Post Op Questions...

For anyone still interested in the question, I was sleeved last week (in Canberra) and was on PCA for three days post op,,and IV panadol. I was sent home on four hourly liquid panadol and endone, though I usually only take that at night. The surgery pain is not too bad but like others have noted, the oesophageal spasms are horrendous. The panadol and endone definitely help that! I find sleeping on my side with a pillow between my legs is the most comfortable. Stabilises my hips and torso.

Thanks so much Garfield99, that info does help. I would rather be on my own for most of it. I will be in some pain and somewhat zonked out.  Sounds like being prepared is important advice, and having helpers on standby. All this post-op experience I read here is a bonus. Any tips you found helped, flick'em my way!

zigzag wrote:

I have not got a date yet. I live on my own and was wondering what support you felt you needed at home that I should consider. My only child is adult but lives interstate. My mother is 81 and lives a few doors down from me might be able to help, but I do not to be bothering her if I can.
Will I need help?
Thanks
Kerrie

To be honest, the last thing you will want is someone hovering around - you just want peace and quiet so you can sleep and relax whenever you can. Just keep your phone close so if you think something isn't right, call them to take you back to the surgeon or emergency.  When you feel up to it, contact a friend to pop over for a cuppa.

Just make sure you wash your hair the day before op and shave as you won't be moving around too much for the first week.  Fresh sheets on the bed, all the house work done, a variety of different fluids to try after as you might find what you could tolerate before you certainly can't after e.g. milk.  Have lots of ice on hand as sometimes this is the only way you can get fluids down, or peppermint tea as you might prefer hot drinks and it works well for gas.  Few different flavoured broths or strained tasty soups - nothing with chilli, curries etc as your stomach won't be able to handle spices early on.  I kept left over water bottles and half filled them with water to freeze, then just topped up with water & cordial to drink - then I always had a super cold drink on hand.

Panadol, degas, quickeze and heat packs on hand, sloth clothes to relax in (do not under estimate how much colder you feel as you start to lose weight plus not moving so much), movies hired or downloaded to keep you occupied as you drift in & out of sleep.  No way I could of read a book!

Pillows - lots of pillows to keep you raised after surgery to combat potential reflux, plus a few small soft ones around to hold to your tummy as you get up/down or cough.  Plus you find a comfy position for your body but not your head, so grab that little pillow to make it perfect.  I even used pillows for my tummy to lay on to support it.

You won't be able to drive for at least a week nor will even feel like it, so make sure you have all your comforts close to you.  Lip balm, moisturiser (nice and thick as you will be a bit dehydrated), soft blankies on the couch for when you can't keep your eyes open for any longer and my personal fav - a cat!  They will enjoy spending all day sleeping with you and give you a little wet nose rub to make sure you are ok.  Just leave bowls of food & water around so you don't get woken up to feed lol.  Plus you have a little transportable heat pack that follows you around lol
 

I have not got a date yet. I live on my own and was wondering what support you felt you needed at home that I should consider. My only child is adult but lives interstate. My mother is 81 and lives a few doors down from me might be able to help, but I do not to be bothering her if I can.
Will I need help?
Thanks
Kerrie

Swayback wrote:

I was able to sleep on my side from day of surgery. I think the first night I found it more comfortable on my right side.

Now 11weeks post op I can only lie on my left side or sitting up because otherwise the reflux keeps coming up into my mouth.

I have to sleep on my back still as it hurts too much to sleep on either side, usually propped up on a few pillows

I was able to sleep on my side from day of surgery. I think the first night I found it more comfortable on my right side.

Now 11weeks post op I can only lie on my left side or sitting up because otherwise the reflux keeps coming up into my mouth.

Lexiswan wrote:

Hi Anne,

PILLOWS!!! Lots of pillows. :)

I could get in and out of bed okay, it didn't trigger any real pain for me. But, I did find that I had to sleep lying flat. I probably spent the first 2 weeks post op on a tower of pillows.
But I can happily sleep on my side or stomach now.

