post op questions
 

Well here I am , I actually did it (I'm kind of surprised considering I had a panic attack in front of the nurse who was getting me ready for surgery, and I almost made my husband take me home! Oh boy, that nurse was not happy with me!) Anyway I said a prayer and felt much calmer. I can't tell you how thrilled I was to wake up and be alive!

I had it laproscopic and had trouble with water at first, but I believe that was because of nausea from the morphine. Now I am fine and am at home (surgery was on the 30th) and have eaten yogurt, cheese, broth, jello, etc with no problems. But I have a few questions, maybe some of you more experienced ones can help me with:
1. How long did it take for you to poop? I haven't yet...
2. I still kind of feel like my guts want to fall out when I walk around (even thought I had laproscopic, and it is getting a tad better every day.) Did you feel this? Did it last long?
3. How active did you get by day 6? How about by day 14? I get up and walk around the house several times a day, but sometimes I feel a little dizzy (I think from the pain meds.)
4. Do you think it's normal for me to still need pain meds? I have a strange feeling sometimes like I'm hungry, but then I'll get little aches in other spots in the surgery region so I take a pain pill and it seems to do the trick. Do you think this is normal?
5. How long did it take you to feel okay when you bend over?
6. I have that little breathing thing that I have to do everyday, where you have to get it to a certain number. How long did it take you to get back to normal?

The surgery went really very smoothly, except I had to stay an extra day in the hospital because I had trouble drinking (nausea, but I haven't thrown up yet, thank goodness!) I didn't have to have my drain in at home thank goodness, that was just so horribly horrible, I hated that thing.

One funny side note, every night I dream about eating masses of icecream and chocolate and cake and pasta and pizza! I n the dream I'm like "This will hurt my tummy" but it doesn't, and when I wake up I am so relieved that I didn't really do it :)

Anyway I know you guys don't even know me, but I appreciate you taking time out for me.

BES

WOW, I could have written your post for you. My surgery was on the 25th. I too had my RNY laproscopically only half way through they had to switch to a full open so now I have a 14" incision.

Lets see:
First poop... Still waiting for a real meaningful on but comeing close.
Activities:... Walking around the house a lot and short walks outside. Went shopping yesterday and was pretty tired when I finally got home.
Pain meds:... I don't know on the pain meds. I'm only sore at my incision area but I also take other pain meds for a chronic back pain.
Aspirometer?... I think that is what it is called. I didn't get one this time for some reason. As long as you are up and active it isn't as critical.

I came home with two drains and had them and half my staples removed last week. Tomarrow I get the remainder of my staples out and will check my weight to see if everything is working.

Good luck with your recovery and we will have to compare notes as we go.

this has to be quick... will try to answer more later.. but let's talk about the dizziness.. yes, it COULD be from the pain meds, which you should not be needing so very much these days, but it's more likely that it's from LOW BLOOD SUGAR because you're not getting enough protein OR DEHYDRATION!!!

drink up!!!!!

and PS.. that bending over thing? i couldn't tie my shoes for more than a week... and bending over was uncomfortable for about 2... and then every once in a while. trust me.. your innards are NOT going to fall out..

Oh yes, let's do keep notes!! I'm glad you are safe and sound. Why did they have to end up doing it open instead of laparoscopic?

I get tired pretty easily too, I went out and watered the plants this morning and got SO exhausted by then end. It's interesting how much that is affected, but the nurse called me today and said the energy will come back eventually.

Is the incision really painful? I feel like a boob when I complain about my pain because yours is probably worse. My incisions hurt a bit, but mostly it's stuff inside that will get a little achy and tender (I think.) It's kind of hard to tell. So far it hasn't been anything excruciating and I was so proud of myself, I only took 1 pain pill today.

Anyway, please do keep in touch and we'll have to keep checking back and forth. Thanks for your answers, they definitely made me feel a bit more comforted!

Jiffy I think you are right about the water. I still struggle with it a bit, it's the number one thing I need to keep working on. I thought maybe it was the protein, but I am only supposed to eat 3 2oz meals a day, and they are all basically protein so I don't know how I could get more than that!

I thought of another question, what vitamins does everyone find most effective? Right now I am doing a chewable Centrum one-a-day so I hope that is a good one... But if there's any way to keep the eventual hair loss to a minimum I'd love to know it!

Thanks for taking time out to answer my questions Jiffy, you are so sweet.

blue eyes: how much protein are you supposed to be getting? three 2-oz meals are a recipe for low blood sugar. there is absolutely no way you can get anything close to nutrition with this regimen. your hair loss will be MUCH worse if you don't get a bare minimum of about 40 grams of protein a day... some docs want their patients to have more. mine wanted me to have 100 grams because i was so SPECIAL [so very overweight with serious edema problems and i'm tall. and apparently tall people need more protein. who knew????]

check with your doc. i strongly suspect you need a couple of protein shakes along with LOTS of water.

as for the vitamins.. yeah, i'm a pill wimp, too. i took the centrum chewables for awhile, but decided i didn't like the taste. so i've switched to centrum rug rats. also chewables [of course!!!]. some people use liquid vits, but i've never found one that i could choke down. some brave souls use the really big vits. not me!!!!

others use one a days. some use theragram. sooooo bottom line: as long as it's a good quality multi, and you can get it down consistently. go for it!!!

don't forget to take calcium that's not carbonate. a person needs stomach acid to absorb the carbonate, and we don't have any. that means no viactiv chews. and no citracal. they're carbonate.

