Newbie just got approval, surgery in 5 days
Congrats! I just had VSG on July 6th.
Before: Organize yourself before you leave for the hospital. Find a place in your kitchen that is easily accessible and keep all your supplies in that one place. Make sure you have lots of containers with measurements in ounces on the side. Walk when you feel nervous. Pack your LOOSEST clothes. You're probably going to be bloated when you leave the hospital. Pack a pillow to use on the ride home. It can make the car ride a little more bearable, particularly if you are released the same day you have surgery as I was.
After surgery: Get up and walk as soon as you can. You will wake up in pain from Co2 trapped in your body and nothing will dissipate the gas like walking. It makes all the difference.
First days: Go easy on yourself. It may take a few days to heal. You may feel emotional, physically worn down and out of it. Just rest, drink fluids, walk and pay attention to yourself. Walk in your house at first, don't go too far in case you get tired.
Best of luck! You'll be so relieved when you're on the other side of this.
I felt better by the hour starting the first day back. So not long I guess. Friday was the first day I wasn't feeling discomfort from my incisions. The worst part for me so far is the shoulder pain from gas. Gas X strips seem to help a bit. Walking is the MOST important thing you can do to avoid gas pain though. It's much better than I had anticipated.
