post op from April 29th

[mommamel 10]

Well fellow sleever's, seems so unbelievable to being saying that. I feel so blessed to be on the otherside. Hands are really swollen and pain mainly in one incision, didn't know I needed an order to be able to use gas x strips so they're off limits tip Dr writes, hummed cause the gas is what's really bothersome. Just wanted to do a quick update, more layer today...

[Savedbygrace22 28]

Mommamel, so glad to hear from you. Glad things went well. Hang in there with the pain and discomfort and don't hesitate to take your pain Meds. Studies have shown that healing is better when the pain is controlled.

My sleeve surgery will be done today, April 30,2014 @ 9:00am. I can't wait to get it over and start living the rest of my life.

I look forward to hear of your progress. Rest and take care of yourself. You have a lot of good quality living to do. :-)

[mommamel 10]

Thank you so much for the kind thoughts and encouragement! I wish you the same:) You will do the same.

Pain not so bad, didn't ask for meds until 0530 today and have only taken a total of three doses, so far. food is not really appealing, but ice chips are wonderful. My husband and boys are on their way up to see me and will bring broth, tea, Isopure, and Jello. Hopefully it will be better than the hospital's.

Walking, using inspirometer, and now drinking, what a full day! Keep posting.

[linda hayes 16]

I was able to just buy gas X from Walmart. You get over the gas you got it made.

[dsmith_rn 186]

Well fellow sleever's, seems so unbelievable to being saying that. I feel so blessed to be on the otherside. Hands are really swollen and pain mainly in one incision, didn't know I needed an order to be able to use gas x strips so they're off limits tip Dr writes, hummed cause the gas is what's really bothersome. Just wanted to do a quick update, more layer today...

The only gas pains I had were in my shoulders. I fail to see how a gas strip that goes in your mouth and presumably into your digestive tract can have an affect on gas that is in your abdominal or chest cavities, rather than in your gut. I took some anyway, and not surprisingly they didn't help. In all honesty, the more I walked, the less pain I had from the gas. Every single time I walked was better than the last. I've heard a heating pad can help, but my nurse wouldn't let me use one for "safety reasons".

Good luck, and remember, day 3 is the worst for inflammation so you may have more discomfort or difficulty getting all your fluids in, but every day will get better from here on! Congratulations on making it to the other side!

[angell_ina 7]

I have had gas pains in shoulder it is slowly going away 3 days post op on 29 April the nausea n vomiting lasted 2 days

[mommamel 10]

Angell sorry to hear about nausea and vomiting, thankfully that has not been the case for me. Even before this I would rather cut off an arm then vomit. Just hate it!

Waiting for hubby to come get me so I can go home, take a shower, and sit in my own reclined. I think that alone will make me feel loads better. So swollen with all the extra Fluid and no arthritis meds. All and all though so glad to be here!

keep posting!

[ebeth1007 8]

3 days post op feel pretty good just so tired & sleepy. Gas pains are getting better. Getting my sips In but I am not hungry at all haven't ate anything except Jello at the hospital yesterday and it made me nauseous. Trying to stay positive that each day will get better! Others that felt like this please post! Thanks!

[angell_ina 7]

I am still in hospital and I can't manage to eat more than 2 spoons I had orange juice sip it made me sick I haven't vomited but still nauseas I hope it gets better and thanks for the support

[ebeth1007 8]

This evening I finally ate a Popsicle and it stayed down. Feeling better with the gas pains doing more moving. I am only doing sips of Water and then the Popsicle. Take it slow. I am surprised they gave u juice since it has acid in it. I hope u get to go home soon! Good luck! Keep posting!

[katesuccess 990]

It turned my surgery wasn't too smooth and they couldn't get me scoped, in spite or repeated tries (read VERY sore throat-- anesthesiologist even came personally to apologize). Hiatal hernia was worse that they thought, so whole thing took an extra 90 minutes on top of the predicted two hours. I definitely feel it! Good outcome though the doc said, which is all I care about in the end.

The first night post-op my blood oxygen wouldn't stay up and I had a significant language barrier with my nurse. The oxygen alarm went off every ten minutes all night and no one could tell me why my blood oxygen was so low--the doctor came in and removed the monitor and said I was fine just using CPAP, and contradicted all the nurse had been saying. Still not sure why or what happened that night! He gave the option of going home or staying, but I still was in too much pain and worried àbout the low oxygen, so I stayed--good thing I did.

