4 days post op... A little update and a few newbie questions!

3sweetpeas
on 8/13/11 2:42 am - Tehachapi, CA
Hey all! Thought I would give a little update on me.

I am 4 days out and feeling pretty good! I had a hiatal hernia repair as well, so I'm sure that is making me a little more sore than I would have been without it. Yesterday was pretty rough and I felt horrible! The worst I've felt since having the surgery. However, today is a total turn around! I'm able to move well and the only pain I really have is after being in bed and being still for awhile and then trying to get up. I did pull a muscle in my neck and it's pretty uncomfortable... hopefully that goes away soon.

I've been doing decent on my liquids. Yesterday was my first full day home and I got in 45oz of water. I'm using Nectar protein mixed with water and counting that as my water/protein for the day. I'm sipping 1oz every 15 minutes or so. Sometimes I skip a sip because I still feel kinda full.

Now, I have a few questions. I've been reading here for quite awhile, daily.. So I'd like to think I know the answers, but I want to be sure!

So, I was drinking last night and got a crampy pain through my tummy that lasted a few seconds. I'm thinking maybe because I took too big of a sip?.. I'm just hoping it's not a sign of a leak?... Ive been taking my temperature several times a day and it's been fine. Boy, that pain sure is uncomfortable though! A nice reminder to take it slow.

Vitamins.. I'm a little scared to put anything 'hard' in my tummy, I was told to crush them and add them to an ounce of water.. Anyone else do this? Or should I just chew it up really good? What about my chewable calcium and B-12? My B-12 should probably be crushed too, right.. Even though its pretty small? I've got some conflicting info in my post op binder.. Egh,

I'm also curious when most of you started full liquids?.. I was told I could start them when I got home from the hospital, but I think I'm
going to wait at least a week.

I guess that's it for now.. I hate second guessing myself, but I feel
Ike my tummy is so delicate right now and I don't want to **** it off, lol!





Tamara
Highest BMI & Weight during VSG journey -- 44.5 / 259
Current BMI & Weight -- 37.8 / 220
  
Onedaysoon
on 8/13/11 2:48 am - PA
Sounds like you're doing pretty good! Congrats on your sleeve! I'm only a little over 2 weeks out so I can't answer all your questions, but wanted to say that I started swallowing whole pills while I was still in the hospital with no problems so if you can stomach it you could probably just swallow them whole. Also, I was on clear liquids for 1 full week from my surgery date at which point I saw my surgeon again, had my stitches and drain removed and was cleared for full liquids and purees. Good luck and hope that helps!
~Carly~
Age:30 Ht: 5'2  ~ HW:250 ~ SW:228 ~ GW:125
~
  
      

Spiritus
on 8/13/11 3:30 am - Hawthorne, CA

Hey Sweetpeas!  I had my surgery on the 10th as well and today is a better day as opposed to the day prior. I am getting more water and crush my pepsid and drink it. I, too, am afraid of taking my pills whole because I don't want to injure my tummy either.  What has been happening with me is my vision is blurry and if I dont' keep up on the lortab I get very flushed and feel an almost immediate fever covering my face/neck.

How is your blood pressure?  Did it drop, do you feel faint? My pressure dropped to 83/57 and I was put on strict bedrest for the final late night and day in the hospital.  I was instructed not to take vitamins until I see my surgeon postop. The hospital NUT told me to start full liquids when I got home but I'm going to keep on the clear liquids until I see my surgeon. 

Good Luck on your journey!

                                                                                                                                                                     
           

caseyandstephy
on 8/13/11 5:32 am - OR
Hey 3sweetpeas! I was also sleeved 8/10. I've been taking oxycodone pills since day after surgery in the hospital. I have not had a problem with it at all. Good luck! I'm hoping us 8/10 sleevers start feeling much improved in about a week.
Stephanie K
Age: 27 | Height: 5'8" | HW: 310 |
SW: 280.3 | CW: 176.6 | GW1/2/3/4: 250/210/199/160
M1: -24.6, M2: -13.2, M3: -10.7, M4: -15.8, M5: -4.5, M6: -11.6, M7: -6.7, M8: -8.8, M9: -5.6

1/3 Goal: 8/24/11, G1: 9/23/11, 1/2 Goal: 10/28/11, G2: 1/19/12, G3: 2/6/12

DrHollywood
on 8/13/11 5:38 am, edited 8/13/11 5:45 am - Harbor City, CA
Hi Sweetpeas!!!!! 

