Contemplating Surgery

Hi Everyone! This is my first post. I am wanting to get a gastric bypass and I am just very concerned about certain things. First of all, I have read a lot of post that mention "foamies" what is that? Is it true that the surgery causes a lot of loose bowels? gas? bloating? Can someone please answer these questions. I would greatly appreciate it. I know it is a different experience for everyone. What about the recovery time. Does it take a long time to recouperate from surgery? Is it really uncomfortable? Is it very painful? I know i ask a lot of questions--but I am very curious. Thank you!!

Welcome Syl - This board will be your god sent in your journey!! Can't help you out with RNY, I am a Bandster, but can tell you that you will meet and learn a tremendous amount from people on OH, use this tool for ALL your questions, thats what people are here for and it's great because we're all going through the same feelings so we UNDERSTAND! Good Luck and don't ever feel like your asking to many questions here! Ask Away!

Foamies - RNY way of throwing up when you don't tolerate certain foods. Loose bowels - yes at first, then many experience constipation. Gas, bloating - not to me, others might answer differently. Recovery time - I felt pretty good after 2 weeks from the pain of surgery. I had a Laproscopic procedure then opened for my Gall Bladder removal because I would not stop bleeding ( I was high risk for bleeding). Hope that helps. Doc http://www.myspace.com/az411

Syl, The foaming is temporary. My understanding is that it is simply your mouth producing more saliva to help with digestion. I only experienced it couple of times in the first few months and then it went away. I honestly don't remember loose bowels. I think at about 9 months out I went through a period of gassiness when even the dog didn't love me. This also passed, no pun intended. I felt like I could have gone back to work after a week, but my surgeon required 3 weeks off. I had very little pain, just discomfort on my left side where the main incision was. I'm three years out and this was still the best thing I ever did for myself. Connie

I get the foamies when I eat too fast and something get's stuck-- maybe once every 2 months. Your mouth starts producing excess saliva to try help digestion.

"foamies" what is that? It happened to me about 8-10 times, especially when I ate something that my pouch didn't like. I started getting excess saliva and either it passed pretty quick or I just brought the food up. It is not as scary as it sounds. You don't foam like a dog or anything! Is it true that the surgery causes a lot of loose bowels? I haven't loose bowels since surgery, sometimes I wish I did. I think there is another weight loss surgery that causes that, maybe DS? gas? nothing out of the norm for me. Some people burp alot after they eat bloating? Just around that time of month for me Does it take a long time to recouperate from surgery? I felt better pretty quick. I had good energy at 1 week, could have gone back to work at 2 weeks because i have a desk job, but I ended up out for 4 weeks so I can recoup and relax and take care of myself. I actually ended up out for 5 weeks because of a stricture Is it really uncomfortable? First few days its a bit uncomfortable, but it gets better each day. Is it very painful? On a scale of 1 to 10... Day One - 7 Day Two - 4 Day Three - 3 Day Five - 2 Day Seven - 0 Good Luck in your decision... it was the best thing I ever did and I wish I did it sooner!

Hey Syl At 19 days out from surgery, I'm still a bit of a newbie at all this. Some of the veterans have chimed in, but I figured I'd share my take on things too. The documentation I have from my pre-op class talks about "frothing" and describes it as a common occurance post gastric bypass surgery. After surgery, your new pouch produces very little stomach acid used to assist in the digestion and absorption of the foods you eat. Due to the lack of stomach acid in your smaller pouch, you must chew your food very well before swallowing. If the food isn't broken down enough, the salivary glands will be activated to aid in digestion and sometimes a large amount of saliva will be released to the stomach, causing a gag reflux that may result in you spitting up thick saliva. This happened to me only once and I knew before it even started that I had not chewed my food well enough. It came up quick and easy and I felt 100% better the moment it was over. I was asked to do a bowel prep to "clean me out" the day before surgery. Right after surgery I was on a liquid diet for a week. I had loose bowels during that time, but once I started the soft protein diet that followed, my bowels returned to a more normal state. I have experienced some constipation, but nothing bad enough to require a laxative. I have no more gas than usual, but feel a little bloated at times after I've had a lot to drink. I anticipate that will change in the weeks to come. My doctor recommended I take 3 weeks off from work, which I did. I go back to work this Wednesday. I was able to take care of myself the day I came home from surgery and felt well enough to resume normal tasks in 1 week. After week 2 I became stir crazy and felt like I wanted to go back to work, but staying home and developing an eating and exercise routine is very important. Any discomfort I experienced was manageable and I rarely found the need to take the pain meds perscribed to me. The worst part, for me, was waiting for the day of surgery! Second to that was managing to get in and out of bed the day of surgery - I was scared to use my abdominal muscles, but the nurses were a great help and I got through it just like everyone else. It gets easier each day and I would do it a hundred times over again. Wish I had done it sooner! Good luck to you and keep asking questions! If you haven't decided on a doctor, look into Dr. Robin Blackstone - her pre-op and post-op programs are intensely thorough and I felt very well taken care of. Nicole