Question:
Will I hace a catheter if I am having Lap RNY? I hate those things!

   — Lisa B. A. (posted on December 4, 2002)

December 4, 2002
I had a catheter for the first 18 hours after my lap rny. I was glad to have it. All I did that first day was sleep! They put it in after I was asleep and they took it out the morning after surgery when I was ready to start getting up to walk.
   — maryburton

December 4, 2002
NO, I did not have a catheter after my Lap RNY and I was up walking the same afternoon and going to the bathroom. In fact, the only tube(s) I had was my drain tube from my stomach for a week.
   — kd

December 4, 2002
They do place a catheter in the OR after you are asleep but normally remove it before you leave recovery room to encourage you to get up to go the bathroom.
   — Mary Ann K.

December 4, 2002
Yep. I had one--my surgery was 10/01/02. I always seem to have problems with my "waterworks" after anesthesia and had mine in until the morning of the day I was discharged.
   — Karen K.

December 4, 2002
It only depends on your doctor. Mine doesn't use them at all because you need to get up asap to walk anyway and it gives you an incentive to get up faster. Talk to your doctor and tell him you feel strongly about this.
   — ZZ S.

December 4, 2002
I didn't have a catheter. I was up the next day and using the toilet on my own. It could depend on your doctor, but when I asked mine if I'd need a catheter, he told me I'd probably only need one if my bladder muscles hadn't "woken up" from the anesthesia, and each person reacts to the anesthesia differently.
   — maurer_power

December 4, 2002
It depends on your doctor/hospital. I did have one put in after I was already under. To tell you the truth, I was so happy I had one... because the last thing I wanted to do was get out of bed to go to the bathroom after surgery. Since they have you on so much IV liquids, you inevitably will have to go. I had an open RNY and was happy to have the catheter; too sore to move much. They removed it two days later and it didn't hurt at all while it was in or while it was removed.
   — MichiganWLS

December 5, 2002
You will have the catherer, I hate them as well but the first two days it hurt pretty bad to get out of bed that I was happy that they put it in but my nurses did take it out late in the afternoon on the first day after my surgery.
   — msferret6

December 5, 2002
I had my surgery last Mon. I had a Lap RNY. They put the catheter in after I was out for surgery, and they took it out the next morning. All I had to do was pass my swallow test, and they took out the catheter and the NG tube.(YAYYY) To tell you the truth, the first day, when I had it I didn't even realize it because I was so out of it. I had never had a catheter before. I didn't even know I had one until I got up to walk the evening after surgery. It won't be that bad, remember, it isn't permanent! Good Luck!!
   — Ann H.

December 5, 2002
I had a lap RNY and had a catheter that was inserted after I was unconscious. It was removed shortly after I woke up in the recovery room. If they hadn't told me they were about to remove it, I don't think I would have realized I had one; I was still a bit groggy! It really wasn't so bad.
   — sandsonik

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