Question:
Please Help! I just got out of the hospital (1 week)

from my surgery. I went in for lap rny and came out with open rny with some complications. Has this happened to anyone else? How long until I have had a bowel movement? My pain is okay but I had to wear my G-tube home which hurts a bit. My temp, b.p., labs, all great but I have a different hookup now. Part of my intestine died during surgery and he had to make a new connection in my stomach. I don't really understand it now. I am really worried. So my questions are; Has anyone gone in for lap and come out open, how long until I have a bowel movement, and is anyone obsessed with food--I just know I won't be able to have certain things again and now I can't stop thinking about this. Please help me. Thank you all so much for all of your support!    — TP (posted on August 14, 2002)

August 14, 2002
Your question just broke my heart. It sounds like you have really had it rough. I, personally had no complications with my lap surgery, but I know it isn't uncommon to have to convert to open. As for your surgical complications, you need to sit down with your surgeon and demand that he explain to you what is going on inside of your body. This is what you are paying him to do, and you cannot be afraid to get that explanation. As for the obsessing over food...well, I think most of us do to a certain extent. I laid in the hospital and watched continuous fast food commercials and was just longing for some greasy food. Now, at 8 weeks, I know in reality that I can eat most anything in very small amts. I don't desire most of them anymore though. You can still have most everything you loved before, eventually. Don't get too depressed about everything because you are really doing fine. If your stats are good, then physically, you are good. Just don't get down emotionally, or your body WILL suffer. Oh, the BM will come in time. I have to emphasize that we are all different. If you start feeling a lot of pressure, or if you experience absence of bowel sounds (rumbling, gas passage, etc.) notify your doctor. God Bless, and good luck.
   — Tina B.

August 14, 2002
I think that all the feelings that you are having about the "food" is normal and there is for the most part nothing you can do about the changes that have to occur now, you should really consider going to the support groups. As far as the Lap to Open there are alot of people that didn't have the option in the first place to even consider or be considered for laproscopic surgery. They ran into problems and had to open you up which sounds like doing so saved your life. The procedure ends up bieng the same "Hook Up" it is just a different way of getting iside there to do the work, cutting a line or going through several holes in the abdom. With either operation you can have some of your bowel loose circulation and die when it is cut. I think with Lap it is more common because the operation can take longer due to having to manipulate instruments and the bowel looses some blood flow during this time. To my knowledge whether it is Lap or Open you should of had a BM by now. Before Bariatric Treatment Centers will discharge thier patients you must pass something and that is the 3rd day post op. That way they know your bowel is working properly. For me it was very small but anything is a pass. Good luck!
   — Rebecca B.

August 16, 2002
I am four weeks out from open RNY surgery, and my first two weeks were sooo hard. I constantly dreamed of eating, obessessed with it...and thought for sure I was starving to death. I couldn't believe I had actually willingly had this surgery! Things are gradually getting better though. I was craving Pizza so bad (even though it wasnt on my reccommended food list) that I had to have it. My husband went out and bought a personal pan pizza from pizza hut and I had two bites and that was all I could eat. It didn't make me sick...but I finally realized something. I really didn't want the pizza afterall. It wasn't as good as I had remembered it being. I also had a bite of my daughter's cheese burger from McDonalds...and I felt the same about that. Now, I am craving healthier foods. I want vegetatables, cheese, fruit, chicken, salad, fish etc. I don't regret trying some of my old favorites because I got over feeling sorry for myself and the feeling of feeling so deprived. I know from my past dieting history, that the minute I feel I am NOT ALLOWED to have something or deprived...is the minute I fall off of the bandwagon and cheat. I dont feel that way now. If I want a bite of something...I will have it. If I get sick...then I obviously won't try it again. I think we are all different. I am not telling you to go against your surgeon's plans...but for me, one bite of something I was dreaming about...hasn't hurt a thing. I have lost about 35 pounds in less than four weeks. And as far as the G-tube...yes it is a real pain. I had to have mine in for 10 days. It got really sore and irritated the last four days I had it in, and also started to smell a little. I am so glad it is gone. Be sure to brace yourself for when they pull it out though. It is a little painful! As far as your bowel movements go...I only have one a week at the most...and it is always diarrhea or constipation. I think our bodies are revolting at what we did. I also think the lack of food really slows us down. I didn't have my first bowel movement until I was about 10 days out.
   — Shawnie S.

August 16, 2002
I went in for lap RNY on May 3rd. When my surgeon scoped me out inside using the camera, she encountered big time scar adhesions from a c-section I had around 10 years ago. The adhesions were so bad, she said it was like someone had poured glue down my intestines. She had to open me up to clean them out which took 2.5 hours, she couldn't do it lap. After she cleaned me out, she then did the RNY procedure. After surgery while I was recuperating, my left lung partially collapsed so instead of being in the hospital for 3 days, I was in for a week. It was awful. Anyway, it took somewhere between 11-14 days before I had a bowel movement and I was so relieved! And yes, I was most definitely obsessed with food! All week as I was lying in the hospital bed watching tv, there were so many food commercials (Burger King, In-n-Out Burger, etc.), that I cried. The "head hunger" lasted me approximately 7-8 weeks and then it suddenly stopped bothering me. It's not even an issue for me any more! Once in a while I get a small craving for something sweet like ice cream. But it's different now. It used to be I'd get a craving and would HAVE TO have it. Now, I eat something not-so-bad for me and a small amount at that, and my craving goes away. I would say this is the first time in my life that I am abiding by a plan I can live with long-term. Good luck to you as I know what it's like. HUGS :o)
   — Jennifer A.

August 16, 2002
Regarding your question about "head hunger"....I can honestly say that I was going crazy for the first month, approximately. I, like you, was watching a lot of TV and all the ads made me drool. It made me so upset to see my husband and friends eating all of my favorite foods and treats. The strange thing was that I felt hungry all the time, but then I realized it wasn't really hunger...it was pain from the stomach healing. I would drink a couple of sips of water and that usually helped make the pangs go away. <br><br> Give yourself some time. In time, the cravings and head hunger do get better. I'm two months out now and I'm doing so much better already. During my period, I've gotten some major cravings for sweets, but other than that it's been very minimal. <br><br> This surgery can really work wonders. Don't be too hard on yourself and give your body time to heal. ((hugs))
   — Heidi W.