How did you feel after surgery?

[MsLeann 7]

I'm scheduled for surgery on January 28th. Exactly three weeks later I will be starting nursing school! I am very excited for both, but I am also worried.

I have heard that the recovery will not be too horrible and my doctor said I should be fine. I am still concerned.

How did you all feel three weeks post-op? Well enough to sit in a class room for half the day?

[Pinkgirl1234 761]

Just ok

This is a tough surgery but you can do it.You need to prepare.

What procedure are you having?

[MsLeann 7]

Gastric bypass. When did you have surgery pinkgirl?

[Pinkgirl1234 761]

Dec 28 2015.I had a revision from lapband to bypass with a hernia repaired .So it was more complex.

[ShrinkingButtercup 60]

I had bypass on 12/15/15 and I was in pain. I ended up back at the doctor less than a week later over it. I could be a special case. I don't know. Good news is, I was much better by week three. I was off the hard pain meds and felt close to normal.

I don't mean to scare you, I'm just being honest. My support group swore I'd be in no pain. I felt lied too.

[Djmohr 6,965]

I had bypass in sept of 2014. In the hospital 2 nights. I went home with liquid Vicodin and stopped taking it the very next day.

Pain was very tolerable for me most of it coming from the gas they pump into you, as soon as that left my body I started feeling good a little everyday.

I will say that I felt pretty weak for the first 4 weeks mostly because it took me that long to get my Water and Protein in daily. By week 4 I was feeling close to normal. By week 8 I went to Vegas for 11 days and I was fantastic.

I will say the biggest difficulty is to keep your hydration up. That hydration decides how well you feel. Seriously people underestimate the importance and then wonder why they are nauseous, have headaches and feel weak.

For me it took holding that cup in my hand and sipping constantly because you don't drink normal for a while. To get 64oz in you you gave to constantly be sipping in between eating rolling that 30 min. Before and after rule.

Just make a good solid plan to stay hydrated and I think you will be fine.

Congratulations and good luck!

[Pedro Valle-Inclan 275]

Wow, what a helpful little thread here, thanks so much.Yeah, the issue of post op pain is SOOOOO individual that you can only realize it's a large range from people who take JUST tylenol for a week and that's it and they're back to work in a week, to people on liquid vicodin who are laid up for weeks!! We just know we'll be somewhere in that spectrum, but that's as exact as you can get. I'm finding this site an absolute GodSend because here I can hear everyone's experience

[talkingmountain 83]

Congratulations MsLeann! What an exciting time for you!

Pain seems to vary a lot but the vast majority of people I know we're off pain meds within a few days. For me the pain the first 4 days was horrible, but it was gas related - the surgery itself caused only minor discomfort. Never needed anything but Gas-X strips after that (LOTS of Gas-X strips, Lola!)

I think it's unlikely you will need pain meds by week 3 and if you do, most likely Tylenol will be sufficient. To be safe, get a bottle of Childrens Tylenol so you have it if you need it

The most important thing you can do to ensure you are ready in 3 weeks is to prevent complications. I ended up having to stay in the hospital a week due to dehydration (couldn't keep anything, even Water, down for the first 4 days) and then the night they sent me home I developed trouble breathing and 104.7 temp -- yes the hospital had sent me home with pneumonia so I ended up spending a second week in hospital. Even though I had done everything they said to do (walked a LOT & used spirometer every couple of hours), after my surgery had refused to let me take my asthma maintenance inhalers ("the dr didn't prescribe it") and they ignored my complaints that my chest felt tight and I couldn't get in a full breath of air.

Now don't worry - pneumonia is a rare complication. The point of all that is that it's critical to not only stay hydrated, walk, and use your spirometer (even once you are home), but also while you are in the hospital do not let them ignore you. Many of us who have been obese a long time have "people pleaser" tendencies and it can be hard for us to insist on our needs being taken seriously.

One tip on staying hydrated at home - buy yourself a nice 16- or 20-fl-oz insulated travel mug that's all steel inside (my favorite brand is Contigo because of the one-handed operation and they simply do not leak). It will keep hot things hot and cold things cold for hours, and the steel interior won't give your drinks any kind of "off" flavors. Keep it full and just take it with you everywhere (that's where leakproof comes in handy -just throw it in your bag when you leave the house). For typical 20-fl-oz mug, you only need to refill it 3 1/4 times to get all your fluids in. 30 mins after every meal, start drinking and aim to finish one before your next meal. It's easy peasy!

[samcl1 52]

I'm a critical care nurse. I went back at 3 weeks. No problems. You should be fine

Edited February 15, 2016 by samcl1