Time in hospital?

[calidreamer]

Can I ask how long you were in the hospital post-op if you feel like sharing? I realize all are different, but I'm wondering how realistic 2 days in the hospital has been for revision patients. Did you feel that being in the hospital was reassuring after the first few days or did you feel more comfortable at home?

My surgery is in about 4 weeks, I'm in information gathering mode

[indianamom]

I was a virgin DS which may be a different experience. They wanted to release me the next day but I asked to stay because it was late and snowing. Went home the next day. Was fine at home. A little sore and odd feeling, but not bad considering... I worried myself way too much pre-op over things I ultimately had no control.

4 weeks will be here quickly. You will do great!

[Deleted]

I was a regular DS as well. My surgery was on Monday and I was released on Friday. I had very unique circumstances in that my son was having surgery three days after my surgery (Nissen Fundoplication repair and hernia repair) so I wanted to be in the hospital when he had the surgery because I knew I wouldn't be able to come back if they released me. To me I was much more comfortable being the hospital the first few days and definitely at piece on Thursday when Cameron was in and then out of surgery, and the next morning. I was released Friday morning and spent most of the afternoon in his room before going home, unfortunately they discovered he had a lung contusion from the surgery so he had to go to the ER where they put in a chest drain (so after being home a couple hours I had to go back to the hospital).

As they say every one is different, but my advice would be to stay in the hospital as long as you can and until you feel comfortable about going home. Let somebody take care of you until your are ready to go home.

[bboop]

When I had my original DS I was in the hospital for about 4-5 days then came home. I liked it that way because I had my surgery in MInn and live in TX. The resleeve was three days and I did fine both times. This time I was in Houston and it was only 45 minutes back home...via plane.

Let the doc dictate how long you will be in and stay if he/she wants you to...like Scott said, let the hospital staff take care of you then you will be better able to take care of yourself at home.

Best of luck to you on your DS.

[melanie74]

I was a lapband to DS revision and I had surgery Tuesday and went home 6pm on Wednesday because I had done the required drinking and walking. Personally, I feel more relaxed at home - but looking back, I think I probably should have stayed in another day or two to stay better hydrated - but they released me so it wasn't really a choice I guess. The surgeon did have us stay in a local
Hotel for 10 days so we were close if we needed to come back. I was also self pay - so with insurance coverage I think it would have been different. The particular hospital I was at was not very comfortable for my DH either - barely had anywhere to sit in the room ... So he was happier to take care of me in the hotel.

One thing that I would have asked for if I had been on this board before surgery would have been a feeding tube - I never even knew that might be an option - and maybe for my surgeon it isn't. But I didn't know to ask and didn't have one ... I think that would have made my recovery easier too.

[Deleted]

Mar 1, 2014 9:56:15 GMT -5 melanie74 said:

I was a lapband to DS revision and I had surgery Tuesday and went home 6pm on Wednesday because I had done the required drinking and walking. Personally, I feel more relaxed at home - but looking back, I think I probably should have stayed in another day or two to stay better hydrated - but they released me so it wasn't really a choice I guess. The surgeon did have us stay in a local
Hotel for 10 days so we were close if we needed to come back. I was also self pay - so with insurance coverage I think it would have been different. The particular hospital I was at was not very comfortable for my DH either - barely had anywhere to sit in the room ... So he was happier to take care of me in the hotel.

One thing that I would have asked for if I had been on this board before surgery would have been a feeding tube - I never even knew that might be an option - and maybe for my surgeon it isn't. But I didn't know to ask and didn't have one ... I think that would have made my recovery easier too.

That is the primary reason I believe one should stay a minimum of two full days and nights (not counting surgery day and night). I was lucky to drink 8 oz a day the first week and would have been back to hospital with dehyrdation had they released me earlier.

BTW, it is always a choice of being released in that scenario. You can simply tell them you are not comfortable going home because you don't think you can stay hydrated. A good Dr is going to comply with that request 99% of the time, if for no other reason fear of liability if something happens to you at home after you requested to stay and were refused.

[Girlrocker]

Good points raised here, and Scott is right about talking about what you need, it's important for us to advocate for ourselves and speak up.

As you know I'm a RNY to DS revision Dr. K patient too. He estimated 3-5 days, depending on how complicated my revision was, something he would only know full extent once he could 'see' everything. The first thing he said when I saw him the day after surgery was, you're staying 5 days. i had a lot of scar tissue, adhesions and my RNY pouch was very difficult for him to undo. The time was ok for me because I had a ton of anxiety, I wanted to be well taken care of, and, I lived by myself. I had friends who would check on me regularly, neighbors in an emergency, and I requested home health to be set up. But even if I'd had a spouse/live in boyfriend or roommate, I still would have been fine with the 5 days, personally, it just made me feel more reassured.

[calidreamer]

Great advice from everyone, thank you! I think I was confused because my letter approving my revision said approved for 2 days in hospital. I was thinking that seemed really short for this kind of RNY to DS revision. Yes with 3 kids I better take my time! My mom will be here though thank goodness while DH is at work.

Also, did your doc have you put fluids through your own tube once home? (If you had a feeding tube)

[Deleted]

Mar 1, 2014 15:04:45 GMT -5 calidreamer said:

Great advice from everyone, thank you! I think I was confused because my letter approving my revision said approved for 2 days in hospital. I was thinking that seemed really short for this kind of RNY to DS revision. Yes with 3 kids I better take my time! My mom will be here though thank goodness while DH is at work.

