For the Bears and other furry folks....
Wondering about the prep for surgery.
I am assuming that for us furry folks we get our bellies shaved....is that true? is it our whole belly and chest? I can imagine that stubble between folds of skin do not feel so great.
Also...I know about the catheter....but when you woke up....did you have drains? If so how long do they stay in? Was there anything else weird hanging out of your body that you didnt expect?
I am assuming that for us furry folks we get our bellies shaved....is that true? is it our whole belly and chest? I can imagine that stubble between folds of skin do not feel so great.
Also...I know about the catheter....but when you woke up....did you have drains? If so how long do they stay in? Was there anything else weird hanging out of your body that you didnt expect?
They just shaved my stomach from the lower ribs down (not to the pubes really though) I had laparscopy though so if you have open they may shave differently. But mostly just the tummy. Don't worry, it grows back and you won't feel like sex for a WHILE lol meaning that nobody has to see you until you're alllll furry and bear-like again ;-)
I didn't have any drains thank god but the catheter hurt like **** coming out. It burned to pee for a day or so afterwards but not so bad I cried every time or nothing.
I didn't have any drains thank god but the catheter hurt like **** coming out. It burned to pee for a day or so afterwards but not so bad I cried every time or nothing.
I was just shaved in the areas where they were cutting my whole tummy and chest was not shaved.
I did not have any drains, I wish I had. When I got up for the first time and went to the bathroom I saw a couple of drops of blood on the floor did not think much about until I noticed the gown was very wet. The nurse sent me right back to bed and put new dressings on and would not let me walk. A few hours later when I had to go to the bath room I did OK so I went for my first walk, and they some one let me know I was leaving a trail, I was leaking again. So I was not able to get out of the bed for the next 18 hours. The nurse said sometimes they use drains some times they don't, she said this usually happens when they don't from all the saline they pump into to you making sure your pouch is not leaking, I would ask for a drain.
I did not have any drains, I wish I had. When I got up for the first time and went to the bathroom I saw a couple of drops of blood on the floor did not think much about until I noticed the gown was very wet. The nurse sent me right back to bed and put new dressings on and would not let me walk. A few hours later when I had to go to the bath room I did OK so I went for my first walk, and they some one let me know I was leaving a trail, I was leaking again. So I was not able to get out of the bed for the next 18 hours. The nurse said sometimes they use drains some times they don't, she said this usually happens when they don't from all the saline they pump into to you making sure your pouch is not leaking, I would ask for a drain.
highest/day of surgery/current/goal
340/306/203/199
As far as drains go, it's really up to the doctor whether they prefer to use drains or not. my doctor doesn't use drains and he doesn't stitch me up either......he used super glue on my cuts (I had it done laparoscopically) and he didn't shave me......they did give me this soap and scrub brush to wash with the night before and the morning right before surgery and when I was out of surgery I was pretty much covered in iodine. My highest incision is just below my breastbone and the lowest incision is a couple inches above the belly button.....i had 6 incisions total. however, with the super glue he used instead of traditional dressings, my scars are very hard to see anymore.
Are you having an open incision? If so I can't really comment, sorry. If you're having open I assume that's the reason for catheter?
If it helps, I had lap technique RNY. 14 incisions - most he'd ever done cause I'm a handful LOL. Normal procedure with Dr. Graber is no drains, no catheters, into recovery room with oxygen by mask and IV for fluids. It was amazing, and I was prepared for a nightmare (the paranoia of my background as an ICU nurse). No shaving at all in my case, no staples, no sutures - they only use glue in Utica so it was a breeze. After going back to my room post op I was up to walk around the room immediately and had a good pee right away. Had surgery on Thursday a.m. and the last thing I had for pain was on the Saturday - one Tylenol extra strength. Amazing eh? And down 50 pounds in 6 weeks, thank god.
It was the most technically competent surgical adventure I could imagine and I wish the same for you. Being a real big guy I absolutely did not want open incision so had chosen a centre where they only do Lap RNY, for all the reasons here. I hope your upcoming journey is smooth and succesful, shaved or not LOL.
Mike
For last year's words belong to last year's language.
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot
Oh yeah, for sure. And for such a short procedure you shouldn't need a urinary catheter. Not sure what your timing is but Dr. Graber does them in about 90 min total, so it's in and out. I am a total mutant, so as usual mine was different, took best part of 3 hours - but I still got up and peed with no problem. Hope it's smooth as buttah for you.
Mike
Mike
For last year's words belong to last year's language.
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot
And next year's words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot
As for the catheter, you will have a catheter but they usually put it in after you are asleep and remove it before you wake up. People who think they didn't have one, did ... they just don't know it. LOL Everyone who has an abdominal surgery has a urinary catheter. As for the shaving, they did shave my six belly hairs... damn them. I was kinda proud of them but they grew back fast. LOL
Drains are unusual (rare) with laparoscopic but can happen if you have a lot of extra fluid/blood in there. They are more common with open incisions. I had six small incisions, dissolvable suture and steri-stripped. After six months you can barely see the scars.
When I got back to my room, the only thing I had in was an IV and they took that out the next morning before I went home. I walked 1/2 hour after getting back to my room, was up walking most of the night because I wasn't tired and it helps expel the gasses from the tissues and it just feels good to move. I took liquid Tylenol-3 for a few nights (one dose) to sleep and that was it. Do everything they tell you and you'll do fantastic.
Drains are unusual (rare) with laparoscopic but can happen if you have a lot of extra fluid/blood in there. They are more common with open incisions. I had six small incisions, dissolvable suture and steri-stripped. After six months you can barely see the scars.
When I got back to my room, the only thing I had in was an IV and they took that out the next morning before I went home. I walked 1/2 hour after getting back to my room, was up walking most of the night because I wasn't tired and it helps expel the gasses from the tissues and it just feels good to move. I took liquid Tylenol-3 for a few nights (one dose) to sleep and that was it. Do everything they tell you and you'll do fantastic.
"When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge." -Tuli Kupferberg
i had lap rny... catheter... and drain. none of 'em hurt when they were removed, but some people have said it hurts like hell.
they don't have to shave you. period. the doc may prefer it, but you're in charge of that.
i also have six scars from the work done. four were about a half inch long, scattered around the center and right side of my abdomen. they all healed fast. one was from the drain, and the last was about a couple inches long. my doctor left the larger one open and i had to change the dressing until it healed on its own... something about allowing infection to exit.
for more about my experience, check out http://outsmartmagazine.com/cms-this_issue/200901--The+Incre dible+Shrinking+Woman.html
sal
they don't have to shave you. period. the doc may prefer it, but you're in charge of that.
i also have six scars from the work done. four were about a half inch long, scattered around the center and right side of my abdomen. they all healed fast. one was from the drain, and the last was about a couple inches long. my doctor left the larger one open and i had to change the dressing until it healed on its own... something about allowing infection to exit.
for more about my experience, check out http://outsmartmagazine.com/cms-this_issue/200901--The+Incre dible+Shrinking+Woman.html
sal
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