I'm home--here's what happened

[spinbaby]

Last Monday I went into the hospital for a classic RNY bypass surgery. I chose this particular surgery over the lap band because I have issues with sugar, which RNY addresses better than a band and because RNY is the "gold standard" of bariatric surgery with a long history of success. I also had a large hernia repaired.

I had a serious complication--a pulmonary embolism. For those of you that are now jumping up and down and yelling about the evils of weight-loss surgery, keep in mind that this complication can happen with any surgery and that I needed surgery in any case because of the hernia.

Surgery went well. The next day I was a little short of breath and my blood oxygen kept dipping, but this got better every time I took a dose of pain medication. At that time, the doctor thought, and I agreed, that I was having trouble inhaling deeply because of pain from the hernia repair. My pain medication was upped.

On Wednesday I was due to go home but was still a bit short of breath and felt like I had the flu. They sent me for a CT scan, just in case, and there it was--a small blood clot in the lung. This set off a round of new testing and a heparin drip.

Since then I've experience various levels of shortness of breath and low-grade fever, but have managed to get myself home with supplemental oxygen and have to give myself (very expensive) shots twice a day.

As for the bypass itself, I've barely had time to notice it. I'm surprised at how normal my stomach feels and how much of a non-issue it is. I'm just not particularly hungry. I'm still on the clear liquids phase and doing well with it. I find that I do get a tad hungry now and then, which surprises me, but that my stomach is just fine with sugar-free jello or a popsicle. I haven't been the least bit sick but am also following instructions precisely and plan to keep doing so.

Weight lost so far? Gained 14 pounds. I certainly hope that's water.

[noamnety]

1. Hospitals go crazy with the IV fluids

Last time I had surgery it was when I had started a diet. I remember being very annoyed that they pumped me so full of liquids for the surgery that I gained a ton of weight overnight even though I hadn't eaten.

I hope you're feeling better soon.

[auntAgonist]

2. I'm glad you're home and doing relatively well. The weight gain is

probably and most likely from the fluids they've pumped into you.

Make sure you're urinating though !

Sip Sip Sip your water.

I have trouble staying hydrated to this day (surgery was Mar 15 2005)

Following directions is a good thing!

I'm down to 139 from 302.

Shop at the used and consignment clothing store for clothes for a while

Get your rest, walk walk walk, sip sip sip . you know the drill.



kesha

[spinbaby]

3. Only parts of me are doing well

The new pouch is doing well, the rest of me is feverish, short of breath, and exhausted.

[auntAgonist]

4. a fever is not good OR normal. Call your Dr. ASAP. n/t

[spinbaby]

5. They don't seem worried about it

The fever seems to be a reaction to lung inflammation.

[rox63]

6. Did they get rid of the blood clot?

I can't see how they would send you home if it was still there. But the shortness of breath is worrisome. Did they give you any breathing exercises to do? Or an incentive spirometer? That's the device they usually give people after abdominal surgery, to prevent them from getting pneumonia or lung collapse.

[spinbaby]

7. The blood clot is small

And apparently my body will take care of it eventually--time frame not made clear. Meanwhile, my body reacts to it as a foreign body with flu-like symptoms. I have oxygen, breathing gadgets, oximeter, all kinds of widgets and a nurse on call, but it seems mainly a matter of taking Tylenol, keeping up on my breathing, and waiting it out. A problem I'm running into now is that because I'm a bit feverish, I'm also a bit nauseous--I need to check with the nurse in the morning about something for that.

[auntAgonist]

8. The fever worries me a bit, you don't need to be throwing up either. I had lots of that after my

surgery and it's not at all pleasant. I was given a really strong anti-nausea drug and I cannot for the life of me think of what they called it. It's apparently given to chemotherapy patients for their nausea.

Please don't hesitate to call the nurse about your temperature.

take good care of yourself.

kesha

[Lars39]

10. Zofran perhaps?

[auntAgonist]

11. It might very well have been Zofran. Thanks for the memory jog.

aA
kesha

[rox63]

9. I'm worried about the vomiting as well

That can cause incisions to rupture if it goes on too long or gets too rough. Please take care of yourself and keep your doctors up to date on your condition.