My Gastric Bypass Surgery

Arrived home around 6pm Friday evening, and made friends again with my big soft leather recliner. Terry made me some blended fresh tomato soup which went down an absolute treat! We decided he would sleep in the spare room as he was so worried about flinging his arms across me in his sleep!

The first night at home went ok, aside from one of my cats deciding to stealth leap on to my tummy at 4.30am! I got up a couple of times in the night and found it a bit hard staying on my back, but made it through!

Saturday (day 3 post op) we were going to Blackpool for a weeks holiday in a giant cottage with a whole load of my family, so we got up early and sorted out bits of luggage and getting the cats to the cattery. Well, Terry did, I mainly sat down in betweens bouts of energetic stomping round yelling MUST MOBILISE.

Around lunchtime I asked Terry to do my Heparin injection to get it out of the way. As soon as he came at me with it I flipped out big time. We ended up having to go to the local hospital which has a walk in centre staffed by nurses! Shortly after we headed up to Blackpool, and got there around 4pm. Everyone arrived around the same time, and it was lovely catching up with people and exploring the rather grand 'cottage'! I kept saying 'must sit down, over doing it', but then I'd start feeling left out and jump up and join in again! One of my wounds leaked a fair bit on to the dressing and that gave me the shock I needed to take it easy. I'd arranged for Terry and I to have a twin bedded room for the week, what we didn't realise was that it was twin king sized beds! Lovely

On the Sunday I started taking a serving of Benefibre every day to help with the diarrhea and to prevent constipation. It has really worked a treat and got me back to regular with no problems.

The Sunday and Monday we trekked down to the walk in centre in Blackpool for my jabs, and the last two on Tuesday and Wednesday were done at the nearest GP to the office. I spent most of the week plodding round the cottage watching kids and baby sitting in the evenings. There were a few times when I felt completely done in and had to lay down for a short time but I was mostly feeling very good. On the Tuesday (Day 6 post op) the nurse weighed me and I was delighted to see I'd lost 8lbs making it 25lbs in total.

Thursday (Day 8 post op) I went to the GP's again to have the staples removed. I had been quite anxious about it, but most of them came out ok. A couple pinched and were a bit uncomfortable but it felt good to have them out! I was desperate to clean up all the dried blood from where they'd been and it felt great afterwards. I managed a trip to the zoo with everyone afterwards, although I only stayed for a couple of hours and used my mobility scooter to get round. I found being folded up on the scooter quite uncomfortable after a while.

Friday Terry and I went down to Blackpool for a couple of hours in the day just the two of us which was great. Later on, my best friends daughter who's 7 fell off the monkey bars and badly broke her arm at the cottage so all hell broke loose after that. She had an operation on it this morning (Saturday) and apparently all is well.

We came home this morning and my son's now gone to his dads for the week so I can do some serious recovery. I'm hoping to go back to work next week so the plan is to take things really easy this week.

Food wise everythings been fine. No sickness, the occasional bits of nausea towards the beginning of the week but that was all. I've started having things like mashed potato as I got sick of soup and yoghurt and everythings been fine. I'm now 10 days post op and feeling nearly back to normal.

I completely missed out the Barium X-Ray!

So on the thursday (1 day post op) I was taken down to x-ray for stage 1 of the barium test which checks for any leaks in the new plumbing. Nic and I went down together, and I amazed myself by managing to walk all the way. Nic went in first. When I went in, I was asked to stand on a small platform against a solid upright, and the x ray machine was brought round to almost enclose me from neck to mid thigh. I was told to take a mouthful of the barium drink, and swallow it when told to. I had to do this around 6 or 7 times in different positions. Now the problem with this is I HATE ANISEEEDDDD! The hold and swallows were going OK, until the radiologist forgot to tell me to swallow! He was moaning that I must have only taken a small mouth and I couldn't reply as I still had a mouthful. I was grunting and pointing until he got the message lol.

