alc1071

I am getting so frustrated!! My surgery was 3/25. I have to drink every 15 minutes to get my liquids in. It is all I do. I set the timer, drink, set the timer, drink...

I'm doing the same thing (mine was 3/27). I have the timer set on my phone and every time it goes off I take a drink and reset it. Then repeat, repeat, repeat, etc. But it does seem to help because I am getting all my fluids in.

Wishing both of you good luck tomorrow. I had mine on 3/27 and so far so good. Getting up and walking while in the hospital helped a lot with the gas. And once you're cleared for liquids, just remember sip, sip, sip.

I ordered the sample pack right before surgery and it arrived when I came home from the hospital. I like the chicken Soup broth and it helps me get my Protein in. In the sample pack was the strawberry Sorbet which I mixed with lemonade crystal light. It was sooo good, tasted just like a strawberry lemonade! Yum!

I'm right with you....my surgery is Wednesday and I am scared to death! Sending prayers for peace and calmness for us both!

Good luck on Weds and wishing you a speedy recovery!

Just an update

Still in hospital. This visit has been since the 25th of March. The doctors are still suspecting a leak. They are trying to give it time to heal, if that is what the outcome is. So I don't have a cat scan leak test until Wednesday of this week. Really at this point the only pain I have is from site where they put a drain tube in last week. I have my pic lines now and must say I absolutely love them. No more pain from blood draws, new ivs, new meds! Of course the most important thing is that I can get nutrients I need from the pic line.

My nurse tonight asked me when my original surgery was. When I told her she said wow its been almost a month since your surgery. (Ok she was exaggerating a bit) Makes me kinda to hmmmmm never thought anything like this would happen to me. So far I have been in the hospital from 3/14-3/18, 3/25-present, I've had more iv lines than I can remember (seriously), I have two pic lines, one drain, numerous chest X-rays, upper gi series with contrast, 4 or 5 cat scans (never had one in my life before this). I know way too many doctors and nurses now by first name!

Overall still not an experience I would wish on anyone. Not as hard or bad of a situation I thought it would turn out to be. I never knew how hard this would really be on my family if something went wrong. Ive worried my husband & parents to death! my plans of not telling My Extended family and some of my friends went out the window. had to tell them why I kept staying at the hospital. I'm jealous I'm behind my other 'march' post ops with drinking and eating and even exercising. I hope this motivates me even more that there is no way I would go through this whole situation and not make sure it works for me!

Wow that seems like a long post. Thanks for letting me rant! still wishing all the other post ops speedy and non eventful recoveries!!!

I am so sorry that you are going through all of this. Sending healing prayers your way for a speedy recovery.

I had surgery on 3/27 and still on liquids. In addition to the crystal light, diet snapple, sf Jello and popsicles, I have been having Atkins Adantage shakes and Unjury chicken Soup broth for Protein. I ordered the sample pack from Unjury and in it was a strawberry sorbet sample mix. I made it with crystal light lemonade and it was soooo good! Tasted just like a strawberry lemonade and had 21 grams of protein. Definetly going to order more of that!

Congrats! Glad you are feeling so well!

Wow Laurelle, you're doing awesome! I just had my sursery last week and hope I will be able to as well as you.

Good luck! Before you know it, you'll be waking up in recovery and on your way in your new journey.

Welcome! Sounds like you are off to a great start! You'll find lots of us "Marchers" on the March 2013 Post Op thread. Join us on the "loser's bench"!!

I had a catheter too. They put it in after I was "knocked out" so I woke up with it in place. They took it out a day later. I found I was sore getting up/out of the hospital bed so it helped not having to get up as much the first 24 hours to go to the bathroom. I couldn't even feel it was there.

I had been taking a Prilosec everyday for acid reflux. Just had surgery on Wednesday and they were giving me IV meds for acid (protonics) in the hospital. My surgeon gave me a prescription for 6 months to take post op as well. He mentioned that taking the meds also helps lower the chance of developing an ulcer post op. Not sure how long I will have to take it but the bypass is supposed to help reduce the acid reflux.

