I am having outpatient surgery next Tuesday for Sleeve which is starting to set in and I’m freaking out. They told me I will be there only for 3 to 4 hours..... depending how I do on recovering from the Anesthesia. Doesn’t that seem too little of time?

For some reason I am most scared of a Blood Clots. ( I am a hypochondriac) I have high blood pressure and they may also correct a small hiatus hernia in my stomach.

Did everybody get blood thinners post op form home? My Dr only prescribed the pain medication and nausea medication. Is blood thinners usually only prescribed for people with previous blood clot issues? I’m also scared of getting COVID while recovering. I’m terrified of getting it and my body too weak to recover.

Again I am a self diagnosed hypochondriac, so trying to separate my anxiety from reality ?

I was in for 4 days, in my take home med was 21 days of Clexane I had tube stockings on from the start and had to keep them on till the Clexane ran out, i wonder if people with low BMI have less clot troubles?. The best way to avoid clots is to keep walking to get the blood moving from your feet/legs

Doug

evidently more people are getting surgery as an out-patient these days (going home a few hours after surgery), probably due to COVID. I haven't heard of any problems with that.

I didn't get a blood thinner. Maybe I did while I was in the hospital, but I didn't have to do anything at home.

Each surgeon is different as is each patient. With my sleeve I was in patient overnight and got a dose of heparin before surgery and another the next day. I didn’t go home on blood thinners. Walking really helps with preventing blood clots so make sure you move but don’t overdo it either. If you have any questions you can always call your surgeon. Make sure you have a ride home though; they won’t let you drive yourself post-op.

That said, sleeve surgery only takes about 90 minutes to complete so most of your stay will be waiting pre-op and in post-op recovery.

Your fears about Covid aren’t without merit. Surgery does affect the immune system for a short while after. If you can avoid crowds and any excessive trips outside your home, I’d do that. Recovering during a pandemic is scary! I’ve been there. I had revision surgery due to GERD in August and I stayed home as much as possible. It made me feel safer and I was less nervous about catching Covid that way.

I don’t see why they wouldn’t let you stay overnight if you need it. If you are relatively young and good health you likely wouldn’t need the clot medicine.

I was pretty paranoid about clots too but in the end it was good because I was up walking a couple times every hour. This helps you feel way better, faster.

On 11/14/2020 at 06:12, Circlesis said:

I don’t see why they wouldn’t let you stay overnight if you need it. If you are relatively young and good health you likely wouldn’t need the clot medicine.



I was pretty paranoid about clots too but in the end it was good because I was up walking a couple times every hour. This helps you feel way better, faster.

I’m def not the youngest. I’m 38 with high blood pressure. 5’3 weighing 258. I was suppose to go to a hospital and stay overnight until I went from insurance to self pay. Once I went to self pay I became outpatient. Obviously they did that to bring the amount down. I just am worried they are cutting corners to keep the costs down.

I just had my surgery on the 9th. I was switched from a bypass to a sleeve due to a hernia down low near my c-section scars, but my doc did fix a hiatal hernia while in there as well.

I was there a little over 24 hours, they had talked of sending me home the same day but my nausea was vicious coming out from anesthesia and the phenergan they gave had me so tired and loopy I wasn’t going anywhere. They got me home right away after shift change the next day after I’d been up through the night walking.

They gave me a heparin shot before my surgery, and then 3 more afterwards while I was on the surg floor. I wore scd’s while there as well as Ted hose...I was told to wear the compression socks for 3 days post op at home.

I would talk to your doctor about your fears and anxieties surrounding potential clotting issues and go from there. My doctor and his team were/are amazing. The floor nurses and staff-amazing! I’m sure yours will all be too, and they will all want you to be comfortable with the care and rate at which your recovery progresses. You will do Fantastic, but you owe it to your own peace of mind to address your concerns before the surgery. Best of luck to you!!

