annearctica

Dr. Aceves had me wait until I was on solids before I had a half-glass of wine. Wine is still a struggle for me. I only drink it once a week, but it is very difficult for me to stop at one glass, and if I go over one, the calories start piling up quick with zero nutritional value!!! Tread carefully!

Things had been going so well with my sleeve -- tomorrow is 8 weeks out for me, and I'm 38 pounds since surgery -- but my boyfriend and I broke up last Monday and I am finding it really hard to deal without food. It does not help that I am working in Alaska right now and everyone I love is on the East Coast. I don't really have a support system here. I'm so annoyed with myself and scared that I am going to ruin the chance the sleeve is giving me. Before the breakup, I had been perfect in staying between 600-800 calories. This past week, I slipped up daily and added a glass of wine here, a piece of chocolate there, an extra cheese snack here, bringing me to 900 or over. It is making me even more depressed to imagine that I am going to screw my sleeve up too! I wish I could say I had gotten away with it, but I got on the scale at the gym today and I actually showed a gain of a pound! I know I just need to get back to basics but my lord it is so hard to be alone in the house and not self-soothe with food and wine. Thanks for listening.

Thanks, everyone! I took your advice and have hit the gym every day, which feels awesome. Today is my 8-week mark, and I showed a 3 pound loss, which means I'm down 41 pounds!!! While I still miss my bf, I have to stay focused and know that I will be better than all right!

My only regrets come when I am out socially, and the feeling only lasts a very short time. My biggest struggle has been learning how to eat slowly. I generally get through my 2-4 oz of food super quickly and then I feel like an idiot sitting there not eating anymore while the other people are basically beginning their meals. A couple times, it has ended with me taking that one bite too many (never to the point of vomiting, thank god!) but feeling really crappy and not being able to enjoy the social event because I start feeling hot and tired and achey and generally worried that I broke my stomach. I am dating someone new. We met in the middle of January, about two weeks after I got sleeved, and I still haven't told him. I told him I had surgery for my diaphragm (half true because I had a hiatal hernaia) It is always a little awkward because I can't finish my cup of Soup or three pieces of sashimi and he kind of looks at me like, "Really? You can't eat that?" because while I have lost 35 pounds, I am still not a small lady! But overall I am so grateful. I can't believe how the 6 weeks since my surgery has flown and how much more energy I have and how much more positive my mental outlook is! Not to mention the jeans falling off. The jeans falling off is awesome.

Ladies! Please be careful. I just got out of the ER because I ended up with such terrible constipation it caused a UTI. No one can really say what the culprits were. The American doctors were absolutely NO HELP, they barely listened when I talked about my sleeve, but Gaby and Dr. Aceves were there every step of the way via email. I am normally really good about my liquids, 64-80 oz a day, but I did have a couple days where I was terrible (12 ounces maybe????) so that was one big cause. Drink your liquids! Gaby and Dr. A also suggested cutting out the daily Iron and Calcium supplements I was taking for a while, as they might be binding, so we will see.

Does anyone know when it is okay to eat it? Is it considered a soft food?

Hi, I am having the same thing and wondering if you ever figured out what it was? I'm 15 days out verything seems to be going fairly well but I just noticed in the shower that there was a bulge above that incision. I have a call into my surgeon but I am very nervous about it!

Yay! I love the whole team. Keep us posted!

I was sleeved on the 29th! I weighed myself for the first time today and can't believe it! I have just moved onto full liquids. Once I stop feeling so panicky about "am I doing it wrong?" or "am I going to get a leak?" I will be in a way better place. But it's going really well so far!

I'm in Mexicali right now, about to be sleeved by Dr. Aceves. The hospital is huge and professional, everything seems great! I am still super nervous but that is much more about the huge changes coming than it is about the surgery. I know I am making the right decision for myself; I am just scared about the coming pain! I can't say enough about the staff or my awesome "surgery buddies" It has been a very loving, supportive environment since Ernesto picked me up in San Diego. The hotel they put us in was very nice, my "last supper" with one of my surgery buddies was delicious and I slept like a baby thanks to the Ativan they gave us. I am sure it will all go well, but I can't wait to be home with my bf, my dog, and my new stomach. Lucy just gave me my happy pill so I will see you all on the other side.

