Woulda, Shoulda Coulda's

[KAS1971 0]

My banding is this Tuesday.. I think I picked up most of the basics needed for when I get home Gas Ex, found the heating pad, food wise I think I'm good. Anything you realized the 1st few days home something you found you needed or would have helped

[honk 780]

I was not on perscription pain killers so I took liquid Tylenol. Had to stop on the way home and buy some. Buy two bottles because you run through it pretty quickly. Keep in mind I was not in as much pain as some. But it can be hard to sit up from laying down the first couple days.

[jalomum 1]

Soluble fibre was my best friend post op!!

and I recommend keeping the oxygen mask on as long as possible after surgery, apparently the higher levels of oxygen in your blood makes it quicker and easier for your body to absorb the excess carbon dioxide they pump in during the op. That tip was from some nurse friends, I kept mine on almost until I was discharged, the day after the op and I had no shoulder pain so I figured it worked, mind you I was doing laps of the wards as soon as I could stand up so it may have been either or both that prevented any pains.

Good luck

[Nicole74 4]

plenty of pillows!! I friggin surrounded myself with pillows at night under by belly, behind my back, between my legs and 2 under my head! it kept me so comfortable at night and oh yea my handy dandy Magic Bullet..Im in week 6 so I dont use it much anymore but the first couple weeks I used it all the time.

[sharcorb 0]

Really recommend an abdominal band. I had trouble getting up and down, and even rolling over at night that first night. Wore the band about 4 days and then didn't need it anymore, but sure was glad I had it!

Good luck! Sharon

[vlp1968 83]

I read somewhere to bring a small pillow to put between you and the seatbelt for the ride home. I did it and was comfortable in the car.

[kelsey94568 0]

Keep your Vicodin handy! Wow when I was a couple weeks post op, I remember eating soft foods and the sharp pain in my left shoulder that came soon after. I still get this pain from time to time when I overeat, but it's duller than it was right after surgery. Also, I recommend something to wrap around your abdomen, I used a large ace bandage for a couple weeks. For some reason the pressure it created made it bareable for me to leave the house.

[illuminationlady 7]

Really recommend an abdominal band. I had trouble getting up and down, and even rolling over at night that first night. Wore the band about 4 days and then didn't need it anymore, but sure was glad I had it!

Good luck! Sharon

My doctor gave me one of these and I wore it for 2 weeks. He recommends it for port flippage. He has NEVER had any ports that he places flip. I also needed a pillow for the ride home and the liquid Adult strength Tylenol. It helped a lot! Best wishes on your journey...

[Jinky 0]

Liquid Tylenol amd plenty of broth.

Good Luck!

[eadreel 0]

Ice packs with cloth covers (or wrapped in a tea towel). They helped with some of the abdominal internal swelling and discomfort.

Personally I did my grocery shopping before surgery. I got some ice pops and fudge bars that were sugar free, only they had sugar alcohols in them and after surgery I got the side effect of ingesting those. So I am basically eating ice chips instead of popsicles.

If you don't have it, a hand held shower head in case you have an accident and don't make it to a toilet (sometimes you just can't move fast enough).

I also took off my bandages after 48 hours and one of the steri-strips was stuck to the bandage, so I had to have hubby go get butterfly bandages (the nurse OKed that) and the nurse told me to stay out of the shower for a few more days! So moral of the story, leave the bandages alone until you absolutely have to leave the house and HAVE to take a shower for decency's sake.

I also was unable to do anything close to the floor for a few days. It hurt to crouch or bend over, so I couldn't feed the cats or clean the litter box or pick up anything (clothes, shoes, books) off the floor (that's what hubbies are for).

Also, if you have pets that like to crawl on you, don't sleep where they can ambush you. It hurts like the dickens.

And super loose clothing across the ab area. I wore denim for the first time 6 days after surgery and it hurt bad! (I got 7 incisions).

And two or three boxes of gas-x strips. I went through the first box the first two days and had to send hubby for more.

And BEFORE you leave the surgery ward, call where your prescription is and MAKE sure they can and will fill it for you.

I was released after close of business and after a grueling hour ride on bad roads, the pharmacy wouldn't fill it because they needed more info from my doc, so my first night home was painful. I should have gotten the script a couple of days before surgery, so we wouldn't have had to go after the surgery.

Out of EVERYTHING that was the WORST thing that has happened so far.