Question:
Took 13 weeks to feel better

Hi Everyone: This is a long post. I understand if you want to pass it by. If not, please give me your honest answer. I am almost 14 weeks postop (Wednesday), and today is the first day I can say I am honestly pleased with the results of my lap rny on August 21st. I see so many posts where people almost leap from the Operating table to go back to work, that I was starting to feel like a weirdo with my recovery. I had a terrible experience in the hospital, and I would like to share this and see if anyone else can relate. The day after my surgery, about 5 employees came to see me. They expressed astonishment that I would be leaving the hospital. Evidently, there were two cases in the hospital who went horribly wrong. One was a 500 pound individual who developed severe complications. The other was a 450 pound diabetic who also went horribly wrong. They had both been in the hospital for at least 6 weeks. Although I had no complications except for a marginal ulcer treated with medication, I was sure I was going to die. I felt so damn vulnerable 1 day after surgery. My surgeon was the only one who performed these procedures, so I knew who it was. In defense of my surgeon, he was the type who would take ANYONE. Many surgeons limit their cases to those most likely to have a favorable recovery. I spoke with many of his former patients who had all good things to say. Anyway, I could not get this off my mind. It bothered me so much. I will not report the hospital personnel, as I have worked for hospitals for 30+ years and do not want to do this. However, they scared me so bad. I had never had major surgery, and tried to be logical and rational about the whole thing, but it took me so long. I was even visited by Social Services. If any of you know your hospitals, I was the least likely candidate for social service intervention. I have a stable family, comfortable home life, etc., etc. I really think they visited me, because they thought I would have had complications and were trying to help with placement. Has anyone else experienced this? If you did, would it have colored your thoughts and feelings about this experience? Thank you so much. By the way, I am now down 48 pounds (started at a lower BMI), and am able to wear so many old clothes. I am feeling great. Love Grace    — Grace H. (posted on December 2, 2002)

December 2, 2002
Well Grace I read your post, and I'm so sorry that you had such terrible care of that hospital. I was lucky and didnt have any complications, nor did I leap off of the operating table. When I came home I used a walker, and a hospital bed, as I didnt have a recliner. I went back to work after 4 wks. off, and although I;m glad I did I was very tired for a long while. I will have to say at sometime between 6 and 8 wks. things starting going better, and my energy was back in full force, plus some. I now only require about 5 hrs of sleep a nite, and even when trying to sleep in, I;m up at the crack of dawn. I hope that you continue to feel better and better all the time. I understand what you said about the hospital personnel, but I think some one needs to tell the admins. what happened. If it frightned you, it will also frighten someone else.
   — paulsgirl

December 2, 2002
Well, Grace, this is just another example that everyone is different. There are so many factors that play into how someone does post op!! How were your preop?? Was your nutritional status poor? Did you have fatigue preop? What co-morbidities do you have that have taken some time to get better?? Just because you have a lower BMI, does not mean that you were healthier then someone wiht a higher BMI. Also, you may just be ojne of those people who get kicked in the butt by anesthesia...in other words, it takes you longer to recover. I'm glad that you are doing well now. Keep up the good work!!
   — Vicki L.

December 4, 2002
Your not alone. I felt like GARBAGE for at LEAST 10 weeks post-op. I had NO appetite and didn't eat much (that didn't help) but even when I was able to force myself to eat about 800 calories, I still felt bad. I noticed I started feeling better when I started to force myself to exercise by walking on a treadmill at 10 weeks. It was like someone turned a switch on that made me start feeling better. You don't have to do it for very long (I think I lasted 10 minutes for the first 2 or 3 weeks) but I really think it did make a difference in me feeling better. I also took 5 weeks off work after surgery and could have EASILY been off a couple of more.
   — Patty H.