After the inital shots, I sat down and was then told I had to finish the beaker. It was a normal plastic cup size and there was atleast half left. I was really struggling to get it down and started retching, but was told quite sternly that if I brought it up I'd have to start again with a new beaker! I swallowed the same mouthful a few times I can tell you. I eventually managed, and after washing my mouth out with water a few times (without swallowing) I felt better.

About an hour later I went back down for the follow up shots. I had to stand on the same platform, which then tilted right back 90degrees so I was lain flat on my back for the shots. It was then put back to vertical afterwards! Think I'd have rather climbed up and lay down but hey ho.

Later on once the results were back my drip was removed and I was allowed to start sipping water. No leaks in me!

That evening when I had a dose of back pain I was given some oral codeine. It was horribly thick and even after trying to keep it down, I managed to bring it straight back up again! It was a bit scary being sick, but it also produced 5 minutes of good quality belching which seemed to shift the last of my gas!

The following morning I woke up around 6am. As I said earlier I'd been awake every hour or two with hideous diarrhea and felt completely exhausted. I'd had a little bit of soluble paracetemol in the night but that was all.

Mr Brough the surgeon came to see me very early on, and had a bit of a go at me to be honest. He was cross because they were struggling to find a painkiller I could take. He wasn't happy I'd brought the codeine back up and had refused pain killers that morning. I was so tired that I just burst into tears, which prompted him to tell me that if he'd known I was so emotional beforehand they probably wouldn't have done the surgery! I tried to explain that I wasn't normally so emotional it was purely tiredness, and that I'd refused painkillers because my pain levels were tolerable. I pointed out the only reason I hadn't had the whole dose of soluble paracetemol in the night was because I fell asleep half way through. Anyway, he told me he wanted me up out of bed and that he would come back after lunch. The nurse came in shortly afterwards and found me in a bit of a state. She sent me back to bed and after an hour and a half's sleep I felt a million times better!

One of the nurses took me for a walk down the corridor and I had a wash and hair brush and started to feel human. I still had horrid diarrhea at that point but it was beginning to be longer in between episodes.

Terry came shortly after lunch and the nurse trained him in giving me the heparin injections. He'd observed the night before but this was his first time giving it himself. I tensed up completely but let him do it. The nurse changed my dressings which was my first chance to see the wounds in all their glory, staples and all! Afterwards Terry took me for a little walk and we discussed whether I should go home that day (Friday, 2 days post op) or the next day.

The nurses popped in a few times and seemed keen that I should discharge that day. Mr Brough came back after lunch (a couple of mouthfuls of very sharp plain yoghurt) and agreed I could go home. He was much nicer when Terry was there!

After sorting out the discharge paperwork and medicines I was allowed out. I was nervous about the journey as it was 1hour 15minutes but the staff gave me sick bowls for on the way and Terry drove smoothly and stayed in the slow lane! It was fine, not particularly painful, and it was lovely to be home.

I remembered that at some point in the night the night staff took off my oxygen mask and decided I was doing ok without it.

I woke up around 7am on the first day post op when the night staff came in to sort me out. I had my inflatable leg thingies removed, the catheter removed, and the blood pressure cuff removed. All I was left with was the drip. They did my obs and as my O2 sats had dropped put me on a nasal canula.

It was great having a bit of freedom and not being pumped by a cuff in the arm every 10 minutes and cuffs round my legs continuously!

Painkiller wise that day I had IV paracetemol regularly, and one or two shots of IM Codeine. I managed to keep on top of the pain and quickly learnt that when the pain started sitting up and moving around a little bit helped free up a few lovely belches!

The nurses were keeping an eye on my pain levels, asking me to grade between 0 and 4. Mostly I flittered between 0 and 2, with the occasional 3. I never had any neck or shoulder pain from the gas, and really in all honestly didn't find the gas to be either a pain or a problem in any way. I had a few niggles of tummy gas which was soon releived! By the middle of the day the tummy pain was negligible and it was really only my intermittent back pain that I had to deal with.

Because the catheter was out I was back to peeing like normal people, although I had to take the drip stand with me.

