I made it! 1 week out... - ThinnerTimes

U2Rocks · 06-23-2005, 11:33 AM

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've been on and I thought I'd give everyone an update

I had my Lap RNY done last Wednesday, on June 15. I was 301 on June 7, and after a week of a pre op protein diet, I got down to 291 before the surgery.

Procedure went well, and I passed my leak pass with flying colors. Stayed one day in SICU due to my sleep apnea, and then was moved to the regular surgery recovery unit. I started taking small sips of water immediately with no problems and by the second day was doing ok with sugar free jello and crystal light and some broth...not much pain..thought I was in the clear.

Of course, with all the drinking I was doing, by GI system was waking up and a lot of gurgling going on. I went to have my first bowel movement that evening, and passed quite a bit of dark blood. I thought this was normal, as that some would have been made it's way into my intestinal track, but after two more movements, each with more and more blood passing, I pulled the little chain thingie in the bathroom to call the nurse. She came in and looked and said, "We need to call your doc!" He immediately had me moved back to SICU. All of my vitals were rock strong, yet I was continually passing the blood. He said it was so dark, that it was old, and that some bleeding had probably started and stopped on it's own. I continued to pass blood almost every 45 minutes. At one trip to the toilet, I came very close to blacking out. CBC's that were drawn earlier showed that my counts were quite low. They had already started giving me at that point.

My doc ordered a red tag test to determine if I was still bleeding. Before they could do that, he wanted a central line put into my arm because I was really puffy from all the fluids they had been giving me and it was getting tough to find veins for them to stick. That procedure in itself was actually a very minor surgical procedure in itself that you have to sign a consent form for. Well worth it in my opinion, because you can get all your fluids through it, and it's got a little outlets so that they can pull blood from you anytime they need it without having to stick you a zillion times.

Anyway, the red tag test consisted of them drawing some blood, and then passing it through a machine to make it radioactive. They then injected the "glowing" blood back into my central line, where afterwards, I had to lay under a special xray for an hour so that it could track the course of the radioactive blood. The radiologist would then be able to verify whether or not my bleeding had officially stopped. Thank God, it had. I went back 5 hours later for another picture and it verified it. That made me feel much better, but I was still passing blood with my yucky stool and that freaked me out. The doc told me it was dark, because it was old blood that just got bogged down in my intestines, and then once the water hit it and things got going, it started to come out. Had it been fresh, red looking blood, then he said we would have had need for great concern. Over the next day, the bowel movements were less frequent and less bloody each time. FYI, I ended up being given 4 units of O+ along with 2 units of FFP (fresh frozen plasma). Yeah...real fun!

Anyway, my counts started to come back up on Saturday, and by Sunday I was allowed out of the SICU back to the regular recover area. Got to go home Monday around lunch.

I had my first follow up appointment with the doc today, and my latest CBC showed my counts still continuing to climb. When, I weighed in, I had lost 16 lbs down to 275 lbs. Still no problem, with liquids today. I'll be trying my first protein shake for supper tonight.

I'm hoping that I don't scare off a bunch of you pre ops out there, but everyone should know that some serious complications can happen. It didn't quite hit me until I got home, but I was soooooooooo glad to be back. It really dawned upon me just how much I had risked. When I got home, I broke down and cried like a little girl and just hugged the hell out of my pregnant wife, and later my boys when I saw them.

My doctor asked me today if I regretted doing it. I told him that part of me did because of my fear of other compilcations...ulcer and obstructions and such, but part of me didn't because of all the cool stuff to come if all goes well. He said he'd ask me again in 2 months after I'd dropped more weight...=)

Whoa! I've written a novel...I'll shut up for a little while....

Hope everyone is well.

watergirl · 06-23-2005, 01:17 PM

Congratulations on your surgery. Focus only on the positive! I'm sure you'll find it was all worth it. Take good care of yourself!

Blueyz · 06-23-2005, 01:30 PM

Matt~

Glad to hear you are ok and boy was that an ordeal. I am sure you are happy to be on the other side with us bunch of losers. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

pambragg · 06-23-2005, 01:32 PM

Matt,
Congratulations!!! Remember that it is called "hell week" for a reason. Sip, walk, rest, repeat often. It is a journey well worth taking! Best wishes.

misty gunn · 06-23-2005, 02:12 PM

Congrats you did it!! Glad you are feeling better,Take Care

NelleBelle50 · 06-23-2005, 02:24 PM

Yes, Matt, that scared the hell out of this pre-oper!

But, it's good to know the score before you go in for surgery.

Hope you continue to do well!

Donald · 06-23-2005, 02:27 PM

Hey Matt - thank you for sharing the details - this will certainly take away some of the mystery for the pre-op folks. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. COngrats on your new life.

gramamarc · 06-23-2005, 02:33 PM

The more we know the better off we will be. That way we won't pass something up like: "I thought this was normal, as that some would have been made it's way into my intestinal track, but after two more movements, each with more and more blood passing, I pulled the little chain thingie in the bathroom to call the nurse. She came in and looked and said, "We need to call your doc!"

Thanks for the info and I'm glad everything is going well now.
Marcia

Jared · 06-23-2005, 03:43 PM

Good God!

My procedure went so smoooooth. I'm very lucky!

24kt · 06-24-2005, 03:31 PM

i am one week out and had something similar happen. i did not need the blood, but am anemic. my gums and lips now look like they have lost all of their color. i was given a specific vitamin ( Vitron-C High Potency Iron Supplement Plus Vitamin C Tablets) to try and counter act the problems.

i agree the the bloody stool was scarry, and the lightheadness sucked as well, and i also wished i had a little better understanding on just how hard a major surgery like this is on your body. all i ever see on the internet is how great everything is, and how i was up and running after three day :-). on day three i was in a ball of nausea and soreness begging the nurse to call my so ahead of time so he would not make the long trip to see me (he came anyway.)

hope you feel better soon!