MinaT

I had the same grumbling, the same groaning, the same wave & flips at night. I have these same feelings when I eat too much, I get the same feeling when I have acid reflux, I have the same exact feeling when I am hungry and I have the same exact feeling when it was explained to me, that it's actually the stomach healing from the inside and outside. When you cut your finger, you feel throbbing, it's a weird feeling, but it's part of the healing process. The brain sends messages along your nerve path. Your stomach healing is a lot of the croaks and groans and "hunger pains". So next time you think you are having a hunger pain, drink some Water, did you take your PPI? Have you eaten recently, is it really hunger, or is it healing pain. If you just ate, then realize it's probably your full. I'm 4 weeks out and the feeling is the same for all these things, so if it's in the middle of the night, you may need a something like a prilosec, pepsid or something before bed. Make sure you have water on your night stand and when you wake up drink a few ounces. Truthfully in the middle of the night, I always thought that my stomach was healing and gas was moving around. The brain and the mind is a powerful tool, sometimes perception and how we see things is 1/2 the battle. Good luck.

Exactly, a real man still should be fullfilling his part of the financial obligations, they were living together - joint bills, he left and abandoned her. How can she mend a fence when he will not talk to her. 3 weeks....not a day, not a few days, it's been 3 weeks. He knows bills are due, not just rent, past gas, past electric, past cable, Water. After 6 years he leaves her a few days after surgery...really and she needs to sooth some imaginary wounded ego. Maybe he needed to leave, maybe the situation was too much for him, but right now she needs to fight for her life and her child. He left her with bills. She has herself and a child to take care of. He knew that she had a child when he got into the situation and he took the part of daddy and he knows that part of the bills are his. He said he would come by and sit and talk with her, he didn't show up 3 times. That's not being a man, that's being a guy that is finished and doesn't want to deal with any obligations he may still have. I'm not trying to be hurtful to any party in my next sentence but both parties need to look at the big picture...that's the 12 year old child. He didn't ask for any of this.

The smell of chocolate anything is starting to make me sick. I'm 4 weeks out and still on full liquids and I'm slowly losing the Protein battle. Today my shake kept coming up to almost my throat on me. I don't think I can handle another chocolate anything for a while. I have been using the Pure Protein 100% whey Frosty Chocolate and I would love a good tasting high protein strawberry anything...but I tried the muscle milk light and I just can't do it. I just found a Vitamin Shoppe locally and hopefully they can help me.

I get migraines from sugar free too but if you limit it to just one sugar-free item it isn't so bad. Truvia does not cause migraines, so I basically stick with that. I get shots in my head for migraines, but sprite? Really that just about freaked me out. I will be 4 weeks out tomorrow and I'm still only allowed Liquids!

I'm so sorry. I had my drain for 9 days and each day became harder. Have you stripped it to make sure there were no clots? I started finding myself hyper-focusing on the drain because it was bugging me. You are only a week out and I remember how I felt at that time. I have Lupus so my body was attacking the drain and you can see it was starting to get infected. I hope they are taking it out soon (in a day or two??) The drain is a foreign body and I would imagine all bodies will want to start rejecting whether or not you have Lupus. I swear you feel much better when the drain is out and my prayers are with you.

I don't know what to say right now after all the responses but again, your family is your son. Your love should be you and your son not this guy that doesn't want to be there. When it's good it's really good....that's a saying that abused women use. When he's in a good mood and not hitting me, he's so loving. Your son, being 12 needs to see a strong role model for a mother so he doesn't turn into a d'bag like the guy that left. It's time for you to get get out of bed, get your son and assure him that no matter what happens in the world, you will always be there for him. I've had to raise a son on my own, I've dealt with stuff very similar to you, but you need a wake up call. Your son needs you to pull yourself out of the funk, get some mental health for the depression and take care of yourself. No guy...no guy in this world is worth putting your son in a situation where he feels someone else is more important than him, your depression over a guy that left does affect your son when you feel it's better that your parents take care of him. Time to get into a doctor, get your priorities straight. Take care of yourself so you can take care of yourself. Eventually the rest will straighten itself out.

