When does staple line leak risk diminsh/go away?
I'm newly sleeved, two weeks ago, I'm doing great, feel well, and tolerating blenderized foods :) I do get the occasional pain/soreness in my left shoulder, but it's very minor and from what I understand, par for the course.
My biggest apprehension about having the VSG was the risk of leaks along the staple line. I'm happy to have made it to safely to the two week mark with no sign of a leak, yay! And I'm keeping a positive mental attitude and working very hard to not let the possibility of a leak worry and stress me.
But I would really like to know what the "safe zone" is? Safe zone meaning the time frame past surgery where if you did not have a leak complication - you are likely not to have one. Three weeks? One month? Longer? Does anyone know with any certainty what that time frame is ... it would sure help me continue to relax and not worry about this possible risk factor.
Cheers!
Cindy
Thanks girls for asking and answering the question. I was curious about the same things. I was sleeved on the 14th and want to make sure I do everything right. I do have one quick question, today is day 4 for me and I woke up starving, is that normal? I have only been eating about 4-6 tbs of food every hour/hour and half, so I havent really had much, but now I am hungry. I just want to make sure this is normal and also ask if you know how much I should be eating every hour? About 4oz? Or what, gosh , I'm so confused, and don't want to mess up.
The hunger you are feeling, even though your mind remembers the sensation as 'hunger', it's more than likely acid. If you are feeling the need to eat as soon as your stomach is empty, you are feeling the acid in your new tummy. The nerves are really confused and your brain is confused.
Take a PPI and drink water. The hunger sensation will go away. You don't really have hunger in the traditional sense of the word since you aren't generating any ghrelin.
800 calories and less than 20 net carbs is the shizzle
Hi 3rbwsmom!
PPI is an acronym for Proton Pump Inhibitor. It's a medication that shuts down acid production in your stomach. Most surgeons will send you home on this mediation. Some have to stay on it for a month or two post-op, some for life, and some take only as needed after the first 1-2 months.
I'm two weeks out and I wake up hungry every now and then as well. It didn't happen as early out as it has for you, but just started in the past few days. I'm not sure of the cause, I guess it could be stomach acid, but I have been faithfully taking my PPI since day one. I do find water helps. I guess because I take my PPI once every 24 hours, and I always take it first thing in the am, my stomach acid could be ramping back up by the next morning, before I take my next pill, after that length of time.
My surgeon explained ghrelin is not totally absent, but greatly reduced. As it is a hormone produced in your stomach, with 75 to 85 percent of it gone, ghrelin production is reduced proportionately. I still experience a form of hunger when it has been hours between meals, it's not gone altogether for me. But it is very mild, and very different from the ravenous sensation I get the odd morning upon waking up that you describe.
As far as eating, I just moved to pureed two days ago, I was not allowed anything but full liquids for two weeks. Now that i am eating pureed - I am supposed to have 2-3 oz or about 1/4 cup 5 times per day. Reflecting upon the consistency, it's hard to call it food for me , LoL.
Hope you are doing well otherwise,
Take Good Care,
Cindy
