VSG to DS conversion, lots of questions post op

[Snowbutterfly]

So I had my VSG to DS conversion on Tuesday 5/2/17. Originally was planned to resleeved, but turns out the surgeon didn't. I was finally discharged home yesterday, yay ! But i have lots of questions....

Those who didnt resleeve, how was your eating? Did it hurt? Were u only able to eat a few bites?

I'm in alot of pain in general, but it doesn't hurt my stomach to eat or drink anything.

Tmi questions... how were your bowl movements? I've had corned beef hash (which has a fair amount of fat) but i havnt been running to the bathroom. Is this normal? I'm so afraid the ds didn't "work"

I had a jp drain that they removed before I was discharged. The site has been leaking ALOT. I've had to drain the thick bandage every other hour. I didn't have a drain last time so this is new, how long will it drain?

 

[southernlady]

I'm in alot of pain in general, but it doesn't hurt my stomach to eat or drink anything.

That's because your sleeve wasn't touched. All the new stuff was done just to your guts.

 

[Snowbutterfly]

That's because your sleeve wasn't touched. All the new stuff was done just to your guts.

Dr has me on pureed for 30 days. I'm obviously going to follow med advice but just curious If that's normal for not resleeving? His paperwork for post op are for post RNY, with the VSG he had me on soft foods after a week. So I'm just curious what's "normal" for second stage DSers

 

[Larra]

30 days of pureed food seems excessive to me, esp since nothing was done to your sleeve. I'm guessing your surgeon has limited experience with the DS as you are the first person I've heard of having the DS in Alaska. You might want to ask if this is really necessary at your post-op visit, given what surgery you had.
For the drain site, try maxi-pads. Inexpensive, clean, soft, and hold a lot of fluid. It should dry up soon.

 

[Butterfly]

Like you, I wasn't resleeved. I was clear liquids for 24 hours, full liquids for first week, and then switched to purees at my 1 week appointment. They told me that as long as I did that okay for a few days, I could switch to a "normal" diet 5 days later.

It's odd. Even though they didn't touch my sleeve, I can't eat much. Before the surgery I had a little "farewell to food" tour and I could eat so much more than I can right now. So much more. I can eat about a half cup of food and then I'm pretty full. If I eat more, I may throw up. It's got me a bit perplexed.

The first few bowel movements were pretty much liquid, but they are (now that I am ramping up my calcium) more solid now.

 

[LindaDarnell]

So im about 11 days out from my revision and exactly a week ago today, I fell into a bad bout of diarrhea. It lasted 3 days and was brutal, but all self induced bc i was eating more progressively ahead of the diet plan. I posted a couple of times about it. No, i wasnt eating simple carbs and sugars, but ate some high fat foods and complex beans. I thought i could bc my sleeve wasnt touched during the revision, and i didnt have restriction and all that stuff. What i failed to realze is that my new plumbing wasnt ready for that!! After that experience I resorted back to a soft/full liquid diet. It's not puree, but leaner and more tender cuts of chicken..soft veggies..yogurt, etc. im slowly adding food as i think im ready. So though u may not need 30 days on puree...u cant go to a full DS diet just yet.

As for pain, i had very little. But then ive always had to manage bad abdominal pain because of hernias so my pain threshold in that area is very high. My hubby was virgin ds, and 11 weeks out still has to take pain meds. I was off mine before leaving the hospital.

Our Drs protocol on jp drains is to leave them in a week post-op, so we came home with ours. It wasnt until the 3 rd or 4th day post op that we started seeing alot of draining...so i imagine thats what ur experiencing except you dont have ur drain......

Im by no means a pro. Just wanted to share my limited experience. It seems to help me to hear from other vsg to ds revisioners. Best wishes!

 

[LindaDarnell]

Like you, I wasn't resleeved. I was clear liquids for 24 hours, full liquids for first week, and then switched to purees at my 1 week appointment. They told me that as long as I did that okay for a few days, I could switch to a "normal" diet 5 days later.

