Weezy'sjourney
Member
Hi, can I get some input as to what I will need for my hospital stay?
Hospital stay
- Thread starter Weezy'sjourney
- Start date
Texnoble
Member
Hi Weezy- What surgery are you planning? Mine was overnight. I had a gastric sleeve and all I needed was basic toiletries and a very loose dress to leave with. I had laparoscopic sugery and I had stitches scattered in 5 spots across my abdomen. Good luck to you.
Weezy'sjourney
Member
I'm having the gastric bypass, I'll be there two nights. Thanks for responding!
Brenda2010
Member
Hi Weezy,
I had RNY and was told 2 nights but I made sure to drink enough water and walk around my hospital floor a lot and they let me go home after 1. So you may get lucky. That said, my surgery was laparoscopic so like Tex, I only had 5 small incisions.
I'd advise you take toiletries, a hairbrush, something to read, extra undies, a robe and slippers. Tex had a good idea about the baggy dress (or even comfy PJs) for your trip home. Also, If you have longer hair, you'll probably want something to keep it up and out of your way. Good luck!!!
NicoleY
Member
You don't need much. You don't have time for laptops and all that because you are either walking or sleeping. I would take a sport bra if any bra at all. Clean panties and something loose for the ride home, tooth brush, brush and a pony tail holder! I also bring my own pillow, just for comfort. I had the sleeve the first time and spent 2 days, now I am having the revision and also staying two days again. I don't pack much.
dianeseattle
Member
If you if you if you use a CPAP or BiPAP machine, ask your clinic in advance if you can bring yours and use it. At very least bring your mask. They didn't like the fact that I brought my CPAP machine and so they hooked me up to their bipap machine which was much less effective. I think I woke up in the middle of night and took it off.
ASK your doctor or staff if you can bring your daily prescriptions if you take them. Bring them with you regardless, but first show them to your doctor and explain the function of each one. One day I saw a nurse next to my bed telling me it was time to take my medication. Since she knew I couldn't swallow she put the pills in a spoon full of grape jelly and then smashed that together with another one. The pills were still in large chunks and she literally force-fed them to me. They tasted awful with natural bitterness and the horrible grape jelly. That was a very inexperienced nurse.
When I had shoulder surgery I brought my own pills and the nurse went through them one by one and okayed me to take my own pills.
If you use a sleep mask and you also wear earplugs, as I do, bring those along. If you get the flexible silicone product you will be able to tear off small enough pieces that you can hear just in case the nurses wake you when they check your vitals. But hospitals are bustling from bedtime to breakfast. They leave on all the lights. They leave on the PA system. People never stop talking. I think silicone ear plugs are essential. And I cannot sleep with light blinding me.
This should go without saying, but if you use recreational drugs, make sure you quit them. If you take something and then don't tell your doctor, the amount of Propofol they give you as anesthesia will kill you. No pot either, even though it is less well-understood. And don't smoke. Your blood test will reveal if you have any nickel all in your system. Then the doctor can decide not to do surgery until your blood test.
You can find men's flannel pajamas at most second hand stores like Goodwill and Saint Vincent's. I find them very comfortable. Just make sure the top opens in the front.
Lastly they will probably give you one of these but I would advise getting elastic belt like a girdlish kind of belt that you can wrap snugly around your middle so you don't hurt when you giggle and your staples or stitches move to accommodate the vibration you give them. They gave me one in the hospital but it was just two big pieces of nylon sewn together very sloppily obviously made on site. You can get back braces without the shoulder suspenders at any hardware store, or at your sporting good store as well.
What kind of gastric bypass surgery are you having? Will it be laparoscopic or an open procedure? Recovery time takes longer for some people than for others.
ASK your doctor or staff if you can bring your daily prescriptions if you take them. Bring them with you regardless, but first show them to your doctor and explain the function of each one. One day I saw a nurse next to my bed telling me it was time to take my medication. Since she knew I couldn't swallow she put the pills in a spoon full of grape jelly and then smashed that together with another one. The pills were still in large chunks and she literally force-fed them to me. They tasted awful with natural bitterness and the horrible grape jelly. That was a very inexperienced nurse.
When I had shoulder surgery I brought my own pills and the nurse went through them one by one and okayed me to take my own pills.
If you use a sleep mask and you also wear earplugs, as I do, bring those along. If you get the flexible silicone product you will be able to tear off small enough pieces that you can hear just in case the nurses wake you when they check your vitals. But hospitals are bustling from bedtime to breakfast. They leave on all the lights. They leave on the PA system. People never stop talking. I think silicone ear plugs are essential. And I cannot sleep with light blinding me.
This should go without saying, but if you use recreational drugs, make sure you quit them. If you take something and then don't tell your doctor, the amount of Propofol they give you as anesthesia will kill you. No pot either, even though it is less well-understood. And don't smoke. Your blood test will reveal if you have any nickel all in your system. Then the doctor can decide not to do surgery until your blood test.
You can find men's flannel pajamas at most second hand stores like Goodwill and Saint Vincent's. I find them very comfortable. Just make sure the top opens in the front.
Lastly they will probably give you one of these but I would advise getting elastic belt like a girdlish kind of belt that you can wrap snugly around your middle so you don't hurt when you giggle and your staples or stitches move to accommodate the vibration you give them. They gave me one in the hospital but it was just two big pieces of nylon sewn together very sloppily obviously made on site. You can get back braces without the shoulder suspenders at any hardware store, or at your sporting good store as well.
What kind of gastric bypass surgery are you having? Will it be laparoscopic or an open procedure? Recovery time takes longer for some people than for others.
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Weezy'sjourney
Member
Hello, just saw your response, I'm still getting the hang of this lol. No cpap. In having laparoscopic Gastric Bypass. Start liquid diet 5 days b4. I spoke to surgeons nurse, they will have my meds, she said their very particular about that. So, after surgery I won't be able to take whole pills? Also, did a dietician or nutritionist come talk to you while in the hospital? I've had one appointment with mine, but that was early on. Thank for your advice! Weezy
Weezy'sjourney
Member
Ty!
dianeseattle
Member
I had weight loss surgery in 2007 and things were very much different back then. Now I see that people who want surgery have to go through extensive preparation to be approved and then they have to show that they can lose weight before the surgeon will do surgery on them. I think this makes great good sense. But we did it the hard way. We had a million handouts and we had some meetings and I saw my surgeon three times in the month before the surgery.
Now I have a question for you. You say you had gastric bypass and I think at one point you said you had total gastric bypass. I don't know what you mean when you say those things. There are many types of gastric bypass (many of which are no longer used.).I had roux-en-y (RYGB) surgery.
According to the Mayo Clinic these are legitimate types of bariatric surgery:
Four common types are:
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
- Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.
- Sleeve gastrectomy.
- Duodenal switch with biliopancreatic diversion
Weezy'sjourney
Member
Are you addressing me? I'm having laparoscopic Rouex-en-y Gastric Bypass.
Weezy'sjourney
Member