Question:
Feelin a little out of my league... Some help please!
I am scheduled for RNY on March 9th after struggling with the insurance company for alost a year! Now I am rushing to get things done before surgery and feel like I am forgeting everything! What are some suggetions for preparing for surgery? — mommabear50 (posted on February 10, 2009)
February 10, 2009
Just eat healthy and exercise as much as you can so you are in your best
shape when you have the surgery. Thsi will help you heal faster.
— trible
February 10, 2009
Have you met with your Nut.? Begin a low carbohydrate 2-3 weeks prior to
your surgery to shrink the size of your liver.
— KEDIA
February 10, 2009
Hi I had RNY July 16 I have lost 125 pounds total with 25 prior, I would
suggest any type of folding chair to sit in tub for hot showers I know I
took 2 or 3 aday to help with pain and nasuea just sat in their and let the
water run over me I actually used a metal folding chair it worked great and
I used a toilot lift it saved me my toilot was so low to the floor and it
helped cause my guts where so sore, I used a heating pad and slept on alot
of pillows. Remember to walk and just get rest, sip slow, no gulping, I
made protein ice and ate it I ate alot of ice. if u have any questions
email me best bof luck Tammi
— Tammi Sandoval
February 10, 2009
Just relax a lot and have complete faith in ur doc...do exactly what ur
surgeon requires u to do...
all the best..
— gowrijoshi
February 10, 2009
Had LAP RNY in DEC/08. Follow all instructions, stock up on the foods you
can have after surgery, liquids, soft foods etc. I slept in my recliner for
the first two weeks home because it was easier to get up from there than my
bed. The support of family/friends is so important. Best of all and we will
keep you in our prayers. Speedy recovery! carolcooper
— carolcooper
February 10, 2009
Study what you are to do after surgery so you don't have to think about it.
Take that instruction sheet to the hospital with you, including the diet
right after surgery. My nurse was new, and the charge nurse was not
familiar with a bariatric liquid diet. That's different than a clear
liquid diet, so take care of yourself.
— lorannw
February 10, 2009
I had RNY last week, and this was sent to me by the OH site before my
surgery. Maybe some of it will help ya!
Mike
Hello Michael!
I'm writing to wish you the best of luck with your upcoming surgery 2 weeks
from now. Congratulations on this wonderful step you are taking in your
life!
We would like to offer you some hints to make your journey easier.
Prepare yourself before surgery by getting as much exercise as you possibly
can.
If you smoke, quit at least 6 weeks prior to the operation and check to see
if your doctor would want to order a pulmonary consult (lungs).
If you do smoke see if you can get an incentive spirometer to practice with
and use before the surgery.
If you dont smoke, an incentive spirometer is still a good idea.
Remember, while in the hospital, you need to be out of bed within hours
after the surgery. Some bariatric surgeons have patients walk from
stretcher to bed when they return to their room. Others have patients out
of bed 4 hours later. Then the next day you should walk on the unit at
least 4 times. This helps to prevent blood clots.
Plan on this for your aftercare:
Have a good attitude. Attitude is 95% of this process! (If you think you
are going to feel awful, you probably will).
Take your temperature every day for the first several days.
Know the signs and symptoms of infection.
Don't be timid about calling your surgeon, if you have questions (or his
nurse, who is usually first in that chain of command).
Expect to feel fatigue in the first days after the surgery.
Expect to need someone to drive you while you are taking pain medication.
Expect to feel some sad, even weepy feelings at times... don't worry, that
is just from the anesthesia and the medications.
Expect that you possibly will ask yourself why you did this! (Most people
do a time or two after surgery, and it's ok).
Don't spend time worrying if it will hurt when the tubes/staples come out.
The staples are a breeze... the tubes not too bad. (Take some pain med
before coming to the office that day.)
Don't cheat on your food intake. In other words, if you are on liquids,
don't try something more. The first time you cheat sets you on the wrong
path.
All of those things above (and there are more) should be given to you by
your surgeon as postop instructions or discharge instructions.
Above all, do four things: (These are very important).
Follow your surgeons instructions exactly.
Report any problems, don't put them off.
Attend the support group.
Exercise as tolerated and increase each day (walking is great).
Pre-Op Anxieties
Have you felt afraid about your upcoming surgery yet? Have you had any 2nd
(or 3rd or 4th or 5th...) thoughts? If you haven't yet, don't worry, you
will. The important thing to remember is that this is perfectly natural. We
have collected a great deal of input from pre-ops on this topic over the
years that can be found in our library. Click here to log in to your
profile. From the library page, click on the sections on pre-op concerns.