My heart is with you, but not getting out of bed, is not good for you or your son. Not sure of your son's age, but no matter what he needs you. You need to take care of yourself because the real family you have is your son...not him. Getting healthy to take care of your son should be your only priority. This guy can't be the "love" or the love of your life because he left. The love of your life would never abandon you. He doesn't answer calls, texts or on Facebook, it's time to let him go, but I would make sure he paid his balance of any bills due to you for your son. Stop calling, stop texting, stop trying to reach him on Facebook, get a bill to him or get an attorney so he can recoup anything he owes. Find close friends or relatives or a church to help you emotionally right now, but no matter what you are going through right now with this guy, don't let this physically do you harm, that's not fair to your child, that is your family and your #1 responsibility. Take care of yourself and the rest will sort itself out. He's obviously not good enough for you or you wouldn't have been arguing a lot before surgeyr. Good Luck and my prayers are with you.

Sip, sip, sip, walk, sleep, there's nothing wrong with it. I did it for the first 10 days.

I had my drain 9 days and it was slightly infected because I have lupus, I put a light gauze pad over it and a piece of gauze tape and I changed it daily until it started close up. Don't put anything like a bandaid over it, just a light gauze pad, taped loosely otherwise, it will drain onto your clothes and if it dries....onto your clothing it will hurt. Change it out after you take a shower. Once it seems to have closed up completely you can keep it completely uncovered.

I myself didn't like the unjury cream of chicken soup but I think there is an unjury chicken broth that is suppose to be good. One thing you need to know before surgery is what you like pre-surgery you may not like after surgery. Taste buds change. I was a long time drinker of Pure Protein 100% Whey Frosty chocolate from Target. Has 25 grams of Protein. I drank it for Breakfast and sometimes lunch for 6 months pre-approval before surgery. When I was made to go on New Directions for the 2 week pre-op I hated it...and really wanted my old shakes back, and once I had purchased Muscle Milk Light to try to replace some of those New Directions. Now I suffer with the Pure Protein and I have two huge tubs of it left lol. Actually the smell and taste of chocolate makes me kind of gag now. I'm hoping this changes back eventually. I think this is one of my biggest surprises after surgery. For someone that loved her morning shake to actually struggle with it. Good luck. I have spent a ton of money on different types of shakes and it's become ridiculously expensive. I'm going to purchase the synthrax nectar sample pack next, because I need $ for new underwear that don't fall off me, and clothes I don't need to put safety pins and all these shakes I keep buying and not liking are adding up.

Use the incentive spirometer. It is helpful so you don't catch pneumonia. I washed and brought my favorite soft & fluffy throw blanket for sitting in the hospital chair, it was a comfort from home. I brought charmaine butt Wipes, it is helpful to make you feel fresher. I do not like artificial sweeteners but I like Truvia, in the hospital they brought me generic artificial sweetener and a regular decaff tea. The hot Water on the tray was in a coffee cup... to put it mildly it was disgusting smelling and tasting. Luckily I brought my own Bigelow Decaff Peppermint Tea, which tasted good hot or cold. I was having trouble getting colder water down and the Peppermint tea calmed my tummy. I always asked the nurse for a big styrofoam cup of hot water and made my own tea. Keep the mouth sticks near by at night or carry one when you walk. If you have an anti-nausea patch and you are getting anti-nausea medications your mouth dries out really quick. Just one trip around the nurses station and my lips were attached to my gums and I could not talk because my mouth was so dry. If you are nauseated, tell the nurse there are tons of different anti-nausea medications (before the upper gi leak test) it's always good to ask for something for nausea. I brought a small table fan with me to the hospital, it was comforting. After the catheter comes out if you think you have to potty in the middle of the night, buzz the nurses station right away because if you are hooked up to the wall and you have the leg pumps on it takes a while to unhook everything. Every time you wake up in the middle of the night sip sip sip, then walk and use the spirometer. If you have a drain, the drain sometimes rests up near your diaphragm so it seems like it's hard to use it at times. Bring tooth brush and mouth wash (I used biotene for dry mouth). These are the things that made my stay bearable. I was in the hospital for 5 days.

