WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT AFTER SURGEY (FROM THOSE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED IT)
Hello Seananc
I want you to know that every ones experience is unique. It is important for you to think positive and know that the end results is wonderful. Different doctors do it differently with progressing to eating normal. Listen to your body. I made the biggest mistake and stocked my house up with tons of stuff pre opt but could not tolerate some of it. Make sure that you walk, sip, and rest. Listen to your body and do not think that anything or any question is crazy. I will tell you that some smells will bother you, you will find that some of the things you love one day you can not stand the next. You will have some pain or discomfort but walking do help.
Know that some people have complications and I was one of those people but with a good surgeon this will know how to address it just try to remain positive. I will answer any question that you have because there was people there for me when I started out. I will send you my number. If you have any specific questions in box me or call me with them.
I want you to know that every ones experience is unique. It is important for you to think positive and know that the end results is wonderful. Different doctors do it differently with progressing to eating normal. Listen to your body. I made the biggest mistake and stocked my house up with tons of stuff pre opt but could not tolerate some of it. Make sure that you walk, sip, and rest. Listen to your body and do not think that anything or any question is crazy. I will tell you that some smells will bother you, you will find that some of the things you love one day you can not stand the next. You will have some pain or discomfort but walking do help.
Know that some people have complications and I was one of those people but with a good surgeon this will know how to address it just try to remain positive. I will answer any question that you have because there was people there for me when I started out. I will send you my number. If you have any specific questions in box me or call me with them.
MARTINA
Rockmart Georgia
HW: 315 CW: 117 GW: First goal 150 met 3/23/2012, Second goal 135
Rockmart Georgia
HW: 315 CW: 117 GW: First goal 150 met 3/23/2012, Second goal 135
I suffered from some serious nausea and esophageal spasms they day after I had surgery. I had a fantastic team working with me and after a few medication tweeks, I was much more comfortable.
You may have a bit of internal gas, but this is normal. However, it can be uncomfortable at times. The best thing to do is walk. Remember to keep yourself hydrated, it will be difficult, but do what you can.
I had 6 incisions, 2 on my right side were much more uncomfortable than the others. This was wear the muscles were stretched to remove the stomach and another where the camera was (lots of moving around). I was sore, ice felt great to me. Others like heat. Heat worked well for the gas.
Just remember you've got to walk, it can be uncomfortable but it will help you heal quicker and get that gas moving out. Listen to your body...sip, walk, rest (REPEAT). You'll do great!
I am 6 weeks out today and just starting to eat "normally" a lot smaller portions. I am not working out, but working to walk a little more everyday. I tire out easily after some busy days I have resorted to the motorized carts at Target and what not. I was just too tired.
You may have a bit of internal gas, but this is normal. However, it can be uncomfortable at times. The best thing to do is walk. Remember to keep yourself hydrated, it will be difficult, but do what you can.
I had 6 incisions, 2 on my right side were much more uncomfortable than the others. This was wear the muscles were stretched to remove the stomach and another where the camera was (lots of moving around). I was sore, ice felt great to me. Others like heat. Heat worked well for the gas.
Just remember you've got to walk, it can be uncomfortable but it will help you heal quicker and get that gas moving out. Listen to your body...sip, walk, rest (REPEAT). You'll do great!
I am 6 weeks out today and just starting to eat "normally" a lot smaller portions. I am not working out, but working to walk a little more everyday. I tire out easily after some busy days I have resorted to the motorized carts at Target and what not. I was just too tired.
HW: 404/ SW: 380/ GW: 155
Hi,
I wanted to tell you it was a cake walk for me.. I was up walking a couple hours after surgery.. I was not in a lot of pain.. I was able to sip water the same day in the afternoon.. My surgery was in the morning. I will tell you sip and walk works.. Also your mind set will determine a lot. Good luck..
I wanted to tell you it was a cake walk for me.. I was up walking a couple hours after surgery.. I was not in a lot of pain.. I was able to sip water the same day in the afternoon.. My surgery was in the morning. I will tell you sip and walk works.. Also your mind set will determine a lot. Good luck..
