Phojay
middle name OPTIMISTIC!!!
Thought it was about time I wrote down my experience of my gastric bypass op as reading everyone's experience before my decision really helped!
I opted for a bypass at Spire Cardiff with Mr Wong after much research...... good decision!
Had my pre-op done the week before which was just MRSA swabs, blood pressure, blood sample, urine, temp and the lovely scales.
Well, I was supposed to be on a very low cal diet before hand for a week and just about managed this! Couple of slips but I think I probably had it easier than those having to do the milk diet!
Nerves were terrible all week, cant remember ever being that confused, worried, scared, anxious all at the same time. Had many telephone calls with Mr Wong's secretary and various friends, 1 day was going ahead, 2 hours later was cancelling it! By Friday, the day before the op I was actually quite calm, think I'd worn myself out!
Left for the hospital at 6.30am, arrived at 7am. Was taken to a room very much like a travel lodge one with en suite shower room, big tv, satellite! Very impressed, never been in a private hospital before so nice surprise!
The anaesthetist came to speak to me who was great then Mr Wong came. By then I was changing my mind again (I'm useless at deicsions!). He was great and went through all my questions again, decided to go ahead and from then on was as if I'd gone into robot mode and switched off emotions!
Walked down to theatre, hugged hubby, and off I went to aneasthetic room. Took bloody ages trying to get needle into my left hand, thought they were going to squeeze my hand to mush! After pokeing in that one for a bit, they moved to my right and eventually got it in! All this time I was staring at a mark on the ceiling singing 'I love u, u love me, we're a happy family, with a great big hug and a kiss from me to u, wont u say u love me too' !!!!! She said she was putting something in that would make me feel like I'd had 3 vodka's, that was weird, really floaty and buzzing noises, never did do drunk very well!
Next thing I remember was waking up sometime in the afternoon, apparently I took a while to come round then was out of it for about 4 hours! No one told hubby I would be gone that long so he was climbing the walls! Bit of pain in tum but nothing too bad, no sickiness just ultra dry mouth! Was given honey and lemon sticks to suck on to refresh mouth but they were sooooooo sweet they made it worse! Started on 30ml of water every half hour and when that was tolerated moved to 60ml. Was sleeping most of the time, nurses fab, blood pressure machine on my arm going off every 10 mins, clip on finger measuring pulse, oxygen levels, drip giving fluid and paracetomol pain relief, oxygen nasal thingy under nose and inflatable boots on feet (I loved those things, the nurses said I was the first ever to ask for them to stay on! I found them really rythmic!) When i looked at my tum was surprised to see 6 little scars, no bruising and staples holding them together, didn't expect that! Had 2 very large swollen, mammoth hands due to all the poking trying to find vein! Was balancing rubber gloves filled with ice on them to reduce swelling! Quite a feat!
Mr Wong came to see me who said my liver was perfect (I was so chuffed!) and all had gone well. Said I'd taken ages to wake up properly so he'd gone home to his son's birthday party then come back to see me when I was finally awake! They said that after I was knocked out for my casearean I took ages to come round, think when I get the chance for some shut eye I take it and make the most!
That night had lovely nurse who was real 'old school' but fussed around me straightening sheets and stroking hair out of my face! So motherly! Was offered extra pain relief when needed, oramorph or codeine. Turned out I hadn't had a catheter or anything put in but also had not been to the loo or needed to, when tried couldn't go so ended up with catheter to empty bladder and let anaesthetic wear off as they thought that was why my bladder had gone on strike!
Good nights sleep, was given voltarol which was fab and let me have restfull night! To be honest was never really in horrendous pain but was so scared of being that I said yes to all meds on offer! Felt really good in the morning, not much pain, had had no wind pain at all, day nurses decided to take out catheter and get me up and walking, BIG mistake!!
Afternoon went ok but by teatime was feeling really odd,light headed and as if my heart was gonna jump out of my body and could feel every pulse my heart made. When they checked my heart rate was 160 and rising (should have been between 60-80), doc called who plugged me into ecg monitor and said my heart was out of synus rythym or something, she was great rushed about getting magnesium to put in drip and other stuff, they decided it was because my bladder was too full as after scanning it they found there was 800mls in there when it should only hold 350ml! And I didn;t even feel like I needed to go! Took 3 nurses, a doc and half hour to get another catheter in (Dignity well and truly out the window!). Drained over 1600ml, everyone shocked I could fit it in! Was hooked up to ecg monitor etc and after about 2 hours everything started to calm down.
Started to have horrid pain in side then which I was told was wind but eased with pain relief. Slept like a log again.
Following morning up to bathroom where pain was horrid again, doubled over, felt like knife being turned in my side, ended up in tears and I never cry! Told again it was wind but doc called who gave me buscapan which really helped.
After Sunday's set back monday was not too bad, mobilized as much as pos and was drinking free fluids. By Tuesday was ready for home, discharged with pain relief and loratadine and got back about teatime.
All in all, I have to say, not even Half as bad as I imagined! By day 3 most of the discomfort (I say this, not pain cos it really wasn't painful!) had gone and by day 5 stopped any painkillers totally.
I'm now 10 days post op and feeling great!! Have to keep reminding myself I've had an op and cant do certain things! No pain, no wind, walking about as normal, though did walk into village day after I came home and then decided maybe it was a bit far that soon!
Hope this helps those considering surgery, everyone's story is different and eveyone's decision must be whats right for them.
