Waking up after sugery

[baribetty 165]

I am scheduled for surgery on May 2nd... a lot of worries are running through my mind, and one of them is what waking up with be like

How was it for you?

Thanks!

[mrsjcardinale 9]

Hi! I had VSG on 4/16. I woke up in recovery for a second and was hot and in pain but immediately fell back asleep. I didn’t wake up again until I was in my private room. I was groggy and it took some time but I suggest to let yourself sleep and recover. By the next day I was much better. Just sore and thirsty. Be prepared for the changes and tell yourself you will get through this. Surgery is the easy part. Good luck!

[healthyme2018 5]

Just had mine today. Only pain I have is from T.J. gas/air they pump in. They just gave me some liquid hydrocodeine. It’s really not that bad.

[Creekimp13 5,840]

I remember waking up in the recovery room and the nurse was super nice. I fought to stay awake, kept concentrating on things, doing mental math, asked to sit up a little more. Finally asked to suck on an ice chip and the nurses seemed impressed with that. I had some pain in my shoulder (which I thought was gas, but later discovered might have been deferred pain from my hernia repair)...they gave me an ice pack for my shoulder and it helped.

Once I woke up, I worked to stay away and become as alert and oriented as possible. Did a little deep breathing to get rid of as much anesthetic as possible.

Literally as soon as they got me to my room, I asked to get up and use the restroom....which I did with no assistance. They were impressed I was well balanced and coordinated, but I credit this with making myself wake up.

After the restroom, I asked if I could go for a walk with my husband. They were fine with that. So I put on some lounge pants and my fitbit and started walking. I walked nearly a mile...very slowly....around the ward with my hubby and my IV pole.

Then, they wanted to give me pain meds and a little sip of water...so I laid down for a bit, drank my Water in tiny sips, learned to use my spirometer. Asked for as few pain meds as possible. Opted out of narcotics for the most part. ( I had one dose before bed to try to get some good sleep...and it worked) Learned how to drink my fluids for the next week until my recheck.

I ordered dinner that night and got a tray of Jello, broth, coffee and sugar free flavored water. My bestie came to visit, after work and we walked the ward for another mile. I felt a lot better and was moving at a more normal pace. Nurses were pretty impressed and it was helping to get the gas out....so I just kept walking. It felt good to walk, so I did.

Hubby brought mom for a visit as bestie was leaving. Hung out with Mom and hubby...drank my fluids, blew in the spirometer, checked the boxes. Daughter called from college and thought I sounded great...she was relieved. Hubby took mom home and I walked the ward again...trying to tire myself out to get some decent sleep. One nurse commented I was walking so much she was afraid I'd crash the next day and not want to wake up and get out of the hospital. She was very wrong. LOL

Had a good night's sleep, interrupted by a few labs....but the dose of narcotics I took at night really helped me get right back to sleep.

Woke up at 7:30, asked to take a shower. Got my IV capped, took shower, shampooed, blew out my hair, put on makeup and put on street clothes and started walking the halls again hoping my doctor would let me go home. Had some labs taken, doctor visited, and I got to go home:)

Hospital was a piece of cake for me.

The presurgical diet and being hungry after surgery were much harder for me.

[GreenTealael 25,359]

I was very disoriented. Only flashes of memories. I remember fighting to stay awake to only fall asleep again for what felt like hours but was only minutes. When i was finally lucid i wanted to know if everything went as planned and have my person notified so they wouldnt worry. Pain only came when i tried to move . A couple hours later i was of sound mind but remembered nothing that was told to me when the surgeons first visited.

Them staff had me up and walking within hours, i had a lot of pain but thats because the meds given were not effective on me. Once that was resolved i was in much better place.

Safe journey!

Edited April 24, 2018 by Tealael

[jess9395 5,449]

I always seem to “come to” mentally later than physically after surgeries. Like I feel like I wake up in the middle of a conversation, already alert and sitting up and mid sentence. So clearly I’ve already been awake!

