Mews

Tastebuds definitely do change after surgery so don't go crazy on stocking up protein shakes that you like because you make not like them post surgery. A few of us found this out the hard way.

Tylenol doesn't thin your blood the way that Advil or other NSAIDs can but I would check with your doctor first.

My NUT has me on 4oz protein meals with two 2oz protein snacks.

I have the extreme in the other direction: two weeks clear liquids, two weeks full liquids, two weeks soft/mushies, and then after the six week anything I can tolerate. It was tough, especially the clear liquid bit, but I made it through without any major issues besides lack of energy.

I've been using a CPAP for years and I use the full face mask (nose and mouth) as I'm a mouth breather as well. Trust me, it does get better. The first few nights are a bit rough. Make sure you have the humidity set high enough to not dry out your mouth and maybe look into one of those special pillows for those who use CPAP machines. They are designed so that if you are a side sleeper, like me, the mask doesn't slip off. They are a bit pricey but well worth it IMHO.

My NUT told me to stay away from oatmeal for six weeks as it expands in the stomach. Try cream of wheat instead.

I'm a big believer of everything in moderation. I've been struggling greatly with energy levels since my surgery and my doctor admonished me for not getting in enough carbs. Whether or not our bodies like it, we do need carbs in order to survive.

I have Horizon BCBS and they just required a one year weight loss attempt summary, psych eval, nut eval, and pre-surgery education class. Got approved in a few days after all of that was done. Who is your surgeon?

No pre-op diet for me. When I asked the surgeon about shrinking the liver he just laughed and said he could work with any size liver.

My doctor used titanium staples which is the safest metal to use (no allergic reactions). Maybe see if that's an option.

No pre-op diet here either. I've had some complications but they weren't due to my eating habits (a blood clot and an infected incision). Every doctor is different.

I play but with the semester in full swing I don't usually have time (too many preps and a lot of grading). I usually make it up during the breaks.

What was their reasoning for denying him because of the surgery? That just seems pretty ridiculous.

I was sleeved on 3/15 and I'm starting to think that picking the Ides of March was maybe not such a good idea. While the surgery went fine without any major complications (one of my incisions still continues to leak fluids), I am having a really rough time. For the first two weeks I was on Clear liquids only and then the next two weeks (my current stage) is full liquids. While I will admit the clear liquids phase was rough, I thought the next phase would be better for me. My biggest problem is that I am incredibly weak and feeling dizzy constantly. I have been likening it to being stoned but not in the good way. I just feel very disconnected. When I went to see the doc this past week I was told to up my calories and intake more sugar. I found this rather ironic since the NUT told me to do as much sugar free stuff as possible. Literally everything I had to eat or drink was sugar free with the exception of G2 but I had already been living off of that during the first phase. When I asked the doc and the NUT about Protein they said to get as much as you can in but didn't expect me to hit the 70oz mark until after the first six weeks. I can't drink Protein shakes as they make me incredibly nauseous but I am finding other ways of getting protein in (i.e., yogurts and cheese). I thought the weakness would be gone by now but it isn't. In actuality, I think it's getting worse even with the increase in sugar and protein intake. I can't function like this and definitely cannot drive like this, which is bad because one of my jobs is an hour away. The worst part? I can't take any more time off of work. I'm part-time right now at both my jobs and at one of them they dock my pay for each day that I'm out. Also, as a college professor we're getting close to finals and I have a ton of preps and grading to do. However, in my current state of mind I cannot do the work as I'm making too many mistakes and missing important things while grading. My boss at one of the colleges, who is a bit of a d**k and doesn't know the specifics of my surgery because of that fact, has already threatened to pull my summer classes, which I need in order to put food on my table. While I am one of the first who praises that one's health should always come first, I'm afraid that right now it needs to come in second. If I pull out of my classes for the remainder of the semester even due to health reasons, my boss could and most likely would take away not only my summer classes but my fall ones as well (did I mention he was a d**k?). Luckily my other job isn't so bad and they are very understanding but right now I only have a few classes with them for the remainder of the year and they pay a lot less than the other college. To top it all off, I've developed a pain in my left leg, which has me very nervous. I have a history of a DVT with a Pulmonary Embolism so I am already on Lovenox as I found out I have a blood clotting disorder. This pain is eerily familiar to me in a DVT sort of way but how could I have developed a DVT on blood thinners? I'll be keeping an eye on that and will call my doctor on Monday if the pain doesn't go away by then. The only bright side to this right now has been my husband. He has been very understanding since I decided to have this surgery. He has been prepping all of my meals and done the food shopping for me. I can't do the latter as I almost passed out the last time I went out with him. He is incredibly worried about me right now and believes that having this surgery may have been a mistake. I won't go that far just yet but I am having some serious concerns. Yes, I've lost 18 pounds but at what cost? I've lost over three weeks of my life and things just aren't getting any better. Thanks for listening. I don't know what advice anyone can give. I guess I just needed to get this out in the open to help me feel better.

Things get better (note sarcasm here). I do have a blood clot in my leg. Thankfully because I'm already on blood thinners I didn't have to be admitted but it's all taking a toll on me. Right now I am starting to regret the surgery.

I'm having serious energy problems and I'm about 3 1/2 weeks out. It is very difficult for me to get through the day as I'm so exhausted and mentally worn down. I would recommend three weeks off. As the others said, if you feel fine you can always go back to work early. In terms of telling your boss, just say that you are having surgery (you don't have to go into specifics) and the doctor requires you to take x amount of time off. By law (Family Medical Leave Act), you're allowed up to 12 weeks off unpaid with no negative repercussions from your job.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I have been intaking more sugar. On Saturday I even treated myself to a few spoonfuls of ice cream to help get my sugar levels higher. Bad, I know, but the doc said it was OK. It sems to be working a little. I still have that disconnected feeling but I'm not dragging as much as I was. I'll be starting soft foods on Friday so hopefully that will help with the lack of energy. As for the leg, I'm going for a doppler tonight to rule out a blood clot. I'm not regretting the surgery per se. I just wish my doctor had warned me about the after effects of the surgery and to take more time off than I did. If I had known this was going to happen to me in advance I would've done it over the summer break so I would have time to rest and recouperate.

I've had two periods since my surgery on 3/15. The doc said it was a combination of the anesthesia and the shock to our systems from major surgery.

I have a similar problem and it's not thrush. My tongue has this permanent white fuzzy coating that is most likely due it ketosis.

I second calling your doctor to get some advice. I'm going through something very similar right now with weakness and dizziness. My doc actually told me to eat more sugar as I'm not getting in enough calories. I'm not diabetic but I've had issues before with low blood sugar levels.

I didn't have any type of restrictions pre-op. All I had to do was not eat after midnight before the surgery. I would check with your doc first.

I've actually had two periods since my surgery. I had one as soon as I got home from the hospital and then one starting earlier this week. I asked my doctor about it and he said it was due to the anesthesia. I hope I get back to normal soon.

I initially took one week off but regretted that. I should've taken at least two if not three weeks off. But then again I've had serious energy problems since the surgery.

I know how you feel. I had my surgery on 3/15 and am completely exhausted all the time. So much so that I feel foggy and lightheaded. I'm supposed to start full liquids today so I hope that helps. I'm definitely getting enough fluids in me so I don't know what's going on.

My stay was three days. First was the surgery and then the second for the barium test. I could have gone home the second day but I was not drinking enough liquids for my doctor's liking. Also, I was having a hard time coping with the effects of anesthesia. I probably should have stayed a fourth day but I just wanted to get home.