Dehydration post op

[shan84non 7]

I'm new to these forums, found it in my search for answers on how to cope this first week post op. I had the sleeve done Monday (1/23/17) and was discharged yesterday. My problem is that I received a lot of conflicting information in the hospital. Some said Protein first, must get 60 grams a day at least. Others said Water is #1- even if you can't get all your Protein, make sure you get 6-8 cups of Water. My surgeons nurse told me to listen to my body and stop when I feel full... The problem is that I've felt full the whole time... My mouth gets dry but even 1 sip of anything makes me feel overly full to the point I almost throw up. In the past 2.5 days I've had about 8 oz of water 3 oz of a Protein shake and 1/2 of a sugar free popsicle. I don't know what to do... Maybe it's just that the swelling needs to go down? I don't want to have too much and cause a leak but I also don't want to dehydrate and need to be readmitted. How did you do it and does it get easier?

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[RickM 1,753]

In the intermediate to long term, Protein first is the basic rule to help maintain and prolong our weight loss, however, dehydration will get you back in the hospital a lot quicker than low Protein. Listening to your body is fine when it is sending the right signals, though early on many of those signals aren't there, or we don't recognize them because they may have changed. You may have significant swelling in the stomach post op, which can impede the flow of things going through it - you won't cause a leak by having a bit too much as much as it will just come back up, which is why we just go slowly until we get the hang of things. The usually wind up sip, sip, sipping the day away to get our liquids in - my doc's general rule (and the math works this way, too) is to sip away at a one ounce shot glass or medicine cup of Water every five minutes that we're not having a "meal". That will get you 12 oz every hour, or 64 oz over five hours spread over the day. If you can't do an oz per 5 minutes, go for 10 minutes...

It does indeed get easier as the swelling goes down. I didn't have any particular problem with it, but my wife did, and both are considered to be normal outcomes. It's just one of those things we have to get through while striking a reasonable balance between all these sometimes conflicting requirements.

[GrrlAnn 177]

I just got sleeved on 1/20/17 so I am only a few days ahead.

I agree with Rick's advice. Dehydration will land you in the hospital before anything else. The doctor told me that liquids won't make your incision leak. If you drink too much you'll throw up not tear anything on the inside.

And you are right, the restriction you are feeling is partly from swelling. Every day I can fit more Water into my stomach - today was noticeably better.

FWIW, my doctor said the priorities were: walking, Water, Protein. They said it would be 2-3 weeks to hit 3 Protein shakes and 60+ oz of water a day.

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[maxine brown 44]

I had the sleeve on 11-17-16 and what I did was the little cups thay gave you to drink out of and take you meds I had three of them and I will fill one up with Protein drink and one with chicken broth and sugar free tea and sometimes I will take a measurement cup and fill it up to 8 ounce of beef broth and 4 ounce sugar free Crystal light it work for me and keep walking drinking and breaving I will be praying for you God bless you

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[jwinters19 124]

A tip that really helped me:warm liquids go down much easier than room temperature or cold. Having tea or hot broth might make it easier to get in fluids!

HW 285.8 SW 272.8 CW 250.2 GW 140 Sleeved 11/23

[LIA-70 136]

I was sleeved 1/6 and i too was petrified of a leak. You need both Water and Protein. The reality is get in as much as you can of both plus broth in small sips the first week. It was very difficult to drink and i just didnt want anything at all but like Rick said do the math it helps. I made a chart for both fluids n meds, worked great. I put 16oz bottles in the fridge and marked them half way so i could drink half every hour. Replace some with warm tea also. The first week i could only do 24oz, i now do 48oz. Pace yourself, take some GAS X also to eliminate the gas n you'll see u can get alot more fluids in as the days pass n swelling goes down. Turning point for me was about day7-8 post op. It gets better, walk, get ur Water, Protein and fiber/stool softeners in and you'll be ok. Good luck.

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Edited January 27, 2017 by LIA-70

[BuffyBD 3]

I was sleeved 1/6 and i too was petrified of a leak. You need both Water and Protein. The reality is get in as much as you can of both plus broth in small sips the first week. It was very difficult to drink and i just didnt want anything at all but like Rick said do the math it helps. I made a chart for both fluids n meds, worked great. I put 16oz bottles in the fridge and marked them half way so i could drink half every hour. Replace some with warm tea also. The first week i could only do 24oz, i now do 48oz. Pace yourself, take some GAS X also to eliminate the gas n you'll see u can get alot more fluids in as the days pass n swelling goes down. Turning point for me was about day7-8 post op. It gets better, walk, get ur Water, Protein and fiber/stool softeners in and you'll be ok. Good luck.

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Where can you get Fiber + stool softners?

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[shan84non 7]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I'm trying yo get as much Fluid as possible but honestly, I've only been able to stay awake for an hour or so at a time. Today I've been so cold and noticed I have a slight fever. Went up to 100.8 earlier but down to 99.4 now. Also just the sharpest pain in my rib cage if I try to take a deep breath so I just have to take shallow breaths. That pain flares up with every sip I have too. Not sure it could be gas because I've had no problem passing gas. Oh and diarrhea all day-to-day just bile- probably 10 times. Sorry if that's tmi.

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[LIA-70 136]

Hi hope your doing better, by now the pain should be better. My doc gave me stool softener when i was discharged and Fiber first i was taking metamucil, so-so not bad. Once on mushy foods a friend gave me a fiber One Bar and that was it. I love them and they work. They satisfy the desire for a sweet and keep the poops consistent. I tried brownie, love it n im not a brownie fan. Also cheesecake bar. I eat half a bar as evening snack and go poops normal in the morning. My doc said they were ok to eat and to kerp in mind the Protein binds you and as you add more regular food to ypur diet your poops will be more consistent. So far so good. Good luck.

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[LIA-70 136]

The rib pain, try a warm pad, they cut muscle on right to get to the stomach so that side is most sensitive. Hope that helps. The diarrhea I'd talk to your doc, make sure thats ok. Sorry ur still feeling bad. Feel better hun.

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[Tami_819 17]

Hope you are feeling better by today. I had my sleeve the same day. Fluids were an issue for me. At one week after being in the er for severe Constipation, i spoke with the RN and she told me to cut the Protein shakes and see if i can get more fluids in that way. Seems that was the trick for me. They were just making me too full and i couldn't drink anything extra any way. Now i'm back on track getting in almost my 64 ozs a day. Hopefully i'll start adding in Protein after tuesday when i go in for my post op appt.