Just Had DS Revision 6 days ago..tons of questions!

Hello Everyone,
I wanted to introduce myself.  I had an RNY to DS revision 6 days ago on 9/6/11, by Dr  Keshishian, and so far I am doing pretty good, but I have soooo many questions. I am remebering my post op body as a RNY patient, and I feel so different, and I feel so much more "beat up", this time!   I also have Lupus, RA, and Sjogrens now that I didn't have then (at least that I didn't know of), so my healing my be harder for those reasons.  Here are my concerns/questions.
1) Is it normal for my insides to feel like they are going to fall out....LOL
2) How painful will it be for my feeding tube to be removed?
3) Do you know how long you have to wait before you can start taking your oral medications by mouth without crushing them, because the bitterness is making me nauseous.
4) How long did it take for you to have a BM?  I still haven't had one.  I really am not eating much, and my bowel are moving since I have tons of gas, so I figure I have nothing to worry about yet. 
5) How long until they take out the sutures typically?  I am allergic to the tape he has at this point over the sutures and I am about to go nuts...grrr....this has not been a fun week...lol

I will be seeing the Dr  mid week , but I just wanted to see what all of you thought in the meantime.
Deena

Congratulations on your revision,
1. Yes, normal to feel like a truck ran over you and drug your insides out. I remember that feeling.
2. I took my own feeding tube put at 6 weeks and there waas no pain. The anticipation was much worse. Now the j-p drains are another story. He'll take those out when you see him this week. All I can say was, it was quick.
3. I was taking regular pills about 2 weeks out. Have you though about putting your meds down your feeding tube?
4. Gas is good. I had diarrhea in the hospital then nothing for about 5 days. You haven't had much to eat, so nothing in, nothing out.
5. The suture he used on me just dissolved. You might call him on this if you're having a problem.

Remember to focus on fluids now. You will start feeling better,

Hi and congrats! Gail gave you great answers, so I won't repeat. I did want to mention, for future reference, that you can let them know if you ever have any sort of procedure in the future, that you are allergic to the tape and they will use nothing but paper tape on you. It's made my life much easier!

1. You'll feel like you've been sodomised by a pack of wild water buffalo for about two months. It gets better every day but you will feel like someone disemboweled you then stitched you back up again......oh wait........
2. Never had a feeding tube thankfully.  I didn't feel my drains being pulled at all so I'm guessing you'll feel bugger all. Take a good pain killer 45mins before though to hedge you're bets.
3. I was taking soluble meds on day 5. I was not taking my vites until 1.5months out. Don't sweat it just heal.  Everything tastes like **** right now.
4. I was ****ting like a seagull on day three.....on the hour every hour for three days until my arse Russel's like a corn chip when I walked.  Gas is good, your bowels are going to work and I wouldn't be worried unless it is accompanied by massive gut swelling, pain, vomiting and no gas! You evidently are not obstructed so Good!
5. Sutures? I was glued!  I love the glue...no dicking about with sutures. I'm guessing they steri-stripped over your sutures.  Ask if you can soak them off in the shower and let the air get to them. A non-stick pad over the top should be all you need.

Heal well my dear and drink lots of water and soups. Try to get a banana in as well if you can manage for the potassium.

Congratulations on your revision.  I was a virgin DS'er but hopefully I can chime in with some information you might find helpful.

1.  I don't know if my insides felt like there were going to fall out but it was a good two weeks before I felt human again. Just know that everyday gets a little better than the day before it.

2. I didn't have a feeding tube so I can't address this question.

3. The first oral medication I took was the prescription PPI and pain meds Dr. K gave me when I was released from the hospital.  I didn't have any problems getting them down whole but then again I wasn't a revision so this might be why. 

4. I wasn't allowed to leave the hospital until I had a BM.  They gave me a suppository my last night in and I had a liquid BM in the morning but that was good enough for them.  I don't think I had another BM for about 4 or 5 days after that. 

5. I didn't noticed any sutures, I was just taped up really well.  The tape used to cover the main incision didn't bother me but the tape the hospital gave to hold the gauze that covered the drains caused tiny painful blisters.  I switched to a paper tape and that seemed to help but it was still itchy as hell.

-shelly

Hi there - I highly recommend an abdominal binder to help with the "insides falling out" feeling.  You can get this online or at a medical supply store (some pharmacies will also sell this, but check sizing).

My revison--same surgeon--was band-to-DS, so it was a LOT different. 



1) Is it normal for my insides to feel like they are going to fall out....LOL

I had  a binder.  Do you?

2) How painful will it be for my feeding tube to be removed?

Didn't have one of those.

3) Do you know how long you have to wait before you can start taking your oral medications by mouth without crushing them, because the bitterness is making me nauseous.

No.  But crush one into a teaspoon of applesauce or yogurt or whatever he's letting you eat at this point.  ANOTHER way to take oral meds when there are capsules involved (per my banding surgeon) is to place the capsule on your tongue until you can feel it start to soften and THEN swallow it.  But check with Dr. Keshishian to see if that's okay.

4) How long did it take for you to have a BM?  I still haven't had one.  I really am not eating much, and my bowel are moving since I have tons of gas, so I figure I have nothing to worry about yet.

I had to have one to get released from the hospital.
 
5) How long until they take out the sutures typically?  I am allergic to the tape he has at this point over the sutures and I am about to go nuts...grrr....this has not been a fun week...lol

I don't remember.  Sorry.

One other thing on your meds...ask your pharmacist which of them are available in liquid.