2 Days Post-Op

I made it through the surgery and came home the next day. I feel great but I have some questions...
Is it normal to have a hard time laying down & sitting up? If so, how long does it last?
Drinking water... I'm having a hard time with this. Should I be drinking like normal? Sipping? Etc... I feel full after drinking just a little bit. Could I actually be full or is it possibly the gas pressure?

Thanks for the support!!

I was sleeved on 10/28 and was only able to sleep in a recliner until just the other day. As far as the water, you need to just sip..sip...sip

It is very normal to have trouble laying down and sitting up. Tons of abdominal muscles were just cut. I slept in the recline for 2-3 weeks following surgery and pillows were my best friend once I was able to lay in bed. The pillows helped prop me up and helped with leverage when getting up from the bed.

You should definitely be sipping. Did you get cups from your Dr's office? I had 1 ounce cups that I filled and sipped on those. I had a difficult time with fluids post op, so you may be able to sip more, but 1oz cup was typically 3 sips for me and I could only do about 4oz/hr in the beginning and worked my way up to 8oz/hr. The pressure might be from taking too big of a drink this early. Try sipping and see if that helps. Also different temps help as well. For me, warm fluids helped since it's normal to sip warm drinks.

Glad that your surgery went well and your on the road to recovery! Keep us updated on your progress!!

Yes to the laying down and sitting.  It lasts about a week or so.   Except...... expect your tailbone to start hurting a lot while sitting.  That lasts longer.  I'm not entirely sure what causes it or what changes to make it go away but eventually it does.

Drink as much water as you can manage.  If that's slow, then go slow.  If you can drink normally then do that.  However, stick to the rules and stop/start 1/2 hour from meals.  Probably no a huge point right now because you're likely on liquids, but it will keep you in training for the rest of our life.

 

I was sleeved on Oct 31 and I found that if I drank out of my travel coffee cup with the lid on it helped me sip instead of my normal swallow. Sort of like an adult sippy cup.  I also used the 1 oz medicine cups I brought home from the hospital, the first day I came home and really tired to stick with the 15min rule any only took in about 4 oz a hour for the first day home.  Since the second day home I have been using the travel cup, and really try to walk even if it is only for 5 minutes it makes a world of difference. I started working from home on my 5th day after surgery and found I was sitting for two hours straight with out moving and OMG when I finally got up I was in so much pain. So I set my alarm and make sure I walk at least 5 mins every hour good luck

Congratulations! 

Definitely use the sip method, 1oz cups help. I didn't have trouble when I used those, Id take a 4 oz cup and just sip throughout the hour, as the days went on I found I could get that in no problem and went to a larger bottle type and at 5 weeks post op I can now drink about 4-5 oz every 30 minutes. :)

As for pain, yes, definitely use pillows so you are at an incline, it REALLY helps. Have someone help you sit up if you do not have a way to incline.  Also having a pillow to hold over your abdomen is another trick I learned quickly. Incase I coughed, needed to breath deeply or  had a sudden movement (hiccup and even burping (which I did have).

I didn't find much pain or discomfort (I didn't use pain meds except for the first day after hospital stay) however I did find discomfort at the breast bone area which later I found out that was from the Hernia repair.  Same area gave me issues when having cold  stuff or too big of sips. That all went away by week 2.

 

It will get better! I had a hard time getting comfortable for the first few days. And trouble sleeping too. After about 5 days or so, it began getting much better with each passing day. As for the water, I had trouble for about 4 days. I felt so bloated and full. Just keep sipping sipping sipping and walking walking walking to get that gas out. The full feeling will get better once the gas is gone and the swelling begins to subside. But really try to push those fluids in so that you won't get dehydrated! But I promise things will get better. Hang in there!

Definitely normal to have a hard time sitting up and laying down etc.   I slept on a recliner a few nights and then I surrounded myself with pillows when I went to lay in bed.  My large incision hurt for at least three weeks but getting up and laying down got better with time.  The sip method is the was to go and just keep sipping.  My gas gas pressure sucked so bad but then I started taking those gas x melt away strips and they work WONDERS.  Wishing u a fast and uneventful recovery