What can I expect to feel like the first week post op?

[AndreaJD 83]

I'm scheduled for gastric bypass on August 12th and I'm hoping some of you will tell me what your first week post-op was like? I'd like to know what to expect. I know the first few months will be ROUGH, but I would like more specifics.

[Bypass2Freedom 1,027]

Hey!

So I had my surgery back in May - how are you feeling about your upcoming surgery?

My first week was interesting for sure. I did feel overwhelmed at first trying to work out what I could and could not "eat" (I use that term loosely as it was the liquid stage 🤣), and I was over-thinking everything.

I was trying to take all my Vitamins, drink all the Water I needed to, and also drink the "food" I could have. Plus just adjusting to how my body FELT whilst I was just doing all of these things.

I'd never had surgery before, so it really did feel a bit surreal, but honestly it was not as bad as I thought it would be. My pain was very minimal, and I did quickly settle into a routine of things.

Constipation post-op was a bit of an issue, so I'd advise maybe picking up some stuff to help alleviate this before you have surgery, just so you are prepared if it is an issue! But other than this, I haven't actually had any issues.

My advice would be to not do what I did, and don't try to do it all at once. Focus on one little thing at a time. If you need rest, then rest, and drink when you can so that you are keeping your body hydrated.

I was genuinely surprised at how quickly everything felt normal. Just take this time to slow down, and be mindful of how your body feels, and new sensations you may come across in terms of how eating/drinking feels etc.

You'll be absolutely fine though! And this site is amazing for advice, and just to talk, so always reach out & good luck! I look forward to following your journey!

[ShoppGirl 5,072]

I had the Sleeve 3.5 years ago and I’m pending revision to SADI or bypass (Bypass if he gets in there a can’t do SADI for some reason). From what I have seen on these boards the post op pain level for the sleeve and bypass is pretty similar year still different from person to person. I think the main difference between someone with an easy vs tough recovery depends on whether any air gets trapped in there and causes gas pain.

I was really fortunate with the sleeve that I didn’t have any gas pain at all and my recovery was quite easy. I was up a couple hours after being back to my room Bugging then nurses with questions about my urine output 🤣 At one point I even questioned whether they had somehow forgotten to do the surgery.

I did feel like I had done about 1000 crunches. And I had to use the bed rails to assist in sitting up for the first day but if I was just lying or standing I felt normal. I even said I didn’t need pain meds right away. They said they suggested they wean me down because I was already on some and may not know it if I’m in pain. I went home the next day on just Tylenol but with a pain script just in case.

I did feel fatigued for a while so I took naps daily and I waited the full two weeks before I did much as instructed but I FELT like I could do most things if I had tried. It is an adjustment to remember all the Vitamins and figure out what to drink or “eat” and when but I set alarms on my phone and that helped quite a bit. I actually just created alarms for every half hour and then toggled them on as needed to plan my day.

You are a step ahead of the game that you are already here and established where you can get support and ask questions if you have any I didn’t find this site until a couple of days before so I was still figuring out how the thing even worked while working through the rest of it. The people here are incredibly helpful to answer questions, cheer you on or just let you vent if you have a bad day.

The main thing to keep in mind is your goals and your reasons why you are doing the surgery and that will get you through it. If you ask everyone if they have any regrets about Weight loss Surgery the most common response it that they only wish they had done it sooner. After a few months you should be in your new groove, just losing weight and noticing that you can already do things you haven’t been able to do. If you haven’t already, Check out the “weirdest non scale victories” thread on this site. It sorta turned to just normal non scale victories but it’s pretty inspiring

[BlondePatriotInCDA 594]

Tired, sore and physically/mentally drained.. but happy you did it. It made me feel hopeful that finally I was going to be healthy. You can also expect to be over whelmed even if you've done your research..its a complete change in your routine; constant Water sips, small healthy Protein meal stages and preparing each meal for those stages...lots of adjustments to your new life.

You've got this!

Edited July 23, 2024 by BlondePatriotInCDA

[NickelChip 1,358]

For me, the pain wasn't bad. I needed liquid Tylenol for the first 3 days, a few times per day (tip: look for the ADULT formula because the child formula tastes horrible and is thicker, like gel). I had one incision that would give twinges for about a week, but it passed quickly. I did not experience gas pain. I found a weighted heating pad on my abdomen at night was very soothing.

I was very tired and found it difficult to focus. If possible, don't tax yourself.I walked frequently, but not far. So I was moving around but not logging a huge number of steps.

By week 3, I felt relatively normal. By the end of month 2, I was pretty much back to my old self with the bonus of quite a bit more energy, and I could navigate eating in restaurants without too much trouble (I went on a weekend trip out of town at around 8 weeks post op).