3 days post-op. A few questions... Help please!
Hello Everyone!
First, I am feeling pretty good. Some pain but not too bad. Walking and breathing good. Drinking as much clear proteins as I can stand.
Questions:
1. When will the scale move down? I know I still have some swelling and fluid build up but when can I expect this to subside? At surgery, I weighed 295, Tues-300, Wed - 302 Thur - 299-300.
2. What things should I be looking for know if everything is going ok? Or, not okay?
3. Wound care? I was able to take my bandages off today. Nearly scared myself looking. I have 6 incisions. 1 is the drain site, which is still open... I just don't want to infect anything!
I think that is it for now. I really need to find a local support group! Thanks for all of your help!!
Lisa
First, I am feeling pretty good. Some pain but not too bad. Walking and breathing good. Drinking as much clear proteins as I can stand.
Questions:
1. When will the scale move down? I know I still have some swelling and fluid build up but when can I expect this to subside? At surgery, I weighed 295, Tues-300, Wed - 302 Thur - 299-300.
2. What things should I be looking for know if everything is going ok? Or, not okay?
3. Wound care? I was able to take my bandages off today. Nearly scared myself looking. I have 6 incisions. 1 is the drain site, which is still open... I just don't want to infect anything!
I think that is it for now. I really need to find a local support group! Thanks for all of your help!!
Lisa
Lisa 
1, Be patient, young grasshopper! Give yourself a week and then weigh yourself. It will come off in due time!
2. Pay attention to your body. When things are not feeling well at all, you'll know it! Be extra vigilant about symptoms of dehydration and infection (fever especially)
3. The hospital should have sent you wound care instructions. Look thru your discharge paperwork, it may be spelling bandage care out. I was told to not get my suture sites wet as I had steristrips over ea*****ision site, and they came off on their own. As things healed up, I was given permission to use Hibiclens AROUND the incisions, but nothing over them until the steristrips fell off.
2. Pay attention to your body. When things are not feeling well at all, you'll know it! Be extra vigilant about symptoms of dehydration and infection (fever especially)
3. The hospital should have sent you wound care instructions. Look thru your discharge paperwork, it may be spelling bandage care out. I was told to not get my suture sites wet as I had steristrips over ea*****ision site, and they came off on their own. As things healed up, I was given permission to use Hibiclens AROUND the incisions, but nothing over them until the steristrips fell off.
First ultra: Stone Mill 50 miler 11/15/14 13:44:38, First Full Marathon: Marine Corps 10/27/13 4:57:11, Half Marathon PR 2:04:43 at Shamrock VA Beach Half-Marathon, 12/2/12 First Half-Marathon 2:32:47, 5K PR Run Under the Lights 5K 27:23 on 11/23/13, 10K PR 52:53 Pike's Peek 10K 4/21/13, (1st timed run) Accumen 8K 51:09 10/14/12.
Ah, so you get to look forward to those being pulled out at some point. Fun! Can't be any worse than having the drains pulled out (if you had those) - - I can't imagine how bad it would have felt if I WASN'T on a morphine pump at the time. Well, wishing you a speedy recovery!!!
First ultra: Stone Mill 50 miler 11/15/14 13:44:38, First Full Marathon: Marine Corps 10/27/13 4:57:11, Half Marathon PR 2:04:43 at Shamrock VA Beach Half-Marathon, 12/2/12 First Half-Marathon 2:32:47, 5K PR Run Under the Lights 5K 27:23 on 11/23/13, 10K PR 52:53 Pike's Peek 10K 4/21/13, (1st timed run) Accumen 8K 51:09 10/14/12.
Hey! we had the same surgery date! I am also 3 days post op and was wondering the same thing until I remembered what I read over and over again on these forums..STAY OFF THE SCALE..It will play with your head lol
Height: 5'9 Hw: 285 Sw: 272 Cw: 167 Surg. goal: 165
1m: -20 2m: :-18 3m:-10
4m:-12 5m:8 6m:-4 7m:-3 8m-10:-28
I am three weeks post op. It took me a week before I started to see weight loss. I had gained weight while in the hospital as well.
I had a couple complications. I had a leak the second day after surgery and had to have emergency surgery to fix it. Then I had another leak about a week later. I knew this because my drian started to have green fluid in it and it smelled. Also, I had a major infection under one of my incisions. My incision looked fine but I had a ton of pressure under my rib on the right side and couldn't get a breath. Plus I had been smelling a bad smell for about a week, but no one around me smelled it. I think I smelled it from within. When the doc drained the incision that smell came out.
those are the things I would look for. Also if you don't feel like your improving at all then call the doc.
good luck on your journey!
