Another recuperation question

Penny,             I debated whether I should write this to you or not but I decided to write it because if you do not feel well in 2 weeks I do not want you to think it is you. I did not have a normal surgery. I went through my surgery great. Dr. S said it was one of the smoothest surgeries he had performed. When I was in recovery, I vomited blood. When they took me back into surgery, I had oozed blood from every stable they put in my body. I have always had these weird allergies so I do not know what happened. I will tell you this, if you are on any asprin or any of those over the counter meds for joints, etc, stop taking them 2 weeks before surgery. I took some stuff and stopped taking it one week before surgery. Not really knowing what happened, if I were to have surgery again, I would not be taking anything for at least 2 weeks prior. Anyway, I ended up with laproscopic gastric bypass and open bypass. I did not feel well until after my 4th week. I lost a lot of blood so I was anemic and I actually thought the first week I was home that I was still going to die. I also came home with a g-tube.                 There were times when I felt my blood sugar dropped and after a shower, I had to get in the bed and lie down before putting on my lotion and another gown. My husband was really good to me during all this time. I did not finish getting my stables out for 3 weeks. The part I am trying to get to is now, 6 weeks later I am going to the gym and walking on the treadmill for 35 min, working on the bike for 15 and then going shopping. I am doing great. I will go back to work Saturday ( 7 weeks out of work ), I am a floor nurse so I do not have a sit down job. Truth is, I think I could have returned this week.             Just like someone else said, everyone heals differently and you will get better and you will feel better when you get through this time then before you went in. Hope I did not scare you, I just wanted you to know that if you do something completly abnormal like me, don't think you are the lone ranger and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We will all be praying for you. Crystal

Crystal-

Thanks so much for posting this.  Often times, we forget that it's not a piece of cake (ok...wrong analogy).  That there are those that have very serious complications...BUT....get through it.

One question:  If you had to do it over again...would you???

Glad to hear that you are feeling better and on the right track!

As you already know...everyone is different.  Part of it is the mind.  Go in with a positive mind and you will be fine.  Also, listen to your body.  Don't pu****  Take your time.

I was out walking within a few days. Stretching my legs felt great. Most are out 2 weeks for the open RNY, and 1 week for the Lap RNY.

Good luck!

Like most other people, I was out of work for about two weeks. While the staples were in (1st 9 days), I didn't feel much like doing anything (other than yelling at the TV for all the Red Lobster commercials they kept playing when I was on clear liquids) and that was mainly from the staples pulling at my skin when I stood up and walked around, or tried to get out of a laying down position into a sitting or standing one. I also slept in a recliner at night, which one night about 3 or 4 days after surgery, I FELL OUT OF.   The internal part of it didn't hurt very bad, not that I can recall. Even so, about a day or two before the staples were taken out, my boss called me to ask how I was doing, if I needed more time, etc. I was pretty emphatic that if I had already had the staples taken out, I'd be back at work. I was SO BORED. (they ended up coming out on a Thursday, and I was back at work the following Monday). I have a desk job though, which while it sometimes requires heavy lifting, does not always need this, and people were jumping over themselves to help me when I got back anyhow with stuff like that. I think it matters a WHOLE LOT if the surgery is laparoscopic or open -- mine was lap, and I think that had it been open, I would not have been nearly as gung-ho to get back at it.

Jill....          I still think that it is too early to say if I would have done it knowing what I know now. Who knew I would be the one who would have complications? I think I did what I knew I needed to do for better mobility and a active lifestyle. I have always believed in quality of life over quanity of life. I do believe that if I had not had this surgery I would be the same weight or even a higher weight by now. I had tried everything for years to loose weight so I did what was needed. Now, ask me again in 9 months if I would do it again and I might give you a better answer, lol. Take care,                                  Crystal I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult. --E.B. White

I had lap bypass and took 3.5 weeks off.  My first half week back I was VERY tired.  I was walking each day, but even after several weeks I couldn't do my usual grocery shopping trip or a stop by Target without getting tired and wanting to go home.  I would just say take as much time as you can and then see how you feel as the weeks/days go by.  :)