what should i bring to the hospital with me?

Finally! After almost 9 months of struggling with insurance and everyone else, my date is finally 0ctober 13! I am soooooo excited! What should I bring to the hospital with me? I would love to know what you all are bringing with yourselves...please post and tell me Congrats to everyone who has made it this far and I hope that everyone has a safe surgery! Finda Nessy

Hi - my surgery is the 17th and I am wondering the same thing. When you find out will you let me know please. Ann

one thing that you have to definitly bring to the hospital is LIP BALM!! you will not be able to immediately drink or have ice etc..and your lips will be extremly dry. this is a must. you should only be in the hospital for 2-3 days and you need to bring your essentials (shampoo, meds,deodorant something to read etc.) you need to make sure that your meds are something that can be crushed and if in capsule form you need to contact your primary physician and ask if he can give you something in tablet form. if they supply your meds in the hospital (for instance high blood pressure meds etc..) you will be charged more that if you brought your own. i would make sure that you tell a nurse though when you are fixing to take your meds. the hospital will decide when you are to have your liquids started and they will give you what you need there. be sure to take any phone numbers of people who want to know that you are okay and give it to your husband/friend/relative/whomever. i have already bought my carnation instant breakfast/sugar free nestles quick/protein drinks and have them ready for when i get home. my doc wants me to drink milk when i get out for the first 10 days with anything sugar free in it and i can have broth, sugar free popsickles,protein drinks etc..gosh wishing you the best of luck and keep in touch...i will get my surgery on thursday if the creek don't rise.....cheryl

REGARDING MILK, MS CHERYL ... WE'VE BEEN TOLD "NO WHOLE MILK" WHICH I LOVE. THEY TALKED ABOUT SOY MILK & WHEN WE WENT TO WAL*MART THE OTHER DAY, RIGHT NEXT TO THE SOY MILK IS "HOOD CARB COUNTDOWN DAIRY BEVERAGE" ... 40 % FEWER CALORIES = 90 FOR 1 CUP ... 2% REDUCED FAT ... 75% LESS SUGAR & 75% FEWER CARBS ... SWEETENED WITH SPLENDA ... I WAS SO SURPRISED BECAUSE IT TASTES SO CLOSE TO WHOLE MILK I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

i was told no whole milk either...do you think i would be able to have nonfat liquid yogurt?? the coffee shop i go to can make a drink for me with ice/sugar free flavoring and nonfat liquid yogurt. i can have a protein powder added if i wanted to. what do you think? do u happen to know how much protein is in that dairy beverage?? wishing you well with your upcoming surgery. i will let you know how mine goes....cheryl

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT. WE'RE ALLOWED PLAIN, NONFAT YOGURT DURING OUR 4-WEEK PUREE FOOD TIME. I KNOW BARIATRICEATING.COM HAS A NO-FLAVOR PROTEIN POWDER THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO BE MIXED EASILY IN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING - HOT OR COLD. I DIDN'T THINK TO LOOK AT THE PROTEINS ... BUT, NEXT TIME I GO TO WALLY WORLD (WAL*MART), I NEED TO GET SOME HOOD CARB COUNTDOWN SO I'LL E-MAIL YOU WITH THE PROTEIN COUNT. 25 DAYS & A WAKE UP FOR ME ... GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

hiya!!! ive heard to take chapstick, slip on houseshoes, a robe for walking the halls, a book or crossword puzzle, phone #'s, spirometer if they gave u 1, ur cpap or bi-pap if ur dr said to bring it, deodorant, pads in case u start(check w/ ur dr if u use tampons), shower essentials (in case u get to take a shower @ the hosp), and something comfy to go home in. ive heard we wont need much while there so try to pack light. some ppl even suggested taking ur own pillow... definately would help for the ride home. hope this list helps out. and congrats on ur upcoming surgery!!! lisa--lap rny 10-21-05

I will definitely take my own pillow! I think I'm supposed to take my c-pap but will ask to be sure. lip balm and some of those finger tooth brush things as well as other shower/hygiene stuff. something loose fitting to wear home... also I have heard others say it is hard to bend over to wipe after surgery! I have read that some took a wooden spoon to wrap toilet paper around so they could reach.

MUSC (MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SC) IS WHERE I'M HAVING WLS, BUT YOU CAN ADJUST THIS LIST TO FIT YOUR HOSPITAL'S POLICIES ... HOSPITAL PACKING LIST ... YOUR OWN PILLOW (in a brightly covered pillow case so they know it's yours) ... LIGHTWEIGHT ROBE (forget the PJs; you have to wear a hospital gown at MUSC) ... WARM SOCKS ... SLIP-ON SANDLES, SLIPPERS OR HOUSE SHOES ... PERSONAL ITEMS = TOOTHBRUSH, TOOTHPASTE, MELT-ON-YOUR-TONGUE MOUTHWASH FILM & LIP BALM, SPRAY-IN DRY SHAMPOO, SCRUNCHIE OR SOMETHING TO HOLD BACK YOUR HAIR & HAIRBRUSH, DEODERANT ... ELECTRIC OR BATTERY-OPERATED FAN ... LIST OF ALL PRESCRIPTIONS, OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS, VITAMINS, MINERALS & SUPLEMENTS (for check-in info) - BE SURE TO LIST THE STRENGTH & HOW MANY TIMES A DAY YOU TAKE THEM ... MUSC ALLOWS YOU TO BRING YOUR OWN PRESCRIPTIONS FROM HOME TO TAKE WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL (this saves on cost & stops the possibility of getting the wrong prescriptions or dosages) ... CANES, WALKERS OR ANY OTHER MEDICAL APPLIANCE YOU USE ... CPAP MACHINE (bring your own as it will be set correctly) ... CAMERA (TO UPDATE YOUR OBESITYHELP.COM PROFILE!) ... MUSC ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE A HAND-HELD CD PLAYER, EARPHONES/HEADSET TO PLAY MUSIC DURING YOUR SURGERY WHILE YOU ARE UNDER ANESTHETIC ... (I'm going to take some relaxing, calming CDs) ... A GOOD WLS BOOK TO READ ... BEFORE & AFTER ... SUSAN MARIE LEACH EXODUS FROM OBESITY ... PAULA F PECK I'M STILL HUNGARY ... CARNEY WILSON WLS: FINDING THE THIN PERSON HIDING INSIDE YOU (3rd Edition) ... ... BARBARA THOMPSON GUT FEELINGS; FROM FEAR & DESPAIR TO HEALTH & ... CARNEY WILSON ... & THE BEST ... A COMFY OUTFIT TO WEAR HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK