POST OP QUESTIONS FOR THE VETS!!

I READ ON HERE ALL THE TIME HOW PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AFTER SURGERY.  WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SURGERY?  FROM THE TIME YOU OPENED YOUR EYES HOW DID YOU FEEL, WHAT WERE YOU ABLE TO EAT, NOT EAT, HOW WAS THE PAIN, HOW HARD WAS IT ONCE HOME TO ADJUST AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO EAT???  ANY INPUT WOULD HELP...

THANK YOU,
JULIE

I woke up in recovery in pain. Very very groggy. Saw my mom and dad. I spent the next several probably about 7 hours there. They didn't have a room for me. My machines kept beeping cause I wasn't breathing deep enough. I was in and out of sleep the entire time. I finally got in my room around 9. Had to stand up and be changed because it was the time of month. I was in the hospital for 2 nights. I was up and walking late the first night but was in pain. Had the morphine or whatever drip I pushed the button for. Woke up the next day was given chicken soup, injury powder, bottle of water, crystal light packet, an jello. The form with the food on it said no straws an was bold and highlited lol. I wa able to get in and out of bed and the chair. It hurt a lot to get out of bed. But I was walki g every few hours. I was taken off the meds that first am and the catheter was taken out that day too. Not gonna lie it hurt to pee, no one warned me. It stung lol. I was given the same thing at each meal. But I was on fluids by iv so was told to drink a few ounces an hour and slip SLOW. I went home Friday morning and was ok on the drive. I had a pain at home and could only sleep on the couch for over a week. I only took my pain meds 4 times. I was in pain but the liquid tynelol I had did the trick. It hurt to laugh, sneeze and cough for a few weeks. I'd hold my stomach when I had to do any. Lol all the pain is def worth it!! I'm only 7.5 weeks out bit already glad I did it.

 I woke up freezing and crying.  The hospital room all I wanted was ice chips and all they would give me is lemon qtip swabs and then walking was fine, sore but fine, still wanted ice chips.  The broth was gross, the apple juice and grape juice, when I finally got them, rocked!  Still couldn't drink fast.  My advice to those getting this surgery is practice sipping prior.  Wish I had!  Hope this answered some for you!

First thing I noticed when I woke up was the nasty nose tube things!!!!  I fought with the nurses for two hours over it, but then just took it out.

I remember my first thought was "pain" followed by, "damn, i'm still hungry".  I didnt have any pre-op diet, just had to stop eating after mid night the day before, so with an afternoon surgery, I was sooooo hungry going through the pre-op process. I cant imagine I was actually feeling hungry but thats what I thought.

Initially, I think there was just a feeling of "yuck" from the anesthisia - I cant say I was actually in much pain. The pain didnt hit me until they wanted me to move myself from the recovery room bed to my room bed...and even then, it hurt like hell, but it was like I had finished 1000 sit up crunches the day before. I will say that the worse pain from the whole experience was GAS PAIN which kicked in 2-3 days later, so overal, the pain of the VSG was not that bad. Not pleasant, but I was in more pain from a ruptured cyst.

I had to sip 6 oz of water over an hour before I could leave the hospital - I didnt get any food or other liquids.

I was on clear liquids for 3 days. I got my medicine cup, parked it in a recliner, and had nothing else to do or go for 3 days, so it was pretty easy to figure out what I needed to do (not that it was easy to accomplish but i knew what to do and how to do it). It wasnt too hard to progress from liquids, to full liquids, to mushies, to soft food to normal food. Im not a risk taker, so SLOW is the key, dont try too many new things at once, I had no desire to try and get creative early out. The simpler, the more plain/bland food - the better. I took little itty bitty tiny sips/water (and then there were the accidents where you learn very quickly what DOESNT work).

