Happy New Year everyone!

I am seeing my surgeon on 1/25/10 and should find out my surgery date at that time. But I still have some questions.

If anyone can post how you felt after surgery and your recovery, that would be great. I have concerns about pain and nausea.

Is the pain like gas pains? ( had my gall bladder out and I remember that tight bloated feeling)

Are you soar around your port area?

Can you lay on your stomach after healing, or do you feel your port when you lay on your tummy?

After recovery, did you feel hungry?

I know this sounds pretty stupid, I was laying in bed last night thinking about it and these questions are what stood out in my head.

I am excited about doing this, I have been overweight all of my life and I have three young children and I want to enjoy life, more than I do now.

I would appreciate any feed back. I hope everyone had a happy and safe new year!

Melissa

Melissa, that's what we're here for! I am 2 weeks and 2 days post op so I'm still new to this. I had my surgery on a Wednesday and went home Thursday, took very little pain medication while in the hospital (I'd take a hit before I got up and walked). If I was laying in the bed I was fine, once I was up I was fine. It was the act of getting out of bed that hurt (not terribly but very similar to how you felt after your gallbladder surgery) then once I was up I was fine again. I was sleeping on my tummy by night three, at first with a pillow propped under 1 side to support some of the weight, now flat on my tummy. My surgeon apparently puts the port deeper than some others and I can't feel it at all when I'm laying down, I have to really search to find it at all actually. I did have 3-4 days of that "bloated pressury gassy feeling" but my docs nurse had told me to smuggle gas-x into the hospital and I lived off of it for about 4 days and I think it saved my life...that and move, walking, stretching, the more I did, the better I felt. I was back at work (tired) the following Monday. I haven't had any nausea at all. The first week I never felt hungry, then on day seven I woke up starving and stayed that way for a week THEN I got moved up to mushies and now I'm fine, I can get satisfied on the mushy stuff and stay that way for a couple hours. I can eat more than I am supposed to but much less than I would have previously and I can gulp water with no problem but I've continued to lose weight so that's all that matters! My first fill is on Jan. 12 so hopefully that'll reduce the amount I can eat a bit.

Like I said I'm 16 days post op and can do pretty much anything I want. I have to remind myself I can't pick up my five year old because I actually forget I just had this done. I feel great, almost had a pair of pants fall off this week at work, and am slowly learning how to not think about food 24/7...that has been the weirdest part for me. I think I've spent my life planning what I would eat next. This morning I sat down to a breakfast 1/2 the size of what I would have normally ate and couldn't finish it...it's an amazing feeling. I have no regrets except wishing I'd done it 2 years ago! Take care and don't worry too much! And ask away! That's why we're here

Thank you so much for the info! That helps so much. I too feel the same way about food "what am I going to eat next" I has been my best friend, and until now I realized that that this best friend is not doing me good!

Please keep me posted on how your first fill goes. I cant wait to get where you are right now! Congrats on the wieght loss ...and happy loosing!!!

Melissa

Melissa, do not worry it is not that bad and yes it will have that gas feel but goes away within a week. I would not say I had pain but discomfort. Rolling in bed is a difficult at first with the stomach not wanting to be pulled on. I am 5 mos out and 75# lighter. The hardest still is being prepared for what you can eat because that can change from day to day. So be prepared with several options. It might like egg one day and not the next; I also got tired of cold eggs because you can not eat quickly so keep that in mind. Watch spices you will have to experiment at first, ketchup is still a no no for me. Good luck.