Preparing for your hospital stay.
We have thousands of postings in our library about the hospital experience.
Below are just a few (you can find many others by looking around in our
library yourself):
Hospital Stay:
Question 1
What to bring:
Posting 1
Posting 2
Posting 3
Posting 4
Do you have an Angel?
Make sure that you have an angel from our site to keep in touch with you
while you are in the hospital. Your angel can get updates from us back to
you during your stay. Click here to learn about our angel program.
Important: Log into your profile system & prepare:
Click here to see important parts of your profile system, described below.
Postop Clinical Survey
Please log into your profile (above) and check this out. This is where you
will be indicating how your weight and any pre-op comorbidites change over
time after surgery. We depend upon your keeping this section current as we
work with bariatric surgeons around the country to compare post operative
outcomes. Also, this information is important in demonstrating to a wide
range of health care providers that bariatric surgery is effective in
treating a host of medical conditions.
Prepare to collect your hospital bills
Your profile system contains a section on the costs of bariatric surgery.
Please look for it. You can probably start filling the pre-operative
testing part of it out already. This section allows us to make the case to
the world that bariatric surgery is a valuable and viable program. With
your help, we can increase hospital support for bariatric programs. Please
fill out what you can today, and take a look at the types of information,
i.e., hospital billings & hospital reimbursement (not the same thing),
that might be reaching you by mail in the weeks after surgery.
Hospital Rating System
Not all hospitals are created equal. Please help us bring quality of care
to greater levels of attention. Look through the questions on this survey
and prepare to keep them in mind while you are in the hospital. Then be
sure to answer them when you are back at home with your hospital experience
fresh in your memory.
— mountainmike
February 10, 2009
Congrats on your approval!! I would walk walk walk! Get as much exercise
as you can now, it will help you so much after surgery. I put all my info
from the dr and nut and everyone in a 3 ring binder and took it to the
hosptial. When I was bored I would read thru it again and also the
exercises you can do in the hospital, believe me you wont remember what
they showed you. I took my pillow and blistex with me. I sat in a rocker
and rocked my gas away when I got home. It helped so much and also used a
bed buddy (you heat it in the microwave). Just make yourself a list of what
to pack and purchase. Good luck! Toni
— ToniLee
February 10, 2009
I had this same overwhelming feeling, too. For the hospital, I took a
robe, slippers, carmex, a magazine, and my toiletry bag. I'm thankful I
took the robe because the hospital halls are not exactly private, and the
gowns have a way of showing off more than I expected. I wore the same
clothes home as I wore to the hospital. Slip on shoes are easiest to avoid
bending. After I got home, I had all of my favorite liquids on hand. That
first week home, I really didn't need much other than the liquids, vitamins
(liquid, found next to regular vitamins at WalMart), and calcium
supplements. You'll have plenty of time to sit on the couch and make
grocery lists of what you might need the following week, so as long as you
are able to get out of the house after a week or so (or if you have someone
who can run to the store with you) there really isn't a lot of prep needed.
A good blender on hand is helpful once you hit the pureed stage. I found
I was easily confused about what foods went in what stage because I was
reading through all of my materials so many times, so it's easier to focus
on the first stage, prepare for that, and then once you're settled in and
know that stage pretty well, then start looking at the next stage. Good
luck to you!
— wenniewo
February 11, 2009
First of all Congratulations on your upcoming surgery! I'd look for a
support group in your area. That in addition to all the information this
site and my surgeons office provided help me prepare menatlly for my
surgery and what to expect afterwards. I had my surgery Dec 9, 2008 and
had no complications. Walk, sip, walk, sip..........the sooner you walk
the better you'll feel. (Walking helps relieve the gas pains that are
associated with Lap RNY.) I had lap RNY, even though my BMI was high, I
lost enough weight prior to surgery for my liver to shrink allowing the
surgeons to perform my surgery lap vs open. So my recovery time was much
easier. I slept in my own bed the first night home, didn't need any
assistance in the shower and walked and napped for the first week. A robe
is a must, but other than that all you do is sleep on walk in the hospital.
Put your support team in place. You might need help buying a few
groceries, like SF popsicles!
Best of luck......keep us posted!
LisaRae
— Fircrkr64
February 12, 2009
Number 1, just slow down and think about how your life is about to change,
and how healthly you're going to be.Go over the Post-op diet and go
shopping and get all the things you will need for week one post-op. esp.
your medication,B12, vitamin, calcium all that good stuff.Take care.
— USQUEENIE53
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