That reminds me of what it was like for me when I broke the neck of my humerus in 2011. For the first couple of weeks I slept in my Jason Recliner rocker. When I finally was able to make it to sleep in a bed I needed a tower of pillows....here we go again perhaps :(

I have always had trouble sleeping on my back so that could be a challenge; also with my CPAP machine sleeping on my side is easier. Hmmm. Will definitely be trial and error I thinkg

Anne

The only bit that was painful was my hernia repairs. I found I could easily get out of bed by rolling on my side and putting my legs over and raising up on my arms. I used a soft pillow for a bit of belly support when laying on my side for about a week.
Otherwise I took a few doses of panadol, that's all.

Hi Anne,

PILLOWS!!! Lots of pillows. :)

I could get in and out of bed okay, it didn't trigger any real pain for me. But, I did find that I had to sleep lying flat. I probably spent the first 2 weeks post op on a tower of pillows.
But I can happily sleep on my side or stomach now.

My surgery was not painful at all. There was a little discomfort on moving sometimes, a bit like sleeping crooked. I didn't need any pain relief for the physical part of the surgery.,the only "real" pain I got was when I swallowed for the first two days....oh my....the oesophageal spasms were something! I wish I had been offered some pain relief for that but alas, for some reason either the surgeon I had doesn't order pain relief or the nurses looking after me weren't very obliging.

For those of you who have already been sleeved, did you find it painful getting in an out of bed post-op?
I am going to be spending the first few days at my daughter's place and was just wondering how to prepare to make my stay a little more comfortable.

Anne

Hi there,
I haven't had any trouble with panadol tabs broken up into 4, but panadol liquid would be fine too. The best cure for pain is walk around gently and breathe slowly( for me anyway).
Beware if you decide to go the liquid multivitamins and minerals route. On day 5 I decided it was time to start them to maximise healing so I took a 1/2 dose (about 10mls). Ten minutes later I was most horribly sick- the taste is too strong and made me feel real ill.
I'm staying off the oral vits until I can manage a vitamin and mineral tablet!
Going to my GP tomorrow who is into complementary meds as well so will get him to give me an IV dose of A,C, D, E, Mag and Zinc to pep me up.

On the second day after the opp we were taken for a swallow test ex ray to check that there were no leaks or problems, nothing had been swallowed until this. That 3rd night we were given 30 ml cups of water to swallow, we had to sip 30 mls in half an hour then 60 ml in 1 hour, and lastly 90 mls in 1 hour. I couldn't even get through the 60 mls. The nurse said later that rarely does anyone get the lot done. Panadol I've was introduced on the day after opp slowly weaning us off the self medicated pain relief.

By the time of discharge we had had a broth, apple juice, tea to drink. We didn't leave until 4 pm giving us lots of sipping practice . We were given a bag of Meds already filled out by our doctor and prescriptions for future repeats. They monitored our intake that day and said we couldn't leave until the total got to 1000 mls, I certainly didn't get to that don't know about the others.

Each day is a little better except that my high blood pressure is back with a vengeance and my Meds are taking their time to kick in - last check was 182/115, not good.

As far as I know I wasn't ordered any post op pain relief besides Panadol which I did have IV until I could drink then I was given tablets. I certainly wasn't given a PCA. No one (neither nurses or doctor) mentioned any pain relief was available even the second day post op when it hurt when I swallowed.

Hi, I left hospital on Saturday. We were given self administered pain relief along with intravenous panadol. On Sat we were given 20 mls of children's flavoured panadol and it was recommended we continue this, I found that by diluting it with apple juice it was not as thick to swallow. We were given 5 ml endone as we'll and nexium tabs.

My doctor recommends we don't crush our tablets but cut them, he also won't let us have jelly at all. Can't understand why panadol tabs would be given days after surgery, very cruel. My doctor is very good and has thought the program thoroughly from what I have experienced compared to other experiences and my hospital nurses were just amazingly good.

