Where Are My April 2012 Sleevers?

[JanetF 4]

I am 8 days postop and I still have pain with my left incision. The doctor told me that the incision on my left side is the one used to exit my removed stomach. So, I think it will take longer to heal than the others.

That's really interesting. I have far more pain in my right incision than in the others, although they are all still bruised (5 days post-op, stitches out today), so I asked my surgeon which one he had taken the stomach out of (thinking it would either be the left one, having read your post or the right one, where I have the pain) and he said it was the tummy button one!

[JanetF 4]

I got my staples out Tuesday...it was a huge relief. They were causing a little bit of a reaction too. My skin was red and puffy, but no infection or anything, you could tell it was some sort of contact dermatitis.

I go Monday to get these dang staples out. They itch lol. Im soooo excited abt this journey. No backsteps wanted lol

Interesting that so many people seem to have had staples rather than stitches. After my gall bladder was removed laparoscopically a couple of years back, three of the incision scars all but disappeared, but the other two turned keloid, so this time round the surgeon used the sort of stitches done from under the skin that they use for cosmetic surgery in the hope that these new scars will heal fully and not turn keloid. Fingers crossed that the strategy will be successful!

[~Stephanie~ 3]

I don't have stitches or staples, i just have steri strips...also my stomach was removed from top center, right around my breast bone.

[JanetF 4]

Hi, all you April sleevers! Just a quick update on how things went. I went in on Tuesday morning at 10am, was down in the operating theatre at 1pm and finally got back to my room at 8pm, having had a few problems in the recovery room. I wasn't the only one with problems there, though, as I power-vomited blood all over a poor nurse - ugh!

After that, everything went smoothly apart from problems with the IV - I got oedema in my arm, so it had to come out (the IV, not the arm!), then trying to find an alternative spot for it defeated six doctors, nurses and even the chap they called up from the OR, so finally they called the chief anaesthetist, who was clearly not prepared to be embarrassed in front of his colleagues and after a great deal of trouble finally managed to get it in, only for there to be problems with it later that night, so it had to come out permanently. My poor arms and hands look like black and blue pincushions!

Having learned the 'sip, sip, sip, walk, walk, walk' lesson from everybody here, I walked as soon as I could, but the gas pain was still horrible and hung around for several days. I had a few bad nights, too, waking up after nightmares with a tremendous diagonal headache, but now the only pain is in my tummy when I get up or move around and in the right incision pretty much all the time.

I have taken no diabetes meds since the day before the op and since Thursday my blood glucose levels have been at non-diabetic levels - miraculous! No blood pressure meds yet, either, but although my BP is at the low end of normal at the moment, I may have to restart those once I start getting back to my normal life until I have lost weight. Speaking of which, I got over-optimistic and when one of the nurses asked if I would like to weigh myself, I jumped at the chance, only to find that I was 2.75 kg (6 pounds) heavier than when I was weighed on Monday! So four days of eating nothing and a huge part of my stomach removed (and I have the photos to prove the size of the beast!) and I was heavier?! They said there could be lots of reasons - the glucose in then IV, the gas, different scales, the body's reaction to the surgery 'attack', sod's law or a mixture of them all. Either way, I'm going to follow the surgeon's advice and resist weighing myself again until things are more settled, by which point I should have a decent loss to enjoy.

Speaking of the photos, they are fantastic! I gave my iPhone to one of the scrub nurses, who I suspect is moonlighting from his day job as a photographer. He took loads of photos and a couple of short videos at the crucial stages and a few of the removed part of the stomach, with a measuring tape in both metric and imperial to show its incredible size. I'm so glad I asked the surgeon if it would be OK! They are going to let me have a DVD of the operation, too, so there's this year's Christmas present problems solved!!!

As for diet, that's one of the things that's been so interesting on here - there seem to be almost as many post-op diets as there are bariatric surgons. I am on clear fluids for 10 days, then full fluids for another 10 days, then puréed food for a week, then mashed food for at least a month. It's certainly a slow return to 'real' food, but if it protects my new stomach and I'm losing weight, I'm happy!

