Day One after surgery is... tough. Many people underestimate how tough day one is. It is normal to feel nausea, bloated, pain in your shoulder tip and generally uncomfortable.
Here is a list of things you may feel, and things to do (in summary, keep sipping and keep walking!)
- Nausea - some nausea is normal. If you feel you're going to vomit let the nursing staff know; the anaesthetist and surgeon will have prescribed a number of medications to help decrease the risk of vomiting. Sipping fluids and peppermint tea can help a lot
- Pain Management - Oral pain relievers will be prescribed to help you manage your pain. Mostly it is a "tightness" at the top of your tummy rather than pain; walking will help (and you'll see a few others doing laps of the ward too!)
- Shoulder tip pain - your surgeon will let out as much of the gas as possible but you may still feel shoulder tip pain. A heat pack can decrease this, as will walking
- Drinking clear "bariatric" fluids - you can sip clear fluids, and the staff will encourage you to sip small amounts often. Cold water can be hard to drink; warm tea, sweetened juice or broth may be easier
- Breathing - make sure you take deep breaths during the day, sitting forward over a pillow can help. If you've been given an incentive spirometer (a small machine with three balls) a respiratory therapist or nurse will show you how to use it.
