I'M A TRUE DSr!!!

Had my surgery on Tuesday morning and they let me come home today. They were able to take down the old RNY, reattach everything so they could make the sleeve-DS- and reroute the plumbing. I guess that's how it all goes. All I know is that it was successful- not an ERNY or a repaired RNY but a true DS. Feel so very blessed to have had a  wonderful surgeon Dr. Carter who believes strongly that the most successful weight loss surgery is the DS and supports it 100%.

Still figuring out the bathroom situation.  Always nervous I am not going to make it and nervous about getting in all the fluids I need to get in. Very Very sore but am so glad surgery is over. I am looking forward to a new life filled with a much smaller me who can do so many more things in the future. Till then, I am taking it all one day at a time.

Sharon     

Congratulations!  Relax, heal, and drink your fluids.

Congrats on this.  My only regret is that I didn't get it 10 years sooner.

I am so happy you are home and healing and had a successful surgery.  I have a few questions for you.

How was the pain when you woke up from surgery?  That is what scares me the most.

Do you have a feeding tube?  I will have one for 6 weeks

What did you eat today and is there pain when you do eat?

What kind of pain meds did they send you home with?

Answer when you feel up to it, until then please get your rest and give your body time to heal.

Hi Lee,

I will try and answer your questions the best I can. I'm kind of at that stage where it all still hurts but laying around makes it hurt just as bad.. I know that each day gets a little better and then one day I will be able to look back and it will just be a blur. 

I don't remember much about coming out of surgery. I know there was pain but it was bareable. They keep  you on a lot of pain medication which helps. I did not have a feeding tube. I did have a jp tube which is a drain on the side of the stomach to catch all the extra drainage from surgical site and they want to make sure there is not leakage in the new stomach. Some people have theirs for  several weeks. I was one of the lucky ones who got to have my drain taken out before I returned home.

While I was in the hospital I had chicken or beef broth, Isopure which I didn't tolerate very well and sugar free jello. That was B L and Dinner. I mainly sipped on water and my doctor told me not to worry about it. Today I  am working on having cream of chicken soup with plain whey protein in it and a protein drink. I do very small amounts at a time. I am also sucking on a popcicle just because my mouth is so dry. I have a large jug of water I keep by me at all times. When I first started to eat (or drink) it did hurt. I had a lot of belching and gas- it does pass. You just keep drinking and drinking in small-very small sips. Even tho I had done all this before with a gastric bypass I was able to eventually drink everything normally so I had to go back and really learn what sipping meant because I was swallowing too much at one time. I found that when I got home if I put my soup in a small syringe that it helped me to get everything in slower.

I was given liquid oxycodone, liquid tylenol, anti nausea, and a stool softner. So far so good.I have set small goals for myself so that when I reach them I know I have another turning point. My next big goal is to get my staples out- 22 of them to be exact.By then I should be able to walk without alot  of pain and hopefully will have lost weight too. I am not weighing myself until then just because right now I am retaining a lot of fluid.

There were times when I was worried about whether I should do this or not but am so glad I did. I kept  looking at all  the pictures of everyone who had done this and their success and wanted that more than anything and realized I was going to have to make some sacrifices to achieve that.

You will be fine. Just remember that everyday that passes puts you one step closer to your goal and that you will be so glad you did it. Maybe not in the beginning but it will come. I had 2 women in my room who had tummy tucks and they looked great- one had lost 120 and the other had lost 190. That was encouraging because I wanted to be where they were in a year but I had to take this journey first.

Good luck to you. When is your surgery? Please don't worry and just "get er done!"

Sharon

Thanks so much for answering my questions Sharon.  I know you are in pain but it is good to see you well enough to post and answer questions, that gives me a ton of hope.

I already know that I will be coming home with drains and a feeding tube.  I keep the feeding tube for 6 weeks. 

My surgery is next week on the 28th.  Funny thing is my RNY surgiversary is April 19, but I won't be celebrating it this year.  :)

Get some rest and keep us posted on your progress.  I can't tell you how much your answers have help with my anxiety.

Why will you have to have a feeding tube? I am still trying to decide which procedure to get done. The DS scares me, but it seems like it is the most successful.

The feeding tube is to ensure that I get hydration and protein in during the really early stages of surgery when it's most difficult to take them.

Wonderful!!  Welcome to the dark side, Sharon.

--gina

Here's to high hopes for an easy recovery for you!