Lissa

Walk to help expel the post-surgery gas. Sip, sip, sip to keep themselves hydrated, and call their doctor if they are having issues with the post-op diet. They will be able to eat again. As for regrets, I think almost everyone has a day or two of that, but it's part of the mental healing process. Give your partner support and encouragement to walk and sip. That's the best thing you can do right now. Good luck to you both!

Call your doctor ASAP.

Some form of Protein shake (which you have), chicken broth, bottled Water, a food scale, tiny forks, spoons and plates, a MEASURING SPOON for your pain meds in the RIGHT FORMAT (mL or tsp), a heating pad, and beef broth. Don't over-buy anything. You may hate everything you bought pre-op after surgery.

1. Cheetos 2. chocolate 3. Cheetos 4. Tortilla chips 5. Cheetos 6. Cheetos 7. Cheetos 8. Cheetos 9. Cheetos 10. Cheetos Notice a pattern here? LOL

Kim, vomiting after the sleeve is nothing like it was before the sleeve. I liken it to the stomach pushing an eject button. What went down comes back up...not all the horrible spasms and retching like it was pre-op. I still don't like to vomit, but it's nowhere near as bad.

I quit eating out completely for awhile because I got tired of leftover boxes in the fridge! LOL

LJ, when one drains, try to get into the shower or use disposable towels to catch the drainage. Those go into the garbage immediately. You should try not to let the drainage spread, because that just reinfects you. Wash any clothing that comes into contact with it in disinfectant and/or hot water.

Nope, IVC filters are usually only indicated for those with prior history of DVT.

First, don't assume that the boils are related to your surgery. They may not be related at all. I've had boils for years, less frequently since I have lost a lot of weight, but I still have flare ups sometimes. Second, NEVER pop a boil. Let it drain on its own or have the doctor lance it. Squeezing it or opening it with a non-sterile needle at home can create much worse infections. Third, warm compresses applied every 20 minutes will help to bring it to a head, but some places are tougher than others to work on. If you have one in the tender tissues down there, you should have a doctor look at it right away. Fourth, ALWAYS wash your hands thoroughly if you've touched the area of the boil. You can transfer the bacteria to other places and cause more boils. Good luck!

Most people know very quickly, but the most common things I see involve throwing up bile early post op and symptoms of infection (high fever, extreme pain in the affected area), but I've also read that people have had leaks discovered they didn't know they had. There are also a couple of sleevers here who had abcesses, etc. The most important thing is to follow your doctor's plan and to not be afraid to call the doctor if you have unexpected symptoms. The risk is low, unless you're the one with the complication. Good luck!

I did it for myself. It wasn't a big deal, but lovenox does leave some amazing bruises, so be prepared for that. I switched sides morning and night and varied the injection sites, but it was all basically low on my belly. I did shots for 4 days before and 2 weeks after surgery. One word of advice, if your doctor will give you the shots to take home, TAKE THEM. Even with my good insurance, the copay worked out to between $75 and $100 per shot.

Add in some fiber or raw veggies to your diet. When I get to that point, I like to add in some raw broccoli...or I eat a small steak. For some reason, both make my sleeve full, full, full.

You have my prayers. I know nothing about that condition, but kids prove doctors wrong all the time! Don't give up hope! (((Hugs)))

I keep saying that it's too bad you live in Washington state.

My knees hurt for awhile post-op, probably from a combination of moving more and from the ligaments/muscles not being stretched so tightly since I was losing weight rapidly. I also lost my sense of balance completely and ran into walls a lot for about 6 months. It's worth it, though!

Meet Virginia!

Nope, NEVER be disappointed in you! You are doing the best you can. Just resolve to do better for yourself tomorrow. Try some positive self talk. You have made it through how many days without breaking down? Give yourself credit for those and get back to what your doc wants you to do. IMO, the pre-op diet is the absolute hardest part of this journey, but it's SO worth it once the weight starts melting away! (((Hugs))) and good luck! You CAN do this.

I ran into a customer today from an old job. She didn't recognize me at all! I had to pull out an old picture to convince her that I am me! LOL After that, she gave me a big hug and congratulated me on my weight loss!

I had a gall bladder attack a few weeks ago, although mine was nowhere near as severe as yours! My WLS surgeon does gallbladder surgeries routinely, but we opted to wait on mine because neither the ultrasound nor the cat scan show any stones, just some inflammation. I'm to report to the hospital at the first sign of another attack for a HDIAS test (whatever that is) and then we'll decide whether to operate or not. I'm a fairly high risk surgery due to DVT and pulmonary embolism pre-WLS, so the surgeon and I aren't anxious to do more surgery. Good luck!! BTW, if your local surgeon is afraid to do your gallbladder, call my doc down here in Florida. He'll take care of it with no issues.

Bread sits too heavy on my sleeve for me to eat much of it. I'm over a year post-op and I basically don't eat bread anymore.

I had to do three weeks, and it was so worth it. Good luck on your journey!!

I'm always amazed at the IRL meetings when people ask questions that I consider basics. I wonder how they ever coped with having surgery without more information than they have! I usually feel like a big mouth in those meetings because I'm answering so many questions. VST Rocks!!! All the info that is out here is life-saving, IMO. I recommend the board here constantly.

I didn't realize you were in Dubai, but your doctor should really have instructed you on meds.

I can eat soft white bread, but I choose not to 99.9% of the time. It sits heavy in my sleeve and makes me feel bloated, so it's not high on my list. I can eat between 6-8 oz of food at a time, unless it's really dense Protein like steak or chicken. I do well to eat 4 oz of that at a sitting. For the most part, I can eat anything I want, just in smaller amounts than pre-surgery. I just don't want the same foods I wanted pre-op. I am talking to a doctor about a tummy tuck, but I see improvement every day and may end up needing a lot less surgery than I thought I would. Some of the other long term sleevers have said they had great reduction in the amount of skin after two years, so I'm probably going to wait on that. I didn't work out before surgery, but started walking and easy workouts immediately post-op. I gradually built up to 7 days a week and I'm happy with my progress so far.

I was told that it depends on what stage of healing you are at. Obviously, aspirin is not recommended early post op, but I'm allowed to take it now, in moderation. I'm also allowed ibuprofen and other meds now that I'm a year post op because the assumption is that I am totally healed from my sleeve. I've never been big on any kind of medication, but it's nice to know I can use the ibuprofen if my carpal tunnel acts up. If you're unsure whether YOU are allowed to take a medication, your doctor is your best source on information, not a message board.