any "I wish I knew" stories? :secret:

Hello, I'm going for my surgery 5/22/07 - I am sooooooooooo excited and soooooooo scared. I guess i'm the type of person that would rather know all the gritty details. If you would share any stores about the few weeks right after surgery, i'd appreciate it. How was it to follow the diet? What did you do if you weren't comfortable sleeping? Any sleeping suggetions? Did you go out with friends or stay home to be near the toliet incase of need to be sick or diareah? What can i expect with diareah or getting sick? There has to be stories..... I still am unclear - is "dumping" when you have to run to the toliet, or is it when you vomit? I am scared to try anything new if i'm not alone in my own house so I don't get embarassed. how much time did you take off - i am taking 2 weeks and then the 3rd week, gonna try and go back 1/2 days. So, is that enough questions? Write to me details......the GOOD I've heard .... I need to know .....BE PREPARED OF stories ...... things you weren't told that i'd like to know. god love ya all. and thanks for the support

I will say it. I had my surgery Aug. 24th, 2004. I was in the hospital for 10 days, I must have had an allergic reaction to the morphine. I am not sure, I went through all the steps to make sure my pouch wasnt torn and what not. Then my vains collapes on both arns so they put the IV in my neck, which I HATED. I wouldnt get out of the bed to walk, because the pain was terrible from them blowing my stomach up during the surgery. I hated the broth. The nurse finally came in and said that if I did not get up and walk that I would die from a blood clot and she had seen it before. ( I am guessing that scared the **** out of me because I got up and walked). Anywho...when I finally got home the first thing that hurt me was a couple of weeks out I ate some refried beans and cheese and it HURT, going down. But other than that I was ok. So no big horror story, no bleeding or ooozing. Nothing you were looking for. I would do it again and again, I have lost over 100 pounds and I feel great. You can check out my myspace if you want. Hope you do well...Good luck!!! myspace.com/rachaelrb

oh yeah, and my dumping is, I get shaking, sweaty and feel like the world is going to end. I have never thrown up in almost 3 years.

First of all, I want to wish you all the best for your upcoming surgery. I have to say for me everything well, no real complications. I felt much better after surgery than I had expected. I got out of bed the first day about 6 hours after coming back to my room. My advice for that is to make sure you take your pain medication as often as you need it. That will help you be more comfortable when you start moving around. You most likely will need to ask the nurse for it each time unless you are on a continuous infusion pump. Walking is one of most important things you can do to help your postop recovery and prevent complications. I have not had any diarreah problems except once after eating something I shouldn't have. I haven't really had any dumping issues and I have tested that out. I don't very often eat anything that could trigger that response though. It wouldn't help with weight loss. As for vomiting, yes I have done that. Usually because I ate too fast or a little too much. The worst part of that is the discomfort when your pouch is overfull. The vomiting isn't too bad just a little undigested food comes back up and after that I ususally feel better. So another thing to remember when you start with liquids sip, sip slowly in the beginning and advance you diet as per your doctors instruction. When you start food chew, chew, chew and measure portions cafefully. Best of luck Sher