It's odd. Even though they didn't touch my sleeve, I can't eat much. Before the surgery I had a little "farewell to food" tour and I could eat so much more than I can right now. So much more. I can eat about a half cup of food and then I'm pretty full. If I eat more, I may throw up. It's got me a bit perplexed.

The first few bowel movements were pretty much liquid, but they are (now that I am ramping up my calcium) more solid now.

I remember the RD during my preop exam telling me Id loose my appetite. I thought she was crazy bc in my mind, if my sleeve isnt touched and (at that time) I could eat like a race horse, why would that change after the surgery. But ur absolutely right, I probably can eat half a cup of food..if that! I so appreciate it and im enjoying this honeymoon bc im sure it wont last. But doesn't it feel good to barely eat 3 oz and be full?!!

 

[Snowbutterfly]

30 days of pureed food seems excessive to me, esp since nothing was done to your sleeve. I'm guessing your surgeon has limited experience with the DS as you are the first person I've heard of having the DS in Alaska. You might want to ask if this is really necessary at your post-op visit, given what surgery you had.
For the drain site, try maxi-pads. Inexpensive, clean, soft, and hold a lot of fluid. It should dry up soon.

My thoughts exactly! My surgeon isn't advertised as a ds surgeon. He only does it in a extream cases, but he is experienced in it. Ill be sure to ask him at my 2 wk apt.
Great idea for the maxi pads. I already bought a box of surgical bandages that I'm gonna use up first. Then I got the super heavy duty overnight pads that look like they will work perfectly. 3 times as much for half the price. Love it!

 

[southernlady]

So im about 11 days out from my revision and exactly a week ago today, I fell into a bad bout of diarrhea. It lasted 3 days and was brutal, but all self induced bc i was eating more progressively ahead of the diet plan. I posted a couple of times about it. No, i wasnt eating simple carbs and sugars, but ate some high fat foods and complex beans. I thought i could bc my sleeve wasnt touched during the revision, and i didnt have restriction and all that stuff. What i failed to realze is that my new plumbing wasnt ready for that!! After that experience I resorted back to a soft/full liquid diet. It's not puree, but leaner and more tender cuts of chicken..soft veggies..yogurt, etc. im slowly adding food as i think im ready. So though u may not need 30 days on puree...u cant go to a full DS diet just yet.

As for pain, i had very little. But then ive always had to manage bad abdominal pain because of hernias so my pain threshold in that area is very high. My hubby was virgin ds, and 11 weeks out still has to take pain meds. I was off mine before leaving the hospital.

Our Drs protocol on jp drains is to leave them in a week post-op, so we came home with ours. It wasnt until the 3 rd or 4th day post op that we started seeing alot of draining...so i imagine thats what ur experiencing except you dont have ur drain......

Im by no means a pro. Just wanted to share my limited experience. It seems to help me to hear from other vsg to ds revisioners. Best wishes!

You don't need veggies. At least not for quite awhile.

 

[Snowbutterfly]

Like you, I wasn't resleeved. I was clear liquids for 24 hours, full liquids for first week, and then switched to purees at my 1 week appointment. They told me that as long as I did that okay for a few days, I could switch to a "normal" diet 5 days later.

It's odd. Even though they didn't touch my sleeve, I can't eat much. Before the surgery I had a little "farewell to food" tour and I could eat so much more than I can right now. So much more. I can eat about a half cup of food and then I'm pretty full. If I eat more, I may throw up. It's got me a bit perplexed.

The first few bowel movements were pretty much liquid, but they are (now that I am ramping up my calcium) more solid now.

