BenisaMartim4

Mine is named Nae-Nae; because she is like a little banana Sent from my iPad using VST

Congrats, that's great Sent from my iPad using VST

I was able to go to church on Sunday (3/4), but I started to feel sick while I was there and by the time we got home I was spitting up. Every time I swallowed ANYTHING it was like a bomb going off in my stomach. I was sick throughout the night and by the next day I could not swallow food at all and was barely getting any fluids in. I though I had the stomach virus (half of everyone we know has been sick with it the last few days.) That night I started having terrible chest, back, should and arm pain every time I tried to drink. This freaked me out, so I called my doc first thing Tuesday morning. Unfortunately, they did not return my call! Still sick on Wednesday, I called again and finally got to talk to the nurse. She told me to get down there NOW. They put me on the "banana bag" IV just as soon as I got there and the Dr. came from the hospital as soon as he could. After giving me the working over, he said it was not a leak, but acid erosion and added carafate to my meds. I had to stay all day. My veins are very weak, so I ended up with two blown and it took 8 hours for one bag. They told me to come back first thing Thursday. I was put back on the banana bag again. This time I got two bags. I swelled quickly. I couldn't get my anniversary ring off and my finger was turning. I thought they were going to have to come in and cut it off! After much effort I finally got it ripped off. They are still in my purse. The nurse was worried about me, so she talk and petted me much. During the course of our conversation, I further explained the pain I was having and also told her that I had fibromyalgia. We both kind of had a lightbulb moment at the same time. This is not only acid. She told me that the surgical injury could be causing nerve pain in my insides. I am off all of my meds since surgery, so because of this, they want me to resume one or two of them until I am healed. Fibromyalgia is a crazy, confusing condition! I was supposed to go back today, but my Daddy had a cardiac event last night and is in the hospital so the let me off. My nurse just said, "you have to promise me that unless you are talking or sleeping, your mouth will not be empty all weekend." i promised. My family has a little spring vacation to the mountains planned for next week, so I have to go back and see the doc on Monday and have another infusion. He doesn't want me to end up in the hospital up there. This is for sure a trying and confusing time. I told my husband, if anyone ever says to me, "you took the easy way out" or "I could lose weight that way," I am going to jack-slap them in the floor right there! My banana bag IV and blown veins. Sent from my iPhone using VST

I bought mine at Wal-mart. They were in big resealable bags like nuts. They are located in with the fresh fruits and veggies on a shelf (not refrigerated) with other dried fruits and such. Sent from my iPhone using VST

I have never had one of them before, but you mentioned ice-cream and I have found a pretty good one. Blue Bell has a no sugar added ice-cream on a stick that is low cal and has only 2 net carbs. It is listed as a low glacemic index food. My kids tear them up. I have had one twice and I did not distinguish it from a regular one. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Congrats You look wonderful Sent from my iPhone using VST

Aw sweetie, I am so sorry for your situation. I haven't been right where you are, but I have been sick unto death before. I had hyperemsis gravidarum and colitis/gasterinteritis when I was expecting my last baby. I threw-up as many as 15 times a day and had to use the potty up to as many also. It lasted for 7 1/2 months (he was pre-mature) and I lost 70#. I laid in the bed and cried and begged God to let me die. That is very sad to say because I had three other small children, but when you are that sick you lose all hope. I know you are weak and scared right now, but just like with me, it will get better for you too. Just keep coming here and asking for help. Folks here really do care and they will always have an encouraging word and prayers to send up for you. Bless your heart! I really do hope it eases up for you soon. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Yes, I have tried it watered down. It is a lot more tolerable that way. Take your water bottle (20 or 24 oz.) pour half of it in the bottle and then fill the bottle the rest of the way with a complimentary flavor of crystal light or Gatorade G2 or Poweraide zero. This kills two birds with one stone; you get 22-24 oz of fluid + 21 grams of protein. It takes some getting used to, but it is doable.

