Tell me about your immediate post-op recovery!

[BelleOfBatonRouge 80]

I had my sleeve performed on October 17 (yay sleeve! Down 24 pounds officially from the start of the pre-op liquid diet to today). From waking up from anesthesia to the next morning was VERY rough. I kept gagging up bloody saliva and dry heaving, if I had anything in my stomach I would have been vomiting. I couldn’t keep ice chips or sips of Water down- within thirty minutes more gagging blood. I was in and out of consciousness between the blood, and since my mom was out of state I’m grateful my surgeon called her when he was done because it wasn’t until about 11 pm I felt okay enough to text people (I woke up around 4 pm, surgery was at 1) and she would have been freaking out. Nurses said I wasn’t allowed to walk around my room until the first day after surgery, so I ended up having a panic attack around 4 am due to claustrophobia of being trapped in that bed with the blood clot leg things and the nurse taking a while to get to me. Took a Xanax, then gagged up blood an hour later and was heaving so hard I peed myself. Thankfully that was the last of it and I’ve been pretty dang great ever since.

I don’t want this thread to scare people, but I remember texting my mom that night that “I didn’t expect to be this miserable.” I genuinely was surprised at my inability to keep down water and about how uncomfortable I felt even with all the meds I was on (that first night they had me on dilaudad and an anti-nausea. There may have been more, but that is what I remember). My description of choice was “an over inflated beach ball that got hit by a truck”.

I would love to hear about the first 12 or so hours after you woke up from anesthesia in the hopes of learning more and sharing the information.

[redhead_che 824]

Well I know I sure hit that pain medicine button as much as it would let me--my incisions probably hurt worse than my stomach. I was released the morning after my surgery at 5am, went home and slept. And slept. And then sipped. I had a relatively "normal" immediate recovery I think.

[Frustr8 7,886]

Well I had the post-op you booked for! This was the first surgery I have ever had that I didn't wake up in recovery. Oh I could describe Riverside Methodist where I had one surgery, my local "band aid station" Knox Community, where I had 2 knees, I thumb and a surgical repair of a Broken Right upper arm. I remember one they deliberately woke me,up, must have needed to speed me on my way so they could move someone else in?
But OSU, nice pretty room, woke,up like waking up on a pretty Summer morning, stretching, hey no pain? Maybe Dr Needleman changed his mind, sent me here to sleep it off? So I lifted my gown and looked. I expected big ABD everywhere, nope 6 little incisions with steri-strips criss-crossed on them and a trocar wound in the top of my naval. Now I know why the pre-op nurse told me when doing my shower before surgery to scrub my navel very very good, had a scar from tubal ligation in the bottom navel. Okay surely,i will hurt pretty soon. but I never did. My son, the mighty Tomkitten was there with me, and to be honest it seemed like he was my caregiver instead of the nursing staff. Oh they did come when rang for, they must have been monitoring me at the,nurses desk, I had ekg leads and oxygen on the whole time.as well as a pulse-ox, actually for a while I had 2, because I was being monitored for a special study. Oxygen always makes you dry, so when they said start on your medicine cups of Water, that was no problem, I was kept in my room, so no hall walks ,i was a little disappointed, I had taken a notebook to get names, addresses, emails of the other patients, never saw or heard anybody.Had a chair in my room, Tomkitten slept in it, got to sit there once. This was weird, every other hospital, they would make you get up and down to the chair, bathroom you whether wanted to or not, generally make a nuisance of themselves as often as possible. Rest of first day water, second day fruity drink, last day milky drinks. Dr Needleman checked on me at least once a day, that's about as often as I saw a nurse. They came in to count cups, told me to stack them up as I emptied them.So once in a while one of the staff would count them, after the first day TK was deputized to refill a cup as I needed it, must have been QS because nobody complained. And I still didn't hurt, only felt tired in my stomach muscles, The second day the Lovenox shots started, they did them until shortly before I went home wanted to see if I could do them, not the first shot I had ever given, but she thought I was a "quick study". Never vomited, no BM there, but when 1st one came perfectly normal, no black or bloody stool. I got to stay an extra day because of my age, but believe I could have handled a day earlier discharge. And things were pretty lovely until the 2-3 week when my structure reared it's ugly self. Told them I thought I had a stricture, oh no oh no, you're just swollen but most purees came right back up as well as part of the things on a level 2 diet. Finally October 12 , Dr Needleman's partner Dr Noria did a EGJ, guess who was right? ME! She found that and 5 new ulcers. So now,i am on Carafate 6an-noon- 6pm-midnight and tomorrow the 26th she tries again to stretch,and dialate so I can move to more solid foods and purees should have happened.by mid-September to move,on the Stage 3 so I am BEHIND. But if things go well, I get to try again. And dietician Roy wants to hear by next Wednesday, my 8th week day, if I am doing okay,or had to regress again. And thus ends the Frustr8 Follies!

