My Belly Itches...

I have gas, I can't bend over, I fall asleep at inopportune moments, I'm driving my husband crazy and worst of all, I can't even get out of the house alone...  But I'm still happy I'm home and able enough to get up on my own today and get online to tell all of you that I'm home and I'm OK! My surgery was Wednesday 5/30 in Ypsi.  Unfortunately, they started laparoscopic but couldn't finish that way so I have a6 or 7 inch cut on my abdomen.  It was funny to hear the nurses say things like "I haven't seen one of these in so long".  I felt like a special case or something. I'm springing back pretty well.  Pain is minimal, but I feel really gross.  Like I can never get all the way cleaned up.  AND I know for a fact I'm not getting enough fluid or protein.  It's only been 6 days, but I feel like I should be doing the whole 64 oz of fluid and 64 grams of protein per day that they recommended for me. Knock on wood, no nausea like I was afraid of (that was my biggest fear).  My only real medical set back was the 5 days of constipation.  That was no fun.  But I'm "moving" again and I know I will be happier in the long run. Seeing as I'm now officially home alone during the days while my husband has finally gone back to work and my parents aren't hanging around, I'm looking for buddies.  I would like to find out and get solid dates for support groups in Bay City and I'd also love some advice on how you guys got started drinking your meals.  So far I can count on 1 hand how many things I've actually put in my mouth since I got home from the hospital...  Nothing seems appetizing... 

 

But yet, my days are still spen****ching Food TV, I must have a death wish!  ;)  I’m still as addicted to watching food on television as I ever was to eating it…  Who knows, maybe I’ll learn how to use this to my advantage, I’ll write a cook book and become a famous skinny chef?!?

Join the club. I have a scar from breast bone to just above my um,, happy place and almost all the way around to the center of my back. I look like a zip lock bag. Don't scratch. Pat it nicely. All the getting stuff in is tough but you have to do it. so sip all day long. Have a bottle near you at all times and try to get protein in. Iused to like the Isopure in the bottle. I would take 4 hours to drink one. I would walk around with it and a bottle of water and drive my family nuts drinking all the time. If you are on pain meds watch you don't get plugged up. You might want to take a swig of MOM when you take your pain medication.

And wear your BINDER!

 

kp

Your attitude is Great!!  I hope that you find a support group, You were actually closer to me when you were in Ypsi !  Congratulations on your surgery and the progress you've made so far. Nicki

Welcome home, Tomorrow is my day with the doc's in Ypsilanti.   Glad to hear that you are doing well.  Any tips, tricks or other insights are greatly appreciated.   You can email me at home at [email protected] Best of Luck

YES YES YES Were your Binder.  Get up and walk even if it is for 1 minute and its just through the house. WALK WALK WALK, it helps.  I had mine done 11/2/06 and it was open gastric so I have the same cut. Use Vaseline Cocoa Butter in the brownish bottle and blue cap. It works and takes the inching away. Good Luck!!!!

Do you have stary strips over your incision?  I had open gastric bypass a little over 3 years ago and I remember the itching at my incision site.  I called my doctor because it was bothering me so much and he told me that I could carefully remove them and once they were off, he told me to put pure vitamin E oil on it.  This sure helped with the itching, but where I pulled off the strips where they were more secure, my incision is a little thicker in that area. Sorry to say, the gas is much much worse after surgery (I think that is why they call it GAStric bypass....haha).  Just keep sipping your liquid and always have a cup by you!  And like one of the other posters, walk walk and more walk.  The more you walk around, the better you will feel!

Best Wishes!

Kerri