Where is everyone?

Hi to fellow nurses: I just learned of this forum (it doesn't "show" on the drop down lists) through the main messageboard. I'm glad I learned about it, but the activity on this forum seems really slow. Not at all like nurses NOT to chat away. Where is everyone??? I have a surgery date of 5/23. Anyone hear of someone "post op" experiencing body odor? Anyone hear of post ops with very smelly stool/gas (more than usual) If so, what's the etiology/pathology? I live in Ohio. Anyone nearby? Sheree

I am waiting for my surgery date, should receive it by the end of next week. :) I have spoken to lots of RNY patients and most have said the "gas" can be tough at times. No one mentioned the body odor however. I just found this website through my bariatric classes I was required to take prior to surgery at UCLA. Its been a long road and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I will go ask my friends and family who have had the procedure specifically about body odor and pass it back to you. I live in Los Angeles.

Hello Sheree, I am 15 month post op and 107 pounds down. I can vouch for the funny smells that occur for awhile after surgery. The gas can be something bad but the worst thing I was not prepared for was the foul smelling urine and the bad vaginal smell I thought was there. I also have a friend from this site in Arkansas who had surgery about 3 weeks after me and she had the same experience too. The only source I can come up with for the urine/vaginal smell would be ketosis. It was similiar when I attempted Atkins several times but not quite this bad. As for the gas, the only time I have difficulty with it would be when I don't follow the high protein diet and eat too many carbs. Hope this helps! Good luck to you tomorrow! You will be so happy you did this for yourself in a couple of months. Di

Well just how bad is the vaginal smeel, is it so bad others will smeel you? Do you have to miss work???I'm laughing but I am serious, nothing worst than coming to work RIPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know... at the time it was a serious problem to me but thinking about it now, it was passing. My husband said he couldn't smeel anything and my family I know would have said something if they could have (that's just how they are). I didn't miss any work because of it. I truly think it was just a change in smell more than it being a roting smell. Di

I have never noticed a vaginal smell except for the first week.I noticed a strong urine smell but I thought it was cause I was dehydrated.I don't notice anything now.The gas for me was not as bad as I thought it would be.Once in a while it smells but not bad and the stools are different not real bad but different.I have IBS so I thought it would be bad but not so far.I take MOM every few days to get it going but then go about 4 times that day and I am good to go for a bit.I know you have ketosis and wondering if I do. but doesn't smell so will check it when I get back to work and have the strips.Dee

I hope your surgery went well. When I first started visiting the RN message board there was a little more activity, but evidently that was a passing thing. I check once a month or so now. I'd come back more if more people were talking. Caryl

Sheree, What part of OH are you in. I grew up there but moved to IN a few yrs back. Close enough that I still visit alot. All my family is still there. My husband just got his job transfered to LAX for a few months so Im home alot and I end up at my parents in OH visiting them and friends alot more than I have in yrs. I used to work at several hospitals in OH....UC, Mercy in Fairfield and Hamilton were the main ones. Im working drug and alcohol rehab now. However I'll be moving to Indy in Dec when my husband gets back from LAX(Los Angeles Airport, in CA) Mariah