On a scale of 1-10, rate your overall experience 1 and 2 weeks post surgery. 1 being GREAT with no pain or difficulties. 10 being severe pain requiring pain meds and several issues. I’m just trying to get an idea of the average experience, if there is such a thing.

1 hour ago, BajanSleeve said:

They took my drainage tube out 3 days post op. Every doctor has a different way of doing things. I have read that a lot of US doctors do not even use a drainage tube. So just ask your doctor first. In my opinion a drainage tube is a good idea to help prevent infection and all of that pus and gunk from collecting inside of you. I would insist on one. It hurts when they take it out but not THAT bad. Its about 1 minute of pain as its coming out

This too. Only for me, instead of a pain it was more of an uncomfortable tugging on the inside. It was weird, man, and I was not a fan lmao. But if given the choice, I'd definitely have the surgery again - drain tube and all.

6 hours ago, Dawn Rae said:

It's a small tube that suctions out what's left over from the surgery. It's usually hanging out of your stomach and is stitched to your side. After about a week they pull it out. Mine stayed in for a week, anyway.

Thanks. I didn’t have one of those after my sleeve so was curious. I’m glad yours is out now.

2 hours ago, BajanSleeve said:

They took my drainage tube out 3 days post op. Every doctor has a different way of doing things. I have read that a lot of US doctors do not even use a drainage tube. So just ask your doctor first. In my opinion a drainage tube is a good idea to help prevent infection and all of that pus and gunk from collecting inside of you. I would insist on one. It hurts when they take it out but not THAT bad. Its about 1 minute of pain as its coming out

Using a drain tube is uncommon in the states. Lots of us here had very successful surgeries without any complications without a drain tube. I'm glad I didn't have one, my incisions were glued shut and dry, and healed quickly. There shouldn't be any puss, if there is that is a far bigger problem.

10 minutes ago, Pearldrop said:

Thanks. I didn’t have one of those after my sleeve so was curious. I’m glad yours is out now.

Urgh, same! When I was given my surgery date last year I was hoping I wouldn't get one - me being in the states and all that. My fiance lifted up my gown when I asked how many incisions I had and I almost burst into tears when I was told I had a drain tube. Though I think that was mostly the pain medicine's doing lmao.

5 hours ago, GansettRam74 said:

I have never had any kind of surgery, hospital visit/stay, major injury of any kind, and a high threshold for pain so for being two weeks post op, I'd have to say I'm overall a 3. I was up and walking within couple of hours of my surgery, drinking Water, and but stomach felt like I did three hours of abs in the gym. Next day in hospital, i drank two shakes with ease and more than enough water and was sent home. Week 1 I was more exhausted than anything. Pain was medium and just used the Tylenol I was prescribed, 4 times a day(I am down to just once at bedtime now), not the Oxy I was also prescribed, and of course the nausea pills and pill to prevent stones. First week as far as shakes, no problem getting three in a day. Then came the start of week 2! I was so weak bc of how little cals I was taking in plus I added walking 2 miles a day in and was basically useless after walking. Then this past weekend(day 10) I felt a revival! I started eating couple fork fulls a scrambled egg whites, a couple of spoonfuls of well blended chicken salad or seafood salad, and slice of thin deli american cheese throughout the day as I knew myself and needed something of substance but didn't want to put myself at risk with chewing meats, and along with a shake & half to make sure I was getting 65g of Protein, and I feel surprisingly great for two weeks post op. Energy level is way up, more pep in my step, pain is virtually gone, and I feel like a person again. Into my third day of a morning 2mi walk and nighttime 2mi walk despite the heat wave here in RI. I've lost 22lbs in 13 days and hope to lose 3 more before post op appt Thursday! I am hoping my surgeon officially okays soft foods/soup regimen as my paperwork states and start going back to gym. I'm losing about a 1lb a day on average, pain free, and so looking forward to what's ahead.

What is the pill to prevent stones? I get kidney stones and am concerned about them coming back after surgery. Thanks!

I’d rate my recovery about a 5. LOTS of pain day 1-3 because of repaired hernia. Severe pain from reflux day 7. Only took pain meds until day 3, powered through after that. Very difficult to drink anything until day 3, EXTREMELY fatigued until this week (6/7 surgery)- but I’m also just able to do vitamins.

