Late June Sleeve Buddies?

[Seastars 175]

Psst... The other June 2016 sleever thread is here: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/364304-calling-all-june-16-sleevers/page-18

[chycky 671]

CirA. I have no idea. I don't remember it being mentioned before. They made it seem an easy thing. But I suspect it is because I was in such pain when waking up and moaning about it.

[Maggie143 94]

I did not get a pain pump or a purse. I got nausea and pain meds via IV. I opted off the pain meds quickly for liquid tylenol. The pain meds make a lot of people throw up and I did not want to hinder my progress. Hiccups and weird gas not going away but that is trying to get liquids in too fast. Slow sips. Sip 1x every 3 minutes. Start with 1 oz to 2 within 15 minutes to half an hour. Take a break and do it again. We have to get 4 ounces in an hour. They told me worry more about getting liquid in and build up on Protein as you go. They are more worried about your dehydration. The Protein will come as you heal and your stomach pouch is handling liquids better. I feel great in the morning as the day progresses it gets tougher as I don't want to drink but I'm making it work. broth is my friend. Popsicles too. Adding small amounts of Protein powder to broth. Getting Vitamins in is also hard. Space them out through your day and don't be surprised if you don't get them all in just yet. That will come too. You don't want to hurt your pouch so take it easy. No poo yet but nothing solid to rid of - they said that is normal too and will come with the protein. Doing good you guys - keep up the good work and post all that helps you!

[Maggie143 94]

Suzzzz - thinking of you. Hope you are doing ok. Get your sleep in!

[suzzzzz 1,005]

Suzzzz - thinking of you. Hope you are doing ok. Get your sleep in!

Doing ok. Working on fluids.my belly is swollen and the incisions hurt when standing up. Surgeon said my hiatal hernia was larger than he thought so it took almost as much time as sleeve. I keep burping but no referred gas pains. Yeah!

Can't wait to be thru this initial stage.

[jeannepetty605 6]

Good luck everyone!!

[Maggie143 94]

Doing ok. Working on fluids.my belly is swollen and the incisions hurt when standing up. Surgeon said my hiatal hernia was larger than he thought so it took almost as much time as sleeve. I keep burping but no referred gas pains. Yeah!

Can't wait to be thru this initial stage.

My incisions hurt at first too. Especially where the hernia was. I am 5 days in and my incisions do not hurt anymore and I'm sleeping on two pillows in the bed. Do not push yourself. Take your time and don't over do it. Its a life time so you have time! So happy no gas pains for you! I am still having intermittent gas in left shoulder but do get "the wave" that comes up my stomach and doesn't feel so good. Thats coming with extra drinking (too fast and getting in too much to quick) Most embarrassed of the farting lol. Do your spirometer too. It really does help. Try not to nap late afternoon so you sleep at night at home. Glad you are doing good!

[Seastars 175]

Maggie, "the wave" is a great way to describe those gas pains! At first I thought it was nausea or hunger, but nope.

[Maggie143 94]

Maggie, "the wave" is a great way to describe those gas pains! At first I thought it was nausea or hunger, but nope.

Seastars when was your big day? How are you doing and what helped you? What are you doing now that might help me? Those waves are no fun and they are soooo weird.

[Seastars 175]

Maggie, I haven't found any cure for the "gas waves," although walking around is supposedly getting the gas out. My doc says that because it's gas in the body cavity (not the gut) gas-X or similar medicines won't help. Just knowing it's "only" gas has helped me focus less on it.

Here're my notes so far:

I was sleeved June 22 at 2pm.

2 hours post-surgery, in the hospital:

I'm tired (moving slowly) and dry-mouthed (from the anesthesia - went away after 36 hours - otherwise ok. Walking the hospital floor (wheeling along my IV), peeing, no nausea. I'm not in pain, really, more a torso soreness with a rolling wave that my brain interprets as... Hunger! Ironic, huh? I am very hungry! (I later figured out that this was just gas.). I'm on IV fluids but will be focusing today on drinking enough, just to keep practicing. It's hard, going sip by sip. (I could probably have taken bigger sips of Water but I was afraid I'd vomit if I overfilled my newly small stomach.) The worst part so far of this whole process was the fasting the day before surgery.

24 hours post-surgery, after a mandatory overnight in the hospital:

I am home, tired but enjoying my own couch. (Nothing like the tiredness of post-childbirth. More like after a bout of flu.). Sipping and napping. Still having that sort-of achy occasional wave of pain in stomach, not bad but my brain keeps translating as hunger. Weird. (Again, this was gas.) Had some nice broth with unflavored Protein in it, after 2 similar meals earlier in the hospital.

48 hours post-surgery:

I haven't needed the painkillers or anti-nausea meds. I do feel sore "deep" in my stomach, not in the incisions though. Not noticeable unless I stand up. Still have gas, feels like a pregnancy contraction but higher up. I went for a mile walk at noon and had no problems, although I was moving a little slowly. Did a second mile walk in evening. Felt strong and clear-headed. I didn't want to go crazy and run, but walking was no effort. Did laundry and dishes earlier. In a pinch I could have gone to work - brain not fuzzy at all. Focusing on sip-sip sipping... Was able to meet my Protein (33oz) and Water (36oz) minimums, but just barely. Not hungry at all but I definitely wanted something to eat when it was dinnertime - I haven't missed a meal in years until the recent fast day. So I had chicken broth while my family had chicken pot pie.

70 hours post-surgery: gas pain much better. I am now in One-Derland! (So, 3 pounds lost since surgery. Maybe more; I could still be swollen.). Today going to run some errands (I haven't taken any painkillers since the hospital so I'm safe to drive). Will keep up the walking. Will go back to work Monday (I don't have to, but I want to - I'm getting bored at home).

