Introduction and 4 days post op!
Hello
I have been wanting to introduce myself. My name is Tamara and I just had the Roux-en-Y on December 7th. I have been reading the boards since June when I started the process. The help and advice has been godsent. I had been thinking about the procedure for years.
My recovery has been amazing. I am beyond blessed. I had surgery on Wednesday and left the hospital on Thursday. ( I had mine done at Toronto East. ) I am up walking and pain is very minimal. I am on full fluids. I still have a bit of gas pain, but walking really helps.
I am curious. When did other post-ops start exercising and what did they do? Also, is anyone taking chewable iron? Does it help? I am chronically anemic and I want to make sure that I get a good jump on the situation.
I look forward to talking with everyone.
Tamara
I have been wanting to introduce myself. My name is Tamara and I just had the Roux-en-Y on December 7th. I have been reading the boards since June when I started the process. The help and advice has been godsent. I had been thinking about the procedure for years.
My recovery has been amazing. I am beyond blessed. I had surgery on Wednesday and left the hospital on Thursday. ( I had mine done at Toronto East. ) I am up walking and pain is very minimal. I am on full fluids. I still have a bit of gas pain, but walking really helps.
I am curious. When did other post-ops start exercising and what did they do? Also, is anyone taking chewable iron? Does it help? I am chronically anemic and I want to make sure that I get a good jump on the situation.
I look forward to talking with everyone.
Tamara
Welcome Tamara and congrats on your progress. I am 2 months post from TWH. For exercising at the beginning is walk walk walk. Gradually build up your tolerance. Remember you are only 3 days out so dont push too much. Just getting in food and fluids is a full time job. Listen to your body. you want to watch the lifting you dont want a hernia. I found it hard not to do too much but slow and steady is better.
The iron cant help you with as not on it.
Congrats again on your progress.
Leslie
The iron cant help you with as not on it.
Congrats again on your progress.
Leslie
Referral: August 2010 Orientation TWH: May 25, 2011 NP: June 8/11, f/u sleep clinic June 7, abd u/s June 14, SW: June 28/11 Nutrition Class: July 5/11, Dietician Aug 09, Psychologist Aug 25 Surgeon Sept 16th Surgery Date: Oct 11/11 HW:287, Opti wt: 260 SW: 242
My Angel is Sheri TK
Welcome!
The best exercise you can do is to walk early out. No fancy equipment needed and it will be easy to adjust to your body. I started walking the day I got home and was up to around 45 min at 2 weeks out. Your body is pretty good at letting you know if it is working too hard.
Ask your team when they want you to start supplementing and remind them of your deficiency. That is something for sure that you will have to be on top of. I can relate as I'm very low right and may be going for infusions in a few months. Please be very vigilant and get your bloodwork done often!
Welcome to the board
Dawn
The best exercise you can do is to walk early out. No fancy equipment needed and it will be easy to adjust to your body. I started walking the day I got home and was up to around 45 min at 2 weeks out. Your body is pretty good at letting you know if it is working too hard.
Ask your team when they want you to start supplementing and remind them of your deficiency. That is something for sure that you will have to be on top of. I can relate as I'm very low right and may be going for infusions in a few months. Please be very vigilant and get your bloodwork done often!
Welcome to the board
Dawn
17+ years post op RNY. first year blog here or My LongTimer blog. Tummy Tuck Dr. Matic 2014 -Ohip funded panni
Windsor WLS support group.message me anytime!
HW:290 LW:139 RW: 167 CW: 139
Hi Tamara,
You mentioned you have been chronically anemic, is your chronic anemia iron-deficient anemia? What were you using for your iron supplementation before surgery? Did you make a game plan with your team for how to deal with it post-op?
The best iron for you post-op is heme iron (Proferrin) which is most readily absorbed by RNY post-ops. Any kind of iron salt will not break down enough for you to absorb it now that you have very little stomach acid (your own bariatric team may not be aware of this, I've heard of at least one nurse telling people to take an iron salt. Oy vey). You can get Proferrin cheapest at Costco and the tablets can be broken in half for swallowing. As for how much to take, you may have to seek some advice on that, I know some RNYers with deficiencies take 4 or more tablets a day. If that just isn't doable yet, you can get polysaccharide iron (FeraMAX) and open the capsules and mix the iron with food or drink to get some iron into you immediately until you can take the Proferrin. Also, make sure you are upping your dose while you're menstruating (this has been a major issue for me and I've been trying different methods of hormonal birth control to try to stop my bleeding. If you bleed heavily and this is a part of your anemia, this can assist majorly in treating it).
If oral iron makes no difference to your levels after a few months, or if they get dangerously low, you may need to see a hematologist and get iron infusions. Make sure you are testing your iron very regularly, every 4-8 weeks right now since you're dealing with a deficiency and want to make sure it's not getting worse. Good luck.
You mentioned you have been chronically anemic, is your chronic anemia iron-deficient anemia? What were you using for your iron supplementation before surgery? Did you make a game plan with your team for how to deal with it post-op?
The best iron for you post-op is heme iron (Proferrin) which is most readily absorbed by RNY post-ops. Any kind of iron salt will not break down enough for you to absorb it now that you have very little stomach acid (your own bariatric team may not be aware of this, I've heard of at least one nurse telling people to take an iron salt. Oy vey). You can get Proferrin cheapest at Costco and the tablets can be broken in half for swallowing. As for how much to take, you may have to seek some advice on that, I know some RNYers with deficiencies take 4 or more tablets a day. If that just isn't doable yet, you can get polysaccharide iron (FeraMAX) and open the capsules and mix the iron with food or drink to get some iron into you immediately until you can take the Proferrin. Also, make sure you are upping your dose while you're menstruating (this has been a major issue for me and I've been trying different methods of hormonal birth control to try to stop my bleeding. If you bleed heavily and this is a part of your anemia, this can assist majorly in treating it).
If oral iron makes no difference to your levels after a few months, or if they get dangerously low, you may need to see a hematologist and get iron infusions. Make sure you are testing your iron very regularly, every 4-8 weeks right now since you're dealing with a deficiency and want to make sure it's not getting worse. Good luck.
Welcome, Tamara.
I'm glad to hear that your recovery is going well so far.
I was told in Ottawa to take ferrous sulfate for now. It's not liquid but comes in pills that are quite small. Also, taking it with at least 500 mg vitamin C helps with absorption.
Don't overdo the exercise, just walk as tolerated. Your body needs to heal!
I hope you continue to recover well. Looking forward to hearing more from you!
I'm glad to hear that your recovery is going well so far.
I was told in Ottawa to take ferrous sulfate for now. It's not liquid but comes in pills that are quite small. Also, taking it with at least 500 mg vitamin C helps with absorption.
Don't overdo the exercise, just walk as tolerated. Your body needs to heal!
I hope you continue to recover well. Looking forward to hearing more from you!
RNY April 11, 2011
Hello
Thank you for all the good advice. I went for a 20 minute walk today. I am still working on getting all my fluids/protein in. The iron information was very helpful. I was taking (up to the surgery ) 300mg/3x a day of ferrous fumarate. I will definitely make sure I ask the doctor at my followup about this.
Have a great day!
Tamara
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