I was discharged today, five days post-op, and am staying with a friend until Friday, as I live on my own and wasn't sure if I would be OK on my own straightaway. In the event, I am pretty sure that would have been fine, but she and her two little ones wanted me to come, so here I am. I have my first follow-up appointment on Thursday and will also have a stomach X-ray to check that all is well internally.

So having promised a quick update, this has been anything but quick, but anyway, that's how things have gone. Wishing everyone a fast, smooth recovery!

[arj1016 57]

Hi' date=' all you April sleevers! Just a quick update on how things went. I went in on Tuesday morning at 10am, was down in the operating theatre at 1pm and finally got back to my room at 8pm, having had a few problems in the recovery room. I wasn't the only one with problems there, though, as I power-vomited blood all over a poor nurse - ugh!

After that, everything went smoothly apart from problems with the IV - I got oedema in my arm, so it had to come out (the IV, not the arm!), then trying to find an alternative spot for it defeated six doctors, nurses and even the chap they called up from the OR, so finally they called the chief anaesthetist, who was clearly not prepared to be embarrassed in front of his colleagues and after a great deal of trouble finally managed to get it in, only for there to be problems with it later that night, so it had to come out permanently. My poor arms and hands look like black and blue pincushions!

Having learned the 'sip, sip, sip, walk, walk, walk' lesson from everybody here, I walked as soon as I could, but the gas pain was still horrible and hung around for several days. I had a few bad nights, too, waking up after nightmares with a tremendous diagonal headache, but now the only pain is in my tummy when I get up or move around and in the right incision pretty much all the time.

I have taken no diabetes meds since the day before the op and since Thursday my blood glucose levels have been at non-diabetic levels - miraculous! No blood pressure meds yet, either, but although my BP is at the low end of normal at the moment, I may have to restart those once I start getting back to my normal life until I have lost weight. Speaking of which, I got over-optimistic and when one of the nurses asked if I would like to weigh myself, I jumped at the chance, only to find that I was 2.75 kg (6 pounds) heavier than when I was weighed on Monday! So four days of eating nothing and a huge part of my stomach removed (and I have the photos to prove the size of the beast!) and I was heavier?! They said there could be lots of reasons - the glucose in then IV, the gas, different scales, the body's reaction to the surgery 'attack', sod's law or a mixture of them all. Either way, I'm going to follow the surgeon's advice and resist weighing myself again until things are more settled, by which point I should have a decent loss to enjoy.

Speaking of the photos, they are fantastic! I gave my iPhone to one of the scrub nurses, who I suspect is moonlighting from his day job as a photographer. He took loads of photos and a couple of short videos at the crucial stages and a few of the removed part of the stomach, with a measuring tape in both metric and imperial to show its incredible size. I'm so glad I asked the surgeon if it would be OK! They are going to let me have a DVD of the operation, too, so there's this year's Christmas present problems solved!!!

As for diet, that's one of the things that's been so interesting on here - there seem to be almost as many post-op diets as there are bariatric surgons. I am on clear fluids for 10 days, then full fluids for another 10 days, then puréed food for a week, then mashed food for at least a month. It's certainly a slow return to 'real' food, but if it protects my new stomach and I'm losing weight, I'm happy!

I was discharged today, five days post-op, and am staying with a friend until Friday, as I live on my own and wasn't sure if I would be OK on my own straightaway. In the event, I am pretty sure that would have been fine, but she and her two little ones wanted me to come, so here I am. I have my first follow-up appointment on Thursday and will also have a stomach X-ray to check that all is well internally.

So having promised a quick update, this has been anything but quick, but anyway, that's how things have gone. Wishing everyone a fast, smooth recovery![/quote']

Keep up the good work! I wish I had photos of my surgery! You sound like you are in good spirits as well! Congratulation on your journey!