Tips:

1. Definitely take the Emend anti-nausea pill, an hour or two before surgery, if prescribed by your surgeon. I balked at the co-pay - $50 for one pill?! - but a new research study says it really cuts dehydration and nausea, on average cutting almost 7 hours from your hospital stay. My nursing team says it makes a huge difference in reducing nausea. So I took it, and had no nausea.

2. Set up your bed at home (with lots of pillows so you can sleep sitting up partially), Protein shakes in the fridge, nightlight, water bottle, barf bowl, good book etc, before you leave for the hospital. You won't want to be stooping and reaching post-op. Consider sleeping on your first floor if your bedroom is up a flight of stairs (although I have stairs and didn't move my bed - everyone's different).

3. In hospital, focus on getting sleep/rest rather than tons of water yet. Your IV will be hydrating you. That dry mouth is from anesthesia, not dehydration.

4. Wear no-skid socks in hospital to prevent falling when you walk around. You'll be pulling along an IV stand and not steady yet.

5. Once you are home (even for the car going home), fill a clear water bottle and mark with a rubber band where you "should" have drunk down to, by four hours from now or whatever. I have 2 small clear mixer bottles I'm using for this, one with water and one with a shake, that have ounce measurement lines on the side.

6. At home: focus on water more than Protein Shakes. You will get dehydrated faster than you will protein-deprived.

7. Don't let the cats jump onto your belly like I did. Ow, incisions!

8. You may want savory options instead of all sweet Protein drinks. Buy chicken broth and add unflavored Protein powder to it. Just don't heat it to boiling because the protein with denature.

9. I'm a single parent so I loaded up the fridge and freezer with meals my teen could make for herself, since I didn't know if I'd feel like cooking. This might be worthwhile even if there's a second parent in your home.

10. Stand up straight when you walk, and take a few deep breaths. This is supposed to help fully inflate the lungs and avoid pneumonia. It also makes you feel less like an invalid.

Knock wood, but I think this is all going well! Next 2 challenges may be:

1. The first post-op bowel movement. I've heard it's a struggle.

2. Lasting 2 weeks on this liquid-only nutrition phase. It's gonna get old. But at 2 weeks I should graduate to puréed foods. Mmm, puréed curry lentils and creamy Soups and eggs...

[suzzzzz 1,005]

Doing ok. Working on fluids.my belly is swollen and the incisions hurt when standing up. Surgeon said my hiatal hernia was larger than he thought so it took almost as much time as sleeve. I keep burping but no referred gas pains. Yeah!

Can't wait to be thru this initial stage.

My incisions hurt at first too. Especially where the hernia was. I am 5 days in and my incisions do not hurt anymore and I'm sleeping on two pillows in the bed. Do not push yourself. Take your time and don't over do it. Its a life time so you have time! So happy no gas pains for you! I am still having intermittent gas in left shoulder but do get "the wave" that comes up my stomach and doesn't feel so good. Thats coming with extra drinking (too fast and getting in too much to quick) Most embarrassed of the farting lol. Do your spirometer too. It really does help. Try not to nap late afternoon so you sleep at night at home. Glad you are doing good!

Thanks maggie. Good to be able to share. I had a coughing spell in middle of the night. Thanks for reminding me of the Spiro meter as that should help.

They gave me a nice cold pack for the swelling. Just took a pretty pill with no repercussions. Yeah.

Glad you are doing well! But sorry you are having waves of gas. My stomach and intestines are in a competitive rumbling contest.

[Maggie143 94]

Maggie, I haven't found any cure for the "gas waves," although walking around is supposedly getting the gas out. My doc says that because it's gas in the body cavity (not the gut) gas-X or similar medicines won't help. Just knowing it's "only" gas has helped me focus less on it.

Here're my notes so far:

I was sleeved June 22 at 2pm.

You are a rockstar! No way am I ready to go back to work or walk a mile. I actually spoke to my team about that yesterday and they said no just to walk around the house and light exercise bike but don't go crazy. I'm not on pain meds either and they don't want me to drive for 2 weeks because you don't know when you will hit a weak state and they don't want you out and driving like that. I had my surgery the day before you. Made chicken bone broth and froze in 1 ounce cubes before I went in the hospital. That, walking, spirometer helped me keep from getting a lung infection. Started getting the yellow yuks and a low grade fever. Gone very quickly. Have now planned out the times of day I'm going to drink/eat my ounces which will help me with the liquid and the Protein. Right on track. Still hard though. Everything still feels like lead in the belly.

[Maggie143 94]

Thanks maggie. Good to be able to share. I had a coughing spell in middle of the night. Thanks for reminding me of the Spiro meter as that should help.

They gave me a nice cold pack for the swelling. Just took a pretty pill with no repercussions. Yeah.

Glad you are doing well! But sorry you are having waves of gas. My stomach and intestines are in a competitive rumbling contest.

Wow I still haven't had a whole pill yet. They are making me crush. I have to take ursodial for the gallbladder night and day and that is a big yucky pill I have to split in half. Uuugh I wish I could swallow that! You are doing great! I have a contractor coming over this afternoon... I just said to my husband - Oh God I hope I don't have gas or burps in front of this man.... lol I feel for you!

BiggiSmalls where are you! How is your stomach doing and are you still getting sick? I hope you are doing better and on the mend. Thinking of you.

[ACJordan 38]

My surgery was the 20th.

Sent from my SM-N910P using the BariatricPal App

[suzzzzz 1,005]

My surgery was the 20th.

Sent from my SM-N910P using the BariatricPal App

How are things?