Bufflehead

It's because your vagus nerve is being irritated. It runs along the top of your stomach, and for many people it gets super-sensitive after surgery. The vagus nerve controls all sorts of autonomous reactions in the upper body, like hiccups, sneezing, and getting a runny nose. Many people find that if they eat less, they don't get that reaction, as not as much food is pressing against the nerve and irritating it. This sort of thing tends to go away as time passes from surgery.

I would have seriously considered DS if I could have -- but my insurance will only cover DS if your BMI is 60 or over, and mine was just under. I would say, talk it over with your surgeon and make your decision based on what is medically best for you, not emotional stuff like "I think rerouting your intestines is ooky." Not that it sounds like that is a factor for you, but just in case -- I have seen that referenced in other posts and to me that is just a strange basis to make a medical, scientific decision on.

Yes, it is normal. Liquids don't engage your pyloric valve and flow right through your tiny stomach and into your intestines. The reason some people struggle early on is because their stomach tissue is so bruised, inflamed, and swollen after the trauma of surgery. The fact that you don't have that just means your surgeon did meticulous work and you are a fast healer. You are experiencing a good thing, not a sign that your surgeon failed to do your surgery or anything like that.

I was on liquids for 4 weeks post op and it didn't kill me. Hang in there! Don't give in to temptation to start ignoring your surgeon's plan for you. That is a slippery slope you do not want to head down.

Hot, unsweet drinks such as broth, tea, and coffee (if permitted) tend to be more satisfying than cold sweet drinks, I think.

If you haven't, get a digital kitchen scale and a myfitnesspal (or similar) account and start religiously tracking everything you eat and drink.

wheat flour, or any kind of flour, is just carbs and calories waiting to be crammed into your body. Try sticking with lean protein, legumes, green veggies, small amounts of fruit, etc. Grains are really not your friend. Plus, eating carbs will just make you hungry and crave more carb-rich, protein-deficient foods.

For me, overwhelming sleepiness comes on if I eat too much. Try cutting your meal sizes down (by half or a third) and see if that helps. Good luck!

Be careful with the Protein Bars - most have alot of carbs. This is so true. My mother struggles with her weight -- but her struggle is to keep enough on, she is kind of naturally unhealthily slim. Her physician ordered her to eat protein bars to help her gain and maintain her weight, and stop weight loss. So she eats a protein bar every day and it has stopped her weight loss. A few times she has dropped a few pounds (traveling or something) so she just adds another protein bar into her daily regime and starts gaining like crazy.

Stalls are completely normal, especially in the first several weeks after surgery. Stay off the scale for a while. You really can't control them, and trying to do it will make you nuts. It's important for you to get your protein in. It isn't important if you like your protein drink. You just need something you can choke down without vomiting. You can worry about liking something in a few weeks or months -- right now you are eating/drinking for nutrition and healing, not for entertainment. Are you taking your vitamins with something substantial (protein drink, yogurt, etc.)? Taking them on an empty stomach is going to be very hard on your stomach. You may want to switch to one that is easier to digest at least on a temporary basis. Liquid vitamins (such as Wellesse) and non-bariatric vitamins tend to be easier on the stomach. Remember that it takes several weeks for any sort of vitamin deficiency to develop, so a few weeks on a non-bariatric vitamin should not hurt you. I can tell you I am 3+ years post-op, have never taken a bariatric vitamin, and have never come anywhere close to having any sort of vitamin or mineral deficiency. Hang in there and good luck! It will get easier but for now you just need to look at this as work to do and a time of healing and recuperation before things get back to a more normal state.

myfitnesspal and trendweight for me.

Tylenol is the standard painkiller pre-op but you should probably check with your medical team to be sure.

If you are having dizziness, weakness, or feeling like you are about to pass out when you stand up after sitting for a while (or when you sit up after lying for a while) you may be having orthostatic hypotension. It's not uncommon after weight loss surgery. Are you taking blood pressure meds (if so they may need to be adjusted)? Are you monitoring your blood pressure at home? Try pumping your legs like you are riding a bicycle for 30 seconds or so before standing up -- that may help.

Yes, but you'll likely need a much longer recovery period before returning to work than someone who works a desk job. If you had my surgeon, he would require you to be out of work a minimum of 6-8 weeks.

I was advised just under 2 liters (the equivalent of 1.9 liters). I kept a big insulated thermos type bottle with me and sipped constantly, as well as taking in protein shakes, broth, etc. which all count towards the liquid you need. Eventually your body does get used to it and you aren't running off to the toilet quite so frequently Plus, as you add in more food to your diet, you'll get more of the liquid you need from the food and you can cut back on the pure liquid you drink. Regard it as a temporary evil that you need for healing.

You are not "behind" as this is not a race. Focus on your compliance with your team's plan -- it sounds like you are doing great, so keep up the good work! The weight will come off in fits and starts, sometimes it will seem slow and other times it will seem fast. If the scale is going to bother you with its non-compliance with your expectations, you may want to stay off it for a while and only weigh at the doctor's office. Good luck!

