I have 3 questions for the postops..some TMI I know

Ok so I have three questions for you post ops put there

1. How many days postop did you have your first BM...I am terrified of getting constipated as I have had some horrible experiences and I am taking stool softeners everyday. I am 4 days postop

2. My pain has seemed to localize on the left side below my breast. This is also the site of I believe to be the largest entry point. It is the only one that still has a dressing on it as it bled a fair bit in the hospital. I remember some other postops discussing this left side pain. Does anyone know what they used that for. Is that maybe where the camera went in? I am just curious.

3. Did anyone find their burps had a bit of a foul taste to them? i am assuming this just may be old blood and other things related to the healing taking place internally.

1. i had my first bm a couple of days after surgery. The best thing you can do is drink as much as you can, and move around.  Remember that you're not taking in as much 'volume' of food as you normally do, so your BMs will be different than they were preop.

2. no opinion on that.

3. burps can be nasty, likely for the very reasons you're talking about.

1.  I had my first BM in the hospital two days after my surgery...then nothing for a few days.  Don't forget, you had been on a liquid diet for 2-4 weeks prior, clear fluid diet for 48 hours immediately prior to the surgery then very little afterwards.  Plus you are now on a high protein liquid diet, heavy in dairy...if you start feeling discomfort talk to your surgeon...

2.  Pain left side below breast/ribcage is pretty usual.  That's where the bulk of the work was done...my largest entry was beside my naval and it bled the most and took the longest to heal.  The only wound up below my rib cage was the minor one where they insert the tool to move the liver out of the way...

3.  Yes, you're digesting blood and healing.  Plus you are going through MAJOR ketosis at this point and other toxins are being released...

You can view an actual surgery at http://www.orlive.com/baptisthealth/videos/advances-in-weigh t-loss-surgery-the-fully-robotic-gastric-bypass-1?view=displ aypageNLM

I warn you - it's a wee bit enthusiastic, "selling" the Miami Hospitals' Center for Excellence, but it does show where the camera goes, where the gas gets injected into the tummy etc.

You can fast-forward through the chatty bits.
Don't worry it's not gory.

1.  I had my first BM at 7 days.  Big mistake, it was too long. I had waited because I thought it was the change in diet.  I tried milk of magnesia, and it worked, but I also had to take ducolex because of the constipation.  It wasn't fun.  But man did I feel better after it was over.

2.  Not sure, but I do know it is the longest to heal.  Actually a couple of days after my first follow up i started to seep clear yellow liquid from that one, was on antibiotics just in case, but it was the serum that holds the blood cells in trying to remove an irritation.  My room mate had it around the same time but more fluid came out and hers lasted longer.

4.  Depends on what I was ingesting at the time.  My protien shake was fruit flavored not vanilla or chocolate.  So I didn't have that come back on me.

Cathy

Hey Bogie,

1. I had mine about 3-4 days post-op and am now at 3 weeks out going every other day. I don't take stool softeners.  I drank and moved as much as I could and it seems to help.

2. Not experiencing the pain in the left side but it is a larger incision so I believe the bulk of the work is performed there.

3.  My burps were absolutely foul they almost had a tin/blood taste to them... it will go away and get better with time.

Glad to hear you are adjusting well and on the mend.

To help with the taste of the burps, try using Breath Strips.  They are available in the toothbrush/paste aisle and you usually get 3 packs at at time.

Hey B!

I had my first BM three days post-op, very loose.  Hardened up over a few weeks, but I am still having troubles....sometimes I go four or five days without going.  Trying to find a ****tail that will work with some embarrassing explosion (shudder).

My dear, my port was located in the muscle right below my left breast.  Dr. Hong said he literally had to rip it out.  When I got the O.R. report, that was the most difficult part of the removal. 

Ketosis is responsible for some horrific breath.

T

I find Tim Horton's coffee helps me stay regular if you're allowed caffeine.