I've had two previous major surgeries - and both times I was like a zombie for at least 6 hours after they put me in my room. I've heard that they make you get up and walk pretty quickly, which helps with gas and blood clots. I totally get that...but if I'm not mentally aware, I'm a little afraid of not being able to understand what they need me to do - or worse: falling.

Can y'all describe how this was handled for your surgeries? I'm thinking maybe I just don't understand the process. (And yes, I'll be asking my doc when I see him for pre-op as well!)

For my sleeve surgery, I slept for quite a while after surgery and didn't get out of the hospital bed for hours. Essentially, the nurses asked me to let them know when I was ready and they'd escort me around the nurses station on my walk. I ended up getting out of bed maybe 2 hours after I finally was alert and it went really well. I did laps off and on all night in the hospital (I'd slept really well under anesthesia and wasn't tired at all!), and they finally stopped bothering to escort me once it was clear that I was not going to fall. It was a very positive experience. Good luck!

ETA: Also, I had no gas pains at all, so I was really just walking because it was required as a discharge criteria and because my tailbone really started to hurt in the hospital bed after a while. I couldn't find a comfy position on my back after 3 hours so walking help to relieve that a bit.

I've had two previous major surgeries - and both times I was like a zombie for at least 6 hours after they put me in my room. I've heard that they make you get up and walk pretty quickly, which helps with gas and blood clots. I totally get that...but if I'm not mentally aware, I'm a little afraid of not being able to understand what they need me to do - or worse: falling. Can y'all describe how this was handled for your surgeries? I'm thinking maybe I just don't understand the process. (And yes, I'll be asking my doc when I see him for pre-op as well!)

They didn't make me walk. But I was required to walk twice before they would take the cath out. When they got me to my room I laid down and slept for a couple hours. When I woke up I decided to walk around for 30 mins. I came back to my room, slept for two hours, munched on some ice chips and walked again for 30 mins. I found that after walking the first time that it made a big difference in the level of gas pain I had. So it encouraged me to walk a lot and often inbetween me sleeping.

This is the craziest thing, but compared to my other big surgeries, this was a piece of cake. I was up and walking in less than 2 hours from being brought back to my room.

I was the earliest to walk of everyone on my floor, but I may have just been lucky. Either way, I went in expecting the worst and instead was very pleasantly surprised.

Cath? As in...catheter???? Does everyone have to have those? Holy crap...that seriously freaks me out. I've never had to have one before.

Nope, I didn't have one.

I didnt have a catheter. so, i was very happy to get up for a short time to use the bathroom a couple hours after surgery. after that i started my laps around the nurses station about every hour.

I was sleeved on 11/13 at 2:00 pm. I was wheeled to my room at aprox 4:30. I did not have a catheter and immediately had to use the rest room. I was given the option of bed pan or walk. I chose to walk.

I had someone help me get up and made it to the bathroom. I them ambled back to bed for a few hours and then was able to get up and use the bathroom independently and made it a point to walk every time I had to use the bathroom.

I had gas and it was painful. The walking helped out a lot. I got to know the other patients as I did my laps.

There was no question I was ready to go home when I could walk, use the restroom, get dressed and not use much of the pain meds.

I can't lie... It hurts. It's major surgery, but I knew what to expect and muddled through it.

You can do this! Hope for the best, prepare for the worst...

Best of luck to you. You will be home resting and healing in no time.

Cath? As in...catheter???? Does everyone have to have those? Holy crap...that seriously freaks me out. I've never had to have one before.

Yup. I had one. They put it in after I was knocked out for surgery. So it wasn't a big deal. Taking it out I had some slight pressure. But seriously, it wasn't anything to be nervous about.

I've had a catheter several times and they really are no big deal. No pain involved with them. You probably will have pain from the surgery so the cath will be absolutely nothing!!!

I was up and walking maybe 45 minutes after I got back to my room, but that was my choice. The nurses told me that they start encouraging the sleeve patients to walk a couple of hours after surgery if they haven't already (but I don't get the impression that they would drag anyone out of bed and force them to walk). The first couple of times I got up and walked the hall they had a nurse right with me, holding on to me, to make sure I didn't fall, get tied up in the IV lines, etc. It was fine.

I'm pre-op but I've had several surgeries. I'm most worried about post op nausea. I've had a catheter (in fact, came home with one a few years ago) and it's not that big of a deal. You won't know it goes in. My doc says it will be similar to my gallbladder as far as the pain. That was not bad at all. The fatigue and diet issues will be much harder but otherwise, I'm hoping I do well. The more you get up, the easier it gets -at least from prior surgeries.

Keep in mind also for the most part when we go for this surgery we are not sick and since most of us have been preparing with diet and exercise our bodies are pretty healthy so your bounce back will be quicker, I had surgery on a Wed up and walking with hubby couple hours after and went home about 24 hours after. By sunday most of my gas pain was gone, other than tummy being a bit tender I felt great

For nausea, request the patch prior to surgery. It lasts for three days. Also, if the narcotics make you ill, ask for nausea medicine at the same time you receive them.

I have been very ill with c sections and not a second of nausea with the above precautions.

Good luck! It was my fear as well..

For nausea, request the patch prior to surgery. It lasts for three days. Also, if the narcotics make you ill, ask for nausea medicine at the same time you receive them.

I have been very ill with c sections and not a second of nausea with the above precautions.

Good luck! It was my fear as well..

I was up and walking later that same day. My surgery was at 7 in the morning and I was walki g by 8 pm. My doctor used a catheter as well but luckily I was unconscious when they put it in. Good luck to you!