I chose to have VSG as a last ditch effort to save my life. Not because I was a compulsive over eater, because I was not, but because even eating like an average person caused me to be excessively large. I was a befudlement to my doctors. I had multiple health problems, extreme pain, used a cane to walk (when I could walk) or used a wheelchair. I was on 15 Rx meds and 6 supplements. I was dying. Today I am almost three weeks out of surgery and I am happy to report; I do not use the cane or wheelchair any more. I don't even walk with a limp. I wore high heel shoes to church this morning for the first time in years, walking completely normal and with no pain. I have also quit ALL of my meds- cold turkey. My doc was amazed and to tell the truth, so am I. They never gave me any hope of being able to quit my meds. I only take a ppi and a Vitamin now. It is so great not to be held slave to that pharmacy bag any more. I have not been able to go more than a day without them in years. I feel more like myself than I have in forever. I am not saying I will never have to take meds again, because I dont know. I can't see the future. I am saying that my future seems a whole lot brighter to me now though. I believe that God is still in the healing business, but sometimes it's not in the way we were asking. I think VSG was the miracle of healing God sent me. I feel like I have a new lease on life. Thank you Jesus, I'm LML Sent from my iPhone using VST

I am three weeks post op and stll find it hard to swallow, so I chew and spit. If I want something, I chew it up to get the taste and then it goes in the trash. I only get in between 300-400 cal a day. The Protein shakes gag me. I have already lost 41# but I stay exhausted. I am addicted to the scale and my pretty pink tape measure. And after years of once a month+- sex, I have decided that I like that again too...every day. My husband is praying for himself..lmbo. Wow, that was a load off! Sent from my iPhone using VST

Beautiful job! So very proud for youyay Sent from my iPhone using VST

Use a baby size or demitasse spoon and an appetizer fork. They make sure that you don't get too big of a bite. I bought mine at Bed Bath and Beyond for $1.99 each. Also when you take a drink, don't get more in your mouth than you can hold between the roof of your mouth and your tongue with your teeth completely clenched together; then only swallow half at a time. You will be able to take a normal swallow of liquid in a few days after surgery, just not three or four of them at once like you used to. I am almost three weeks out and can drink just fine. The bites will def need to stay small though. A bite to large feels like a boulder going down. Best wishes on your surgery Sent from my iPhone using VST

That is very interesting. I've never heard of such a thing (and I know the medical field.) I didn't have any post-op pain, but for someone that has not had surgery before or has a low pain tolerance, I'm sure it is awesome. I'm all about not suffering! I had my first baby without an epidural and could have done it with the other three; but hey, what's the point. You don't get brownie points for suffering and it only makes you feel tired and like crud anyway. Take anything they will give you. Life hurts bad enough without trying to be a super hero  Sent from my iPhone using VST

Don't laugh at this comment: I am like a newborn baby trying to figure out what all the sensations she feels really means. Nothing is the same anymore. What is hunger? What is thirst? Pain..pleasure..gas ?:0/?..LOL I was weak yesterday and had 2 near black-outs last night. Today I haven't even been able to be up and have felt like I had a baseball caught in my chest. I have drank to the best of my ability and even had two ounces of soup, but it just kept getting stronger and worse. I had already worked myself up in a tizzy diagnosing one of those awful complications that happens to 1/1000 people. Then at about 7:00pm, I decided I would try one of those protein shakes again, hoping maybe I wouldnt gag on the first sip this time. Hallalaujah *with hand raised* it was a miracle. After one sip, it immediately started to quit. I WAS HUNGRY!! All that pain and suffering and anxiety caused by the simple need to consume protein. My poor little sleeve {I call her Nae-Nae, because she is like a little banana} was balled up in the fetal position chewing her little back-bone off. Did she growl? Nope. Did she say, " that smells good? Nope. Just like a baby, she balled up, kicked, and fretted until I figure it out. But don't worry girl. This can go down in the book as VERY hard, but successful day; because we can say we know eachother a little better now and that will ultimately help me to help you to make me a much healthier and happier person :0)

That's awesomeWoo-hoo

When you dump, you literally dump the food out of your body. You do have these other symptoms with it, but dumping is exactly what happens. I have had dumping syndrome for over 13 years. Mine is related to having my gallbladder removed. I have been treated with several different drugs over the years, but none of them have stopped it. Mine is not caused or dependent of any kind of diet either. I can drink water and dump. It comes on within one drink or bite at times. It is very uncomfortable and inconvenient. So let me put your mind at ease. Unless the porcaline throne is becoming your most popular seat in the house, you are not dumping. Thank your lucky stars!

