Aloha everyone!

[cajun 46]

Hi, Cajun! Thank you so much for your reply. I am getting close to my surgery and you are really being an angel by answering my questions. I tried talking to my daughter about her lapband surgery to kinda get an idea of what to expect, but her thing is "Don't worry. You'll be fine."

That is really nice to know about the little burps and I think I would have been like you. Swallow to make it do down. Thank you so much.

If you would, Cajun...How was the "ordeal of drinking the barium" to see if there was a leak? I was told during our pre-surgery meeting that it is about six ounces and doesn't have a good taste but it is necessary. Being that the VSG was just performed, can you swallow the barium one time or do you have to "baby the drink".

P.S. Sorry that I am not answering right away but I also take care of granchildren and my invalid hubby on a daily basis. But I'm here and look forward to your help. Mahalo (Thank you)

U'i,

It's not so bad really. The apple juice flavored dye (Water soluble, not really barium) was a 6 ounce glass and I was told to drink it in one hour on the day after surgery. I almost finished it, one tiny sip/burp at a time...it was sweet/sour and kinda strong but not unbearable. Then the next day I drank a different Water soluble dye, about two sips only, and watched the flouroscopy take pictures of it going through my sleeve. It tasted nastier than the other stuff but it was just 2 small sips so tolerable.

I really think those liquids had the laxative effect, causing the "purple peacock poop" for several days after i got home. Cleaned me out really good! Really, those events were not so hard.

The hardest day for me was day two when I was feeling good and walking all around, not asking for pain medicine because I 'felt good", but then it hit me in the afternoon...I had a "meltdown", was hurting and nauseated all of a sudden. I received pain medication and nausea medication immediately when I asked for it, but should have asked for some sooner...it was my own fault. Just thought I was invincible I guess. We nurses are the worst patients!

[u'i 0]

Thanks, Cajun/Norma/Oregondaisy. Just what I wanted to know and then some. I think now I'm feeling a little better having you guys answer some of my questions. Again, thank you.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

You're welcome. Like I said, we are all always happy to help!

[Malaika 50]

Dr Aceves didn't use barium as the risk of it leaking into the body if there is a leak. He used Methylene blue and then the fluoscope was used with the x ray hidrosoluble liquid. The taste of the blue stuf was disguised with apple juice in 4 dixie cups that we drank over the period of an hour. The xray hidrosoluble was two gulps that we were encouraged to drink in big gulps. That stuff was bitter but over in a short time.

Actually the blue drink was nothing more than apple juice with blue vegetable dye added - I watched Yolanda and Lucy "mix" up a batch when Bearded had his surgery.