shilarose
Hello Everyone....Better late than never
Jun 07, 2011
Hello everyone,
My name is Shila and I had Gastric Bypass surgery on Sept 1, 2010. I have been a member of this website, but now, 9 months out I am making my first blog post. Better late than never right? haha.
WELL let's see...I started my journey about a year ago with Dr. Bono. I started the entire process of informational sessions, and getting all of my pre-op testing completed. By August of last year, I was called with a surgery date! Everything with my pre-op testing went so smoothely, and I didn't hit any red light at all so I was approved right away both from my doctors and my insurance company.
About 2 weeks after setting my date, I began my 2 week pre-liquid diet. This was tough! (espcially because my fiance is a cook). By the end of the two weeks, my anxiety about the surgery was subsiding as I knew it would take the hunder away! lol. I finally went into surgery early afternoon on 9/1/10. I came through the surgery with zero compliations. I spent the first night in the hospital in the ICU, which was a bit rough (but I was on LOTS of pain medications) so it's all a blur to me now. After the first night, I spent another night on a regular med/surg floor and I went home the next day!
Once I got home, I truly felt like I had been run over by a MAC truck! I was very sore and my back muscles were killing me due to not being able to use my stomach muscles while in the hospital. I had my surgery laproscopically, so my surgeon leaves the main opening that he uses for surgery open. This required a home visiting nurse to come to my house to give myself and my fiance instructions on how to "pack" the wound. THIS was the worst part of this surgery (not all surgeons leave this wound open) My surgeon explained he does it this way because you heal from the inside out, and because of this if you are packing it daily you are able to see right away if an infection is forming, and it can be taken care of immediately. My home nurse told me that she actually has seen many people get infections from having this opening stapled shut after surgery. I was glad it was left open to heal, but the pain of the packing was AWFUL. I cried everytime it was packed for 6 straight weeks 2 times a day. My poor fiance felt so bad when he was doing it, but he did a GREAT job, and I never got an infection...and it's all just a memory to me now (and about a 1 inch scar).
The first few weeks were tough, as I was nausious a lot, and really had a hard time getting in all of my daily liquids. I felt depressed during the first few weeks, and thought "what the hell did I do to myself". I could not bear the thought that I was not going to be able to eat "normally" again (or so I thought). I got what they call "head hunger" and just a commercial for burger king or my favorite restaurant was enough to make me cry. I went to my follow up appointment, and they moved me onto the next roung (4-6 weeks of pureed foods) I was SO excited to be able to eat eggs...LOL. But shortly after, the depression set in again..I was only on week 1 and just could not imagine being able to go another 5 weeks of eating mush. Somehow I did it, and things slowly got easier. I was still having a hard time getting in my liquids but was getting better. The depression that came after the surgery never fully went away, and I saw my doctor about it. I was put on a mild anti-depressent and have been on it since. I truly believe this surgery is EXTREMELY psychological, and I am fortunate enough that I was able to recognize my feeings and knew I didn't feel like myself before things got out of control. You do go through Psychiatric testing prior to surgery, and I passed with flying colors, but it is common for depression and anxiety to set in afterwards as it's a completely new lifestyle. I never felt so sad, and irritable in my life, and myself (and my fiance) are very happy that I treated the problem immediately.
SO after about 3 months, things really started getting better..I was dropping weight like crazy, I was tolerating ALL foods ith no problems. I am now 9 months out, still tolerate all foods, I have never gotten sick from any foods, but I did "dump" one time at about 3 months out. Never did again. I now am eating like a normal person again (something that in the beginning seemed so distant) and that was really not even that long ago. I have lost over 130 pounds and still loosing. This surgery has been the best decision I could have made for myself. I would do it over again in a heartbeat. I am getting married in 3 months, and should be at my goal weight by then. I cannot wait to walk down that aisle and debut my new self to everyone, but most importantly I am thankful to god and my supporting freinds and family who have helped me along the way of this journey...it's a wild ride...but SO totally worth it.
