either...ewwww.

I felt no different after surgery, just in the pain..

I wasnt weighed in hospital.

No way was I up and about the day of surgery. Some are but I wasnt...

I think that if you know you wont rest at home, then stay in hospital. I was in for 5 days... and I dont have kids...

I have been sleeved about 12 weeks now, I have lost 13kilos and none of my co workers noticed LOL... but then again, I have about 40 kilos to lose.

Hope this helps you out!!