Cecilia, like you I did not tell anyone at work either. I just had my surgery on Weds and am planning to go back to work in 2 weeks but am not sure what to say when people start noticing. My family knows and I have good support but I don't feel that it's everyone else's business either. I just don't want people worrying that I'm "sick". I had been making changes since January and people noticed that I was eating less carbs, more salad and Proteins and I was having the Atkins shakes so hopefully they will just think I'm doing really well on my diet but it will start coming off very quickly now . . . . not sure how to respond when coworkers make comments.

I had my surgery on Weds and just came home from the hospital yesterday. My surgeon told me not to go on the scale because it usually is higher than pre-op due to all the fluids. I know I was retaining fluids because my fingers looked swollen in the hospital but they seemed to have gone back down to normal.

I just had my surgery on 3/27 and had to do a pre-op liquid diet as well. I had to do it for 10 days. Each surgeon seems to do it a little different. Mine allowed 3-4 high Protein low carb shakes (Atkins Advantage) for meals and then I could pick 2 protein choices a day (fat free yogurt, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 2 oz deli turkey breast, hard boiled egg or 8 oz skim milk). Also allowed 1 cup steamed veg or 2 cup raw veg (non-starches). I found the shakes surprisingly do fill you up more than I expected and had one at each meal and one before bed, I spaced the yogurt and other Proteins mid morning and dinner and filled the veggies in between. Also had unlimited sugar free Jello, crystal light, sugar free popsicles and fat free broth as well. It's tough at first but doable, it seems to get easier after the first few days. I lost 14 pounds during my 10 days and my surgeon said my liver was shrunk which helps them perform the surgery more safely. Good luck!

I didn't have a binder thingy either.. Just my skin and incisions!!! Bad news, my dad is in the ICU, apparently he has a tear in his aorta, and they say operating is too dangerous... But leaving it to heal could also kill him if his Bp is too high.. I'm a nervous wreck and the first thing that came to mind was a big bowl of ice cream!! It finally dawned on me that I had indeed used food for comfort in the past! So instead, I just held my husband and kids and let the tears and emotions flow... Please, those who believe in the power of prayer, pray for my dad to recover from this and be back to his old self soon! Thank You All!!! May God bless you !

You and your dad/family are in my thoughts and prayers.

I had my surgery on Wednesday and came home from the hospital today. The pain is not too bad, just soreness on the upper left side incision. Lots of gurgling and gas. So glad to finally move over to the losers bench!

Feeling so fortunate today. I went to my one week post op appointment and I am down 10 pounds. My surgeon said that I am doing wonderful and right where I should be. However, I also found out that my roommate, my surgeons first case of the day, had a heart attack and died last night. I am so sad for her family. I can't imagine the pain they must be going through. It just makes me realize that I am so glad I made this decision right now before I got to the point where it was dangerous to have the procedure done or that it was surgery or death. She was older and had a lot of co-morbidities but I am just torn up for her family right now. Her husband and I talked a lot during her stay, I just can't even imagine

That is so sad, I can't even imagine what her family is going through.

I had my surgery on Wednesday. The swallow test was good. I started liquids yesterday and was released from the hospital today. I'm hearing lots of gurgling and have been passing lots of gas. The pain is tolerable, the hardest part right now is getting up from sitting/laying down.

MINE IS THURSDAY 3/28

Good idea! Never would've thought of that.

Good luck! Mine is tomorrow too.

Well, tomorrow is my big day! My surgery is at 1 pm. I have been on pre-op liquid diet for 10 days and think I will be starving by then tomorrow (nothing to eat/drink past midnight). I'm getting very anxious and really just looking forward to getting it over with.

Good luck to all our end of the month Marchies. This is the last week and then we are all in the post op thread!! I wish you all nothing but a breezy recovery- dont snicker- many on the Losers bench had it pretty nice. I suffered a bit, but its all worth it. I pray for zero suffering:-) :-). There are going to be quite a few hotties in the very near future-male and female!!:-)

Thanks! My big day is 3/27 and it seemed like it would never get here. Excited, nervous, anxious all at the same time. Just want to get through it and join the rest of you guys on the losers bench!

Manchester, CT