WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN EVERYONE SAYS........

[ursieursie 1]

Almost every post I read, and nearly everyone I talk to who has had the sleeve, will say.....3 to 4 days after the sleeve will be real tough!!! Can anyone explain to me what to expect????? I know not everyone is the same, and all will experience different things, but Im asking about the average. Plz explain and tell me what to expect immediately after surgery. Sorry guys...I know Im a real pain!

[shordee0751 0]

I am wondering the same thing....my surgery is Monday morning. Excited but scared!

[Rootman 1,101]

Mine was mostly nausea and a general feeling of malaise, not much pain though. I was constipated and my stomach made a lot of weird noises nearly all the time. I was fatigued and could barely choke down a thing and could not drink much at all. I nearly threw up just once or twice be thankfully never did. Parts of it could be blamed on the anesthesia, the other on the surgery itself as the body directs most of it's energies to healing the recent "wound", you also might start to get into what is called ketosis ( read more here ). This leaves a funny taste in your mouth and perhaps an odd smell. You will probably feel like crap and wish you hadn't done it. It passes in a few weeks or a month and you get to feel better.

[Foxbins 625]

In contrast to a lot of people, I had no nausea or vomiting and very little pain; the pain I did have was mostly from the CO2 gas from surgery that made my neck and left shoulder ache. A heating pad helped but it was nothing that I couldn't handle even without the heating pad. I slept all of the first day, most of the second, and about half the third day post-op. It's true I couldn't drink much either, but I wasn't hungry and I didn't really want anything to eat or drink until the 4th day. My stomach also made growling, gurgling noises and I burped after every sip the first three weeks. I felt tired after I was up a few hours and took an afternoon nap most every day the first two weeks. After that I seemed to bounce back pretty good.

[iegal 460]

If you haven't ever had surgery before then you might not understand. Nothing like a c-section, heck I would do VSG over a c-section anyday. I did this surgery as an outpatient procedure so I did not have a nurse standing over me 24 hours a day like many report. Every person is different and feels different after surgery.

So what can you know will be true? You need to prepare yourself that you will not be back to "normal" practices that first week. Life will be different emotionally and physically. Hormones change, your appitite changes and your energy level will change. For several days you won't be jumping up thinking "okay - off to Target for kids to purchase a bday present that your son needs today by 11AM. Next while out I will grab a combo meal at McDonalds before I must grocery shop for dinner party tonight." What you will be thinking is possibly - "Yikes, why did I do this? Why am I so tired? Ugh, no I don't want to drink anything. Walk around again? Was that my stomach making that noise?"

Any minor discomfort, disruption in nomal routines, emotional meltdown was 100% worth it. I have no regrets on being sleeved.

[sarsar 824]

I am almost 5 weeks post op and I am also one who didn't have any pain or nausea. I didn't even have the gas pain that a lot of people talk about from having your stomach pumped up with gas. I felt like I had done a really hard ab workout but it wasn't painful. I was up and walking a couple hours after surgery. I didn't have any pain by my drain site. I'm not saying that I didn't feel anything at all but what I did feel wasn't painful .I also haven't been nauseated at all since surgery. That is something I was really scared of so I am very thankful it didn't happen! I have been eating slowly so I haven't felt nauseated from eating either. I haven't once questioned why I did this to myself.

Since the surgery I have been doing well. I get tired out more than usual but I have quite a bit of energy. I rest when I need to and try not to over do it. I am not supposed to be lifting heavy things for the first 6 weeks. This has been the biggest adjustment for me. I am used lifting and bending and pulling most things myself so having to get the family to help with these things and not being able to just get it done myself has been the hardest part.

Everyone has different reactions after surgery. This was my first surgery and I didn't know what to expect. It wasn't bad at all for me and I hope you will have a great experience like I did!

[RickM 1,753]

My difficult time was the first part of the second week, when my GI couldn't decide if I should have diarrhea from the liquid/soft diet or Constipation from the pain meds. Before that I was already outpacing my wife on our walkies. I was also another one who never had any problems with nausea - never took any of the anti-nausea meds that they prescribed - or vomiting, despite early experiments with solid foods.

[kpbrighton 1]

I have PAIN in 2 sites...only nausea when I tried to take my prescription meds or my Vitamins and I did throw up twice from the vitamins. I don't regret it - but can't wait for my drain to go and to feel better....

