LurkieKitty

I had my sleeve 2 days ago.. this was my experience..
• How did your tummy feel after the surgery? 
> Not really. I only felt the stiches, if I touched/pressed on them, or if I bent down too much. I had my surgery at 3 PM, around 7 PM my wife helped me walk a bit on the hallway. By 11 PM I was walking by myself doing laps .
The one thing I did feel is the gas pain, that was somewhat uncomfortable, 2 days post, it's almost all gone.
• Did you have to have a drain? > No drain. Incisions are super tiny.
• How long did you have to be on clear fluids after the surgery?
> 4 days on Clear Liquids (Water, crystal Light, Gatorade Zero, Broth)
Then 3 days on Clear Protein liquids (Gatorade Zero Protein, Protein Water, etc)
Then on to regular liquid diet (Protein shakes, broth, liquified soupds, etc)
HOWEVER, every surgeon has their own playbook, you'll have to follow yours.
• Did you prefer cold, room temperature, or warm fluids?
> I am drinking cold water (with and without Crystal Light) and gold Gatorade Zero. Bt the warm chicken Broth is super welcome.

• Sipping. > I use a 1 oz medicine cup. Drank it in 2 sips on the first day, now I can just gulp it. Was told to drink 1 oz every 15 mins. Now I am going wild, and reduced that to 10 mins.. LOL
• Drinking for the first 24 hours?
> You can drink right after you are out of surgery, and sober enough. You don't need to drink, since the IV keeps you hydrated. But, 1 oz of water did wonders for the gas issue. I would wake with pain, drink 1 oz, and walk around, go to sleep, rinse and repeat.
Having said that the day after surgery, I had the leak test X-Ray, and I couldn't drink anything after 12 AM that day.
• How did you sleep in the first week? > Using a recliner. It's easier to get on/off..
Anyways, congrats on taking this step, you'll do great!

1. Could you feel your stomach? No, not really. I felt the incisions, but honestly there was so much gas that I didn't feel anything. I worried about this too, especially as I started to drink my liquids, but it was fine. I did feel my stomach about three weeks post-op as the nerves re-grew, but it truly wasn't even pain, just sort of "what on earth is that sensation..." Now I'm fine and doing sit-ups and tuck-ups and kip swings off a bar and bracing for heavy weight lifting no problem. I never took any of the serious pain drugs, and only needed 4-5 doses of Tylenol the first week.
2. Did you have a drain? No. There was a tiny bit of discharge from the largest incision (where they withdraw the stomach), but only for one day.
3. How long on clear fluids? Not at all. I was started on full liquids literally in the hospital. I had to have one day of clear fluids pre-op in order to clear my system so they could see what was going on.
4. Cold, tepid, or warm fluids? At first, tepid or warm fluids felt better. Cold ones were a shock. Now I can drink whatever (8 weeks out).
5. Sipping? I took trepidatious little sips in the hospital. By the time I got home later that day (I didn't even stay overnight), I was taking small but normal sips, at least 3/4 ounce. By three weeks out I was able to take nice little gulps. Now, 8 weeks out, if I want to (if I've been running, f.ex.) I can take 3-4 real gulps in a row.
6. Can't drink for the first 24 hours? Absolute b*llocks. I literally was handed a tray with broth, unsweetened cranberry juice, and cream of rice as soon as I was transferred from the recovery room to my hospital room. That said, I did have dry mouth even drinking. Get you a thing of Biotene at any drugstore and spray it in your mouth. It's the weirdest sensation but it helps immensely.
7. sleeping? I spent the first night on my back because I would have to wriggle a bit to get on my side. I went back to side sleeping on Night Two. Oddly, as I've shrunk (down 51 lbs from surgery weight) I feel more comfortable sleeping on my back despite having been a side sleeper for decades.