The physio came to see me and showed me some breathing exercises and tips to deal with coughing and also some ankle exercises to deal with DVT risks.

Terry came to see me, and mid afternoon my mum brought my son in to visit me. With him being only 7 I was worried how he'd deal with it, but he was absolutely fine. He was more excited showing me the new shoes and coat his nana had bought him!

I had my morning dose of heparin in my stomach, and later on the quiet doctor came to take some post-op bloods. I wasn't impressed as he tried a few times to take it from my left arm which isn't so great vein wise even though I told him that. Eventually he sent the nurse in to disconnect my drip and half an hour later came back and took them (first time trying) from my right arm.

The night staff gave me my evening dose of heparin and that was the day for me!

Overnight I started with very bad black diarrhea as a result of the anti biotics and consequently got very little sleep.

Diary Part 2 -

I don't remember much about post op, but while I was in recovery my surgeon came and told Terry that everything had gone fine. I was in surgery/recovery for 3 hours in total.

Terry says he could hear me being wheeled down the corridor going oooooooh aarrrggghhhhh lots! I got back to the room and was kicking up a stink because I was in a huge amount of back pain. They think that was a result of being laid on the hard operating table for 3 hours. Because I can't have morphone I'd been given Tramadol in recovery, and was then given Pethidine back in my room which helped and sent me back to sleep. I remember wanting to move up the bed before hand and they had to get some big strong men from theatre to help me! I also panicked when I realised I had no knickers on!

After my pethidine snooze I woke up for a bit and finally noticed Terry sat next to me. I was still in a lot of pain so they sent out for some IM and Liquid Codeine for me. I was hooked up to a drip which was supplying me with fluids, IV Paracetemol, and Antibiotics. I remember slurring at the quiet doctor that I didn't want any antibiotics that would give me thrush after speaking to Livvy! I also had inflating leg things on to prevent DVT, an oxygen mask, an O2 Sat monitor on one finger, and a blood pressure cuff which inflated every 10 minutes. The mask made my lips fiercely dry and while I was out of it the nurse tried to wet my lips with an ice cube but it got stuck!

Terry left around 7pm, he'd been there over 12 hours at that point bless him. Shortly afterwards I began to come round a bit and was frustrated that the time he'd been there I'd been quite out of it, but now he was gone I was awake and wanted him with me. I texted a few friends and worked hard with the nurses to get my back sorted out and comfortable.

I discovered that I had a catheter in, and that my wee was green. During the op they put a blue dye through my system! Not just a little bit green, but bright emerald green!

When the night shift came on they gave me my evening heperin and said it was time to stand up. I managed to sit on the edge of the bed, which set off a fierce few minutes of burping and retching. I then stood for a few minutes before spending a bit longer sat on the edge. I had some sponges and a pot of water to keep wetting my lips with so I took full advantage of that. That was the first time I was with it enough to ask the nurses how things had gone. I got changed into my pyjamas which was bliss! It was also the first time I'd seen my dressings and tummy.

I got back into bed and watched some telly before settling down for the night. I woke up around 1am and called the nurse as I was in quite a lot of discomfort and wanted to sit on the edge of the bed again. The nurse who came said no it was more important to sleep!

I managed to get back to sleep and slept through till about 4.00am. This time a different nurse came through and let me sit up for a bit to burp and get rid of some gas which was heavenly!

On Wednesday I woke up around 5am feeling pretty nervous but quite excited too. Terry and I left around 5.30am and arrived at the hospital about 6.45am. Nic walked in shortly after so sat and chatted with her until the nurse came down to walk us up to the ward. Turned out we were the only 2 bariatric patients that day and we were put in rooms next door to each other.

Another nurse came to do some pre-op obs, and go through the admission forms etc. I was told Nic would be going down first, then me, so it would be around 11am when I went down. The anaesthatist came round too along with the surgeon.

I was given a gown, some paper knickers (but was told so long as mine were cotton it was ok to leave mine on) and some surgical stockings. I had to have a shower aswell as I had had one the night before and not that morning.

So I showered and changed into my lovely outfit and curled up on the bed to wait.

