What to pack for and open gastric bypass

Hi I am new here and in need of some help on what to take with me 

Check out the list of items in the OH Blog article.  Good luck on your surgery!

I had a bag full of goodies, and took very little out.  What I took out and used much of was chapstick.  The hospital provided me all the toiletries I needed, and we used two gowns (one as a robe) so I wouldn't soil anything of my own if my incisions seeped (and they did). 

What I wish I brought were:

A hat - my hair is too short to ponytail, and I looked a wreck.

Ear plugs - because there are SO many annoying beeps and noises that woke me up.

Hair conditioner - my baby fine hair looked like a dandelion with the baby shampoo in my toiletry kit. Some more product and a blow dryer would have been nice, but the hat above would have take care of that.

Thank you I will add the hat to the list 

I, too, took a lot of stuff that I didn't take out of the bag.  What I actually used were my own toiletries (hospital tooth brushes are horrible!) and my cell phone (plus charger). I was allowed ice chips right after surgery, so I didn't need any lip balm, but many people recommend it.

My surgery was the first one in the morning, so I wore elastic waist knit pants, a loose shirt, and slip on shoes to the hopsital, and then just wore the same clothes home. I wore the hospital gowns (with a second one as robe) to keep from staining my own sleepwear.  You might want to have a non-underwire bra to wear home because the underwire may irritate the area just above the top of the incision.

I, too, had open surgery, so I was in the hospital for four days and I had my mom bring me my own pillow the day after surgery. (Those things that hospitals pass of as pillows are sad little things!) 

Lora

I had open too :) ask if they will provide an abdominal binder, it helped me feel more secure and protected. Chapstick. Hmm Loose elastic waist pants to come home in. At home have bottled water ready... no lifting cases or big bottles. 

I was in the hospital 2 1/2 days and bored out of my mind and walking around Walmart at 2 weeks. Hope your recovery will be speedy too.

Best to you,

~Michelle "Shelly"

Congratulations on your surgery date!  If you are going to have open, keep a very close eye on it for infection.  Tender to the touch, warm and redness.  If you see any of these signs call your surgeon right away!

Here are some links to information you may find helpful:

http://www.obesityhelp.com/articles/photographing-your-weigh t-loss-surgery-journey/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/articles/weight-loss-surgery-hosp tial-stay-what-to-pack/

http://www.obesityhelp.com/articles/four-on-the-floor-self-c are-after-weight-loss-surgery/

We can't wait to hear from you post-op!

I packed the list that was on the sites, with that said, I never touched my bag or purse except for my charger and a hair brush. Conditioner would have been nice, maybe lip balm (but they even had moist mouth stuff in the care bag!). If I were to do it again, I wouldn't even take my purse. They provided socks and by the time I was feeling decent, I was being discharged. Slip on clothing and shoes were good. I also was advised to wear a depends-like pad just in case the car ride home was too much and the water/poo (like when you drink the gross stuff to clear the bowels) decides to make an appearance. I was ok though. I was pleasantly surprised at what the hospital provided, but even then, I didn't use everything. 

Something nobody seems to mention is the stupid xray they make you get up for pretty quickly after surgery... you have to drink some chalk while they take a picture. The only cool thing is seeing the new tummy with the liquid moving through, but I heaved the stuff up when they were done. You are totally out of it, and the wheelchair ride to the xray is cold and awful. Other than that, getting up and peeing every half hour because of the IV drip was a pain in the ass. 

Don't scare the OP with the bowel cleanse and the depends stuff, not all surgeons do a bowel cleanse, mine didn't and no xray after, that was all done while I was still under.  I never had to get up to pee either because I had a catheter for the first couple of days.  I did however get up and walk 6 miles of loops around the nurses station.  Thankfully my experience from my surgeon was nothing like yours.

My best tip is to ask for everything and anything to prevent nausea from the anesthesia doctor, that really makes all the difference in the world.

The stuff I brought and used, lip balm, facial cleansing wipes, if you are diabetic your own testing kit, and a soft fluffy bed pillow, makeup to wear home, nothing makes me feel worse then looking like **** Of course now I would make sure I had my phone charger but ten years ago I wasn't as obsessed with my cell phone as I am today.

Good Luck!