Hi everyone,

Just got home yesterday after an open RNY on Monday. I don't feel TOO bad ... my stomach feels as though I've been bludgeoned with a baseball bat and it is a killer to rise from any sitting position and what I wouldn't give to shower, but all in all, not too bad!

At any rate, I'm slowly reading through all the posts here and wanted to introduce myself and say thanks for sharing your experiences. It is certainly helpful at the beginning to read the wisdom shared by those who have gone before.

So, I'm full clear liquid until Monday when I go for my first postop visit and hopefully, removal of this nasty little JP drain!

Any suggestions or thoughts on what I can do to optimize the good and minimize the bad during these first days will be greatly appreciated!

Hi! Welcome to the losing side! My recommendations is to SLEEP - A LOT! LOL... and try to get as much protein in as you can during the early days. It really helps heal you so much faster.

Best of luck on your weight loss journey!

kitty

Hi Deborah and WELCOME !!!!

I second the notion.. rest rest and more rest. Listen to your doc and don't rush anything.

Your gonna do wonderful !!

Deborah......I have not had bariactric surgery (and am trying to avoid it at all costs) but as a veteran of 4 major abdominal surgeries (3 traditional C-sections in the 60s/70s and a gall bladder removal) I'd second the rest, rest, rest.

Also, when you do walk or try to move holding a pillow over your stomach might help a bit...sure did for me.....Try not to allow too long between trips to the bathroom even though getting up and walking are difficult....sometimes after surgery the bladder will get a little finiky so waiting until you really have to go isn't always a great idea.

Drink whatever fluids you are allowed (here I am in over my head as I know you are limited in intake)...dehydration is a big issue and bungs up the works in a lot of ways......Also the protein is important for the body to heal on a cellular level...

Most of all good luck with this step....I've known of several people who are delighted with the results of the surgery...it isn't for me...but then medifast isn't for many people either....Best of luck

Thanks for the welcome all, as well as the words of advice! Just had a nice lap ... spoiled only by having to get up! I really never realized my out-of-shape abdomen had so many muscles but they ARE improving, if a bit slowly.
Since I am on clear liquids now, not much hope of getting anywhere near enough protein but that should change when I progress to full liquids on Monday. I am getting in pretty good fluid levels, I think ... sipping my way through at least 35 ounces so far with hopes of doubling that before I call it a day! So, still sore, but improving ... no pain medications at all since about 10:00 last night!

Thanks again for sharing and welcoming me to the group, and thank you Babysteps for your advice as well! Good luck to you with your Medifast program. I had lost 100 pounds doing WW on-line about 3 years ago but gained back every pound when I quit smoking 2 years ago. All things considered, I should have kept on smoking! Not really, I guess, but it was hard enough to lose the weight the "traditional" way without having surgery to help me have the necessary tool to do it again.

Enough of my rambles ... have a great afternoon all!

Hi Deborah! Congratulations. It does suck for the first few weeks. It's hard to move and you are weak. I had a JP drain too. Very irritating. Did you have a complication? I was on a feeding tube the first 3 weeks. All I could have was popsciles, broth and crystal light for 3 weeks (and Glucerna through my feeding tube - I'll always and forever hate the smell of Glucerna now.) One thing that I found helped me was walking. I know, you've just been sliced and diced, but it can really help.

Hi Invisigoth ... no complications for me. Everything seems to be working in good order ... I am just as sore as sore can be. I am trying to walk and am doing the little breathing thing as often as I remember. I think my husband will drive me to GNC later today so I can look for some protein supplement. I mostly only bought those Boost protein drinks and I've seen others post about these little liquid protein supplements that are only a few ounces or so ... infinitely preferable, I would think!

You poor thing ... having a feeding tube! Did your surgeon do that to allow your new opening to heal fully or did you get a stricture early on?

You have had an incredible loss in just 8 months. How do you feel? You should be so proud of what you've done and I know it feels great to be in that all-elusive onederland, right?

Fair warning - the GNC protein shakes are fairly nasty at first. Although Cookies and cream isn't half bad. There's a website that sells products for people who've gone through bariatric surgery. They supposedly have a lot of yummy protein shake products that I haven't tried. The site is http://store.bariatriceating.com. I've gotten use to GNC and I have to use up the big tubs of vanilla I got from it. One thing I found that has worked is a half a banana and 2 sugar free popsicles mixed in with the shake. It almost tastes like an orange julius.

