Post Ops: If Only You Knew....

@macoritz

What is the automated leg compression?  Will everyone have that?

Thanks for the suggestions on pillows...I will have to invest in some body pillows to surround me when resting!

This site is amazing.  I am overwhelmed by my first question already on this site and response.  I am glad I found it!

Almost all hospitals use Sequential Compressions Devices (SCDs) on surgical patients lower legs to help avoid blood clots.  They just put sleeves with air chambers in them on your lower legs and they hook up to a machine that causes the cahmbers to fill with air on regular intervals in order to compress the muscles in your legs and thereby keep the blood flowing (and reduce the chances of a clot).  You just either take the sleeves off (velcro closures) or disconnect them from the pump unit when you need to gte up to walk or use the bathroom.

Lora

I agree about the pain meds. I came out of surgery disoriented. I was supposed to have a morphine pump, and no one ever got it for me. I had to call for a morphine dose, and they would take too long to get there, and by the time they got there it would be out of control. If I were you I'd make that all very clear with the surgeon and even the nurse that is setting you up for the surgery prior to going in. My husband didn't know enough about it to handle it, and there is no reason to suffer through a night of pain like that if you don't have to.

I can also comment that once I took my first dose of Lortab it worked much better than the morphine, and by the end of day four, I didn't even need that, so nothing is permanent.

Also - make sure you can just do nothing. Don't put it upon yourself to do household stuff, care for kids, drive, or work, if you absolutely don't HAVE to the first two weeks. I wish I'd made arrangements for all that instead of trying to be Superwoman.

 I wish I would have known about unflavored protein powder!! Good God, I spent so much money of all these flavors that I HAVE to mix with fruit and stuff to try and cover the flavor. But unflavored I add to anything without that nasty flavor. I use GNC brand in a big tub and they are ALWAYS BOGO 50% off if you wanna try it... 

Also, I didnt use a lot of the stuff I was told to buy like the little utensils and mini plates... waste of money for me. And I had no idea how hard of a time I would have mentally and I wish I would have prescheduled appointments to see the bariatric shrink ahead of time since I never do it when I NEED to talk. (I had no support system and live alone, so it was a little harder on me with NO ONE to talk to than it should have been). 

I 2nd the unflavored protein. I bought all the flavored stuff and found after surgery they were so sweet they made me gag! Unflavored and carnation instant breakfast saved me. My tastes has semi gone back to normal now and I can tolerate some of the proteins I originally bought but your taste does change I think primarily due to the anesthesia.

I didn't know...

1. My appetite would come back, with a vengeance.  So, I had to develop GOOD eating habits!

2. I could weight 110 lbs less and still feel fat (It's a head thing)

3. That I would have to defend my decision to people who say "You took the easy way out"

4. That I would have to think about food so much.  I thought oh, my stomach is tiny, I just eat a little and I'm done.  Easy Peasy.  Uh, NO.  I have to think of food constantly to make sure I'm eating right, etc.

5. That I would still love cake.  *sigh* I FREAKING LOVE CAKE.

 

The surgeon operates on your stomach and NOT your head. You will have a honeymoon period post op where you will be motivated to eat right and only in small amounts---but your hunger will return and it's up to you to fix your head and deal with your food issues so that you can optimize your new small stomach and figure out a way to live in harmony with food the rest of your life.

Not to EVER look at how much weight (or how quickly) ANYONE else has lost.  Nothing good comes from comparing yourself to others, psychologically speaking.

My surgeon heavily emphasized the need for LIFELONG changes and the importance of finding what can/will work for you long-term rather than setting yourself up for failure by doing things that you CANNOT continue long-term.  So one of the BEST things I did was to look at what I was realistically able and willing to do long-term and work with that.  In some cases that meant that I had to find a way to psychologically GET myself willing to do something long-term (e.g., the vitamin regimen), and in other cases it meant having to adjust one area to make up for what I was not willing/able to do in other areas (e.g., having to keep my maintenance calories lower because I am very limited in the exercise I can do because of a knee that needs replaced and because I still HATE formal exercise (so even once I get the knee replaced, I still will probably not exercise much more than I already do)).

Lora

This advice given by another is what struck me as the most significant (at least for me)

 

Also - make sure you can just do nothing. Don't put it upon yourself to do household stuff, care for kids, drive, or work, if you absolutely don't HAVE to the first two weeks. I wish I'd made arrangements for all that instead of trying to be Superwoman.

 

I strained my abdomen muscles that we already irritated from the JP drain, I had the most horrific pain 10 days out from this strain, and am still on bed rest and because of such, have to take an extra week off work.  So DO NOT OVERDO IT!  :)

 

otherwise - you've got some great advice on here, this was my second surgery so I was already prepared for most of it, the only really weird thing is my tastes changed, and that was something I didn't expect, I didnt over stock of anything, so it wasn't a huge issue to be stuck with way to much of one thing.  Besides I have a 19 year old son and he eats anything, so it worked out well when I discovered that sugar free chocolate pudding tasted disgusting after surgery. 

 

good luck!