Post-Op 8 days RNY-Lap

I am now 8 days post-op and feel great! I had to have a second surgery while there, but everything worked out well. My doctor has me on clear liquids the first 2 weeks. Can anyone come up with a list of clear liquids so that I can not get bored as I am getting? I have ate chicken both, beef both (I hate the beef one ), tried the top ramen seasonings that come in the noodles, but way too much sodium and kind of spicy. I drink mostly water, apple juice & orange juice. Then I have sugar-free jello which I like a lot. I was in the hospital for 6 days, went in weighing 208 lbs. When I was released I weighed 193 lbs. Yeah!

WTG Hettie and CONGRATS!!! You are taking in about the same types of liquids as I did. The only thing I did not drink was the OJ. I was afraid to due to the citric acids. I did buy watermelon and sucked the juices from it and then spit out the watermelon itself. My surgeon just said it was too much fiber, but was ok to enjoy the water from it. I know it was like a cusine for me Hope you are doing well and I will keep you in thoughts and prayers. Enjoy your new found life and be ready for the journey of a life time!!! Hugs, Dee

Dee-- Thanks for the watermelon tip. It helped a lot. I went to the store and bought a quarter of a melon. Came home and started sucking the water out of it. It tasted like HEAVEN! The melon was good & sweet also, so that really helped satisfy me. It did not do anything to me, like make me sick. I am learning the things that don't sit well on my stomach now. I have bought so many different drinks, you would not believe how many different drinks I have bought this week only to throw them out, and so far only Tree Top Apple Juice & an orange juice called "Simply Orange." I also bought a can of Campbell's vegetable & beef soup......strained the broth off of it...added some water to dilute it....and ate it, no problems. So I am learning as time passes what I can tolerate and what I can not. Hettie

Hi Hettie, Congrats on doing so well. I was wondering what your second surgery was that needed to be done? I will be having my LAP rny on June 9th with Dr. Mando in New Orleans. And I am very scared. My husband had OPEN RNY on May 18th...he is doing very well except for the leakage from his incision is terrible...but Dr. Mando said it is common and has him on medicine for infection (it smells bad). He isnt running fever and doesnt hurt and is keeping his liquids down. I was just wondering about your second surgery and how you felt coming out of surgery. any info would be greatly appreciated. Good luck to you.

Hi Cherish-- My 2nd surgery was to repair a herniated intestine. That's the way it was explained to me. It was where the intestine was bunching up against my new stomach....so everything that I drank or ate did not go anywhere....then when it got full....I started to vomit, in large volumes, three times right in a row. Then I felt complete relief afterwards. Dr Merriman must have done a very good job, because he fixed it and I have never had the problem again. I would know what it feels like it happened again. It's like everything eventually fills up at your throat....you can not belch...nothing moves....then I started to feel nauseated, then I would throw up.....this happened twice, then Dr Merriman took me back into surgery that night. No problems since. He said I was only his 2nd patient to have this happen to. Well, I feel blessed to have such a good doctor, and you will have a good doctor also. I pray that you will not have any complications. I will keep you in my prayers Cherish. Hettie

Hi Hettie, I had my RNY LAP 15 days before you. Dr. Merriman is my doctor also. Is he the greatest or what? I was wondering if you have tried Crystal light? They have all flavors and it is sugar free. I love the Minute Maid Light Lemonade only 5 calories per 8 ounces. I hope to meet you at the support group meeting the 17th of June. 100% Cranberry Juice is great too and sugar free popsicles are pretty good. A little lemon or a slice of lime in your water is kinda nice for a change. I had my surgery 4/26/04 and today I weighed and have lost 45 pounds that I hope to never see again. Be sure to get your protein in. It will make a world of difference in how you feel. All the best wishes to you my friend! We are on the losing side now! Sincerely, Dan

Dan- So good to hear from you and I really appreicate the advice also. I have about 3 different flavors of Crystal Light. I like the Peach & Raspberry Iced Teas the most. I drink Apple Jiuce in the morning and the teas in the the afternoon and evening. I also have my protein drink in the mid-morning and afternoon. I can't seem to drink a lot of anything. Donna at Dr Merriman's wants me to increase my input from 2 ozs. to 6 ozs., by the time I come back for my 2nd post-op on July 2nd. I wish I could be at the support group meeting in June, but I am going to be out of state for four weeks starting June 3rd. Hopefully, we will meet in July. I have not lost much weight since last week, but it's probably because of my diet change last week. I started at 208 lbs. and now I'm at 187 lbs. Sometimes I am soooooooo sluggish and a bit short of breath. Then the next day, I will feel full of energy. I don't know what that is all about. I'm just happy to be on the losing side now, and those lost pounds are gone forever! The best to you too Dan. Hettie P.S. And yes Dr Merriman is the greatest doctor in the world!

hello Hettie, I am now 14 days post op and i am just beginning to be able to cope with the surgery. i have had so much pain and not been able to keep anything down. I had a nissen fundoplication take down with the RNY. So the doctor says I had a lot more surgery than normal. So it is slow going for me. I hope it gets easier. Any encouragement would be great. I know this is going to get better, but I want it NOW ! LOL Thanks Christy