Hope to keep updating, even if its just for myself!!!
I opted for a bypass at Spire Cardiff with Mr Wong after much research...... good decision!
Had my pre-op done the week before which was just MRSA swabs, blood pressure, blood sample, urine, temp and the lovely scales.
Well, I was supposed to be on a very low cal diet before hand for a week and just about managed this! Couple of slips but I think I probably had it easier than those having to do the milk diet!
Nerves were terrible all week, cant remember ever being that confused, worried, scared, anxious all at the same time. Had many telephone calls with Mr Wong's secretary and various friends, 1 day was going ahead, 2 hours later was cancelling it! By Friday, the day before the op I was actually quite calm, think I'd worn myself out!
Left for the hospital at 6.30am, arrived at 7am. Was taken to a room very much like a travel lodge one with en suite shower room, big tv, satellite! Very impressed, never been in a private hospital before so nice surprise!
The anaesthetist came to speak to me who was great then Mr Wong came. By then I was changing my mind again (I'm useless at deicsions!). He was great and went through all my questions again, decided to go ahead and from then on was as if I'd gone into robot mode and switched off emotions!
Walked down to theatre, hugged hubby, and off I went to aneasthetic room. Took bloody ages trying to get needle into my left hand, thought they were going to squeeze my hand to mush! After pokeing in that one for a bit, they moved to my right and eventually got it in! All this time I was staring at a mark on the ceiling singing 'I love u, u love me, we're a happy family, with a great big hug and a kiss from me to u, wont u say u love me too' !!!!! She said she was putting something in that would make me feel like I'd had 3 vodka's, that was weird, really floaty and buzzing noises, never did do drunk very well!
Next thing I remember was waking up sometime in the afternoon, apparently I took a while to come round then was out of it for about 4 hours! No one told hubby I would be gone that long so he was climbing the walls! Bit of pain in tum but nothing too bad, no sickiness just ultra dry mouth! Was given honey and lemon sticks to suck on to refresh mouth but they were sooooooo sweet they made it worse! Started on 30ml of water every half hour and when that was tolerated moved to 60ml. Was sleeping most of the time, nurses fab, blood pressure machine on my arm going off every 10 mins, clip on finger measuring pulse, oxygen levels, drip giving fluid and paracetomol pain relief, oxygen nasal thingy under nose and inflatable boots on feet (I loved those things, the nurses said I was the first ever to ask for them to stay on! I found them really rythmic!) When i looked at my tum was surprised to see 6 little scars, no bruising and staples holding them together, didn't expect that! Had 2 very large swollen, mammoth hands due to all the poking trying to find vein! Was balancing rubber gloves filled with ice on them to reduce swelling! Quite a feat!
Mr Wong came to see me who said my liver was perfect (I was so chuffed!) and all had gone well. Said I'd taken ages to wake up properly so he'd gone home to his son's birthday party then come back to see me when I was finally awake! They said that after I was knocked out for my casearean I took ages to come round, think when I get the chance for some shut eye I take it and make the most!
That night had lovely nurse who was real 'old school' but fussed around me straightening sheets and stroking hair out of my face! So motherly! Was offered extra pain relief when needed, oramorph or codeine. Turned out I hadn't had a catheter or anything put in but also had not been to the loo or needed to, when tried couldn't go so ended up with catheter to empty bladder and let anaesthetic wear off as they thought that was why my bladder had gone on strike!
Good nights sleep, was given voltarol which was fab and let me have restfull night! To be honest was never really in horrendous pain but was so scared of being that I said yes to all meds on offer! Felt really good in the morning, not much pain, had had no wind pain at all, day nurses decided to take out catheter and get me up and walking, BIG mistake!!
Afternoon went ok but by teatime was feeling really odd,light headed and as if my heart was gonna jump out of my body and could feel every pulse my heart made. When they checked my heart rate was 160 and rising (should have been between 60-80), doc called who plugged me into ecg monitor and said my heart was out of synus rythym or something, she was great rushed about getting magnesium to put in drip and other stuff, they decided it was because my bladder was too full as after scanning it they found there was 800mls in there when it should only hold 350ml! And I didn;t even feel like I needed to go! Took 3 nurses, a doc and half hour to get another catheter in (Dignity well and truly out the window!). Drained over 1600ml, everyone shocked I could fit it in! Was hooked up to ecg monitor etc and after about 2 hours everything started to calm down.
Started to have horrid pain in side then which I was told was wind but eased with pain relief. Slept like a log again.
Following morning up to bathroom where pain was horrid again, doubled over, felt like knife being turned in my side, ended up in tears and I never cry! Told again it was wind but doc called who gave me buscapan which really helped.
After Sunday's set back monday was not too bad, mobilized as much as pos and was drinking free fluids. By Tuesday was ready for home, discharged with pain relief and loratadine and got back about teatime.
All in all, I have to say, not even Half as bad as I imagined! By day 3 most of the discomfort (I say this, not pain cos it really wasn't painful!) had gone and by day 5 stopped any painkillers totally.
I'm now 10 days post op and feeling great!! Have to keep reminding myself I've had an op and cant do certain things! No pain, no wind, walking about as normal, though did walk into village day after I came home and then decided maybe it was a bit far that soon!
Hope this helps those considering surgery, everyone's story is different and eveyone's decision must be whats right for them.
Hope to keep updating, even if its just for myself!!!
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