On 7/3/2018 at 3:38 PM, BajanSleeve said:

They took my drainage tube out 3 days post op. Every doctor has a different way of doing things. I have read that a lot of US doctors do not even use a drainage tube. So just ask your doctor first. In my opinion a drainage tube is a good idea to help prevent infection and all of that pus and gunk from collecting inside of you. I would insist on one. It hurts when they take it out but not THAT bad. Its about 1 minute of pain as its coming out

My drain didn't hurt coming out but it felt incredibly weird, and I agree with you, I would rather have a drain than not have one and have that fluid leak inside me. After the first time cleaning/emptying it I didn't care about it, it was just a nuisance.

1/10 and I’m 59 years old. Pain was minimal after leaving the hospital. A great deal of indigestion for the first two weeks, but I later determined that was due to taking the immediate release Wellbutrin vs Wellbutrin XL. Once I started the XL, much of the indigestion disappeared.

It seems like anyone with a drain tube has more pain. My surgeon never used them, and my pain was minimal.

5/10 for me. I think I had a week's worth of prescription pain medicine and I took every last pill because I'm a wimp and it hurt. I also couldn't drive for 3 weeks or more because of the pain. I took 3 weeks off work though and that made it tolerable knowing I had a good amount of time to get better.

P.s. I also had a drain, but it was removed right before I walked out of the hospital. That incision hurt the worst

07/05/2018 06:23 PM, Gundy said:

1/10 and I’m 59 years old. Pain was minimal after leaving the hospital. A great deal of indigestion for the first two weeks, but I later determined that was due to taking the immediate release Wellbutrin vs Wellbutrin XL. Once I started the XL, much of the indigestion disappeared.

Question- did you have the sleeve or the bypass?

I take Wellbutrin XL and there is talk I should switch to the regular kind and take it twice a day, because I’m getting a bypass on 7/14 and there is concern about malabsorption of the xl kind.

Super anxious about my mood stabilizer meds (cymbalta and Wellbutrin xl) not being effectively absorbed during a time that I’m certain I will be super emotional.

9 hours ago, insta_adventurer said:

Question- did you have the sleeve or the bypass?

I take Wellbutrin XL and there is talk I should switch to the regular kind and take it twice a day, because I’m getting a bypass on 7/14 and there is concern about malabsorption of the xl kind.

Super anxious about my mood stabilizer meds (cymbalta and Wellbutrin xl) not being effectively absorbed during a time that I’m certain I will be super emotional.

I too was taken off the wellbutrin xl and switched to immediate release. She told me to take 1.5 100 mg at bfast and dinner. I never thought about the issue of malabsorption ): Not sure I could handle that!

I typically don't like to discuss my personal recovery, because it always comes off as bragging, but since this post is about it specifically.

I had zero issues.
Like, legit zero. As soon as I was in my own recovery room, I was doing everything I could myself. Connecting and disconnecting my monitoring equipment, the leg compression sleeves, etc. I didn't need any nausea meds, no extra pain meds. I didn't really need anything from anyone. Halfway though my first night nurses were calling me their "Dream patient". Honestly. I was maxing out my incentive spirometer by midday on the second day.

I have 5 incision points (1 large, 4 small), had no drains, no external stitches (they used surgical glue), They didn't really even hurt, or itch (ever).

I had no issues sleeping (aside from the noise) at the hospital or at home. Zero issues with mobility. Zero issues with food and water intake pain.

My recovery has been *super* easy. I did have the lapband installed back in 2011, so I've been through this type of surgery before, so I'm sure that helped.

So on a scale of 1 being easy to 10 being hard. Totally a 1 out of 10.

I would say an 8/10! I know it sounds like a broken record, but WALK WALK WALK!! I promise you will hate it when it's happening but thank yourself after! I pushed myself while in the hospital and walked as much as I could (to the point where the nurses wanted me to lay down and take it a bit easier)!! I was back to work in 4 days and back in the gym on the 5th day and felt really great! I would have said a 9 or 10 but my IV burst the vein in my hand (my hands are really tiny and the IV should not have been put there in the first place) and that caused a mild pain but it lasted 4 weeks. Best of luck!

I had my surgery VGS on 6/22/18, 2 weeks ago today. I did not have any gas pain but I had nausea for 2 days after anesthesia, which I never had with previous surgeries. I have some left supper abdominal pain from the incision that my stomach was removed. It is a small incision and the surgeon said he had to tug it out and it would be sore for a while. I have been doing premier protein shakes and the surgeon advanced me to soft I tolerated the scrambled egg well but can only eat an ounce and I am full. I just don’t know how I will be able to eat even a tiny meal ever again. I gained 9 lbs from fluids while in the hospital. Since returning home I have lost what I gained and lost another 14 lbs. I have lost 23 lbs in 10 days. I know the weight loss will slow since a lot was water weight.