ADS

Hiya - I am 11 days out. I had surgery on July 2. I'm feeling good now that almost all my incisions of completely closed. I'm still a little tired...which frustrates me...then I think to myself, "Oh yeah, I just had surgery, maybe my body actually is using a lot of energy to heal." Anyhoo, good luck to everyone! --ADS

My doctor actually has hotdogs on his list of approved meats starting at the mushies stage. He said try to pick healthier ones instead of the full fat ones.

Hi Lisa, I started taking my antidepressants on my third day post-op. My surgen approved starting them on Day 2, but I wanted to wait an extra day just to be safe (and I was barely getting anything in at all on Day 2). When I take my pills, it is the only time that I disobey the rule to not drink anything after you eat. I usually eat 1/2 sugarfree pudding or fat free yogurt to "coat my stomach" so the pills don't give me cramps. Sometimes psych meds can make your stomach hurt if you take them on an empty stomach. (FYI: I take Wellbutrin, Lamictal, and Cymbalta -- all at the same time -- 4 pills total). I don't crush/open them. I take them in the same way I did before surgery.

My doc said that as a precaution you should try to avoid putting lotion on the incision sites until you are a month out. He said if you must put lotion on it, try to use fragrance free, hypo allergenic lotion. He also said I could use aloe vera, which has worked out well. So, I use regular lotion on the non-incision parts of my stomach and aloe vera on the incisions. Oh, and he said that if the reason you want to put lotion on them is because they itch (as opposed to generally wanting to lotion your body), then you should use the aloe vera because it means your incisions are still trying to heal.

I ditto the popsicles suggestion. I am almost at two weeks out, and they are the only thing that quench my thirst.

I also have a 40 bougie. My surgeon only uses the 40. He said he doesn't believe in using anything smaller because there are greater chances of having too much restriction.

I know how you feel!! I'm 10 days out and still can't lay on my stomach, and it is sooooo annoying. I have managed to find a comfortable position on my side. If you positon the pillows under your head properly, you can almost have your head in the same position as when you sleep on your stomach. By the way, I would really NOT recommend laying on your stomach. Your incisions haven't healed enough. Also, sleeping on your stomach and moving around on your stomach will irritate your incisions. Sleep well!

I haven't tried it BUT a lot of post-ops I have talked to about dehydration say that G2 Gatorade has been very useful to help them "catch-up" on achieving adequate hydration.

I'm only 10 days out, but here are a couple of things I thought you might want to know: - As the others said, I was up and around walking by that afternoon. - As a few others have mentioned, the heat seems to be a big issue. When I am in the heat too long (which can be as little as 15-20 minutes, depending on temperature), I get really dizzy. That is the only time I get dizzy. And it doesn't matter if I am consistently drinking cold Water or I'm in the shade, I still get dizzy in the heat. - Although I didn't have nausea, during my pre-op meeting my surgeon he said that 40% of patients have a lot of nausea after sleeve surgery. - As for how much pain you have, it varies from person to person as the others have said, BUT one thing that will determine how much pain you have is where your surgeon puts the incisions. My surgeon put my largest/main incision (where he extracted the stomach) in the crease between my upper and lower roll of fat. Now, when I walk and my stomach moves, the incision hurts because the skin stretches and contracts. It is the only place where I sitll have pain. Overall, I had pain for the first five days post-op, but on day 3 I was able to cut my pain pill dosage in half. - My surgeon also prohibited me from lifting anything over 5 lbs during the first three weeks and anything over 10 lbs until the completion of week six. Good luck!!

Actually, the idea you should exercise in the morning before you eat is a commonly held misconception. It is based on the theory that if you don't have food in your stomach then your glycogen supply will be depleted overnight, which enables the body to use fat faster and more efficiently during your workout. In reality, you need to eat before exercise, especially if you exercise in the morning. The simplified explanation (i.e., the explanation without all of the medical jargon) is that the body needs some sugar (read = carbohydrate) to burn fat. Remember that when you wake up in the morning you have been "fasting" for several hours while you are asleep, so your body has not been replenishing any of the sugars (glycogen/glucose) that it needs for fuel. If sugar is too low, the body does not tap fat stores to fuel itself through the workout, it actually taps Protein stores (which, as you know, inhibits muscle development). The food you need to eat can be something small - orange juice, yogurt, banana, Protein shake, but it needs to have a little carb and if possible a little protein. Research says that (generally) the afternoon is the best time to exercise. Studies show that strength and endurance are better in the afternoon and injuries are less likely in the afternoon. A lot of people suggest morning exercise because studies find that people are more consistent. So, finally, to answer your question, you can exercise later in the day if that is a time that is better for you but you should also make sure that you pick a time that you can be consistent. Sorry, this was the very long answer to your question.

I LOVE, LOVE Nike sports bras! I am a 42DD, and they give me fabulous support, even in cardio-kickboxing classes and jogging. They can be a little pricey ($25-30). The Nike website has great sales, especially at the end of the season when they are trying to get rid of particular colors. I buy them at the end of the season for around $15. I really have NOT liked Lane Bryant sports bras or Champion sports bras. They seem to stretch out quickly and not have great support.

I'm scheduled for June 11! I can't wait.