Post Op Day 6, Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned:

1.  Dont count on hospitals having extra fans to place in patient rooms.  If you think you are going to need a fan, plan on bringing your own.  The hospital's maintenance department will have to check it out, but its better than going without.

2.  When you think you have to fart, make sure you are on the toilet.  Enough said.

3.  Pain is what the patient says it is.  Everyone tolerates pain differently.  Lap Band pain is no different than bypass pain.  It could be more, it could be less.  Pain is pain.

4. Abdominal distention sucks big time.  No matter how many miles you walk, it will stay distended until it makes up its own mind to move.  WHen that happens, see #2 above.

5.  Liquid protein sucks - no matter what flavor, what product, what wretched smell.  Nothing is especially appetizing after surgery - even 6 days out.

6.  Sometimes, you just cant do protein every day.  Take a rest, stay hydrated, tomorrow will be better.

7.  For those with known or unknown "milk" intolerances....be certain to try out milk-based proteins shakes (any whey protein) and/or products (Carnation Instant Breakfast) before surgery.  If they give you GI trouble before surgery - it'll come back to slap you in the belly 3-fold after surgery.

That's about it for now.

Hope you're on the upswing now!  I started feeling better after day 5/6.

Thanks for the kind words....feeling better these past 2 days....still got to get rid of some of the distention...thats the biggest downside in all of this ...

Wow...  you have lost a lot of weight since surgery....good for you!  I am hopeful as well!

 You got them all right on the money.  I had a problem getting all of that gas to move after surgery and you are right it moves o it's own time and is different for each one of us.  Hope that you are feeling better and on the mend!