sasicas

What I would like to do and what I can afford to do are two different things I would like to get a tummy tuck, after 3 c-sections my stomach looks harsh and I have stretch marks so bad from carrying each child, especially the twins. My stomach is shrinking some, thankfully I have age on my side BUT I dont think the skin will completely bounce back. Would love a boob job too. I started out very small in the chest as it was and they are almost gone now *sigh* Would love laser hair removal too. Oh and I would love to have my gap between my two front teeth closed too. Now realistically what I can afford will be all new clothes, I have gone through almost my whole collection of clothes, very few fit anymore. I think the smallest I have down to is a 12 and I'm in a 14 now and I'm ready to start dressing cute and my age again. Planning to grow my hair out too, I've had it short for so many years.

I had pain from the get-go. Was told it was heartburn. At around 5 or 6 weeks I ended up in the hospital after the pain increasingly got worse until I could no longer drink or eat anything. Many tests later a few things were determined. I had a stricture and have since had 3 scopes. The second scope also saw that I had a small hole at the top of my sleeve. Thankfully nothing was leaking out of it and it was small enough to be closed with glue, the glue was done during my 3rd scope. I also have a kink in my sleeve, its more of an L shape instead of a banana shape. I have delayed gastric emptying. The doctors also suspected that I had more inflammation than people normally end up with. They see a lot of pain with that alone and it usually lets up around 6-7 weeks. I was in the hospital for about a week and a half on pain meds and then had to start on nausea meds round the clock as I started vomiting after the swallow study. I ended up with PICC line because I could not eat or drink anything. Finally the pain started to let up and I was able to go home. The pain is off and on now, very random but thankfully nothing like before.

Is it happening every time or just if you take too big of a sip at once? I had issues getting anything down and it increasingly got worse til I ended up in the hospital around 5 or 6 weeks. Mine ended up being a stricture, an odd shape in my sleeve, delayed gastric emptying and they suspect too much inflamation in my sleeve. Some people end up with way more inflammation which makes it difficult to get anything in. My surgeons said they see the swelling start to go down after about the 6-7th week mark and after that point as well as a few scopes to open up the stricture I did see drastic improvements and the pain I get is very occasional now.

I'm finding that eating is just a necessary chore now. I don't have a desire to eat and even if something sounds awesome I end up not even wanting it once I've tried it. I realize my taste buds have changed in a big way. So many things I did like, I no longer do and things I didn't like, I now eat. Even if something tastes awesome, like this orange chicken I had earlier today, I found eating it to be just something I had to do to make my body function. I do not have the hunger feeling, just the empty feeling like so many others here. Ugh. At least I am now a cheap date, normally nibbling off the hubbys plate. Or like today, we went out to lunch and dinner. At lunch I wanted the orange chicken, had to order a normal portion and brought 90% or more of it home for meals later this week. I didn't even enjoy being in a restraunt anymore *sigh*

I still get the stuck feeling a few times a day but nothing like before. Before everything had gotten to the point of giving me that pain. Now it is very random. My GI did say that sometimes they have to balloon open a stricture 2-3 times before it works. I'm waiting to see my surgeon in a few weeks to get his opinion on if I should pursue being scoped again or not. Originally the plan was to scope me at least one more time after the last one I had done but I have pushed it off for now.

Just watched and commented on your video, you look absolutely wonderful!

Woohoo for working out. I actually volunteered to mow the yard today, totally not something I wanted to do 50 lbs ago And I am dragging my butt to the gym tomorrow

Woohoo! Congrats!

Congrats!

Have you seen a GI to see if you have a stricture? I did some time in the hospital recently and found out multiple issues I had, one of which was a stricture which caused me to feel stuck and in pain too. It's a simple process. Get knocked out, they scope you, balloon it open and hope it works (it can close back up but normally doesn't). Each of my scopes (I've had 3) from the time I got there til i woke up was about a 2 hour process.

It's so nice to come to this board and not feel like a complete freak. I do have people still watching me eat at Church and it drives me batty. I realize those people are just curious (very small church, most know I had surgery) but it makes me feel like more of a freak, especially to see my 4 year olds eat more than I do. I still eat because I have to but am trying to add more foods that have more flavor so maybe, just maybe I will enjoy it. I still don't enjoy going out to eat. I guess its not so bad when I can nibble off the hubbys plate but if I have to get my own portion it drives me nuts to get asked over and over if I don't like my food. I have busted out the good ol bariatric surgery card before to order off a kids menu but finding most kids meals at places are not WLS friendly. At least for now I don't have to eat out, hubby had oral surgery and is on a liquid diet for 6 weeks right now. The change in food tastes is still so odd to me. I used to only be able to handle a bite of string cheese, now its the most common thing I eat daily lol. Oh and on the food thing, I do look at what others eat now and wonder how in the world I ever ate so much. It's crazy how much a "serving" is to most people now. This surgery certainly has changed the way I view food.

