Krysty

The drain is a flexible tube the surgeon leaves in your abdomen to draw out any fluids that might be collecting near your incision. The end of the tube that hangs out of your body has a squeeze bulb attached to it that creates suction, thereby draining or slowly suctioning the accumulating Fluid out of your body. This is done to prevent infection. Not all surgeons use one. Some folks get theirs removed before being released from the hospital. Some folks get their removed in a week to ten days. It's really up to the surgeon how long it stays in. The drain is also called a "JP" drain. Google "Jackson Pratt" and you will find more information on how the drain works.

Yes, you will be able to eat normal food again, just not as much as you were used to before being sleeved. The first few weeks after being sleeved are the hardest, in my humble opinion. If you're like me, you're feeling very deprived and very hopeless. Everything tasted funky to me those first few weeks too. And I couldn't stand the smell of a Protein shake, much less the taste...lol. It will get better. I started feeling so much better after I was able to make the switch to soft food. My nutritionist told me not to worry about getting enough protein in the first few weeks. With all the changes your body is going through, what you're experiencing seems to be par for the course. Just hang in there, and try to distract yourself as best you can.

Congratulations, Bama! That's wonderful news! You must feel terrific!

I asked my doctor the same question. After I told him I drove anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour each day for my job, he told me not to do it for at least 7 to 10 days after surgery. This is definitely a question you'll want to ask your doctor.

It really is difficult to shake off old habits and reprogram ourselves to eat differently. Although I am only two months out, I felt like I was on track and was losing steadily. Then my husband ended up in the hospital for emergency surgery because of a kidney stone, and I found myself "stress eating" my way through the ordeal. The tool sure kept me in line though. No more binge eating for me! But I was amazed at how quickly I abandoned keeping track of my food and liquid intake. Lifelong habits are so hard to break!

What you're experiencing is completely normal! My first week was a roller coaster ride of emotions. One minute I was feeling so positive and then the next I'd be full of regret. Luckily, my doc and nutritionist had warned me that hormones are stored in fat cells, and are being released into the bloodstream once your calorie intake drops so drastically. Even though I was forewarned, the mood swings hit me HARD. Just do what you can to distract yourself, be it watching movies on TV, reading trashy romance novels, or playing computer games...lol. You'll find that in a week or so, you'll be feeling much better. As for getting all your calories in, my nutritionist told me not to worry about that so much the first week. She and my doctor were more concerned with me staying hydrated. Water tasted "off" to me, so I tried adding Crystal Light and miracle of miracles, I could sip that stuff all day. And thank goodness for SF popsicles....I practically lived off those and broth the first week. I was lucky to get 300 calories a day the first week, but I did stay hydrated. So far, I haven't heard of anyone having to go back into the hospital for not getting enough calories in, but I have heard of plenty of folks who ended up hospitalized for dehydration. Do keep walking and as Looking Ahead suggested, try to get some sunshine. And if you need someone to chat with, just log on here and I'm sure you'll find someone to talk with. This is a great group of folks!

Congrats on your progress! Sounds like you're doing everything just the way you should. It's always good to hear someone is tolerating the first week after surgery so well. Keep us posted, and let us know your results after your weigh in at the doc's!

Howdy, Petite-Me! Welcome to the group. You'll find tons of useful information here. Stay positive and keep writing!

Mine peeled too and was nothing to be concerned about. It's all part of the natural process. Take a look at your discharge papers from the hospital. They should tell you what to watch for as far as your incisions and infection.

Good luck! Thanks for posting the video. I hope you can continue posting videos after your surgery. There are some great videos on YouTube from other WLS patients too.

I was instructed to NOT drink more than 2 ounces or 1/4 cup every 15 minutes. I was also told to TRY to drink at least 32 ounces of fluids (including water) per day. Hope this helps!

My incisions were glued, but I did not have the bruising you describe. I wasn't allowed cottage cheese until two weeks after my surgery and started the pureed stage. My nutritionist said not to worry about vitamins and/or supplements at that point. They just wanted to make sure I was healing properly. Once I had healed, I became more focused on vitamins and making sure I was getting enough protein.

Here's a link that explains it. http://www.drugs.com/cg/jackson-pratt-drain-care.html

My only regret is not getting it done sooner. I also regret worrying so much about what other people would think of me for getting it done. I know myself better than anyone else, and I know this is the best thing for me. It's perfectly natural to worry before any surgery. Just try to stay focused on the positive, and keep picturing yourself being a more active and healthy parent to those two little girls!

I agree with Karen.....get yourself checked out as soon as possible. What you said about the fevers and the sweats makes me think you might have an infection. There's always a risk of infection with any surgery. Please keep us posted on your situation!

My nutritionist said I could eat any soft textured food that I could chew in my mouth until it was a pureed texture before I swallowed it. Here's what she suggested for starters: Egg salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, baked fish without breading, the inside of a baked potato, well cooked rice or Pasta, thin shaved deli meats, most lunch meats and hot dogs, any cheese without nuts or seeds, macaroni and cheese, soft fresh fruit (no peels, large seeds or membranes like an orange), well cooked vegetables, and soft casseroles like tuna noodle casserole, enchiladas, and lasagna. Try taking a look at "The World According to Egg Face" for more ideas. Here's a link to her blog. Look under "links and resources" for her pureed foods ideas. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ I hope this helps!

I'm also taking about the same amount of vitamins/supplements, but I space them out over the day. I've always had problems with multi-vitamins and nausea, so I stick to chewables and/or the gummy ones and I never take them on an empty stomach. I take the rest of my supplements between meals. If you're taking the calcium citrate powder in 4 oz of fluid, you should try to take that in between meals. I get my calcium citrate in a carmel flavored chewy from Bariatric Advantage, and that's my sweet treat throughout the day. If the calcium citrate powder is flavorless, try sprinkling it on your meal. Definitely try spacing them out over the entire day.

I was allowed to use Spenda and pretty much any other sugar substitute.

The first week to ten days post-op were the hardest for me. Your body is reeling from the surgery, and all those hormones that were being stored in your fat cells are being released. But you WILL feel better...sooner than you'd expect. Just keep sipping your liquids, and try to walk around the house to work all that air out of you that they pumped in for the surgery.

Congratulations and hope you continue doing better!

Stick to bottled Water, and don't forget to use it when you brush your teeth too. The following has a good article. http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2859-mexico-faqs-food-and-water

Congratulations on your improved health! You are looking great already!

WOW! You look great! Let's see if those new pics don't get plastered all over Facebook!

I'll drink just about any bottled water as long as it's ice cold. Right now I'm sipping "refreshe" purified drinking water which is a Safeway brand. Their label says "lightweight bottle, less waste" but the bottle is so flimsy that I keep crushing it when I pick it up...lol I've tried different flavors of Mio and just don't care for any of them. I can't seem to get the amount right. Seems like it's either too weak or too strong. Most of the time I stick to Crystal Light lemonade or their orange sunrise. I also like to mix the tropical punch with the lemonade half and half. My family likes this flavor combo too.