amarieh

My experfience was very similar to the one by one week post op above....except I didn't have a catheter (unless it was just in while I was under anesthetic). You will be sore, but if you follow directions, you won't find it as hard as child birth. Use a pillow as a sort of splint when you move around the first few days...hold it tight against your abdomen. Take your pain meds. Move your feet, get up a walk when they tell you to and keep doing short walks (to help get the gas out). I also bought gas-x strips to put on my tongue in the hospital and for the first few days....I think they helped with the gas. Also, eat what they tell you to eat....don't push it and try to eat at the next level until the correct time has passed. I am 9 weeks post op, but I also had my gallbladder out two weeks ago. I am doing fine, just some nausea with meats (not ground) and eggs. Lost 35 pounds so far. The actual surgical pain seems to stop within a week or so...the hardest part is getting used to eating again and eating such very small amounts, exremely slowly, and not drinking before, during or after eating. I still try to drink a protein drink every day just to keep up my protein. I took a month off work so I could spend the time getting better and adjusting. But, everyone is in different circumstances so that is not mandatory. I hope this helps.

Thank you Lisa Lu for the info, because the statistics, as quoted to us, are confusing! When I heard that the average person loses about 65% of excess from the sleeve, I decided that : 1) I refuse to be just average, and 2) most people having the sleeve in the past were at 60 BMI so their situation might be different than mine, with a starting BMI of 40. 3) I do not feel the need to weigh 120 pounds to be healthy and happy...140 works for me, so if I look at the "ideal" weight, even if I just lose 75% of the excess, I will be happy. Bottom line: it is good to have realistic expectations but it is also good to shoot for your goal and have confidence that if you stick to it, you will make it!!

I agree that in my case, where the surgeon told me it needed to come out so I had another surgery 7 weeks later, that the surgeon was not interested in spending the extra time for additional work that was not preauthorized by the insurer. That was disappointing. Otherwise, I really liked this guy, who spends 90% of his time doing these surgeries and is very good. My other doctors just rolled their eyes when I told them about his comment about not doing "bonus surgeries". So, I guess the lesson for the newbies who haven't had surgery yet is to ASK ahead of time about the gallbladder, will they take it out when they are doing the sleeve if it is not healthy. This guy had a long informed consent form that included hernia repair, etc., but not the gallbladder. Oh well, it is over now, and I am getting better every day. I hope this lesson helps others who haven't had the sleeve done yet.

everyone's experience differs as these replies tell you. I hear that some people leave the hospital the same day as the sleeve procedure....I recommend you stay in if possible. They will help you to control your pain (there will be some), help you in and out of bed to go to the bathroom, and make sure you are able to pee and sip fluids the next day. Use a pillow to hold against your abdomen when you get up as sort of a splint. be sure to walk a few minutes at a time starting the day of the surgery. if you just lay around, you will get weaker. All in all, I didn't think it was too bad. My gallbladder removal this week was worse! You feel better a little bit every day.

You should only be eating very soft foods, so if you do eat fruit, eat soft ones like a little banana. some fruit is ok...natural carbs are what you want. Protein is always your priority so I have found that I don't have much room left over for fruit and carbs but I still manage to eat small amounts most days. When I was a few weeks postop, I smashed up strawberries, too, since I love them!

Greek yogurt is a main part of my diet because it has double the protein. You can add a tiny bit of jam to it and it will taste delicious. It goes down very smoothly and is filling....so I still eat it even though I am on "full foods".

they call it the "last supper syndrome" when you feel like you need to eat all your favorites in large quantities before the surgery and it is a very typical response for those of us with eating issues. Just remember: The better you are on the preop diet, the easier the surgery and healing will go. By cutting back before surgery, you will shrink your liver allowing the surgeon easier access to the surgical site. And, you will be more used to the reduced, liquid diet so it won't be such a shock to your system along with the actual surgery. Like the lady earlier said, the more your follow the instructions, the better it will be for you. And, someday, you CAN taste your favorite food again...you may not WANT it anymore and you won't eat much of it, but you can taste it if you want to after you are all healed. I found that i really am not craving sweets and pastries like I thought I would...they are too sweet now! I really am not hungry....thanks to the stomach being reduced drastically along with the grenlin hormone. So, remember why you are doing this, it will be worth it!!

you are lucky that they took your gallbladder at the same time. My surgeon told me after the surgery that my gallbladder was inflamed and scarred and needed to come out, but he didn't take it while he was doing the sleeve because he did not want to do a bonus surgery! So, 7 weeks after the sleeve, I went back in this past week to have my gallbladder removed. i am going through the healing again.....my poor belly button! HA!

My program requires two visits with a psychologist before they will even consider giving you the surgery. And, she is available to me now if I need her. I went through similar issues....panic about permanent thing I did to myself, really missing food, especially when I smell it or see it, concern that I will never be able to eat the things I enjoy. It will all pass! I have grown more comfortable with the fact my lifestyle is going to change...after all, isn't that what we all really want? NOT to be controlled by food, to get healthy, feel better about ourselves, look better, increase our logevity, mobility, etc??? You can find foods that you like, even in the soft phase, and will be able to have small amounts of all foods, eventually. What I have found is that "my eyes are bigger than my stomach" for sure! my favorite desert is banana cream pie so my son bought me one for mothers day. I had two bites, it seemed SOOO syrupy sweet, I had another small bite or two....then I passed the plate to my hsuband. I had a few more bites of the pie...that was all I wanted!! I was so happy that I didn't feel the need to eat the whole pie or a huge piece. If you concentrate on getting in your Protein (better nails than before!, and avoiding hair loss), then you probably won't be thinking about what you are NOT eating. For people who can't keep anything down, including Water, that does not sound right and the doctor needs to be involved. You may even need I.V.s....my doctor said there have been a few paitents like that, because you don't want to get dehydrated. It will pass as your stomach heals.

