Good Morning. What do you remember of your 1st 2 weeks post-op?

In the hospital, I was on a Morphine pain pump, but was oh so nauseated, Dr. finally changed it out to Dilaudid and the nausea stopped.  I didn't think they had the pain pump set high enough, but the pain was only really, really bad when I got into and out of bed to go to the bathroom or to walk.  2nd day better, took out the catheter (which didn't hurt...I was surprised).

I got home on a Thurs, and was playing bridge everyday by Sunday.  I was off pain meds in less than a week.  I was 1/2 nauseated the first few weeks; later decided it was due to the protein shakes I was drinking.  I wasn't really hungry at first and had to make myself eat.  Started out on pureed foods, ate eggs (which I don't llike anymore...funny thing) and soups. Had no problems getting fluids down.

I was back to work at the end of 2 wks, but did go home early a couple of hours a couple of days that 3rd week.

I didn't have any drains with my RNY, and feel like my recovery was very smooth.  At 6 months out my pouch is working fine and I am almosts at goal.

Jane

Short version.....

I remember when they woke me up in recovery I was freezing cold! They covered me up with another blanket.  Asked me how my pain was and oh my go**** was pretty rough.  They gave me more pain meds.  Thank gosh! I don't really remember much after that.  I woke up late that night.  I was in my private room and my DH was sleeping in the chair at my bedside.  What a sweet man.  He never left my side.   Doing my leak test on day to was horrible due to all the nausua I had! I just wanted to be left alone.....dang nurses! LOL  I stayed 2 nights before going home.  The ride home was awful.  Every bump hurt so bad.  I pretty much stayed in the recliner for the first 3 days home after the hospital.  It was just easier for me that way.  My first shower was not fun! I got light headed and passed out! Lucky for me my DH was right there to catch me as I hit the shower wall.  I can laugh about it now but man that sucked! Hahahah! The best part of the 1st week home was I was done over 18+ pounds!

Week 2 was not to bad overall.  I had "buyers remorse" and thought WTF did I do??? My protein drinks were so nasty I had to hold my nose to drink them.  Broth sucked and sipping water ALL day long was annoying! Hahaha Thank gosh I liked the chocolate Advocare shakes!  My entire left side hurt all day everyday from where they "pull up your intestines" and connect them to the new part.  I got my staples out! Yay! Man that hurt though! I was able to drive again and shower and DH didn't have to wipe my butt anymore! LOL The best part was I was down over 20+ pounds!

Ash ;o)

Ooo, I like this one...okee...

I was in the hospital for 2 nights. And the first night I was miserable with back aches and the stupid bed was weird. AND I had an NG tube (down nose to pouch to drain excess fluids) and JP drain (off the side by ribs with a bulb for drainage) and oxygen tube and of course IV. I had no cath so I had to pee every 60 min or so because they had the iv drip full blast I think. Anyways, when they put me on liquids the next morning, they turned off the NG vacuum and the tube slide down a bit my throat and was a huge bother...made me gag and naseaus. I kept asking the nurse to get the order to get the tube out and no go. I wasn't until I gagged so bad that I coughed, threw up a bit and peed my bed from the gagging and coughing (remember my old bladder issues..) that I yelled at her and said "get this thing out NOW!" The poor thing scrambled out of the room and 10 min later came back and said "Ok sweetie, we got the ok to remove the tube but IF we NEED to put the tube back in YOU won't..." I didn't even let her finish and said "THAT TUBE WILL NOT BE GOING BACK IN. PERIOD".

So she pulled the tube and what a relief it was...OMG I felt reborn. I cried and jumped up and hugged her and said thank you I can't remember how many times. From that moment on, I began laps around the floor...walk walk sip sip and they couldn't stop me from moving...and smiling!     Actually, I haven't stop moving since, have I?? 

I think I fell asleep on the drive home but rememer that there was so much ice/snow on the road that I thought it would suck big time if we got stuck or in an accident. I have a warped mind...sorry. lol The rest of the 2 weeks went very well. I slept the first couple of days for naps.

Otherwise, very uneventful 2 weeks.