[CyndieRI 251]

I woke up in recovery to whip off my oxygen mask and vomit. I then had MASSIVE heartburn (felt like I was having a heart attack). That first night - all night - I was dry heaving (and also peeing my pants) and the heartburn was so painful. Compared to that - my stomach and incisions didn’t hurt at all! I ended up having to stay 2 nights because I couldn’t keep anything down. But since day 5 - no nausea - no vomiting - no heartburn- and I feel great! 👍

[k.love 14]

My surgery was same day as yours. I lost 20 lbs pre op and 5 lb then first week. I had zero issues and zero pain from the surgery. I couldn't tolerate Jello afterwards but was up and walking 4 hours after surgery. I asked my surgeon if he actually did the surgery or if he just cut me a few times and added a few stitches.

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[chuckwalsh 122]

I haven't had issues with nausea since the second day at the hospital. The first couple times what I was puking up were really deep burps then the last time I puked up what looked to me like bile.. I haven't been sick to my stomach since then thankfully and the nurse said it was normal what I was dealing with. It's the end of day four for me, and besides alot of tiredness.. I'm sleeping.. alot.. and my stomach is fairly sore most of the time but besides that I seem to be ok.

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[MargoCL 677]

I feel very blessed, my post op was what I had hoped for. I woke up and when I was transferred into my private room, I transferred myself. The pain from the incision where my stomach was removed was the most sore, but with pressure and careful maneuvering I made it no problem. The next 18-20 hours were fine, I didn't press for pain medication, but the nurses kept me medicated without asking if I wanted / needed more.

When I was released the next day, the worst was my drive (ride) home, the motion of the vehicle made me feel nauseous (and this would continue for almost 2 weeks). Once home I didn't have any worse pain and getting around was slow but manageable. I just listened to everyone on here before me and kept moving and sipping. I believe that's what helped me with my success.

[chuckwalsh 122]

The biggest thing I'm noticing is I'm getting some serious food cravings.. it's not unlike how it was before.. I haven't given into any of them as I'm just not willing to suffer what I'm sure will be awful consequences..

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[ummyasmin 1,603]

The biggest thing I'm noticing is I'm getting some serious food cravings.. it's not unlike how it was before.. I haven't given into any of them as I'm just not willing to suffer what I'm sure will be awful consequences..

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I've been getting head cravings every now and again. Distraction is helping, as is trying to identify what it is I'd like and having something along those lines. Like if it's savory, then some Soup (I make my own). If it's sweet I make a faux hot chocolate (coffee with two caps of sugar-free chocolate Syrup, lactose-free milk and a small spray of canned whipped cream)

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[browneyez42 280]

I had my sleeve performed on October 17 (yay sleeve! Down 24 pounds officially from the start of the pre-op liquid diet to today). From waking up from anesthesia to the next morning was VERY rough. I kept gagging up bloody saliva and dry heaving, if I had anything in my stomach I would have been vomiting. I couldn’t keep ice chips or sips of Water down- within thirty minutes more gagging blood. I was in and out of consciousness between the blood, and since my mom was out of state I’m grateful my surgeon called her when he was done because it wasn’t until about 11 pm I felt okay enough to text people (I woke up around 4 pm, surgery was at 1) and she would have been freaking out. Nurses said I wasn’t allowed to walk around my room until the first day after surgery, so I ended up having a panic attack around 4 am due to claustrophobia of being trapped in that bed with the blood clot leg things and the nurse taking a while to get to me. Took a Xanax, then gagged up blood an hour later and was heaving so hard I peed myself. Thankfully that was the last of it and I’ve been pretty dang great ever since.

I don’t want this thread to scare people, but I remember texting my mom that night that “I didn’t expect to be this miserable.” I genuinely was surprised at my inability to keep down Water and about how uncomfortable I felt even with all the meds I was on (that first night they had me on dilaudad and an anti-nausea. There may have been more, but that is what I remember). My description of choice was “an over inflated beach ball that got hit by a truck”.

I would love to hear about the first 12 or so hours after you woke up from anesthesia in the hopes of learning more and sharing the information.

I must be abnormal [emoji4] . I woke up from surgery in very little pain. Once I was transferred to my room, I changed clothes, put on lip gloss (wanted to be cute) and started walking. I walked every hour until it was time to sleep. Three days after I was discharged, I was walking around Macy's (my favorite store). I had gas pains which subsided when I walked. Im now six months post op and am so very happy. I'm doing great with my weight loss and my only regret is that I didn't have the surgery sooner.





Sleeved on April 25, 2018
HW: 258
SW: 238
CW: 195
GW: 165

[FancyChristine15 810]

As soon as I woke up, my chest hurt...bad. I knew that it was from the gas though, and that is what it was, so I just tried to breathe through the pain. Once they got me out of recovery and into my room that I would be staying the night in, I told the nurse that I wanted to get up and walk, so I did. I walked a little ways down the hall and back; I just wanted to relieve that gas pain. No one was there with me, at my request, but my best friend came to visit me shortly after I got to my room; I wasn't great company, as I had so much gas pain. Can you tell the gas pain was the worst part for me? lol! I had to be given a sleeping pill to be able to sleep that night, because I was just so uncomfortable. The next morning, while I was still in the hospital, I started getting nauseous. A nurse friend of mine came to visit me while I was experiencing some pretty severe nausea, and she told me to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth, and that helped A LOT!

