I GOT APPROVED>> THANK YOU JESUS

Beep Creep, Congratulations, we will save a seat for you on the loser's bench. Phyllis

Congratulations on your approval. It won't be long until you're on the losing side. Keep the excitement up and be sure to do everything they tell you to make this surgery successful.

WAY TO GO BEEP!!!!! Congratulations!!!! I also went thru HF (Dr. Carlin) and they are a superb group of Drs.!! You are in good hands! Best of luck! Theresa

I want this surgery to go by as soon as posible! I can't wait!!!!! I'm gonna be at HFH in Detroit.. Dr. Genaw is my surgeon. he does the RNY thru' LAP not ivasive.. I hear you heal better and faster that way.. YIPEEEE!!!!! I was wondering all evening how I'll feel after surgery when i wake up if it's LAP.??!!?! will there be pain.. will i be able to walk? will I have any cravings? will I be able to go to the bathroom on my own? will I be cranky? will I want to sleep? ARGH!! lol

Hi Beep..congrats on your approval! I had LAP-RNY on October 4, 2006. After surgery, you will have pain, a foley catheter, a drain tube, and lots of carbon dioxide gas in your abdomen. Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure but it is still major intestinal surgery. I had the PCA (patient controlled anesthesia) with Dilaudid. It worked well and kept me pretty loopy for the first 24 hours. After the first day, they started giving me fluids. Once I starting drinking and was able to keep it down, they removed my IV bags (keeping the line in just in case I needed IV meds)and the foley. Soon after, they stopped the PCA and that p***ed me off. I was loving the great pain control. I started on liquid vicodin and despite my objections, it worked well. It doesn't taste that bad. Once the drainage slows down, usually after the second day, they may take your drain tube out. I won't lie...it only takes a couple of seconds to get it out, but it hurts. Breathe through it. I was discharged on October 6. Another point to keep in mind...the gas. Your abdomen will be inflated with carbon dioxide gas so the surgeon can see all your innerds without obstruction, and gives them room to work. That gas is not in your intestine, so you can't just fart it out. It's in the abdominal cavity and can only escape through your tissues. The discomfort can occur anywhere from your hips to your jawline/collar bone area. It took my belly almost 2 weeks to feel like it wasn't all bloated. It was uncomfortable and sometimes pretty painful. It took me so long because I wasn't walking due to severe arthritis pain in my lower back. Had I been walking, the gas would have escaped alot sooner. Use your breathing thingy they will give you, and use it often. That will also help you blow off some of the gas. Your mouth will give you a pretty hard way to go the first day. It will feel very cottony and taste like crap. Ask for those little mint flavored mouth swabs, dip them in water and just swab your mouth alot. Once you are able to have stuff to sip on, it will feel better. You should get up and walk as soon as you feel able to. Get help, don't try it alone the first few times. Side effects from anesthesia and pain meds can make you lightheaded. Will you be cranky? That depends on your attitude. Go in positive, wake up positive, and keep a good attitude. Be patient and be a good patient. Sleeping wasn't really an issue for me the first couple of days. The pain meds took care of that. Once home and while I was still healing, I could only sleep on my back. I am 7 weeks out and now able to sleep on my side or tummy comfortably. Your incisions will maybe ooze a bit, then as they dry up, itch like hell. Don't pick at them. Just rub them without scratching. I have lost 52 pounds since my highest weight in September, 35 pounds since surgery. I already feel better, sleep better, and am doing very well. Good luck to you my friend and I'll save you a seat here on my bench..the losers bench! KathyG