It's all not sunshine and rainbows
My story is hardly fascinating but it's 100% non fiction. LOL.
I went in for surgery on a Monday morning. Sat there and waited for what seemed like forever to be taken back. I was quite peaceful, surprisingly. I thought that I would've been a basket case. Got to the "holding room" and talked to my surgeon and the anesthiesiologist (sp?). Signed last minute papers. Got my IV and was given a shot of heparin and some stuff to get me drunk. Kissed hubby goodbye. Seemed like 2 minutes later (was actually 2 and a halfish hours) I woke up screaming. I was in the most godawful pain I had ever felt in my life. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain but this was beyond anything I've ever gone through. Docs gave me some meds and started me on my PCA pump with morpheine. All that night I was in agony and crying constantly. I pushed that damn button over and over and over and it just did not work. Finally, they decided that they would try a different drug. They put dilaudid in my machine. It did help with the pain. However, it had terrible side effects. I had migraines from hell. I was sweating profusely and I was so nauseous. I wanted to throw up but was too terrified to even try. Due to these side effects, I just quit hitting the button and stayed in pain. They kept badgering me to hit the button and even snuck a bolus in on me. Still, I got my butt out of bed that night and walked a little. Didn't sleep a wink. The next morning I was taken down for my swallow test. The radiologist happened to be a personal friend of mine and I just about collapsed in his arms sobbing and begging him to put me out of my misery. Got the swallow test down (that first liquid was AWFUL. Makes the barium taste yummy. lol). Hell, at that point I was just grateful to have liquid cross my lips. Bout an hour and a half later, doc came and said I passed the swallow test and could have ice chips. WOOHOO. That was wonderful news to me. I was still in incredible pain but I was "drinking" and walking. I figured if I just followed the mantra "sip sip sip walk walk walk", I'd be fine. They tried to give me liquid tylenol with codeine. It didn't even think about touching my pain. Finally they gave me roxicet. This was my drug. It's not perfect but it makes the pain tolerable. Yaaaaaaaay! I was released from the hospital after 2 nights and most of 1 day. Sleeping in my own bed was heaven and hell. Much better than the hospital bed, but only being able to be on my back sucks. I didn't sleep great. I did sleep though for the first time in 2 days. Today I am trying my darndest to get in my liquid goal. It ain't gonna happen. I have been walking and talking on the phone and watching tv and taking my roxicet every 4 hours on the dot. I think the moral of my surgery was not that this is a horrible surgery. I think it's just that I was behind the pain curve from the get go and never did get caught up. I'm hoping the pain is going to be less and less from here on out and I have a positive outlook. Do I regret the surgery? No clue. Will have to keep tuning in for that one. Right now, I feel like I got hit by at least 2 mac trucks. Maybe a week from now this will be a distant memory and I will love my rny. We'll see. :) I was so not prepared though. I did my research. I asked the questions I thought I needed to ask. No one EVER told me that this kind of pain was possible. EVER. Everyone pretty much said that it was no big deal. I want newbies considering this surgery to know that this kind of pain is possible. Yes, it hurts worse than labor. It hurts worse than an adult tonsillectomy. It hurts worse than anything I have ever been through. That's my truth that I want people to know for now.
