One Week Till Gastric Sleeve Surgery

[blackanese25 160]

Hey Everyone,

I'm new to the site.. and im getting my surgery in one week 12-12-11. I am really getting kind of nervous which i shouldn't since ive already had 4 knee surgeries..whats one more surgery right? lol well this is on my stomach now so my jitters went up a good amount.

I was just wondering what the process feels like .. how quickly will i recover.. i know its going to be different for everyone, but i guess having the knowledge will settle a few of my fears. The really big on being the saggy skin afterwards.. I AM VERY NERVOUS BOUT THAT PART!

So a little about myself.. I have always been an athlete so i wasn't always big. In fact i didn't really start gaining weight till i graduated college, but after 4 knee surgeries you can imagine.. not moving or being able to exercise has been my biggest hurdle. And the weight is just not good for my knees or my back which is why im getting the surgery. I officially started at 270 and now im down to 241 pre op which i guess is good since my goal weight was only 250. And since im starting the preop diet today im assuming i will drop a few more pounds before surgery.. I don't think this week is going to be an easy stretch. lol.

Anyways any words of advice would be greatly appreciated as to how i can heal quickly and not have that droopy skin thing.

~~~~~Ange

[babigrl111 38]

This post might help...i was nervous about the experience too, but these stories have eased my mind!

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/27699-please-tell-your-gastric-sleeve-surgery-hospital-storiesexperiences/

[FishingNurse 1,210]

The first 3-4 days post-op will be rough. (but it is so worth it in the end) Trying to sleep in a hospital bed with an IV in your arm, and nurses waking you up all the time to check your vitals and give you heparin shots in your stomach is no fun! (and I am a nurse! he he) Once you get home and get to sleep in your own bed things start looking up!

I was so worried about the skin too. My highest weight was 262, and I am at 192. My skin was looking a little scary about 1.5 months post op when I dropped like 35lbs right away. But now it looks completely normal and bounced right back, (I have 35 more pounds I want to lose) so I dont know how it will be then BUT so far so good. I am losing more slowly intentinally now so I maintain my muscle mass and metabolism, and don't lose all my hair, and keep my skin tight.

I work out 5 days a week too and I am sure it is helping my skin!

I am pretty sure you will LOVE how you look and feel after the surgery, Everything I had to go through so far has been so worth it! Good luck to you!

[Oopsseedaisy 90]

Welcome to the site! You are doing the right thing. Ask questions and read everything you can to prepare yourself.

My story is not typical. I was in the hospital 2 nights, had no pain, could walk normally a few hours post op. I did have nausea for the first 4 days. It was bad at first and then tapered off some. I was a little sleepy for the first 6 days, but on day 8, I traveled by car 300 miles to my father's 80th birthday. I went back to work at 11 days post op.

Did you get the list of items to take to the hospital yet? LilmissDiva pinned one for us.

I hope this helps!

[blackanese25 160]

thank you sooo much to both of you.. it helps to know what to expect. i haven't gotten a list of thing that i need to take to the hospital with me but i will look into that. as for the shots... ahhhhhhhhhh... lol I am actually very afraid of shots, blood, needles...realyl bad experience when i had my knee surgery that they hit and artery instead of a vein when they tried to put the iv in.. blood started shooting out the iv.. so needless to say i have a phobia now.. lol and congrats to the both of you as well it sounds like everything is going well so far.. hopefully i am as sucessful.

[peacequeen 434]

blackanese25, I spent time in icu several times over the past couple years and numerous hospital visits and am all too familiar with the heparin shots. They will just gather a small piece of the fat from a love handle and stick it with a teeny needle,,it's about 1/4" long and very skinny,,sometimes I never felt them..not bad. The most pain was a small sting from the heparin but I never felt the actual needle. I hope this doesn't just scare you more.