Around 10 pm the second night I spiked a fever, which got up to 103 at worst. Ice packs (in neck and under arms!--verrrry chilly!) and Tylenol kept it at 101.5 a while and they said it would be better if I walked -- so two laps around the ward and it was higher. So doc called in Motrin. Eventually that did it, around 1am. Then at 1:30 or so the tech takes my vitals and my BP is 83/45! (86?I) My other arm tested worse, and so nurse comes and does it with looser cuff and it reads a little higher. Getting up and walking again, no better, so keeping closer eye on me and checking vitals more often -- gave me some other drug too. Now it's been up to 97/68 and this morning more like 117/55 I think. Good grief. I'll be glad to go home to bed for sleep and also so that (without checks and vitals) I won't know if anything's wrong! Got up this morning and had huge pain, so hydracone helped that thank goodness!

I can certainly see how they think it's going to take a couple weeks of recovery!

Kate The Not-so-patient Patient.

[ebeth1007 8]

Sorry to hear but sounds like u r doing better. I hope each day u will feel better. I am not a good patience patient.

[dsmith_rn 186]

It turned my surgery wasn't too smooth and they couldn't get me scoped, in spite or repeated tries (read VERY sore throat-- anesthesiologist even came personally to apologize). Hiatal hernia was worse that they thought, so whole thing took an extra 90 minutes on top of the predicted two hours. I definitely feel it! Good outcome though the doc said, which is all I care about in the end.

The first night post-op my blood oxygen wouldn't stay up and I had a significant language barrier with my nurse. The oxygen alarm went off every ten minutes all night and no one could tell me why my blood oxygen was so low--the doctor came in and removed the monitor and said I was fine just using CPAP, and contradicted all the nurse had been saying. Still not sure why or what happened that night! He gave the option of going home or staying, but I still was in too much pain and worried àbout the low oxygen, so I stayed--good thing I did.

Around 10 pm the second night I spiked a fever, which got up to 103 at worst. Ice packs (in neck and under arms!--verrrry chilly!) and Tylenol kept it at 101.5 a while and they said it would be better if I walked -- so two laps around the ward and it was higher. So doc called in Motrin. Eventually that did it, around 1am. Then at 1:30 or so the tech takes my vitals and my BP is 83/45! (86?I) My other arm tested worse, and so nurse comes and does it with looser cuff and it reads a little higher. Getting up and walking again, no better, so keeping closer eye on me and checking vitals more often -- gave me some other drug too. Now it's been up to 97/68 and this morning more like 117/55 I think. Good grief. I'll be glad to go home to bed for sleep and also so that (without checks and vitals) I won't know if anything's wrong! Got up this morning and had huge pain, so hydracone helped that thank goodness!

I can certainly see how they think it's going to take a couple weeks of recovery!

Kate The Not-so-patient Patient.

Kate, I'm sorry to hear it sounds like you had a very difficult time. I had problems with my BP being too high in the hospital, 177/98 due to all the extra fluids they pumped into me. It was a little scary, but resolved in a couple of days after my kidneys got rid of the fluids.

I was on oxygen for the first 17 hours after surgery at 4 LPM. My oxygen levels went lower when they took it off so I could walk, so had to keep putting it back on. I attribute it to the anesthesia and the extra fluids. I couldn't take a deep breath because it hurt in my chest from the hernia repair, so that certainly didn't help.

By the next day things were much better and I went home and haven't looked back.

You have passed the hardest part. Days 3 and 4 post-op were when my inflammation peaked so it was harder to get fluids down those days, but I still managed to get in 32 oz. After that, all smooth sailing. Smile, you're on the other side now. It only gets easier from here!

[ebeth1007 8]

Dsmith_rn how many days post op are you? I have been sipping Water but yesterday was the first day I could eat a Popsicle with out me dry heaving. Today is day 3 post op for me. Positive thinking everyday to get me thru these harder days. Thanks for the posts!

[beeteroo 166]

I'm quite sore. I have a post op appt today and will get my drain out.! The first night home I pulled on it in my sleep and it's halfway out already. Darn. I sleep best with Lortab! Took some a few hours ago and still feel ok. I have liquid stools and tons of gas. Not the gas in your shoulders but in my GI tract! I have a two mile walk with my son tonight. Lol. We shall see if I can do it. I missed my oldest sons 8th grade graduation last night. ;-( right now I'm in bed and I don't want to get up! I need to take my regular meds but I haven't started crushing them yet. Really I just want to sleep.