My rescue surgery
by
, 07-03-2019 at 12:26 PM (6259 Views)
After months of pain and suffering I finally got my surgery Friday, five days ago.
My sleeve was working fine and my weight great until (long story short for those who didn't follow) my monthly very heavy bleeding became so bad I became very anemic, got several issues from it, I got several infections in October, then from lung infections asthma started, then it became hell.
During a really bad series of asthma attacks I had huge pain in the chest on Nov 7, a few days later a MRI showed a hiatal hernia. Reflux became crazy from the day of the pain and it took loads of PPI, cortisone and weeks before my asthma was stable. I had a first surgery on March 1st to stop the bleeding's (hysterectomy) and help with the anemia.
Since my health is tricky, I also have endometriosis, surgeons had cold feet and I saw five surgeons in total. Number 3 didn't want to do the surgery anymore "too complicated", number four wanted more exams and said October or November. I couldn't wait any longer, with 8 months of pain, sleepless for so long I was just exhausted.
I decided to go private and just pay whatever, number five is a "rescue" surgeon and when he looked at my scans he booked me right away, I was also very lucky that in the middle of the heat wave many people canceled their appointments and surgeries.
I was admitted on Thursday at 3PM, had an EKG, MRI and blood test. Light dinner (broth and apple sauce/yogurt). I had surgery on Friday morning (no pre op diet required in my case) and my surgeon said I was so so damaged a lot a sewing was necessary and I must have been in excruciating pain!! so happy this is in the past...
I woke up a little nauseous but it was not that bad, didn't vomit at all!!! (3 days of constant vomiting for the sleeve) I was indeed yellow (my liver hates any kind of anesthesia) but I was able to drink the first night, and was surprised it was so easy to drink. After the sleeve drinking was complicated, especially the first year (cold, not warm, not that water brand etc..my baby stomach was so capricious.) here...all good...
They kept me on an IV all night Friday and removed it on Saturday around noon when I could "eat".
I saw again the surgeon on Saturday, he cleared me to go home, and saw also the anesthesiologist (first time ever I see one after the surgery) and I did thank her a lot for her choice of meds: almost no nausea and no pain when I woke up! she is really nice and told me she heard me when I described how I woke up after the sleeve, vomiting for days and in much in pain. So she organized for the IV to start before I woke up, but I didn't have morphine, had an other strong painkiller.
I also had an iron infusion after the surgery since I was back in anemia again from the surgery/bleeding.
I left the hospital around 3PM on Saturday afternoon and took no painkiller since.
It was painful, especially on Sunday, but barely more than what I felt for months, I did have a script of painkiller but didn't want to damaged my new tiny stomach.
What was weird, was the nutrition part. My two years nutrition training was French but not focused on bariatrics, and I also took many other classes on specific topics (in diff countries). But my guidelines in Taipei were based on the usual American post-op guideline (with a little Asian twist) : a few days of clear liquids, two week of full liquids, then soft food, after one month everything was authorized. even rice..they had too much carbs on those guidelines so I did adapt it to my westerner metabolism.
Here in Paris, they don't do clear liquids except the first night. After it's straight to full liquid but no protein shake, the guideline is to mix meat and veggies into a soupy consistency, then make it like a puree after about two weeks, then soft food with pieces. Then after one month you can eat everything, except wait two months for beans and lentils (huh).
So on the first morning at the hospital, I had on my table for breakfast a cup of tea, apple sauce, and "biscottes" (like dried bread) with butter. I was puzzled and didn't eat, I was just drinking.
I staid on clear liquid for two days and did switch to full liquid but can't stand my protein shakes!! so instead I'm having a kind of Greek yogurt which is on the guideline. Feels weird but I'm fine! I'm ordering a new powder (same old same old..)
I did discuss the nutrition aspect with the surgeon, he said people have no issue with the guidelines, but to just listen to my body since I have a previous experience, but also the diet training.
So far, today is day five and I still have pains from the surgery but I feel better compare to right before the surgery. I think that the end of the awful reflux must have had some direct benefice on my arthritis too, that or the new PPI (pantoprazole) that might be having less side effects? who knows!!
But I'm very glad this the recovery (so far) is much easier than the sleeve was, because I was already in such a bad shape, I was worried I would have to deal with months of nausea again, on top of anemia, arthritis etc...
I did thank the surgeon several times, I'm not sure he realized he saved me from more months of suffering...