I have DS tomorrow n I'm freakin out
My recovery was much easier and faster than my lower back surgery. At first you feel like you've been hit by a Mack truck but it gets better within 2 weeks, or it did for me. I was able to start back to work 1/2 days at the beginning of 3 weeks out. My surgery was done laparoscopically if yours is open, it might take a little longer.
--gina
--gina
5'1" -- HW 195/SW 187/GW 115 July 08/CW 121 Dec 2012
******GOAL*******
Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish?
Join us on the Lightweights Board!
DS on Aug 9, 2007 with Dr. Hazem Elariny
It's normal to be afraid when you are about to have major surgery. I can only speak from my own experience, which was that post-op wasn't really all that painful, my biggest problem was exhaustion. But both pain and exhaustion gradually improve, and then the benefits of the surery start kicking in.
Yes, it's a lot to go through, but it will be worth it.
Larra
Yes, it's a lot to go through, but it will be worth it.
Larra
This will let you know what to expect, contributed by yours truly
http://www.dsfacts.com/What-to-Expect-Following-Surgery.html
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
This has not been my experience at all. I'm three weeks out tomorrow. I am hungry all the time (well being full lasts 2 or 3 hours; then I'm hungry again), and food tastes wonderful. I was really looking forward to not having any appetite and was very disappointed that it didn't happen that way at all for me.
"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was greater than the risk it took to blossom." ~Anais Nin 
My surgery was open, and the physical healing went well. The nutrition did not at first. It turns out that whey protein gave me dhr from HELL, I ended up back at the hospital 48 hours after being let go, due to dehydration. I cannot use plain whey protein, it has to be whey protein isolate.
I have never let go of my shakes, and that would be my advice to you. I don't think any of us can eat enough to get *all* of our protein from food, especially early out. The shakes absolutely *will not* make you gain weight! That's the beauty of the DS; it's a very hard surgery to "break". That said, you must be meticulous about sticking to protocol for vitamins, minerals and protein.
I hope you were on a pre-op vitamin/mineral regimen - you'll need the reserves early out, as your new stomach will be quite swollen, and not able to hold a lot at first. As the months go by, you will be able to eat and drink more, with increasing variety up to your first year. Follow your food plan and get in as much as you can, with the types of foods you can eat at each stage of recovery. My program gave us a map that took us out to the first year, in terms of amounts and types of foods. The amounts and types increase as the moths go by. Do *not* listen to folks who only know the RNY (gastric bypass)! If your program takes a one size fits all apporach to nutrition, check with the vets here, then run it by your NUT and doctors.
Immediately out of surgery, you'll likely be quite comfortable. In fact, I don't ever recall being in pain after my surgery, just when getting up and moving around, and not even that much then. The nurses will be getting you up every two hours like clockwork to walk. It helps to "wake up" the intestines, and expel gas. Not sure if you'll be lap or open, mine was open so it takes a little longer to recover from that. Lap DSers get back in the swing of things much faster.
Good luck to you. Your DS will amaze you every day for the rest of your life!
I have never let go of my shakes, and that would be my advice to you. I don't think any of us can eat enough to get *all* of our protein from food, especially early out. The shakes absolutely *will not* make you gain weight! That's the beauty of the DS; it's a very hard surgery to "break". That said, you must be meticulous about sticking to protocol for vitamins, minerals and protein.
I hope you were on a pre-op vitamin/mineral regimen - you'll need the reserves early out, as your new stomach will be quite swollen, and not able to hold a lot at first. As the months go by, you will be able to eat and drink more, with increasing variety up to your first year. Follow your food plan and get in as much as you can, with the types of foods you can eat at each stage of recovery. My program gave us a map that took us out to the first year, in terms of amounts and types of foods. The amounts and types increase as the moths go by. Do *not* listen to folks who only know the RNY (gastric bypass)! If your program takes a one size fits all apporach to nutrition, check with the vets here, then run it by your NUT and doctors.
Immediately out of surgery, you'll likely be quite comfortable. In fact, I don't ever recall being in pain after my surgery, just when getting up and moving around, and not even that much then. The nurses will be getting you up every two hours like clockwork to walk. It helps to "wake up" the intestines, and expel gas. Not sure if you'll be lap or open, mine was open so it takes a little longer to recover from that. Lap DSers get back in the swing of things much faster.
Good luck to you. Your DS will amaze you every day for the rest of your life!
HW 405/SW 397/CW 138/GW 160 Do the research! Check the stats!
The DS is *THE* solution to Severe Morbid Obesity!
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