I had a couple complications. I had a leak the second day after surgery and had to have emergency surgery to fix it. Then I had another leak about a week later. I knew this because my drian started to have green fluid in it and it smelled. Also, I had a major infection under one of my incisions. My incision looked fine but I had a ton of pressure under my rib on the right side and couldn't get a breath. Plus I had been smelling a bad smell for about a week, but no one around me smelled it. I think I smelled it from within. When the doc drained the incision that smell came out.
those are the things I would look for. Also if you don't feel like your improving at all then call the doc.
good luck on your journey!
~Heidi
The quest for excellence is a life long process
Hi! Welcome to the Losers' Side!
My scale did not move down for 2 weeks. I think it took 3 weeks for the fluids to move out of me. It took about a 5 days to have a BM. I have internal staples, but there were adhesive strips on my belly -- no stitches. Our skin will grow over the staples. They do not come out.
You must try to get at least 64 ounces of fluids (including tea and broths and popsicles, etc.). I was instructed to try to get in 40 grams of protein the first week. But don't worry if you can't make it because this week is the time for you to establish your routine/schedule.
I took lots of naps the first week and had very little energy. I only had nausea when I did poorly on my fluids.
Until your wounds close don't scrub them when showering. Le****er run over them and pat them dry.
Track your fluids and food. I like the automated tracker here on OH, but there are several good websites with free trackers.
Walk, walk, walk. If you had comorbidities prior to surgery, take your blood pressure and blood sugars daily. Record the results and take the documentation with you to your next appointment with the surgeon.
My first appointment was at 4 weeks. I started taking sublingual B12, calcium, mutivitamin with iron, and vitamin D at about 2 weeks. If I'd waited 4 weeks, I think my lab numbers would have been too low.
Well, that's my 2 cents!
Hattie
My scale did not move down for 2 weeks. I think it took 3 weeks for the fluids to move out of me. It took about a 5 days to have a BM. I have internal staples, but there were adhesive strips on my belly -- no stitches. Our skin will grow over the staples. They do not come out.
You must try to get at least 64 ounces of fluids (including tea and broths and popsicles, etc.). I was instructed to try to get in 40 grams of protein the first week. But don't worry if you can't make it because this week is the time for you to establish your routine/schedule.
I took lots of naps the first week and had very little energy. I only had nausea when I did poorly on my fluids.
Until your wounds close don't scrub them when showering. Le****er run over them and pat them dry.
Track your fluids and food. I like the automated tracker here on OH, but there are several good websites with free trackers.
Walk, walk, walk. If you had comorbidities prior to surgery, take your blood pressure and blood sugars daily. Record the results and take the documentation with you to your next appointment with the surgeon.
My first appointment was at 4 weeks. I started taking sublingual B12, calcium, mutivitamin with iron, and vitamin D at about 2 weeks. If I'd waited 4 weeks, I think my lab numbers would have been too low.
Well, that's my 2 cents!
Hattie
Congrats and welcome to the losers bench!!
1) It depends, most people are different but it took me about a week and a half to see it move at all. You are usually at a higher weight right after surgery because of the fluids (IV and what not) that you are on. Just follow your doctors orders and you will see that scale number start to shrink in no time. :) Just like everyone on here told me, Be Patient! :)
2) Extreme pain. You are going to hurt but this would be something abnormal.. If you start to vomit everything up, (I mean everything) you should talk to your doctor. Take it easy and you should do fine.
3) Any open wounds that I had I put a band aid over.. I would let them air as well but because I am allergic to SO many antibotics I didnt want an infection. Just keep them dry, monitor them, and if they start to hurt more than ususal, become red or puffy (once again more than ususal) or if you can smell infection, call your doctor.
What area are you located in?
1) It depends, most people are different but it took me about a week and a half to see it move at all. You are usually at a higher weight right after surgery because of the fluids (IV and what not) that you are on. Just follow your doctors orders and you will see that scale number start to shrink in no time. :) Just like everyone on here told me, Be Patient! :)
2) Extreme pain. You are going to hurt but this would be something abnormal.. If you start to vomit everything up, (I mean everything) you should talk to your doctor. Take it easy and you should do fine.
3) Any open wounds that I had I put a band aid over.. I would let them air as well but because I am allergic to SO many antibotics I didnt want an infection. Just keep them dry, monitor them, and if they start to hurt more than ususal, become red or puffy (once again more than ususal) or if you can smell infection, call your doctor.
What area are you located in?
Life is a canvas.. and I am trying to make a masterpiece. 
Weight loss since I moved to Utah.
Weight loss since I moved to Utah.
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