Women:Monthly's DURING WLS?!?!?!

Hi everyone! Caution:Very Candid question and bluntly stated......... This is something I normally don't blurt out but I am going to have my monthly menses during WLS! Not that the cramps and retaining water are going to be bad enough...Here's the issue...I have a hard enough time bending over and wiping down there without adding staples or incisions all over. I am someone that wants to be fresh at all times and I don't know what in the hell I am going to do. I had a C-section almost 2 years ago but I weigh 20 lbs more now, and the ob nurses would help you (with the exception of one). To be honest I wouldn't ask for help and just jump in the shower to spray off down there...GOSH I am so embarrassed to ask this question but I'm kinda freaking out. I don't expect my husband to wipe my butt and the day after surgery I told him to go to work, no need to sit around the hospital all day unless there is a complication or something. I have been so emotional lately, crying for no reason, and now I add such a stupid thing as wiping of the butt that might push me over the edge?! Any advice would be great. I thought about some sort of a squeeze bottle like when they give you after having a baby but who knows if this will work. Want to know what other's experiences are with this. Hopefully, I will get so stressed about it it won't come...and I'm mad because I am NEVER regular and since getting put on birth control pills again it's helped. Anyway, sorry if I grossed out anyone or had TMI...and for those of you chuckling (if it wasn't me, I would be too). Thanks for any advice you can give... Jamie

Jamie-- I feel your pain sister! Don't feel stupid asking this...if you go to other boards I've seen the question asked many, many times. I know a lot of people recommend getting like a backscratcher, long wooden spoon, tongs...anything that's fairly long that you can wrap toilet paper or flushable wipes (better!) around and use to help you get some extra reach!! Just a thought. I think I may be on my cycle during surgery next week too...so this thought has also crossed my mind. When I used to work in the bariatric unit, our occupational therapists would bring backscratchers up to certain patients who had been there a while and still couldn't reach--to kind of get them to be more independent. So yeah.......there's my advice. Invest in a $2 backscratcher and a package of flushable wipes. =) Have a good one and don't feel like an idiot. If you thought it.......................you can bet that someone else out there is thinking the same thing!!! Courtney 6 more days!!!

Hi Jamie, First Congrats and Best of Luck on your upcoming surgery. I will tell you I took tongs and Cottonelle flushable wipes to the hospital with me and they were actually my life saver for 2-3 weeks because I had open RNY. Thanks, Dani