2 wks after DS

Hi everybody! I am 2 wks out from open Duodenal Switch and am just fine! Got blood work done Tues. all is well...started soft foods today...yummm! I am not in pain much but boy do I have a LONG incision, and Mon. get staples out. I am still using walker and otherwise am great except no stamina. I know most of you have had lap band or R&Y but recovery is pretty much same. I have been satisfied food wise but last 2 days PIZZA ads on tv make me so hungry!

Congratulations. I hope you have a smooth recovery.

I am not familiar with the Duodenal Switch but I am glad to hear that your surgery went well. Dre

You are very lucky to have one of the surgeons who does the DS! Please take a moment to read about it. Here on OH: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/a,messageboard/board_id,5357/ www.duodenalswitch.com Isha -220 pounds, eating normally the whole time!

Glad to hear you are coming along fine. Keep up the good work!

Welcome to the losers' bench! Sounds like you are doing real well! Diana

Congrats. I am also having an open DS, but on July 3 in Brazil with Dr. Marchesini. It's nice to see another local DS patient, as most of the WLS patients around here have had or are having RNY or Lap Band. Please keep updating us. I will especially be watching your progress since I'm right behind ya! Best wishes for a speedy recovery Cheryl

Happy to meet you...I live in a rural small town outside Eugene. I had DS at OHSU over 2 wks. ago and can say I FINALLY feel like a human today! I am 53 so maybe if I were younger I might be more recovered or less "needy" feeling ? I really want to impress on you to have a lot of help when you recover ; my husband has taken 2 wks. off and helped me immensely! I can get around-but can't get up alone till yesterday....I can get my own ice water etc. but can't get my foods together alone...no way can I yet do laundry, shower alone or sleep through a whole night without scheduled pain meds. It's like being an infant in a way. I have had surgeries bfore, but this is SURGERY with a capital S! I hope I'm not scaring you- I want to tell you what I wanted to know at your place in time. I have had very little pain, no weird feelings, NO HUNGER! About day 7 I was second thinking this thing a very little tiny bit- today I am totally sure & happy about life! In short-"Oh waht a difference a week makes!!" So plan ahead and have that extra person-helper for at min. a week and EXPECT up & down days also. Keep me in the loop and ask anything you want & I'll be honest with you. Best Wishes Cheryl! Pam

Happy to meet you as well Pam! What town do you live in? My parents are in the Roseburg area (Oakland, to be exact, so I am pretty familiar with the stretch between Portland and Roseburg. anywhoooo..... Yes, I plan to have LOTS of help! Both of my parents have decided to come with me and I am taking the whole month of July off of work. We leave June 30 and get back on July 18th. I'm sure by then I'll be a bit more self sufficient by the time we return, but if not my mom can stick around a while. I have a pretty sedentary job (when I'm not in trial - I'm a litigation paralegal) and can do a lot of work from home. And I have a super helpful 13, almost 14, year old. Are you using an abdominal binder?/ Is your incision vertical? If you do have a binder, do you feel that it helps the pain some? If you aren't using a binder, I'm curious as to the theory behind not using one. My surgery will be open also (dont remember if I mentioned that) with a vertical incision and my surgeon recommends full-time use of a binder for 3 months to help prevent hernias. Keep me posted and to your progress! Thanks Cheryl

I remember the pizza commercials really getting to me too! I became aware of how much advertising there really is! It passed though, and soon enough I was able to eat the veggie de-lite at Pappa Murphy's. Your stamina will come back little by little, but you need to give yourself time to recover. Patty