I Wish Someone Had Told Me....

[100%Sleeved 148]

I have one incision that is extremely painful but it's still got nothing on a csection- not even in the same ballpark!

Also- EVERYONE gets a tube in their throat for any surgery that you are put to sleep in. So if you have had a sleeve, band, gallbladder removal, appendectomy, hysterectomy, whatever- you got a tube in your throat. However- most doctors remove them before the patient is fully conscious.

My ng tube stayed in 2 days after surgery

[aldmb2 24]

My Mother keeps telling me that if I could handle the pain of the C-Section I can handle this surgery (she has not has WLS). But, I to read things on here that freak me out!!! I sometimes hope that I have some sort of advantage since I'm only 29 but, I've abused my body for 29 years & I cant keep up with my 55yr old Mother. I'm not concerned about the pain as much as I am concerned that once I do this, that's it. I cannot go back. I will have to face my fear. I will tell myself the same thing as I did withe the C-Section, "This pain will pass". I often think about people or children who go through Chemo or other surgery's for life threatening illness. And remind yourself that if they can fight, you can fight. This is going to improve your life quality.

[Tana_Q 20]

There have been a few posts about tubes and I think it may be confusing for some.

A PP wrote that everyone gets a tube for surgery and she is right, it is an ET tube or endotracheal tube. That will help breathe for you during surgery as it is connected to a ventilator (respirator). The majority of the time those do come out before you are awake.

Someone else here had an NG tube or nasogastric tube. That is very different. It is inserted through one of your nostrils and goes down the esophagus to your stomach. It is placed on very light suction to decompress and eliminate and blood/fluid from the stomach. It seems that this is not a common thing for most WLS but could potentially happen.

I hope this helps!

[100%Sleeved 148]

There have been a few posts about tubes and I think it may be confusing for some.

A PP wrote that everyone gets a tube for surgery and she is right, it is an ET tube or endotracheal tube. That will help breathe for you during surgery as it is connected to a ventilator (respirator). The majority of the time those do come out before you are awake.

Someone else here had an NG tube or nasogastric tube. That is very different. It is inserted through one of your nostrils and goes down the esophagus to your stomach. It is placed on very light suction to decompress and eliminate and blood/fluid from the stomach. It seems that this is not a common thing for most WLS but could potentially happen.

I hope this helps!

Thank you for clearing this up. I knew this of course but did not know how to relay this message to the poster above who said everyone gets a tube during surgery.

[indy sleever 6]

I sure wish someone had told me I would have to give myself shots in the tummy for 2 weeks after surgery!!! Lovenox is a blood thinner and helps prevent blood clots. Not sure if all doctors have their patients do this but mine did. I survived and it really wasn't all that bad BUT it seemed like I was the only one in the nutrition class before surgery who didn't know! The other thing... the drain tube after surgery. I am just a a whimp and the thought of shots and tubes just makes me want to curl up into a ball. Once again I survived!!! My tube was in place when I came out of surgery... was taken out 24hours later while I was still in the hospital. What a weird sensation having that thing removed! Didn't exactly hurt but I didn't like it at all! I would do it all again so obviously not all that bad!

[chyna86 17]

I wish someone had told me I was going to wake up with a tube down my throat. I was totally not prepared for that one and as a matter of fact my 1st words when I woke up was why are yall trying to choke and kill me? They started laughing but I did not see anything funny. They finally explained this is what they do for the sleeve. Up until this point I had done an extensive research on the lapband and had decided on the sleeve at the last minute. So if someone would have mentioned that then I would have been mentally prepared.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[yecats 109]

i wish someone would have told me HOW MUCH PAIN is really involved... on this board i just kept reading ppl saying they felt minimal pain, so i wasnt prepared for the amount of pain i was actually in after surgery... im 5 days post op and still in pain, but i refuse to take my pain meds because they make me loopy and soo sleepy.. the pain is more manageable now... but there is definitly still pain. I hope im well enough to go back to work (im a waitress) by Feb 19th.

Wow, I am a server also and I would know way go back to work so soon. Not only because I think I would get really fatiqued but my job requires a lot of lifting of trays and sometimes bus tubs. I would be afraid of getting a leak. Be very careful. If your employer knows then return to light duty but if not do not chance it. People get leaks even after surgery.

[300PoundsDown 101]

Can someone compare the pain to the pain of a c section? Thanks.

I've had 4 csections and I can honestly say it is like night and day for me. No comparison. I would have this surgery any day over a csection! I think having had 4 csections made this seem like no big deal. Plus this was done lap as opposed to a csection which is open. Very big difference. If you've had a csection you will probably feel relieved afterwards to find it's not the same intensity! Of course this is only my experience and I know we are all different

[Less of Leslie 90]

I wish I would have known how tired I would be post-op. I'm 2 months out and much better than 1 month ago. My energy is coming back, but I did not expect to be sooooo tired after surgery. AND I AM FREEEEZZZZZING ALL THE TIME!! NO ONE told me that! I used to ALWAYS be so hot (all that fat storage! LOL), now, I am one of those girls that is always cold. I use to get irratated by those girls, always wanting the heater on....now that's ME! LOL!

