Hospital Stay and After

[sunnyd 32]

So I'm now a little over three weeks since being sleeved. I actually typed this up once before but somehow lost it and was too tired to type again until now.

My time in the hospital started off with a glitch and ended with a glitch. At first (after being at the hospital for over 5 hours- also had a vena cava filter put in) my bloodwork showed I had low potassium. If they couldn't get it raised by taking what I call potassium "shots", which were super nasty tasting, then my surgery would have to be post-poned. Yeah...I freaked, but my levels did raise about 40 minutes after the potassium shot- so yay surgery!

Everything with surgery went fine. The surgeon said if I hadn't lost the 63 lbs. ahead of time she would've had to have done an open procedure because my liver was still pretty big but thank goodness that didn't happen! I was so happy to wake up alive and with the laproscopic option!

My other glitch was one night I woke up with a nurse sitting by my side. Apparently my oxygen levels went really low and I stopped breathing. The nurse had to stay with me as I slept that night since it kept going low- scary! Anyways that led me to staying in the hospital another night and I was supposed to stay a fourth night but they decided to let me go home if I slept with oxygen at home and scheduled some heart tests and a sleep study. Whew- I was glad I could leave the hospital! I was so ready to be home!

Finally after a couple days home I got on the scale- oh I so shouldn't have- I had gained 15 lbs!!!!! What... I thought I was supposed to lose weight! So I know it was due to receiving fluids for 4 days and the air they pump into your stomach during surgery but still it was depressing. I've since lost those lbs- thank goodness.

Then came the appointments. Had an echocardiagram and bubble tests done on the heart, potassium checked, additional bloodwork done, follow- up with the surgeon and nutritionist, and more bloodwork done to see if I had infection (had some bad stomach pain). All of that came back good. And then I had the oh so fun sleep study last night. Wow- that was an experience! How weird to be hooked up to so many wires and to have someone watch you sleep. The strangest thing was waking up in a pitch dark room while someone was saying my name. Of course I woke up forgetting where I was and I kept looking around trying to see who was calling my name- well duh it was over the intercom. he he . I haven't received results yet but the technician said I definitely didn't have severe sleep apnea and she wasn't even sure I'd be diagnosed with sleep apnea/need a c-pap. Both she and my surgeon guess it may be because of the pain meds why I had issues in the hospital- but of course I won't know for sure until my follow-up with the doc.

Whew- well there is my story. Overall things went well. It is definitely an adjustment but I continue to tell myself it will get better and better. I've really enjoyed reading all your stories and NSV's and can't wait to be there with you soon!

[samantha209 19]

Glad to hear all went well!!

[Loooou 30]

you got me laughing soo loud at the intercom part!! LOL

Glad u are fine now:) and hope everything keeps going well!!

[sunnyd 32]

Thanks guys! I'm wondering if anyone else had issues in the hospital due to low oxygen? If it is because of the pain meds I think that would be a more common siutation???? I really don't have a clue but am curious.

[Candace2314 117]

They put me on oxygen as well. I think it may have had something to do with me continuously pushing the morphine button. I remember hearing the nurse say, don't take your hand off of this button, so I didn't and then at some point, I remember them shoving oxygen tubes up my nose.... hmmm...lol. I have a very blurry memory of my first night in the hospital, but around midnight, I had to get up every 30 minutes until about 8 am to go potty, they kept giving me fluids through that i.v. and at that same time they also took the morphine away which i'm thankful for cause I think it's what caused me to be nauseous (I couldn't hold anything down, including the melted ice chips).

Thanks guys! I'm wondering if anyone else had issues in the hospital due to low oxygen? If it is because of the pain meds I think that would be a more common siutation???? I really don't have a clue but am curious.

[RVAGirl 2]

I was told that my oxygen was going low too and was asked if I had ever been tested for sleep apnea. It scared the crap out of me. I never knew I had any problems breathing at night. It's something I'm probably going to have to look more into but the good thing about this surgery is it aids that problem. I also gained a few pounds from Fluid too. I'm 5 days out of surgery and still not weight loss.

[snowfie9 6]

I was on a diet plan that had you drink 10 glasses of Water MIN a day and you weren't allowed any salt except light salt and they recommended people take "shots" of a half teaspoon or so of light salt (which is equal amounts of sodium chloride and potassium chloride) to up your potassium levels. I made a recipe for Tomato Soup that gave me a full teaspoon but some days I didn't make it and over time my blood pressure went WAY down as a result (which was just the excuse I needed to talk myself out of the diet).

Long story short, if you're concerned about potassium, you can make your own "shot" by mixing light salt in a small amount of warm Water (it dissolves and goes down better warm, don't ask me why) or chicken broth.

It's quick and easy and something you can do before you head out the door to the hospital.