• American Bariatrics is a free online Bariatric Support Group. Register for your free account and get access to all of our great features!

Glad to say i am h0me in one piece

Sandie

Member
HAD surgery on Monday, had a couple of complications, but I am home and ok!!!! I was found to have a large hiatal hernia which was unknown so was repaired and then the surgery was done, I got a small collapse of one lung which is 0k now. The worst part was severe pain in my chest and shoulders and some xtra pain in chest from the lung collapse,
The pain was controlled with strong pain meds, the nurses and docs were GREAT!, my surgeon was wonderful, very competent, and self assured.
My blood pressure kept dropping so the gave me extra fluid, that extra fluid is now in my legs or arms and god knows where else. I left for the hospital at 203 pounds and came home at 217, jeez, thought I would come home lighter. I am sure will lose the water weight. I am not able to get in 3 protein drinks in a day, and little fluids so I better feel less full soon.
I know there was someone having surg on Tues so hope they are doing well!!!
 
I'm sorry to here of your complications. Very glad you're home safe. Get some rest and just do your best. It gets better everyday!
 
Glad to hear you are doing ok-you will lose the fluids and the air. They pump the fluids in you through the IV. They put air in you to do the surgery-that too shall pass.

You will be fine. Sip, sip, sip,walk, walk, walk and rest, rest, rest

My surgery will be on Dec 17th and I am looking forward to getting the surgery part over and the rest of my journey to begin.

Get to know your pouch-remember you are healing and it is swollen from the surgery right now.

Carol
 
Glad to hear you are doing OK after some complications. I gained weight after surgery but I think we all do and you are not alone. It will come off real soon. Try and drink your 64 ounces a day, you don't want to become dehydrated. It's no fun. Welcome home. Joy
 
Sandie-Home sweet home!!! Sorry to hear about the complications but it sounds like you are in good hands. Get lots of rest and keep sipping those fluids. I also gained a lot of water weight from the IV fluids. I forgot exactly how much but it was over 20 pounds and my legs were so swollen I couldn't bend at the knees and had to be "stuffed" into the car for the ride back home. It wasn't pretty *LOL* I can laugh now but I remember beign in a lot of pain from the excess fluid in the legs and feet. I had to wear those stretchy hospital socks because my shoes and slippers wouldn't fit. Luckily I had some dieuretics at home and with the OK from the surgeon took those and the water weight came off quickly.

Stay strong and keep us updated.
 
Sandie, whew. So glad to hear you are at home. Don't do like i have been doing and get a little energy and go nuts with it, that only knocks you down fast and hard! REST! Take care.
 
Sandie, Joy and Mergatroid-- I am so glad to hear you are all doing well!! It seems we have all had some complications along the way but thank God it looks like we are all on our way to healing healthy. I totally agree with Mergatroid be very careful not to "Zap" yourself, the minute I felt good I way way over did it and set myself back which has been very upsetting because I just want my energy back. But our bodies are healing and we need to remember Slow and Steady WINS the race!!! Take care and God Bless:eek:
 
Hi Sandie. Wow sounds like a rough go but it is good they were able to repair the hernia with the WLS, did you a get the two for one surgery rate LOL:p The fluid weight should start coming off as you start moving around remember to get plenty of rest and sip sip sip, I am glad you are home and doing well now. :cool: Tom
 
thanks everyone. I can only do the best I can and that is what I am doing. Have some problems getting in fluids and protein, trying to get the protein in first and it is taking most of day to get in the one protein drink. I need 60 gr of protein at the least and so far getting in 32 in a drink but have not finished the one drink, feel sick if I push it and full the rest of the time so not sure what else I can do, the fluids are not getting in since I have made priority for protein. Some extra water on board from the pushing of IV fluids on board due to very low blood pressures in hospital so that will help a little to not get dehydrated but eventually that will be used up. Doing the best I can and now getting off the computer to rest.
 
