Bariatric Surgery & Weight Loss: Meet others & Share

My wife just had stomach bypass surgery and surgery on her hiatal hernia. She is a diabetic *(1) so really life changing. She is still in hospital 4 days after surgery.

@jpsdadrulz - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I moved your post here:

- Bariatric Surgery & Weight Loss: Meet others & Share https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/bariatric-surgery-weight-loss-meet-others-share/

The reason I did this was so that you could connect with many others who've also been on the bariatric surgery journey. Hoping they might tell you a bit about their experiences as you look further into bariatric surgery. Please meet @zidbuck @hope2lose23 @loveylouise @herbi13 @roch and others.

What is your next step in your bariatric surgery journey, jpsdadrulz?

My wife just had biartric bypass surgery last Wednesday. She has gatro persisis caused by diabetes and her stomach muscle no longer worked.

So far doing (she was released on Saturday) really well. She has lost 8 lbs already. For those who have had this surgery can you give some guidance on the first few weeks of what to concentrate on?

@jc76 - hope her recovery continues smoothly.

When you ask what she should concentrate on during the first few weeks, do you mean factors such as sleep, pain management, movement, taking medications on schedule, or something else?

@lisalucier
She is not on MCC even though I asked her to. So as care giver any information I can get on helping her I can pass on to her. I try to help but never had this type surgery so cannot give her any experience on it.

She seems to sleep okay, pain management could use some help. She declined oxycodone. Movement help would help. She was doing very good second day home and did laundry and then has had pain in back and stomach since. She is taking a muscle relaxer but that really does a number on her as she to me is too relax as it affects her balance.

The pain, movement, suggestion on eating (she is on liquid only for two weeks) would help. IN her surgery (5.5 hour) they also removed an old mesh surgery for hianeal hernia and he sutured the area.

@jc76 - I'm tagging @roch @aschoonover @valgeorge @kellyh7941 @jamnjava20 to see if they have any thoughts for your wife as she recovers from recent bariatric surgery, @jc76, and deals with pain and having declined oxy, seeming too relaxed from the muscle relaxant, and needing any ideas for movement and a liquid diet at this time.

Has she been able to sleep okay since the surgery? Is the liquid diet going all right for her?

@jc76
For the next few weeks of liquid diet, concentrate on fluids and protein in liquid form. Small sips of fluid throughout the entire day. No carbonation. I would have her take it easy. Walking is good, even if for short distances. The two weeks will go by fast.

This discussion in the Digestive group may offer additional suggestions. Though not specific to Bartatric surgery, it applies to anyone who has dietary restrictions after GI surgery.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-do-i-eat-after-digestive-tract-surgery/

@lisalucier
Thanks for responding.

Yes actually her sleeping has improved. She just had virtual appointment with surgeon. And today a nurse follow up to surgery.

I asked my wife not to drive when taking muscle relaxer and surgery follow up nurse confirmed not to do that. She is surprisingly doing quite well with her liquid diet. We had to buy an electric device that crushes her pills into powder form so she can take.

I am surprised that she is not hungry. I think the nerve connection between brain and stomach which is not closed off from esophagus. Some pain and nurse stated the one side he had more openings would hurt for about one week and then get better.

I think some long term feedback on how things worked out and what changed etc. would help. And any precautions they wish they had done.