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My name is Shila and I had Gastric Bypass surgery on Sept 1, 2010. I have been a member of this website, but now, 9 months out I am making my first blog post. Better late than never right? haha.
WELL let's see...I started my journey about a year ago with Dr. Bono. I started the entire process of informational sessions, and getting all of my pre-op testing completed. By August of last year, I was called with a surgery date! Everything with my pre-op testing went so smoothely, and I didn't hit any red light at all so I was approved right away both from my doctors and my insurance company.
About 2 weeks after setting my date, I began my 2 week pre-liquid diet. This was tough! (espcially because my fiance is a cook). By the end of the two weeks, my anxiety about the surgery was subsiding as I knew it would take the hunder away! lol. I finally went into surgery early afternoon on 9/1/10. I came through the surgery with zero compliations. I spent the first night in the hospital in the ICU, which was a bit rough (but I was on LOTS of pain medications) so it's all a blur to me now. After the first night, I spent another night on a regular med/surg floor and I went home the next day!
Once I got home, I truly felt like I had been run over by a MAC truck! I was very sore and my back muscles were killing me due to not being able to use my stomach muscles while in the hospital. I had my surgery laproscopically, so my surgeon leaves the main opening that he uses for surgery open. This required a home visiting nurse to come to my house to give myself and my fiance instructions on how to "pack" the wound. THIS was the worst part of this surgery (not all surgeons leave this wound open) My surgeon explained he does it this way because you heal from the inside out, and because of this if you are packing it daily you are able to see right away if an infection is forming, and it can be taken care of immediately. My home nurse told me that she actually has seen many people get infections from having this opening stapled shut after surgery. I was glad it was left open to heal, but the pain of the packing was AWFUL. I cried everytime it was packed for 6 straight weeks 2 times a day. My poor fiance felt so bad when he was doing it, but he did a GREAT job, and I never got an infection...and it's all just a memory to me now (and about a 1 inch scar).
The first few weeks were tough, as I was nausious a lot, and really had a hard time getting in all of my daily liquids. I felt depressed during the first few weeks, and thought "what the hell did I do to myself". I could not bear the thought that I was not going to be able to eat "normally" again (or so I thought). I got what they call "head hunger" and just a commercial for burger king or my favorite restaurant was enough to make me cry. I went to my follow up appointment, and they moved me onto the next roung (4-6 weeks of pureed foods) I was SO excited to be able to eat eggs...LOL. But shortly after, the depression set in again..I was only on week 1 and just could not imagine being able to go another 5 weeks of eating mush. Somehow I did it, and things slowly got easier. I was still having a hard time getting in my liquids but was getting better. The depression that came after the surgery never fully went away, and I saw my doctor about it. I was put on a mild anti-depressent and have been on it since. I truly believe this surgery is EXTREMELY psychological, and I am fortunate enough that I was able to recognize my feeings and knew I didn't feel like myself before things got out of control. You do go through Psychiatric testing prior to surgery, and I passed with flying colors, but it is common for depression and anxiety to set in afterwards as it's a completely new lifestyle. I never felt so sad, and irritable in my life, and myself (and my fiance) are very happy that I treated the problem immediately.
SO after about 3 months, things really started getting better..I was dropping weight like crazy, I was tolerating ALL foods ith no problems. I am now 9 months out, still tolerate all foods, I have never gotten sick from any foods, but I did "dump" one time at about 3 months out. Never did again. I now am eating like a normal person again (something that in the beginning seemed so distant) and that was really not even that long ago. I have lost over 130 pounds and still loosing. This surgery has been the best decision I could have made for myself. I would do it over again in a heartbeat. I am getting married in 3 months, and should be at my goal weight by then. I cannot wait to walk down that aisle and debut my new self to everyone, but most importantly I am thankful to god and my supporting freinds and family who have helped me along the way of this journey...it's a wild ride...but SO totally worth it.
