MamaM

WhooHoo!!!! So glad you checked in! Healing prayers and speedy recovery!!!!

I'm hearing a lot of folks need a little snack in-between meals. We just don't have the capacity to do only 3 meals a day. I wonder about your calorie intake. MY doc wants me at about 800-1,000 per day when all is said and done. I hear others saying 600-800 and yet others saying 1,000-1,200. Has your doc given you and idea of what he wants you to shoot for? Mine has also given me Protein levels to shoot for as well. I wonder if it would help to do food instead of a shake for you? I have no clue. Just throwing things out there! You might have to play with different calorie levels and shakes vs. food for Snacks and such to find a good balance for yourself. Best wishes!!!

Sending healing prayers for those who went in today and best wishes for those going in tomorrow!!!

The drain would be in your abdomen and drains out any fluids that would build up in there from the surgery. Excess blood, etc. They stay in for varying times. I've heard of them being in for as little as a day and for as long as months. Don't stress on that part. It really is an individual thing, for getting one or not and for how long it stays in. The little pillow does help. If you lay it across your abdomen and hold it w/your arm across and apply pressure w/your whole arm, it helps "hold" things while coughing or sneezing or even just adjusting yourself in the bed. They do help. And you're welcome! I hate the unknown and am always wanting to know more, so I can relate! LOL!

Don't delay, you need to go to the ER and get checked out. Please let them know that you ate food. The difficulty breathing and eating food at day 4 can all be a part of what it is happening to you right now. Please don't mess around with this. Keep us informed!

You will do fine! Best wishes!!!!

http://www.torani.com/

Try orange flavored crystal light or mio drops. OR if you can find some sugar free torani syrups, you can find them in the coffee section of the grocery store. That will help the vanilla-iness of the shakes. I don't like the vanilla shakes either. Another thing I've seen people do on here is using a little powder from the sugar free Jello and pudding boxes. Best wishes!!!

Chicagochic, you'll probably want to start your own thread to get some answers to your question. Sammy, to answer your question, did you double-check your paperwork to see if it says in there? I've got a huge binder-full of paper and I keep forgetting what all is in there! Otherwise, best bet would be to call your doc's office and ask a nurse. Every surgeon seems to be a little different, most w/their own good reasons so best bet is to call the office. I would love to go sit in a pool right now!!!!

Make it yourself. I bought a yogurt maker and make my own ff plain yogurt. We then add our own flavorings to our own portions. My 6 yr old loves it! If you want it more "greek" like in consistency, just drain it overnight in the fridge using cheesecloth and a strainer, over a bowl. There are tons or recipes and how-to's out there. There is even a crock-pot recipe for making your own! I bought the machine w/the little glass jars just for ease. Can you find plain greek yogurt? The sugars come from the flavors added to the pre-mixed ones.

Re-read your post-op paperwork. That will tell you whether you can start shakes or not. It's best to follow your doc's orders. If you have any questions, call the nurse or office tomorrow morning.

Thanks for sharing! I bookmarked it so I can refer to it when needed!

Oh I'm so sorry! And here I thought I had a rough start! I'm 5 days out now and feeling SO much better than that first night. I pray you find yourself doing the same! Glad you're home now!!

I'm glad you've been able to get more water in tonight. I forget to drink too. I've just gotten in the habit that my young DD and I don't go anywhere w/out a bottle of water... each! I have great well water so we don't buy bottled. We have re-usable water bottles that we both love, in our favorite colors and that don't leak if they fall over in the truck or on a field. Our latest bottles hold 24oz, so if I can get that down while out and about, I know I'm in a good place w/my fluids.

That was probably a good idea. Any healing, even minor, is a stress on the body. You don't want to add to your body's stress right at surgery time. I was thinking of getting one while I'm off work but decided to wait until at least the Fall before doing it. This surgery has taken a lot our of me and I want my new tattoo to heal well also!