I had a leak during the second night at the hospital. I was already to go home the next day, and I ended up having to go under the knife again. I didn't think jp drains were common for most RNY patients without complications. Did anyone else out there had to have one after surgery.

I feel good on most days. But I have been having some problems lately. I have developed a small ulcer.

Gosh, Invisigoth ... I'm sorry about the ulcer. That can't be pleasant. Will that involve another surgery?

Since I'm on clear liquids, I bought this GNC liquid protein, fruit punch flavor, which is 18 g per 3 tablespoons. Not too bad, when mixed with something else ... would probably taste medicinal by itself. I also bought one of the Isopure fruit protein drinks ... 40 gm of protein for a 20-ounce bottle but pretty steep at almost $4.00 a bottle. Also bought some of the Stallone puddings which are 20 gm per 6-ounce servings ... also a little steep, I thought, at $8.00 for 4. I guess protein in these forms is a lot more expensive than the powder tubs. Next week, when I go to full liquids, I can start trying the milkier kinds of protein ... just wanted to find something right now to help the healing along!

Actually, every patient done by my surgeon gets a JP drain, which he will remove once the drainage is less than 30 ml. Mine was actually about that when I left the hospital, so hopefully, he'll remove it for sure when I see him on Monday. It's quite annoying!

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm sure I'll be back to GNC before long as I don't have a lot of choices in my little town ... Internet notwithstanding!

I don't need surgery. At least not right now. I'm just getting a form of prolisec (sp?).

Although I wonder if I'm going to have to get my gallblader removed. My doctor recommends that his patients have their gallblader removed at the same time, but since that would be elective, insurance wouldn't cover it. I was being cheap and decided not to do it. Now I'm wondering if I'll have to pay more in copays if I need another surgery to get it out. Pennywise pound foolish, I guess.

Yes, the drains can be very annoying. But it's amazing how painless it was to remove.

I'm sure glad to hear that it doesn't hurt to remove the drain! It certainly is an annoyance!

I'm glad you don't have to have surgery for the ulcer. Hopefully, the Prilosec will help. My surgeon discharged me on Nexium ... I have to open the capsule and dump the granules on my tongue. Maybe that's a precaution against ulcer formation?

I tried the Isopure protein drink, blue raspberry flavor today ... not great by any stretch, kind of a chalky undertaste, but tolerable I guess for 40 grams of protein.

Good luck with the gallbladder thing. I had mine done 2 1/2 years ago, since I did have gallbladder sludge ... I know, gross, right? I really haven't had any digestive problems since, thank goodness. Let's hope the trend continues!

Hope you have a good, feel-good weekend!

Congratulations Deborah on your surgery.. I hope that you'll find it's the best thing you ever did

I had only half of your procedure (reduction of the tummy size but without the bypass) and it went fine.. I had a JP drain, but only for 2 days and just like invisigoth the removal didn't hurt at all, also had a nasogastric tube for suction that was uncomfortable but it was removed the next day..

You seem to be doing all the right things, for me the toughest thing was to walk because I was uncomfortable in any position (sitting, standing, lying down.. ) it just hurt so bad!! But in 2 weeks, I was as good as new.. And the liquid diet was annoying because I was on liquids for 2 weeks before the surgery and then 2 afterwards, I can't tell you how great the first chewable bite was.. But bear with it.. it's really worth it..

D.

Thanks, Della, for the encouragement ... I do feel improvement every day, although I'm a little worried that the JP drain drained MORE yesterday. Not what I was hoping for ... I really want that thing removed tomorrow on my postop visit. I am so looking forward to moving to full liquids ... SF pudding and SF yogurt sound like a slice of heaven at this point!

I'm not walking much, other than around the house, so that's an area I really have to work on!

I'm glad you are doing so well! Thanks again for sharing your own experiences!

No problem

Because mine was removed in the hospital, I can't really remember how much it was draining (party because I didn't really want to look at it, it felt kind of weird).. But even if it increased, if it doesn't reach their limit, I hope by tomorrow it'll be out.. Don't worry

Now get ready for the weight loss!! It'll make all those little inconviniences seem like nothing