I am 47, and 46 at time of surgery. I did stay over night in the hospital per my surgeon’s requirement, but I would have been fine at home. As it was, I got to my room at 6 pm and was discharged by noon the next day. I did not receive any blood thinners. I started out with diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, GERD. I had gastric bypass with hiatal hernia repair. I now take just one blood pressure medication and everything else is resolved at just over 4 months post op. I have been on blood pressure medication since about age 30 when I was about 165 pounds, so don’t expect to ever go off it. I walked a lot after surgery to prevent blood clots. When awake, you should walk around for 5 of every 60 minutes. You don’t have to walk far or fast...movement is the key. If they feel you need to stay, they will keep you, regardless of plan for outpatient. I agree with others that you should discuss your concerns with your surgeon. Good luck!

On 11/14/2020 at 07:04, Horseshowmom said:

I just had my surgery on the 9th. I was switched from a bypass to a sleeve due to a hernia down low near my c-section scars, but my doc did fix a hiatal hernia while in there as well.



I was there a little over 24 hours, they had talked of sending me home the same day but my nausea was vicious coming out from anesthesia and the phenergan they gave had me so tired and loopy I wasn’t going anywhere. They got me home right away after shift change the next day after I’d been up through the night walking.



They gave me a heparin shot before my surgery, and then 3 more afterwards while I was on the surg floor. I wore scd’s while there as well as Ted hose...I was told to wear the compression socks for 3 days post op at home.



I would talk to your doctor about your fears and anxieties surrounding potential clotting issues and go from there. My doctor and his team were/are amazing. The floor nurses and staff-amazing! I’m sure yours will all be too, and they will all want you to be comfortable with the care and rate at which your recovery progresses. You will do Fantastic, but you owe it to your own peace of mind to address your concerns before the surgery. Best of luck to you!!

Thank you

On 11/14/2020 at 07:04, Horseshowmom said:

I just had my surgery on the 9th. I was switched from a bypass to a sleeve due to a hernia down low near my c-section scars, but my doc did fix a hiatal hernia while in there as well.



I was there a little over 24 hours, they had talked of sending me home the same day but my nausea was vicious coming out from anesthesia and the phenergan they gave had me so tired and loopy I wasn’t going anywhere. They got me home right away after shift change the next day after I’d been up through the night walking.



They gave me a heparin shot before my surgery, and then 3 more afterwards while I was on the surg floor. I wore scd’s while there as well as Ted hose...I was told to wear the compression socks for 3 days post op at home.



I would talk to your doctor about your fears and anxieties surrounding potential clotting issues and go from there. My doctor and his team were/are amazing. The floor nurses and staff-amazing! I’m sure yours will all be too, and they will all want you to be comfortable with the care and rate at which your recovery progresses. You will do Fantastic, but you owe it to your own peace of mind to address your concerns before the surgery. Best of luck to you!!

Thank you for the insight. I’m starting to feel alittle better

I stayed one night, but COVID definitely changes how hospitals operate. They need to keep as many beds open as possible for COVID patients, especially since the disease surging right now. The other thing that can happen is that all elective surgeries are cancelled indefinitely. If you can get surgery now - get it!

As far as COVID, you are not likely to get it at the hospital. The COVID patients are housed in a different unit than the surgery unit. All the surgery patients are tested and the nurses are screened. There are more precautions being taken in the hospital than just about anywhere. Once you get home, just stay put and don't congregate with a lot of other people, which is what you should be doing now anyway.

Usually only people with history of blood clots or several risk factors are put on blood thinners. I was not. That being said, even though I was walking as soon as I woke up and doing 10,000 steps by the end of week one, I developed several clots in my legs! I was feeling soreness along some of my varicose veins, and the ultra sound showed some deeper clots. My doc told me even soreness and swelling at the IV site can be an indication that a clotting disorder is happening. Anyway, I went on Xarelto for 3 months and that was that. Done. However, if I ever need surgery again, I will be put of blood thinners as a precaution.

Complications are rare, but they can be dealt with. Staying obese has a lot more lifetime risks than surgery. This may be a window of opportunity for your surgery that could close, so take advantage of it and take each day as it comes.

I was sleeved 10.26.20, so about 3 weeks ago. Was out patient. I am 49 and weighed 292. Only pain i had was gas pain for about 2 hours afterwards. I never took anything but tylenol. The next day my hubby and I walked to the casino next to our hotel . Surgery was in vegas. We flew home the next day. No prob.