6 Days Post-OP - My surgery experience...

[jrsygrl007 5]

First of, I want to thank this awesome group of supportive people on here, this website made things good so much smoother for me!

My surgery was last Thursday 6/5/14. My surgery had a few bumps on the road, but nothing I couldn't handle. My surgery was at 4 pm. My dr. came in and spoke to me before I was wheeled into the OR. I remember going into the OR, talking to the staff and that was all I remembered from there. I remember waking up as I was being wheeled away to recovery, freaking out. I was very uncomfortable in pain as I was being wheeled away, the way the pain felt was like severe cramps times a hundred, in the area were my old stomach was. I was given a very strong narcotic pain killer when I arrived in recovery and the pain subsided.

What I felt during the rest of my recovery was severe nausea, almost like the worst hangover of your life. I started to panic and regret what I did. I had a million thoughts of regret and "what if this nausea never goes away" Every time I was given anti nausea medication, it made me gag and it was the worst feeling since I was putting pressure on my incisions. Talk about pain! My dr. told me nausea is very common in younger women. The nausea subsided the following afternoon around lunch time.The drs. & nurses know their stuff. When they tell you to walk after your surgery, WALK! It helped my nausea go away..without listening to them, I would have been a mess.

Tomorrow is officially a week post op, I am feeling great! I thought I would be tired from not having caffeine ( I was a coffee & soda junkie before) but I am adjusting to a new life. I had to be on Clear liquids all week, I felt hunger for a couple of days, my dr. swore it is not hunger I was feeling but was thirst. I swore I felt strong hunger, I did not think I could make it without eating. I forced myself to drink over 80 ounces of Water and it helped with the hunger in a big way. Today I started my Premier shakes, it is taking a looong time to finish my first shake, I have been working at this shake for an hour and I am not even halfway done. I can feel the restriction now for the first time, I was very worried during my post op liquid diet that the surgery would not work since I did not feel any restriction. I am excited for a new start!

[BSU 61]

Congrats! Sounds like a rough start, but that you have settled in well.

It can take a while to get the shakes down. I am able to get about half of one down on the drive to work, but then it takes hours to finish the other half.

[Butterflyhigh 504]

Wonderful!

I am three days post-op. HOW did you manage to get in 80 ounces of Water this soon? I am struggling with getting in 24oz.

[jrsygrl007 5]

Thanks for the info about the shakes, very helpful! Here I thought I could chug the whole thing down with a few big sips.

Butterfly, I was feeling a strong hunger 4 days post-op, the dr told me I was not hungry but dehydrated instead, I got concerned so I forced myself to drink all that Water. I put some Water bottles in the freezer and let them get very cold to were there was a little bit of ice chips in them and I swear it made the water do down smoother. It was a challenge but I did it.

[Kissifur 244]

I share the same date as you. 80oz of fluids PLEASE tell me your secret. However I am right there with you with the Protein Shakes. It takes forever with them not that I dislike them I just have no desire to drink it. My hunger comes and goes really quickly and is not a big deal.

[BLAKQUEEN 33]

I had my surgery on June 2nd and my post op visit today. So I am 9 days out, I had a hard time in the hospital with dehydration and had to stay an extra day in the hospital. I was up and walking the day of the surgery but the next day when they took out the catheter so I can urinate on my own, I just could not go. My blood presser when down to 87/54 and my oxygen level dropped so I had to where oxygen thus walking with Iv and oxygen tank. all this delayed my GI test to make sure everything was okay and I could start drinking Water. I was given extra Fluid and started feeling better but it took a while. I finally went down for my test and was able to drink, thank God my mouth felt like cotton it was crazy horrible. I finally left the hospital and was in so much pain from the bumpy ride to mom's. I am so glad that clear liquid stage is over, how much Water, crystal light. broth and tea can you drink. I too felt hunger pains, but they were light and went away when I drank especially the broth. My blood pressure was high today at doctors and I explained that I haven't been taking my pressure meds because they have a diuretic attached to it and I was afraid of becoming dehydrated again my surgeon prescribed a med without the diuretic. I was so happy to be able to eat Soup and to drink a Protein shake that I immediatly

opened my broc and cheese Soup place it with so almond milk in the nutribullet, blend, heat and was in haven. The thought of having something thicker than water made me satisfied. I waited to see if I could tolerate it before I made a Protein Shake, which i used a recipe from a book on good Protein shakes for an eggnog Protein Shake which was really good but i did take long time drinking it because it was 16oz instead of 8oz due to the ice I put in. The book I have is "The Bariatric Foodie Guide to the Perfect Protein Shakes" my Nikki Massie, she also has a blog "Bariatricfoodie.com where she has many recipes for different stages and well as other tips for WLS patients. We will see what I can get down tomorrow, looking forward to puree stage.

[SarahmM 25]

Hi. I am new here. I had my sleeve surgery on June 2, 2014. Staples and drain were removed on Monday. I've lost 19 pounds post surgery so far. I have my next dr appt on Monday. I have a question, is it ok to not be able to tolerate more than 4 ounces? Sometimes I don't even get quite 4 ounces in at a time. I am scheduled to start puréed diet on Monday as well. Any suggestions on what's good and healthy for me to have? Glad I found this forum.