Connie31079

Just wondering if anyone else out there has experienced the same thing I'm experiencing? Before my surgery, I was fairly social.....friends would call, asking me out to dances, etc.....and yes, asking me to go out to eat.....but since my surgery, my phone never rings! What exactly has changed and why have people forgotten that I exist simply because I've had weight-loss surgery?? I'm still the same person I was before, just 70 pounds lighter! (54 pounds lost since surgery, 16 pounds lost pre-surgery.)

Thanks for the replies.....I have spoken with a few of my friends who seem like they have completely cut me off since my surgery, telling them "HELLO?? REMEMBER ME???", telling them "Don't be afraid to invite me out to dinner if you'z are going out, I'd love to tag along!" The only thing I would do is ask that my food be brought to the table in a take-out dish so that after I'm done eating my 6 or 7 bites and am full, that I'll just bring the rest of my food home. I got 1 invite. If I invite a "couple" friends over for lunch to my place, they usually bring their husbands, mom, dad & kids along with them, so I end up cooking for 12.....gets kinda' expensive after awhile..... I don't think jealousy is the problem, I have always been the biggest weight-wise out of all my friends, and even though I've lost 70 pounds, I'm still considerably bigger than them. I have had considerable trouble with nausea since my surgery, because my gallbladder needs to come out......maybe that's their excuse for not calling or texting or dropping by for a visit or....

I was told to give up all caffeine, including pop & tea. You've got to understand, living in Cape Breton where the tea is ALWAYS on, well......asking me to give up tea was like asking me to cut my right arm off! But I did it, gave it up for 3 months before surgery, and switched to decaf, which tasted horrible! Now here's the kicker.... The first day in the hospital that I was allowed something to "eat", lo & behold, what did I find on my food tray? A CUP OF TEA! I rang for the nurse and asked her if it was decaf, she said no, it was regular tea......I slurped it down with reckless abandon and have enjoyed my tea ever since with no problems! So, I'm going to try pop soon too!

Not everybody has gallbladder problems after surgery. I had no problems at all with my gallbladder before surgery, but was put on a medication called "Ursodiol" right after surgery to prevent formation of gallstones. My surgeon said those people who lose weight rapidly are more prone to formation of gallstones. I only have occasional pain, but the nausea is HORRIBLE!!!

I'm in the same boat right along with you! Already had my ultrasound, they didn't see any stones, but tell me they see "sludge" instead. My surgeon said this is what's causing my nausea, so due to have an endoscopy soon, and depending on the condition of the gallbladder when the endoscopy is done will determine when the gallbladder comes out.

I also went into the OR with my period. I didn't really care except when prepping you for the OR, they make you remove ALL your clothing including your panties, and I use pads, not tampons. So, they gave me a nice pair of MESH panties that looked so small I was sure it wasn't going to cover 1 of my ass cheeks let alone my whole bum and up over the "fat rolls" of my stomach, but it stretched nicely and were actually comfortable!

I never shaved specifically for the surgery, as I always keep it shaved. Just preference I guess, feels so much cleaner to me & easier to keep clean "down there" if it's shaved! Some of my co-workers said that "the drapes need to match the carpet".....I told them if that was the case, then I'd have to shave my head!

I had my sleeve done on Jan. 13, 2011. I have been nauseated from day 1 after surgery. I am on Nexium, Tecta, Stemetil & Motilium, and still nauseated, but my surgeon now thinks my gallbladder needs to come out to fix the nausea.

Just HAD to share! I work as a paramedic, and just tried on a pair of my old uniform pants (size 58) I wore before my surgery (which were very tight at that time).....guess what? They fell down around my ankles!!!! I cried tears of joy! Then I tried on a pair size 54 and they fit comfortably! I am sooooo happy!

The only thing I have noticed since my surgery is that I can't stand the smell of hamburger cooking anymore. Shortly after my surgery, my mom was frying herself a hamburger, and the smell of it cooking totally turned my stomach, and I used to LOVE cheeseburgers! They were my weakness! Now, no can do!! Which is probably a good thing!

Hi folks! I am from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Had my sleeve done in Halifax Jan. 13, 2011 by Dr. Ellsmere. Surgery went well, but experiencing nausea since day 1, and surgeon thinks my gallbladder may need to come out for the nausea to end. I have lost 33 pounds in almost 6 weeks (will be 6 weeks this coming Thursday.) I don't know.....I feel very sad at times that the weight loss isn't happening faster. Maybe I thought because 90% of my stomach was going to be removed that the pounds would be coming off quicker? Especially now that I am surviving on 800-1000 calories a day? Have bad bouts of depression just thinking about this!

