Upcoming Surgery

When I woke up from the OR in recovery I was very sleepy, very thirsty, and hurting some. They told me I couldn't have anything until I was fully awake. It took me about an hour to get alert enough to get fluids and pain shot. After the shot I didn't need any more pain meds in the hospital, but I have a high pain tolerance.
I spent most of the 24 hours sleeping and drinking fluids. I had a 5 hour car ride back home the next day. I rode in the back seat surrounded by pillows and the seat belt very low on my belly. I made sure my pain medicine and nausea meds were in me before I got in the car. I wound up sleeping the whole way.
I had 5 tiny scars about 1 inch long on my belly to remind me of my bravest moment. I was terrified too, but this place helped me feel safer.

Swallowing does get tight during the first two weeks as you swell, but by week 4 you will feel wonderful again.

I'm 3 years post-op and I eat whatever I want. You just have to be careful during the adjustment phase. Once your stomach gets used to wrap you will be doing fine.

If I ever need it done again I will gladly go through it again. It's worth it.

Thank you, Joy and Denise!
Your posts are so helpful!!
I know that everybody's experience
is different but you have given me a
ballpark idea of what to expect.

Forewarned is forearmed! I am going
to prep by making some soups and
freezing them.

I look forward to anything more you
have to say on this subject as well
as anybody else out there! And yes,
Denise, I will remain on to pass
any words of advice that I may have
following this procedure.

So, should I have visitors that first
day?

Thanks!
Kristalynn

Hi Kristalynn

On the day after my op I was very sleepy. I remember my family coming to visit, but it was quite hazy and I'm not sure I was very coherant.

I was also very thirsty when I first woke up but was only allowed to have a moist sponge on my lips. The scars were a bit painful, and I remember feeling like I'd been punched about but otherwise the pain wasn't debilitating.

I had a catheter on the first day post op which was removed on the second. Unfortunately though, because of the swelling I wasn't able to pee (really needed to, just couldn't push) so had to be catheterised again.

I was released 2 days after my op and was OK in the car on the way home (only a 30 minute journey).

I couldn't burp after my op and still can't now 9 years on. This isn't really a problem unless I drink or eat too fast (or too much!). I was told to stay on a soft diet and had mainly soup and deserts for 6 weeks afterwards with no alcohol in that time.

At my post-op 6 week check I was told I could eat whatever I wanted again (pizza was the first thing I really wanted) but to really chew.

I hadn't fully appreciated the chewing bit until about 8 weeks after my op when I went out to a restaurant for a meal. I was keeping up with others and some of the food got stuck. This is a most unpleasant and scary feeling, and there's not much you can do until the food dislodges itself.

I now chew and eat slower sub-conciously and thankfully this rarely happens to me anymore.

I was terrified on the night before my op, but I am very pleased I wen through with it as I don't take PPI's anymore and haven't had hearburn since.

Hang in there.

Les.

Please read my post today. It was easier than I thought it would be. Relax. In the grand scheme of your life, this is just a bump.