One thing that will help you while you are waiting for the pre-approval from your surgeon is working on changing some of your bad habits now though. The sleeve does require diet & exercise. This is an important fact!! It is about diet & exercise. 80 grams of Protein - low carb and low fat. So in the end it is about what you put in. If you drink Soda or Pop, be it regular or diet, you should work on weaning yourself off and getting off of it now. If you drink coffee (I am sure some 17 year olds do) you should spend the pre-approval time getting off coffee. You do need to count calories, Proteins and carbs. For this reason you should sign up for something like Myfitnesspal.com and start practicing looking up the foods you eat on a daily basis and charting it down. You do need to get in 64 ounces of Water every day. There are posts about behind dehydrated and having to go to the hospital, may as well work on that now. Learning how much you are putting in, learning how many things have protein and what don't, is important. Weaning yourself carbs, like bread, rice, potatoes, is important. People struggle because of their carb addictions. Making sure you learn how to get in 3 meals a day plus your Snacks is part of the diet (I only ate once a day, very very rarely ate sweets and still got to be over 300 pounds). Start getting a shake in for Breakfast or lunch to start getting used to it. When you eat, practice not having anything to drink with your meals. Just eat your food, then wait 1/2 hour or an hour before drinking your water, so you stay fuller longer. Remember to chew your food thoroughly. This is something that is so important for you to start practicing on before surgery. After surgery the first week or two you may be only getting 400 calories a day (it won't be a big deal because it's rough getting down 400 calories with a swollen tummy. At the max during the losing phase before maintenance you will be at about 800 calories a day. Where I went I had to have a 6 month supervised diet. During that time I lost 60 pounds then during the two week - pre-op shake phase, I was only allowed 3 shakes a day. The day I had surgery I lost 70 pounds and was 229. I never thought I could lose 10 pounds a month on my own, without starving to death, and I didn't suffer at all. I had special days where I went out to dinner and I ate whatever I wanted for dinner, then the next day I did my 80 grams of protein, low carb (45-50) and 800 calories. My six months flew by. I got sleeved on the 4th and totally I am down 90 pounds. It sure makes after being sleeved so much sweeter knowing that I spent my pre-approval time preparing for the sleeve and I really believe it makes me feel better about myself knowing that I spent my time wisely and I made this surgery easier on myself and the transition easier on myself by working on the things I needed to work on before surgery. Please remember this is about dieting. The sleeve is a tool and without will power, dedication and following the diet & exercise recommended it will not work. Congrtats on taking control of the issue at 17. I wish you the best of luck.

Not sure. I will be 4 weeks out Monday and I'm still bloated.

I had surgery on June 4th and I'm still only allowed liquids. The first time I tried to cheat and eat instant mashed potatoes the pain was so horrendous it felt like someone punched me and I couldn't breath. You are already on real food??? Are you drinking liquids out of the Water bottle? I can't and I'm almost 4 weeks out . Water bottles make me pull in too much air. I was given one ounce cups to drink out. I guarantee you if you try sipping out of a cup instead of sipping out of a water bottle it will help you immensely. What is it that you are having issues with? Water in general or shakes but you said food....what is the food? I would only try one teaspoon of sugar-free Jello at a time. Try sugar-free popsicles. Sending you my prayers.

You can use splenda or whatever artificial sweetener you like. I used Truvia on day two inside my Peppermint Decaff Tea.

I am 27 days post-op, I had surgery on June 4th. I am still on full liquids. All doctors, nurses, bariatric places and nutritionists are different. Mine believe that the inside and outside are too swollen to be taking in solids. On July 9th I see the nutritionist and they will move me to purees. After purees, I move to Soft, then to regular. I look up the "soft" diet for you if you would like, but if you are on pureed foods instead of going on to soft yet, why not stick with pureed a little longer until you start feeling better. The best thing to do when you have a problem moving to the next phase, is to go back to the last phase and give it another week. On Monday I will be 4 weeks out and my stomach is still visibly distended. Worse comes to worse, call your Dr. or Nutritionist and tell them you are having issues. Sending my best but my best advise is don't do something that is causing you issues. Nobody says you have to be on soft foods yet, though you may want to, take a step back and wait until your particular body is ready to move to the next phase.

