aquamama

The first week is kinda rough - just swallowing takes some getting used to. I would not worry about protein unless you are still not getting much in after a month. A week long fast is hardly enough to make hair fall out. I am just entering week three after surgery and I can eat and drink almost anything. I am still adjusting to how my new stomach communicates and overeating is a real pain. I would say go slow for the first week and just work on your liquids. It is amazing how fast our bodies heal from such a drastic change. Be patient. PS I hated the tea and apple juice.

I am only two weeks after surgery and finding I can eat almost anything but very little of it. I did gain weight three days after surgery which I know was Water weight. My biggest problem is I am full long before my taste buds quit. I feel great except still sore in my insision area. I can not even drink more than a half a cup of liquid at a time.

I see you had surgery with Kaiser. Our Kaiser would not do the surgery unless we lose 10% of our body weight - no exceptions. I lost 16 of my 24 lbs and kept it off for months but could not get the rest off. After 4 years I just went to Mexico. I like you am very happy although only 2 weeks out. I am still figuring out what the signals my body is sending me means - I have pain but do not recognise it as hunger pain but it goes away when I eat. I LOVE the idea of being able to eat anything and yes it is really amazing how little I am eating compared to before. Now my only problem is getting back on board with Kaiser because they essentially told me I would fail without the 10% weight loss and I know I need to be monitored down the line just for health reasons.

I believe that it is your gall bladder. I have had two bouts with mine both of them assoicated with pregancy. When the first one struck, it happened as you described night after night until the doctor was the only choice. They guy I went to was greeted by a women who had not sleep for three nights and not a happy camper. He sent me home with 2 cases of milk of magnesia and told me I had an ulcer. It took a couple weeks but I eventually improved. He had me convinced it was my stomach. My second bout was in Canada where I was working at the time. The pain was excrutiating and I has not going to tough it like the last time so I went to the doctor straight away. He first gave me a pain killer and than a short bout of antibiotics. He said it was in inflammed gall bladder and he was right. Within hours I could function again. The pain is a stabbing pain emminating from your back to front but it can hurt so bad it is hard to tell exactly where it is. Now if I get a sharp pain in my back after a meal I know it is my gall bladder. I do not believe I have ever had stones but and inflammed gall bladder is one of the most painful things ever and once it is upset, almost anything will set it off again. I still have my gall bladder and am 10 days post surgery. I noticed a new dull ache in back after eating mushy stuff with meat. I went back to my cholesteral medicine, thanks to the posts on this blog because I believe my poor organ is trying to keep up with the changes I have put my body through and it has not been called upon to work hard so when it is it is in overdrive (a guess on my part). I hope that the medicine helps the overload situation and it does not progress to stones but who knows. It is really a journey of getting to know my innards again. How are you doing now? You have my sympathy.

I had my surgery on the 27th so I am 4 days post operation. I was in a LOT OF PAIN for the first two days and am still very sore but thankfully better. I find that when I rest my tummy - dont move or drink things are quiet no pain but when I become active or drink it comes back. The antacid they gave me seems to help and coats things so I would definately try that before eating or drinking. I also had a hernia repaired at the same time. Compared to my tummy there is very little pain with it at all. I do have alot of gas and its hard to sort out which pain is caused by surgery and which is caused by gas but I do feel better and my bowels are beginning to move. I will say though I weighed myself yesterday (day 3) and I had gained 3 lbs. I can know this is Water from the IV but it is depressing none the less to go on the longest fast of my life to gain weight. It just is not fair.

to Newnatalie or anyone else - I am having the super-sleeve surgery though BeLiteWeight and after reading it seemed the absolute best choice because: It is reversible; it involves no cutting; there are no foreign bodies; no nutrient deficincies through lowered uptake. The following is some of the info they sent me: Laparoscopic total gastric vertical plication (TGVP) is a new restrictive technique for the treatment of morbid obesity. This operation may be considered as an advancement of the well-known sleeve gastrectomy and is carried out with the use of pure non-absorbable surgical sutures. In TGVP the gastric capacity is diminished without gastrectomy (removal of the stomach,) or foreign implants. Due to the lack of gastric strictures TGVP does not cause any food intolerance nor impair patient’s dietary habits. The excess weight loss is about (62-67% EWL.) In comparison to other modern restrictive bariatric techniques, (laparoscopic gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy,) the advantages of TGVP are minimal risk of acute or late complications, and it’s reversible, (removing the gastric sutures will allow the stomach to go back to its normal form.) As I said in an earlier post, I tried with my health provider Kaiser - went to all the classes, saw the psyc, read all the materials but was unable (my husband said unwilling) to lose 10% of my body weight which is an absolutely mandatory requirement. I have weighted within the same 10 lbs for the past 10 years and within the same 20 lbs for the past 20 years which would be great but it is 100 lbs over what I should weigh. Now as I am aging, this weight is beginning to slow me down, make getting up and down difficult and my blood sugar is slowly rising ie it is killing me. If I could have lost it without surgery, I would have and here I am.

I am having mine on 11/27 and getting the "super sleeve" in Mexico. From what I have read it is the best choice out there and after being 100 lbs overweight for 20 years anything moving me in the right direction will be great. I am excited and nervous for both of us but my coodinator says I have about as much chance of having problems as being hit by a car. That made me feel loads better. Still with no one to talk to I find this site a good spot to try.

My surgery is in Tiajuanna and is on Sat 11/27. I too am nervous and all this blogging is a little scary because there are problems I never considered. I tried for a couple years to meet Kaiser's requirements (10% of my body weight off and held off). I did OK for the first 16 lbs but after that I hit a flat line and kept that weight off for almost a year. However Kaiser is very strick and does not budge on that requirement. My weight started creeping back up and I decieded to go for out of country solution and here I am a week from surgery. I am set to have a super sleeve and want any advice to make things go easier and smoother. I did all the Kaiser classes, talked to a psyc, attended classes and support groups so I guess it is time to make it really happen. I really really really hope it goes smoothly so anyone out there with some tips - please pass them on.