It's all not sunshine and rainbows
Hey Lauren, excellent post and sure wish I could have read this back in May. I don't think I can add anything as to me it looks like you covered all bases and I totally agree with you on not everyone will have an easy time of it as some people will have a very hard time and there are some ladies on this board that can attest to that...Well done Lauren..Take care, Jim
My story
Okay it may not be sunshine and rainbows, but I did not have any complications...here is my story anyway.
I had my first Dr.'s appointment one year ago and got a referral to the barriatric program at the Naval hospital. a month later I had the orientation and got my wait list number. I was number 821 and they weren't even to 600 yet. I knew there was a long wait ahead. I had two choices for my waiting list diet. I could weigh in monthly with my Dr. or I could attend twice monthly nurtition classes at the hospital..i opted for the classes. Anyway, I finally got the call on july 3rd. I started having appointments with my surgeon. I went to the nutritionist, psychologist, and had a bunch of testing done before I went back to the surgeon. My surgery was finally scheduled for October 8, 2008.
I had to be there at 7am... I had to change into a hospital gown...and socks they gave me. They made everyone else pee in a cup, but I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago so no chance of pregnancy here...lol Then I had to wait in a waiting room with a bunch of other preops for all kinds of surgeries. And also with a couple other RNY ladies (we'd met during preop teaching)
After about an hour a nurse called me back to take some blood and do some vitals. then she sent me back to the waiting room. It took another 30 minutes for another nurse to come get me and she got me a bed...they have special beds for gastric bypass patients....they have a motor...then after another 30 minutes or so the Anestesiologist came in...actually 2 of them...then I saw Dr. Barker for a little bit...then got an IV and some loopy drugs.
I started feeling sleepy and relaxed from the drugs and then they took me back...oh, but of course the motor on my bed was broken so it had to be pushed and they weight more then other beds so...well...it took 2 guys huffing and puffing to push this big girl around..UGH...so I was reminded of why this surgery is so important to me...I relaxed and went out.
I came out of surgery in a ward similar to the preop staging area. I felt pain in my chest and was groggy. I was able to tell a nurse that my chest hurt, but i knew it was the gasses...I just couldn't get those words out...so I got hooked up to an EKG...and finally got my morphine pump..yeah!!!
Hubby was worried as it took a long time for them to get me a room in ICU...it was well after 3pm and I'd been out of surgery for hours. They will gave me a sponge on a stick to keep my mouth moist...I loved it, but no fluids til the swallow test. ICU was nice..nice people, nice drugs...nice everything. There were 2 other WLS ladies near me in the ICU and they were not doing well at all. One was in a ton of pain and crying and the other was super sick and spent all night vomiting or gaging...I felt bad. She ended up finding out she was having a bad reaction to the morphine...felt tons better the next day.
I did get up to walk that night, but it was only at my insistence and it was almost midnight by the time I walked...to be honest I don't think the other ladies walked that first day...they weren't up to it. The swallow test sucks...this mean guy wanted me to drink 3 cups of fluid and then raise my arms after surgery...UGH painful AND embarassing!
Once I got out of ICU I had to drink water (1oz.) every 30 minutes and they gave me a shake to last me all day. I had to clean my own drains in the ward where I shared a room with 3 other women. we also only had one bathroom for 4 of us..GRRR. I hated having my drains pulled. it felt extremely bizarre like a snake slithering through my guts.
I went home on day 3 (2 days post op) went pretty good, but about 5 days later I had horiible pain in my left side where the large incision is. I had been off of pain meds already, but had to start taking them again. It slowly got better and then a week later I was fine. Then I started to get upper back pain and soon I figured out it was from the rapid weightloss and there wasn't really anything I could do about it. I still get pain from time to time.
I do pretty well getting in the water and protein. I get about 60oz of fluids and between 40-50 grams of protein...sometimes more.
(this is my Dr.'s plan for me). I always tke my vitamins, but I frequently forget my calcium because I hate the taste. I recently found one I liked and I'm getting better at taking it. (Celebrate Strawberry creme).
I have discovered I can get really sick from chicken or turkey..I can't eat it reheated or it's too rubbery to chew enough. and I MUST eat poultry even slower then I eat everything else. I'm only 3 months out so I'm still learning how to "respect the pouch"!!!
