Question:
What's with duct tape?
I have two questions. Someone recently mentioned a hint for duct tape right after surgery, but didn't tell the hint. What is it? (I will have open rny on 12/2 and thought it might help.) Second question--how many shoe sizes did some of you drop after WLS? Thanks! — Mary Ann B. (posted on November 4, 2002)
November 4, 2002
Well I dont know about the duct tape thing, but I can tell you I had to get
new shoes, all mine where 10w, or mens 11, i can now with some shoes where
a woman regular 10. I may have less fatter feet but they are still long
ones. lol....
— paulsgirl
November 4, 2002
I have read that after surgery if you are resticted from showering for a
while you can duct tape plastic over your incision(s) and take a shower
w/out getting it wet. This may just be an issue for those who have had open
surgeries. My understanding is that most lap patients can take a shower as
soon as they can stand in the stall.
— Carol S.
November 4, 2002
I don't know about the duct tape. I had the lap procedure and they even
had tape over them which I had to take off. OUCH felt like pulling off a
bandade. Shoes size. I was wearing a 10 wide and I am now wearing an 8
1/2 wide. Surgery 3/22/02 260 to 172. Good Luck :)
— Chris9672
November 4, 2002
I went from a 10W to 8 1/2 - 9 and I am only 5 1/2 months out.
— Beffy W.
November 4, 2002
I went from a 10W to a 8 1/2 also, I haven't been this size since high
school.
— Rebe W.
November 4, 2002
How about the MALE side of the shoe sizes!!! I went from
a 15 WWW to a 14 W. All of my shoes were flopping around
at the heel!!! My sweet wife, Nancy, went from an 11 W to a
10 med!!!! We have been shoe shopping which pleased Nancy
to no end as she is the Emelda Marcos (shoe queen) of southern
California!!!!!!!
— OLD RODEO C.
November 4, 2002
The duct tape may be to tape plastic over your incision so it doesnt get
wet???? I just had open RNY in August of 2002. I took a shower the first
day I went home without anything over my stapled incision. I tried to keep
my shower time down and let the water hit me mostly in the back while in
the shower but a little water never hurt anything!!!!! just make sure your
dry the incision when you get out. I had no problems without covering my
incision. And on the shoes I just went from a 14 to a 13 no big change
there.....I just have big feet.....runs in the family
— Cabott
November 4, 2002
I think whether you shower or not for a while depends on your dr. I had an
Open RNY and was showering the next morning -- my doc requires it. You
might ask your doc about this at your preop consult.
— Jenni K.
November 4, 2002
I don't know the use of duct tape unless it was used somehow to cover the
incision for showering. My surgeon insists that we start showering the
morning after surgery and washing the incision with Hibiclens. So covering
the incision was never a problem for me.
I dropped from a 12 W to an 11 M in less than 3 weeks and am now wearing a
9 1/2 or 10 M. I doubt my food will get any smaller because I've worn
between 9s and 10s since high school.
Open RNY 11/29/01 -156 pounds
— Patty_Butler
November 4, 2002
I don't have an answer for you but thought I would throw this in. I was at
the bookstore the other day and I saw a book called 1001 Uses for Duct
tape. Literally had 1001 uses in it. Most recently I saw an article about
using it to treat warts, Dr.'s quoted said it was better than most other
treatments! Crazy!
— Lucky Gal U.
November 4, 2002
I HAD SURGERY ON MAY 6, 2002. I AM DOWN FROM A 12W TO A 10W SO FAR.
— washar
November 4, 2002
I dropped a good two shoes since surgery. I am 10 months post op and went
from a 9 or 9.5 wide to a 7.5 or 8 regular. I have a much better selection
of shoes now!
— Tina P.
November 4, 2002
I can understand a small piece of duct tape to work for the wart remedy-
but a big ole strip is another thing! My friend's grandpa is very old
& kooky (perhaps wasn't thinking!)... but he heard all this magnet
talk- and so he duct taped some magnets to his back (back problems)
thinking he'd increase the flow of blood to stimulate the area. Well, in
trying to remove the magnets- he did lose some skin. So like the strapless
bra victim- I would not suggest a big piece of duct tape ANYWHERE on your
body, or near your sensitive scar!
— Karen R.
November 4, 2002
Why can't you take a shower right after open RNY? At BTC, we allow
patients to take a shower on the 2nd post-op day. In fact, discharge
instructions are that you MUST take a shower every day for 2 weeks,
allowing the water to hit the upper chest only (and not the incision) and
just drain down over the incision. As for shoe size, I was a 9 or 9-1/2
Wide and after a 140 lb. weight loss I'm a regular 7-1/2 or 8.
— Lynette B.
November 4, 2002
The DUCT TAPE is to seal plastic you put over your incision after surgery
to keep the area dry! YOU DO NOT place the tape on the incision!!!!
— RebeccaMS
November 5, 2002
My shoe size has dropped from a 9 1/2 to a 7! Never even thought about my
feet when I started this.
— Leah H.
November 6, 2002
I've lost 96 pounds in about 8 months. I've gone from a tight 11W shoe
size to a loose 11W show size. So I really haven't changed shoe size, I've
just gotten comfortable in the shoes I own. Of course, I've lost everywhere
else, including going from a 28W to a 16/18 so far.
— Kathy J.
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