What were first few days, post-op, really like?

My date is March 21st. On March 1st, I will begin a liquid fast to prep for surgery so I have three days left of 'normal' eating. Each time I decide what I will have for a meal, I am wondering: What kind of food will I be given in the hospital to eat? Will I be on liquids at the beginning, after surgery? What is it really like to get used to eating smaller amounts of food. I am going to have the surgery, of course, but my anxiety levels are rising. I am not fearful of the surgery itself. I am fretting that I won't be able to live with post-op pain or that eating food will make me sick. Can anyone talk about what their first few days of eating post-op were like?

Hi, I'm almost 2 months post-op and am doing great...even with the wound infection that I developed and am still dealing with. Hey, if I had to choose a "complication", this would be it. You're absolutely normal. I think everyone has anxiety issues before and after the surgery. I didn't have to do any kind of fast, in fact my surgeon insisted that I just eat healthy and took my multivitamins prior to surgery (I didn't consume anything after midnight before my surgery, which is normal procedure for any surgery). I had open gastric bypass, so the first few days were kinda tough. My surgeon had me hooked up to a PCA pump so that I could give myself pain meds and he also uses a Marcaine ball (numbing meds) that gives continuous doses at the incisional area. I think I took pain meds at home for about a week afterwards....the last few days, I only took the minimum at night before I went to bed. After that, the discomfort wasn't all that bad. As for eating, it was tough in the beginning. It's amazing how my tastes changed. Trying to rest, get all the water in to stay hydrated, and then dealing with the protein (not to mention getting enough caloric intake as well) was very difficult at first. Just remember, do your best. As other people have posted on this site....get your protein in first and then your water. I was on a liquid diet for the first few days and then went to a full mechanical soft for about a week or two, and then on to a soft diet for another couple of weeks. At about 5-6 weeks out, I was given the OK to eat regular food. Thankfully, I haven't dealt with "dumping" as I really look at the sugar content in foods. I've only thrown up once because my new stomach didn't like the shrimp. It was no biggie.....I waited a couple of weeks and tried it again...no problems, but I have to really chew it up...almost not worth the effort at this point. I still struggle with protein as I like having a variety. The best thing to do is visit some of the sites that are suggested at OH and order samples. I keep a list of the ones I really like, the ones that are OK, and the ones that I can't stand so that when I get ready to order the big containers I get what I want. Just remember, it will take time to get use to the changes. Go easy on yourself and don't do the negative self talk if you have a "bad" day. When I eat, I use a small salad plate. Learn to listen to your stomach....when you start feeling full...STOP eating!!!....otherwise you'll cramp and/or throw up....neither are fun. I wish you luck and feel free to email me. Sending positive vibes your way.... Beth

Congratulations, you are almost there!!! Every Doctor is different but I'll tell you about my experience. I had Group Health for my Lap RNY surgery. The nurses have you walk at the hospital each day I did not have much pain and I went home on the 3rd night after surgery. I only needed minimal pain pills for a couple of days after that. But don't be afraid to take the pills if you need them. My LAP incisions healed up nicely, no problems. After they did a x-ray on the second day to see if I had any leaks, they let me drink water. On the third day, I got to eat pureed foods. I wasn't even hungry and I was scared about eating, but I got some of it down. After a month of pureed foods, I got to eat some soft type foods for a month or so and then I gradually ate all kinds of normal foods. When I first started eating soft foods, salmon, eggs, cooked veggies, chicken, etc. I vomited several times a week, but that went away after the first 3 months. Now I have to worry about eating too much, since my stomach can hold a lot more. Good luck. It is a good idea to read OH member profiles to find out more. Mari