I am a band to sleeve revision. I would NEVER normally tell any one what to do but I say it now in regards to the band. DON'T! 1. my surgeon actually doesn't even DO them anymore and he was all part of the initial whole band thing. 2. Out of about 30 people that I know, only a few are NOT having problems. The rest of us, mild to serious and a good many of us are having to have them out and those of us who can, are revising to the sleeve. My band slipped and was riding up towards my esophagus. My surgeon told me on May 9th that it needed to come out and he advised me that the sleeve would be the best option for me. I had my removal/revision surgery on the 4th. Do your research. Read everything you can, where ever you can find it. Good, bad, whatever. Be sure the sources are good tho. There's a lot of garbage out in the Wide World Web. Your mom is worried. Understandable. Get her on board helping you find a surgeon and/or program. Attend some seminars and classes together. You are an adult and make the ultimate decision but it would be nice and helpful if she was on board w/your plans. Just makes things icky if she isn't or can't manage to be your advocate. Talk to her. Tell her your reasonings. The sleeve doesn't stop you from carrying on with your life. It helps you carry on with it! Best wishes!!!

Can you suck on some ice chips? Or some vit. c drops? I have some sugar free cherry Luden's drops that I suck on when my throat gets too dry. Sounds like you're too dry. If it doesn't get better, I'd call your doc on Monday. You don't want to get in to a bad spot with this. Best wishes.

I'd be curious to know if that is/was the pouch area for your band. I wold expect that part to need time to kinda go back to it's original shape. I have no idea but it was the first thing I thought of when I read your post.

I'm glad you're feeling better. I worry.

Amy, I would be more worried about the fever and weakness right now. Can you call your surgeon? I had insurance for my surgery and there is a medical advice nurse that I can call at all hours to check things with. If not, I think I'd head to the ER. Unfortunately, my first thought is a leak. My doc said they can pop up about now, when the swelling starts to go down. Fever, weakness, nausea, etc. So understandable I'm not liking what you're saying. Please, even if it turns out to be nothing, try to get some answers tonight. Best wishes.

I can't do Whey Protein Isolate, so this eliminates a lot of options for me. The Egg White Protein is fine and is a nice addition to other protein mixes if you're trying to boost the numbers. I also use the green fruitein from Nature's Plus as well as their orange banana creme. I usually add the egg white to these and complementary flavors of crystal light. For an RTD I use the Ensure HIGH PROTEIN Creamy Milk chocolate. I've been getting grief on here about the carbs, but I don't care about the carbs. Here is the breakdown for it: 1 bottle 14fl. oz. 210 cal. 2.5g fat 23g carbs 3g Fiber 5g sugars 25g protein Decent amounts of Vitamins & minerals. You have to get the HIGH PROTEIN one tho. Ensure's other lines don't have much protein, more sugars and fats. I've never done low carb and don't pay attention to that. For my current 2-week post-op diet my doc asks me to get a shake a day that's got at least 24 grams of protein. Starting week 3, I start adding soft foods. Then each week after, adding more. Each stage he's given me guidelines on how much protein he wants me to be shooting for. None of his paperwork talks about carbs. My pre-op diet was 800 calories and 70+ grams of protein, a day. I chose to do mostly shakes and 1 or 2 meals a day to reach those goals.

Better safe than sorry. I'd go to the ER. If you're getting fluids in, fluids should be coming out. Doesn't sound good anyway. Be safe and take precautions. Best wishes!!!

Hang in there!! The scale WILL move again! It will be alright. It's just your body reacting to everything that's been going on.

Awesome news! Enjoy!!!

You made the first big step in getting back on track- coming back here! Good for you! Now. Throw the junk in the garbage and go shopping again. This time with a list of good for you, yummy things! Re-stock your fridge and pantry and get RIGHT back on track. Now. Not tomorrow or tonight even, now! You KNOW how to do this, so do it! You are giving the icky boy WAY too much power over you and I KNOW you don't want to give him anymore of your power. Best wishes!!!