Maggie143

@@brookebonic Im 11 days post op. Doing fine with liquids but still have pain. Mostly left lower side. Kinda grabs me and takes my breath away sometimes. My post op is Thurs so just going to wait till then to see dr. Other than that and my drain I feel good. The drain should come out Thurs too Yay!
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Getting mine Thursday, not sure what time yet. Was officially approved by insurance by letter. The pre-surgical diet isn't bad. So anxious!
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I should probably ask my dietician about it tomorrow. Her materials give goals (for each day of the first two weeks) of 48-64 oz Water (or other noncaloric fluid) and 3-4 Protein Shakes (about 200 calories and 30 grams Protein each). If we hit those we can have sugar-free Jello, SF pudding, broth Soups or plain greek yogurt in small amounts. And then in a summary section it says that will get us to about 700-900 calories [i misremembered, it's not 1000] and 100+ grams of Protein daily.
I think she will tell me to ignore the calorie count, and just stick to counting Water ounces and protein grams.

I don't have any calorie goals, jus supposed to focus on liquids to avoid hydration. I think 1000 calories would be impossible to meet. In fact my plan for first three weeks does mention calories.

I was looking up information yesterday on Phrenic nerve pain and learned that the heat will work. It comes and goes as we drink/eat stretching our new stomach pouches and forcing the gas up. So they recommended warm tea, warm heat, etc. So my warm shower and tea did the trick. So happy I know how to deal with it now. Woop woop...

YAY, Maggie! Very good to know.

Mine was the 21st as well!

(Hope I didn't already comment that! )

Sunshines, don't focus on "what if" because that just creates anxiety. I am Day 3 post op and doing well. No pain in hospital because they gave me meds thru iv. That allowed me to walk a lot the first night which is important.
I have also not had any nausea. They put a patch behind my ear. I swallowed my blood pressure whole with no problems. I am having to force myself to get in liquids which is strange. Only pain I have is in my belly from incisions when I stand up or sit down. Even that is better today.

Good to know the belly pain will be a distant memory soon. I burp a lot too.
Sounds like you are well on your way to success.

My date is set for the June 29th and I am really excited but also a little nervous!
Thanks to all here who have posted that it's not so awful... I have this fear I will be a terrible patient and a big baby when it comes to the pain after! We shall see
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YOU BRAGGART! hahaha... but seriously, way to "go"!
Maggie, I tried something else for gas pain: a heating pad on my back. I do have far less pain today but I don't know if it's related to using the pad today. I saw the tip on a gallbladder post-op board. Worth trying? Maybe ok on your tummy too, as long as not on the incisions.

Another day another poop!!!
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Pretty good now. I had a rough go at first with the pain but I'm doing better now. I'm trying to figure out when I'll return to work. How are you?
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Lucky duck! No crushing, I wonder why? I think I should just try and swallow that thing anyway. Its so gross. Good for you with the kitchen remodel. I think I want to see pics of that too! Hope its awesome.

My surgeon ordered me to not crush pills but I sure wanted to. It went down fine. Good luck with your contractor. I have a kitchen remodel starting monday. Bad timing but I don't have to do anything more.

How are things?

My surgery was the 20th.
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Thanks maggie. Good to be able to share. I had a coughing spell in middle of the night. Thanks for reminding me of the Spiro meter as that should help.
They gave me a nice cold pack for the swelling. Just took a pretty pill with no repercussions. Yeah.
Glad you are doing well! But sorry you are having waves of gas. My stomach and intestines are in a competitive rumbling contest.

