Bubbaloo10

All the suggestions above are good advice. However, as humans, we tend to forget good advice and do what we've always done....wolf it down. When I hit the mushy stage I tended to eat too fast even with baby spoons, but once I got that awful pain just below my sternum I learned really quick. I suspect you will learn this way also...it's part of the sleeve experience.

The Gas-x strips might give you a little relief, but the best thing for surgical gas is to get up and walk as much as you can. I had about two bouts with surgical gas on surgery day, and the pain went away almost immediately each time. Can't recall any problems with gas after that.

I agree with you on the Nectar drinks. I haven't found a single flavor I like. I second the comment on Muscle Milk...very good but a little costly. For the money, I like the Body Fortress Protein Shake available at WalMart. It has 26 grams of protein per serving and, if you use skim milk instead of water, it totals at 35 grams per serving. Hard to beat that, and it tastes pretty good too.

When I had my EGD they gave me Propofol and I felt like a rock star. Easy in, easy wakeup, no grogginess after 10 minutes awake. When I had my surgery, they gave me Propofol to put me under, then gave me gas for the surgery. They infused the Propofol as they were wheeling me out of the pre-surgery room and that's the last thing I remembered. I woke up slightly agitated, but that's happened before, so I didn't bark at anybody, just lay they chillin'. I was alert and awake by the time they got me to my room and had I laid there longer I would never have known any better. They made me walk about 3 hours after I got to the room and I was slightly wobbly but got through one lap. Don't worry about the anesthesia, it's gonna be fine.

This is just one more way to find out what you can eat, how fast and how much. I think all of us have gone through this. It seems to go with the program. I just experienced my first upchuck episode tonight.....boiled chicken breast and carrots. I stopped as soon as I felt that knot in my stomach and sat down, but I had already eaten too much, too fast and ......well you know the rest, no need to elaborate. I feel much better now, and it wasn't all that traumatic, but you can be sure I ain't gonna do it again.

When I was on the 2 week pre-op liquid diet, I got scatterbrained too. I don't think the diet had alot to do with it. I think the problem was that I was so single-mindedly focused on what I needed to do to keep my head in the game that all other things went to the back burner. Not to worry.....it will get better after surgery

Astounding, ain't it? I'm experiencing the same thing!

I had the same pain when I transitioned to mushies. The problem, I found, was that I was taking too large bites and eating too fast. I found that when I used the baby spoon and slowed down, it got better. Take a small bit, chew like crazy and swallow. If that sets after 5 minutes, take another small bite. I have sort of trained myself now to eat slower and that has made a big difference. I'm told the pain you're feeling is because, at this stage, your esophagus is still larger than the opening to your sleeve. Before you panic, try eating slower....I'm betting it'll get easier for you.

I'm in the 3rd day of mushies and have not gotten too adventurous with different things but I have been eating refried beans. Tonight I mixed in some of my wife's homemade chile without pureeing it. I found as long as I take tiny bites with my baby spoon and chew alot, it sets well. Cottage cheese with pureed fruit, greek yogurt, fried eggs and pudding are some of my favorites. I feel tempted to eat soft food and chew it well, thus bypassing the blender, but I haven't done it yet.

I don't think that's so unusual for us sleevers. I went 6 days before it happened for me, then again the next day, then another 6 or 7 days before another victory. Now that I'm on mushies I can feel things rolling around more often. I never felt constipated or bloated but became concerned that I was growing cobwebs back there......lol

Being grouchy is not unusual.....in fact, I even expected it and warned my wife ahead of time and asked her to be paitient with me when I act like a jerk. She did, to her credit and my good fortune. Try talking to your loved ones and ask for their understanding. Explain that this is a big step that means alot of hormone and habit changes and that you just have to work through it. Trust me, it will get better very soon after surgery. I'm 12 days out and feel great. I got very airheaded and forgetful and I think that was part of what was making me grouchy, knowing I was not 100%.

I just joined today. I'm Bubbaloo10. Add me!

I have BCBS of California. I had a BMI of 41.6 with comorbidities sleep apnea and joint breakdown. I saw the surgeon first time on February 1 of this year, completed all my testing on 3/16, submitted to BCBS on 3/19 and approved 3/26. Had surgery on 4/16 and doing fine. I was told that BCBS is one of the few insurances that is fairly easy to get approval from. Good luck.

Don't worry....BCBSCA took six days to approve mine.

I can relate. I'm 8 days post op and today I hit a wall. I can't say I felt that hungry, but I had no energy at all. I knew I needed to boost my carb intake. So, even though I'm not supposed to start on mushies till the 14th day, I broke down and pureed 1/3 cup of pork and beans. It went down very well and I felt better immediately. I'm going to try to stick to the diet until day 14, but if I get like this again, I know what I can do now to fix it. And yes, until I had those beans, I was grouchy as an old bear with a sore butt.

I lost 11 lbs in 2 wks on the full liquid diet. It was tough, but it can be done.