Mab

You'll eventually poop - I think it took me 4 or 5 days - some of us it took a bit longer. It's hard to get that full feeling on liquids, but should become easier on solids. I don't think you're going to hurt your sleeve by drinking too much soup unless it happens to be super thick and creamy- remember that counts toward your daily liquid goal. You would know if you had a leak. Are you experiencing any pain? Fever? Nausea?

I have absolutely no plans to pay this. Ever. Regardless of the outcome of my appeal. I've already paid close to $4000 out of pocket.

I posted about the issues that I'm having here: Clear liquids right now and have had almost no problem getting them down. My doctor came in about an hour ago and said that he was not going to send me home until I have no problem with liquids. He said that "we have a couple days before we become concerned with my nutrition." So what does that mean? I should have asked, but was too scared. How would they get nutrition in me? Would it be IV meds or a feeding tube? I'm feeling really anxious, depressed and just plain scared.

UPDATE: I am home now after being discharged yesterday. I am on full liquids until the doctor says otherwise. I still don't feel like myself, and though I understand that it's normal, it hasn't been easy at all. My doctor prescribed Valium which has helped with my anxiety and when things become just too overwhelming.

Last night I started getting uncomfortable, like really uncomfortable after I "ate" some tomato Soup. By bedtime, the discomfort had turned into pain. The pain is in the middle of my chest and comes in waves - like contractions. I finally got to sleep and when I woke up I was uncomfortable again. Fast forward to lunch - I was trying to eat my mushed up chicken and my laughing cow cheese, but every time I swallowed I was hit with that pain in the center of my chest. I gave up eating and the spasms continued on for a couple hours. I should add that drinking Water does not cause me pain. The same damn thing happened when I tried to eat dinner. What gives? The pain radiates down my arms, up my neck, to my face and even my ears! For reference: Surgery - 4/10 (with hiatal hernia repair) Medications - Levsin 2 every four hours Protonix 2x's a day GasX strips as needed Should I go back to full liquids for a bit?

Thanks for the responses, guys. I went to the Dr. yesterday morning and he sent me to the hospital to be admitted. The good news is no leak and no abscess. The bad news isn't terrible, just irritating - literally! It appears that my stomach and esophagus have quite a bit of acid erosion from some bad reflux. He started me on some fluids and some carafate. I tried to eat some yogurt this morning and was in severe pain immediately, which means I get to stay another night. I was able to drink some chicken broth and eat a popsicle so it looks like Clear Liquids for a bit. Fine with me - I don't want to hurt. Thank God I am one of the lucky ones and haven't experience physical hunger since surgery because I think I would be a mess. I don't really consider this a complication of surgery, because I firmly believe that it would have happened at some point with as often as I was having heartburn. Thanks again - you guys are terrific! *raises cup of ice chips*

If my boobs stay the same size I will not be able to walk upright.

Cottage cheese tastes like feet.

Thanks to this board, I knew that I was going to gain weight in the hospital, but I was still shocked at how much. It came off pretty fast, though. I think you're doing a great job! Don't get discouraged and try to give yourself a break from the scale (I know, I know, easier said than done).

Your doctor only wants you drinking a cup of water a day? I'm supposed to drink 48-64 oz. a day.

Dehydration sucks. I got dehydrated after coming home from the hospital. It not only messes with you physically, but mentally as well. I was weak, nauseous, and really depressed. As soon as I got fluids in me I felt better immediately. Keep your Water bottle, cup, whatever IN YOUR HAND. Let it be an extension of your hand. I found a flavored drink mix that I absolutely LOVE and it has helped tremendously. Ocean Spray White Cran-Peach. So good. And popsicles. Remember all liquids count.

So today I started on soft Protein. About an hour ago I had the most delicious, delightful, wonderful, amazing deviled egg. I got super duper full after eating it and now I'm nauseous. WTF Sleeve? Please tell me this is normal at 1 week post op. Please don't tell me that delicious, delightful, wonderful, amazing deviled egg did it. ALSO I am down a total of 17 lbs! 5 pre-op and 12 post-op.

