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Surgery is NEXT MONDAY! What should I expect?!



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Hi! I'm getting sleeved NEXT FRIGGIN MONDAY and I'm very nervous and excited! I'm currently wondering what I should not only pack/bring, but also, what to expect once I wake up?

I already know, everyone is different & it depends on a lot of different factors, however, I'm still wanting to know what to expect to get an idea & hear others experiences!

Plus, it gives me something to read and look forward to while I continuously convince myself why I shouldn't cheat. (2 week pre-op diet & I haven't cheated)

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I am day 3 post-op sleeve so I can tell you how it went for me. I packed, PJs, robe, slippers, some toiletries and my phone and earphones. I used very little of it except my phone with headphones, I downloaded some audiobooks and they were a good distraction. I didn't even use my robe because I only walked around my room. I woke up from surgery in a lot of pain, mostly hurt to breathe. I spent most of the day in recovery with them trying to get my pain under control. I'll be honest that scared me a lot but by that night I was doing much better. I was pretty out of it with the pain meds, I slept and only got up to use the restroom. By the next morning I was doing much better, still pretty sore and taking a decent amount of pain drugs but I came home and rested most of that day. Yesterday I only had to take a half dose of pain meds in the morning and then I took some before bed last night. I'm sore and I get a decent amount of gas pain when I drink but I have found warm liquids are going down better. I had some gas pain and first bowel movement pain last night but all manageable. This morning I took half a dose of pain meds again and overall I feel pretty good. Less discomfort then yesterday and liquids are going down easier. I have been doing a few chores this morning around the house, keeping things slow and taking breaks to drink and not push to hard. I haven't been hungry at all except I will say my husband made popcorn yesterday afternoon and the smell trigger a salty/crunchy craving, I made some broth and that seemed to work for me and I was fine. Good luck, I know for me I am glad to be on this side of things, preop was tough and now I am relieved to finally be working through the stages

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Don't cheat because it's for your safety!

I tricked myself into thinking that if I cheated during my preop that my liver would not shrink and the surgeon would nick my liver and I'd die on the operating table.... now that is probably not true, but that fear scared me into staying on track.

For the my experience with the surgery...

The 4 days in the hospital were pretty miserable because your tummy gets sore, nausea, and being in a hospital is never fun. But the recovery was pretty quick and painless once I got home.

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I took one of my own pillows and under clothes everything else was provided except your favorite books or even coloring stuff. Be prepared to stick to the diet to the letter after surgery if you don't you can get complications I've had a post-surgical yeast infection of the systemic variety. Now I have an ulcer I'm dealing with and it also means almost constant nausea inability to eat anything except much and even just a few bites of that and stomach pain and discomfort so if your doctor says liquids for a week that's what you do if he says purees for 2 weeks that's what you do.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using the BariatricPal App

That was except MUSHY stuff.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using the BariatricPal App

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The worst thing for me was the leak test the next morning (an AWFUL TASTE). I was a bit loopy for the first day, then I was walking around the ward floor 2-3 times a day - VERY SLOWLY.

What to pack: 1- a Positive Attitude, 2- a loose fitting warmup suit for the trip home, 3- something to read and something to listen to, 4- COMFORTABLE SHOES. I made a travel bag of stuff that I never even opened - pack LIGHT and be EXCITED for the New Life you are about to enter into!

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Take chapstick! Even though I had iv my mouth and lips were dry and that was a life saver! And warm liquids go down way better. If they offer you Decaf coffee or hot broth, take advantage of it!

HW 285.8 SW 272.8 CW 264.6 GW 140 Sleeved 11/23

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I get pretty bad anesthesia hangovers. Honestly it probably took me 3 or 4 days to feel completely awake afterwards. All I really used out of what I packed were slipper socks, my pillows, a heating pad and gas X strips. You will probably be sleeping most of the day after your surgery and most of us get sent home the next day. Make sure you have non constricting clothes like sweatpants to wear home because your stomach will be sore.

I had some pain upon first waking but that was quickly dealt with and some nausea the first night. They changed my nausea med and I went back to sleep. Honestly the gas pain was probably the worst but didn't last longer than a few hours. I did fall asleep on the toilet on and off for a couple of hours when they told me I needed to pee or get a catheter, lol. I was NOT having a catheter so I just sat there fading in and out until it came out.

I always wake up feeling totally awful after surgery but that's just my own personal reaction to being put under. My husband stayed overnight with me and the staff at the hospital was super helpful and on top of all of my problems.

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I was sleeved 12/16/16 and had read all these things people packed and did bring a bit too much because of everything I read. All I used was my slippers, toothbrush, face wipe at night, extension cord to keep my phone plugged it and my iPad. I used one or 2 Gasx strips but really would have been ok without. I feel I was extremely fortunate in that I was up and walking a few hours after recover and had literally no pain from that first day not even incision pain so yes everyone is different. I felt nauseous once the next morning when I was getting dressed to leave so got some meds in my IV. Now about 17 days post and can eat 6-7 oz creamy Soups with Protein powder in about 15 mins which seems more than the few bites some people mention so makes me wonder if left too much stomach! I have only thrown up once from Restaurant lobster bisque being too rich.

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Now about 17 days post and can eat 6-7 oz creamy Soups with Protein powder in about 15 mins which seems more than the few bites some people mention so makes me wonder if left too much stomach!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This will definitely change once you move to solids. I was also confused by how much I could get down at first but once I started on purees a few bites was more than enough!

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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