surgery with Dr Christou
Welcome Shelby1!
I had RNY last year with Dr.Christou....so feel free to PM me and ask away any questions you may have. I had a positive experience with no surgery complications. Looking forward to chatting with you!
I had RNY last year with Dr.Christou....so feel free to PM me and ask away any questions you may have. I had a positive experience with no surgery complications. Looking forward to chatting with you!
Brenda B, HW 328 PreSW 298 CW 156 Goal 165
AT GOAL..................NORMAL BMI! DOING THE HAPPY DANCE
Hi Brenda, thanks so much for the welcome. I am so happy that I found out about this site. I have so many questions regarding the RNY surgery... not sure where to begin. How long were you in hospital? Did they give you adequate pain control? How long until you were able to do your usual household stuff without much pain? How fast did the weight start coming off? I could go on and on LOL. I will leave it at that for now. Thank you thank you thank you for the welcome. Looking forward to getting to know you and some others here too :) Shelby
Hi Shelby, I will answer your questions in the order you asked ok? Hopefully it won't be too confusing LOL!
You're in the hospital two days if all goes well, I went in on Tuesday early early morning around 7:30am and had surgery around 9:30 am and was discharged on Thursday morning around 11:00am. I do know that he also operates on Wednsedays. He did ask me to stay in Montreal until Sunday in case I developed issues post op. I returned home on Sunday afternoon.
Pain control in the hospital was ok but Dr. Christou does not give very much for pain management other than tylenol after day one of surgery. I knew this in advance and I got some meds prescribed to me by my family doctor in case. I wanted something on hand for the travel home as I live a twelve hour drive away from Montreal. I did make sure that the med wasn't an antiinflammatory med as we are not allowed these post op. I personnally had alot of pain but mine was due to the adhesions that Dr. Christou had to remove in order to perform the surgery. My hospital roommate as well as others at the hospital suffered alot less than me. The anaestigia also made me very heart sick post op for twelve hours so I threw up constantly and was very dehydrated. Again this was my intolerence and not due to the type of surgery. This would be my only complaint that even though I had mentionned this before surgery and that there is a medication that they can give preop to control the nausea, the anaestisiologist never gave it to me during surgery so I was very sick postop. But I did survive and the nursing staff was wonderful. The hospital is small and quaint and clean.
Once I got home my pain subsided relatively quickly. I was up and about about ten days after surgery. Once I started controlling my pain I felt much better. Again this was a personal issue. I know some of Dr. Christou's other patients without my medical history (two hysterectomies, ovaries removed and cut open vertically on the stomach caused alot of internal adhesions) did not feel as much pain as I did. I stayed home for six weeks as I have great health insurance but alot of people go back after two weeks. You do feel very tired after surgery as it does take time for your body to adjust to the little amount of food intake. For me that lasted three months. Although I felt fatigue I was able to do my regular house chores and I even did a few light chores outside.
I started losing weight immediately post op but at a slow rate. In the first six months I lost about two pounds a week. Very slow. But as you can see. I did manage to lose 140 pounds in 14 months. I attained my weight goal eleven months postop (to the exact day ! Freakie!). I am still losing although at a very slow pace but now I need to find a way to maintain. Which isn't easy.
In the beginning after surgery it is tough to adjust to the pressure in your stomach and esophagus created by the pouch. Eating isn't easy but just remember it is a process and it does get easier with time. It is much easier to eat now. You just get full very quickly with RNY.
You are in for an interesting and exciting journey. I have no regret on choosing this type of surgery. The biggest complaint I have is swallowing so many darn vitamins and the fact they are so big. But those are the sacrifices one does for gaining health :). Feel free to ask anymore questions. I remember how the members answers reassured me during my early days into this journey! PS. Be forewarned the Optifast two week diet is the worst part. But you can do this is you stay focused on the big picture.
You're in the hospital two days if all goes well, I went in on Tuesday early early morning around 7:30am and had surgery around 9:30 am and was discharged on Thursday morning around 11:00am. I do know that he also operates on Wednsedays. He did ask me to stay in Montreal until Sunday in case I developed issues post op. I returned home on Sunday afternoon.
