Hello from a newbie

Hello wonderful humans,

First time poster. I'm swiftly heading towards my surgery date and I'm getting super nervous.

The stories and feedback I've been reading here are inspiring. Thank you for that.

I've lost 22 pounds so far in preparation. My pre op is Monday. I've never had surgery or been under anesthesia. Any tips or advice would be welcome. I'm getting a modified duodenal switch. I also live on my own. Would love to hear any feedback from the group on recovery time. I'm currently being told that one night is the plan so long as you're tolerating the diet.

Have also read a bit in the DS forum but it doesn't look very active and I don't seem to be able to search the site. Cheers!

There's really nothing to the surgery/anesthesia for you -- that's all in the doctors hands. Just be upfront with them about anything they ask beforehand and follow the requirements and you'll be fine -- since you've never had anesthesia before, you probably don't know how you'll react but if anyone in your immediate family has bad side effects let them know and they can take that into consideration.

I had RNY, was in the hospital over night, and had someone to drive me home and stay one night -- you shouldn't drive while your on the painkillers but those were short lived for me; I also moved my first week's liquid diet to the counter vs the cabinet so I didn't have to lift/pull down and that was the sum of my post-op support.

Good luck with your process!

Hi Jen,

Thanks so much for your reply! Honestly, a lot of it is nerves due to never having had any procedures before. I'm counting on the surgical team and hoping to avoid complications. Not sure about my family and anesthesia...will definitely ask around.

Appreciate the feedback on getting home and on planning. I've got a ride home and the next time I'll drive is my first post op two weeks later. Hoping to be done with pain meds well before then.

I'm going with a prepared liquid diet after the fact so I have less to deal with, and I've got a couple of different brands of protein in case something isn't tolerated. I'll move everything to the counter. I know there's limited lifting for at least the first two weeks so a little planning goes a long way.

I don't know about any of you but my clinic sent me home with a 91 page manual...it's a lot to take in! And my lead time has been relatively short since my initial consult was May 24th. It sounds like your recovery went smoothly. Congrats! Hoping to be like you. Cheers!

All of the programs are different and as you get further out, you'll be able to synthesis the different pieces of feedback and figure out what works best for you - for the post op and recovery phase, it's really important to follow your plans program and then adapt after you're recovered. I'm not sure how active the different threads are these days but there is at least one daily thread on the RNY forum and we welcome anyone! There's a nice mix of people in vet status (5 years post WLS), mid range and newer and people are very willing to help and chat.

Hi Jen,

Good feedback! I do intend to follow the post operative guidelines to the letter. Mine is going from a stage one diet of water to a stage two diet of sipping protein before I'm released from the hospital. This is followed by a two week liquid protein diet, only. As you mentioned, I've seen all kinds of variations online but I'm erring on the side of my clinic's plan and being conservative.

I may not have had surgery but I do know that I heal from injuries slowly, which is part of why I worry a bit. I've seen stories here spanning everything from people bouncing back almost immediately to those who took more time to get back on their feet and into the swing of things. Not surprisingly, my co-workers would like me back as soon as possible. This is one place not to cut corners, I imagine.

Thanks for the board call out! Looks like the RNY gang is by far the most active here! Might try and pop in for daily threads. All inspiration is welcome and I do see people at all stages of the journey. Thanks again!

I went in on October 9th, 2017 and had my surgery on December 11th. I got good insurance. Don't take that 91 page manual lightly. Read it so it is very familiar. It will save you some anxiety in the future. I don't know about anyone else but even being 4 1/2 years out I still find myself reaching for my guide as a refresher. As long as you follow the guidelines, you'll do great. Your recovery time will depend on how invasive your surgery is. I am not familiar with the type of WLS you will be having but I wish you all the luck. It's a great ride hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Thanks!

I've had the manual for about a month and a half. I've been reading and rereading and building my list of questions.

It's been fascinating reading about all of the courses and coaching and requirements many have had to go through. Comparatively, I had three dietician appointments and a psych eval, outside of the slew of obligatory medical testing. Nothing else was required for my insurance. The path to surgery has been less than two months from my initial consult.

I'm determined to follow all of the guidelines, both for maximum results, and for safety. I hope to have a story like yours one day. Appreciate your reply! Cheers.

You chose the surgical team and you may need to try to relax. I know its easier say than do, but its out of your control now.

If you know how to meditate - please do. It can really help.

Post op - things may feel bad initially, there is some pain, some get it worse than others. Reducing stress as you recovering is critical IMO. As we stress, our blood vessels can get constricted and that slows down recovery.

Post op - first few weeks - getting enough liquids in you should be your primary responsibilities. Getting enough proteins would be nice, but liquids are critical.

You would have to find liquids that you could drink over and over. Temperature of the drink is important. Very early on I found out that I liked cold drinks but I was limited how much I could drink, as if my pouch would constrict and I could only have a couple of sips before I had enough. Moving to a warm drinks, slightly warmer than the room temperature - allowed me to get all the liquids I needed to.

Also- right after the surgery - EVERYTHING sweet was WAY TOOOO sweet.

I learned to mix flavored and unflavored protein powders, plus de-caffeinated coffee to get the taste I could drink. Again - noting too cold.

Some people get nausea after surgery. Mine was horrible, but what helped me was to get in me electrolytes, plus ginger tea. Warm, real ginger tea.

If someone did not tell you yet about it - itching due to incisions and opiates - it can be really bad. I used some generic Benadryl. That made a huge difference for me.

Hugs and good luck. You got that.

Hi there!

Thanks so much for your responses. You're right...I need to work on relaxing. I haven't meditated in a few years but it just might be time to dust off those skills.

Good feedback on liquids. My doctors seem to be prioritizing both, so always good perspective. And on temperatures. I've never been a fan of cold drinks, so planning to start at room temperature and see how it goes. It sounds like trial and error to find what works can be pretty common.

Honestly, I'm worried about the sweet part. I've never been a fan of sweet drinks or sweetened.. pretty much anything. I got a bag of samples from the consult and every one of them was (to me) sickeningly sweet. I can only imagine what happens if that sensitivity increases.

I'm one of those who has lost massive amounts of weight multiple times over decades, so I've got a lot of background with protein and have no issues with plain old unflavored whey protein isolate. Weird, I know. Maybe it will serve down the line.

Thanks for the nausea warning. It's come up once...but the itching hasn't! I am such a tea person...and definitely have ginger on hand if needed.

I've been reading about compression wear. Is that something you used post op to reduce pain or itching, by chance?

Cheers!

No compression wear for me. Still hate it. But I used padding and a very light compression when recovering from any abdominal surgery. It helped me with the pain from "jiggles" plus offered a good padding and it was a constant reminder to "take it easy". But only a light pressure.

I used a pillow in a car for app 1 month after any abdominal surgery. We heal on the outside faster, but the inside can be still very sensitive. I used pillow between me and the seat belt. To protect my insides if I need to step on a breaks, or in case someone would "bump" into my car. Better be safe than sorry. Right?