I was very lucky, besides about 10 minutes of nausea the day of surgery, everything went very smoothly.  I was up and around and using the washroom the same day.  Of course I had a sore tummy and my Doc does not believe in too much pain relief, because, how after all will they know that something is wrong if you don't feel it!   Grr.  It wasn't that bad though and I was sent home with extra strength Tylenol.  Everything went very smoothly and I was back to work exactly 7 days after surgery, with no problem other than being a little more tired than usual in the evenings. 

i was self pay and went to mexico to have it done . my surgery was done in the afternoon. so as soon as the anesthia wore off the night time , i felt really good. i remember getting up and walking back and 4th back and 4th . only pain i had was the gas and to me it wasnt as bad as some say. more discomfort than pain . the next morning , i was taken to the recovery house i felt so good. usually u stay at the hosp/clinic for 2 days. the 3rd day a bus load of us went shopping . the plane ride home was soooooooooo annoying it was a 5 1/2 hr flight i remembered to move my legs alot and wiggle my toes not to get any blood clots. being home was wonderfulll the month actually went fast before i was able to eat regular. all in all it was a great experience and was very happy with everything .

I remember thinking "I'm going to die and what have I done and I'm never going to be able to drink those protein shakes and what have I done and how am I ever going to be able to eat more than 2 bites and I have lost my mind and take those vitamins yeah right!" Well guess what? I can eat, take vitamins and drink those protein shakes! And it's the best thing I have ever done for myself!

I remember fighting.....and then I woke up....The nurses told me I was in so much pain after they woke me from the anesthesia that I was literally fighting with them when they extubated me.  which I found is not a good plan since I had damaged one of vocal cords in the process causing me to lose my voice for 2 MONTHS post op......but hey I didn't even know it was happening I just have a flash like memory from that moment. I remember all I wanted was for them to gork me out on pain meds so I could feel ok...I was in so much pain from heaving for so long and the only thing that helped was being asleep.  If i was awake I was crying  & puking, if i was walking I was crying, & puking, all the time I questioned why I did this to my body.... about 6 hours later my surgeon came in to see me and he decided it wasn't the anesthesia that was making me puke it was the morphine so he switched that to dilaudid and got my pain undercontrol.  About 8 hours after surgery I finally felt OK with my decision.  The first feeling you have when waking should never be one of PURE REGRET  So fastforward to the first 3 days home......I stayed at a friends and spent all my time sleeping then walking, setting a minute timer and drinking, taking pain meds after my walk then sleeping.....repeat.....lol....I remember i felt most comfortable sleeping ON my stomache it helped with the gas pains and was a hell of alot easier to get out of bed that way to.....lol  I went home after 3 days and started to live life.  I spent alot of time outside.  I had surgery on Tuesday and was ready to go back to work on Saturday......I didn't because my job wouldn't let me until I had the OK from my surgeon.  FF>> to 2wk post op visit.  As I was walking into the surgeons building I met my surgeon said hello he asked me how I was I said great just need the go ahead to get back to work. We rode the elevator up together.  He went into the employee entrance I went into the pt waiting area and waited for my appt.  They called me in and I waited in the exam room.  When Dr. Baker walked in his eyes about popped out of his head.  He told me he didn't recognize me as one of his patients in the hallway.  He said I was moving around far to well for someone who had surgery 2 weeks ago and apologized for not recognizing me.  I had also lost 17lbs since my discharge date as well.  He looked at my incisions and was amazed at how well they were healing.  I would say all and all I had a great 2 weeks post-op except for the first 8 hours.......lol

Heather

I remember the nausea right off....from surgery itself and morphine....the pain was o****il the morphine made me itch and break out in hives.....then I chose no pain meds...because all they offered me was by mouth....and I was having a hard time getiin H2O down with the nausea....

Yep...just toughed it out and started feeling better in that my head cleared and I walked and walked thru the pain and sipped & sipped H20....  I knew this would all pass and I would be going home soon.....spent 2 nights in hospital...1 due to nausea and not keeping down fluids..

The dreaded "Leak" test...I will never forget....not painful in the normal way we think of pain, but with the severe nausea.....this was a challenge to complete....but, it to was done in a timely manner with facial grimaces between each sip....felt like gal of the lovely stuff...

Home was pretty much text book...normal recovery...my surgeons office called and checked on me and to make f/u appt.....I was doing great....walk, walk, walking and sip, sip sipping!!!

Had surgery on Monday am...came home and Wed pm.....went to extravagant wedding (outdoor) July 3rd...enjoyed the festivites and sipped my water!!!!!  Watched others eat mounds of food...I took one small teeny, tiny bite...of a small cheese square....

Continued to improve daily....walking sure helped the stomach settle and the gas pass!!!!!

You know....I really look back on this experience fondly.....the scale was dropping daily...sometimes twice daily!!!

What a ride!!