Question:
I've heard it's common to get your period after major surgery.

My question is, since you don't wear underwear after surgery, what are you supposed to do when/if you do get your period? I'm having open RNY, and expect to have 30-40 staples in my stomach, and there's NO WAY I'm attempting to use a tampon!    — [Anonymous] (posted on June 8, 2001)

June 8, 2001
YES IT IS COMMON TO BE LATE AFTER MAJOR SURGERY. I PERSONALLY WAS THREE WEEKS LATE AFTER SURGERY. AND I HAD THE OPEN RNY. I PUT MY UNDERWARE ON, JUST IN CASE I FAINTED OR BLACKED OUT. SO KNOW ONE WOULD SEE MY TAIL. BUT I THINK YOU CAN PUT YOURS ON ALSO IF THEY AREN'T TIGHT. GOOD LUCK.
   — Kimberly M.

June 8, 2001
I got my period the very next day after having surgery, the nurse told me that is happens quite often, nothing to be concerned about. You might want to buy an extra large pair of panties just in case that way maybe it won't be a problem with your staples. I had my incision done like a smile from side to side above the navel. Panties were not an issue for me as they did not even touch my staples.
   — Nancy C.

June 8, 2001
I just had my surgery on 6/4. I started my period on 6/5 even though I had just gotten over it the week before surgery. In the hospital I was able to put my underwear on and use some of the giant pads that they had available. My incision goes from right below my breasts to my bellybutton. The underwear did not hurt the incision at all. Once I got home on 6/8 I started using tampons and have not really had a problem with those either. I think that I thought it would be much harder than it really was with the staples. Good Luck.
   — Debbie R.

June 8, 2001
I got mine the day after surgery, is that bazarr or what???
   — peaceangel58

June 8, 2001
I was due to get my on May 24 and it did not start until May 28th ..... the day before my surgery....oh well...tis my luck and done and over with...lol...good luck, Karan
   — chance2lv

June 9, 2001
I have heard that anesthesia can bring on periods. I was hospitalized a few months ago with a kidney stone I couldn't pass. They put me out and went in and got it - and sure enough, bleeding. AND, they wouldn't LET me use tampons. I will plan on bringing some big 'ole pads with me for surgery! Good luck to you.
   — blee01

June 9, 2001
Who said you cant wear underwear after surgery? I bought a size larger underwear and kept the elastic below my incision. Granted, I had LAP. But its the same premise if you place the band below the belly button. Another alternative could be to go to you gynecologist and get a script for Provera (?), which will delay your period. I did that when I got married.
   — Jeannet

June 9, 2001
I also wore underwear right after surgery. I started my period the day after surgery and simply tucked one of those huge maternity pads in my panties. I also got one of those pads they use in the hospital and put it under me, so if I had an "accident" ... I wouldn't make a mess. I wasn't moving around that much yet and it worked just fine. It was kind of a pain in the butt ... but definitely not a show stopper.
   — Lynn T.

June 9, 2001
I got my period within hours of surgery, and most women I know who've had surgery (any kind) also got theirs within 24 hours of surgery. Its a combination of the anesthesia and (in my case) blood thinners.<p> You say you're having open RNY surgery. Well, so did I. And I don't know about your surgeon, but my incision is only three inches long, and I only had, if memory serves correctly, 8 to 10 staples. The bottom of my incision doesn't come anywhere close to my waistline, where the waist of my underwear rests, so I can't see why wearing underwear would be a concern at all.<p> If your surgeon is well-practiced at the surgery, I can't imagine your incision will be too much longer or wider (unless you need to have your gallbladder removed, which <i>does</i> require a much longer incision be made). Also, if you wake up from surgery with a binder on (like I did), it came down past my waistline, and I put the waistband of my underwear <i>over</i> it, so there was no danger of them rubbing my incision anyway.<p> Definitely ask your surgeon to show you, on <i>your body</i>, where your incision will be. My surgeon took two fingers, pointed to a point at the base of my sternum and a point about three inches down from that, and said, "From here to here." Then I knew for myself what to expect.
   — webgrrlie

June 10, 2001
I got my period the week before my surgery so I was lucky I didn't have to deal with that right after surgery. I too bought a size larger underwear and wore them before, during and after surgery. It was never an issue. good luck.
   — M P.

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