Well, today I am officially two weeks post op and still not quite sure how I actually feel about the surgery. I definitely don't regret it, but it hasn't been a breeze. :scared0:

I struggled quite a bit the first week and a half with being able to drink and eat. I ended up having a hiatal hernia repair with my sleeve surgery and I think this increased my pain level post op. It also made my esophagus very sore and restricted, making it painful to drink and eat. Getting that hot poker sensation every time something went down my throat was NOT conducive to me getting in my fluids. So, I ended up with a slight case of dehydration a few days after coming home from the hospital and it was not pretty. :crying:

I discussed this with my doctor's office on several occasions and was always told there was nothing that could be done about it. I'm not convinced that is really the case since I've talked to at least one other person online who was given medication for esophageal spasms. But, at two weeks out, I have improved significantly with my ability to get liquids and foods down, so I don't feel the need to push the issue anymore. I just hate it when doctors and medical people are misleading, for whatever reason. It's insulting to my intelligence.

Anyway, I've been very lethargic feeling even though my body is clearly healing well. I can tell that everything is fine on the inside, so the lethargy was either from PMS or from a developing sinus infection. I hope to see a big improvement by the end of week 3. I haven't been walking nearly as much as I need to because I've felt so weak and lifeless. But, last night when I went walking at the park, I noticed a big difference in my stamina.

I think it's also related to me not getting in enough nutrients to support my body. But, my food intake has increased over the past few days and I can now get in a decent amount at each sitting. I started out being able to get in a couple of teaspoons of food. Now, I'm at about 2 tablespoons of solid food per sitting. My postop diet progressed pretty quickly, so I'm able to eat most foods now, but I don't push it by eating anything too extreme.

I've also discovered that I like the Isopure protein drinks and I'm really excited about that because I know I wasn't getting in enough protein. I've only tried one flavor so far, but I plan to get some more today. Even though some people feel they are expensive, I've saved so much money on food since surgery, that it'll still be a bargain to just buy the ready to drink Isopures. As I understand it, the Isopures have the best quality of protein, the whey isolate, so this is good news for me and one less thing to worry about.

As for my weight loss, it is definitely coming along. I lost about 14 pounds on the preop diet, which is amazing. As of the last time I was weighed, I had lost 7 pounds since surgery, but that was last week. So, I should have a bigger loss to report this afternoon. My 2 week followup appointment is later today. I'll probably come back and update this blog with the outcome of that appointment.

Overall, I know this surgery is what I needed to do for myself even though it still seems drastic to me sometimes. I have had some food regrets since surgery, but nothing that has lasted more than a couple of minutes. I've been able to talk myself through those moments by reminding myself of why I did this and the outcomes I expect in the end of the process. I have had some dark moments, but it does get better each day as my body adjusts to the changes. I guess you just have to keep on pressing on and deal with the changes as they come. I certainly don't want to discourage anyone from doing this surgery by not painting a rosey picture of life post op. You just have to be prepared for a few rough times post op and know that it does get better. I thought I was preparing myself for that preop, but there's nothing like the actual experience. :ohmy:

Update: My 2 week followup appointment was uneventful. The doctor was not in the office so I talked to the nurse. She said my incisions look great and I'm cleared to take baths. I will have to wait until all of the scabs and surgical glue fall off before I go swimming. I am cleared to do light hand weights and elliptical, which is great because I want to start working on these arm flaps when my energy level increases. We reviewed what I had been eating and my supplements. She said I am right on track with about one pound a day of weight loss. I'm sure that won't hold up, but that's okay. I'm determined not to stress about the stalls that will be forthcoming. I did ask about the medication for the esophageal spasms and gave the name of a drug that someone else said they are taking for it. She said she would ask the doctor about that. I really don't expect an answer. I just want them to know I'm not a dummy.