This is exactly my experience. Now I'm almost out of Lortab and I don't want my doctor to think I'm a junkie by asking for more.

And stock up on SF popsicles. When I have a bout of head hunger now, I grab one and suck the heck out of it. It has really helped me. My favorites are the Popsicle brand (yellow box) tropical. I like the orange and the pineapple and let my husband have the fruit punch. Blech.

What you're feeling may not be hunger at all - it could be acid rolling around in your new tummy. I asked my doctor why my stomach was growling and he asked me why I thought it was growling. I told him because it's making noises and I can feel it. He said that stomach's do that. I think that several of us are on PPI's post surgery, ask your doctor if that's a possibility for you. This surgery has changed everything that I thought I knew about hunger. I only trust my tummy to tell me when it's had enough because differentiating between actual hunger and head hunger - not to mention my perception of actual hunger - is really difficult. Basically I eat 3 times a day and that's it.

Talk to your doctor, he may be able to prescribe something stronger. I'm taking Protonix although I'm now beginning to doubt its effectiveness because I went to bed with heartburn and woke up with it, too. Hope you feel better soon.

I used to drink up to 8 diet cokes a day. I was told I had to stop before surgery, so I did. Enter Hell Week. Migraines every. damn. day. But it passed. I'm not touching that stuff again. (No matter how much I want to.) According to a youtube video by Dr. Alvarez the soda will not stretch your sleeve.

I have an incision right between my boobs. I've only worn my bra once and when I did, I put a piece of gauze between my bra and the incision. I was perfectly comfortable. However, getting it on wasn't. I put my bra on like the above poster and that twinged a bit.

Yep he'll fix it. I didn't know I had one until I woke up from surgery and my husband told me. Sure helps to explain why I was having such horrible heartburn the past year! Just an FYI, a few of us have experienced a little extra discomfort from the repair - it has to do with something being tightened during the fix. For instance, I was and still am not really able to burp, which can be uncomfortable and frustrating, but I think it's only temporary. Thank goodness we have another place gas can escape!!! I'm going to be a real pleasure to be around when I return to work next week!

You look at least 10 years younger. Congratulations, gorgeous!

I was sleeved on the 10th. I bent over for the first time today and was "rewarded" with a vicious cramp in my belly. My back constantly aches - in fact I'm taking pain medication for that rather than abdominal pain. I also had a hernia repair so my esophageal sphincter is pretty tight - can't burp so I feel like I have a rock on my chest. I was also having some awful heartburn, but my surgeon prescribed some Protonix and it's really helped that. I think we all heal at different rates so lots of things are normal to feel right now. But we won't always feel this way.

I'm not eating anything I'm not supposed to. My surgery was 4/10 it has been 8 days since then. My post-op appointment was today and I was cleared for soft protein. Eggs are on my list - boiled eggs to be specific. Now I'm not denying that *i* might not be ready for that, but I would rather it not be insinuated that I'm doing something I'm not supposed to. Perhaps my body isn't ready for the transition, but I am following the post-op plan set forth by my surgeon.

Not gonna lie, I cheated every day of my full liquid pre-op diet AND go cold turkey on caffeine (8 diet coke a day girl). I'm not advocating that anyone cheat, but I couldn't do full liquids. When I went for my pre-op appt, the doctor couldn't even feel my liver - he said that meant it was where it was supposed to be and not enlarged. For the record, I cheated with eggs. I had scrambled eggs every night for dinner - it was the only thing that got me through that week. However, I did not cheat on the clear liquid diet before and after surgery, nor did I cheat on my post op full liquid diet. And I haven't had a diet coke since March 27th.

I'm going to show off my scars. Gonna say I was in a knife fight.

Hell, I gained 7 lbs in the hospital. Luckily, thanks to this board, I was prepared for it. But considering I only lost 5lbs pre-surgery, I had to make up for quite a bit. Have you been able to poop? Are you peeing lots and is it clear or is it yellow? I never thought that I would ever pay this much attention to my pee - my husband, too. LOL Don't get down on yourself. Some crazy weird sh*t is going on in your body right now.