Guess I am a wimp too--LOL--I am taking flintstones chewable vitamins. Good luck!

I'm not sure what to do about the protein, I was worried about that too after seeing on here that most people have a minimum amount they are supposed to eat per day. My doctor didn't give me an amount, and in all the literature I have from the program it doesn't specify an amount. It just says what kinds of things are appropriate and when you can start eating them.

I actually asked the nurse about it yesterday before I posted, because a friend of mine (who had it done at the same place) says she eats every 2 and a half hours (her mom and sister had it done somewhere else and she does it their way) so I wondered if I should be eating more protein. My doctor's nurse said I need to keep doing the 3 meals for a while and the extra 2 snacks don't come until later. So I am not sure what to do. Do you think I should just go ahead and eat extra protein?

The problem is I think it's next to impossible to talk to my surgeon personally, you have to go through his nurse, and my appointment isn't until AUgust.

Meanwhile, I am feeling good today (but pretty low energy, no surprise) so things are still going well. A little less painful every day!

I thought about the flintstones, I almost got those! But then I saw the Centrums and they are orange flavored so I thought I would give it a try...

i lke the flintstones better than the orange centrums, but i'm enjoying the rugrats.

as for the protein, darlin. blue eyes. you need it to heal. the nurse is wrong.

i had to consume about 15 grams of protein every 3 hours in order to stay upright. that whole 'actual eating schedule' which it sounds like your nurse is talking about, is the schedule for MUCH LATER!!!! right now, the issue is getting your body to heal. and getting in enough protein to maintain your body systems: your teeth, blood cells, white cells that fight disease.

and please, i don't mean to be critical or hurtful, but there are lots of wls programs out there that just don't have the expertise or resources to provide adequate care to their patients. that's why support groups such as this are so important. we get to talk about what we're supposed to be doing and compare it with other programs. it sounds like your friend's program is more along the lines of what most of us are doing.

this low protein thiing your nurse is telling you to do, is NOT what most of the rest of us have been told. so i'm skeptical about their experience.

take a deep breath. the protein is real important right now. water, protein, vitamins. those are your priorities.

and PS... if you'd like to post the program you were given, go right ahead!!!!!

Sorry it took me so long to reply, I had to go back to the hospital for a few days because of pancreatitis (however you spell it...) I was having strange pains on Friday so Saturday I went to the ER and they made me stay until Monday. I know my surgeon was being extra extra careful and wanted to make sure it wasn't anything more serious, but I had to have a CT Scan and everything so I was terrified it was going to be big deal! Anyway I'm back now and feeling quite a bit better.

I'm not sure what to think on the protein thing. I did lots of research before I got the surgery so I know these surgeons are very experienced, but I am questioning the protein thing. Right now I am back on jello and broth until my pancreas gets a little bit more rest, so that makes it even harder. I will definitely bring it up with my surgeon, and ask him why it would be different than most programs, etc etc. In the meantime I'll see how I feel and go from there.

Luckily, my incisions and everything have been healing really well and I'm feeling much better (although the muscles on top of my shoulders ache after everything I do!!) I do have a wierd numbish-yet-tender spot on the left side of my surgery area, I'm wondering if it's because the drain was there and it's just taking a bit longer to feel better?

Anyway I'm really needing to work on the water thing too because I was pretty dehydrated when I got to the ER. That's definitely going to be a challenge for me.

Thanks for all the support and feedback, it definitely helps to see what everyone else is doing!

Hi--I have 2 questions.....with all this drinking, trying to get in 64 oz of water and 80g of protein shakes, can all this drinking stretch my tummy??? (i'm obsessed with stretching it, huh?? lol) And with all this drinking, how are you supposed to eat anything?? It takes me hours to drink the protein, I feel like I"m forcing myself to try and eat 3 meals, this can't be good, can it? Thanks!

Is anyone out there??

oh geezzz... sorry i missed this!!! i haven't been on very much the past few days. but the good news is that i start my new job on the 9th of august!!! thank goodness!!!

misty.. first things first. you can't stretch your tummy with the liquids.

second.. are you SURE the doc said to get 80 grams of protein FROM THE SHAKES>??? most of the surgeons in your program want you to get 80 grams of protein, but as much as possible from FOOD, and about 2 shakes a day for a total of about 40 grams of protein.

so if you're getting all 80 grams from the protein shakes, no wonder you're forcing yourself to eat!!!!!

here's what i did at your stage: protein shake in the morning. and then about 2 hours later, some cottage cheese or an egg. about 12-15 grams of protein. and then about 3 hours after that, another 15 grams of protein - often thinly sliced deli turkey or chicken rolled up with a tiny piece of very very thinly sliced cheese. and about 3 hours after that another protein shake. and then 3 hours later about another 15 grams of protein.

and i had to eat 100 grams a day, it wasn't easy. the important thing is to not get dizzy or weak or tired.

how are you otherwise?

and blue-eyes: how are you feeling?????

