6 days post-op

I had surgery on 8/8 and I'm having lots of pain on my left lower side about 3" below my lap incision. I also have a side ache on the left side. Is this normal? Is it from the gas still left following surgery or from the connection inside trying to heal? I'm eating a full liquid diet which seems to be going well until my follow-up appointment on 8/26/5. Then what kind of diet do I use? Just try to stay really high protein? I bought Isopure from GNC and that tastes good. I've never been so excited about the prospect of eating a soft-cooked egg or chicken breast before. Can I eat those things after my post-op appointment?

Hi Janice, Congrats on your Surgery! I am glad you are doing well! Looks like we are surgery sisters... I had mine last monday too! I am not sure what is going on with the pain on your left... I haven't had any kinds of pain like that... There is a chance it could be gas pain (have you been walking a lot? That helped me move the gas out of my system!) but I would call your doctors office and tell them what is going on so they can make a better assesment. As for food.... I have started on some soft foods today, a poached egg, a baby slice of a sauted mushroom (I couldn't resist!) I think I will keep with that and add little things at a time thru the next week... My doctor said I had to stay on clear liquids til the end of my first week, then I can start adding in full liquids, and some soft foods... I meet with my doctor on wednesday of this week for my post op check up.... I am sure everything will be fine... When you call your doctor tomorrow ask about the eggs and starting other foods... they are there to answer your questions and make sure you get started on the right track... Good Luck! Bridget

I think all the doctor's have different follow-up instructions. I have a full liquid diet for 2 weeks. I write everything down. I used enriched milk (1 quart of skim milk with 1 cup powered) to mix my soft foods, (sugar free pudding, strained lowfat cream of chicken soup, cream of wheat, tomato soup). I eat 4 oz. 6 times a day of these soft foods. I also use Isopure protein drink from GNC. I can drink diet snapple, crystal lite, coffe, tea, water so long as I take in 48 oz. of fluids. I don't know what my diet will be when I go back for my follow-up appointment. The hospital is 4 hrs. away so I can't just run over to see the doctor. I go back on the 26th for my follow-up. I've been very thirsty. I don't know if this is from the Dilated (pain meds.) or just from the procedure. I also don't know if I can drink more than 48 oz. per day. I think that I need more than that. It's cool to have someone who had surgery the same day to talk to. Where did you have your surgery? Did you have the lap RNY?

Hello, The first two posts pegged what I was going to say, but they're making me wonder. Do none of your doctors have a support program in place for you? Mine has monthly support meetings, an RN on call, and we see a nutrionist periodically through post-op as we progress to eating 'normally'. My doctor progresses us through food similiar to introducing food to a baby. 1 week clear liquids & sf jello, 1 week 2 protein shakes & 1 really soft protein, 3 weeks 2 soft proteins and 1 protein shake, then we see the nutrionist for the next phase. I know different surgeries have different post-op requirements as well. Good luck and don't be in a rush for solids... read my post about the blockage I had. You DON'T want that! Dawn

My doctor gave me very clear after surgery instructions. I'm on thin liquids for the first two weeks, full liquids the third week, and pureed foods the fourth. I am rarely hungry, even on thin liquids, so I'm not rushing into advancement of my diet. My doctor has great after-care instructions, so there is very little "guessing" about anything I should or shouldn't have.

Hi Marsha, I'm glad to hear it! As I read some of these posts I feel like a lot of folks are kinda left to their own devices. It makes me really glad my doctor has such a great support system and I plan on telling him so when I see him on Wed. for my 1st post-op appointment. Dawn

I think my doctor is a great surgeon, however I'm feeling really lost now being so far away from the hospital. I will call his nurse today to ask about the pain because it justs keeps getting worse but I can't go see him, it's 4 hrs. each way to drive. They have a support group but again that's too far away from me. I plan to attend a local support group, however they meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month (The day after I had my surgery). My PCP is right down the street so I will call him today and see if he can see me. My 8 year old granddaughter goes back to school today to a new school and since I'm raising her, I have to drive her today. That means no pain meds until I come back from dropping her off. That's 30 minutes away so I think I can make it.

hi Janice...Congrats on Surgery I'm 08/08/05 lap RNY baby too..).. I'm also practicing PA....I think even if you don't see your doctor any time soon you owe it to yourself atleast to call them and speak with somebody... I'm completely pain free now and on full liquids.... but everybody IS DIFFERENT ..it's not just instructions that are different.... Pain that you describe may not be a big deal at all or maybe a sign of a bigger problem...are you nauseated? are you throuwing up? can you drink ok? even if it's not over 48 oz...you need to discuss it with YOUR DOCTOR's PA or NURSE if not the doctor himself... not with support group people but with somebody who TREATs WLS patients on every day basis....Don't take me wrong...I don't want to scare you, and hopefuly this pain and discomfort will turn out to be transient self-limiting "thing", but it's better be safe than sorry... best wishes, Rita

Thanks for your concern. I called my PCP and went to see him. He checked me and didn't find anything obvious but sent me to the lab for a CBC and urine test. He said he would also contact my surgeon. I am drinking at least 48 oz. of fluids, actually more because I've been so thirsty. It's hard to remember to take small sips. I've been so thirsty. That could be a result of the pain meds. Anyway, I started passing some gas today and this is the first day I've done that, so I'm hoping the pain may ease up. I'm still pretty bloated and weighed in at the doctors only losing about 5 pounds. I hope I lose more in the next few weeks because I've hardly eaten the last week. I don't think I'm eating more than 400 calories per day. It's just skim milk mixed with sugar free pudding, 8 oz. per day. Low fat cream of chicken soup made with enriched skim milk, 8 oz. per day, 4 oz. of cream of wheat made with enriched skim milk & 4-6 oz. of Isopure. The rest is water, diet snapple or tea. The pain seems to be improving tonight. So, you had surgery the same day as I did. I'd love to keep in touch through our recovery time. Thanks for your note.

Hello, I am 15 days post op myself. My doctor had me on clear liquids in the hospital, full liquids at the moment, and will be attempting pureed foods next week. *crosses her fingers for luck* I totally agree with you though, I am rarely hungry myself, even though not on solids yet. And my surgeon has excellent post op instructions. Right now I'm just hoping everything continues to go as smoothly as it has so far