See, that seems more reasonable to me. I'm gonna ask him about doing soft foods as tolerated at my 2 wk apt. Puree food just makes me gag. I would rather not eat then blend food (naturally pureed foods like soup, mashed potatoes, yogurt etc.. are fine. It's pureeing meats and what not that make me gag).
My appeteit is gone too, and your right, when I DO eat, it's very little. I get alot of pressure from eating/drinking that stops me from eating much. In fact, I sometimes get so much pressure that it's hard to breath/talk. Has anyone had this? I have asthma so I use my inhaler alot. It only sucks cause I get winded fast. I HAVE been walking alot to help the gas. Probably too much cause I've had to rush back to bed more than I'd like to change bandages.
How long post op did you have a bowl movement? How much were u eating at that time? I'm 5 days post op and my daily diet consists of 1/2 cup of strained chicken noodle soup, 1/4 cup corned beef hash, 1/4 cup chili (mashed). Nothing but gas yet

 

[southernlady]

Pressure like that meant one of three things...either too much, too fast, or both.

Eat less more often.

 

[Snowbutterfly]

So im about 11 days out from my revision and exactly a week ago today, I fell into a bad bout of diarrhea. It lasted 3 days and was brutal, but all self induced bc i was eating more progressively ahead of the diet plan. I posted a couple of times about it. No, i wasnt eating simple carbs and sugars, but ate some high fat foods and complex beans. I thought i could bc my sleeve wasnt touched during the revision, and i didnt have restriction and all that stuff. What i failed to realze is that my new plumbing wasnt ready for that!! After that experience I resorted back to a soft/full liquid diet. It's not puree, but leaner and more tender cuts of chicken..soft veggies..yogurt, etc. im slowly adding food as i think im ready. So though u may not need 30 days on puree...u cant go to a full DS diet just yet.

As for pain, i had very little. But then ive always had to manage bad abdominal pain because of hernias so my pain threshold in that area is very high. My hubby was virgin ds, and 11 weeks out still has to take pain meds. I was off mine before leaving the hospital.

Our Drs protocol on jp drains is to leave them in a week post-op, so we came home with ours. It wasnt until the 3 rd or 4th day post op that we started seeing alot of draining...so i imagine thats what ur experiencing except you dont have ur drain......

Im by no means a pro. Just wanted to share my limited experience. It seems to help me to hear from other vsg to ds revisioners. Best wishes!

Did u have any bowel movements prior to ur bad bout of diarrhea?
Oh no no, I definitely won't do a full ds diet right away. I know my sleeve wasn't touched, but the connection from sleeve to intestines was so I'm sure that's really swollen and angry.
You know I was actually draining alot from the JP drain before they took it out for discharge. I'm surprised it was even taken out. I had so much the incision closest to it started leaking. Now the JP incision has slowed down (yay) but the incision next to it is still draining alot. It's so annoying, I didn't have this issue last time.
Yes it helps tremendously to hear other VSG to DS conversions. Everyone here is so knowledgeable and helpful. Thank u

 

[Snowbutterfly]

Pressure like that meant one of three things...either too much, too fast, or both.

Eat less more often.

I can try that. Thanks for the suggestion

 

[Snowbutterfly]

Pressure like that meant one of three things...either too much, too fast, or both.

Eat less more often.

Actually, it happens alot after I drink water. I havnt been able to meet my quota because of it. I'm a natural water drinker so maybe I'm drinking too much per sip? How much would u suggest to drink at a time? I don't gulp, I definitely sip, but i may sip too much?

 

[LindaDarnell]

Did u have any bowel movements prior to ur bad bout of diarrhea?
Oh no no, I definitely won't do a full ds diet right away. I know my sleeve wasn't touched, but the connection from sleeve to intestines was so I'm sure that's really swollen and angry.
You know I was actually draining alot from the JP drain before they took it out for discharge. I'm surprised it was even taken out. I had so much the incision closest to it started leaking. Now the JP incision has slowed down (yay) but the incision next to it is still draining alot. It's so annoying, I didn't have this issue last time.
Yes it helps tremendously to hear other VSG to DS conversions. Everyone here is so knowledgeable and helpful. Thank u

No that was my first bm...not my last lol. But they are getting my solid and "controlled"