Around 10.30am the nurse came in and said that they were ready for me. I walked down to theatre and said goodbye to Terry at the door. I sat down and went through my details with the nurse. I had to take my hair bobble out as it had metal on it, then went through and lay down on a bed to be prepped. The anaesthetist came to put in a canula, and after much pressure from me managed to get it in first time! The two assistants were talking at me about holidays and stuff and one of them was really annoying me with his questions so just after the anaesthatist said he was going to start putting in the anaesthetic I remember thinking right I don't want to talk to you so I'm going to just close my eyes and ignore you!

Yay I'm home!

I had the surgery on Wednesday (all went well, liver was perfectly shrunk) and came home yesterday (Friday) tea-time.

Still a bit groggy, so will be updating properly over the next few days.

I can't believe its nearly here! Today I feel amazingly calm, which is nice

I'm nearly all ready, the case is packed and I just have a couple of little bits to nip to the supermarket for today. I'm planning a very early night with the aid of some sleeping pills this evening as otherwise I won't sleep as we have to be up at 5am.

Here's a list of what's coming into hospital with me:

Pyjamas/underwear
Dressing gown
Slippers
Jogging pants and baggy t'shirt for discharge
Good book
DS Lite and games and charger
Phone and charger
Dry mouth spray
Toiletries
Antibacterial hand gel
Mini fan with water sprayer
Moisturiser

And of course the kitchen sink lol

So I think this will be my last blog post for a few days, I won't be online till Saturday at the earliest probably!

I can't believe the day is nearly here! 3 sleeps to go and then its D-Day.

There's some catching up to do since the last post so lets start with the diet. After those 3 days I decided to swap over to the Milk diet, which for me consisted of 2 pints of semi-skimmed milk and 1 low fat yoghurt per day. I found the 800cal diet very faffy, having to plan the day and weigh everything is not for me! The milk one was much simpler to do and I soon settled into it.

Hunger wasn't really a problem, after the first 2 days, well not tummy hunger anyway! The psychological hunger has stayed the whole way through but it's been good to learn the difference and to learn to ignore it. My bowels have been through the mill from one extreme to the other lol but I won't go into details!

Friday 11th was my last pre-op appointment. I was pleased to have it confirmed that I had lost 15lbs in the first 10 days! Everything was fine, blood results ok etc. I talked through post-op pain relief with the bariatric nurse as I react to morphine which put my mind at rest and she also confirmed I don't need to start the heparin injections until the day of surgery so that pleased me no end.

Starting yesterday (Saturday) I moved over to clear fluids. I've learnt I don't like sugar free lemon and lime jelly, and that I don't eat as much of it as I thought I would! Fruit pastille ice lollies are a staple though.

Generally now I'm feeling quite weak and pathetic lol, but I'm existing on less than 100cals a day so I suppose thats to be expected!

I've had a few wobbles, there are a few fears lingering, but I'm handling it and as one of my favourite women says - FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY!

Well today was day 3 on the pre-op diet, and so far so good! At the end of the post I'll put what I've been eating. It's been ok, the hunger has been in my head, not in my stomach, so it's been fairly easy to deal with. Plenty of sugar free lemon barley water has helped!

The good news is my blood pressure was taken today and was completely back to normal, so that should keep the anaesthatist happy!

I'm taking this two weeks one day at a time, and trying to keep off the scales. The days are going so slooooow though.

Day 1
Breakfast - 1 peice of toast
Lunch - Salad with cottage cheese and 2 crispbreads
Dinner - Pasta with sliced ham, brocolli, sugarsnap peas, and sweetcorn with mayo and tomato puree
Snacks - Melon chunks, 2 x yoghurt

Day 2
Breakfast - Yoghurt
Lunch - 2 crispbreads with sliced chicken
Dinner - Fish fingers with boiled potatoes and sweetcorn
Snacks - Banana, glass milk

Day 3
Breakfast - Yoghurt
Lunch - 2 poached eggs on 1 peice of toast
Dinner - 2 grilled sausages with mash, brocolli and sweetcorn
Snacks -Banana, glass milk

OK I've been avoiding typing mine out cos its sooooo long winded lol but here goes...

