Hey

Friends, I got home on Saturday and just plain tired from the two hour drive. I am getting used to the surgery. I was told I did very well and I was the first patient they had that did not require any help walking. As soon as I woke I started walking, wanting to go home that is the great push for me. But two days after I got home I started the crying and the thinking did I do the right thing. Or I made a big mistake. Well my family got really scared and call my Doctor. They told us it is natural to cry and say that because after surgery your hormones go really crazy. They told my mother that I was really late in getting this. Well I am still crying a bit and feeling a lot better for doing it. I wish someone had told me of the crying so I could get heads up to my family. I think they are getting the worse of the tears. I am keeping them up at night. But they are being really great about it and understanding. I just have a few questions to ask now. Did any of you try to vomit after one little sip of protien shake or 15 minutes later with nothing? I have been having a slight buring in my stomach and I am finding it hard to just sip 20 cc of water in 30 minutes. It fills like a brick. I have been on broths measured and timed so I do not over do anything like water or food. I am even trying to get my vit. in and protein in too. But today I got a sharp cutting pain hitting my around my stomach and rib cage where one of the staple line is. Is it normal to feel this and to want to throw up thing. It just started a day ago. On my third day home I started getting dizzy after two little half bady spoon bites of broth and then I could not eat and had to lay down. Please tell me if this is normal. Or tell me that i just need to go to the Hostipal to have it looked at. I called my doctor at 10:00 p.m wednesday night because I started getting flushed and my stomach started burning. He was no help at all. My advice is to ask people who have had the surgery or just had that way they can help you more. The doctor told me maybe someone spooked me. NO,Way! I am really intoned to my body and I have people watching me to see when and what I react to. That way they can help me, But none of them have ever had this surgery or want too. So NO, This is really happening to me and not a joke. Did anyone of you feel this way or had this happen to you? I just want to know do I need to go to the doctor to make sure everything is alright? Just trying to make sure that everything is on key. I have gone from 268 since surgery on Last Thursday 26 to 251 in about 8 days . I know a lot of lost since surgery. Everyone is so happy about it. I did not believe them only when I went to adjust my under shirt did I find my breast got smaller. A plus cheaper bras soon.. Cool.. right. ANd I am off my blood pressure med. in three days after surgery. Cool, my asthma has not been so very bad either. But my period got me today and I am riding the emotional train with the crying spells from the surgery. I am barely eating anything since my stomach has been burning and such. I am trying to just get in what i feel like it right now. I am right to adjust and learn more right now. But I can tell you I would love a big glass of ice water. I am so wanting it right now, but can not stomach even a sip right now. I did suvive the surgery and did not feel a thing(once) afterwards. Only the morphine did not work on me. They did have to bring me something stronger. I thought that was weird because I did not use any pain meds. ever. But my family has a weird reaction to morphine and pain meds. So I was not to worried. I was really only in the hospital for a total number of two day with all the hours in body there. I kept on walking and I even riped the cathere out too. I had to go and on the morning of the third day they left me waiting to get it removed for three hours. I did it and it did not hurt. No fault of the nurses they had plenty of patients I was just wanting to go home.The nurses were really amazed that I did so well. I had some really great nurses and doctors there at Johnson City Medical Center. They are always on call for you and they are sooo very nice too. Well I got some good with the bad and I am still me after the surgery. I am sore again after my body trying to throw up and have limited movements again because of it. But I am still getting up and walking around my house so that I can build up my strength and will power. Right now one step at a time. I just want everyone to know that you will every one of my friends who have not had the surgery yet, will get some type of mood swing and doubt right after surgery. The crying is your body's way of healing and so is the doubt so do not worry. Just remember to tell yourself you had this surgery because of your health and happiness. I got really surprise by the mood swings and crying and I do not want anyone to be surprised by them. It is natural and can keep tons of family members at bay that you do not want around you.>LOL I hope everyone have a pleasant surgery as I did. ANd eveyone who has had one keep on the losing side. Bye! Your friend, Tina Cannon

Tina honey, first off when you took the catherter out yourself, there's a balloon inflated inside of you with saline to keep the cath in place. I would have that checked to make sure you didn't do any damages. Second, my experience with not being able to eat hit me the second week out, due to my potassium levels were too low. So I may not be able to help you, but I did have to go back on Previcid once a day instead of twice a day. Remember even your sf jello and broth is part of your water intake right now. My surgeon wasn't worried about the protein part until after a month. Then he wanted me started on getting that in. Yes my stomach burned and I threw up a lot but that's because my chemo pills caused erosions in my stomach. Try taking your pills with a little milk and see if that helps. I can't take them with anything else. The milk helped line my pouch so the chemo pills didn't keep eroding my pouch. But I would let Dr. Hodge know about this. You may have to have the scope put down your throat and have it checked. I did. Now don't forget you need to register with Medic Alert regarding your surgery and medical history. You can never have the n/g tube put down your nose, only the endoscopic tube can be used down the throat instead, and you're asleep for that. The n/g tube is metal and it's forced down thru your nose. It's about 5', that will tear your new pouch up in a heart beat and can be fatal. I pulled one out on me a few years back in my dark stages and it was over 5' in length. The number is 1-800-ID-ALERT, registration is $20 a year. Write everything down first. Your PCP and phone number, your gastrc surgeon and #, emergency contact and #, your prior medical history, what meds you are taking now, dosage, and when, and your allergies. It's very important because if you are unconsconious, and they don't know about the gastric bypass and insert that tube down your nose, it can kill you. So don't mess around get registered. Let us know what you find out about your burning pouch. Love ya honey, Kathy

Kathy, I did contact my doctor's office wednesday about what was going on. I got his parnter Dr.Waston not a nice man. He was rude and no help. I learned from that phone call that if a doctor says if you are worried about anything to call anytime do not. They do not mean it. I am just going to wait and talk to Dr. Hodge on the 8th. So if they get rude then, I am going to a new doctor who can help me and has a bed side manner. I do not like someone telling me that someone spooked me, When I have not talked to anyone about what was going on with my stomach. Just because I am a big person and ask questions does not mean that I am easily talked in too anything. I researched this surgery for 7-8 years and join website groups and watched everything I can on DHC and then read everything I could. I knew what I was getting myself in too. And I am not happy with a Dr. treating my like a idiot. I am going to set things straight. On the 8th. I will do it my way nicely but firmly. I understand the water thing and the milk with the pills thing too. But I was having constant burning and I started getting sharp pains the next day too. I endure them and am waiting on the 8th. I have not been able to get my meds. for my stomach or glallbladder yet. They have yet to contact my insurance for approveal. I have contacted them everyday. But still nothing. If something happens I have Dr. Watson mouth on recorder so my family knows what to do it something does happen to me. If it gets worse I am going to the ER and sending them the bill. Why should I have to pay for something they forgot to get approved right. Kidding I really do not know what I would do. I think I will talk to my sister who use to be a legal asst. I just know this for sure I refuse to talk to Dr. Watson again. I will not deal with Dr.Hodge's partner again. I think I have the right to do that. The man is going to learn that being rude to a patient that is worried is a wrong thing to do. Well I will call and see about your Id-alert thing too. Thanks for letting me know. Your friend, Tina Cannon