Also, did your doc have you put fluids through your own tube once home? (If you had a feeding tube)

I think that is pretty standard for insurance companies to do. They approve two days and then it is up to the surgeon if he believes you need more. I remember BCBS telling me that.

Good luck with everything, it sounds like you have a great support system.

[Deleted]

I am also a Dr. K patient. My approval letter said 2 days which is common the Dr. just states it medically necessary and they approve the extension. I was in 3 weeks from check in to check out. Then I was out of work an additional 11 weeks. My complications were not the norm but leaks can happen. You are in good hands Dr. K is amazing.
Best,
Whit

[calidreamer]

Thank you for the answers. I appreciate it deeply. And I am so glad that I keep hearing positive things about Dr. K.

I struggled a bit the other day after stumbling onto a "in memorial" site that included a DS revision. Also my sister nearly passed from RNY complications/ sepsis and spent 3 weeks on a vent plus dialysis (she narrowly made it, even the ICU docs were surprised).
Forgive me if I ask questions like an overly paranoid person! I DO want (need) to have the revision

[goodkel]

An RnY to DS revision is a complicated surgery.

With every surgery there are risks, from pre-existing conditions, from reactions to the anesthesia, from infection, from blood clots and that is true with every surgery.

You can decrease the likelihood by going into surgery in the best health you can be. By taking vitamins and protein pre-op so you have no deficiencies. By strengthening your lungs blowing up balloons or using a spirometer.

But, the best thing you can do is to be sure that you are choosing a surgeon who is both highly qualified and experienced in your kind of surgery. You've nailed that one already by choosing Dr. Keshishian.

Everyone has these fears. But, as long as you are still morbidly obese, your greatest risk of deadly complications is in remaining morbidly obese.
It is called morbidly obese for a reason. It is actively in the process of killing you.

Not getting the surgery should be more frightening than getting it.

[Girlrocker]

You're getting near your surgery date so this is all completely normal! They are a reality of course in any major surgery, and we have the added stress of feeling like this is 'elective surgery', so we 'do it to ourselves'; plus the second time at the rodeo. I remember looking at Dr. K at one point and saying, who ever thinks they will have to go through this twice? I had to stop reading anything that focused on problems, complications before my surgery so I could stay calm, that might help you too. There's a line between reading all we can to prepare, and reading things that just aren't going to help at this point. And I focused too on how unhealthy I was, morbidly obese, again, and in my heart, I knew I didn't have a choice, nothing elective about wanting to be healthy, save my life.

[Deleted]

You do not need to ask for forgiveness. This is a support board thats what we are here for. We may have almost 3000 members but most are not active so I too had to search and dig around the net to find other revision patients and read about their experiences. Anything can happen but you have one of the best surgeons around.
You will do great!

[velvetkiss]

I just had my lap band to DS revision. My insurance stated 2 days also, but that is just the norm. I went in on Wednesday and was released on Sunday. I felt fine going on by Sunday, but would not have been OK to go home before then. I spent the day of surgery and after just getting hydrated by IV and only on Friday started taking in fluid and small amounts of food.

[calidreamer]

Thank you! I'm seriously going to print these messages and hang them on my bulletin board. That is such an awesome statement about it not being an elective surgery but a necessary surgery. I think that is a big sticking point for me - thinking I'm being selfish to endanger my life. But yeah, that's what I'm doing every day with morbid obesity. Great points!

[calidreamer]

Also I've walked 2 miles every day this week. Blowing up balloons and already using my I/S several times a day!

[Girlrocker]

Mar 6, 2014 20:38:21 GMT -5 calidreamer said:

Also I've walked 2 miles every day this week. Blowing up balloons and already using my I/S several times a day!

Excellent! And you know, while revisions are becoming more and more common, it's still like we're our own little club, the revisionistas. It's not an easy subject to talk about, we have that much more baggage, and people don't post as often about it but they're starting to. We have a pretty good percentage of active people based on our membership number, but the number of revisions is still in the minority. It's a subject our mutual surgeon is very passionate about, and why his practice continues to grow into a niche of revisions and especially difficult ones. So it's good that you read as much as you can. It's so helpful to talk to other people who are experiencing something similar at the same time. And this is exactly why we're all here, somewhere to learn, vent, whatever you need to do to get you through this process! I've said it many times over, I made through this whole process - both surgeries - because of the amazing support communities I was in. I'm still friends 12 years later with several from my RNY days, and had great mentors and teachers. Same for the second time at the rodeo. Glad you are with us!

[ldkloos]

I had complications, so I was in the hospital 2 weeks. 4 days before surgery (due to my stomach no longer tolerating food or drink due to an old VBG surgery) and 10 days after my revision. I had a leak and pain complications. All I remember is wanting to go home, but they need to make sure you are drinking fluids and as I remember it, passing gas. I had an open surgery so my recovery took longer.

Please remain upbeat. Most people can be out of the hospital in less than 4 days. Just remember that the unforeseen can happen. Just be prepared for anything.

On the good side though- I had my surgery Jan. 14th and as of today, I have lost 65 pounds. I am so much healthier and happier. You will do great!!!

[cherylbaker]

Mar 6, 2014 20:38:21 GMT -5 calidreamer said:

Also I've walked 2 miles every day this week. Blowing up balloons and already using my I/S several times a day!

What's an I/S?

Cheryl

RNY 9/2000 HW 400 LW 140
Held at 180 for 7 yrs
Regained to 300
DS with DR Roslin scheduled 7/8/14
HW 300 CW 280 LW ??