For whatever reason I was scared to try on the other clothes sitting in my closet. I have been walking around in these size 20 jeans that were literally falling right off my body. I kept thinking there was NO way the other clothes would fit yet and I didn't want to be disappointed in trying them on and it not working out. So yesterday I looked in the closet and I finally gave in and decided to try on a pair of size 18 jeans that haven't fit me in quite some time, thinking maybe I could finally button them up. Um yeah, they were falling off too! Tried another pair today that were not a true 18, more like a 16 and guess what! THEY FIT! So I went to the thrift store today to look for some Church clothes and found a really pretty size 14/16 lacy skirt/shirt combo, thinking no way would it fit for at least another month and I was a little nervous because of the type of material thinking it would cling too much to my body but for $5 I couldn't pass it up. Well I tried it on and it fit too! It has been YEARS since I could fit in a size 16 anything and I have no idea how long its been since I could fit a 14 or smaller. I'm just shocked. AND my husband who is not one to give compliments keeps telling me how small I am getting when he hugs me. LOVE hearing that. I've had so many friend from Church comment on me wasting away, it makes all the complications seem not near as bad as they were last week I'm already over half way to my goal and only 7 weeks out. I cannot believe how quickly its gone and how much my body has changed. Wish I could figure out how to get my pics smaller to post my beginning pics and my new pics. Hopefully soon I will figure it out. I am loving these NSVs way more than the scale victories that is for sure. edit-Pictures are a few posts down

Out of all 5 incisions, only 1 has caused me problems, mine is to the left of my belly button. The stupid area still hurts and I am nearly 9 weeks post-op. The surgeons said it very common for that one area to cause pain. It was bad enough, we went as far as to have an ultrasound done just to verify there was no hernia or anything else going on.

Seems to be a common problem. I have struggled with it since surgery. Finally broke down and bought some chewable fiber gummies at Costco last night.

It's worth a try to see if it works. Try taking your vitamins at night too. That seems to work best for me.

Unfortunately not everyone can tolerate those. I actually know more people who cannot tolerate any of those meal replacement/protein drinks than those that can. I know some people believe a person should just suck them down whether they want to or not but when they make you even more nauseous or actually vomit, its just not worth it. Everyones body will react differently to the sleeve, just like some people have acid reflux afterwards and some don't. The only time I dealt with it pre-op was in my twins pregnancy, now since being sleeved I am forced to take medication at least once a day, sometimes up to 3 times a day.

YES! My hair has completely changed. It went from extremely oily to dry hair. I used to have to wash my hair daily to now being able to go 3 days, if I wash it sooner than that it becomes even more dry. Its not as curly/wavy as it was before surgery either. Totally crazy.

I don't know if its a matter of being proud, at least not that I have seen to be at a such low calorie intake. I am 2 months post op and I am lucky if I can get in 400 calories a day. My sleeve does not allow me to eat more than that at this point and it took me the full two months to get up to where I am now, I would say the first month at least I got in maybe 100 calories a day and have worked up from there quite slowly. And trust me, it is not intentional, most people physically are not capable of getting to an acceptable calorie intake for months and months. Now choosing not to eat when starving is not wise but the calorie intake cannot always be controled.

Today is a new day. You know where the changes are that you need to make, so make them. Force them. Do NOT look at the way we are to eat post op as a diet. It is not a diet it's lifelong eating. Yes by all means go eat something that is not all that healthy from time to time but it keep it as a treat. We have gone out to eat a lot since my surgery and I keep it at healthier foods than what I would have gotten pre-op and obviously smaller portions. Look at how great you have done too! So don't beat yourself up so bad. Just start fresh. Take your Vitamins, just get some Multivitamins and some vit D and b12 is good too. Oh and on the Protein, we were told 60 grams a day was the number to shoot for. So fill up on the protein before anything else.

Hang in there! If you look through the other messages on here you will see most people stall out in weeks 2 and 3. Your body still needs time to adjust and look at what you lost in the first week! That is a great loss for one week, your body is just in shock from another surgery and as long as you keep eating the way you are supposed to your body will kick into gear again within the next few weeks.

You look great! LOVE the dress!

WOOHOOO! CONGRATS!!

THanks everyone! Ok lets see if I can figure out this picture thing now Oh and I should mention I'm wearing the same pants in both pictures.