Shelly-NO-Belly

You will do great! I am 1 week 1 day post op and LOVING IT. Beware of the buyers remorse- IT GOES AWAY! You should be on liquids for the next 2 weeks, but it won't bother you...your tummy is going to be too tiny!

Well...I did it! Yesterday morning at 9:30am I layed on the surgery table. I was told day 2 is the 'buyer's remorse" day. So far so good. I haven't experenced too much pain, but I can feel the emptiness of my stomach. I don't feel hungry, just empty...and drugged LOLlooking forward to a shower! Now I'm falling asleep as I write and my eyes are very blurry!

Alright folks...this is day 4 post op. I'm struggling. More so on day 3 (felt like I had something caught in my esophogus and the anti esophogial spasm pills/pain pills/anti nausea pills did NOT work, trapped gas)... Today I feel so hungry. Which is pretty depressing. I realize that once I move from liquids to more solid foods I will probably experience that "forgetting to eat" sensation; as for now and the next 10 days, what can I do? Getting the Water down is proving to be difficult, as well as the Protein drinks/soup. And since I can't get much water down, my hands and feet are slightly swollen. So I walk as much as I can. Is there anything I can do to STOP the hunger without actually eating? I definitely do NOT want to risk a leak by attempting to eat something solid. Any advice or words of encouragement are GREATLY appreciated....tell me this passes!

The wonderful staff here at St. Mary's in Grand Rapids, MI have been taking great care of me! Started 1 oz of Unjury every hour. Seems to be causing trapped gas, which isn't fun, but worth it...plus they're getting some meds..

Hello Everyone! Well, I've done the this's and that's of everything required as far as pre-op goes. I officially started the 2 week pre-op diet today (which I'm used to...I tried Optifast at one point) and I am feeling all sorts of nervous. How horrible is the head hunger? I feel like I've made peace with the break up between me and food. I kicked it out...it moved out...but I've done that before. I'm just so worried I'm going to be tormented with head hunger. I had my gallbladder out in May 2011, so I think I'm pretty prepared for the abdominal pain that is coming...assuming that it'll be a little worse since there is an organ that needs to heal instead of just muscle and incisions. Also...how do you guys deal with people that you tell that want to scoff or assume you took the "easy" way out? I unfortunately know way too many people who are going to be negative, and again unfortunately, I can't really avoid them very easily. I'm assuming it's not polite to flip them off or punch them :boxing_smiley: Anyway...any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks everyone:) Actually feeling a little more at ease now. Happy there are people out there who have gone through all of it and can offer advice! I'm lucky to have an awesome fiance, mother (who is an NP, so that helps!!!), brother, and a few friends on my side.

When did you have your surgery? From what I've been told (currently in pre-op), the risks for a leak usually lower after the first 6 weeks. My surgeon told me it'd feel like a lot of pain and discomfort in the left shoulder/side. And of course as andersonlj stated- vomiting and fever.

Thanks so much! Good luck to you as well! I'm sure everything will be fine, but I'm such a nervous nut I can't help but think of that small percentage of people that encounter complications.