[BelleOfBatonRouge 80]

Huh. Maybe my hours of gagging blood wasn’t as normal as I was told.

[nedmanders 12]

I woke up in recovery in immense pain, and remember trying to tell the recovery nurse that. She seemed annoyed! Then I told her I felt nauseous and she handed me a little blue bag. I rolled into my room, where she gave the recovery spill to my new nurse and I was in and out of sleep during this. I remember a conversation about an antipsychotic drug given to me to for nausea which I vaguely remember thinking "cool...really?" I work in mental health and it is a drug that is usually given to patients with severe psychosis, but apparently, an off-label use is for nausea. Who knew?

Then I had some amazing nurses from then on. I had a catheter (yay for peeing in bed and never moving!) so I did not have the misfortune of peeing myself. I got a heavy pain med, Lopressor, Pepcid and something else I cannot remember added intravenously every few hours. If I was hurting in between, I got some morphine. Believe it or not, the morphine wasn't at all as strong or helpful as I anticipated. The drug I got every 4 or 6 hours was wayyyy stronger and helped the pain. In addition to that, I got heparin shots to prevent blood clots.

The first day I was walking. I had to walk twice. The second day, I walked about 4 or 5 times and took a shower. The third day, I was walking all around because I was so stiff and ready to go. I didn't really sleep all the well, catnapped most of the time. I could not get comfortable enough to sleep.

The worst part of the recovery was having a large bit of mucus (I had a cold) decide to produce itself and the coughing-good lord, the coughing-made me feel like I was going to die. I called for my nurse (this was day 3 and I had this ditz of a nurse who kept forgetting about me) and I waited for 20 minutes before she showed up. Got me some liquid Lortab to sort me out after that. Now I grab my side in anticipation of pain if I cough or sneeze. I have a splinting stuffed llama at home, but when out and about I'm at the mercy of my body.

Now I'm pretty gucci except for acid reflux and the inability to tell when I've had too many liquids or not because I feel so bloated and burpy all the time.

[doublesuffcones 14]

I had my sleeve performed on October 17 (yay sleeve! Down 24 pounds officially from the start of the pre-op liquid diet to today). From waking up from anesthesia to the next morning was VERY rough. I kept gagging up bloody saliva and dry heaving, if I had anything in my stomach I would have been vomiting. I couldn’t keep ice chips or sips of Water down- within thirty minutes more gagging blood. I was in and out of consciousness between the blood, and since my mom was out of state I’m grateful my surgeon called her when he was done because it wasn’t until about 11 pm I felt okay enough to text people (I woke up around 4 pm, surgery was at 1) and she would have been freaking out. Nurses said I wasn’t allowed to walk around my room until the first day after surgery, so I ended up having a panic attack around 4 am due to claustrophobia of being trapped in that bed with the blood clot leg things and the nurse taking a while to get to me. Took a Xanax, then gagged up blood an hour later and was heaving so hard I peed myself. Thankfully that was the last of it and I’ve been pretty dang great ever since.

I don’t want this thread to scare people, but I remember texting my mom that night that “I didn’t expect to be this miserable.” I genuinely was surprised at my inability to keep down Water and about how uncomfortable I felt even with all the meds I was on (that first night they had me on dilaudad and an anti-nausea. There may have been more, but that is what I remember). My description of choice was “an over inflated beach ball that got hit by a truck”.

I would love to hear about the first 12 or so hours after you woke up from anesthesia in the hopes of learning more and sharing the information.

I dont remember anything about being in the recovery room before I was sent to my actual room. I was given a push for pain meds. Any time I felt nauseous I told the nurse and they would give me a different type of med for it. I had a cath so no bathroom runs for me. But they did have me up that first day to walk. I was very weak so I only made it to the next room door and turned around and went back to the room. I was so sore that first night in the hospital I remember thinking what the hell did I do to myself. My stomach muscles hurt to bad. Especially they site they took the stomach out of.
My first taste of any liquids was the next day when i had to drink barium to check for leaks.... Mmmmmm that was such tastey treat.... NOT!! Lol.. After that I was allowed Clear Liquids. As the day went on I was able to get the cath out and move more I still didnt do laps around the halls but I made it a little farther each time. I was relieved to be released around 6 PM the second day. I was just happy to be home where I could relax and do what I needed when I wanted to do it. I will go for my 2 week check up on the 31st of Oct so it will be my first official weighing in since surgery. I am curious to see what that scale will say.

Over all I believe I was blessed in the way my recovery has gone!

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[aussiemomdinoaunt 184]

I don't remember a whole heck of a lot. I am a light weight with meditation and they hit me really hard. I had a lot of nausea issues. I was on 2 different IV anti nausea meds and also had a patch on to help keep it under control. I did move myself onto my new bed but I used the pain button mostly for when I had a coughing fit from the agitation of being intubated during surgery. My blood sugar also went crazy and I was requiring insulin within the first 12 - 24 hours. I haven't needed it before and don't take any meds for it. But I got up and walked, I just don't remember it.

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