Leak check with water
on 6/22/13 9:28 pm
He fills your abdominal cavity with water? Egad, that sounds awful!
The water weight I gained was from the IV, nothing was pumped into my midsection.
HW333--SW 289--GW of 160 5' 11" woman. I only know the way I know & when you ask for input/advice, you'll get the way I've been successful through my surgeon & nutritionist. Please consult your surgeon & nutritionist for how to do it their way. Biggest regret? Not doing this 10 years ago! Every day is better than the day before...and it was a pretty great day!
I have often heard of them doing that. It is not unusual for water to be put into the abdominal cavity for a variety of reasons. The weight gain though is from the IV fluids that we get during surgery. Right after surgery I wasn't allowed to drink anything until after the leak test the next day and then had to drink slowly afterward. The extra fluids keep us from getting dehydrated while transitioning to the point that we can drink enough. That doesn't mean that you don't have to be diligent in getting in fluids orally ASAP. Dehydration can happen quickly and is not good!
Martha
High 250/Consult Weight 245/Surgery 205/Now 109
Height 5'4.5" BMI 18.4
In maintenance since June 2009
Yes, my surgeon did the leak test that way, too. I don't know why some surgeons don't. Seems like it would be better that way because then if there is a problem, they can fix it right away. When they test for leaks the day after surgery by doing an upper GI, if there is a leak, they have to put you under general anesthesia again and cut you open again. I would prefer to just be cut open once. Plus, since my surgeon did the leak test during surgery, I was able to start drinking as soon as I got out of recovery.
I assume they suck out the water. The water weight gain is from all the IV fluids.
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
My surgery is tomorrow (EEK!) but the nurse told us in our pre-admissions testing/class that my surgeon would also be checking for leaks before closing by pumping fluids through the pouch. I will have a drain tube in my side, as well as a tube from my nose into the pouch. The drain is obviously a... drain. The tube in my nose will be suction to help get those fluids out after surgery.
Sounds like... fun. I won't be allowed anything to drin****il after the swallow test the next day.
GOOD LUCK!!
on 6/23/13 2:33 pm - CT
Ditto what Kelly said. They do the leak test with just a small amount of fluid, so that is NOT the water weight post-op. It is from all the IV fluids AND because your body's response to injury is to send fluid to the area. Everyone has seen how sprained ankles or knees, large bruises, broken bones, even large cuts all involve swelling... the same happens internally with surgery.
I'm not sure I understand why your surgeon does a swallow test post-op if he does a leak test during surgery, but maybe he just wants to be extra sure there are no problems. (Personally, it would make me a little nervous that he might not be confident in his original leak test... and I would ask him beforehand what the reason is and how often he has to do additional surgery to correct leaks AFTER the original surgery (since that is all they can do if they find a leak with a swallow test!)... but that is just me!)
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.