Hi all! I'm having the sleeve done on Oct. 24th. I work full time and go to law school in the evening. I will be taking a few weeks off of work and a week off of class. I was wondering if you all had any practical advice on what to take to the hospital, what your recovery was actually like, and what things I can be doing now to make post op easier. I'm a little nervous because I typically have 16 hour days every day so I'm hoping I will be able to keep up post op. The doctor doesn't seem to think it will be an issue. Fingers crossed!

Thanks!

My husband and I were 67 when sleeved 4 years ago. I spent 8 hours total in the hospital, I didn’t need a thing. I went home and took l pain pill and that was all. I drove to the store the second morning after surgery. I walked in the mall for two hours, four days after the sleeve. The only thing I can recommend is don’t stock up on stuff. I threw out a ton of stuff we never got around to using, like protein shakes and lots of expiration dates. I remember Torani sugar free syrups, all flavors, worked wonders with vanilla shakes. I never even felt I had surgery, if it hadn’t been for the little bandages on my stomach. We were never nauseated, it was just a good experience. The anticipation was the worst thing.

In terms of driving, I would check your insurance. I was not allowed to drive 2 weeks on my car insurance, even though I was able to, but if you were hit you may not be covered having major surgery.

I was in 3 days. Alot of nasuea and gas pain but keep up with pain relief and just take each day as a time, when you feel normal dont start rushing around as then you may feel sore and do not want to set yourself back take it slow.

That would be a joke calling your car insurance for permission to drive. So long as you aren’t under the influence of opioids or liquor make your own decisions. You are more likely to get MRSA or Staph in the hospital, so thankful our surgeon made everything super simple, surgery went well. We had a surgeon we trusted implicitly. Also at our age we make our own decisions based on our health and good judgment.

My insurance company only approved a one night stay. So hopefully things go well. My plan is to take it real easy for a week then try to start back to my school routine the second week and from there progress back into long days. I've already arranged for rides to class with friends for the first few weeks though. I wasn't thinking about the insurance though. I was just thinking about the easiest way to get around without overdoing it.

28 minutes ago, Pescador said:

That would be a joke calling your car insurance for permission to drive. So long as you aren’t under the influence of opioids or liquor make your own decisions. You are more likely to get MRSA or Staph in the hospital, so thankful our surgeon made everything super simple, surgery went well. We had a surgeon we trusted implicitly. Also at our age we make our own decisions based on our health and good judgment.

That is not a joke no need to be rude, I am in the UK and they do not cover most people for 2 weeks after surgery, c section vsg and so on, no need to be rude and say my advice is a joke when you do not know were everyone lives has happened many times people in the uk get in an accident after surgery that is not there fault but insurance not cover them to even fight there case due to the surgery time frame , so how much of a joke is it really? What your saying in terms of opiods is to do with the police, not car insurance. In the UK you HAVE TO call the car insurance company you belong to to let them know you had surgery so what is the joke here? This is fact. It is not permission to drive, drive all you want but you may not be covered by your car insurance is what I said, I did not say anything about permission to drive . " At our age" LOL UK car insurance could not give a crap about you making what seems to be the right choice. They care about their policy to be covered or not. Not everyone in this forum is out of the uK so it would apply to someone who is.

Edited October 12, 20178 yr by dreamingsmall

If you had said you were In the UK or another Country it might have made sense. I have worked in the C.ourts 44 years and that comment just isn’t something we do here. It was comical on my end, not rude.

I can't believe some people only have to stay one night. I had to stay 2, then was offered a 3rd so I took it as my hospital room was way quieter than my house with a husband and kids. They did a swallow test and then monitored everything for over 48 hours. I didn't have any preexisting conditions, other than sleep apnea, so I wasn't at increased risk. Bring a robe or something as they will want you to walk as soon as possible, and whatever home items you want. Definitely lip balm. I had wicked acid the first few days and was miserable. But the pain was tolerable . I didn't feel like I could drive for that first week, because of the Pain when moving my torso. Good luck.

I was just sleeved on 10/10... I will tell you the most important things that helped my hospital stay better.


1) a heating pad- I kept this on my lower back and it kept me relaxed as much as possible. It helped settle some gas pain

2) chapstick- your lips with hurt since you have a tube in during surgery. It really helped me

3) slippers with a sole on them as well as a nice sized robe the nurse can put over your shoulders to cover your backside when walking

4) try to find something for dry mouth before you go. That was the one thing I didn't do and everything still tastes disgusting because my mouth is so dry. I can't shake the feeling, but the hospital may have something.


Sleeved 10/10/17 • HW 280 (3/1/17) • SW 259 (10/10) • GW 180 (TBD)

18 hours ago, Pescador said:

If you had said you were In the UK or another Country it might have made sense. I have worked in the C.ourts 44 years and that comment just isn’t something we do here. It was comical on my end, not rude.

Calling someone's advice a joke is rude. "Here" ? I must be psychic to know were you are from. I do not need to specify my country I do not know were the op is from.. As I said on this board people are from all over. This is not just for Americans so advice is not just specific to Americans. Be aware of that.

If someone does not advice something within your knowledge. Does not make it a joke. Try and be abit respectful of that. If someone's advice doesn't make sense along with yours scroll past.

Have a nice day.