Hello Darlene & Best wishes on your surgery! Ok...I had open RNY 4/26/05. I prepared mentally as much as possible with what would take place with the surgery. The pain from the stitches & muscles was very uncomfortable. I did utilize the pain meds for sleeping. The first day of the surgery I was pretty much "out of it" & don't remember too much. (Bits & pieces.) The next day I wanted OUT of bed. Walking is the BEST thing you can do. As soon as you can get moving up & down the hall ways of the hospital you'll feel better being able to stretch a little. I think I wore out a path. I did have a low grade fever during my 4-day stay. (I think it was from the anesthesia plus the major surgery) It ran around 100-102 degrees. It did drain me somewhat & at one point I did have a good cry the 2nd night in my hospital room. Once I got the crying jag out of my system I was able to refocus on why I wanted the surgery. Alot of emotion came out not ashamed to admit it. I had a cathader for 3 days. To me that was the most aggravating part of my stay at the hospital. I wanted it out & begged/pleaded with the nursing staff. It started leaking down my leg (gross I know) & they finally relented. For me the first 3 months were really about adapting to the new life style & healing. I did have complications (MY fault not the surgery) where I got dehydrated & had a double kidney/bladder infection. I started to throw up food (soft stage) at around a month out. My Dr was thinking I had a stricture (a side affect) but turned out my pouch just didn't like what I was offering it so I backed off on certain things until I was farther out in recovery. I still throw up on certain foods (pork, rice etc) but everyone is different. Sugar or anything too high in sugar alcohol (sugar free pudding) knocks me for a loop so I avoid it at all costs. (sweating, heart racing, fever, aches feels like the flu) it's the most awful experience physically & to me it's not worth eating it. One time I accidently had a Star Bucks vanilla coffee...not realizing the vanilla flavoring was loaded with sugar...OMG I thought I was going to die...it was awful. Ok girlie talk.... About a week before & during my "friendly visitor" my pouch acts up like crazy. I can barely keep any food in it...(I throw up alot) & during my special "visit" the pouch acts weird. (Fills up easily...rock feeling the whole 9 yards) I also get "extra sensitive" to complex carbs & sugar alcohol where I "dump" at even the smallest amount. My Dr. & the nutrienist believe it's hormones making it act haywire so I'm going for some fasting & extra blood work. As soon as the visitor goes away so do all the side affects...weird, weird, weird. (don't you love being a gal?) I'm sure that my situation is the exception & not the "rule". At home I slept on a recliner couch (Life saver) you will be a bit uncomfortable if you have open RNY no way around it...but each day does get better & you'll start feeling yourself after a couple weeks. I made it a point to walk & drink my fluids during this time. I took naps then would get up & walk around the block or up/down my street. Have a good support person with you at least for the first week. My husband was an angel. Took very very good care of me. I couldn't have done the recovery without his help. I went back to work after 4 weeks. (I was job hunting at the same time of recovery) & in retrospect I should have waited until I had the protein/drinking part down better. I worked 60-70 hours at the new job my health took a back step. I did leave the job due to my health & where I liked the job I have no regrets over leaving. I realized I only had this shot at getting control of my health & so I focused on that & I'm glad I did. I did try new foods at home. Just to play it safe. I can't speak for anyone else when they feel like the food isn't going to settle. For me it's a BIG rock & very uncomfortable. Once it comes up the feeling goes away. After a few bites you can tell if something is going to settle or not. You get very in tune to your pouch. I did have a surgerical hernia taken care of last June. (laproscopic) To be honest that was more painful than the open WLS. It knocked me on my butt the pain was very intense. I did have 4 hernias on top of each other. (I was told it looked like swiss cheese by my surgeon) You may have some diarria after the surgery. I think it's from all of the IV & anesthesia that you're given. Around day 6 I got it. However it was a relief. (enough said on that subject!) Definately bring some sugar free breath freshner spray or mouth wash of sometype to the hospital. My mouth was sooo dry & you're not able to drink anything for quite awhile so it'll definately help. I have no regrets over the surgery. I found out earlier this week by the nutritienist that I've lost 90% of total weight. I'm above the average statistics of 70-80%...that to me is just an amazing amazing blessing. I'm still working on the "last 5 pounds" that I keep playing with. That about wraps up the whole tamali with my experiences. The positives...I'm healthy, energenic, I run circles around my hubby & son, I work out (HOLY SMOKES) I have an almost flat stomach from my tummy tuck I had last fall (tee hee) & I'm a size 8/10 down from a 26/28 - 30\32! No more high blood pressure, anti-depressent pills, less chance of diabetes (that is rampid in my family) my arthritis in my lower back rarely bothers me & less chance of undetected breast cancer (also runs in the family) The WLS is an amazing life saving & changing experience. I feel empowered & wish I did it 10 years ago. Blessings, Mickey