Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

What’s Your Worst Post-Op Memory (or Fear)?



Recommended Posts

1) Being sick especially just after surgery. Didn't happen until week four, when I wanted to increase my meals and added an extra ounce to my 2oz of salmon and then threw it up. Must.Listen.To.My.Sleeve!! Not been sick since.

2) Constipation (can't stand tea anymore). I have always had a problem with BM's, even as a child. My normal routine is twice a week and it's that now but with having to take Duculax the night before. I am hoping that when I can increase my veg and fruits I will be able to give this up.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a very easy band surgery and recovery. That said, the worst part was the gas pains in the shoulders post op. I headed off Constipation successfully with prune juice. My first stuck episode scared the heck out of me with all the phlegm and sweating. I would do it all again in a second.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Worst post-op memory...post-op pain. But it wasn't that bad and today I can't even recall how much pain there was. That tells me it wasn't so bad.

Worst post-op fear...that this band thing wouldn't work. That I would be getting stuck and throwing up all the time. Fortunately, this was a fear that didn't come to pass. I lost all my excess weight and no stuck issues...but I have to know when to stop. One bite too many and I'm not a happy camper for sure.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My worst fear was pre-op. I was afraid that I'd wake up from surgery only to find out that it was cancelled.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm not afraid of the surgery, as a Nurse I'm ok with it but crazy as it is my big fear is people guessing I had surgery!

I'm a private person and have only and will only tell my partner so I really don't want others knowing.

As for Constipation ask your Dr if Miralax is an option, it works well and is over the counter.

Or I always give my hospital patients who are post op and constipated from not only surgery but meds like morphine my concoction! It's equal parts prune juice and OJ mixed and warmed.

It never fails to do the trick!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a poor experience at the hospital with the day shift nurse the day after surgery. First thing, she didn't do an assessment on me. Another thing, she frequently "forgot" it was time for my scheduled pain and nausea meds. My IV fluids became inconvenient for her so she saline locked my IV. Every time she pushed my meds she didn't do it over the required period of time and it always felt like a a fire cracker going off in the vein (probably a small clot or sheath being dislodged at the end of the cannula). And coming back to not being assessed, my husband had to leave at one point to tend to our pets, so I was left alone for a bit. I had had my catheter removed during surgery, so I was being ambulated to urinate. I called for assistance and no one responded. I couldn't get up on my own. I felt helpless and horrible. finally 45 minutes later the nurse walked in with my (late) pain medication. I told her I had to pee and she looked at me like I was dumb and said "but you have a catheter in". I told her that was news to me. It made me question what she documented in her nurses notes if she assumed I still had a catheter in. I also was not ambulated or given an incentive spirometer or shown how to brace my incisions when I coughed. I was lucky I am a nurse and already knew to do these things. I had an excellent surgeon and surgery team but a crappy hospital to have surgery in. To add insult to injury they keep sending me bills for outrageous amounts (the first one was 75,000 dollars). They said "oh, just ignore the bills, we have to send them but you don't owe anything", but now I have a creditor calling me saying I owe. I will never go to this hospital again.

Everything else has been aces, I just hate that my hospital experience was so bad.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Other than the world's worst GERD? The pain medicine administered through the IV. I have never been so nauseated in my life. At least before I could've surrendered and vomited. In the hospital I was just stuck with it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Luckily my surgeon believes in nerve blockers so I had almost no pain post duodenal switch. Unfortunately, when I was given Lovenox (a blood thinner) they found out I have a bleeding disorder so I bled heavily for four days. Three transfusions of blood and two transfusions of plasma did the trick. I currently am still experiencing vomiting but it is due to my stomach's aversion to Protein (meat mainly).

I would not change it for the world.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was scared that I would be intolerant of my favorite flavors and would be condemned to the land of the bland forever. However as I experimented adding spices to my Soups I was overjoyed to realize that everything still tasted good and the sleeve didn't care. I have even been able to add pizza back into the mix, albeit very little and chewed 40 times before swallowing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

dying on the operating table. But then I noticed a week or so before I went into surgery that the surgeon's office had scheduled my two-week, three-month, and six-month post-op appointments. So they evidently expected me to survive! After that, I was OK with it...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

going bald...

....hair is thinning quite a bit.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Awesome. Walmart is even closer to us! Thanks again!

@@VanessaVSGforme I get mine at Walmart

Just in the tea/coffee aisle?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fear: I am terrified that I will lose so much weight so quickly that all the Water and excersize wont be able to keep up and i will have loose skin all over the place and having my insurance NOT cover the cost of removal due to it not being medically necessary.

Any tips to avoid this happening other than Water and excersize?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

dying on the operating table. But then I noticed a week or so before I went into surgery that the surgeon's office had scheduled my two-week, three-month, and six-month post-op appointments. So they evidently expected me to survive! After that, I was OK with it...

lol... too funny!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Concerning the Constipation complaint, I've had it too. Miralax and Dulcolax never seemed to work very well for me. On a whim, I drank some straight up apple juice and had a bit of a harsh result. Now that I'm some weeks out, eating about 6 slices of apple, daily and with peel, seems to keep me in good shape.

I know some cannot tolerate peels well. so consider a small amount to test and/or talk to your doc/nutritionist.

Edited by no onions

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×