I woke up groggy and not long after was made to get up and walk a bit. I did not have any real pain just a little discomfort from the incisions.
I was given green tea and water. But only sipped a little.
I was sent back to the hotel the next day and spent the entire day sleeping. Barely sipping broth or water. I got dehydrated and had to go back to the clinic for IV fluids. That took a few hours. After that I was fine and actually went out walking around TJ for the day on the 3rd day. On day 5 went to a bull fight.
didn't need any pain killers at all,.

donna

i am 5 days post-surgery. my experience was fortunately not as harsh as these ladies'. i woke up in recovery easily, was moved to my room. i was very sore and was allowed nothing by mouth at all for 24 hrs. i set the alarms on my phone to walk every 3 or so hours (even all night). the pain wasnt so bad that i needed lots of pain meds, am off of them altogether now. i did not have a catheter so didnt have that part. i did the dual sleeve/hernia surgery, and am doing fine...hang on, it might be a bumpy ride, but a ride well worth taking.

 My first thought when I woke up was wheres a clock, how long have I bben out.  THen I noticed that i was catheterd while unconcious.

As far as pain - I really had none.  I didn't let the pain start so never had to feel it.  Don't try to tough anything out - as soon as you can take your pain meds, take them.  I was sleeved on Wednesday morning, threw away my dilaudid on Sunday morning.

The first few days I had just the liquid diet.  I didn't advance to mushies until 4 weeks out.  I had a variety of protein drinks.  When I would go out, I would get chicken soups (order Chicken Noodle, or chicken-tortilla, etc and have just the broth).

The adjustment was pretty easy.  My surgery center has an awesome pre-op education program and the nutritionists on staff always answer phone calls and e-mails promptly.  They would review my food journals and give me pointers.

i woke up pretty alert and with minimal pain. had an easy stay and recovery overall. didn't use hardly any pain meds. worst thing was i hated my protein drinks. had to make myself drink them. didn't have much interest in eating anything for quite awhile. was out and about after a few days at home. read my blog page. i had about as easy an experience as is possible.  

i followed my doctors plan so didn't really have to figure out how to eat other than getting a protein drink in which can talke awhile.  diane

My throat was sore from the tube.  That's about all that was bothering me.  I pressed the pain pump button like a rat on speed, and wasn't in any pain.  Just sore.  Surgery was at 11 and I was on my feet in the early evening going to the bathroom.  I needed a nurse to help, that that was primarily because they had me in the leg compression thingies and the IV - I couldn't untangle and unplug myself.  I was sent home 24 hours after surgery and was fine.

Hi Julie!!

I am currently day 5 post op and this is what I remember of last week; woke up in recovery room but have very foggy memory of my time there, I was on oxygen and remember feeling nauseous and they were giving me meds through my IV for the nausea...I was in recovery room around 3.5 hours; then to my room, still felt  nauseated (probably from anesthesia), had some mid upper gastric pain wasnt sure if it was GERD or stomach spasms; felt very stiff and like others mentioned felt like I had done 1000 sit ups LOL...they gave me IV protonix (for acid) and that seemed to take the edge off; last used pain meds post op day 1 before leak test; overall did not have unbearable pain; nothing to drin****il after leak test then ice chips, water (hurt going down, still does a little...trying different temperatures of things really helps me); sf popsicle, diluted low sugar grape juice; post op day two the only options were carnation sf instant breakfast 4 oz (took me 2-3 hrs to drink---kept it sitting on ice to keep it cool); chicken broth with I think unjury protein powder mixed in; more popsicles, water

since i have been home have followed advice of vets before me, sip, walk , rest repeat; I am able to tolerate most protein drinks, my favorites have been the syntrax nectars and unjury plain which I mix with broth, crystal light etc and isopure chocolate whey protein powder; each day has gotten better; I can walk a mile  at one time and try to do this 3 times/day and then try to make myself walk around the house during the day; I am now trying to work on more of a "'schedule" for my protein and water etc to make sure I stay ahead of the game;just started my vitamins today as I felt a little nauseated and was scared to start before; still working on the "head games"

the board has been a tremendous help even when I didn't feel like looking at posts I did because I found more tips and support just through reading

take care, I am sure you will do great!!!
Barb