Fabulous February Post-Op's

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Well I'm 6 days post op I have been lucky to not have much pain or nausea and food is going well I just can't do to much because I went into afib my heart is beating very elregular and my heart rate goes up with a little walking so I just walk till I start feeling it getting to fast so only a little at a time my cardiac dr says he will give it 6 weeks to go back to normal pattern before he does anything cause he said all the stress from surgery and weight to drop some Its crazy shortly after surgery about 6 nurses came rushing in my room and wanted to know if I was ok cause my heart rate dropped to 30 but I felt fine I told them after surgery before my heart rate dropped to 40s so that calmed down and got back to my normal Rate mid 50. So day after surgery everything is going good did 3 Walks got in bed to take a nap and that's when my heart started skipping and my heart rate was about 187 they finally got it settled in about 3 days of IV heart drips but still not beating normal but I feel ok just very aware cause I can fell the way it's beating I told my cardiac dr what did I do to myself cause I was feeling I did this to myself cause of the surgery and his words to me was this was one of the best things I had did for myself and not to worry cause the echocardiogram showed my heart had no damage to it at all from the problems I had had in 2000 blood clots in main artery and mild heart attach they put in 2 stents then

How incredibly frightening for you! Don't overdo it!!!! And yay to yor cardiologist for being supportive!!!! That is awesome!!!

HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 238

[kat77 63]

Dear Kat' date='

I am so sorry to hear you are still in so much pain. People who are not in pain have no idea how all-consuming it can be.

From a professional perspective, I can tell you that addiction to pain meds is a real concern from the prescriber's standpoint. I can't tell you how many people I see walk through the doors of my unit suicidal because they just can't deal with the pain any more. And they are on massive amounts of narcotics. And they walk around and move the way someone you or I would think is really in not that much pain. (?) So where is the pain? Is it real?

We have a whole unit (Pain Rehab Clinic) devoted to weaning people off of narcotics and teaching them how to live with moderate amounts of pain in their lives. The pain is real, (and I'm not talking about you now, I'm talking about suicidal/addicted patients) but it's also in their brains. Not "in their head" but in the connections between the nerves in their brains. Once you become dependent on narcotics it hurts to quit, just like it hurts to quit street drugs or cigarrettes.

My suggestions:

1. Are you taking Tylenol 1000mg every 6 hours around the clock? If not, you should be. It's important to do everything you can to stay on top of the pain with non-narcotic meds.

2. Are you rating your pain? Meaning, can you differentiate between when it's a 4/10 versus 8/10? Use your narcotics for when you can rate your pain at 5/10 or higher. Eventually, you can use them for pain that's 6/10, then 8/10, then you're weaned.

3. Are you getting enough rest? Don't make the pain worse by doing things you can't do yet. Your priority is you, healing your internal wounds, letting your body recover. Don't use the pain meds to get up and clean house. That's what the kids and hubby are for.

4. What are you doing to manage the pain aside from pills? Have hot showers worked? Hot pack? Alternating hot and ice? Deep breathing? Listening to a meditation CD (there is a ton of free stuff on the web - look for guided meditation).q

5. Continue to rate your pain. Keep a chart. Every 2-4 hours write down what you were doing, and what your pain was. It might help you spot a pattern of what works and what makes it worse, and it will give you very good documentation to take to your doctor if it doesn't start getting better within the next few days.

I hope this helps. I'll take my nurse's cap off now and go shower.

Cecilia[/quote']

Well, I guess you should have some background here cause I do look like a drug seeker to people who don't know my situation. I have other pain issues that require constant meds. I have lupus, fibromyalgia and degenerative disc disease, pcos, pelvic congestive disease, hypothyroidisim, sjogrens, and raynauds....may have forgot one or two. I have been sick since I was born pretty much....the reason I had the surgery was to reduce the weight on my back and reduce pain without meds.

I am disabled and not able to get much exercise so my choice was for the malabsorptive aspect of the surgery. I'm not able to lose weight because of all these issues. The food side isn't really that big of a deal to me. I had been on percocette three months before surgery and it had stopped working for me. I stopped taking them so that these meds would work.....didn't work too well. I have never had a problem with addiction except for smoking before I got diagnosed with lupus and had to quit, hard but I did it for my health cold turkey.

3 You hit it on the head with point three....I have been doing too much. Dad had a heart attack and I had to go three and a half hours to and from to help mom post opp. And my house is a disaster without me. I have taken back to bed with walking and that's it .....husband and I talked a lot yesterday about me needing to take it easy.

4. Heating pads and showers.....a bath would be wonderful, but against docs orders. Prayer has been important...I'm getting a "wait" from God it seems

As for what makes it worse, the cough I had before and after surgery, and the sneezing now is not helping at all.....I feel like I'm ripping my stomach open every time.