In my experience  ( which may be different from others but my experience)

I started to take vitamins right away ( i know most dont) I had liquid calcium and liquid D, I had a chewable multi and sucked and chewed, I had chewable iron ( but didnt take this until a a week later) and I chewed vitamin C ( which I also took a week later.  I crushed my pepcid and mixed it with an oz of water. I got use to it by a couple of weeks that i could actually chew it with my multi vitamin and it worked for me.

Liquids:
I DID NOT want to injure my tummy at any way shape or form. I thought to my self this is major surgery.  Even though my doctor 10 days out said I can eat cream of wheat....  yeah right!!  i didnt 
learn that in options, i thought....    I did clear liquids for 2 weeks ( isopure, water, chicken broth occasional with unjury chicken flavored protein powder, SF popcicles ( but didnt do many because i wanted things with protein) and that is basically about it!  On the 3rd week I went to full liquids and to me that only meant just add a protein shake. That didnt mean for me to eat anything mushy.  Then i went to puree foods and blended everything with my immersion hand stick blender....but slowly introduced foods.   refried Beans watered down became my favorite!

WAlk Walk Walk...sip sip sip and rest rest rest! 
The first month is the hardest because we are healing and trying to get to know our sleeve.
all pains should be gone by the 3rd week up to a month.  mine lasted up to a few days shy of a month.  

I also had a hyatal hernia repair also, and had terrible left shoulder pain in recovery. Everytime I would try and walk in the hospital....  I would do one round and i had to go back to bed. My left shoulder hurt so bad!!!.  I remember for 3 or 4 days in a row, I could not lay on my back or right side it hurt so bad....but when I layed on my left side....
no sign of pain at all.  It was the weirdest thing.  

Oh and I just loved my lortab the first week!  

YAAAAAAAAAAAY so glad to hear how your coming along and all the thoughts that go along with it.  knowbody really knows until we go through it...  and we still learn along the way.

Keep posting...no matter how many times you have read it. This is your journey and you should be entitled to post what ever you want. Its your journey and we need to hear from you.

The newer post- ops keeps us in check!  I need to hear from you!!! 

Huuugs

                      ✿ L♦O♦V♦E ✿ & ✿ P♦E♦A♦C♦E ✿ღ ✿ & F♦R♦I♦E♦N♦D♦S ✿ ღ
                         "Keeping The Faith!"   "Slim by Summer!"
                                    HW: 250 - SW: 241  - CW: 154.7GW: 140  

     
 1 month: 22 pounds (2162 months: 12.2 pounds (203.8)  3 months: 10.6  (193.2)
 4 months: 9.7  lbs  (183.5)  5 Months:   6  pounds  (177.5 ) 
6 Months: 12 lbs ( 165.5)
 7 Months 7.1 lbs (158.4) 8 Months +1.6 pounds(159.8) 9 Months 2.7 pounds (157.1)
10 Months 8.1 lbs (149) 11 months +2 pounds ( 151) 1 YEAR!!!  2.6 pounds (148.4)


  
                                  Hit "One-derland April 9th, 2011   (199.7)

                                  "Half-Way Goal" April 25th, 2011 (194.8)

                                  "Happyland 80`s" May 14, 2011  (189.6)

                                   "Groovyland 70`s"  June 20th 2011  (179.9)

                                    " HippyDippyland 60's"  July 16th  (169.8)

                                       " CQQL-land 50`s"  August 25th ( 159.8)

                        "Normal BMI"   24.8  October 21st, 2011 (154.5) I am 5`6

                                 "AWESOME-land 40's" Dec 1st 2011  (149)

                              "Century Club 100 Pounds"  Dec 1st 2011  (149)

                                        ' ONE YEAR SURGIVERSARY!!!"

