How was your RNY???

I had my revision from lap band to RNY on June 3rd at my highest bmi of 68. No pre-op diet, and it was done laparoscopically. Since they had to remove my band as well, I ended up with a total of 9 incisions, some very small, and 3 about an inch wide. My doctor removed the scar tissue that was built up from my band, too, and that is where I've had the most pain during my recovery.

Going into surgery, I had mild sleep apnea, problems with my blood pressure dropping, and I've always been a difficult "stick". While I was under, they had to insert a central line in my shoulder. I tell you, when I woke up, I was totally out of it for the first 12 hours or so, because I just kept asking for pain meds. My shoulder was hurting so bad (seems some people like myself just can't tolerate having an IV in this location) that I didn't even think about my stomach until I saw the awful Frankenstein staples.

It took me a long time to get up and around, and every movement was a challenge. I didn't sleep well at all for the first week after surgery, and could barely eat anything. They sent me home with Tylenol 3 w/codeine since I don't tolerate most pain meds well at all, and that stuff gave me some awful nightmares. I quickly switched over to children's Tylenol, and found that as long as I took it every 4 hours, it kept the pain manageable.

I tell you all this to say, it was all worth it. My recovery has been hard. My mental status questionable at times. :) But it was worth it. I'm just shy of four weeks out and the change is already so great! I still have occasional twinges in my stomach, especially when I wake up and I've been sleeping in some weird position. I still get tired every day and have to lie down and rest. But the back pain I was suffering from so badly pre-op has all but disappeared with the 25 lbs or so I've lost since my surgery. My clothes are already starting to fit differently, and I'm learning to love food all over again. This time my love is because of how my food makes me healthy! I know I have a long, long way to go since I started out so heavy, but my excitement about life is already so much greater than it's been in years. I'm already planning on all the things I'm going to do as I shed this weight that has held me back for so long... and I can't wait. :)

Good luck to all of us!

Mine was easy, easy, easy.  I did have the laproscopic surgery, but while surgeon was in there, he discovered hernia, so, after RNY and closing the ports there, ho proceeded to to open hernia repairs.  The surgery was about 8 hours long altogether (estimate was 1 - 1/2 hrs beforehand).  Within 2 hours, I was walking all around the hospital, chomping at the bit to go home.  My BMI was 54, and most of it in my belly.  Today, almost 6 years later, I am close to underweight, at 6' tall and between 140 and 145.  I had no issues at all.  I did develop a hernia about 7 months later and that was repaired by same surgeon as well.  I was in the OR at 8 am and in the car on the way home by noon.

Good luck!

Carrie

Hi     I was at your weight of 480 when i had my surgery.  I have lost 230 pounds.
It has been about a year and four months since I had surgery.
I have had geat results. My surgery went great.  I was walking by 1pm and walking around the floor by 6pm that same day.  The hospital was great. I hated the bed in the room so I slept in the chair.  My nurse keep me with pain meds if I needed them. I started the pain med  but   stopped     the next day after surgery. I was able to walk to the lobby by  the evening of the second day.  My surgon made me stay for 3 night because I live about 150 miles from the hospital.  I had no complications and I am glad I had the surgery.

The main thing to remember is to take it easy at the begining so you can heal.  You need to drink when you get home. 

Good Luck with your surgery.....

Hope your surgery goes well today!

I had surgery 11 months ago.   I was 351# the day of surgery.  I'm down to 230# now.  I did have a bowel obstruction the day after I went home.  It required another surgery  Since that point everything has been great.  I have to be careful because certain things still upset my stomach (usually things with too much sugar or fat).  It's been a life-changing point in my life.  I wish I had done it earlier.

     It been a month and a half since my Gastric -By- Pass.  I guess the hardest thing for me.  Is not forgetting to drink my water and take my vitamins 4  with I have to take 4 times a day.  So have to start first thing in the morning. Then theirs protein shakes.  If you sleep late your already behind.  I never I thought I would have a problem with drinking water, cystal light, tea.  Or just eating small amounts. You talking a person loves to drink anything.  
     But, You can only take in so much at a time after surgery.  If you don,t drink enough and take you vitimin right you get  constipated which can kill you.   I have never been constipated in my life until about 4 weeks after surgery.  I thought I was drinking enough water.  But, found out I was not.  Throwing up totally sick and it felt like food was stuck.  After several hour of throw up and milk of mag, stool softers, Water, water, water.   After tha****er in my best friend.  It is so much my best friend that I,m starting to hate it.  I still have problems  eating just about everything. Even fight emotional hunger.  Realizing what is real and what is not.   Soup are my friend. Protein shakes,  Cottage chesse with yogert.  Goes down good.  Still working everyday just get a small amount of protein down.   Actually right now I am happy just to anything down.  I can,t believe how has been wasted. Two bites and your done.
  But, The weight is coming off and That is whats important.    Staying healthy. staying alive and losing the weight.  To say Gastric -by- pass is life changing does begin to tell the whole story.  Staying healthy after gastric -by- pass is a full time job.  But, So worth it.

My BMI was 67.3 when I started my journey. My RNY was laproscopic (and I lost 46 pounds before surgery). I had surgery almost 2 years ago (Sept 09). I got pregnant at 1 year post-op and had my baby in May. I'm back to working on losing the baby weight, and my remaining weight. I now have a BMI of 34 - because I still have baby weight to lose. My lowest BMI pre-pregnancy was 31.

After surgery my recovery in the hosptial was rough - I ended up being out for 3 hours. Pre-surgery screening did not catch that my gallbladder was very bad, or that I had a hernia from a previous surgery. My surgeon fixed both things and did my RNY. I had a swollen throat from the tube. And I had trouble regulating my pain and breathing immediately after surgery. I had a tough 3 days. But after that I was fine.

I did feel hunger about surgery, but my hunger was easily satisfied with the things I was allowed to eat and the amounts.

The weight flew off very quickly. But it was hard on me losing so much so fast. I was fatigued and susceptile to illness the first year. Clothes would only fit for a couple of weeks.

Now at 2 years post-op - I was able to deliver a healthy baby. I am healthy. I feel much better even though I am still overweight. According to BMI charts I need to lose another 80 pounds. I have no desire to lose another 80 pounds.. I am very muscular. I want to lose another 40-60 pounds.

I have lots of excess skin. I am thrilled with my weight loss, but I still have some body issues because of my excess skin. It did go down after time, but it's still unattractive. Dont' get me wrong I'd take the skin any day instead of having all that weight back.