SW 314-- CW 170-- GW 155 HT 5'7" I love my DS !!
He who can't be Named
on 4/23/12 2:48 pm
on 4/23/12 2:48 pm
I did a few things before surgery that made it easier for me afterward. I tend to get fluid in my lungs whenever I have surgery from the oxygen, and it hurts like heck to cough afterward, but you must to keep your airways open. I practiced "square breathing" before surgery for to help with breathing issues after, but if you have a spirometer or something similar from having to increase lung capacity from a previous surgery or something you can use that. You can also just look up different breathing exercises that will help, They mainly just increase your capacity by having you take deep breaths, and hold.
Recovery is not a walk in the park for most of us, so do what you can ahead of time to make it easier on yourself afterward. I could drink right away, but you need to jus****ch amounts, since your full signal won't be the same (or you may not have one for a while). If the Dr says never more than 3 oz at a time, make sure that is all you have, since a few bites may be all it takes to get that much, but your stomach won't be sending a full signal so you can over do it without even realizing.
Recovery is not a walk in the park for most of us, so do what you can ahead of time to make it easier on yourself afterward. I could drink right away, but you need to jus****ch amounts, since your full signal won't be the same (or you may not have one for a while). If the Dr says never more than 3 oz at a time, make sure that is all you have, since a few bites may be all it takes to get that much, but your stomach won't be sending a full signal so you can over do it without even realizing.
Some times dingle berries are the lowest hanging fruit.
(deactivated member)
on 4/24/12 6:26 am, edited 5/29/12 6:41 am
on 4/24/12 6:26 am, edited 5/29/12 6:41 am
My surgery date was 11/17/2011 so I have just cleared the 5 month mark. I will be honest, while I had researched this for ~7 years, I was not fully prepared for the post DS experience. I do not say this to scare you, I just want to prepare you as all the reading and talking in the world cannot replace actually living through this experience.
A few key points for you:
Day 1 was tough. No pain to speak of except surgical gas which you can only be worked out by walking so walk soon and walk often, it will pass.
They will likely restict you from drinking anything for ~24 hours, once that passes you will need to drink. Start very small and work your way up...they will guide you so don't get discouraged, your capacity will go up very quickly.
I had terrible hiccups lasting an hour at a time for the first 1-2 days. The only relief I was able to get was via liquid norco which calmed down the hiccups on contact so ask someone for that if you have any stomach spasms. Again, that will pass quickly.
The first couple of months keep it simple food wise. You will quickly go from someone *****ally likes to eat to someone who has to eat. Again, over time this will get better and you will adapt.
Stomach acid was not a problem for me early on but has become more so lately. I have taken nexium for a few months and tried to stop last week with horrible consequences. Most people don't need to take any PPIs longer than ~6 months so I am hoping I will be able to get off of them soon.
Experiments will become your new lifestyle. I only took a couple of days off work and have been working since the procedure which has made it more difficult for me to really listen to my body's feedback loop. Don't make the same mistake I did. Keep a journal of some kind so you know what you can and cannot tolerate. That list will change over time but at least you'll have a baseline to work from.
My primary motivation for having this procedure was my diabetes and in that regard the procedure has been 100% perfect as I have been insulin free since the day of the procedure. Also no longer take any hypertension drugs. I've lost 116 pounds in 5 months (316 to 200) with 100+ being in the first 4 months so honestly, I am glad the weightloss has slowed down. I had hoped to level off ~240 but my new GI (100cm Common Channel) is targeted for 195 and I believe that will be where I end up, give or take.
As everyone seems to caution, your mileage will vary so there is no hard set of rules. You will need to actively manage every bit of your diet post-op, there's simply no other way once this has been done so pre-wire yourself for that mindset and remember, your underlying baseline will always be changing...over time your lows will be less low and your highs will be more high. I am still hoping that at 6 months everything will level out and be more predictable but at the same time I am prepared for continued vigilance.