Pain control in the hospital was ok but Dr. Christou does not give very much for pain management other than tylenol after day one of surgery. I knew this in advance and I got some meds prescribed to me by my family doctor in case. I wanted something on hand for the travel home as I live a twelve hour drive away from Montreal. I did make sure that the med wasn't an antiinflammatory med as we are not allowed these post op. I personnally had alot of pain but mine was due to the adhesions that Dr. Christou had to remove in order to perform the surgery. My hospital roommate as well as others at the hospital suffered alot less than me. The anaestigia also made me very heart sick post op for twelve hours so I threw up constantly and was very dehydrated. Again this was my intolerence and not due to the type of surgery. This would be my only complaint that even though I had mentionned this before surgery and that there is a medication that they can give preop to control the nausea, the anaestisiologist never gave it to me during surgery so I was very sick postop. But I did survive and the nursing staff was wonderful. The hospital is small and quaint and clean.
Once I got home my pain subsided relatively quickly. I was up and about about ten days after surgery. Once I started controlling my pain I felt much better. Again this was a personal issue. I know some of Dr. Christou's other patients without my medical history (two hysterectomies, ovaries removed and cut open vertically on the stomach caused alot of internal adhesions) did not feel as much pain as I did. I stayed home for six weeks as I have great health insurance but alot of people go back after two weeks. You do feel very tired after surgery as it does take time for your body to adjust to the little amount of food intake. For me that lasted three months. Although I felt fatigue I was able to do my regular house chores and I even did a few light chores outside.
I started losing weight immediately post op but at a slow rate. In the first six months I lost about two pounds a week. Very slow. But as you can see. I did manage to lose 140 pounds in 14 months. I attained my weight goal eleven months postop (to the exact day ! Freakie!). I am still losing although at a very slow pace but now I need to find a way to maintain. Which isn't easy.
In the beginning after surgery it is tough to adjust to the pressure in your stomach and esophagus created by the pouch. Eating isn't easy but just remember it is a process and it does get easier with time. It is much easier to eat now. You just get full very quickly with RNY.
You are in for an interesting and exciting journey. I have no regret on choosing this type of surgery. The biggest complaint I have is swallowing so many darn vitamins and the fact they are so big. But those are the sacrifices one does for gaining health :). Feel free to ask anymore questions. I remember how the members answers reassured me during my early days into this journey! PS. Be forewarned the Optifast two week diet is the worst part. But you can do this is you stay focused on the big picture.
Brenda B, HW 328 PreSW 298 CW 156 Goal 165
AT GOAL..................NORMAL BMI! DOING THE HAPPY DANCE
Welcome to our group Shelby. I'm on the waiting list for the VSG like Diane had so I can't really comment on the RNY experience but Brenda is a great ressource in our group and so is Sarah as she had it done about 1 year ago today. Please feel free to ask away. Are you from Montreal? If so, we are planning a gettogether on Saturday night if you feel like joining us. The more the merrier. It'll just be the second time we meet each other so please don't be shy if you can make it out.
Derek
Derek
StartW: 406.6 SurgeryW: 370.8 LastW: 249.6 ThisW: 246.6
VSG SURGERY ON MARCH 10TH, 2011
Follow my journey on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/Dirik29
VSG SURGERY ON MARCH 10TH, 2011
Follow my journey on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/Dirik29
Hi Derek,
Thanks for the warm welcome. I am so glad that I found this site!! I would love to come and meet you all at your meeting but I can't as I do not live in Montreal. I am in Kitchener but will be having my surgery with Dr Christou (long story as to why in Montreal). Still feeling very anxious about the whole thing but deep down I believe it is the right thing to do. Looking forward to learning from you and the others. Take care, Shelby
Thanks for the warm welcome. I am so glad that I found this site!! I would love to come and meet you all at your meeting but I can't as I do not live in Montreal. I am in Kitchener but will be having my surgery with Dr Christou (long story as to why in Montreal). Still feeling very anxious about the whole thing but deep down I believe it is the right thing to do. Looking forward to learning from you and the others. Take care, Shelby
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