I went in for surgery on a Monday morning. Sat there and waited for what seemed like forever to be taken back. I was quite peaceful, surprisingly. I thought that I would've been a basket case. Got to the "holding room" and talked to my surgeon and the anesthiesiologist (sp?). Signed last minute papers. Got my IV and was given a shot of heparin and some stuff to get me drunk. Kissed hubby goodbye. Seemed like 2 minutes later (was actually 2 and a halfish hours) I woke up screaming. I was in the most godawful pain I had ever felt in my life. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain but this was beyond anything I've ever gone through. Docs gave me some meds and started me on my PCA pump with morpheine. All that night I was in agony and crying constantly. I pushed that damn button over and over and over and it just did not work. Finally, they decided that they would try a different drug. They put dilaudid in my machine. It did help with the pain. However, it had terrible side effects. I had migraines from hell. I was sweating profusely and I was so nauseous. I wanted to throw up but was too terrified to even try. Due to these side effects, I just quit hitting the button and stayed in pain. They kept badgering me to hit the button and even snuck a bolus in on me. Still, I got my butt out of bed that night and walked a little. Didn't sleep a wink. The next morning I was taken down for my swallow test. The radiologist happened to be a personal friend of mine and I just about collapsed in his arms sobbing and begging him to put me out of my misery. Got the swallow test down (that first liquid was AWFUL. Makes the barium taste yummy. lol). Hell, at that point I was just grateful to have liquid cross my lips. Bout an hour and a half later, doc came and said I passed the swallow test and could have ice chips. WOOHOO. That was wonderful news to me. I was still in incredible pain but I was "drinking" and walking. I figured if I just followed the mantra "sip sip sip walk walk walk", I'd be fine. They tried to give me liquid tylenol with codeine. It didn't even think about touching my pain. Finally they gave me roxicet. This was my drug. It's not perfect but it makes the pain tolerable. Yaaaaaaaay! I was released from the hospital after 2 nights and most of 1 day. Sleeping in my own bed was heaven and hell. Much better than the hospital bed, but only being able to be on my back sucks. I didn't sleep great. I did sleep though for the first time in 2 days. Today I am trying my darndest to get in my liquid goal. It ain't gonna happen. I have been walking and talking on the phone and watching tv and taking my roxicet every 4 hours on the dot. I think the moral of my surgery was not that this is a horrible surgery. I think it's just that I was behind the pain curve from the get go and never did get caught up. I'm hoping the pain is going to be less and less from here on out and I have a positive outlook. Do I regret the surgery? No clue. Will have to keep tuning in for that one. Right now, I feel like I got hit by at least 2 mac trucks. Maybe a week from now this will be a distant memory and I will love my rny. We'll see. :) I was so not prepared though. I did my research. I asked the questions I thought I needed to ask. No one EVER told me that this kind of pain was possible. EVER. Everyone pretty much said that it was no big deal. I want newbies considering this surgery to know that this kind of pain is possible. Yes, it hurts worse than labor. It hurts worse than an adult tonsillectomy. It hurts worse than anything I have ever been through. That's my truth that I want people to know for now.
Jamie
Starting wt./surgery wt/current/goal
251/239/105/130
I gained 10 lbs.! Wooohooo!
Hurthing worse than labor is absolutely true! I had Kara naturally and that didn't even begin to touch what I felt post op! I tried very hard to not take pain pills at home...I was successful only taking one on the way to my aunts house and one that night. I think I still have the full bottle somewhere...I was very blessed with my outcome! Still saying prayers for you. I know you will do great!
Tammy C
down 260+ pounds and loving life more than ever!!!
proud mom to Kara 12-08-1994 and our newest addition Claire Makenna born 03-26-09 weighing 6 lbs 13 ounces and 19.25 inches long and very healthy. happily dating...i honestly never knew it could be this good! there is that special Guy for everyone out there...either you already have him or you will find him when He is ready for it!
open RNY 04-25-2005
Life could not get any better than this!
Thanks so much for starting this discussion. While I have researched and asked questions, I didn't have a grasp on how much pain could be involved. While it's a little scary reading everyone's stories, I'm glad to have the information. The more information the better!!
Thanks-
Michelle
Thanks-
Michelle
Lost Since Surgery:
6 feet tall
All-Time High - 385lbs
I think what it all comes down to is this: WLS is MAJOR SURGERY. Period. While some people can cruise through surgeries, others aren't as lucky. There's always a chance of complications, during AND after the surgery, and people who go into this need to keep that in mind. Not to sound like I am talking down to anyone, but let's be real...we aren't talking about getting our nails trimmed here.
It is important that we all accept responsibility for our health throughout this journey, and that we stay well informed. We need to research what we are planning on doing before making the decision. We need to ask questions of our surgeons, PCPs, nurtitionists, and anyone else who can be a resource for us. We need to know the good AND the bad so we can make informed decisions. Once we have had the surgery, we need to be ready to get medical care as needed, to follow directions given to us by our surgeons and others regarding the "care and maintenance" of our tool, be prepared by expecting the unexpected. We need to take advantage of support groups, of support sites such as OH, of other WLS patients who have had experiences that might help us. WLS is not the easy answer...again, it is MAJOR SURGERY.
I encourage the members of this Board to share with each other their experiences, knowledge and support. There have been many members, many of whom don't post on here much these days, who were such an inspiration to me while I was a "newbie" and gave me a lot of wonderful support and guidance. We should all "pay it forward."
