The first month after the surgery----I need answers

[TX HS FB Coach 0]

I am a high school football coach and I am getting the sleeve on July 26. I am scheduled to begin practices on Aug. 9th. I am trying to get an idea of what my condition will be like. Can anyone help me with these questions--

1. How many days after the surgery will I feel pain and how intense is it?

2. Will I be able to walk around the first few days?

3. How weak will I feel during the 2 week liquids only period post-op?

[Emma2389 0]

I'm 2 weeks out of the hospital for Gastric Sleeve. I had it on the 29th of June. I am still feeling some slight pain when I move certain ways, and some dizzyness when I am in humidity or excessive heat.

My pain didn't stop being constant until about a week ago. But I can't sit in certain positions, and laughing hurts.

The only time my pain is real intense is when I sit too long. Then it feels like my skin is ripping apart.

I was up walking around the day of my surgery, but not a lot. Every four hours to be exact. My doctor wanted me to be mobile as much as possible, but if I get tired or dizzy to sit down and relax for a bit.

The liquid diet has been a big difficulty for me. My mother also had the surgery and she didn't seem to have as much trouble as me, so its basically a case by case thing. I don't feel weak at all, but its mentally draining. Mentally I'm starving but physically I don't feel any hunger at all.

Hope that helps and GOOD LUCK!!!

Edited July 10, 2010 by Emma2389

[mommytoethan 1]

I can only speak from my own experience..... and i'm almost a month out.

1. i felt minimal pain for about 3-4 days. it wasn't major. in fact, i never took any pain meds.

2. yes, you should be able to walk around. i was up walking around just a few hrs after surgery. i came home the day after surgery and walked around even more. just listen to your body - rest when you feel like you need to. walking helps with gas pains too (if you have them)

3. i didn't really feel weak during the liquid diet. i found the more Protein i got in, the more that helped from feeling weak. however, be aware that you will probably not be able to get all your Water and all your Protein in the first few days after surgery. i was maybe getting in half. it's okay.

good luck with your upcoming surgery!!

[texaschick 0]

I was about the same as mommytoethan. Minimal pain, never took pain meds, laughing and getting up from a sitting or lying position was somewhat painful, but by no means unbearable. If you are going to be out in the texas heat you will really need to be working on getting your liquids in and as much as possible. I was OK to be up and moving, but I occasionally wanted a nap. I am not sure what your post op diet looks like, but talk to your doc about (water based) Protein Shakes early out. I called my doc on day 5 and asked if I could start with one a day, and he okayed it. That made all the difference in the world in my energy level. I used the Myoplex carb control RTD shakes. Sometimes I blended them with a small chunk of frozen banana for the potassium. Talk it all over with your doc.

[Stacy160 201]

Hi, and welcome!

From my own experience:

1. How many days after the surgery will I feel pain and how intense is it?

My abs felt like I'd done a thousand situps for the first couple of days. I only had sharper pain right at the main incision site for about 3 days, and only when going from lying to sitting or sitting to standing. On a pain scale I'd give that about a 6/10, but it only lasted for a few seconds. At day four it was minimal, and by a week out, all pain and even soreness were 100% gone, except for some very mild tenderness if I purposely poked myself around the incisions to test it.

2. Will I be able to walk around the first few days?

You'll be walking around the same day as your surgery! I was out grocery shopping three days post.

3. How weak will I feel during the 2 week liquids only period post-op?

I didn't feel weak so much as tired, but that may have been from lazing around the house so much. I have a fairly physical job and went back to work at ten days out with no problem. I did start feeling somewhat fatigued around the 4-6 week mark, but that was more feeling like I needed a nap in the afternoon that an all-around dragginess.

You won't want to be lifting a bunch of heavy equipment for the first few weeks, but as long as you can get assistants and kids to handle all that, you shouldn't have a problem. Good luck and keep us updated as you go along!

[lillita 18]

I had surgery June 29th and I can only speak for me... But, I had zero pain. Never had to take any pain meds at the hospital or home. Came home the next day and that Friday I was at the beach for a field trip with my son's summer camp group.. I can sleep on my sides (no stomach, of course). It has been wonderful (knock on wood).

The only thing I am experiencing right now is tons of heartburn!! I hate it! I haven't experienced it since I was pregnant. I take 2 zantac daily and yesterday had to take tums (which didn't help).

Honestly, it has been wonderful. The most difficult part is the mourning for food. I know they didn't remove my taste buds but it almost feels like I don't have that love of food as I used to. I have two small children and it is hard watching them eat food I considered at one point to be delicious and now... I am like, whatever but at the same time I yearn for the want that I had before that was only satisfied with food. Does that make sense? For me, it has been more of a psychological thing rather than physical.

[LAN2k 18]

The Pain varies surgery to surgery, case by case, persn to person. Assuming all goes well, (best wishes to you BTW), you'll need to heal for a couple of weeks before being really active. I don't think you should need to be on pain meds for more than a few days...After your incisions close, and heal you will still be healing on the inside so the most important thing is NOT to lift anything more than 15lbs. Don't do anything that could risk a leak. Other than that keeping active and walking will be very helpful to the healing process and also it should help you adjust mentally to the lifestyle food consumption changes. Just be sure to keep yourself hydrated throughout!

