Ok 5 more days and its surgery Time.

I just have a few quesitons and I hope someone can help me . Now I have been reading everyones post and just a little confused , I notice people say its a hard time for them to get fluids in . My question is why, Is it that you dont want to drink anything or is it you throw it up . Also , When sleeping in bed what is the best postion to sleep on your side or back or what. Another thing the drainage bag you come home on , do I have to take extra steps with it . Well I now i sound crazy but Im just getting really nervous right now . Also , A friend had the surgery done about a year ago and after surgery she had to spend the first 4 hours in ICU is that case . Also one last question may sound funny But once you had surgery when did you feel up to have sex with your partner.

Tracy, I slept in my recliner for the first 5-6 days, mainly because of the drainage tube and also my bed is very high and to get in and out of bed was painful because I was sore..The drainage tube is not a big deal, it should not get in the way of your walking around or anything. I went straight to my room after surgery and was up and walking that evening. The nurses are great and they will help you every step of the way..As for your last question, unfortunately for me I do not know that answer good luck with your surgery and I hope everything goes as well for you as it has for me.. Vanessa

I have the same questions! LOL! My hubby leaves for Drill Sgt school in the middle of October about 4 weeks after my surgery. I am hoping I'll be OK enough to have intimate relations with him before he leave since we won't see each other for 9 weeks. I've been thru 3 deployments so it's no biggie if we can't. Another question I have is can you take a shower with the drainage bag? I hate feeling dirty and it's so hot here. I suppose sponge baths would be OK, but I need to wash my hair.

Tracy, As far as a shower, they REFUSED in the hospital to let me take a shower. The first nite (Wednesday) post-op I didnt take a shower or sponge but when I woke up on Thursday am, I DEMANDED a sponge bath and I gave it to myself. On Thursday evenign I asked to take a shower and they REFUSED again. On Friday am, I stated, I am going to take a shower REGARDLESS of what anyone says. I took a shower Friday am by myself and felt MARVELOUS!!! I couldnt take a bath until the steri-strips were removed-which was about 10 days post-op! Stephanie

Jessica, yesssss...You can take a shower and wash your hair....They had me in the shower the morning after my surgery..... Vanessa

Tracy, I do believe different physicians and different persons have different situations. The reason its difficult to get fluids in initially is because your stomach is so small and its difficult to get liquids in because you feel VERY full -- within 2 weeks most people begin to get more liquids in than the first initial two weeks when you were trying to get them in. Personally I believe its that your stomach goes from being big to very small and just underwent surgery and its even smaller because its inflammed from surgery. YOu will get more liquids in as time progresses. I was actually worried at two to three weeks post-op and called the nutritionist worried because I could NOW take in 12 oz of water in a 30 minute sitting. They explained tha****er is dense compared to food. I heard that some people had to sleep in a recliner and couldnt sleep on their sides. I slept on my back in the hospital and came home for a few nites and slept on my back but within a week I was sleeping on my side. I didnt come home with a drainage bag and not everyone does, just depends on the person. I was supposed to spend the nite in recovery which I guess is a form of ICU but I demanded the nurse call my physician because I was feeling so well and put me in a room because I wanted to be with my husband that nite. As far as sex, I felt up to it on day 4 post-op but didnt have it until around 10 days post-op, I think. I didnt ask the doctor because I felt up to it and so did the hubby !!! HOpe that wasnt too graphic or detailed Stephanie

Tracy: I had open rny and when I came home I slept in the recliner the first couple of nights. It was definitely easier sleeping on my back after surgery. I'm a side sleeper and it was at least a month or more before I could comfortably sleep on my side. You're having lap, so maybe it won't be so bad for you. I didn't have a drain tube after wls, but I did have two of them after my tummy tuck, one at each hip. I got rid of one today, but they're more of a nuisance than anything else. Hope it won't be too much longer before I can get rid of the other one. As for sex, I can't remember, but my period started the day I had surgery (be forewarned, your hormones go crazy), but it was probably shortly after it stopped (seems like it lasted a while though, can't remember--those first 2 weeks are kind of a blur). I would think whenever you feel comfortable about it. As for fluids, you have to sip slowly so it takes forever to drink anything. I was on clear liquids for a week after I got out of the hospital. I had no appetite and had to force myself to remember to drink or eat jello. When you start eating, you can't drink and eat at the same time and have to stop drinking half an hour before a meal and then wait about 30 minutes to an hour after you eat before you can start drinking again and that makes it harder to get your fluids in. Hope this helps. Cathy

Here's my $0.02: Fluids: at the beginning, I had a very tough time with fluids because I had really, really, really, really bad gas. On top of that, I guess my pouch and guts were sore and probably a little sleepy from residual anesthesia, so water was tough... until I realized that what I needed to do was take tiny (and I mean truly tiny!) little sips. By my third or fourth day out, I was drinking the 48 oz./day that my doctors wanted me to drink, and I worked my way up since then. (Right now, I just had 24 oz. of water in an hour and a half.) As for sleeping and drainage, I can't answer those because once I got rid of the gas, I could sleep just fine and I'm a back sleeper anyway. I also never had a drainage tube, so I know nothing of that. For about 24 hours after surgery, I was in a recovery room where there was almost 1:1 observation. It probably doesn't seem like it, but it was very nice. Sex: Some surgeons put a 6-week hold on it, just like they tell you not to lift heavy objects for 6 weeks. Ask your surgeon about this, as the last thing you want is for your partner to accidentally crush your surgery site or something. Good luck!