topgun

I can't stomach the protein shakes either post-op and I enjoyed them before the surgery! I'm mainly using the Body Fortress protein shots I get from Wal Mart (6for 9.97). They taste like concentrated Kool-Aid but I can get down 26g of protein by only having to drink 2.9 ozs of yukky tasting protein shots. I've ordered Unjury chicken soup but it hasn't arrived yet.

Sounds par for the course since we all eat such diminutive portions.

The choices are pretty limited because of the need to prepare these items to be eaten either as mushy or pureed. The diet is so boring I have lost all desire to eat. I subsist mainly on water, milk and protein shots. Yuck.

Listen to your sleeve, it is going to tell you what you can and cannot tolerate. I would drink as much as you can without significant discomfort. Pace yourself. Staying hydrated at this point is a daylong task.

It's nutso, huh? Mine too! "Learning your sleeve" should be a course of study at Bariatic University.

I was in significant pain and made maximum use of the pain relievers that were hooked up. I do not believe in unnecessary pain and I have no intention of being a hero at the expense of my comfort. I will say, however, that the pain abated rapidly and within a few hours I was having only mild discomfort. Walking, etc., was easy at that point so I did as much as I could to avoid the gas problems that plague many patients. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. No two cases are the same and your mileage may vary.

Good luck!

Despite feeling I was drinking sufficient fluids, I dehydrated the week following surgery and it made me feel so weak I could barely stand. My whole body was shaky and the best I could do was to shuffle instead of walk. Awful, helpless feeling. I got a liter of saline solution infused the next day and it was like spinach to Popeye. Two hours later I was a changed man. Lesson learned. Dangerous, dangerous situation so it should be a lesson to everyone. About 6 years ago I got the flu and got dehydrated. Before I knew it I was in the ER with a blood pressure of 57/50 (yep, that's right) and blood so thick they could hardly draw it. My kidneys started to fail and in the next 5 days they went to less than 10% functionality before they came back. I was hours away from being put on dialysis. My closest call.

Great attitude! Keep it up.

I'm 16 days post-op and I've been having some serious discomfort the last 4 days. I did fine during the full liquid diet phase but I'm in the pureed diet stage and I have digressed recently to the point that I can only tolerate clear liquids. If I try to eat anything, I IMMEDIATELY start getting serious gas pains that ultimtely lead to me having to "eliminate" out of my sleeve whatever I tried to eat. The only thing that has been different is that I began having significant heartburn about the same time the gas problem started because I didn't take Prilosec for a few days for fear that the large capsule (not tablet) would get stuck. (I used Tums, instead.) I bought some smaller Prilosec tablets and began taking those yesterday but they usually take a couple of days to start working. I'm thinking that the gas problem will go away as soon as the Prilosec kicks in but I was hoping that someone else could confirm that the two situations are related. Has anyone else had the same problem?

I had to take a step back and reassess my attitude towards the sleeve now that I've had it done. I had a lot of head hunger and in the same fix as you and I had to grab and shake myself to remind me that the sleeve is not magical, it's still just a tool to help me attain my weight goal. It is also not a way for me to completely avoid watching what and when I eat. I still have to be on a healthy food regimen (I HATE the word "diet") and I will be for the rest of my life. It's not easy, but it's a heck of a lot easier with the sleeve.

At my peak weight, losing 15 lbs was nothing and I couldn't tell the diff. either. 15 pounds of fat will just about fill a regular pillowcase, so keep that in mind. You're doing fine. Keep it up.

Gas X strips will not help post op gas because the post op gas is not within the GI system but outside of it. Post op gas must be assimilated and walking will hasten the elimination of it out of your system. Terrible pain, tho, and each case is different. I have heard that some dr's are better at removing the gas before the end of the procedure than others, too. I had almost no probems with my surgery but I have had it in the past. Awful, awful, awful. I'm so sorry you are having such discomfort. I hope it goes away, soon. Pain meds help, too, so don't be afraid to use them.

Don't rush it, tho. Follow your dr's advice about progressing in stages because trying to force the issue and eating solids too early is miserable pain. I know.

Don't stock up on anything prior to surgery. What tastes good today may well not be appetizing to you after surgery. I know, I didn't follow my own advice and now have a pantry full of stuff that I will probably never eat! After surgery is pretty easy so I'd wait and see what sounds good and then just buy as you go. I'm in the pureed/mushy stage right now after having been on full liquids for the first week post op. I've found that Campbell's soups have a great variety of creamed and other soups that tase really good right now and they're easy to fix. You can adjust thinning them to match your requirements and I've even added potato flakes a couple of times to give them more substance. As little as you'll be eating just a few things will go a long way. Best of luck!

A week is not going to be enough time. You are going to go thru a period where you are very weak and tired after surgery. It is better to take a little extra time off rather than go back to work early, do a poor job and have that reflect poorly on your work history. Don;t rush it.

There are a lot worse snacks than popcorn, as long as you don't go overboard with the butter and salt.

I would say it is normal, because I was the same way. All of the positive comments out there tend to mnimize the fact that this is a major surgery with a fairly significant time needed to recover. All of the pain and discomfort is par for the course. Treat your sleeve with care and don't push it. Stay hydrated. It will improve greatly in a few more days.

As a non-smoker of 7 years, I understand your dilemma. If you're not going to quit then wait at least long enough to ensure you have sufficiently recuperated from your surgery and there is possible complications from post-surgical pneumonia. I'd think at least 30 days.

Don't be alarmed just be carefu. Call yer doc.

Drink as much as you can tolerate. You will learn the limits of your sleeve. You're probably in the full liquid phase of your diet so all liquids count towards your daily requirement. My latest craze is apple juice and I'm drinking it like crazy. Since you aren' eating solids yet you don't have to worry about any 30 minutes before or after eating limitations on fluid intake. Don't dehydrate...it is no fun.

I'm 9 days out and am having similar problems. After one bad day of not being able to get enough fluid, protein and/or calories I felt like YUK. After seeing my dr. yesterday, he recommended I go in to get a liter of IV fluids transfused and I'm doing that this a.m. I really pushed yesterday and took in more calories and fluids by way of apple juice & broth and that has made me feel better. Still weak, tho. Good luck.

I'm 8 days post op and have much the same problems. I have been able to hydrate myself lately by keeping water with me at all times and sipping al the time, discomfort or not. Hydrating yourself is not an option, it is absolutely mandatory that you make it happen or serious consequences will occur. Make it happen!

And I quote you: "I've gone through just about all the emotions thus far." Now you get to go through all of them again and more intensely than before now that you can attach a final date...a "point of no return." Stick to your guns. The road is not a smooth one but it has been well-traveled by thousands before you. The most important thing you can have is a positive attitude. I'm one week post-op and looking forward to my new future without any regrets. Best of luck and my hearfelt wishes for a smooth procedure and speedy recovery.

I'm looking forward to the day when I don't have to order the "cowboy cut" of prime rib just to slake my appetite! My idea of culinary heaven will be the day I can eat a few ozs. of prime rib, 1/3 of my baked potato and leave there, fully satisfied, to the same extent that the 24 ouncer used to satisfy me. I'm one week post-op so hunger is not an issue with me at this time, just dreams of revised standards of normalcy as it pertains to my new eating habits.