On the Losers' Bench with Questions on Stomach Healing

[Bywater]

I'm a week out now from my Revision to the DS.

I see all sorts of varying opinions on when it is safe for the stomach to experience real food. What's the official word?

 

[DianaCox]

What did your surgeon say?
WHY did s/he say that?
Did you have a Valtrac ring used to make the anastomosis?
From what surgery did you have your revision?

PS: it's LOSER not LOOSER

 

[chevtow]

I'd definitely follow your plan, it's only for a short time. Yes it sucks but better safe than sorry.

 

[Bywater]

Diana,

He said two weeks.

It's his standard policy

No clue on the Valtrek Ring. I know my stomach is 4 oz and I have a 100 cm common channel.

And it was a lapband to DS.

And, my pants are definitely LOOSER

 

[Bywater]

Chevtow,

I'm worried that the sutures won't be fully healed by then. I'm sutured, not stapled.

 

[JackieOnLine]

And, my pants are definitely LOOSER

your stomach has a long staple line and a lot of swelling - go at least as slowly as your surgeon says to. how are you feeling?

congratulations on your revision!

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'm worried that the sutures won't be fully healed by then. I'm sutured, not stapled.

either way (and I assumed all stomachs were stapled from the videos I've seen ??? ) the real healing is the scar tissue that forms and seals it all up. and to digest solid food a stomach needs to "churn" which breaks those tissues. is how it was explained to me!

anyway, be careful.

 

[southernlady]

@Bywater and congrats on your revision.

Your suture line, while it might be healed enough, is still probably very angry! I would follow as much of your surgeon's plan as it agrees with!

Each person's surgeon will give different instructions. That's why you see different instructions on a forum.

My husband was started soft foods before he even left the hospital.

Liz

 

[DianaCox]

I was eating "foodish" things (cream of wheat? some sort of pureed soft cereal) in the hospital. But the Valtrac ring usually has a proscription against real food (beyond pureed) for three weeks, so you probably don't have one.

You're almost there anyway - may as well wait to two weeks. Or just call the surgeon's office and ask if you can have pureed food, and if not, why not.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

I started soft solids, like a very soft egg, about ten days out. Once you are cleated to progress, do it slowly and with tiny bites.

 

[Bywater]

Just got back from the follow up - 17.5 lbs lost.

All eight incisions looked good. The end of the week I can start advancing to purees...but, I can't go further than that because I have to see his nut. Can we say Bywater will smile and nod a lot?

I got the operative report. No Valtek ring and turns out my CC is 150 cm, not 100. And, this afternoon I saw my soon-to-be-ex PCP. And drew basic labs, she argued that her other DS patients didn't need all that lab work. Same with the letter to my insurance company. Letter was sent though with a "this is a worst case scenario" explanation as opposed to 'daily regimen'

I'll find a new PCP after Christmas and I'm going to be looking for one who actually will listen and take the time to understand why I need what I need.