I was 299 when I started the pre-approval 6 months diet. I weighed 229 the day of surgery on June 4th. On June 9th I weighed 235. It comes off. There's IV fluid weight, there is gas, bloating, and a whole lot of other things going on and a whole lot of swelling. I'm still swollen in my belly and on Monday it will be 4 weeks out. Give it time, it will come off.

Day 3 & 4 are the hardest days. For flavor try a sugar-free popsicle. You can do it, I swear. I am living on liquids and I had 14 days pre-op and on Monday it will be 4 weeks on full liquids. On July 9th I find out when I get to move to pureed food. I seriously think I have the strictest doctor I've seen lol. Ah, but I'm doing well and that's the important thing. Good luck, have faith in yourself and keep telling yourself you are worth more than the temptation to cheat during this important phase. Unless you have my surgeon, you probably will be moved along a lot quicker through the food phases. Best of luck.

Pre-op I was easily able to get in 80 grams of Protein and 45 carbs and stay within 800 calories. I ate meat & vegetables. Is meat that undoable post-op? I'm still on full liquids and I'm almost 4 weeks out. I kind of don't get how 80 grams is that hard, unless eating protein is that hard on your system, which would be weird.

I will be 4 weeks out tomorrow and I'm still on full liquids and I struggle still. I really hope that something changes, I only have to get through until the 9th I hope before I move to purees. It seems like eternity. I think I'm going to see if I can find some unjury samples. I have the unflavored that I have been adding to things. I went back to Isopure to help add more Protein to my day and the Icy Orange was rough. I bought some more Orange MIO hoping it will help. Good Luck I'm still struggling. I drank Pure Protein 100% whey Frosty chocolate from Target for 7 months pre-approval for Breakfast and lunch and I loved them. Not sure what happened after surgery, but my taste buds changed and it's grueling to get my shakes in now.

I'm sorry that your friend don't get it. I think jealousy could be the issue and that's sad. I think both heavy and very skinny people have a hard time in different ways. I have a few friends that would be considered very skinny or some would say too skinny. We were talking about weight once and they brought up how hurtful it is when people bring up things like you are so skinny, it's not fair you can eat what you want and never gain weight, gosh, you need to gain some weight. They said they would never say to an overweight person, boy I wish I could eat and gain weight like you, or gosh you are so fat, or hey you need to lose weight. It was something that stuck with me. These friends never made me feel bad for being overweight. It was only my insecure normal weight friends or slightly overweight friends that tried to find ways to sabotage my diet, or made me feel uncomfy about my weight. I was glad that I learned that valuable lesson from them.

Like Karen I only told my husband, son and my parents, no friends or relatives. Everyone knows I started a diet last November. I lost 70 pre-surgery date (10 during the pre-op shake phase) and I lost 20 since surgery. The only reason people are so shocked when they see me now is that though I lost 10 pounds a month - I wore the same clothes and just used safety pins to keep my pants up and it was through winter and we had a pretty cool spring. Now that it's summer all my clothes from last year - 4x I can't wear all my 3x's hang on me and even the few 1x i bought pre-surgery are big on me. Many people didn't seem to notice the weight loss as much because of all the clothes I wore before. I am glad I didn't bother telling people because I would be too blunt in my response to people. I admit, wls made me a lot more vocal in telling people they are rude

I'm 49 years old with Lupus and a small brain tumor and I have a neurological disorder. I think pre-op 6 month prepared me a lot for surgery, as I worked really hard to try to lose weight before surgery. I had some serious complications during surgery and I had hernia repair and adhesion repair. Everyone thinks I have done pretty well after surgery. Surgery was June 4th. I still have some soreness and swelling in my stomach, I can get things off the ground. I am tired but I'm doing well. Monday it will be 4 weeks. I am pretty sure that it will take me another month or two and I'll be feeling better than before surgery. My sleep apnea is gone, my diabetes is gone, I can breath better, I am definitely walking up and down the stairs better than before I started this process. Last year I needed help getting up the stairs. It's been worth it to me.

Well good luck to everyone.

I am allergic to codeine & derivatives like hydrocodone. I was put on Children's Tylenol which I couldn't get down. He finally allowed me Tylenol pills split.