Hey all, I am preop and am one of those who really wants to know and not be surprised. When I was pregnant, I watched all the horror story videos and asked tons of questions. I am reading lots and lots about:

THE GOOD - losing weight, healthier lives, feeling younger, etc.

THE BAD - gas pains, being hungry, preop diets, postop diet, etc.

What I would LOVE to hear more about is the UGLY. And I would invite the squimish to not read further. Can folks please share the really ugly? I m aware that everyone is very different and nobody is going to have the same experiences or have the same doctor rules. I would still rather hear about all the ugly stuff rather than be surprised. Plus, just maybe, it will help with whatever I do go through to focus on some of the ugly I don't go through.

Some of the UGLY I have heard so far:

Sharts (which still makes me giggle like a 9 year old boy when I say it)

colored pee

shots to the belly to avoid clots

drinking nasty stuff

oozy incisions

naked operations

What else?

No sharts, no gas issues neither cavity or inside tummy, very little to no pain, did have to do 12 days of shots but they are truly nothing. You must manage bowel movements...do not let it go more than a day or two before taking action. Hospital gown does not come off until you are asleep and its back before you wake up. Most of this surgery, in my humble opinion, is all about figuring out what you CAN do.. Can i sneeze without being afraid i will hurt my incision? Can i roll onto my side with no pain? How much can i drink without stretching myunhaled incision too far? Can i wear these jeans for two hours while i run to town? Etc etc.... Just like you, I liked knowing about anything that could possibly happen so that i would know what to do about it. I was one of the lucky ones that breezed through the surgery. Hope you do too!

Are the shots for two weeks standard for everyone?

I only had four of them while I was in the hospital, and they were with the tiniest if tiny needles. No pain at all when they went in, but they do sting a little after about 5 minutes.

Nausea post op! That was the worst for me. When they switched me from morophine to liquid hydrocodone, I had a real tough time getting that down! (But I felt so much better off the Morophine!)

The other ugly part of this for me is the constipation. It sucks, and I have yet to combat that on a regular basis.

I think people have lots of the good, bad, and ugly covered here.

I'd like to add Strange to the list.

I have a heightened sense of smell since surgery. I also sneeze a lot now, my nose will get congested for no reason and tends to run a little. At 11 weeks out, things are mostly normal for me now (minus the constipation). Good luck

A strange for me...

I started sleeping through the night without having to use the restroom. I am not sure if this was because of quitting caffeine...or what. But I used to get up 3-4 times a night to pee. Now I rarely do!

A strange for me...

I started sleeping through the night without having to use the restroom. I am not sure if this was because of quitting caffeine...or what. But I used to get up 3-4 times a night to pee. Now I rarely do!

So true I was just thinking about that too. I usually had to go pee alot. Especially when I started my pre-op diet and I increased my Water intake. Now I don't go as much.

So true I was just thinking about that too. I usually had to go pee alot. Especially when I started my pre-op diet and I increased my Water intake. Now I don't go as much.

It is so weird. I feel like I am sleeping better than I ever have before!

Are the shots for two weeks standard for everyone?

Not for me. I did not have any shots once I left the hosptial.

I wasn't thrilled when I found out I was getting a cathedar, but thankful for it when in the hospital. It wasn't a bother except in my mind. My leak test doesn't seem to be the norm. I was made to lay on a steel bed on my side and turn once. It was not easy laying down or getting up at all, but I made sure to take a shot of the pain meds prior. The taste of the liquid you need to drink is not pleasant either. The only other thing that comes to mind other than that is for about 5 days after surgery I had some spasms right under my ribcage. Again, not ugly, just awkward. They progressively got better and after day 5 were gone completely. I only got the shots in my stomach prior to surgery and the next day. they were not painful at all.

All very small prices to pay, in my opinion.

Good luck!

Are the shots for two weeks standard for everyone?

It was explained to me that the reason I had to do the shots was because of my high bmi

yes i would like to add not only did i have problems with constipation but forgot to mention since surgery my nose runs alot. Not sure y but i seem to always have that wet/runny nose thruout the day. Also i struggled with clogged ears for several weeks after surgery. Best of luck to you

TD41

I dry heaves for the first 24 hours after surgery. NOT what you want to be doing after surgery.

I didn't have any diareha at all but I have had the constipation thing.

Lots and lots of girggling after I eat or drink something.

The foamies and slimies. When you take ne bite too many (or in my case I had a huge gas bubble in my stomach), and your mouth starts watering and uncontrollable swearing and having that feeling you need to throw up. I was able to get the burp up without throwing up and I was fine.

For me, the ugly of uglies was being 5 weeks post op and traveling through the Las Vegas airport. I knew I should eat before my long flight home. I stopped at the airport sandwich shop and ordered a chicken salad, tried to eat it quick, big mistake! Having to Slime, in the airport bathroom was horrifying.

Can you say gross in about a dozen ways! Remember to EAT SLOWLY or else.

I am 5 months out. I was like you, i wanted to know all possibilities so I was prepared. Knock on wood i have not had any of the side effects. No constipation no vomiting no dehyrdration. I take a tsp of metimulcil Twice a day. Its clear and tastless. I put it in my tea.

I woke up in hospital with no tubes all was removed upon me waking up. I had no gas settling pains. Get up and start walking RIGHT away in hospital. Only had the soar incision where stomach is pulled thru. Other then that...this was easy

The only things I can think of was the aspect of being both constipated AND having diarrhea all in the same day. Also not being able to lay out flat sucked.