That said, here's my story:
I was up and walking the same day as my surgery (Lap RNY), and didn't stop...as soon as I got home, I was outside walking (not far, grant you, but walking nonetheless) and getting used to the liquid diet. I found out quickly that what I could tolerate in the hospital (warm liquids) was not happening at home....cold was the only thing that worked for me. I gradually worked my way into the "mushies" and eventually to the regular foods.
To this day, I don't tolerate meats very well, but that is okay -- I never was a huge meat lover pre-op. I have found alternatives that provide me with a lot of protein, and I also continue with supplements to boost my protein intake. I still struggle with getting in all of the fluids I need, but every day I push myself to get it in. I have tried many different types of vitamin supplements, and have settled on some that I can manage and seem to work for me...it was definitely trial and error, but so important.
Yes, I have had the "foamies" (ugh), have had food get stuck (double ugh), have gotten sick from eating too fast or too much (ah, the fun times!), and even at one point, ended up in the ER because they thought I had pulmonary embolism (luckily not the case).
I started exercising not long after I had my WLS, and have kept it up since. Exercise makes a big difference, in spite of the "old part of me" trying to tell me different. Over the last couple of months my routine has been really off, and I haven't been able to get in as much as I had been, and I can tell the difference. It is so good for you, in so many ways, and should become a part of your routine, as a WLS patient. Start small and work your way up to something that works well for you.
I am a work in progress...even at 16 months out. I know, without a doubt, that I don't want to go back to where I was and I can see where it would be easy to slip back into the old ways. Would I do this all over again? YES, without a doubt. I wish I had decided to do it earlier, but I kept telling myself it was the "easy way out." Little did I know. :)
It is important that we all accept responsibility for our health throughout this journey, and that we stay well informed. We need to research what we are planning on doing before making the decision. We need to ask questions of our surgeons, PCPs, nurtitionists, and anyone else who can be a resource for us. We need to know the good AND the bad so we can make informed decisions. Once we have had the surgery, we need to be ready to get medical care as needed, to follow directions given to us by our surgeons and others regarding the "care and maintenance" of our tool, be prepared by expecting the unexpected. We need to take advantage of support groups, of support sites such as OH, of other WLS patients who have had experiences that might help us. WLS is not the easy answer...again, it is MAJOR SURGERY.
I encourage the members of this Board to share with each other their experiences, knowledge and support. There have been many members, many of whom don't post on here much these days, who were such an inspiration to me while I was a "newbie" and gave me a lot of wonderful support and guidance. We should all "pay it forward."
That said, here's my story:
I was up and walking the same day as my surgery (Lap RNY), and didn't stop...as soon as I got home, I was outside walking (not far, grant you, but walking nonetheless) and getting used to the liquid diet. I found out quickly that what I could tolerate in the hospital (warm liquids) was not happening at home....cold was the only thing that worked for me. I gradually worked my way into the "mushies" and eventually to the regular foods.
To this day, I don't tolerate meats very well, but that is okay -- I never was a huge meat lover pre-op. I have found alternatives that provide me with a lot of protein, and I also continue with supplements to boost my protein intake. I still struggle with getting in all of the fluids I need, but every day I push myself to get it in. I have tried many different types of vitamin supplements, and have settled on some that I can manage and seem to work for me...it was definitely trial and error, but so important.
Yes, I have had the "foamies" (ugh), have had food get stuck (double ugh), have gotten sick from eating too fast or too much (ah, the fun times!), and even at one point, ended up in the ER because they thought I had pulmonary embolism (luckily not the case).
I started exercising not long after I had my WLS, and have kept it up since. Exercise makes a big difference, in spite of the "old part of me" trying to tell me different. Over the last couple of months my routine has been really off, and I haven't been able to get in as much as I had been, and I can tell the difference. It is so good for you, in so many ways, and should become a part of your routine, as a WLS patient. Start small and work your way up to something that works well for you.
I am a work in progress...even at 16 months out. I know, without a doubt, that I don't want to go back to where I was and I can see where it would be easy to slip back into the old ways. Would I do this all over again? YES, without a doubt. I wish I had decided to do it earlier, but I kept telling myself it was the "easy way out." Little did I know. :)
Cindy 
5'9" 347/200/186/180
5'9" 347/200/186/180
....Helen Keller
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