[AbacoRaveness 44]

We are all different, but I had very little pain after my surgery. About three hours after I got to my room I woke up in pain... it was an overall ache type pain. My nurse said it was probably from the gas, so I got up and as soon as the gas shifted a bit I felt much better. The day after surgery I walked a mile so it couldn't have been that bad. By about day 7 I really felt some pain in my left side from the liver retraction, but it was more annoying than anything because it was the only thing still bothering.

THEN, disaster struck, apparently when they intubated me, anesthesia cracked one of teeth. It got infected and festered for a week before hitting the nerve in my jaw. THAT pain was horrible! It was WAY worse than the surgery and I really broke into those pain meds! I waited four days for a root canal and they were the worst four days of my life.... luckily I was stoned out of my mind on percoset and don't really remember them

Now I'm 17 days out and I still have some pain in my left side when I do silly things like bend over repeatedly to throw a ball for my dog, but now the worst part is the scabs from my incisions getting caught on my clothing (sorry if thats TMI), but those little suckers hurt when they get caught. But, seriously, if thats my biggest complaint... I'll take it!

[reallyrosy 161]

I wish I would have known how tired I would be post-op. I'm 2 months out and much better than 1 month ago. My energy is coming back, but I did not expect to be sooooo tired after surgery. AND I AM FREEEEZZZZZING ALL THE TIME!! NO ONE told me that! I used to ALWAYS be so hot (all that fat storage! LOL), now, I am one of those girls that is always cold. I use to get irratated by those girls, always wanting the heater on....now that's ME! LOL!

Leslie...are u on thyroid med ? Maybe ur freezing cuz it has to be adjusted. I had mine reduced from 274mcg to 200 within 3 wks of surgery. My pcp sent me for a blood test....just a suggestion

[Less of Leslie 90]

No, no thyroid med. I am perfectly healthy, just fat. :tongue2: I am scheduled for a blood test for next month, we will see what comes of that.

[crazy4pluto 2]

i wish someone had told me that all the planning and preperation i made for my surgery that having a "plan b" was a good idea just incase complications come up afterwards. i was doing ok after my surgery on dec 6, 2011 until i hit the brick wall known as "stricture". this totally caught me off guard and i was not prepared mental, physically or financially for needing a second surgery on jan 18, 2012 to correct it. also the emotions that come over you when you are told that you get to start all over again with the 2 weeks of liquids and then move to soft foods. i go back next tues to see if i get to try to eat more than just Jello, yogut, eggs, cottage cheese and mashed potatoes. the rate i'm going if i never see another meal of cottage cheese, yogurt or eggs again that would be just fine with me. thank goodness i don't have any physical hunger or i do believe i would be totally crazy by now! continued success to everyone on their journey.

[Tana_Q 20]

I've had 4 csections and I can honestly say it is like night and day for me. No comparison. I would have this surgery any day over a csection! I think having had 4 csections made this seem like no big deal. Plus this was done lap as opposed to a csection which is open. Very big difference. If you've had a csection you will probably feel relieved afterwards to find it's not the same intensity! Of course this is only my experience and I know we are all different

This is what I like to hear. The recovery from my C section was awful. If this doesn't even compare then I won't fear it as much.

THEN, disaster struck, apparently when they intubated me, anesthesia cracked one of teeth.It got infected and festered for a week before hitting the nerve in my jaw. THAT pain was horrible! It was WAY worse than the surgery and I really broke into those pain meds! I waited four days for a root canal and they were the worst four days of my life.... luckily I was stoned out of my mind on percoset and don't really remember them

Now I'm 17 days out and I still have some pain in my left side when I do silly things like bend over repeatedly to throw a ball for my dog, but now the worst part is the scabs from my incisions getting caught on my clothing (sorry if thats TMI), but those little suckers hurt when they get caught. But, seriously, if thats my biggest complaint... I'll take it!

This is one of my biggest fears!!! I actually plan on asking anesthesia to be careful around my teeth, many of which are capped. I feel like they are going to break my caps off!

[AbacoRaveness 44]

This is one of my biggest fears!!! I actually plan on asking anesthesia to be careful around my teeth, many of which are capped. I feel like they are going to break my caps off!

When they came in pre-surgery to talk to me, they said:

"It really NEVER happens, but you need to know there is always a chance that we could chip or crack a tooth."

I said, "It will happen to me... the freak things always happen to me."

Sometimes I think if it weren't for bad luck I'd have none at all... so unless you're the fall guy like me you're teeth will probably be fine. I've never heard of anyone else having this problem!