Case in point once when I had wrist surgery the doc came in and gave me the full report of how it went (there were some issues).... never remembered having the conversation. After my plastics I literally first became aware of things while sitting up and mid sentence with DH and my surgeon!

Makes me wonder what I’ve unknowingly said!

[Angie's_Ocean 213]

I always seem to “come to” mentally later than physically after surgeries. Like I feel like I wake up in the middle of a conversation, already alert and sitting up and mid sentence. So clearly I’ve already been awake!

Case in point once when I had wrist surgery the doc came in and gave me the full report of how it went (there were some issues).... never remembered having the conversation. After my plastics I literally first became aware of things while sitting up and mid sentence with DH and my surgeon!

Makes me wonder what I’ve unknowingly said!

Bahahaha!!! I’m exactly the same. No pain from surgeries or nausea from anesthesia but I feel and act like I just smoked something
I know I get angry when they wake me up because it’s a much better sleep than my normal sleeping patterns. My last surgery, RNY, apparently I was having the same conversations and asked the same questions for almost 24 hrs. I don’t remember a thing!

[domi 237]

I woke up and only my sternum hurt. The gas settled there. They gave me pain meds and I slept on & off while waiting for my room. Once in my room, I used the restroom and then started walking. I went on about 5 walks and was released by noon the next day.

[browneyez42 280]

Surgery was April 25 and I woke up with no problems. Was up walking around within five hours of surgery and went home the next day. You can do it!

[Frustr8 7,886]

I guess after my fractured humerus repair in 2010 I woke up and asked if anyone thought to feed the Jack***. we live in a city of 19000 and have no farm animals. I woke up from my gall bladder removal giggling, still don't know why, that surgeon was definitely not that entertaining. I can hardly wait to see what I come up with after bariatric surgery. I am the type to wake up singing or something weird like that.😜👉👈

[irishmicmama 14]

I woke up &mouth was super dry & chapped... I was given a small sponge swab like thing... I loved those things for the first day. I was in A LOT of pain, do not be afraid to ask for pain meds. I was wheeled into my recovery room and instantly said to my husband "what the hell did I do to myself?" So there was an instant regret. I had a catheter in so I didn't have to get up and take a pee. Bring a sleep mask & your favorite lip balm, I actually have the Vaseline intensive care lip stuff and that was awesome.

[Bryn910 519]

I have had multiple abdominal surgeries and they have all felt the same....like an elephant sitting on my chest/abdomen.

over a few hours it subsided and the pain pumps are glorious but you wish you could Press it more. I get tired and just wanted to sleep but hospital beds are not comfortable so your back hurts. Just make sure you get up and walk

[Sprinkles1 358]

I woke up in severe pain. Hard time breathing and had to be put on oxygen. Could barely walk. Back hurt because of the hospital bed. I felt better when I was home from the hospital 2 days later. I'm a week post op and still in pain. It's different for everyone. No regrets! Definitely 100% take chapstick

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

[Frustr8 7,886]

Ah no Sprinkles, I distinctly prayed that you' d have a low pain surgery and a smooth recovery! Do you suppose GOD and all the Holy Angels were busy, I was assigned a # and it hasn't come up yet? You'll know because you are suddenly going to feel all better!😓Bummer!
Oh Spring is coming, even in changable,Ohio the trees🌿 are leafing out and all my tulips🌷 are in bloom. Life is good and you cannot help but get smaller day by day.
Stay easy Stay breezy and the bad days will be behind you soon.🌷😝🌷

[TexasMommy80 297]

I honestly don’t remember a thing until getting to my hospital room and briefly seeing my mom and daughter before I woke up. It is odd because I woke up pretty easily after my knee replacement and gallbladder, and I remember being in recovery. Anyhow, the hospital stay was a breeze otherwise. The most annoying thing for me was having the IV attached when I had to walk or pee, which seemed like every hour because of the fluids they gave me. LoL

Age: 37

Height: 5’6

BMI: 37

VSG: 4/16/18

GW: 160

MFP: Fit4LifeAR