I had my gastric bypass on the 31st may this year so I consider myself still in the recovery phase.
I had a different pre op diet which involved 4 pints milk, 2 litres of water and 1 salty drink a day (I had chicken bovril). I was also allowed sugar free jelly. Each hospital seems to have a slightly different pre op diet and a different period they want you on the diet for. Mine was 2 weeks. I'm not going to lie the first few days were very hard but once you get through that it gets easier. Most people go into ketosis after a few days and then you will find your appetite decreases and have more energy.
The operation itself usually takes around 2 hours, mine took a bit longer because of scar tissue, which meant when I woke up I was in a fair amount of pain but this was eased with morphine. Most people on my ward that had the same operation said they were uncomfortable/in moderate pain the first night but helped with morphine and the next day they were feeling much better. No one was in agony but there is some pain for most people. I’ve never had a baby but I can see that it’s a bit like child birth (not as painful!) but in the fact as time goes on and you lose weight you will forget all about it. I caught up with everyone else around late afternoon the next day. I didn't suffer too much with wind pain but some people find it really unpleasant but it is helped by the fact that the nurses get you up as soon as possible so you can walk it off. Some hospitals will give you peppermint water or peppermint tea to help too. I found drinking peppermint tea for a week at home keeps things moving.
You are on clear fluid for the first night, you will probably see your surgeon the next morning and if they are happy you can go onto free fluid like tea or juice. Then if that goes down ok by the time you've left hospital you will have had something like clear soup or jelly. Depending on your hospital you may have had some purée too. If everything goes well as planned you will be home after 3 days.
When you are home what you eat will again depend on your hospital/surgeon. A lot of hospitals have you on liquids for 2 weeks, then on to puree, then mashed and finally normal food. My provider moves us straight on to puree for a month and then mashed food, then crunchy/smooth - which involves stuff like a melba toast covered in reduced fat pate. At 8 weeks we are allowed to eat normal food apart from salad, which is from 10 weeks.
I found the first two weeks difficult to adjust, you are sore inside and drinking can be hard but it is very important so above everything else you will be told to keep sipping away. You are not allowed to drink for 30 minutes before eating or 30 minutes after eating. This is for life. This allows room in your pouch (your new tummy that is the size of an egg) to be able to eat and then prevent the food inside it from being flush through too fast. Nutrients are really important post op. You will have to follow a high nutrient, high protein diet for the rest of your life. You will also have to take a multi vitamin/mineral every day for the rest of your life and most likely a calcium tablet. Some people have to take iron as well. You will also have to get your bloods test yearly to check you are not deficient in anything. With a bypass you need to avoid food high in fat and sugar because they bypass part of your intestine which means those foods will hit lower in you digestive system faster than they would have before. If you have them you could suffer from something called dumping syndrome, which I’ve not had and planning on trying never to experience. Symptoms include sweating, diarrhoea, feelings of impending doom and this can last up to about an hour. Apparently it is very unpleasant so it’s a good encouragement to stick too 5 grams or less of sugar or fat in every 100 grams of food or drink you have.
I found eating was easier after the op than drinking. Everyone is different. Your portion size will be around the size of a ramekin or half a mug of soup. Lots of people buy little pots and freeze some soup etc. before the op so they don’t have to worry about making things in the beginning as you are tired. You will be advised to keep moving at home but it’s important to rest in between too. Some people feel fine after 1 week, some people 2. Most people go back to work after 2 weeks. You might just find it a bit tiring. If you have a physical job like me, you might be able/want to take a bit longer off work. My work told me not to come back for 6 weeks. That is something you can figure out with your job and surgeon. You won't be able to drive for 2 weeks, only gentle exercise like walking at first, you will have to wait till you post op check for more physically exercise like the gym or swimming as it takes a while for your insides to heal even if you look and feel ok on the outside.
Around 6 weeks you will get your post op check but all providers provide you with a number to call or email that you can ask any questions if you are concerned. The fact you are joining a support group is great because support is really essential, this forum will do that for you too. My surgeon said that I will be back to my old self but better! By 3 months post op. For some people that happens before then.
A couple of things I wish I’d known before the surgery is that it takes a while for you to feel the effects of the surgery, you don’t stop feeling hungry straight away and you don’t feel the fullness from eating straight away because you are still numb inside from the swelling. That came around 4 weeks post op for me, along with the starting to not feel hungry unless I forget to eat and leave it too long between meals. The second is that it is pretty emotional for some people. Around 3-4 weeks I started to feel weepy and emotional. I found this was for several reasons, firstly because in a weird way you almost grieve the old food and old you despite how much you might hate it by the end, it is still a big part of you that you have to let go of. Secondly because you are losing weight rapidly you fat stores are breaking down and hormones are flooding your body, meaning you are going to feel a lot of things more intensely and lastly if you are anything like me you would have use food as a crutch for when things go bad. You can’t do that anymore, you can’t physically and you don’t want too or it’s all for nothing. It’s hard learning to deal with things like an adult, feeling them and accepting the world doesn’t end if you ride it out. Something I’m really grateful for now.
So that’s my experience so far, there are lots of people on here that have reached there goal, or are further down into their journey but I thought I share the early stuff as it is all fresh in my mind. Sorry I rambled on so much.
I don’t regret my surgery at all, I have days I feel a bit sick or a bit tired but they are getting fewer and further in between. I have lost 60lbs in 9 weeks! I’m over the moon with that and I would have never done it in this time frame on my own. Surgery isn’t the easy option, they is a lot to it but if you use it right it can be a fantastic option and it can be well worth it.
I hope this was of some use. Good luck with your journey, let us know how you get on
x
