Home now

Just got home. Wound up spending a second night in the hospital. I kept throwing up and the pain was quite bad.  I won't post too much now as I'm pretty knackered.  I just wanted to let everyone know I made it through. 

that's good news that you are home! It's no walk in the park but oh it's going to be so worth it! Trust me as someone who had it rough, it gets better every day and you are on the road to health and a better life!

How long was it for you to get rid of the gas pain and cramping?

Hi Rycat, I've copied an old post of mine 5 days post-surgery below for you to see. it really sums up my first few days and my early experience with VSG. It's only 9 months ago and it is hard to remember everything so I thought the post would speak for itself. I guess it started to get better for me once I could use the bathroom which took 9 days due to horrible constipation caused by pain meds. If I can give advice to anyone is would be  get yourself some SENEKOT and don't suffer it out! Also a heating pad  for the stomach and/or back and A535  rubbed on the back was great to help with soreness from all the extra laying down and sitting down.

Originally posted Dec 15th ---

I have had rough time. I think it started with me throwing up immediately after surgery and then dry heaving and throwing up saliva for a lot of my first night even though I was on high doses of anti nausea meds, I think all that pressure on my new stomach set me back. Then I found out about 14 hours after surgery that they had me on no pain meds and that was after I asked at 2:30 am what I was getting for pain and the nurse said nothing. I was so upset but could only focus on getting through all the nausea and pain. I threw up in bed and had been given no tray to spit it in, couldn't get up because of the compression socks and could almost not reach my button which had not been placed near me When I did manage to reach it I could only gargle with the throw up in my mouth, that was another low point. I was discharged by 10:00 the next day but didn't feel ready to leave so I slept for another hour and a half. I had an old cot that had to be cranked up and down and was uncomfortable. My first room mate was an adult mentally challenge woman who yelled screamed cursed swore and cried constantly saying I cant do it you *** ing guy or lady on repeat and buzzed the nurses non stop . I asked if I could be moved and they said I could just get moved in with someone else like her but eventually they must have realized how difficult she was and moved her. I started throwing up dark brown bile in Borden on the way home, I did that four or five times that first day/night home.That scared me so I called Monique the next morning and left a voice mail and she called me back later that afternoon and since I hadn't thrown up the bile in a while she thought I would be ok. My pain has been high and they only gave a Rx for 5 days so I started Tylenol 1's this morning to save a few of the Dilaudid's for sleeping which thank God is getting better but I still wake up about every hour and have had to sleep in a recliner for part of the last few nights. That about sums it up for me right now, wish me luck that this gets easier, I know it will and the worst is behind me now.  My family was also upset that when Dr B eventually came out he said I was fine and would be releassed in 24 hours and nothing else and then walked away. They couldnt believe he didnt wait for any questions at all. That has been my expreience, I know everyone's will be different. Tonight I am feeling a bit better, I'm on Tyenol 1's, finally passing some gass, sleeping a bit better, but it's been one of the most challenging things I have ever come though and Ive had three C Sections, a hernia repair and a pulmonary embolism to compare this to. JILLIAN.

so glad you are home. thanks for letting us know.  there may be times you ask why did you do this but seriously it will pass and you will know as time goes by why you did. 

take advantage of the pain meds. dont be a trooper. it is harder on your body to deal with the pain than to be medicated. after a few days you wont need it as much. walking helps a great deal with the gas.

any questions, shout out to any of us.. we will answer the best we can

Thanks for your experiences. I found that the nurses were definitely understaffed!  When I rang the nurses it would usually take a half an hour before I saw one. I through up at one point in a facecloth that I was holding and the nurse got mad at me and said that's why I had a pan and should have been sick in that. Times like that though we aren't thinking clearly!  Anyway, gas left me last night so now it's just the soreness around the stomach.  Maybe some from all the throwing up and some from the swelling of the stomach itself.  Hopefully this soreness doesn't last as long. What is your guys experience with that part?

hi,

i had soreness for couple weeks.  i know i pulled a stitch at one point at week 2 so i was tender for another week or two after that.  i was off work approx 2.5 months as i had dehydration problems and actually i was not able to get things in chec****il this last year.  i could only drink about .5-1.0 cups of water a day. now im up to 5-6 cups and so proud lol (doesnt take much)

i was lucky, and although i experienced dizziness and nausea after surgery i never actually threw up til a year later when i had gall bladder attacks. i was warned it would be a different experience than from before surgery and it was lol. funny how it changed.  i cannot imagine being sick right after. i had to cough several times and thought my stomach was going to open up. hurt.  i must say i had a better experience than you all it seems.  in bathurst they keep you in a few days and i was in for four (it was a holiday weekend). things went smoothly, nice bed, my own room, nurses did leave me pretty much to myself but if i needed help they didnt take long once i rang the bell. they were always walking by the room and would peek in.  i went walking around the floor couple hours after getting some sleep. it was couple years ago but i remember being obsessed with getting my earrings in after surgery i was sure they would grow over (lol good drugs)  i slept in a chair for bout 4 nights then for the next few i was propped up in bed to make things comfy. i tried walking as much as i could cause it alleviated the gas pain so much. 

Congrats on your surgery. Hope things get easier in the next few days. My surgery is scheduled for Oct 23 so enjoy reading all of the updates and experiences from everyone.