I had IV Panadol through the drip the first day. Then the next night the nurse tried to give me soluble panadol. I told her it was too early as I was still nauseated and had only managed to keep down a sip of broth and a couple of teaspoons of jelly. Unfortunately she made me have the soluable panadol - never dry wretched so much in my life. Made me split my bellybutton cut open! Grrrr stupid nurse. Everyones different, you don't know what will suit you until your going through it.

cheers Nini

Hi every surgeon varies with the type of pain killer used,mine only ever gave liquid Panadol which I think is by far the safest for a newly sleeved stomach,any other tablets I had to take we're crushed or dissolved . I stayed using this method until my my checkup at around 5 weeks and was given the all clear.Personally I think being given a tablet after this major surgery it a bit harsh for your stomach,but as I said every surgeon is different. If you feel you want to play real safe discuss this with your surgeon so you can be given medications in liquid form or have them crushed for you,this way causes your stomach very little distress.

I had panadols  post op & stayed down ok . Sip very slowly any fluid about a teaspoon at a time . Give yourself a few minutes after each teaspoon full otherwise it hurts & may comeback up . Patience is the key .

Well i had Sleeve op on 28th Jan & was released on 31st Jan 2014 .Everything was good at first & then after a day or so at home I was in the greatest pain of my life & was rushed in to Emergency to find the Sleeve had leaked & food was entered my body through the stomach . Never ever had pain like that & it bought tears to my eyes . 

Ive been to hell & back ending up in ICU & getting close to death at one stage when vital organs started to close down . I had bled so bad after op removing a Blood Clot next to sleeve the size of a large grapefruit .I also got a bad infection from food leaking through the sleeve . Infection was resistant to all antibiotics & carried an Antibiotic portable Baxter pump everywhere for long time .  After many procedures I am starting to feel better now & no longer have drains & drips connected to me . Its now April 2014 & I am going back to work . It will still take me a while to get up to normal strength but I am walking the dog regularly & every day feel that bit stronger . I started at 109.4kg & now at 87.1kg .Feeling positive but its been a hard road after spending so much time in hospital .When the going gets tough the tough get going . :)

I had ordinary panadol on my last day in hospital, and then at home. But I cut each one into 4, so 8 pieces, and it then took forever to get down, as that was 8 mouthfuls of water. But it worked ok for me.

While I was still in hospital after surgery, the nurses gave me ordinary Panadol tablets. They didn't stay down though.

Thanks Nini,

That makes sense. I'll check with the pharmacist on whether I can crush them.

Kaz

Hi Kaz,

You only have to be careful while the stomach is still swollen and healing as they can get jammed. My Doc said I could start back on whole tablets once I started on the foods but I was allowed to take my blood pressure tablet straight away as it was a very small tablet. Most tablets you can get in a liquid form. If you are going to crush them just make sure  it is safe to do so as some tablets, like slow release ones or enteric coated ones, you shouldn't crush.

cheers Nini

This is probably a question I should ask my doctor however you guys seem so helpful ...
I am due to have my sleeve on 3rd March and was wondering about oral medication post op.
I was told that tablets have to be crushed or liquid or chewable.
Is that just short term while you are healing or forever as I have ongoing medication I will still have to take (but hopefully not for long)?
Also if that is the case, what painkillers did you take for discomfort once you were home.
Kaz

I definitely used optifast the first 2 weeks Jo. I had a really painful stomach, so just wanted anything convenient.

Hey there,I am travelling over 2000km for my surgery. Can anyone clarify whether I will need opti in first two weeks? Just wondering if I should pack some...

I had my sleeve 5 days ago at 9.30am in the morning and was up walking to the toilet about 5 hours later. My hubby and kids came up to visit me that night and I was fine to see them. I was still really zonked out about 3 hours after surgery but definitely ok for visitors that night. I was on morphine and paracetamol through the drip so felt not too bad.