Day 2 After Surgery | Aurora Bariatrics

Welcome to Day 2 after surgery! Each day you will start to feel a bit better. You can start drinking nourishing fluids from today. The intravenous fluid will be ceased, you've walking around on the ward and the shoulder tip pain should feel a bit better.

Today is the usual day of discharge from hospital.

Things to consider before going home:

Nourishing fluids: You can drink anything that can get through a straw, without using a straw. A straw will draw air into your small stomach and inflate it so avoid using straws. Sipping from the small cups is a better idea. Remember some yoghurts are actually pretty thick and you won't be ready for this.
Pain and Nausea Relief - your team will provide pain relief and anti-nausea medications to take home, this will usually include wafers under the tongue which can be used every four hours.
Bowels
If you have not opened your bowels by day 5 after the operation - take
Lactulose (20ml 3 times a day) and
Movicol (2 sachets four times a day) until your bowels have opened
If by day 7 you haven't opened your bowels - use a Microlax enema. Each of these are available over the counter at your local pharmacy.
Avoid taking a Senna-based medication as these can irritate your gut - so avoid Coloxyl/Senna
Drinking: aim for 800-1200ml at least per day, including all fluids (1500mL ideal)
Multivitamin: you have the option of the chewable BN multivitamin, or the capsule which can be opened up onto smoothies - generally tolerated from one week post-operatively
Followup:
Your surgeon will see you at 3 weeks, either via Telehealth or in rooms
If you have issues during working hours - call our rooms on (08) 6478 7631.
After hours, weekends or emergencies - visit your local after-hours GP or Emergency Department
If you are uninsured - you are not covered if you present to a Private Hospital Emergency Department
Driving: you can drive after 1 week as long as you can brake safely
Exercise:
Walking - from night 1
Low intensity, steady state exercise - walking/jogging/cycling - a few days after surgery (no restriction)
Weights, pilates, high intensity training - wait at least four weeks
If you had a hiatus hernia repair - definitely don't lift weights for 4 weeks after surgery

Things to look out for:

Constipation, nausea, aches/pains are normal
If you develop a fever, severe abdominal pain or unable to swallow - you must present to an Emergency Department - Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital manages WA's public bariatric surgical care.

Here is your Telehealth postoperative program:

Week 1 - AURORA NURSE: you will have an appointment with your Nurse Practitioner, Kendall Gow (INCLUDED IN AFTERCARE PROGRAM)
Kendall will go through your diet, wound care, medications and any issues you might have from the first few days after discharge.

Week 2 - YOUR DIETITIAN: you should already have an appointment with your chosen Dietitian, either Stevie Raymond or Loren Muhlmann
Your dietitian will go through your intake of protein, fluids, calories, timing of foods and help you through the transition period

Week 3 - AURORA SURGEON: you will have an appointment with your Surgeon, Dr Blackham (INCLUDED IN AFTERCARE PROGRAM)
Dr Blackham will go through your operation, pathology of your stomach, wound care, reflux and any other questions you might have

Week 6 - AURORA NURSE: Nurse Practitioner, Kendall Gow

3 months - AURORA GP AND YOUR DIETITIAN: Bariatric General Practitioner (Dr Cindy Ng or Dr Sigrid Uhlrich) AND Dietitian
Please make sure you have your blood tests at least 1 week prior - if your blood test wasn't received please let us know

6 months - AURORA GP AND YOUR DIETITIAN: Bariatric General Practitioner (Dr Cindy Ng or Dr Sigrid Uhlrich) AND Dietitian
Please make sure you have your blood tests at least 1 week prior - if your blood test wasn't received please let us know