Okay it may not be sunshine and rainbows, but I did not have any complications...here is my story anyway.
I had my first Dr.'s appointment one year ago and got a referral to the barriatric program at the Naval hospital. a month later I had the orientation and got my wait list number. I was number 821 and they weren't even to 600 yet. I knew there was a long wait ahead. I had two choices for my waiting list diet. I could weigh in monthly with my Dr. or I could attend twice monthly nurtition classes at the hospital..i opted for the classes. Anyway, I finally got the call on july 3rd. I started having appointments with my surgeon. I went to the nutritionist, psychologist, and had a bunch of testing done before I went back to the surgeon. My surgery was finally scheduled for October 8, 2008.
I had to be there at 7am... I had to change into a hospital gown...and socks they gave me. They made everyone else pee in a cup, but I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago so no chance of pregnancy here...lol Then I had to wait in a waiting room with a bunch of other preops for all kinds of surgeries. And also with a couple other RNY ladies (we'd met during preop teaching)
After about an hour a nurse called me back to take some blood and do some vitals. then she sent me back to the waiting room. It took another 30 minutes for another nurse to come get me and she got me a bed...they have special beds for gastric bypass patients....they have a motor...then after another 30 minutes or so the Anestesiologist came in...actually 2 of them...then I saw Dr. Barker for a little bit...then got an IV and some loopy drugs.
I started feeling sleepy and relaxed from the drugs and then they took me back...oh, but of course the motor on my bed was broken so it had to be pushed and they weight more then other beds so...well...it took 2 guys huffing and puffing to push this big girl around..UGH...so I was reminded of why this surgery is so important to me...I relaxed and went out.
I came out of surgery in a ward similar to the preop staging area. I felt pain in my chest and was groggy. I was able to tell a nurse that my chest hurt, but i knew it was the gasses...I just couldn't get those words out...so I got hooked up to an EKG...and finally got my morphine pump..yeah!!!
Hubby was worried as it took a long time for them to get me a room in ICU...it was well after 3pm and I'd been out of surgery for hours. They will gave me a sponge on a stick to keep my mouth moist...I loved it, but no fluids til the swallow test. ICU was nice..nice people, nice drugs...nice everything. There were 2 other WLS ladies near me in the ICU and they were not doing well at all. One was in a ton of pain and crying and the other was super sick and spent all night vomiting or gaging...I felt bad. She ended up finding out she was having a bad reaction to the morphine...felt tons better the next day.
I did get up to walk that night, but it was only at my insistence and it was almost midnight by the time I walked...to be honest I don't think the other ladies walked that first day...they weren't up to it. The swallow test sucks...this mean guy wanted me to drink 3 cups of fluid and then raise my arms after surgery...UGH painful AND embarassing!
Once I got out of ICU I had to drink water (1oz.) every 30 minutes and they gave me a shake to last me all day. I had to clean my own drains in the ward where I shared a room with 3 other women. we also only had one bathroom for 4 of us..GRRR. I hated having my drains pulled. it felt extremely bizarre like a snake slithering through my guts.
I went home on day 3 (2 days post op) went pretty good, but about 5 days later I had horiible pain in my left side where the large incision is. I had been off of pain meds already, but had to start taking them again. It slowly got better and then a week later I was fine. Then I started to get upper back pain and soon I figured out it was from the rapid weightloss and there wasn't really anything I could do about it. I still get pain from time to time.
I do pretty well getting in the water and protein. I get about 60oz of fluids and between 40-50 grams of protein...sometimes more.
(this is my Dr.'s plan for me). I always tke my vitamins, but I frequently forget my calcium because I hate the taste. I recently found one I liked and I'm getting better at taking it. (Celebrate Strawberry creme).
I have discovered I can get really sick from chicken or turkey..I can't eat it reheated or it's too rubbery to chew enough. and I MUST eat poultry even slower then I eat everything else. I'm only 3 months out so I'm still learning how to "respect the pouch"!!!
Start Weight/Surgery Weight/Current Weight
296/275/175
Oh I forgot to mention the hairloss...It's coming out in clumps and I already had very thin hair..I do believe in the coming months I will be bald:( I'm overall very happy with the results from my surgery and I'd do it again in a heartbeat....my hair will grow back right????