Good luck and God bless.
T
A few key points for you:
Day 1 was tough. No pain to speak of except surgical gas which you can only be worked out by walking so walk soon and walk often, it will pass.
They will likely restict you from drinking anything for ~24 hours, once that passes you will need to drink. Start very small and work your way up...they will guide you so don't get discouraged, your capacity will go up very quickly.
I had terrible hiccups lasting an hour at a time for the first 1-2 days. The only relief I was able to get was via liquid norco which calmed down the hiccups on contact so ask someone for that if you have any stomach spasms. Again, that will pass quickly.
The first couple of months keep it simple food wise. You will quickly go from someone *****ally likes to eat to someone who has to eat. Again, over time this will get better and you will adapt.
Stomach acid was not a problem for me early on but has become more so lately. I have taken nexium for a few months and tried to stop last week with horrible consequences. Most people don't need to take any PPIs longer than ~6 months so I am hoping I will be able to get off of them soon.
Experiments will become your new lifestyle. I only took a couple of days off work and have been working since the procedure which has made it more difficult for me to really listen to my body's feedback loop. Don't make the same mistake I did. Keep a journal of some kind so you know what you can and cannot tolerate. That list will change over time but at least you'll have a baseline to work from.
My primary motivation for having this procedure was my diabetes and in that regard the procedure has been 100% perfect as I have been insulin free since the day of the procedure. Also no longer take any hypertension drugs. I've lost 116 pounds in 5 months (316 to 200) with 100+ being in the first 4 months so honestly, I am glad the weightloss has slowed down. I had hoped to level off ~240 but my new GI (100cm Common Channel) is targeted for 195 and I believe that will be where I end up, give or take.
As everyone seems to caution, your mileage will vary so there is no hard set of rules. You will need to actively manage every bit of your diet post-op, there's simply no other way once this has been done so pre-wire yourself for that mindset and remember, your underlying baseline will always be changing...over time your lows will be less low and your highs will be more high. I am still hoping that at 6 months everything will level out and be more predictable but at the same time I am prepared for continued vigilance.
Good luck and God bless.
T
Here's an article I wrote years ago on this very subject out on dsfacts.com
http://www.dsfacts.com/What-to-Expect-Following-Surgery.html
Valerie
DS 2005
There is room on this earth for all of God's creatures..
next to the mashed potatoes
I just linked your article Valerie to my WLS DS website www.facebook.com/surgicalweightlosssurgery, no selling, just information, recipes and support for my new friends and great information for the newbies. I agree with it all, I have open DS in 1999 and have lost 208 pounds going down to 124 and staying there. Plastics was way more difficult than the DS.
I SAY WALK ~ if not you will fell gas pain like you have never felt ~ I get it sometimes now when I eat to much fiber and it is still horrible and I cannot eat. When I bloat I can gain 5 pounds and when it is gone so is the weight ~ Weird but that's how it works for me.
The surgery is a huge tool, as for "Back to Normal", you will wake up different and you will remain there. I would suggest Therapy after surgery to perhaps deal with what caused the weight gain over your life. Working out ~ I still don't and never have worked out but I do move and I move daily and often now ~ Keeps me healthy and you will need it also.
Congrats, my thoughts are with you.
~ Peace, Sherri
I SAY WALK ~ if not you will fell gas pain like you have never felt ~ I get it sometimes now when I eat to much fiber and it is still horrible and I cannot eat. When I bloat I can gain 5 pounds and when it is gone so is the weight ~ Weird but that's how it works for me.
The surgery is a huge tool, as for "Back to Normal", you will wake up different and you will remain there. I would suggest Therapy after surgery to perhaps deal with what caused the weight gain over your life. Working out ~ I still don't and never have worked out but I do move and I move daily and often now ~ Keeps me healthy and you will need it also.
Congrats, my thoughts are with you.
~ Peace, Sherri
Sherri ~ BPD/DS ~ Dr. Robert Rabkin ~ San Francisco ~
March 15th, 1999 SW 332 CW 123
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