Question:
Please all of you that are 'post-op'- I would love to learn from you : )
F.Y.I. August 2nd I have my surgery! I would love to hear any advice or ideas you could share with me. In your experience, is there something that helped you that you could tell me about? Thanks, in advance, for sharing. Thanks to all for this website!. It truly has 'saved' my life : ) — jstatkus (posted on July 29, 2005)
July 29, 2005
Congrats! My advise is listen to your doc. Do your breathing exercises in
the hospital. Head hunger is TEMPORARY. Don't drink when you eat. Eat
slowly. BEST OF LUCK!
— careywatkins
July 29, 2005
Take your measurements. Not just the big three (bust, waist, hips)..
measure everything. Then after sugery, measure again every month or so.
This really helps when that first plateau hits .. then you can SEE where
you have lost inches. I am SO GLAD I did this. You can check my profile
to see what I measured if you like .. best of luck to you!!
— Jeanie
July 29, 2005
Get a picture taken (well have several taken). Most of us don't like to
have our pictures taken so when you have reached your goal, you want to be
able to look back and see where you came from. I agree with the earlier
poster as well. Make sure you have a surgeon who has a good follow up
program and make a commitment to yourself to do what he/she says. I don't
understand at all the people who take this risk and then don't follow their
doctor's instructions. Very important: DON'T obsess over the scales. Follow
your doctor's instructions and you will be successful. Best wishes on your
surgery and on finding better health!
— scbabe
July 29, 2005
Walk as soon as possible after surgery. Follow your doctors orders and
exercise, exercise, exercise.
— Randy W.
July 29, 2005
Here is a small piece of advice that has kept me from gaining back. Now
matter how much you have eaten at a meal once you feel full stop eating.
This has prevented me from the worry that some feel have I stretched my
pouch out? I am three years post op and I still firmly live by this rule I
also have a very supportive spouse who never said a word if I only ate a
little bit thinking you are not eating enough and then making me eat more.
Hope this is a very successful journey for you it has made me a very happy
healthy person of me indeed and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Best
wishes in your new life.
— UMMADUMMASS
July 29, 2005
Keep your food diary current. When you are reprogramming yourself to eat
healthy I found this very important. I still do but have problems getting
back in the groove. Lots of stressors these days and me not doing it is
one more. Follow your Dr. guidelines. Do the vitamins and med prescribed.
They only help you! Exercise...start out in baby steps...you haven't done
it in awhile so it will be hard...stay with it! The more you do the better
your body will react. Love yourself...no one can love you better than you!
You probably haven't done this in awhile too so take it slow and don't be
so hard on yourself. I would do all the above too! Add in take body
measurements!
If you want to you can check out my journal. I keep it current.
Debbie
— dcox94
July 30, 2005
I'm 15 days post-op and get your house ready for your return. Typical home
tiolets are not as high as those in the hospital and after being pumped
full of IV fluids you are going to spend a lot of time getting on and off
that thing. You will no longer be using your tummy muscles and if you have
any knee trouble it will kill them. Go to home medical equipment and
either raise that seat or get some bars to pull your self up with. The
same goes for easy chair, if your recliner is low, see if you can rent one
with an electric lift. Beds can be raised with bed lifters (non-electric)
- more like a leg extension - and you will find this helpful as well. Have
a meal plan and know how to make shakes before you go home. I have been
overwhelmed trying to figure out how to eat/drink/exersie. I finally
resorted to a written sheet that has check boxes so I can track how well I
am doing with this. I had open surgery and in hospital 6 days, somehow I
had in my head that I would be out in 4 and ready to roll. That may be the
case for some -- but not all of us. (Only complications were fluid shock
and needing oxygen for longer than usual.)
— Jenny X.
July 30, 2005
First of all keep in mind that everyone has a different experience after
surgery. Some are in pain and are exhausted for weeks. Others don't even
need a tylenol and are back to work within a week or two. Some are
depressed for weeks, others get right into the groove and nothing flusters
them. Some vomit, some never do. However, everyone benefits from walking
right after surgery, mini walks every couple of hours while in the hospital
and then later at home. Breathing exercises in the hospital and at home
for the first few days are also important. But above all, please keep a
positive attitude, it makes a huge difference! Personally, I don't
understand folks who get depressed, who mourn the food they can't eat, and
who take months to get back to 'normal life' -- but what do I know,
everyone is different!
— vitoria
July 30, 2005
Drink lots of water today thru surgery date,ike 90-100 oz.
Hope you did your protein drink for a while before surg. Walk,walk,walk
after surgery, follow all the protocol to a tee, drinking at first &
then only eating things on the timetable your Dr. approves. You will be
amazed how hunger just disappears. I am 6 weeks out & feel great, back
to water aerobics,whick I highly recommend. Beat of Luck & God Bless.
— hopeiloseit
July 31, 2005
If you are offered an epidural...get it! I was up walking 4 laps around my
floor one hour after surgery. I was awake, coherent and happy! I was told
that patients are happier with the epidural but was very nervous at the
thought of it but I recommend it to everyone! Don't be upset at the weight
gain while you are in the hospital, it is fluid and it will come off.
Also, get ready to be thirsty, if you are having the RNY, you cannot drink
anything at all the first day and only a small amount the next day. Email
me anytime for anything at [email protected]. Good luck and stay
positive!
— Jennifer R.
August 1, 2005
GET A PRIVATE ROOM! Yes it costs more, but I got NO sleep whatsoever after
my wls, and that hospital stay was the "roomate's from hell". You
can not believe just how rude some people can be. The tv was NEVER off. Yes
even midnight to 6 AM, it was always on and he was always snoring (plus
some other not very nice things). Also, I wished I had had an abdominal
binder. My guts hurt so bad while trying to get in and out of the bed. And
I should have had a SUPERSIZED robe with me. My buttocks were flapping in
the breeze for everyone to see when I had to walk around. (I'm modest too,
so that was'nt any fun). And get measurements of your various body parts. I
forgot that, and will always regret it. Also, if possible, rent a hospital
bed. I had access to one and with the Open RNY, it was a Godsend. Oh, get
lots of frozen ice pops. I could'nt find any sugar free ones, but for the
first 7 days I lived on Schwans bomb jrs. (Three flavored ice pops). The
ice felt so good during that first week of liquid only. And the chewing
them also helped to satisfy too.
— Danmark
August 1, 2005
Oh I forgot to mention something else. I hate taking any medication.
However, when in the hospital for any reason I find that the nurses are
usually so busy that you can call for pain meds, and wait sometimes 90
minutes before they get to you. Rare. But it happens. Now if you wait until
you are in sore need of relief, that wait is hell. Don't wait until you are
in really bad pain. Call long early enough that you can wait for 30 minutes
in case they can't get to you right away.
— Danmark
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