Gastric Bypass Surgery – the immediate post-operative experiences of one patient
(Preferred to remain anonymous)
Pre-surgery preparation
I was on the pre-surgery soup and yogurt diet, whereby I could have 4 cans of Weight Watchers soup and 4 low-fat yogurts per day (plus ½ pint of semi. skimmed milk for tea and coffee, unlimited water, diet drinks and diet squash). I had previously valued my complete freedom of what and when I ate (although this freedom had come at the price of my health) and I was aware this was all about to change. However, upon starting the diet, I did not find it too restrictive, rather it made me still more determined than ever to succeed so in the end, I further halved what I was taking in and increased my exercise (– although with hindsight I appreciate that this might not have been sensible!). I was determined to be in the best possible shape for my operation.
Two weeks before the date of my surgery I started taking Echinacea and MSM, which are anti-inflammatories (not prescribed by my doctor but I chose to take them). I also did a short daily meditation of the ‘it will all be fine and everything will go well’ variety, to get myself in the right, positive, frame of mind.
Three days before the date of my surgery, I started taking Arnica Montana (not prescribed to me by my doctor), to assist the body’s normal healing process.
Day of surgery
I arrived at the hospital on the day of my surgery, and was shown to a consultation room where I saw the nurse and registrar. He asked me some questions (which I felt were rather pointless because they all related back to previous blood tests, but it was better to be safe than sorry!). A nurse weighed me, took my blood pressure and talked me through what would happen next. I then met the anaesthetist.
I changed into a theatre gown – which looked like it had been fashioned from a circus tent! – and was then escorted to the theatre suite and handed over to the theatre nurse. She took me straight into the operating theatre and asked me to lie down on the operating table. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it had sheets and a pillow. Although the room was reasonably high-tech, it did not appear to be overly surgical – mercifully! The anaesthetist then arrived, and with some difficulty he inserted things into my arms, during which time we had a rather surreal conversation about my car (I imagine this was something of a diversionary tactic!) This is the last thing I remember before coming round. I was in the Intensive Care Unit, as planned, and was vaguely aware of being surrounded by people telling me everything was over and had gone well.
After a period of time, I gradually came to. I was not in any pain, but I did have a fiercely dry mouth. The nurses gave me a small wet sponge for my mouth, but that dry feeling lasted for hours, until I was back on the ward. My arms and upper body were very itchy, possibly the side effect of drugs I was being given.
I was aware of being connected to various tubes, including oxygen delivered to my nostrils which was, surprisingly, not an uncomfortable sensation. I was also wearing boots on my lower legs that gradually filled and emptied with air, which was quite a pleasant feeling really! Over the following few hours I received constant attention. I did not sleep a wink that night, although the lady opposite me on ICU who had been operated on before me slept the whole night through. I was given a tablet to put under my tongue, but my mouth was so dry that it didn’t dissolve and gradually crumbled, leaving a huge lump under my tongue which disappeared over the next twelve hours or so.
Day One (after surgery)
In the morning the nurse washed me and I was rolled over and given a suppository for pain relief – although I cannot say I was in any great pain – and then I was prepared to get up. Although I knew I would be doing this as soon as possible after the operation, I did not expect to be up and about quite so soon. The nurse helped me to sit up, which made me feel very light-headed, and then I was moved to a chair next to the bed. Although moving about was quite uncomfortable, once I was seated I was fine. I sat for a couple of hours until I could be unplugged from all the lines. I was moved out of ICU and into my room on the ward.
Once in my room, I was helped into a chair, plugged into lines, and then monitored and looked after by the nurses until it was time for bed. Moving from chair to bed was very uncomfortable, but I was assisted from the chair to the side of the bed where I sat for a while, and then into bed. The electronically assisted bed was very comfortable! The night staff monitored drips and gave intravenous pain relief, tested my blood, blood pressure, pulses etc. I was given another tablet under my tongue – which did dissolve this time – and had an injection to thin my blood. I was still wearing the boots that gradually filled and emptied with air. Later on the nurses offered another suppository for pain relief, but as I wasn’t in any great pain I did not feel it was necessary so I declined.
Day Two
I was moved to the chair in my room, and received various attentions from the nursing staff. I washed myself and brushed my teeth, and as the day passed I was not in any real pain, just discomfort. I felt rather emotional that day – depressed and tearful, with moments of self doubt about what I had done to myself. Again, I refused the intravenous pain relief that was being set up that night, as I did not feel I needed it.
Day Three
By the time I woke up on the third day following the operation I was feeling very positive again. I took a shower, somewhat gingerly, and was then taken for a contrast X-Ray. I was given a glass of liquid and was instructed to take three large gulps whilst the X-Rays were taken. It didn’t taste too awful, and once the results were in I could begin to take small sips of water. After following the same night time routine as the day before, I went to bed.
Day Four
Early this morning the catheter was removed – hurrah! This made moving about much easier, and later the drain from my stomach was also removed. That oozed a bit for a short while, but soon stopped. It was a good indicator to myself that I was making progress.
Only the line into my neck was remaining. Once I had had a bowel movement and had demonstrated that I could keep liquids down, the neck line was also disconnected from the IV stand, though the line was left initially. I sipped water all day, and even had a cup of tea and some clear soup, which felt like absolute luxury! I have to say I felt extremely well, with no need for pain relief and was even able to start walking around a bit. The line into my neck was then removed, and I did have to lie down for a bit after that.
I felt as if I was ready to go home then, and that it was a bit fraudulent to stay on, but I had one more night in the hospital – again, better to be safe than sorry!
Day Five
First thing in the morning on the fifth day following my surgery, I was packed off home with a bag of drugs.
Considering that I had undergone major surgery, I felt remarkably well with very little pain, and a straightforward recovery. I had expected my experience to be much worse! I do appreciate that not everyone can be as fortunate as I was in their experience. I attribute this to the exemplary care that I received from Mr. Fiennes and his team, in the preparation for the operation, during the operation and in the follow-up and after care. For this I was, and still am, extremely grateful.
