I'm home from the hospital!!!

[pcindy 8]

I can't belive it. It really happened. I really had it done. After everything we went through, I had my VSG on 8/16, and I'm home. This is SO surreal. Walking the halls of my own hospital this morning at 4 am, saying hi to the night shift. Amazing. My big issue is severe epigastric gurgling when I try to drink anything. Can anyone relate? Jello seems to go down the easiest.

I had a GREAT talk with my surgeon before surgery. He knew I wanted larger than a 32 Bougie, and agreed. He went with a loose 35. I was so relieved. I also asked (since his practice is a leader in natural orifice surgery, and has been removing the fundus of the stomach through the vagina- something I was not interested in), why he couldn't remove the fundus through the esophagus. He said it was funny I should ask, because he had just figured out how to do just that and had done it last week without any problems. I said "let's go for it," and we did. I was spared a major abdominal incision, and my post-op pain has been minimal.

(to those who saw my pre-op post and my concerns about my collegues seeing my ass, as well as the responses of suggestions of what to write ON my ass, a funny thing happened. My husband and I are sitting in pre-op, waiting to go to the OR, when a circulating RN comes by and cheerfully introduces herself, glances at my name and says, "So, Cindy, we're taking out your gall bladder today!" "Err... no we're not!" I respond. She looks quizzically through the chart and says, "Oh! That's his OTHER case! Sorry if I worried you, no problem! :blushing:" My huz and I look at eachother, and I take a pen, and upside down on my abdomen I write: Leave Gall Bladder (take stomach!)."

So, back to post-op discharged me, I'm just doing what I can to get throught the discomfort of these gurgles and get enough Vitamin Water and Jello down as I can. I'm peeing, so, I guess I'm doing ok. Just 3 laproscopic incisions and a drain. I gurgle, burp, drink, gurgle, burp, drink, gurgle... Whoo Hoooo!!!:w00t: I got a Premere Protien shake down pretty easily so I'm going to try for one more.

THanks again, you supportive wonderful bunch! I'm a sleever now!!!!!!!!!!!:001_rolleyes:

An important PS- I credit the ease of my recovery so far to the IMMENSE amount of work I put in at the gym for 6 weeks before hand. I invested in a personal trainer, and focused on strength and functional training (Bosu balls, physio balls medicine balls) all sorts of innovative excercizes designed to strenthen my core to the absolute max, and baby, it has made ALL the difference. For those who are planning this surgery, don't skimp. Give the gift of physical fitness to yourself and you will be SO grateful you did. I actually feel better in some ways 3 days post op, than I did 6 weeks ago before I trained. My doc said that my liver, stomach, and omentum looked really good and made his job easier too. There's my plug.

Edited August 20, 2010 by pcindy

[sleeve 4 me 910]

So awesome!! yayyy for you!!!

[sleeve 4 me 910]

I can't belive it. It really happened. I really had it done. After everything we went through, I had my VSG on 8/16, and I'm home. This is SO surreal. Walking the halls of my own hospital this morning at 4 am, saying hi to the night shift. Amazing. My big issue is severe epigastric gurgling when I try to drink anything. Can anyone relate? Jello seems to go down the easiest.

I had a GREAT talk with my surgeon before surgery. He knew I wanted larger than a 32 Bougie, and agreed. He went with a loose 35. I was so relieved. I also asked (since his practice is a leader in natural orifice surgery, and has been removing the fundus of the stomach through the vagina- something I was not interested in), why he couldn't remove the fundus through the esophagus. He said it was funny I should ask, because he had just figured out how to do just that and had done it last week without any problems. I said "let's go for it," and we did. I was spared a major abdominal incision, and my post-op pain has been minimal.

(to those who saw my pre-op post and my concerns about my collegues seeing my ass, as well as the responses of suggestions of what to write ON my ass, a funny thing happened. My husband and I are sitting in pre-op, waiting to go to the OR, when a circulating RN comes by and cheerfully introduces herself, glances at my name and says, "So, Cindy, we're taking out your gall bladder today!" "Err... no we're not!" I respond. She looks quizzically through the chart and says, "Oh! That's his OTHER case! Sorry if I worried you, no problem! :blushing:" My huz and I look at eachother, and I take a pen, and upside down on my abdomen I write: Leave Gall Bladder (take stomach!)."

So, back to post-op discharged me, I'm just doing what I can to get throught the discomfort of these gurgles and get enough Vitamin Water and Jello down as I can. I'm peeing, so, I guess I'm doing ok. Just 3 laproscopic incisions and a drain. I gurgle, burp, drink, gurgle, burp, drink, gurgle... Whoo Hoooo!!!:w00t: I got a Premere Protien shake down pretty easily so I'm going to try for one more.

THanks again, you supportive wonderful bunch! I'm a sleever now!!!!!!!!!!!:001_rolleyes:

My surgeon just told me I'm getting a size 32 bougie, do you know if that's the smallest size? yikes:svengo:LOL

[pcindy 8]

32 is the standard now. Just tell him/her your concerns. Mine was that A) I want to get pregnant and support a healthy pregnancy without a huge struggle, and that we can always revise to go tighter, but not the other way around. :001_rolleyes: I'm in this for the long haul, I'm working out now, and don't want the weight to drop off hand over fist, but more slowly and surely. I want this to be part of my lifestyle change, not to be locked into a statistically successful bougie number. Both he and his collegue were adamantly inflexible about this until the day of surgery. I was shocked when he capitulated and gave me what I want. I reiturated that I am an ICU RN, well-informed, and with a well-reasoned argument for what I want. He was receptive, thank god. Having said that, and as I already said, 32 is standard (some even do smaller, but I wouldnt!) Have a frank talk, research research, research, and shop around. Good luck!

[Cancel 1]

I just read am article on ABC news about your surgeon using this technique. So it was really good to see someone who has had it. I'm sure mine will just be the regular lap procedure. But it's great to see the progress this surgery is making.

Good luck to you in your new journey and keep us posted.

[laylasmojo 10]

Congrats on getting the surgery, and good for you being your own advocate and getting the size you wanted. But I have just one question... if they took the stomach out through the mouth then why did you have any insions at all???

[Vicki 0]

Ok what is a bougie??????? I have no idea what you all are talking about!

[Jane_J 117]

Hi PCindy, Thats really good you are finally done. It never occurred to me to exercise before my surgery, I just did the liver eeduction thing, but that is a good idea.

Jane x

[Jane_J 117]

Ok what is a bougie??????? I have no idea what you all are talking about!

Its a tube they put down your throat into your stomach and use as a guide to stapling up the side of the stomach, removing the stretchy fundus part. The bougie is sized from 32 to 40 normally and that number is the diameter, so the smaller the bougie the smaller the stomach you have at the end.

Jane x

[pcindy 8]

Congrats on getting the surgery, and good for you being your own advocate and getting the size you wanted. But I have just one question... if they took the stomach out through the mouth then why did you have any insions at all???

They still do the surgery the traditional way (they don't have instrumentation- mainly staplers, that can work in such a tight space-from within the stomach), but before they close the final staple line, they remove the fundus esphageally. Because of this, The one larger incision (which is the primary risk for herniation) is avoided. Less pain too. I feel pretty good, actually.