What to expect when I wake up?

[looneyluna 1]

I'm scheduled for gastric sleeve surgery on August 17 (yay!!!). I know all the nitty-gritty details - liquid diet, get 64 oz, walk, walk, walk. But can someone tell me what to expect in terms of how I will feel when I wake up from surgery? What the nurses will want me to do? How much pain, how much nausea, etc? I know it is different for everyone, but would love to get a feel for your experiences. Thanks in advance!

[Djmohr 6,965]

I am going to shoot straight but you have to remember every single person is different.

I wake up very very fast after surgery and some people don't even remember recovery room. I tend to wake up in the OR while they are bandaging me. I shocked the heck out of my plastic surgeon 3 weeks ago, they had woken me before they got my compression garment on and it was so painful that they had it on me pretty half a$$ed. They told my husband they had not expected me to wake up that fast. Next time they will wait until they have me settled before waking me up. The only thing I remember from that was my surgeon actually coming at me with a pair of scissors, she wanted to cut the garment off me because they had it too twisted and it was way too small. Another time I actually woke up and remember when they took the breathing tube out. That has never happened before or since.

It is actually unusual and I don't know why I wake up so fast but I warn them now. They usually give you meds so if you do wake up, you don't remember it.

When you wake up it is likely you will feel pain at least that is my experience. The good news is they get it under control very fast once they know how bad you are hurting. Some hospitals will ask you to rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst pain you ever felt in your life. Some will simply ask you how severe it is. If you can't stand it you tell them. They give you medicines in your IV to help with the pain and within 10 to 15 minutes I am usually comfortable. You will also be very thirsty and may have a bit of a sore throat. I tend to always wake up in pain following surgery.

Once they get your pain under control and have you wetting your lips with a sponge they will get you to your room. Then the sipping and walking begins. For me, as soon as I got to my room I had to pee and they did not put a catheter in so I was up and walking immediately and that was good. The longer you hang in the bed the harder it is.

I was surprised that the pain I had was so high in my chest. I thought my stomach was much lower but it is not.

.

For me it was mostly discomfort and not pain and most of it came from the gas they put in your stomach. Unfortunately what helps that is walking and sipping Water. I felt better when I was sitting up in a chair vs. laying in a bed. Laying in a bed did no good for me at all. I slept sitting up for about the first 5 days or so.

Also ask for hot packs for your tummy while in the hospital for when you are sitting in a chair or in your bed. It really really helps with the gas pain.

For me the first night was the roughest. Pain was well under control but that gas discomfort sucks and pain meds did nothing to help with that. Just being honest and it kept me awake the whole night. Never slept a wink. The next morning a nurse came in at about 4am and put me on gas X chewable tablets and I really started to feel better after than. It helps once your bowels start working again which adds to the discomfort.

Honestly other than when I first woke up, this surgery was pretty easy. I knew I had to walk and sip and use gas X. I had my surgery on Monday, went home on wed and by Thursday morning had stopped all pain meds.

I walked back and forth throughout my home as much as I could stand it. I sipped Water or sucked on sf Popsicles or sipped on warm broth and the more I sipped the better I felt.

Expect some pain, be vocal about it and they will take good care of you. Some doctors even give you a personal pain pump. I did not have one of those for this surgery. They had me on oral pain meds the very next day and they worked just fine.

Best of luck with your upcoming surgery. It will be over before you know it and you will be on the road to recovery and weight loss.

[sc101071 398]

Some pain in the abdomen, but you'll be pretty out of it. Pain meds help. The worst for me was the wrenching in my stomach when I would sip Water. That wasn't the worst pain I've ever had, but wasn't fun. My doc had me sipping an oz of Water over every hour once I was awake. Getting up the first time hurt, but moving helped. Much easier getting up the second time.

Next day built up to 8oz of water over an hour.

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Edited August 10, 2016 by sc101071

[dhrguru 1,238]

When I woke from my surgery my abdomen actually felt tight like I'd had a Tummy Tuck. I realized it was the bloat from the gas swelling. No shoulder pain like many describe- nor was did I have any nausea. My voice was hoarse. I was On pain pump- so didn't notice pain really. I had no issues drinking. Fairly simple for me.

Edited August 10, 2016 by dhrguru

[Realself 19]

I just had vsg on 8/8. I must say I expected less pain from reading what others experienced as I consider myself able to tolerate pain. So everyone is different. I woke up in a great deal of pain...mainly pressure and a great deal of gas in my abdomen. Next day was all nausea and I couldn't get through the upper GI in the morning as it made me vomit. I felt less nauseated last evening. Today definitely better but lots of pressure and gas pain.

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[looneyluna 1]

Thank you all for the information! And congrats Realself. I hope things get easier for you soon!

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