Scared to Death for Post Op

[Docgerri 24]

I'm hearing a lot of people are unable to keep anything down after surgery for the first month and are getting sick. Can many of you that are post op comment on this? My surgery is this coming Monday and I'm getting scared.

[PrincessDeb 43]

I am begging to think I am a poster child of the surgery because I have been able to tolerate everything so far. I have not gotten sick once, poo is normal, and no pain. Other than being mean to people when I come off of anesthesia, it has been pretty easy. The liquid diet was boring and got old quick (even though it only lasted a week and now the soft food diet is my new boredom, but I only have another week of that left as well. I haven't felt any pain or had any issues, although other than being overweight before, I had no other issues.

[Docgerri 24]

@@PrincessDeb Thank you for your reply. One more question, were you scared before surgery?

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I haven't thrown up once since surgery. I was always extremely cautious in following my surgeon's (very conservative) plan exactly. But I made my Fluid and Protein intake goals starting the day after surgery and never had any issues, I just was mindful and worked at it. I think that you hear a lot more about people's problems here than people's lack of problems, and that is understandable - people having problems want to reach out for information and support. But I think my experience is probably a lot more typical, at least going by my support group.

I didn't feel scared before surgery but when I was going through the admitting process they took my blood pressure and it was skyrocketing, so perhaps I was scared and stressed out but completely in denial!

[Docgerri 24]

@@Bufflehead thank you for your response. I greatly appreciate the feed back from you and PrincessDeb.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I'll chime in as the one who was sick, puked a lot, didn't poop for 13 days post op and then pooped Soup for the next 6 months or so, couldn't drink Water, was nauseated every time I ate or sipped liquids...

I lived. I'm fine. The first three weeks were exhausting but I didn't let that stop me from moving on with my every day life. Surgery Wednesday, home Thursday, driving Friday, resumed normal activities Monday.

I had to take meds for nausea and stomach cramping and that cured the constant sick feeling. I couldn't drink anything but watered down Gatorade and at 19 months out, plain Water still makes me feel sick. My food procession was slower than most. I was on purées and soft foods for 8 weeks. It was discovered that I have a very minor stricture that I could have had corrected but have chosen not to.

My three week mark was a HUGE turn around in how I felt. I was less exhausted, felt 90% normal and was losing like a champ.

I don't regret a moment of it and I didn't even at my sickest. I went from a tight size 20w to a well fitting 8. I can do things like mud runs and zip lining without a second thought. I can keep up with my kids and wear my husband out <wink>.

It's awesome. I couldn't be happier.

Edited December 30, 2014 by LipstickLady

[PrincessDeb 43]

@@PrincessDeb Thank you for your reply. One more question, were you scared before surgery?

Yes I was scared the day before and the morning of surgery. When I first woke up from surgery I was in a great deal of pain and but that ended with the pain meds. The fear ended when they brought me into the surgical room and had some awesome rock music playing. The nurses were joking with me and then when the anesthesiologist came in, the nurses said the bartender was there with the good stuff, the atmosphere definitely helped to calm my nerves.

[Docgerri 24]

Thank you LipstickLady and PrincessDeb for your feedback.

[Elode 8,093]

@@Docgerri Hi! I am one who has no problems keeping anything down. I can eat anything I just can't eat very much. Maybe a couple spoonfuls. I freaking love it though! It's the best feeling in the world to go from always hungry and eating what felt like all the time to full in a couple bites and never feeling any hunger! I think I may be one of The "lucky" ones though because some do still feel hunger. Now when I go to a resturant I don't order food I just Share off my family's plates. Usually a couple bites of grilled chicken and a bite or two of a veggie. It's lovely!!!

Edited December 30, 2014 by Elode

[*Lexie* 1,486]

Recovery is such a small part in the whole scheme of things and regardless how you feel, you forget it quickly. My recovery was pretty good. Since I started solids, I have thrown up a lot. But I'm a big dummy that forgot my doc's advice to eat slowly and I've been getting food stuck. And because I'm a big dummy, it took me like a month to figure it out (thanks to the smart folks on this board). So if I had just remembered and followed my doctor's advice, I probably would not have gone through that.

P.S. The morale of this story is eating slow is hard.

[Comeflywithme 402]

I'm almost 8 months post op and I have not had ONE single issue. I haven't felt nausea, have not thrown up, have not felt ill at all, as a matter of fact, on the contrary, I feel amazingly AWSOME! True the first 2 weeks are a little rough -- a little what with only liquids at first and it is a little painful once you introduce food and the fact that doing #2 is a little challenging at first but it goes by fast and the weight comes down and you're soooo happy and feeling so light and as everything, it does pass and then you realize that it was not that bad at all. Go into this confidently and with a lot of faith and excitement, all will be well and definetely worth it! Good Luck!!!! Remember to think Protein first, remember to keep sipping your Water and more importantly than anything --- get your walking in after surgery!! It's truly the ONLY thing that helps with the bloating and gas discomfort!

[Docgerri 24]

Thanks Lexie, Elode, and Comefly with me for all your input!!! I greatly appreciate.

[Elode 8,093]

@@Docgerri BUT, (because there's always a but) Water is still a pain to get down in a day! I still don't know why that is and it seems like it's an issue with A lot of people. Just plain water ugh! I have to really focus on getting it all in. It doesn't hurt or anything it's just difficult...I can't really explain it.

[KristenVSG2014 1,872]

You can read about my surgery and post op here. I update it once a month now:

http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/320791-Kristen%27s-Journey-From-Pre-Op-and-Beyond

While I didn't have any complications, it wasn't a cake walk either. I had a complete nervous breakdown right before surgery because I was the last surgery of the day and I hadn't eaten in 3 days by that point. I was just very tired, hungry and emotional at that point. But I'm SO HAPPY I did this. I'm so proud of myself for being brave enough to get through it and do the very best I can do.

[roundisashape 712]

I didn't throw up the first couple of weeks, but I DO throw up a few times a week now. It's my fault, I'm a slow learner - since I started going through purees and softs, I sometimes eat too fast or don't chew enough. Last night my chicken was too dry and it got stuck, even though I chewed the heck out of it. It's a learning process.

BTW, the vomiting - at least for me - is NOTHING like it was pre-op. It's not the violent "I'm so sick and I think I'm going to burst a blood vessel and die" kind of vomiting. It's more like the food just sort of...exits.