SLEEVE HEALING

 I'VE READ ALL KINDS OF POST. NOW I WANT TO KNOW FROM YOU, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR YOUR SLEEVE SWELLING TO GO DOWN? AM I WRONG TO ASSUME, ON AVERAGE THAT IT TAKES 4 WEEKS FOR YOUR STOMACH TO HEAL??? I'M JUST WONDERING.... PLEASE, PUT YOUR 2 CENTS IN, IF NOT, ONE CANNOT EXPECT CHANGE.

 Seeing my surgeon at 9 days out she said that most of the swelling has gone down by this point. We were on this subject because I have pills that are borderline on what could be crushed and swallowed whole and because they tasted horrible I wasn't crushing and taking but has stopped taking them all together and thats when she said just try them they could be just fine at this point as most of your swelling has gone down at this point. 

I am restricted lifting over 20 pounds for 4 weeks but I am assuming that is more for the incisions. I am also able to exercise as normal at 4 weeks out as well with lifting weights and such.. Hope this helps..every surgeon is different so good luck to you. 

 Swelling is one thing. I'm concerned about "healing". Since we've had blood vessels, veins and nerves severed, these need to heal. Once the healing is done, then we should be able to feel our true sleeve. I'm not trying to confuse swelling with healing. You're reply helps, thank you.

I'm not yet sleeved but that was a ? I asked my surgeon during the seminar.
His response was; sleeve healing varies from person to person but for me I tell all my patients 2 weeks.
So he requires 2 weeks healing, 2 weeks adjustment to liquids, then additional 2 weeks He decides at the 1 month checkup.

My sleeve took months for the swelling to fully subside. I would say the staple line was probably in pretty good shape healing-wise by 6 weeks, but I certainly did not pu****

I had a nerve on my belly skin get nicked when the doc made the incision near my belly button... took 5-6 months for me to get sensation back. So nerves can heal slowly.

It all depends on how you define healing, I guess.

Depends on the person and the comorbidities.  Also depends on how much protein you are getting in.  Protein helps with healing.

My physician believes that you can't start on regular foods until 8 weeks post op (you are on soft foods 2 weeks post op until 8 weeks post op).

Could be longer then that though since he also puts everyone on a PPI to decrease the acid for the first 12 weeks after surgery.............

Depends on how you define healing. Here's how it was explained to me:

Swelling/inflammation varies from person to person - anywhere from a week to several months.

Staple line should be completely healed by 6 sixs, BUT it won't be 100% (super strong, staple line encapsualted by scar tissue, etc...****il 6 months to a year depending on the person.

Nerve damage can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months to repair, sometimes longer.

Hi NJ,

We're close on sleeve dates and everyone is different, of course, but the guidelines I was given say swelling 6-8 weeks, staple line 4-6 months, nerve stuff up to a year.  One thing that helps me a lot is that my surgeon knows I love "rip your face off" hot food.  In four weeks, he said I can start introducing a little more spice and a little more heat.  If my sleeve gets angry with me, he said to pu**** back and try again in a couple of weeks.  I plan to be a wuss about these introductions because I do not ever want my sleeve to get PO'd at me!  

As always, when in doubt, call your surgeon.

Ree

REE: when you say "rip your face off hot food", are you talking "red savino " hot? Or, Naga Jolokia  hot? Anything lower is a breath mint....

LOL  Almost spattered my screen with herbal tea..........you made me laugh!  Breath mint?  Well, more than that, but not ready to do any Naga Vipers yet -- they are hotter than NJs by about 300,000 scovies.  It's a joke with my sons -- can Mom handle food as hot as they can.  Piece of cake -- but not for a while -- maybe a year or so until I'm positive I've healed!

Love your attitude about hot food.  Too many are scared by it -- it not only tastes good, but it's good for you! 

From the South by any chance?

Ree