I drink Isopure Zero Carb RTD and broth and sugar free popsicles. I know some people have had issues with the taste or the smell of the Isopure but I think it's pretty tasty (I drink the Icy Orange flavor.) I am pretty bored with phase II but will be onto phase II by Friday, and I am super excited to add those things!

Hey Bernadette, No, I didn't have a catheter. I was peeing again by the very end of the second day, so it all worked out. Knock on wood, I'm on day 6 now and everything is going smoothly. The hardest part is hanging out with people not drinking wine or eating food. My boyfriend has been awesome about getting out to see lots of movies and plays. It's astonishing to never be hungry, and to not really worry about all the delicious food that's around me. I just remind myself that sooner than I think, I'm going to be able to have a bite or two of things that I love!

Hey Barbann-- I was sleeved on the same day as you and had a bowel movement two days later. Mine are mostly liquid now (liquid in, liquid out) but they do happen. I would check with your doctor about taking something. Good luck!

Dr. Aceves did as well. They removed mine the 3rd day. I didn't find it to be that big of a deal at all -- there was occasionally some discomfort with it, but nothing unmanageable.

I know we will be taking home some Nexium mups, and some of the sublingual pain medication. Has anyone else gotten other meds from Dr. Aceves? I am thinking of asking for a prescription for Ativan to help with the post op stress. Thoughts?

Hey Cajun, the hospital is very beautiful. I was just writing my bf about how unbelievable the price is for 5 days in a private room, constant tending from kind people, seeing both doctors 5-6 times a day. I am SO glad I made this decision. I will ask about a heating pad. That sounds like a good idea. I had a lot of pain when I woke up this morning, but have done some walking, saw my new tiny stomach, and took a pain pill so I'm feeling a little better. Plus I get broth soon! I live in Alaska part of the time, so that's where my name comes from!

Hey Cajun, I just posted this in the other thread, but yes we definitely felt it! It was big! But everyone was fine, nothing broke, and it was over pretty quickly. I was in bed, luckily, so I was pretty well protected. I am going to walk the halls a bit before bed. It is super boring but really seems to help with the gas.

Yes, we felt it in the hospital. I have never been in an earthquake before so I thought it was a terrorist attack. Everyone is safe and well. I'm very relieved it hadn't happened in the middle of my surgery!

So far today (day 2) is much harder. Took a 10 minute walk around the halls --- very painful! They gave a pill to take for it and I feel better now. My first sips of Water were great! What a relief. I do get nervous with any cough or hiccups that I'm going to rip a stitch. Better to do that here than at home I suppose. Just did my blue test and nothing came out, so I'm on the road! I did start peeing late last night, thank god. I was afraid I would need a catheter. My main complaint is that my room has no remote control for the tv and no one seems to be able to find me one. If that's the worst I have to deal with here in my luxury private room, I'll take it!

Jennifer, I'll be thinking about you! I remain cautiously optimistic. I feel fine, just really woozy. I am trying to watch TV and movies that keep my brain occupied because otherwise I go into panic mode, wondering how on earth I will fly home on Friday or go back to work January 6 or keep my pug from leaping on my belly when I get home. I know that it will all work itself out and that the wooziness is only temporary. I went for a short walk up and down the hall and ran into a fellow sleever on her second day. She said it's been up and down for her and that she had pain last night after the anesthesia wore off. I appreciate her insights but am trying not to worry about too much future pain that may not come -- I know everyone is different. We did agree that we were both glad we left our SO's at home -- they would be soooooo bored. Dr. Campos just came by again, said everything looked perfect. I asked him to send me something to get to sleep when it's bedtime and he said he would. They take such good care of you here. Talk to you all later. Thanks for listening.

Although I am having a really hard time peeing. Is this normal?

Thanks for all your well wishes. I am awake and in very little pain so all seemed to go well. The pain is not too bad right now at all, although I am having a serious problem with itching -- I guess that happens to some people because of the anesthesia. Dr. Aceves and Dr. Doogie Howser Compos just stopped by and they are going to get me something for that. The team here is really great, I can't be thankful enough for that. I know that I would not get such frequent personal attention if I'd chosen to do this at home. I would give my eyeteeth for some Water, but I am so happy to be doing well and feeling pretty comfortable. Will keep you all posted -- thanks for being here.