You have more privacy rights than you know. You are not require to tell an employer if you are married, have children, own property or anything about your personal life or health. Bosses do not have a legal right to know these things, but employees do have a right to privacy. Just politely say, "that is personal." and leave it at that. I worked for an employment agency once that instructed all employees to answer any questions by sub-contractors this way.

"My sense of smell has gone crazy. I'm not sure if anyone else has had this problem before but everything stinks to me. I walked in my house from the hospital and was like nope that trash needs to go out this house smells gross. I can smell everything and things I used to like really are bothering me now. like the smell of my boyfriend is grossing me out, I feel so bad and I'm hoping that changes. I won't tell him though I don't want to hurt his feelings" This is a hoot! I am going through the exact same thing. I am constantly saying, "I smell so-in-so," or " Do you smell so-in-so?" or gagging at something. I can also smell my husband too..lol. I can smell everybody! It really grosses me out. I hope it gets less sensitive with timeoh my!

I'm sure this swings wildly from person to person. I'm only 6 days out and I am laying in the bed part side/ part stomach right now. My stomach on the bed relieves the pull in the incisions (I never had pain). If I lay more in the side to back position, I need my body pillow snug to my stomach for support.

I woke up in my hospital room after my surgery screaming " I'm having a heart attack!" I had no surgical pain, but this was enough to kill. My doc fixed it right away. He said it was esophageal spasms and that they were truly excruciating. He ordered morphine and Valium by IV to kind of paralyze it. He also informed me mine were made worse by some of my maintenance meds. Unfortunately I was allergic to the morphine and went into respiratory arrest; so there was a bit of drama there too. Ultimately they worked out a combo of Dilaudid and Valium that let me have less pain and be alive at the same time Every time I tried to take a sip I had one though. It felt like someone was trying to squeeze my heart out through my throat! I only took in about 12oz. The entire time I was in the hospital. I was actually surprised they sent me home. He did tell me it would get better every day and it has. I'm six days out now and my problem is not pain, but extreme tightness. Water bubbles up after just a couple of sips. I've also been given the wrong diet foods list and orders and that def was not a fun experience, but alas that is another post

When I left the hospital on post-op day two, the nurse told me I needed to start "stage 2" of my post-op diet, full-liquids and mushed or purees. Do-huh! I thought I misunderstood, so I said,"stage 2?" She repeated "yes." I had not taken in 8 ozs. Of clear liquids all day. I couldn't believe it. When I got home and read over my discharge papers, sure enough, there it was in black and white "stage 2". Well, I can barely get a drink of water down (no shakes at all) and the weight starts coming off at an alarming rate. So today (post-op 5) I started to worry, maybe I was wrong.My stomach did sound like a caged animal. Maybe I should at least try a tad of something. Anck!! WRONG ANSWER! I had maybe a teaspoon..no, not even that much, of scrambled egg mushed and what I could shave off the end of a melted cheese stick (we're talking a minute little mouse nibble) with my teeth. That was at 10:45 am and at 6:00pm, I still feel like I have a boulder in my chest! How long does it take that feeling {too full?} to subside? it is extremely uncomfortable. I have no nausea, vomiting, pain, etc.; just feel too full. I can tell you one thing; I won't be eating anything else for a few days and when I do, I'm pretty sure it won't be egg. It seemed to expand like a sponge I'm going to get ahold of my docs office too and ask them if my papers were right. That just seems a bit quick to me. I had this surgery to live longer, not get dispatcheduntimely by a killer egg!

Hey Fluff! My pain is at a zero. They had bags of ibuprofen hanging on me the whole time I was there. Maybe that helped stave off a flare. My PCP had already warned me that any kind of injury can cause one. I've walked over 8 miles this week, so I guess that says a lot. I don't even have the slightest limp. I can't remember the last time that I walked completely straight.