When did you feel better?

Hi everyone, I just had surgery on Monday January 23, I really need some encouragement as to how soon I will start feeling better. I am nauseous and tired all the time and still need my pain pills every 4 hours like clockwork. I know everyone is different, but since you all had your surgery this month is anybody feeling pretty good yet?? I really need to hear some positive thoughts right now. Please tell me how long it took you to feel better and when you got an appetite back. Right now I am really struggling with fluids, and havent eaten anything at all. Thanks in advance for all responses. Karyn

Hi Karyn, I found that day by day I got a little bit better. I still have no appitite to speak of but I'm not worried about that. I am able to eat enought to get in my protein and I'm drinking enough liquid. Haven't had any nausea since my first day home from the hospital and some peppermint tea helped with that. I am off all pain medication since about 2 weeks ago. Hope that helps. But please remember that everyone is different and if you continue to be in pain and nauseaus you should call your doctor. Regards and hugs, Ronna

I had my surgery on the 13th and the first 3 days were the worse. Everyday it gets better. I'm still sore in spots. Somedays I stil feel like I have absolutely NO energy. I make sure I get all my vits and protein but still feel a little weak. Surgeon said that its normal. Just remember our bodies just went through a major surgery and needs time to heal. I have read several profiles that say the first month is the hardest because of the pain and feelings of weakness. After that we will get this sudden burst of energy. Hang in there!!! I'm trying real hard to stay positive and know that this will past. Take Care Kay 450/388/367/175

Karyn, Considering I was in the hospital for five days, I didn't really start feeling very well until I got home. I've still been rather sore (on my left side mostly) but have been very fortunate not to have any more nausea. As far as that was concerned: the first couple days in the hospital were HORRIBLE! They finally determined that it was the pain medication that was causing my nausea and they took me off those and put me on anti-nausea medications. Since I've been home, the muscle soreness hasn't been "bad" enough to warrant any pain meds. I don't know what they've got you taking for the pain, but is there any chance it is causing you more nausea? I wonder if your nausea would lessen in severity if you were to decrease your pain meds..... (Don't take that as being any "advice given", but maybe you could ask your doctor?) As far as my appetite: By the sixth day or so I was feeling kind of hungry. But since I've been carefully planning my "meals" and making sure I drink enough water in between, I am NOT hungry! Actually having to make sure I eat ENOUGH! I sure hope you feel better soon. Actually, I KNOW you will. You've just had major surgery and our bodies take TIME to heal! ~Teri~ 311/279/262/140 (check out my profile to see the details of my surgery journey at http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/profile.php?N=K1085032737)

Karyn, thanks so much for posting this as I was just going to ask the same question!! My lap RNY was 1/24, the day after yours and I still feel like I got hit by a freight train some of the time. I just want to feel "normal" again. I've had quite a bit of gas pain and so this morning I didn't know if I was hungry or it was gas rumbling around! I also have started experiencing some head hunger. I obviously haven't acted on it, but I can't wait for Tuesday when I get to have an egg!! I haven't really found a protein supplement that I love. I get really sick of them after about 1/2 way through and some make me nauseas. I talked to a friend who is 4 weeks post op and she said 2 weeks was the turning point. I think as a woman and a mother, I'm just not used to letting feeling lousy get in my way. But, I know that I need to allow my body to heal. I just wi**** would do it faster! Good luck to you. Lisa

Hi Karyn, I took my pain pills for almost a week, every 4 hours like clockwork; my surgeon was clear that he preferred me medicated and moving versus being lazy and going without. The first week I slept constantly and still tire easily and take naps almost daily. (Surgery was 1/11). I had a different pain med than most here, Darvocet. It was a pill which they said was fine, I 'loved' it and never felt nauseous, it would kick in within 10 minutes. I would describe this time as trauma pain. After a few more days the healing pain kicked in. For two days I had an occassional pain med as the tissue and nerves were doing their healing thing and it hurt - kinda like I'd done 10,000 situps and could not move. Every day gets better and its been about 5 days since I had a pain med but take tylenol a few times a day. The more I walk the better I feel. My appetite is slim to non existant except in my head and 4am. As Ronna said, peppermint tea is awesome. It goes down much easier than plain water. My surgeon had me on clear liquids for 8 days post op (and no protein drinks) so unless your surgeon says to eat, dont worry about it, there will be plenty of time for food going forward. Its an emotional time, though, separating from eating. Again, walking helps, even if its just pacing the house every few hours. Know you'll get stronger every day and there will be days where you wake up 500% better than the day before. Keep in touch with us here, it helps to know and bond with others who are going thru the same challenges and all working towards the same common goal. And give yourself permission to res****ch TV, be a lazy bum because all of that is vitally important to the healing process. There's great things ahead..... ~Tiffany

Hi all. New to the boards here. Was skimming through and thought I would reply. I had lathroscopic surgery on the 17th. I found that the day after i got out of the hospital (was in 3 days) I felt like moving a lot. I did a ton of walking (like 2 hours at the mall with frequent rests). For the first week I was taking my pain meds every 4 hours (Roxicet). Days 4 thru about 9 I had a ton of energy. My sleep was all messed up. I would be up for 16 hours and hyper active, sleep four, then be up a few hours on the computer before sleeping a few more. 10-12 I felt cranky, run dow, tired, and sore. Previous pain had been more external, healing the lap holes and iv holes and so on. Now I am sore inside, a bit deeper. Today I felt better, but still not the hyperactiveness that I had the first week. I think it all kind of comes together quickly. The first 4 days I just felt like nothing was changing at all. Then suddenly it all changed by leaps and bounds and sort of made up for the slowness of the begining. I can walk anywhere right now, drive, dress myself, shower myself, and do a lot of little things I could not the first week. ~Crystal~

After 2 1/2 weeks I was up doing a mile and a half, but two days before that I was still whimpering. A lot has to do with you. I continued to baby myself. What I learned to do was use the loritab for bed time for a good nights sleep and liquid tylenol during the day. The loritab was causing a lot of gas and constipation, which made me feel worse, so I didn't want to get up and do things. It will all pass, pain, gass and all ::hugs:: Cyndi

Kinda makes me wonder if something is wrong with me as I'm still in the extreme lazy stage. I had mine 1/18 and still am not feeling back to anything normal. Of course I did wake up in the middle of the night Thursday with the most ungodly pain I've ever experienced. After two hours of trying to infuse liquids, in case I had dehydrated myself, I finally went to the hospital. 8 more grams of morophine, phenegran and a cat scan later, and I had a kidney stone! Just call me the poster child for everything that might go wrong--and I still havent lost but about 10 pounds. I'm so jealous. hugs De

Enjoy and embrace that extreme lazy stage - rest will help you heal. I had mine 1/11 and have had spurts of semi normal and movement towards normal. We've had major surgery, allow yourself time to heal and readjust to your new body. You were smart to go to the hospital when you knew something was awry; glad they caught and fixed it. You are doing great and we're here with you. There's even better things ahead! Be strong! ~Tiffany