Thank you for the detailed nurse response....I was a hospice CNA and home health care worker, so I understand the worries about addiction, but my whole reason for the surgery is to get pain relief without meds....

Thanks again....you're very kind to spend so much time to respond.....

Take care,

Kat

[kat77 63]

@ Kat praying for you.. Get well soon

Thank you sweetie....that's the best thing

[kat77 63]

Well I'm 6 days post op I have been lucky to not have much pain or nausea and food is going well I just can't do to much because I went into afib my heart is beating very elregular and my heart rate goes up with a little walking so I just walk till I start feeling it getting to fast so only a little at a time my cardiac dr says he will give it 6 weeks to go back to normal pattern before he does anything cause he said all the stress from surgery and weight to drop some Its crazy shortly after surgery about 6 nurses came rushing in my room and wanted to know if I was ok cause my heart rate dropped to 30 but I felt fine I told them after surgery before my heart rate dropped to 40s so that calmed down and got back to my normal Rate mid 50. So day after surgery everything is going good did 3 Walks got in bed to take a nap and that's when my heart started skipping and my heart rate was about 187 they finally got it settled in about 3 days of IV heart drips but still not beating normal but I feel ok just very aware cause I can fell the way it's beating I told my cardiac dr what did I do to myself cause I was feeling I did this to myself cause of the surgery and his words to me was this was one of the best things I had did for myself and not to worry cause the echocardiogram showed my heart had no damage to it at all from the problems I had had in 2000 blood clots in main artery and mild heart attach they put in 2 stents then

Hey Patricia, are they giving you potassium? My heart is irregular when I take that then my heart rate seems smoother. I also I think magnesium and zinc are good for your heart beat.....talk to doc first, but that's why my doc requires potassium..... Praying you will be better soon!

[padlrd 183]

They gave me potassium & meganisum in the iv along with cardiac drip to try to regulate my heart then a couple of doses potassium pills till my blood work was ok then doubled my Coreg mouth before I went home

[roczy 17]

Ok, so the pain has subsided i am more comfortable with myself, but I HATE Protein SHAKES! I feel unreasonably weak when I don't have my Protein but the taste is unbearable and I've tried so many different ones and nothing works! I have yet to throw up, but I started having bowl movements on Monday and again today,*claps hands* I am now down to 217lbs from 238 pre-op

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

Ok' date=' so the pain has subsided i am more comfortable with myself, but I HATE Protein SHAKES! I feel unreasonably weak when I don't have my Protein but the taste is unbearable and I've tried so many different ones and nothing works! I have yet to throw up, but I started having bowl movements on Monday and again today,*claps hands* I am now down to 217lbs from 238 pre-op

[/quote']

You're doing awesome!!!! I'm trying to figure out a way to not do a Protein Drink but at least for the next 2 months (til I'm back on regular foods) I think I'm stuck with at least 1 a day. I do have a couple flavors of syntax I find tolerable so for now I'm either doing 1 cup of milk with the double stuffed cookie as a meal or the fuzzy navel or lemonade mixed with either juice (I'm supposed to drink 32 ounces of no sugar added juice mixed 50/50 with Water daily) or crystal light and sipping on it while I'm at work....it's not too bad!

Life would be so say if protein supplements didn't stink or taste bad!!!!!

HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 238

[padlrd 183]

Try nectar it light so it doesn't fill you up and Unjury chicken Soup I make cream of chicken soup and add Unjury chicken to it also add unflavored Unjury to pudding and yogurt

[Kellyk2511 282]

Dear Kat' date='

I am so sorry to hear you are still in so much pain. People who are not in pain have no idea how all-consuming it can be.

From a professional perspective, I can tell you that addiction to pain meds is a real concern from the prescriber's standpoint. I can't tell you how many people I see walk through the doors of my unit suicidal because they just can't deal with the pain any more. And they are on massive amounts of narcotics. And they walk around and move the way someone you or I would think is really in not that much pain. (?) So where is the pain? Is it real?

We have a whole unit (Pain Rehab Clinic) devoted to weaning people off of narcotics and teaching them how to live with moderate amounts of pain in their lives. The pain is real, (and I'm not talking about you now, I'm talking about suicidal/addicted patients) but it's also in their brains. Not "in their head" but in the connections between the nerves in their brains. Once you become dependent on narcotics it hurts to quit, just like it hurts to quit street drugs or cigarrettes.

My suggestions:

1. Are you taking Tylenol 1000mg every 6 hours around the clock? If not, you should be. It's important to do everything you can to stay on top of the pain with non-narcotic meds.

2. Are you rating your pain? Meaning, can you differentiate between when it's a 4/10 versus 8/10? Use your narcotics for when you can rate your pain at 5/10 or higher. Eventually, you can use them for pain that's 6/10, then 8/10, then you're weaned.

3. Are you getting enough rest? Don't make the pain worse by doing things you can't do yet. Your priority is you, healing your internal wounds, letting your body recover. Don't use the pain meds to get up and clean house. That's what the kids and hubby are for.

