Questions for the Veterans part 2

Hello Everyone ,

   I will be having my surgery July 14 and have a few more questions to ask the VSG Vet's.

1. How does it feel to be under anasthesia for the first time and how does the process usually work with it ?

2. Do you usually have a breathing tube to monitor your breathing or help you breath while your under ?

3. What is the usual time-frame to wake up after surgery in recovery ?

4. Can you drive 2-3 days after surgery and also walk long distances in that time frame as well ?

Thank you all for your help !!    ... Rene

Can't answer the anesthesia for the first time but my surgeon gave us Versed in pre-op that is an amnesiac - I don't even remember saying goodbye to my support person but she said I was chatting happily as they wheeled me away. I was awake and helped transfer to the operating table - I remember NONE of this (while I was fully awake and aware when I had my gall bladder out). Remember waking up about 3-3.5 hrs later in my own room.

Yes - you will be intubated to help you breathe while the operation occurs. This is standard procedure to protect your airway. It is usually out (like 95% of the time) by the time you awake. You may have oxygen by nasal cannula in your nose when you wake up and have that available for the first 24 hrs just in case.

I know when I had my gall bladder out, I remember them waking me about 30 min post-op and then falling asleep again for another hour or so. As noted above, that time frame is pretty close to what happened post-op with my VSG but I don't remember any of it. LOL

You can drive once you are off the pain killers. I was on vicodin for 5-7 days so I didn't drive for 7-8 days (and I had a pretty uneventful recovery). I walked the Detroit airport with assistance and lots of resting 4 days post-op (surgery Thurs, flew Monday).

I have been under anesthesia 7 times as an adult, and I couldn't tell you what it feels like to "go under".  I have always been asleep BEFORE they administered the anesthetic.

Yes, yo do have a "breathig tube", and they closely monito your breathing as well as all other vital functions.  Remember, the person giving you anesthesia has one job, to keep you alive.

Recovery is around 1-2 hours on average.  Some are quicker, some slower.

Yes, you can drive (not long distance driving) 2-3 days post op.  I drove 10 miles to town.  And I was walking 4 hours post-op.  I was walking as exercise within 4 days (300 feet in my case, I was in bad shape).  No long distance walking until you recover  your stamina, etc.

i dont remember them even giving me the anesthesia, i think it was put in the IV.  my husband said that as they wheeled me away, i told him to take my rosary beads out of my purse and to pray for me, i do not recall that in the least.  then he gently woke me up and i got mad at him and told him to just let me sleep until they took me to surgery, he said, "babe, the surgery is over, it's done..."  my doc took 29 minutes to perform my VSG.  i did have a breathing tube during surgery, and when i first woke up i had an oxygen mask on.

hubby says i was gone from room for about an hour, when they brought me back my hubby waited about 20 minutes then tried waking me up first time, that's when i got mad at him and he told me it was over, i went back to sleep, and would wake up and go back to sleep on and off, had some wild dreams, talked to myself, kept telling him to give our 2yr old daughter her sippy cup with water cuz she was thirsty, our 2yr old was back in the states with my sister (her aunt/godmother)...

about 3 hours after the initial wake-up, i sat up in bed, wiggled my toes, rolled my neck, got my bearings, readied my IV stand-thingy to roll it with me and started walking down the hospital halls with my husband.  after that, i was up and walking every hour on the hour for the whole next day, got my leak test done, then i was released the following morning.

well, having had other surgeries, they put in an IV, probably put some relaxers in it, take you to the operating room either by guerney or walking you in. once you lie down and they get ready they put an oxygen mask on your face and say "here's a little air" and next thing you know you wake up in recovery. works like a charm.

Thank you all for all your information !!!

first of all...congrats on your decision...its a smart thing your doin'...

secondly...when you start to second guess yourself (and you will) before and after surgery, we will all point you back to your own comment..."regret nothing"...it can be a bumpy ride...but you can do it...we all have...

anesthesia...some do gas, some do IV...i honestly dont remember what mine was...i woke up all panicked...shouting "where the hell am i" and stuff like that (but the nurses know...and they calm you down, REAL quick)...

breathing tube?  yes...they take pretty good care of you...

woke up around an hour or so...surgery was about 45 mins and the anestesia is usually pretty accurate to wear off when they think it will...when you start to come around, they hop over and yank out your breathing tube...i DID remember that part...

driving?  i dunno...my wife drove first couple of days...

walking?  immediately...do it in the hospital...do it at home...it speeds your recovery...

Rene,I see everyone answered your questions but wanted to tell you "best of luck" with your surgery. I've had several operations and actually two since my VSG, and out of the three, the VSG was the easiest one of them all. A piece of cake. You'll be amazed at how easy it will be during recovery so far as the work itself goes. Getting used to your new stomach and it's workings will be the work. It'll be a very worthwhile and educational journey into yourself though.





Sue

from what I've read, people's experiences going under and waking up really vary.

I've had surgery twice, both times I was out before I knew what was happening.

had my tonsils out in the States and woke up feeling horrible. had VSG in Mexcio and woke up feeling wonderful. I was happy as can be and waving at strangers.

I could have driven 3 days after surgery easily but I really breezed through recovery.  people really differ in how quickly they feel good again.