                                           Two Year Surgiversary!!!"


                                                                     

that's what she said
on 8/14/11 9:16 am
VSG on 08/10/11 with
Hi all (sorry if this is long!!),

I had my surgery on 8/10 too. Was only discharged yesterday afternoon because my blood pressure was high and I had a little fever.

My surgeon was soooo amazing and gentle and warm - I would highly recommend him to anyone. My incisions are so small and it looks like they are almost invisible already! Still have staples (don't feel them at all) but I think they will come out this week.

Staying in the hopsital for 3 nights was not really fun, and I did have quite a bit of pain - not at the incision sites, but in the lower portion of the stomach. I think part of that was because of the extra weight of the drain being in there, and of course the air that is pumped in there which made me feel pretty bloated. Having the drain removed was like giving birth to a monster or something - really weird awful pain, but soon after I felt lighter and less pressure on the lower portion of my tummy. While in hospital I was getting plenty of morphine for pain and needed help getting out of bed because it was painful to sit up on my own. The beds are uncomfortable and I had to stay on my back. I am a side-sleeper and couldn't get comfortable and get a good sleep while on my back. I did try once or twice to position myself on my side and it was soooo painful and almost felt like I popped something in there, but my doctor assured me that everything was pretty secure in there. I had the leak test - that stuff tastes like liquid death. It looked so innocent - clear like water, but one taste of that fluid and you will never forget it! Happy that I passed the leak test and waited with baited breath for the first taste of real water - few hours later. That first sip was so delicious, I was so happy to feel it in my mouth.

Now that I'm home, I'm struggling with the protein. I can't take the smell or taste of the clear Isopure (I have the grape) and I managed to get in 2 tiny sips - there is simply no way I can drink that. I was able to drink a little more of the Muscle Milk, it is a bit more tolerable for me, but I can't say I love that either. That's pretty much the extent of the protein I was able to get in since my surgery on Wednesday. I know I'm in trouble here with this protein issue - I realize that is is so important so I really need to figure out what to do about this asap. Any ideas?

As for liquids, I am drinking plenty of water, Crystal Lite, so I am less concerned about getting dehydrated which I guess is the most important thing at this stage.

I'm also struggling with the vitamins and meds and timing of when to take them, when to eat, when to drink, etc. I need to set up a timeline list so that I am doing everything correctly.

I am taking Carafate 4x's a day, Nexium 1x a day, Multivitamin (with vita D) 2x's a day, Calcium 3x's a day, and B12 sublingual 1x a day.

I started the Carafate today - tastes awful and the Nexium was a gelcap so my husband opened it and put the contents into my farina. I took a bite and it tasted like something died in my mouth. I couldn't eat the rest. I still need to take the B-12. Hope that isn't as bad! 

I look forward to when we can eat cheese and get protein from food.... Ahhhhh...

It is great to hear all your experiences - glad we are on the other side! Congrats to us!



        
G-Wiz
on 8/16/11 5:15 am - LA
my sleeve was on 8/9, I am on full liquids and fell in love with planet nutrition's chocolate smoothies....25 gm protien in medium 20 oz. taste like milk shake or melted ice cream. I have taken only 1 lortab the first night and nothing except walk,walk,walk,walk..ect. sip,sip, sip... I also had a large hital hernia repaired, my greatest pain was deep breathing while still in the hospital, it felt like my diaphram was shredding. That went away once I was home and walking around more... Started taking whole meds on 8/11, crushing only chewable vitamin (it taste bad) so I could just shoot it back. Left shoulder pain was min. but it was mostly because I ate too fast, gulped or drink too much at one time it will hurt, gas-x helps with gas. I don't have as much trouble, I guess I learn quick... Glad everyone is cruising along so well.
August was a gret month!!!!!!
        
HW:387#,  CW: 341.7#,  SW:326.5#, GW 180#...
SLEEVE SURGERY DATE  AUGUST 9, 2011.....                      
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