Because I have damaged kidneys I can't have salty foods, so wasn't allowed to do my surgeons standard on of bovril/oxo/clear soups/jelly.

Breads, cereals, and potatoes - 3 portions per day

3 tbsp breakfast cereal
1 weetabix
3 tbsp dry porridge oats or 1 sachet instant porridge
1 slice bread (pref wholemeal)
1/2 bread roll, bagel
1/2 tortilla wrap, 1/2 chapatti, or 1/2 pitta bread
2 rice cakes
2 tbsp cooked pasta, cooked rice or cous-cous
1 boiled or jacket potato (egg size)
2 tbsp mashed potato
3 crisp breads or crackers

Milk and dairy food - 2 portions per day

300ml skimmed milk
200ml semi skimmed milk
1 diet yoghurt or fromage frais

Fruit and vegetables

1 peice of fruit
Vegetables/salad - include with lunch and evening meal

Meat, fish and alternatives - 2 portions per day

50g lean beef, pork, lamb, chicken or oily fish
2 grilled sausages
75g white fish or 3 fish fingers (grilled)
1 small Quorn fillet
2 eggs (poached, boiled or scrambled)
2 lean rashers bacon (grilled)
1/2 bowl (medium) lentil or bean soup
3 heaped tbsp reduced fat houmous
3 tbsp baked beans or cooked kidney beans, butter beans, chick peas
25g hard cheese
50g low fat soft cheese
Up to 100g low fat cottage cheese

In addition

15g low fat margarine or 2 tsp low fat mayo

Plus atleast 4 pints fluids.

This is for 10 days, followed by 4 days clear fluids, which consists of -

Black tea or coffee
Sugar free pops and squashes
Clear apple juice - 3 small glasses across day
Sugar free ice lollies
Sugar free jellies

(normally would be allowed clear sieved soups and oxo/bovril etc)

All way through need multivitamin supplement daily.

Spent this morning at home, and got myself a little bit worked up about the appointment. Not sure why, just started feeling a bit anxious. I knew I'd have to have bloods and I'm needle phobic so that didn't help.

Got to hospital early, and was feeling quite highly strung by then. Went and got weighed, and to my amazement have lost weight since my initial appointment (only 2 1/2 lbs).

Went to see the dietician first. Discussed the pre-op diet and was told I'm not allowed to do the normal one due to the high salt content (I have bad kidneys), so I'll be doing an 800cal low fat one instead. Discussed the history of my weight and got emotional at my reasons for wanting to lose weight.

Then went back into the nurses. Had my blood pressure done and it was quite high, which wasn't good news. I know this was because I was wound up because my pressure is normally textbook 120/80. So I have to go see my GP this week to get it done again to show it wasn't a normal reading

They then did the ECG twice, and called the SHO to do my bloods. He was very good, but by then my emotions got the better of me and I just started crying. The nurse was lovely, she understood my needle phobia and the fact that when my fibro and lupus are bad my emotions sit right on the surface etc.

I asked about order of surgeries on the day, cos I know if I'm kept waiting I will get myself worked up into a right state and my blood pressure will go through the roof. She said that normally people with health problems like me go first and she'd be suprised if I didn't as they want to know the surgeon and anaesthatist are around for a good while afterwards.

She asked about a blood clot I'd had as a child, and said that raised my DVT risk. She pointed out though that I was already high risk as I have Hughes Syndrome so that was a bang back down to earth.

I do feel quite scared today. I've told myself its only people with significant health problems who die from the surgery, the problem is I have significant health problems

So on the way home I calmed down, but being so tense for so long has left me exhausted and in pain. I went shopping with my mum afterwards to get ready for pre-op diet tomorrow and realised i didn't have a clue what I was talking about half the time. Have come home and just collapsed on the sofa.

Sorry if I'm not very positive or talkative tonight, just feeling a bit yuck.