Start Weight/Surgery Weight/Current Weight
296/275/175
The hair thinning is very common. I spoke with both my surgeon and my dermatologist about it, and both told me that trauma of the surgery itself can actually be the cause of the hair loss, which usually starts showing at about 3 months or so.
Mine started falling out right on time -- I have very fine hair, so I wasn't thrilled about it either. What I did was this: Early on I started taking Biotin, which helps the condition of the new hair as it grows in, I started using Nioxin shampoo/conditioner/scalp treatment at the recommendation of my stylist, and I upped my protein. The combination made a difference.
Good luck! :)
Mine started falling out right on time -- I have very fine hair, so I wasn't thrilled about it either. What I did was this: Early on I started taking Biotin, which helps the condition of the new hair as it grows in, I started using Nioxin shampoo/conditioner/scalp treatment at the recommendation of my stylist, and I upped my protein. The combination made a difference.
Good luck! :)
Cindy 
5'9" 347/200/186/180
5'9" 347/200/186/180
....Helen Keller
It is not always sunshine and rainbows, but my WLS has been pretty uneventful. Surgery lasted about the normal time, and I was walking that evening. The most pain was in my left side, but eventually learned it was just gas pains. Gas X fixed that. I did sleep in the recliner for a couple of weeks because I could not get comfortable in bed.
My biggest problem has been fixing my head. I did have a few regrets of having the surgery shortly afterwards because I felt "deprived" of certain foods. Also, I WORRIED that something would go wrong, even though I was fine. I was one of those people who worried that they didn't have anything to worry about.
The other problem is that I can still eat anything. Most would say this is not a problem, but I'm so afraid I'm going to go down that destructive path and gain weight back. I think everyone should know that after about 6-8 months (from my experience) that your surgery is just a tool. You can out eat this surgery. You need to stick to the "rules".
I have had a great WLS experience overall and would DEFINITELY do it again. I feel great being 100 pounds lighter. I do have more energy and think I look better now. But do agree that everyone should do their research and learn from others.
Penny
My biggest problem has been fixing my head. I did have a few regrets of having the surgery shortly afterwards because I felt "deprived" of certain foods. Also, I WORRIED that something would go wrong, even though I was fine. I was one of those people who worried that they didn't have anything to worry about.
The other problem is that I can still eat anything. Most would say this is not a problem, but I'm so afraid I'm going to go down that destructive path and gain weight back. I think everyone should know that after about 6-8 months (from my experience) that your surgery is just a tool. You can out eat this surgery. You need to stick to the "rules".
I have had a great WLS experience overall and would DEFINITELY do it again. I feel great being 100 pounds lighter. I do have more energy and think I look better now. But do agree that everyone should do their research and learn from others.
Penny
283/274/162
highest/surgery/current
Lauren,
thanks for this post, it has made a difference to me as a "newbie" I now know going in that the normal is different for everyone. I think here is the best place to learn about some of the not so fun things of post op, because you guys have been through it as where the docs haven't and most of the staff haven't. I have always trusted the words of people who have lived something better than those who have learn from a book, or training. I believe knowledge is the best thin one can have when someone is about to do something that they have never done before. Reading what our wonderful VA board poster have written I will be able to feel better dealing with anything that may come along after surgery, it won't be so scared or worried.
I have gained some much info so far from all of the info that has been giving, that I feel better prepared for Feb 24, that I think I would have been if I hadn't found OH, so ladies and the few guys that post thanks for you wealth of knowledge and insights, keep up the good work. I hope one day I can help someone as much as you guys have helped me.
thanks for this post, it has made a difference to me as a "newbie" I now know going in that the normal is different for everyone. I think here is the best place to learn about some of the not so fun things of post op, because you guys have been through it as where the docs haven't and most of the staff haven't. I have always trusted the words of people who have lived something better than those who have learn from a book, or training. I believe knowledge is the best thin one can have when someone is about to do something that they have never done before. Reading what our wonderful VA board poster have written I will be able to feel better dealing with anything that may come along after surgery, it won't be so scared or worried.
I have gained some much info so far from all of the info that has been giving, that I feel better prepared for Feb 24, that I think I would have been if I hadn't found OH, so ladies and the few guys that post thanks for you wealth of knowledge and insights, keep up the good work. I hope one day I can help someone as much as you guys have helped me.
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