4. What are you doing to manage the pain aside from pills? Have hot showers worked? Hot pack? Alternating hot and ice? Deep breathing? Listening to a meditation CD (there is a ton of free stuff on the web - look for guided meditation).

5. Continue to rate your pain. Keep a chart. Every 2-4 hours write down what you were doing, and what your pain was. It might help you spot a pattern of what works and what makes it worse, and it will give you very good documentation to take to your doctor if it doesn't start getting better within the next few days.

I hope this helps. I'll take my nurse's cap off now and go shower.

Cecilia[/quote']

Kat,

I'm so sorry you're still in so much pain.

Cecilia, wonderful advice.

Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

[Kellyk2511 282]

Ok' date=' so the pain has subsided i am more comfortable with myself, but I HATE Protein SHAKES! I feel unreasonably weak when I don't have my Protein but the taste is unbearable and I've tried so many different ones and nothing works! I have yet to throw up, but I started having bowl movements on Monday and again today,*claps hands* I am now down to 217lbs from 238 pre-op

[/quote']

Omg you look so much smaller already!

Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

[Cecilia 201]

Well, I guess you should have some background here cause I do look like a drug seeker to people who don't know my situation. I have other pain issues that require constant meds. I have lupus, fibromyalgia and degenerative disc disease, pcos, pelvic congestive disease, hypothyroidisim, sjogrens, and raynauds....may have forgot one or two. I have been sick since I was born pretty much....the reason I had the surgery was to reduce the weight on my back and reduce pain without meds.

I am disabled and not able to get much exercise so my choice was for the malabsorptive aspect of the surgery. I'm not able to lose weight because of all these issues. The food side isn't really that big of a deal to me. I had been on percocette three months before surgery and it had stopped working for me. I stopped taking them so that these meds would work.....didn't work too well. I have never had a problem with addiction except for smoking before I got diagnosed with lupus and had to quit, hard but I did it for my health cold turkey.

3 You hit it on the head with point three....I have been doing too much. Dad had a heart attack and I had to go three and a half hours to and from to help mom post opp. And my house is a disaster without me. I have taken back to bed with walking and that's it .....husband and I talked a lot yesterday about me needing to take it easy.

4. Heating pads and showers.....a bath would be wonderful, but against docs orders. Prayer has been important...I'm getting a "wait" from God it seems

As for what makes it worse, the cough I had before and after surgery, and the sneezing now is not helping at all.....I feel like I'm ripping my stomach open every time.

Thank you for the detailed nurse response....I was a hospice CNA and home health care worker, so I understand the worries about addiction, but my whole reason for the surgery is to get pain relief without meds....

Thanks again....you're very kind to spend so much time to respond.....

Take care,

Kat

I'm so sorry to hear about your other complications. My mom has fibromyalgia, and the way she describes it, some days can be truly awful, and the rest of the days are just dealing with chronic low-level pain. Groan! But the surgery and dramatic weight loss have helped her tremendously. (she had the surgery a year ago)

Please don't think for a minute that I was putting you in the class of people who walk through the door at our unit. Naturally, I worry about anyone getting addicted (myself included -- I was seriously tripping on the dilaudid they gave me in the hospital. I could easily see trying to buy that on the street!)

I hope the weight loss works wonders for you too! Take care, and keep taking it easy!!

Cecilia

[Cecilia 201]

Update: As of Day 6 postop, I had lost 15 crazy pounds. Advanced diet to include Protein shake, and I gained a pound back and have stalled. So don't be jealous. I probably should just be weighing weekly, but it's so exciting to jump on the scale these days... except the last two days. My dietitian gave me loads of info on what to eat and not to eat, but no actual numbers to aim for. I mean, I know I need 60 grams of Protein per day, and no more than a suggestion of fats, but I have no idea what the carb limit is, and the Protein Shake I found that tastes delish (Muscle Milk) has 300 calories per 30 grams of protein. There have to be "lighter" ones out there... but maybe those are the ones that taste gross?

Any suggestions welcome.

[softballmomof4 5]

Band to RNY then emergency bleeding back to OR

[softballmomof4 5]

Band to RNY then emergency bleeding back to OR

[softballmomof4 5]

Hi Fab Febs! Band removal to RNY and hiatal hernia repaired 2/19/13. Surgery was 5 hours. Lots of scar tissue at port site. In Recovery, my doc discovered a big and fast growing hematoma. Back to the OR to stop bleeding. After another 2 hour surgery, I was done. Got toy room 11 hours after I went in to first OR. Hubby was very scared. 3 drains. very happy to have them out. painful diaphram spasms before they came out. I went home today!! Breathing exercises, walking, drinking fluids. Nice to be home! Passed gas for first time after surgery a few minutes ago! Progressing nicely!! Let the journey begin!!!