My date is October 16... getting so scared about the recovery those first few days!! I have a very low pain threshold and have very little support ... how are your first few days going?

I hear you I'm going under the 28th I live alone..

Hi! I had other major surgeries in the past and I was more awake and mobile with this surgery. I had 2 other procedures along with the gastric bypass but this is what I remembered:

1. The hospital will give you pain medication intravenously and it really did help. However, I was released with Tylenol with codeine and it didn’t help at all. If you need something stronger, talk to your doctor.

2. The nurses will teach you how to roll and sit up in the hospital (and that is still tough for me). I read that you should bring a small pillow for the trip home and keep it with you at home. It helps to minimize tummy pain if you sneeze or cough. Walk as much as possible to relieve tummy gas from the surgery. Ask your doctor if you can take Gas-X to help with relief. I had pain I both shoulders and was told that it was gas. It lasted for about 3 days after the surgery.

3. Prior to the surgery, buy your broth, protein shakes, whey powder, sugar free jello, protein water, & 1 ounce plastic cups to pour your drinks into (when you drink the protein shakes, water, protein water, broth, etc). You will need to sip as much as your tiny stomach will allow - like it’s your job- from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep at night. Drinking liquids became easier for me around day 10.

4. Prior to the surgery, buy what you will need according to your doctor’s diet schedule in case you can’t go anywhere for 2 weeks. Make sure you try everything and like it before your surgery.

5. I bought the pre-made protein shakes so I wouldn’t have to make the shakes when I got home. I also bought the 1 oz cups and some disposable popsicle zip sleeves from Amazon. I put some of my protein water in the popsicle sleeves and made popsicles out of them, which helped a lot.

6. Walk around the house & keep hydrated as much as possible to avoid blood clots & dehydration.

7. When it’s ok to shower, be sure to do it when you are not too tired because it takes a lot out of you and you will need to hydrate after you are done.

Some of the steri-strips on your stitches or staples may come off in the shower within 5 to 14 days of surgery. I was told not to worry but every doctor is different. Call your doctor if you have any concerns.

Take it easy on yourself and try not to be a hero. Your body needs time to heal. I know it’s a lot but this is what helped me!

I forgot to mention that I had the bypass but I hope the tips will make everything easier for you!

7 minutes ago, LastChance57 said:

I forgot to mention that I had the bypass but I hope the tips will make everything easier for you!

That helps a great deal I'm 16 days away from surgery date for RNY

Had surgery on 10th, came home day 1 yesterday evening, a little uncomfortable but anti sickness working perfectly and protein shakes provided by hospital all good. Didn’t manage a whole one yesterday but may be better today.

cannot drink a whole cup of tea before it gets cold but other than that drinking water well and coffee and protein shakes

bit bored at home actually

I'm curious how long before people could drink water like normal like being able to drink like 30 oz an hour rather than per day???

I'm preop and I drink a lot everyday worried about possibly feeling dehydrated?

I’m used to drinking gallons of the stuff and don’t mind drinking less otherwise it hurts!

Morphine and i drank water hours after surgery

This is day 2 after the surgery. I'm home but now really feeling the pain and keeping up on my Tylenol 3 every 6 hours. Eating has been a big learning curve. Still trying to remember if I use a spoon to pace every 5 minutes and for the medicine cup every 15 minutes. Just hoping this pain in my back and at the incisions go away soon.

This is my day 2 after surgery on Oct 21. I’m finding that it’s hard to swallow pills, but it was hard for me before anyway.

I’m in some pain, but not unbearable. I also have chosen not to take any narcotics—they don’t agree with me.

I’m on a high protein full liquid diet for the next ten days and those days can’t go by fast enough. It turns out that I’m not a fan of artificial sweeteners, which seem to be in all the pre-made protein drinks I purchased.

I’m trying to keep in mind my goals for having the surgery. That this stage is temporary — and that the long term goals are worth it!

This is Day 1 for me. I'm still in the hospital hoping to go home. My nurse told me I had to drink 2 bottles of water before I went home...so I'm struggling with that. For breakfast I'm having broth. They just gave me Tylenol via IV. So the pain is bearable. Now I am getting ready to walk the halls to help with this gas. I am definitely feeling better today.

How are you all holding up? I’m 8 days Postpo and today is the only day I dont have painful gas . Even with all the walking I’ve done.

I still can’t drink more than 8-12 0z every couple of hours between meals and snacks. I’ll be 1 month on Nov. 2nd.

Mine was the 18th so it's been exactly 2 weeks since the surgery. I got pretty lucky able to keep food down. Still adjusting to how fast I get full. Get to start normal food on the 7th!