It's normal to be completely exhausted for several weeks after major surgery. Give yourself a break. Keep working on getting your fluid and protein in -- that's critical for your recovery and will help in restoring your energy levels. Go for short walks several times a day and nap when you need to.

I weigh virtually everything. Only exceptions are things that come in pre-packaged single serving type containers, like a container of yogurt. Even single-serving containers I will sometimes weigh. For example, the little packets of tuna usually say they are 2.5 or 2.6 ounces, but if you scrape out the package and weigh the tuna, they are usually closer to 2.3 or 2.4. Measuring by volume tends to be not as accurate.

Yes but I would probably investigate different types of surgery that do not require a port, since that seemed to cause trouble with the first attempt.

I have never taken a bariatric specific vitamin in my life, and here I am 3 years post-op, get my labs drawn regularly and they have always been stellar. Bariatric specific vitamins are expensive, high calorie, and high carb, and they can bite me. Look for a vitamin labeled "high potency." For the first six months after surgery, I took a double dose (one in the morning, one at night), then switched to one daily when I was eating more real food. The brand I use is Trader Joe's High Potency Chewable Multi-Vitamin, because it is the cheapest I have found and it tastes fine. They also make a regular pill (non-chewable) version, but you may find the chewable easier on your stomach (true for all vitamins, not just Trader Joe's). Good luck!

1) when does your stomach area begin feel less swollen? About a week out for me. 2) what was the best stool softener that really made you go to the bathroom? I never had this issue post-op but I know my surgeon recommends Dulcolax + smallest adult dose of Milk of Magnesia. 3) how did you feel about wearing a compression binder? Positives? Negatives? Highly recommended, it really helped with the pain from moving around. 4) did anyone feel like they may of a had a bit of a tooth ache? No but I know it isn't unusual after general anesthesia -- sometimes the tube they use for your breathing knocks against your teeth. If it doesn't feel better after several days, you may want to get seen by your dentist to make sure something hasn't been knocked loose. 5) when you showered to you let your bandages get wet? Also when did you start showering without bandages? I didn't have bandages, my surgeon used surgical glue to close the incisions. I was allowed to shower (but not bathe) starting 24 hours after surgery, just advised to pat the incisions dry rather than rubbing at them with a towel. This all should have been included in your discharge instructions. If it wasn't, you may want to ask your surgeon or team for their specific instructions. 6) Did anyone have very itchy incisions? Yes, this means your incisions are healing quickly, it's all good. 7) how did you plan your purée diet and real food diet? How do you keep up the weight loss? (I'm really into meal prep, or I was in college until the very end when school became so much), I loved to know any Pinterest boards, or maybe you can post a picture of your sample menus of puréed diet, introduction to foods & maybe a sample menu of what you eat now after a couple of months since your sleeve Well, I'm three years out, not a couple of months. When I was on pureed I ate a lot of cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, scrambled & poached eggs, Ricotta bake, and refried Beans. I would also make little "micro-casseroles" -- a bit of meat and flavorful sauce, pureed, then heated up in the microwave with a little shredded cheese on top to melt. Things like chicken breast + marinara sauce + mozzarella cheese and ranch flavored tuna + fat free ranch dressing + Gruyere cheese or turkey breast + peanut satay sauce + jack cheese. The important thing in my team's plan is that ALL pureed food must be high Protein. 8) Has anyone experienced hair Loss? I've heard it's not so intense but it can make your hair look really thin. Any tips on shampoos or Vitamins or trick to keep your pre op hair?? Almost everyone experiences hair loss. Don't waste your money on shampoos or vitamins or magic potions to try to prevent it -- it either will happen or it won't. Save your money for things like Toppik, Nanogen, or a new hairstyle to camouflage the loss if it happens. PS I never had any back pain. I did have shoulder/collar bone pain from the surgical gas, but that was all gone within a day or so after surgery. I just walked a lot, sat upright (instead of lying down), rocked in a rocking chair, and used a heating pad. Good luck!

No sleep study here. No symptoms of apnea so no reason for it.

You won't get full on liquids, they go right through your pyloric valve. You really don't need to worry about that at this point, just concentrate on drinking enough. The guidelines such as "30 ml every 15 minutes" are usually a minimum to keep you from getting dehydrated, not a maximum to keep you from drinking too much. Do you not have some sort of measuring spoons or cups to use?

You should take your multi-vitamin and whatever else your labs reveal you may be deficient in, because it is bad and unhealthy to be deficient in vitamins or minerals. All the vitamins, minerals, and protein in the world will not stop you from losing hair, though. That's something that either happens (for most people) or doesn't (for a lucky few) after weight loss surgery. I think the most common opinion is that it is due to telogen effluvium.

Warm broth or tea?