Maggie, I haven't found any cure for the "gas waves," although walking around is supposedly getting the gas out. My doc says that because it's gas in the body cavity (not the gut) gas-X or similar medicines won't help. Just knowing it's "only" gas has helped me focus less on it.
Here're my notes so far:
I was sleeved June 22 at 2pm.
2 hours post-surgery, in the hospital:
I'm tired (moving slowly) and dry-mouthed (from the anesthesia - went away after 36 hours - otherwise ok. Walking the hospital floor (wheeling along my IV), peeing, no nausea. I'm not in pain, really, more a torso soreness with a rolling wave that my brain interprets as... Hunger! Ironic, huh? I am very hungry! (I later figured out that this was just gas.). I'm on IV fluids but will be focusing today on drinking enough, just to keep practicing. It's hard, going sip by sip. (I could probably have taken bigger sips of Water but I was afraid I'd vomit if I overfilled my newly small stomach.) The worst part so far of this whole process was the fasting the day before surgery.
24 hours post-surgery, after a mandatory overnight in the hospital:
I am home, tired but enjoying my own couch. (Nothing like the tiredness of post-childbirth. More like after a bout of flu.). Sipping and napping. Still having that sort-of achy occasional wave of pain in stomach, not bad but my brain keeps translating as hunger. Weird. (Again, this was gas.) Had some nice broth with unflavored Protein in it, after 2 similar meals earlier in the hospital.
48 hours post-surgery:
I haven't needed the painkillers or anti-nausea meds. I do feel sore "deep" in my stomach, not in the incisions though. Not noticeable unless I stand up. Still have gas, feels like a pregnancy contraction but higher up. I went for a mile walk at noon and had no problems, although I was moving a little slowly. Did a second mile walk in evening. Felt strong and clear-headed. I didn't want to go crazy and run, but walking was no effort. Did laundry and dishes earlier. In a pinch I could have gone to work - brain not fuzzy at all. Focusing on sip-sip sipping... Was able to meet my Protein (33oz) and Water (36oz) minimums, but just barely. Not hungry at all but I definitely wanted something to eat when it was dinnertime - I haven't missed a meal in years until the recent fast day. So I had chicken broth while my family had chicken pot pie.
70 hours post-surgery: gas pain much better. I am now in One-Derland! (So, 3 pounds lost since surgery. Maybe more; I could still be swollen.). Today going to run some errands (I haven't taken any painkillers since the hospital so I'm safe to drive). Will keep up the walking. Will go back to work Monday (I don't have to, but I want to - I'm getting bored at home).
Tips:
1. Definitely take the Emend anti-nausea pill, an hour or two before surgery, if prescribed by your surgeon. I balked at the co-pay - $50 for one pill?! - but a new research study says it really cuts dehydration and nausea, on average cutting almost 7 hours from your hospital stay. My nursing team says it makes a huge difference in reducing nausea. So I took it, and had no nausea.
2. Set up your bed at home (with lots of pillows so you can sleep sitting up partially), Protein shakes in the fridge, nightlight, water bottle, barf bowl, good book etc, before you leave for the hospital. You won't want to be stooping and reaching post-op. Consider sleeping on your first floor if your bedroom is up a flight of stairs (although I have stairs and didn't move my bed - everyone's different).
3. In hospital, focus on getting sleep/rest rather than tons of water yet. Your IV will be hydrating you. That dry mouth is from anesthesia, not dehydration.
4. Wear no-skid socks in hospital to prevent falling when you walk around. You'll be pulling along an IV stand and not steady yet.
5. Once you are home (even for the car going home), fill a clear water bottle and mark with a rubber band where you "should" have drunk down to, by four hours from now or whatever. I have 2 small clear mixer bottles I'm using for this, one with water and one with a shake, that have ounce measurement lines on the side.
6. At home: focus on water more than Protein Shakes. You will get dehydrated faster than you will protein-deprived.
7. Don't let the cats jump onto your belly like I did. Ow, incisions!
8. You may want savory options instead of all sweet Protein drinks. Buy chicken broth and add unflavored Protein powder to it. Just don't heat it to boiling because the protein with denature.
9. I'm a single parent so I loaded up the fridge and freezer with meals my teen could make for herself, since I didn't know if I'd feel like cooking. This might be worthwhile even if there's a second parent in your home.
10. Stand up straight when you walk, and take a few deep breaths. This is supposed to help fully inflate the lungs and avoid pneumonia. It also makes you feel less like an invalid.
Knock wood, but I think this is all going well! Next 2 challenges may be:
1. The first post-op bowel movement. I've heard it's a struggle.
2. Lasting 2 weeks on this liquid-only nutrition phase. It's gonna get old. But at 2 weeks I should graduate to puréed foods. Mmm, puréed curry lentils and creamy Soups and eggs...

My incisions hurt at first too. Especially where the hernia was. I am 5 days in and my incisions do not hurt anymore and I'm sleeping on two pillows in the bed. Do not push yourself. Take your time and don't over do it. Its a life time so you have time! So happy no gas pains for you! I am still having intermittent gas in left shoulder but do get "the wave" that comes up my stomach and doesn't feel so good. Thats coming with extra drinking (too fast and getting in too much to quick) Most embarrassed of the farting lol. Do your spirometer too. It really does help. Try not to nap late afternoon so you sleep at night at home. Glad you are doing good!

Suzzzz - thinking of you. Hope you are doing ok. Get your sleep in!

Maggie, "the wave" is a great way to describe those gas pains! At first I thought it was nausea or hunger, but nope.

Good luck everyone!!

Doing ok. Working on fluids.my belly is swollen and the incisions hurt when standing up. Surgeon said my hiatal hernia was larger than he thought so it took almost as much time as sleeve. I keep burping but no referred gas pains. Yeah!
Can't wait to be thru this initial stage.

Hi there- Had my surgery on Tuesday. Slowly progressing. I'm here if you need a buddy as you go along. Nice to have locals to talk to and it would be nice to get some people together now and then in person to share and keep each other on track. Keep me posted on your progress and if you have any questions, I can try to help. In the mean time take excellent care of yourself as that will help you for the big day!