Wow. that is a fantastic loss! I lost about 25 pounds in four weeks. I am about 7 weeks out now, losing slowly (30 pounds), but I am ok with that. My exercise has been hindered by a very sore ankle and I am older (60) and my BMI was barely enough to qualify for the sleeve (40). I am eating most anything, except meat. I still have problems with meat. I also found that if I let myself get hungry, it is really, really hard to eat slow enough and in small enough bites....I will end up eating too fast and will get sick. I am fine with it all....everything will happen in due course! Just take it slow and introduce one new food at a time. And, when you are ready to try meat, be sure to eat very, very tender meat, in very small bites (size of a pencil eraser) and chew 20 times! Keep up the great work! AmarieH

I am 6 weeks post op, down 28 pounds, cleared for "full foods". However, I can't seem to keep down meat, like steak, roast beef, spare ribs. I can eat ground meat. I think I am eating slow enough and chewing enough, but I stop after about one ounce because my stomach hurts and then a few minutes later;;;;up it comes. Is this normal? Does it ever change? I don't want to eat Greek Yogurt and shakes my whole life. I seem to do better with chiden and moist fish.... Thanks.

I think the 2nd thru fourth weeks are the hardest, at least they were for me. However, you should talk to your doctor if you can't even tolerate liquids. .

thanks you everyone for your replies. it helps me to not wonder if there is something wrong with me because of my difficulty with meat. i will wait a couple of more months and try again.

I agree that it feels wonderful to be one of those people who truly are happy eating a small portion of food!! I never thought I would be there. I think that is why the sleeve was so appealing to me...cutting out most of the stomach eliminates most of the grenlin hormone that causes us to feel hungry. Keep up the good work, sister!

Ooops, I meant that the parts that are more fat will take longer to look better.

I have always found it frustrating but true that we seem to lose from "our face" first....and other parts of our upper body. However, I do notice that my pants are more loose (I am down 25 pounds, 5 weeks post op), so I think the areas that are not as fat will take longer to look better. If you are measuring, I wonder if you are really just loosing on the top, or if it just seems that way?? Anyway, hang in there...at some point, as we continue to lose, it has to come from someplace and if it comes from the bottom last, so be it!! At least we will eventually be smaller all over! HA! amarieh in honolulu.

It is reassuring to read what every one else has gone through because that means I am "normal"! I felt a little panicky the first week or two, thinking this is PERMANENT! WILL I ever feel good again? Have energy? Why don't I like water anymore? (Yes, I too was a diet coke junkie). But, it does get better. I have started to forget about my sleeve sometimes, which is a mistake. Like, this morning, I started to eat an egg and toast, talking to my son....didn't pay attention to the size of bites or how much chewing. After a couple of swallows, I realized that I should have gone slower. I was uncomfortable for a few minutes. I am still "in training", learning to eat deliberately and very, very slowly. And, getting in the fluids is a challenge, but that, too has gradually improved. Hang in there.....!!!!

You are doing great! My surgery was April 3 and I have only lost 20 pounds (4 weeks). Did your surgery include nutritional counseling? Mine does, and it is great. You should be ready to go on full foods at this point. They say to try one new food at a time. I think this is the beginning of the rest of your life: this is the way you want to eat forever. Healthy, small meals and snacks, and lots of water. I am concentrating on getting in the protein, which is what I was taught. If I do that, I don't have room for a lot of other stuff! I think that helps me to stay away from a lot of "filler" foods that I would have eaten before the surgery. So, I eat greek yorgurt, cottage cheese, meat and fish, some fruit and veggies, and I still drink a protein drink every day, just to get the protein in. Anyway, that is what I am doing and I hope eventually I lose the other 60 pounds!

I agree with the other posts. I felt the same way the first time I tried to eat meat. I thought I was eating very slowly and chewing very thoroughly; however, I suddenly got hiccups and pain, and eventually, vommitted. I have had that happen a few times as I learn how to eat "real" food again. I am fine with yogurt, etc., but when I eat meat and fish, I have to be extremely careful. If you are ever in doubt, you should call your surgeon or go to the ER, just to be sure; however, it is most likely that you ate too fast or too much or both. I had my surgery a month ago and am now larning how to eat again! Best of luck to you, Aloha from Hawaii.

Great job. I had my sleeve surgery one month ago. I have lost 20 pounds. My experience was similar to yours: not too much pain, kind of tricky learning to eat again, some vommitting if I overeat or eat a "new" solid food too fast. So, it is a learning experience. All in all, I am sure it is worth it! I am looking forward to losing another 60 or more pounds over the next year or so. It is a lifestyle...there is no going back, but that is ok. I am now one of those "little bird eaters" and I am very happy!

I had this too, especially the first few days and nights after surgery. It seems to get better as time goes on. I think it is reflux sometimes and other times, I think it is nausea.

I just had the sleeve done on tuesday april 3 and I have had some of the same feelings. I have asked myself, what have i done, this is so permanent, I let them take out my stomach! So, I have had some of the same thoughts. from reading the forum, it seemss that these are normal feelings. As i heal and feel better and see the pounds melt, I am confident that these feelings will go away.

Mine sort of gurgles. I think it is gas.

I had my sleeve done on the 3rd of april and I have had nausea, too. I found that sipping warm broth was better than drinking cold or room temperature drinks. I am 3 days post op and doing better. My fear is that I won't get enough liquids and protein. I was told that if you dehydrate, that makes you more nauseated, so it is a downward cycle. the hardest part for me is taking my medications in crushed form, suspended in liquid....seems to not sit well on my stomach.