[JanetF 4]

Keep up the good work! I wish I had photos of my surgery! You sound like you are in good spirits as well! Congratulation on your journey!

Thanks ever so much, Arj1016! Yes, I am feeling in remarkably good spirits and have felt like this pretty much since the operation. Having had so many health hassles in the run-up, including a few really medically panicky ones just the week before, I was just so tremendously relieved to have made it to the operating table that I am slightly concerned that this is just a post-op euphoric high and that it will be followed by a correspondingly low 'down'. I hope not!

Getting the photos and videos done was such a god idea, even if most of my friends are too squeamish to want to see them! It really is fascinating to see the process and the removed section of the stomach is amazing!

After so many years of fighting the idea of bariatric surgery whenever it was suggested by my endocrinologists, I have been surprised at just how totally, utterly and completely certain I am now that it was the right thing to do. I'm not expecting it to be smooth sailing the whole way, but my fingers are firmly crossed and I have no doubt whatsoever that this was the best thing I could possibly have done at this stage in my life, body and career.

How are you feeling after all your troubles at the start? I hope you are feeling much, much better by now.

All the very best,

Janet

[THYCK747 36]

Staples come out today whoot whoot!

[Carly 56]

I know you are happy about that. I don't have staples, but I did with my c-sections. You'll feel so much more normal.

[THYCK747 36]

I know you are happy about that. I don't have staples' date=' but I did with my c-sections. You'll feel so much more normal. [/quote']

Yes Iam...these bad boys are a tad bit irritating. I appreciate them though. I also will weigh in for the first time since my surgery.

[Isabel'sGma 18]

This is a suggestion to anyone who is a hard stick for an IV. Talk to your Dr/Hospital team about having a PIC Line placed prior to surgery. It is a short procedure that places a line in that can have blood drawn from it and you can receive all meds through it with absolutely no trouble. It is a one stick procedure that can save all the pain and bruising that JanetF experienced.

I had one during a previous hospitalization and the guy who had to stick me three times for my Upper Endoscopy suggested would be a good idea to the surgeon and he was all for it.

Simple procedure, great to not have to be poked numerous times.

[JanetF 4]

This is a suggestion to anyone who is a hard stick for an IV. Talk to your Dr/Hospital team about having a PIC Line placed prior to surgery. It is a short procedure that places a line in that can have blood drawn from it and you can receive all meds through it with absolutely no trouble. It is a one stick procedure that can save all the pain and bruising that JanetF experienced.

Simple procedure, great to not have to be poked numerous times.

Hi, Isabel'sGma! Thanks for the suggestion. I have had problems time and time again with IVs. When I was in hospital with pneumonia in February, I got oedema in one arm from the IV and then a small blood clot where they placed the replacement IV in the other arm. That aside, it always takes them forever to find a vein to start with, as mine are deep and narrow, and I bruise easily and impressively!

So thanks for the suggestion and I will definitely ask for a PIC line in the future.

[Tamig078 25]

Tomorrow is the day!!! Just waiting for the hospital to call with the time I can't wait

[RMS 64]

Good luck tomorrow.

Sent from my iPhone using VST

[kiki19 16]

I am 14 days out, and today, I started soft foods....my list states, any of the Clear Liquids, yogurt, cream Soups, cottage cheese, low fat cheese, smashed Beans, applesauce, egg whites or egg substitutes, some soft canned veges like squash or green beans, carrots, peas. Still no fresh veges or fruits or meats or pnut butter for two more weeks, which will put me at week 5 and 6. I can also have Tomato soup(no more than 8 oz a day). Oh, yeah, and mashed potatoes. So I had 1/2 kentucky fried chicken mashed pots and gravy for lunch, and then I had the other half with a spoonful of black-eyed peas. I think hummus is also on my list. I am so psyched about having real food. I also made a squash casserole with canned squash, cottage cheese, two egg whites, salt and pepper, and sprinkled with cheddar cheese.

[THYCK747 36]

Down 16lbs in 10 days! Staples are OUT!