katyb

I haven't had a period in years (thanks, Mirena!) but a few days post op I was spotting. Not even enough for a tampon, though.

Tomorrow is my "2 week followup," 18 days out! Which means 4 extra days of liquids, but oh well. I'm steadily losing a pound a day, feeling GREAT, and sometimes I forget I even had the surgery!

I felt good about 5 or 6 days out. I'm 9 days out now and I forget at times that I've had it. I feel fantastic, except for the actual incisions and the allergic reaction I had to the dermabond.

Tomorrow, I'll be one week out and am going stir crazy. I'm staying with my parents while I recuperate, but think I may lose my mind if I stay here all day with my passive-aggressive chain smoking father. I'm off the pain meds, except at night. I flop around all night, so a dose of lortab keeps my acrobatics from hurting and waking me up. During the day, my pain level is less than a 1/10. Did anyone else drive (without significant pain or other issues) a week out?

Did anyone have issues with headaches immediately post-op? I'm four days out and have a killer headache today. Other than dehydration, what has caused this for anyone?

I could actually use some 18's. What's left, and what do you want for them?

I have to be at the hospital in about an hour and a half, with surgery to begin about 2 hours after that. After the date changing 3 times and a million stressors, it's time! Wish me luck! I'll update as soon as I feel able to.

That sounds awful! I know when I did it, it was the most pain I've experienced post-op, ever!

I think I've narrowed it down to the Zofran. I've been taking it every 6 hours as prescribed, and headaches are one of the common side effects. I didn't start getting the headaches until they started me on orally dissolving Zofran, rather than the IV Zofran. I'm gonna try the breathing trick, though!

My mom actually lives in Silsbee, but no one has ever heard of that place, so it's easier to say Beaumont!

Jello is actually the only thing that's made me want to throw up so far! The hospital loved to give Carnation Instant Breakfast, but I could only get about 1oz of that down before it was repulsing me. I've been drinking a ton of Crystal Light and ice water. Pudding, in minuscule increments, is agreeing with me. Danactiv light is GREAT, at least so far. It's not sugar free, but only has 4gm of sugar. For a soothing liquid, with protein and one that's lightweight, it seems like a winner. It's just 3 ounces, so that takes me about 35 minutes, at this point at least.

I'm always willing to give as much detail as anyone wants! It was the more minor details that I wanted before surgery and wasn't able to get. I'm having to remind myself to let my thighs do all the work with movement. I have super toned hamstrings and quads for a reason, so I may as well make use of them! Don't try to be "brave" and wait for the pain to be unbearable before you accept meds or push the button on the pump. Accept the Zofran (or whatever anti-nausea meds they offer) on their schedule. It's so much easier to stay ahead of the nausea instead of trying to fix it once you have it. Walk, walk, walk! But don't push it too far. We made a stop at Walmart to pick up a couple of post-op necessities, and I thought I'd be smart and just walk. No way. I ended up having to have my mom go get me one of those carts. And don't be dumb like me and try to sit up using your core muscles! That's not fun at all!

I'm day 4 post-op and was released from the hospital earlier today. I honestly feel GREAT. I am being hyper cautious, though. I was off my pain pump on day 2, and using liquid lortab for pain. They sent me home with 2 HUGE bottles of the stuff. The Zofran has kept any nausea at bay, and I've been taking dissolved Nexium. I had ONE twinge of gas pains on day 2, but that was it. NOTHING like the pain from the band. I'm able to get in and out of the hospital bed and my living room furniture on my own. I haven't attempted my bed yet, since it's rather high. I've been walking a ton and sipping water/drinkable yogurt/some sort of crystal light nonstop. Tomorrow, I have a 5 hour drive to the Beaumont area so my mom can keep an eye on my while I'm recovering. I'm able to get 5 oz of liquid in each hour if I really push myself. I usually end up sleeping, instead.

Today is more sore, but I'm working on getting fluids in. I didn't realize how much of a chore it would be!

Today, I'm still feeling pretty good. It's still pretty uncomfortable when I stand to walk, like there is some internal pulling, but I can manage. It's not awful. I think I've only gotten pain meds twice today.

Yes, I am using the 1 oz cups. The 5 cups per hour is the goal so I can go home! I had an issue with jello earlier and almost threw it up, so I'm just being extremely careful. I feel like I'm not getting enough though.

How long did it take for you to drink a medicine cup of liquids in your first few days post op? What about the days and weeks after that? They want me to be drinking 5 medicine cups each hour, but im struggling to just get 3.

I may just be babying it too much. It's taking me more like 20 minutes.

Thanks! They just came in to wake me up and remove the drain. I can HONESTLY say that it hasn't hurt much at all. Where my port was is pretty painful, but he said it in there WELL. They're talking about removing me from the IV tonight and sending me home tomorrow! So far, I'm thrilled with the staff here.

I've been on the pain pump, but they just switched me to lortab. And my surgeon ended up starting me on full liquids instead of clears!

Swallow study went well. Now I'm waiting for a tray of clears. I'm feeling discomfort but no real pain. I'm just now beginning to feel the slightest gas pains.

Swallow study in about 45 minutes, then I get a wonderful, amazing, lovely tray of clear liquids! Pray the swallow study goes well!

Oh gosh, now that I'm awake more (from that particular nap) I realize how much effort my last post took to make! I honestly can't say enough at this point how good I feel, considering that I just had most of my stomach cut out. Hopefully the second day isn't worse. I've already been walking walking walking and had to convince the night nurse (who wasn't here when I got out of surgery) that my surgery was in fact today, not a day or two ago. Thanks for the wishes and prayers, guys!

I've been out of surgery for several hours now. My surgeon said it was more difficult (band to sleeve revision) than he anticipated. Tons of scar tissue and the band was up around my esophagus, which explains why I was vomiting so much with it. As far as pain, I'm in MUCH less pain, especially gas pain, than with the band. I've already been walking around, I'm just super tired, thanks to the pain pump. Since the surgery was more difficult than planned, I have to have a swallow study in the morning before I can drink Water. I may also end up staying in the hospital through the weekend. Hopefully this is the worst of it!

I'm concerned about this too. I'm recuperating at my mom's house, but I'll have to drive 5 hours back to San Antonio for my 2 week follow up.