Thank you Jiff! And Congratulations on the new job!!

Yes, They know I'm drinking the Isopure, and that is 40 g of protein each bottle and at my post-op appointment they said to increase that to 2 bottles a day, which would be 80g in protiens shakes. They said they found that the patients who drink lots of water, the 64 oz atleast a day and got over 80 g of protein a day, did the best after having this surgery. I am eating, not much yesterday I had an egg with some cheese and at dinner I had beans, cheese and salsa, weighed it out at 3 oz. I had 2 protein drinks yesterday, but I can't seem to force myself to drink 2 of them everyday. Its just gross after a while, I'm starting to understand what you meant by the "swallowing a jellyfish" thing, lol.

Other than that I'm doing ok, thanks. Trying to walk outside everyday, still only about 12 minutes.

When will my mother stop being a pain about my weight?? Ever??? I told her I had an egg w/ a little cheese for breakfast yesterday and she said, "You ate the WHOLE egg?" Was that too much? Or is she just still being a pain in my _ _ _???

Congrats again on the new job!!!!

3 oz of beans cheese and salsa sounds like a lot for you at this point. and as for the egg, at your stage there was NO WAY i could eat a jumbo or extra large egg, but a large one i could generally manage.

did you kow that we can absorb only about 20 grams of protein at a time? so im hoping that you're viewing the 40 gram isopures as 2 servings each..

and they're right about teh 80 grams of protein + 64 oz water = better results. i'm just real surprised that they want you to have it ALL in protein supplements.

oh well.. as long as it's working and you're up and around. that's what matters. and congrats on the walking, i KNOW it's hard for you, but you ARE A TROOPER

and miss pookie.. a long story about the job. doesn't really have anything to do with the surgery.. but i'll try to post more about it later. hard to believe surgery is only 3 weeks away

Thanks Pookie I'm sure you will do great! Started a countdown til surgery???

It was a large egg Jiff, and I think the the 3 oz was a bit much, better to stick to 2 oz. I screwed up, you dont' think that stretched my tummy do you?? LOL, am I annoying you yet with this??

What do you mean counting the Isopure as 2 servings each? It takes me forever to drink 1 bottle, like 2 to 3 hours. I have to force myself to pick the bottle up and drink it. Only got 1 bottle in today, NOT looking forward to trying another one.

New Job??? What new job? And is it your plastic surgery in three weeks? Are you not posting, or am I not reading? I haven't heard about a new job, and exactly what surgery are you having?

misty... you have a LONG way to go before you get annoying.. and no. one episode of eating a bit too much won't do anything to your pouch. but i hope you are learning to pay attention to the 'i'm full' signals. some folks don't actually get that, and they have to literally measure their food for awhile so that they can get used to the correct portions.

peachie didn't have that problem. and come to think of it, neither did i.

stick to the rules: eat for only 20 minutes. and if you don't finish it, toss it out.

as for the 20 vs 40 grams of protein. for now, view 1/2 bottle as a MEAL. so drink it. let's give you 30 minutes to drink half of it. put the top back on and refrigerate it. haul it out in about 2-3 hours and drink the other half or eat something.

and in between drink water. crystal light. diet snapple. tea. iced tea. whatever non-bubbly no cal stuff you're drinking.

yes, it's not easy to schedule everything. but i promise you that it'll get easier.

now barb. i haven't been posting much, so you haven't been missing a whole lot.

the '3 weeks to surgery' is for pookie.. that's when she's having the bypass.

my plastic surgery is being delayed because my mean pcp hasn't written the letter of medical necessity, despite several requests. and because of last week's 'diagnosis by office manager' after i had an infection from a tick bite [maybe rocky mountain spotted fever, but we're not sure], i have officially changed pcps. so that'll happen.

but the OTHER thing is the NEW JOB.. remember that company that's been talking to me for EVER????? they finally got off their butts. actually, apparently what happened was that they were planning to start a new department and were discusssing [for MONTHS] how they were going to staff/run it. and the CEO finally SCREAMED; 'JUST GET JIFFY IN HERE!!!' and the VP of human resources RAN to her assistant to get the email sent before anyone could change his mind!!!!

and they made me an official offer, complete with papers to sign. and so, this is my last week at this awful job. you know, the one in which everyone is now panicking at the thought of me leaving??!!!! the one that hasn't given me a raise in 2 years? the one for which i work a minimum of 50 hours per week? the one that hasn't let me take a vacation in 2 years????

so that's all the news. i think.

egg trivia: large egg = 3 grams of protein. xlarge= 6 grams of protein, jumbo= 9 grams of protein

Thank You very much Jiff for all the info. This is harder than I thought, but I can do it, and I must be one of those people who will have to measure their food til I get all the signals!

Good luck on the new job! And thanks for the egg trivia, very interesting!

Yes, you can stretch your pouch by drinking. Just drink slowly over a longer time period and you should be fine. We really do need to drink.

Penny

All I do is drink, it's hard to make the time to eat.