PAstudent

So 6 days since I had the vertical sleeve gastrectomy and I'm feeling pretty good! I'm really happy that I chose Dr. McCarty and the McCarty weigh loss center. They've been available via phone and email to answer all of my questions. Overall, the staff at Plano Surgical Hospital was pleasant and very helpful too. I'm mobile, able to keep fluids down, I don't have any incision or gas pains, and I'm starting to feel like myself again.


Here's what happened with my surgery:
I flew down to Texas on Saturday, had my pre-op appointment/metabolic testing/nutrition class on Monday May 8th 2017, and had the surgery with Dr. Todd McCarty Tuesday May 9th, 2017. The surgery was at Plano Surgical Hospital. I arrived at 7:30 AM and filled out paper work, paid the facility/anesthesiologist fee, changed into a gown and compression socks, did pre-admission testing (chest xray and ekg), and spoke with the anesthesiologist (who was very nice and agreed to take my phone to snap a picture of the part of my stomach that got cut out), and got hooked up to an IV by 9:00 AM. ***Plano Surgical Hospital charged me a surprise $800 that needed to be in the form of a credit/debit card for the anesthesiologist fee on top of the price that I was given by McCarty weight loss center for facility and anesthesiologist fees. We had to go all the way back to the hospital the next day to get the refund after the hospital realized their mistake*** I don't recall getting wheeled out of the pre-op area due to anesthesia, but my surgery was completed around 11:50 AM and I woke up in my bed in the pre-op area around 12:15 PM. I initially didn't have any pain and was pretty out of it so I pulled up my gown to look at my 2 incisions with people just walking around (haha). I also was able to snap a few blurry pictures and call my boyfriend, who was in the waiting room, to tell him everything went well. I believe I also asked for help to go to the restroom to urinate and had to use a bedpan at this point.

The next time I remember waking up, it was 12:45 PM, I was in my own room with my mother and boyfriend, and I was extremely nauseated. The first time I sat up with my legs over the side of the bed, I vomited (and it may or may not have been on the very kind nurse helping me). (Side note: I also got my period around this time and I have terrible menstrual cramps, nausea, and vomiting. My nexplanon implant normally helps with these symptoms, but didn't this time around.) Despite the medications I had been given prior to surgery to combat the nausea from anesthesia, I was still vomiting and dry heaving for the next 3 or 4 days. I was up and walking and using the incentive spirometer every hour. It definitely wasn't easy or pleasant, but I got through it and you will too. I was allowed to be discharged to go to my hotel room at around 6 PM, which is when I was able to finish all the water from I believe 6 medicine cups. I still had to walk every hour until about 10PM, which is when I was told I could sleep for the night.


On Wednesday the 10th, I went to the McCarty Weight Loss Center to get my UGI and so Dr. McCarty could see how I was doing. I was still extremely nauseated, sore, exhausted, and generally not feeling well. On the bright side, though my UGI showed that there was a Lot of swelling in my stomach, I didn't have any leaks! I was prescribed phenergan suppositories which helped immensely with nausea and vomiting.

On Thursday the 11th, I flew back to Pennsylvania. If I could do it again, I would have waited a day or two so I wouldn't be dry heaving and making everyone on the plane uncomfortable, but my boyfriend had to be at his college graduation the next day so we flew back sooner rather than later. To get through the airport fast enough, they put me in a wheelchair, which was very helpful considering how weak and unwell I felt.

It is now Monday the 15th, 2017 and I'm able to get around without anyone watching me. I actually feel well, I'm not taking the pain meds anymore, I'm slowly getting in more protein and liquids every day, my incisions don't particularly hurt, I'm no longer nauseated, I haven't thrown up since Saturday, and I'm really happy with my decision. (I'm also really happy that I chose Dr. McCarty not only for his skill, but also because the average cost of VSG in Pennsylvania out of pocket is about $20,000 while it is a little over $13,000 in Texas. I paid $13,000 overall for the surgeon fee, metabolic testing, facility fee, anesthesiologist fee, and pre/post op tests!)