Sandie hi glad to hear you are home, sorry to hear about all you went through. I too was suppose to have my hiatal hernia repaired for the third time but I didn't have enough muscle tissue left to repair it and the last time they repaired it two years ago I ended up with a severe infection and complications which ended up taking two years healing with an open wound in my stomach, mine was issues from the mesh, I pray you have much success, I too came home with the extra fluid trust me it will come back off ,praying you continue to heal quickly, keep us posted
Donna
 
Hi Sandie,
It was me (having Tuesday surgery!). I share a lot of your complaints - the excess weight (gained 17 lbs. in the hospital), the incredible pain in the back and in between my shoulders. I'm glad you're ok! I've been looking to see how you've been doing. I am also lucky to get a shake and a half down throughout the day - I work hard at it, but can only manage about that so far. I've also had one jello (took me 3 hours!). I keep walking around and sipping when I can. Keep me posted on how you're doing!
 
Congrats on your surgery! I had mine 5 weeks ago today and when I came home from the hospital I was 10lbs heavier than when I went in. My skin was tight all over because of the fluids and air and I felt like a walking sausage that was ready to burst! It gets better. Some people say that you hurt for awhile and then one day you just feel fine again, well mine was more like I hurt a bit less each day. I watched my stomach go from looking 8 months pregnant to 5 months to 3 months. It just takes time. Good luck and keep us posted!
 
I put up a message, I was readmitted on Sunday after Friday night until Sunday without any fluids of any sort, I was so nauseated I got that "what in hell did I do to myself" feeling. I got a CT scan and it came back that all plumbing was working, they kept me and just clear fluids, home today feeling great really. Very occas pain in shoulders, on totally clear fluid diet until next week when I see the doc and nutritionist. I came home today and am HUNGRY, have taken in lots of jello, chicken soup minus chicken, and 4 or so popsicles so far and if I do not go to bed will drink some more. I do not need pain meds or nausea meds now, hope it continues. Funny, I did my Calcium Chew and the first one I was chewing and was on internet and think I swallowed it before it was totally no consistency so now my tummy is making noises and hurts a tiny bit. Glad to be home!
 
dragonfly11 so for how long did the gas in shoulder's last. Mine got better on postop day 4 and 5 as I lay on my sides. In hospital I was on my back at all times. I have not needed pain meds since Friday evening BUT I have never been so nauseated for so long in my long life. NO MORE OF THAT please. I did eat a yogurt today, even though they said NO PROTEIN drinks, thinking that it was what made me nauseated since I was only able to get one in a day. Do some people eat yogurts a week or so after surgery or was that a dumb thing to do? I felt so hungry, and that I was not getting ANY protein so went ahead and ate a "100" Yogurt with vanilla and hoped it did not make me sick. That was at 10 am so figure if it was going to reak havoc then it would have already, do you all agree? Thoughts?
Dragonfly- have you checked with your doc? Do you have a support group at your hospital? I have two, one at my facility and one at the sister facility. The next one is next Wednesday and plan on going, you learn a huge amount from them and make friends to call etc.
 
Sandie-You might want to check with the nutritionist about taking you calcium so soon after surgery. I was told to wait until 2 months post op to take calcium in any form (chews, tablets, powder, etc.). I'm thinking your tummy isn't ready for calcium yet.
 
sandie,
i didnt gain a lot of weight but i went in at 235 and came out at 238. i thought what the heck. but after one month i am at 216. i know we are all different but now i have learned that any pain in my chest stop eating immediately. i was really hurting last night the pain was very bad for me. however i did notice a little pain before i quit. next time i will stop eating immediately if i feel anything different. with the complications you had you were bound to have fluid weight gain in the hospital. you will lose it. good luck
 
Our paperwork says to start your Vitamins and Calcium immediately at home BUT in hospital they discharged me with paperwork saying to hold off 5 days to take Calcium but take the vits when getting home.
Update on Yogurt, it was fine so had another today. I feel I need some protein so............. I need to work on getting more fluids in!!!!! I am almost afraid to restart the Protein drinks since it is what made me so sick.
 
Back
Top