Marykatherine

I had my surgery on February 2 2012. I'm in Colorado Springs. I don't know I need a specific 'Colo' group is necessary, but I sure need someone to talk to and if I find you here, that'd be cool. Any takers?

Sorry you had such a hard time. And I'm glad you are on the healthy right road now. Congrats!

It may be that the urge to guzzle is a sign of being thirsty. I loved to guzzle water, especially after exercise or work in the sun. Now I just have to drink down 4mini- gulps wait 'till the tightness stops in my stomach and then mini- guzzle, wait....until I get enough water. Now I do my best to be 'up to date ' on the drinking thing. ; )

When I told my surgeon my nut and his nurses said no to coffee, he winked and said one cup of coffee, not too much caffeine. Don't tell them I said it was ok. His main concern was that the beverage would be too hot on the scar inside the stomach. Yea! Coffee! Yeah surgeon.

My surgeon explained that, because of surgery, I am unable to process the nutrients that I was able to before the surgery. ( The purpose of the surgery, right?) So, when we do eat we need to have the small amount of food we eat digested for survival. Liquids compete for space for the food we need. Liquids wash out the food too quickly. Liquids bad :-) at least around and during eating. Sorry for this poorly written answer. My surgeon says for the rest of my life... No drinking 1/2 hour before eating, during meals, and 1/2 to 3/4 hour after. Good luck!

I had coffee a week out. I was told it was a dieuretic and that cup for cup had to replace it with extra Water. Told the acid could be a problem... hasn't seemed so. So I drink one cup a day. I drink an extra cup of water for it. Sometimes two cups of coffee, and so on. My nut gets a crinkly look in the area where the nose meets the eye brow line when we talk about coffee. Very much a painless discussion. And my surgeon??? He thinks if it doesn't bother my stomach, why make an issue of it. Ummmmm. Coffee.

We all lose at different paces. You've had your stomach removed, contrary to your fears. You have to lose! Breath, drink fluids, and wait. It will happen!

I was having difficulty getting back on track when a buddy of mine figured out how much the surgery cost (I was self-pay) versus how many pounds I'd lost. May be a silly reason to get back on track... I moved back on track when I realized that I was wasting a gift I was given to lose weight. I'd lost 60 lbs at that point. I redoubled my efforts to follow my basic menu at the beginning of the weight lost surgery diet and I've lost another 10 lbs. I feel better about myself when I am commited to losing weight and gaining more health. I hope you find that point in your life. Don't forget that we are all loosers!

I sometimes think I should have lost more by now because I started at a higher weight. I was 320 lbs on my surgery date. 6 months later I weigh 250. Surgeon says he's happy with ten pounds a month average. And as I literally feel my body and really look at my body I feel happy. I only weigh 250 lbs. May sound strange to some but to me...I only weigh 250 lbs. Keep the faith. We are all losers, my friends.

I sometimes think I should have lost more by now because I started at a higher weight. I was 320 lbs on my surgery date. 6 months later I weigh 250. Surgeon says he's happy with ten pounds a month average. And as I literally feel my body and really look at my body I feel happy. I only weigh 250 lbs. May sound strange to some but to me...I only weigh 250 lbs. Keep the faith. We are all losers, my friends.

6 months out and still haven't suffered from hunger pains. And you very well may be weird, but that's beside the point...

chips and salsa at about 4 months. good luck.

It's July and I have lost 60 pounds and I'm stalled. word of encouragement out there?

six week freed for the gym, easy going for the first week. Then after no restrictions

no tube here, either. Thought that might change odds if you are keeping track. lol

I took ambien the night of my surgery and since. It works much quicker since the surgery I've noticed. Take it and 1- 1 1/2 hours later i'm asleep, in bed or slumped over the chair if I don't make it to bed in time. Good luck.

My surgeon said one year at goal weight before any skin surgery could be done.

my nutrionist said any health food store should have the chia seeds. however the one I stopped into said they had never heard of them. So I went on line and found a good supply and service by nut.com. I started with a half a tablespoon a day for a week then moved up to 1 tablespoon a day in my yogurt. Wierd sensation in the mouth. Makes my yogurt a bit crunchy but I have come to enjoy it. BTW the chia seeds have no taste so mixed in pudding and applesauce works as well. Nut.com also has alternative recipes for chia seeds. Hope this helps!

Man, before the surgery Taco Bell worked well. I'd hate to think what the effects would be now!

I've had a long problem with constipation. I am taking chia seeds and the results are wonderful. My nutritionist turned me on to them. Mix them in the morning with my daily yogurt. Both surgeon and nut says milk of magnesia as a good standby. Good luck.

I take more than a little meds. The surgeon was shocked at the amount. But no limitations were set on me interms of taking meds. I swallowed all my pills the evening of the surgery. I had to take one then wait for five minutes, then take the next, wait five minutes...but I got every one down and they stayed down. My experience. BTW, I take sumatriptan for migrains. Same process as above. It took about a 1/2 hour to gets meds down at first. Now it takes about 10. It gets easier.

I did not have a catheter or a drain for my surgery. I used the pain pump to the minute I left the hospital. I left the hospital about 30 hours after the surgery. The hospital gave me a pillow after surgery to hug when I coughed or laughed. They let me take it home. It was helpful for the first 3 days of recovery. I did not have nausea after surgery so no patch for me. People visited me as soon as I got out of recovery. My visitors made me laugh and kept things positive. I had those leg bags that were inflated, annoying but helpful for bloodclots. I, too, tried not to call the nurse to go to the bathroom. But they were so helpful and kind... I was allowed to eat what I wanted before surgery, in normal portions, so I could eat favorite foods and kind of morn my pre-surgery life. I gained 5 lbs but the doctor didn't seem upset. I really don't miss those foods now. I am 20 weeks out and I do not regret my decision one bit. I am happy with small portions because that is all I can eat. I have problems with getting in all my fluids, 64 ounces. I just do the best I can. The weight is coming off. I and the doctor are happy. Hope this helps as a balance to some of the other experiences.

I felt pretty ok the day of my surgery in terms of making the right decision. But the day after surgery, boy. I felt like I made the worst decision I've ever made. I went into an immediate depression and for about 20 minutes I thought about suicide. I hate to be so blunt but that was the way it was for me. I am 20 weeks out and I have not regretted the decision since. I've lost 64 pounds, I have great enegy, I'm off cholesterol meds. I am able to keep to the small portions because that's all I can eat. It is great. But for that little bobble at first, which my surgeon says is common... go for the surgery. Call friends or partner for support, and do it.

I've strayed from the food plan and was horrified I could eat so much. Keep to the plan. Keep to the plan. I can agree with "just because u can does't mean u should."