Hope everything goes well and praying for you, EvRev! I went through the surgery alone.....I live alone, drove to the hotel the day before my surgery alone, went to the hospital the next day alone, walked into the OR alone.....I'm sure you get the picture! LOL! Was I nervous & scared? Damn right! But I was also very excited to be taking the next step that would help me achieve my life-long dream of becoming slim! It's working! 33 pounds down in the last 5 and a half weeks! I have never been happier to have surgery before in my life!

Hello everyone! My name is Connie. I had my vertical sleeve gastrectomy done in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on Jan. 13, 2011. Everything went splendidly! I was discharged from the hospital after 2 days (instead of the normal 3 days) because everything was healing so well, and I had progressed to stage 3 diet. I will be at stage 3 for 4 weeks and then move to stage 4 for 4 weeks and then onto stage 5, which is "normal" food for the rest of my life. I am getting quite sick of only liquids, I can't wait to move to stage 4 so I can have applesauce, yougort, etc.....I am getting quite hungry! I have lost 15 pounds in the last 16 days since my surgery, so everything is going well! My surgeon's name was Dr. James Ellsmere, based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

So, had my check-up yesterday with my surgeon. He is concerned that my nausea is hanging around so long after my surgery, and thinks I may have gallstones (which is causing my nausea). Ultrasound within the next week, and if full of gallstones, gallbladder will be coming out very soon! :-(

Cool, I will try that, thanks!

Thanks for the info, NotFatJustExtraFluffy. I have been nauseated from day 1 after surgery. They were giving me Zofran & Gravol in the hospital all the time. Thought it was because my body didn't agree with the Ensure that I was drinking, so I eliminated that from my diet, but was still overcome with waves of nausea. It has gotten less over the last couple days and not nearly as bad as it was right after surgery, but at almost 5 weeks post-surgery, I am questioning why I am still nauseated at all? Oh well, it is a little discomfort for realizing my life-long dream of having this surgery and hopefully losing the weight I've always wanted to lose!

Hi brazcan, I was on total liquids the week before surgery, and the day before surgery, just "clear" liquids. Stage 1 for me was Water only while I was in the hospital. Stage 2 was still while I was in the hospital, I was given clear liquids again. Stage 3 was upon discharge from hospital, and for 4 weeks after surgery, everything had to have the consistency of milk (no lumps, chunks, etc....) Then, for weeks 5-8 post-surgery, I move to Stage 4 - "soft " mushy foods, such as yogurt, applesauce, mashed potatoes, "minced" deli meats & chicken, but still not allowed to have bread, Pasta or rice, as I have been told these food "swell" in your stomach, which can lead to nausea & vomiting. This is the stage I am at now. In approx. 3 weeks time, I will be back to "normal" everyday food (Stage 5 - for life), and as my surgeon said, it will be by "trial & error" to see what my body will tolerate and what it won't, because most people can't eat the same foods they ate before the surgery, as it makes them nauseous & vomit. God knows I've had enough of that!! LOL! It seems every surgeon's "rules" for eating after surgery is different, because I have read that some people are back to eating normal food as soon as 4 weeks after surgery, but that doesn't happen for me until 8 weeks after surgery.

Well, 1 month today post-op. I have lost 25 pounds, but the weight loss is slowing down now that I'm not just strictly on liquids anymore. BUT!......having such a hard time with nausea! Have read some other posts from other people here about nausea, and have tried all their suggestions, to no avail! The nausea was so bad, it sent me to the ER last week, where they gave me a perscription for Zofran. It works wonderfully, but when this perscription runs out, I can't keep going back for more! Hoping this nausea is just a phase, and that it passes SOON!

I am 4 weeks out today and have lost 27 pounds since the surgery, which was done Jan. 13/11. I lost 24 pounds the first 3 weeks, and only 3 pounds the last week, so my weight loss has slowed down as well.

I am only 4 weeks post-op, and no hair-loss yet! I wasn't told to take biotin, and hair-loss was never mentioned to me prior to the surgery!

I will be 3 weeks post-op tomorrow, have had a few episodes of nausea. However, since yesterday, been nauseated constantly, around the clock, and I DON'T LIKE IT! Hope this isn't going to last too long!

Hi Toula! Congrats on making the decision on getting this surgery done! I had my surgery done 16 days ago, I have lost 15 pounds so far! I still have 2 weeks to go before I can progress to the stage 4 diet ( "puree" foods). Right now I am only on all liquids. It sucks, but I would rather give my new stomach a chance to heal completely before eating anything else. I am walking as much as I can, and I have never been so happy to get this surgery done! I have never heard of Biotin. My nurse practitioner has made me take Vitamin D for 2 months prior to my surgery, plus a chewable multi-vitamin everyday. Of course, drinking lots of Ensure & Boost that's high in protein! So far, so good!