[MegInNOLA 531]

For me, it was more difficult getting over the effects of the anesthesia--I felt awful, not because I was in pain, but because I was depressed, sluggish, seriously irritable, etc. My husband told me on several occasions that I didn't have any expression on my face at all, and I am sure I didn't--I felt exhausted and really, really mad at everyone and everything. I am normally a very good-natured person, so this was really different for me. As the effects of the anesthesia wore off, my mood improved, and I was fine. I was also worried that I wasn't going to be able to "do" the postop diet, which turned out to be true, but as in most cases, time helped, my body healed, and I figured out through trial and error what would work. It was a good decision that I'm glad I made, but I actually had serious regrets for the first month or so until my body kind of calmed down and I found a workable routine.

It's all okay. Just be prepared that nothing will be like you think it will be. Flexibility is a virtue. And you can definitely deal with it, I'm 100% sure of that.

GOOD LUCK! See you on the losers' bench in just a few.

Meg

[Disney 20]

I also have not had any nausea at all, which I am very thankful for. That is the worst feeling and I was really worried about it after reading posts on here about it. I had minimal pain when sitting up from lying down for a few days, but nothing bad. I feel lucky to have had such an easy recovery. I guess the main thing I remember from the first couple weeks was being tired. Probably from just sitting around doing nothing!!

I hope you have an easy recovery. Just take it easy on yourself!

[purplepeace79 0]

Hi!

I am 4 days post op and I get better every day

The first 2 days in the hospital, I slept most of the time. I had some bouts with nausea, but that was from drinking too much too fast.

I've had 2 prior abdominal surgery. I had a c-section and appendectomy, so I was prepared for the recovery.

I just came in from my first at home walk and it fatigued me. I was breathing heavy, but I walked.

Going to keep at it daily

I had the gas struggle but they gave my gas pills

Passing gas on my own was such a relief though, whew! lol

It gets better day by day, for me at least.

Everyone has a different experience.

I don't regret it at all!... yet lol

[ybnormal 21]

I am almost 5 weeks post op and I am also one who didn't have any pain or nausea. I didn't even have the gas pain that a lot of people talk about from having your stomach pumped up with gas. I felt like I had done a really hard ab workout but it wasn't painful. I was up and walking a couple hours after surgery. I didn't have any pain by my drain site. I'm not saying that I didn't feel anything at all but what I did feel wasn't painful .I also haven't been nauseated at all since surgery. That is something I was really scared of so I am very thankful it didn't happen! I have been eating slowly so I haven't felt nauseated from eating either. I haven't once questioned why I did this to myself.

Since the surgery I have been doing well. I get tired out more than usual but I have quite a bit of energy. I rest when I need to and try not to over do it. I am not supposed to be lifting heavy things for the first 6 weeks. This has been the biggest adjustment for me. I am used lifting and bending and pulling most things myself so having to get the family to help with these things and not being able to just get it done myself has been the hardest part.

Everyone has different reactions after surgery. This was my first surgery and I didn't know what to expect. It wasn't bad at all for me and I hope you will have a great experience like I did!

I was next door to Sarah and I had a harder time. I was very very sick but that's pretty normal for me after anesthesia. Once that subsided, yes I was in, not PAIN, but more discomfort. I walked a lot, mostly outside to smoke, but it's still walking, right? lol After that first night (which I remember very little of to be honest) I was ok...I think. I remember very little of my time in Mexico, just fuzzy memories but I know I wasn't in pain pain, like I said, just sore like I'd been doing sit-ups. You will need to move a bit slowly at first, but trust me your body will let you know that. The hardest part is drinking. You have to but you may not want to.

Renee`

[myrori 55]

Day one all I remember is waking up, pushing the button for pain and going back to sleep.

Toward the end of Day 2 they took that pain pump away and then I had an attack of some sort, it was like huge pressure up under my diaphram. I felt like I was having a galbladder attact, but I don't have one.

I called the nurse and told her something was very wrong the pressure just kept buiding, I insisted she call the doc and get the pain meds back! At that point in time there was no way I could swallow anything because of the pain and pressure, The doc okd a iv shot of meds and that relaxed me a bit then came a coughing spell and a huge amount of gas came up and out,, What relief! The next day I felt much better but it felt like someone had punced the heck out my rib cage.

That was the worst time for me from the surgery, I never had nausea or vomiting ever! Not even when advancing my diet. Day 4 I went out to an auction and sat there for 5 hours. I was a little tired but not so much that it stopped me from doing things.

[MrsPositive 5]

I did a post under the preop heading and the topic is post op day 9 update. Check that out. I'm now on day 11 and I'm still having some abd pain but it is just like a muscle spasm. I hope the post helps you. It is sooo worth it. I have lost a total of 33 pounds..17 preop, 16 post op. Joan