[chellebelle0880 0]

just watch out for sneezing! I would cuss like a sailor when I sneezed for the first two weeks, that is the most painful thing i remember........

[educationrulz 18]

I think your biggest problem might be the heat. I live in the Hotlanta area and at almost 3 weeks out the heat still knocks me out. I think it's probably more humid here than in Texas, so not sure what role that plays in it. But, I have had several occasions where I felt like I was going to faint if I was hot for too long and I am NOT the faintin' type. That lightheaded, dizzy feeling is not cool.

So, going back into football practice mode will probably require you to put your pride aside in some cases and delegate things to others. Don't be ashamed to just plop down in a chair every now and then! Also, being on a liquid diet for 2 weeks will require that you be proactive with Water and Protein drinks. Get some sample packs and ready to drinks, but don't taste them till after surgery. Then, you can focus on the ones you like the best. Take a well stocked cooler to practice everyday.

That being said, this is all very individual as others have said. I reacted totally differently than I thought I would. I've always bounced back quickly and been up and at 'em, but that wasn't the case for me with this surgery. I've had to learn to slow down and adapt quite a bit. But, at almost 3 weeks out I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel...FINALLY!

[lmmore 0]

I didn't feel good for the first week. At all. Then I was tired for a couple weeks after that. It just depends on your body.

[wannalise 15]

I didn't have pain. I did have quite a bit of nausea for a couple weeks. I think the biggest difficulty I had (and I've read several other threads who also struggled) was staying hydrated the first few weeks. I had to set timers to drink every 15 minutes and couldn't get much down at that point. Now I can drink pretty normally.

[jerryvic 3]

I, like several others that have replied to you, did not require any pain medications. I was walking two hours after surgery (I should say I wobbled two hours after surgery not having totally recovered from the anesthesia). I had the SILS surgery (single incision laproscopic surgery) which is about a 1 1/2" incision at the belly button which I think helped in rapid recovery.

I only had soreness, especially in getting out of bed, but it was not bad. I think you will be fine to resume your semi-normal activities but like others I suggest you "sip,sip,sip" and DO NOT DO ANY LIFTING of objects for about 3-4 weeks.

I felt as weak as a sick puppy for a couple of weeks but it was nothing which I now think is one of the greatest inventions, the NAP, can't cure.

Good luck on your upcoming season. Go ________s!!! (you fill in the blank)

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I had basically NO pain. I took pain medication at night for the first week just to help me sleep. I had the easiest surgery, but I have no health issues, so I think that made a difference. It hurt when I would cough and I avoided sneezing for about two weeks! =) I am into my fifth week, it's been great, I took an afternoon nap for the first three weeks, it IS major surgery, you do get tired easily, keep that in mind, do not over-do. Take care of yourself, it is difficult to get your liquid in. First think I do in the mornings, from the beginning is get a glass of skim milk, I started out with a half cup and am up to a full 8 oz now. I discovered Atkins ready to drink tastes good, and it has 15 grams of Protein, so that helps with getting protein in. The 'bullets' from GNC are only 3.4 oz - I sip them straight...I don't like them, but they're 42 grams of protein so i can manage to get one down throughout the day. If you can get in your protein, it helps with healing and losing weight. Also, a heating pad that first 7 days or so really helps when you're sitting around the house. I really felt remarkably good after surgery....good luck to you. The sun zaps you, I'm a Native Texan and my father in law was a football coach, pace yourself! =)

[ADS 0]

I'm only 10 days out, but here are a couple of things I thought you might want to know:

- As the others said, I was up and around walking by that afternoon.

- As a few others have mentioned, the heat seems to be a big issue. When I am in the heat too long (which can be as little as 15-20 minutes, depending on temperature), I get really dizzy. That is the only time I get dizzy. And it doesn't matter if I am consistently drinking cold Water or I'm in the shade, I still get dizzy in the heat.

- Although I didn't have nausea, during my pre-op meeting my surgeon he said that 40% of patients have a lot of nausea after sleeve surgery.

- As for how much pain you have, it varies from person to person as the others have said, BUT one thing that will determine how much pain you have is where your surgeon puts the incisions. My surgeon put my largest/main incision (where he extracted the stomach) in the crease between my upper and lower roll of fat. Now, when I walk and my stomach moves, the incision hurts because the skin stretches and contracts. It is the only place where I sitll have pain. Overall, I had pain for the first five days post-op, but on day 3 I was able to cut my pain pill dosage in half.

- My surgeon also prohibited me from lifting anything over 5 lbs during the first three weeks and anything over 10 lbs until the completion of week six.

Good luck!!

[timmy.in.tenn 0]

Coach,

I am a 44year old male that had absolutely no problems at all. I was up 2 hours after surgery and walked laps around all the nurses stations checking them out......they were all so nice and friendly. I took it easy for 2 or 3 days and then I had enough of the resting and I decided to mow my 3 acres of grass. Weed eated and did about 5 hours of yard work.......like the others had said..I did not feel week just a little tired. I had absloutely no pain at all ....ever! The only discomfort I had was when they pulled the cathera out of my pecker.......that part didnt hurt.....it was trying to pee in a cup for them to measure. I felt the need to pee.......but my body was not letting it flow. it took a couple of hours and then everthing started flowing bigtime.

You will be fine......your a fb coach.......dont listen to these other sissy's! lol:thumbup: