Anyone else have to do a liquid diet for the first month after surgery?

 Dr. S is a great surgeon, I've met lots of his DS patients.  Staying one night was really my choice.  I'm positive that I could have stayed longer, but I like my own bed and stuff, you know?  I didn't think the nurses were that great, but Srikanth was awesome.

i 'cheated' with those single serve pkgs of cream cheese.  they had flavor i really wanted (honestly, if i never eat sugar free jello again, i'm cool with that) and i figured it'd be liquid once they hit my stomach anyway.  hunger wasn't there so much as boredom with taste, if that makes sense?

I was a revision and I didn't have to do liquids for 30 days. Sounds like massive overkill to me.

Who the hell is your surgeon?

Dr. Srikanth.  I'm just worried that something will go wrong and I'll be on the freeway in the middle of nowhere going home.

One night is just pretty far from the standard which seems to be three or more.  There is NO way I could have gone ANYWHERE on the day after my surgery.  I was still pushing the morphene button.

I stayed four nights and probably should have stayed longer.  My surgeon made sure to tell me that the minimum stay would be three nights but that it could be longer based on how I did and any complications.

How far is your drive home?  When does he see you again after he discharges you from his drive-through surgery?

And how does he define liquid?  My surgeon has a fairly conservative eating plan for post ops but "drippy" foods (anything that would drip off a spoon) were able to be taken in the hospital. 

I am mostly concerned with how you will be able to stay hydrated so soon without IV fluids.  On day two you are going to be very swollen and I don't see how you will be able to stay hydrated.  Does he send you home (as some surgeons do) with a feeding tube through which you can push fluids?

~Becky

My drive home is 3 1/2 hours.  As far as the liquid diet goes, I think he means it's just like the pre-op liquid diet with protein and calcium supplements.  I do need more info, but he was pretty clear that it will be liquid, but then he said protein.  So does that mean protein shakes?  That's liquid, I don't know.   Questions for next time.  No feeding tube or drainage tubes, I do know that.

I worry about hydration too.  I'm waiting for a response from one of his patients.  They had the same surgery in March and it looks like they were only in for 1 night.  It'll be interesting to get their take.

Your surgeon is not very cautious which concerns me.  I lived about 3.5 hours away from my surgeon also and after staying in the hospital I was not allowed to leave the area until my one week checkup.  I had to stay in a hotel.  He did not want me to be that far from him until that one week check up when he cleared me to go home.

There is no way you should be driving ANYWHERE for 3 hours the day after this surgery.  Are you planning to stop every half hour to walk?  You should still be getting care to prevent blood clots and be IN A HOSPITAL getting fluids, pain management, nausea managment and close watching the day after this surgery. 

I'm very concerned about this policy of your sugeon as it does not sound safe at all

I remember my ride home on my 8th day after surgery and it was HORRIBLE.  And that was on day 8.  I can't imagine driving anywhere on the day after my surgery.  Ridiculous.  And scary.

I wonder who trained this surgeon and how many DSes he has done.  I wonder how many complications he has had.  I also wonder how many out of town patients he has sent on a 3.5 hour drive the day after surgery.  ???????????

~Becky

I was there 4 days, until I was passing gas too . .and I was a revision! And I remember at a week  out eating soft boiled eggs and cottage cheese and egg salad and tuna salad so no, a month of liquids isnt appropriate. I remember being upset having only liquids in the hopsital for 2 days and after that I did get jello & popsicles & soup. Is your surgeon not very informed?

He is.  He just has a very strong opinion on how to do things I guess.  He wants the staples to have maximum healing time.  I'm just worried that I'm going to go crazy, no big deal though, I'm halfway there. :)

One night in the hospital is crazy..  What a nice comment he made too.. I would be ticked.   And doing  a liquid diet for a month is crazy too and unnecessary.. I know all dr's have different rules.. I had to do 1 week of liquid post op, then 3 weeks of puree, 4 weeks of soft then onto unrestricted.. Will you go from liquid to unrestricted?

Good Luck