Any advice please

[muchos]

Hi,

I have my gastric band operation in 2 weeks time, I am seeing my GP to ask for liquid forms of all the meds I am on. I read somewhere here that anti nausea are a must and also advice about peppermint tea.

I all honesty I am absolutely petrified but determined at the same time.

Please any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mazza]

Hi, I didn't have liquid meds with my band or sleeve op. Has the hospital said to do this?

Peppermint tea really does help with the wind that you get post op and if you like it, it's well worth getting some in.

You'll be given ant sickness meds at the hospital and some to take home if needed.

Good luck with the op and on your journey

 

[muchos]

Thank you so much I am diabetic on insulin and metformin, on 5 different high blood pressure tablets, tramadol for rheumatoid arthritis (at the moment and awaiting rhumatologist appointment in September) and pill for high cholesterol. My surgeon dr El Hasani asked me to speak with my gp and be put on liquid equivalents as and if possible, he said I am not allowed any solid foods for at leat 2 weeks after the operation and tablets included

 

[muchos]

and asked me not to take any pills before my operation for 48 hrs prior.

 

[muchos]

Do you know anyone that was able to get back to work sooner than 2 weeks after the surgery?

 

[FeeBee]

I'm on a lot of medication and managed pills the day after my op. They did mention getting liquid versions but I have trouble keeping check unless they're in a daily box so I can see what I've taken. I was off work for 4 weeks and my job is sitting down. Even if the scars are small there is a lot of healing to be done inside and to start with you're not taking a lot of energy in either. I was still napping daily till at least week 3. Are you worried about taking time off?

 

[Mazza]

Thank you so much I am diabetic on insulin and metformin, on 5 different high blood pressure tablets, tramadol for rheumatoid arthritis (at the moment and awaiting rhumatologist appointment in September) and pill for high cholesterol. My surgeon dr El Hasani asked me to speak with my gp and be put on liquid equivalents as and if possible, he said I am not allowed any solid foods for at leat 2 weeks after the operation and tablets included

I see, did you chose the band or did he recommend it? Sorry for all the questions. No you won't be allowed any solid foods but it might be difficult to get all of your meds in liquid form and, they won't taste good

Everyone is different and they recover a different rates, plus it depends what job you do. I had a full work week off after my band and two weeks with my sleeve. I have to drive a fair bit for work but I'm mostly office based

 

[muchos]

Oh that's great I still will speak with my gp about it but will stop stressing. As to work they're fine with me taking 2 weeks off and working from home on 3 week but ideally I would have to go back 4 th week and it is stressing me a bit

 

[muchos]

I'm office based too just we have a shuffle on car park spaces and I would have to do rather quite a lot convincing to get the facilities manager to allow me parking at work

 

[muchos]

He recommended bypass but asked me what I would want and I said band as was scared to have something completely irreversible. He agreed I think because my bmi is 36-37 and was referred by my gastroenterologist because of other comorbities

 

[TiaLi]

I got all my vitamins etc in liquid form, but I was so sensitive to tastes etc after surgery that I couldn't get them down at all. Just the smell of them would make me dry heave for ages, so I switched back over to pills again. It was so much easier.

In terms of how long you need to stay off work that varies soooo much from person to person. Another member on here had her surgery the day after me (we both had the bypass) - she went back to work after two weeks, I was out for 2 months. There really is no way to tell.

 

[SAM55]

I was given everything in liquid or soluble form for 4 weeks as was told tablets could get caught on the staples in a sleeve.

Be prepared to feel very tired after for a few weeks. As well as the normal after effects of any surgery from the anaesthetic and pain killers, your body will also be coping with a time of very limited nutrition.

I understand how difficult pressure from bosses is to go back before you are ready, as I had issues before and after gall bladder surgery from someone who could not accept there was no definitive answer. Your health matters more than work.

 

[muchos]

Until now I kept reading the book about gastric banding and info on the internet, but now 2 weeks before surgery I think a little bit of panic starts kicking in. I am really scared and so much want it to work.

I know I will be under pressure to go back to work, but if necessary will tell my bosses they have to agree for me to work from home, full stop. Because I want it so badly and I want it also to work I am not going to spoil my chance to get better.

How about the pain after the operation, how long it lasts and what painkillers did you get? If they have to be in liquid form what would it be?

 

[muchos]

I got all my vitamins etc in liquid form, but I was so sensitive to tastes etc after surgery that I couldn't get them down at all. Just the smell of them would make me dry heave for ages, so I switched back over to pills again. It was so much easier.

In terms of how long you need to stay off work that varies soooo much from person to person. Another member on here had her surgery the day after me (we both had the bypass) - she went back to work after two weeks, I was out for 2 months. There really is no way to tell.

I'm heaving after then without surgery so I suppose i won't be able to tolerate them after...

 

[SAM55]

They gave me Children's Liquid Ibruprofen (larger dose) which is strawberry flavoured and soluble paracetamol which is slightly aniseedy. I can't take anything like codeine. Was on a morphine pump whilst in hospital.

 

[muchos]

They gave me Children's Liquid Ibruprofen (larger dose) which is strawberry flavoured and soluble paracetamol which is slightly aniseedy. I can't take anything like codeine. Was on a morphine pump whilst in hospital.

I am supposed to be discharged home day after the surgery so I don't think I will be given morphine pump, but if I am in pain i would hope they at least give me oramorph? I am not great with pain so I am just very worried about it.

 

[SAM55]

I am supposed to be discharged home day after the surgery so I don't think I will be given morphine pump, but if I am in pain i would hope they at least give me oramorph? I am not great with pain so I am just very worried about it.

I don't think anyone is. As you are having a band hopefully you will have less pain than those of us with sleeves/bypasses, as there is less invasion. I have never had oramorph, although I have heard of it.

 

[muchos]

Are there any support groups for people after wls?

 

[TiaLi]

I was given morphine in hospital, and was sent home with paracetamol and ibuprofen. My top tip: the first days after surgery you will have an urge to cough, as phlegm will have formed in the lungs due to the tracheal tube. It's important to cough so you clear the lungs, but it can hurt like H*LL (it did for me at least - but maybe I'm a bit of a wuss)! So make sure to press a pillow against your stomach when you cough - it helps soooo much!

In terms of support groups for wls patients, some hospitals have that, at least for NHS patients. But it depends on the hospital - mine didn't. I use this forum as my "support group" and feel happy with that.

 

[Mazza]

@muchos its worth noting that most people responding have had a sleeve or bypass, where the operation and time spent in hospital is longer than with the band. Likewise, recovery can be much quicker with a band too. As always there are exceptions!

Although you will have the same number of incisions, there isn't the internal healing aspect that there is with the other ops. Placing a band around the stomach and attaching a port to the muscle wall is not as traumatic as having most of your stomach removed and the remainder being stapled up to prevent leakages and create the sleeve, or the re plumbing of your intestines which takes place for the bypass.

It's the 'norm' for banders to spend one night in hospital and for them to be more active quicker and for them to be able to consume slightly more - which all add up to a quicker recovery time. As I said in my earlier post, I had a working week off with my band insertion (the same for its removal) and two weeks with my sleeve. The week felt enough for my band but as others have said and because of the very small volumes consumed initially, two weeks was most probably not long enough post sleeve.

Its really important that you listen to your own body and the advice your team give you