Joisey01

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! Some of our friends are newly sleeved and are coming up on their surgery dates. Ohhhhh those nerves! Just remember one day at a time and sometimes just one sip at a time. Please remember that this is my experience. There is no way of knowing if you will experience what I have or not. There needs to be something done about that leak test. That gastrogafin drink needs a very serious overhaul. That is one thing that, as far as I'm concerned, is cruel and unusual punishment. ESPECIALLY for patients that are nauseated! You can't tell me there is something that can be done with the taste of that stuff after all these years of the sleeve/by-pass surgeries have been performed. It seems it's been longer than a week since I've been sleeved, honestly. Not that it's been a horrible week at all. I think it's because I'm not used to being off work and really taking care of myself. I have always rushed through my healing process. I'm not doing that this time and it's paying off! I had my 8 day post op visit today. First of all, there is nothing better than having those staples GONE! Boy, they were really bothersome! I really didn't have any concerns to discuss other than that left side where the largest incision was and where the surgeon removed my stomach. It has been pretty painful the entire week. Not only at the incision site but also on my back. Little did I know that it is quite normal. The doc said that it could be painful for 6-8 weeks. Hey, if that's all I have to worry about, then I think I'm doing pretty good! I was so excited to be moved up to Phase 2 foods. All I could think about was tomato soup! (...and cream of wheat. That is a Phase 3 food.) Well, I was thinking about it until I realized that I'm still not hungry. At all. Again, normal. For a few days I realized that I had to re-learn what my stomach was telling me. After 45 years, I had it down pretty well. Give me a new stomach and I'm lost! I didn't know if what I was feeling was hunger, pain, acid or gas. I just realized I'm going to have to play "process of elimination". Turns out it was gas. I am taking Nexium every morning and Tums as needed. Once I figured out that little bit of info, my sleeve hasn't been so mad at me. I did learn pretty quick that my sleeve got pretty pissed off over coffee. I won't be trying that again any time soon. I did find a caffeine free hot tea that I like. I've never been a tea drinker. I have found that it is nice and soothing at the end of the day and before bed. It makes my sleeve pretty happy and I fall asleep a lot quicker and easier. I've been walking, walking, walking. It has done so many good things for me. I just feel so much better getting out of the house and doing something productive. I have gone to the store and done this and that, but have called it quits a lot faster than I ever have. For me, it also helps with the gas a lot. Don't be shy of that gas, either. Get rid of it! You will feel so much better!!! My husband has been by my side every step of the way. I really don't know what I would have done without him. The fluids are very important, too. I've been very lucky that I've been able to tolerate all kinds of clear fluids from Water to Chrystal Light (diluted by 1/2) to Isopure. It takes a very long time for me to get my Protein shakes down now. One shake equals about 2 hours. I fill very quickly. Sipping works well. I'm down a total of 24 lbs. Slow and steady. I'm wanting to heal from surgery first before dropping a ton of weight right off the bat. I had my barium swallow to be sure that what I'm drinking is going down and through. I was amazed at the size of my sleeve. It's only about an inch wide. You can see where the liquid goes through the top of the sleeve, through the sleeve and into the small intestine! I was FASCINATED! It's the little things! I got the thumbs up. I've gotten the ok for going to the gym and taking it easy on the treadmill. I think I just may do that tomorrow. A nice steady walk for a while. I hope you all have a good evening and a nice and healthy healing!

Today was my annual physical with my PCP. My sleeve was 9-20-12. Since then, I've lost 33 lbs. I went to the appointment, for once, with nothing weighing heavily on my mind like: "I am going to have to get on that stupid scale again." or "What's the point in blood work? It's all going to be crap anyway." then there's "We're going to have to consider putting you on some diabetic medication this time....". I sat there next to hubs and was playing a game of words with friends, chatting with him and rather relaxed. He, on the other hand, was anticipating the prostate exam! Muahahahahahha! When the doc walked in, I was on the exam table. I turned to greet him and he stopped and said, "Joisey, you look GREAT!" He and I talked previously of my having the sleeve done. He gave me his full support and wrote a letter to my surgeon to give his consent for me to have the surgery. I guess he forgot about it. He looked at my chart and looked at me and couldn't believe how much weight I've lost. I'm not sure who was prouder of me. Him or me? It was really great to get that support today. We talked about all of my co-morbidities. He's not concerned at all about my cholesterol. It'll continue to resolve itself with losing more weight. We did blood work to check all the levels. We'll find out next week how things look when the results come in. Diabetic medication wasn't even brought up. My blood pressure was 113/70. I have to stay on the Nexium because of the sleeve. I can go off my blood pressure medication immediately. I guess today's visit was an unexpected fabulous NSV. Have a GREAT weekend, all!

NSV = Non Scale Victory. Like my 19 yr old son coming for a visit and saying 'Mom, you look skinny'. That's a non-scale victory!

Hang in there, Gabby. Thinking of you!

I have an odd question.... Has anyone become vegan or vegetarian after the sleeve but was a carnivore pre-op? .....strange, I know.

Here's an add-on to this.....I was sleeved on September 20th. That's all of 19 days. I'm on full liquids. I know my sleeve is ready for the pureed stage. Here's the kicker.... I'm scared to death to eat meat. I 'think' the fear is the POSSIBLE pain I will have after eating it. I have had not one complication from surgery. Not a lick of nausea. I have had no issues whatsoever eating after being sleeved. I'm not sure where this irrational fear of eating meat is coming from. Has anyone encountered this?

BEAUTIFEROUS!

If protein is heated above 130 degrees, it will clump.

My 19 year old son hasn't seen me since I had surgery two weeks ago. He came by for a visit while I was working in the kitchen today and said, "You look skinny, Mom." I was like WOW! It even brought tears to my eyes.....It's the simple things.

My doc says 1200 - 1800 mgs a day. Depending on the mgs per two or three times a day.

Hi All, I know this isn't exactly a recipe, but I'd like to get this out there. I have 3 coupons for GNC Lean shake 25. The coupons are for $5 off per container. If you would like them, please PM me and I'll mail them to you!

The coupons came attached to the containers when I purchased them.

I have told my husband and grown boys. I told my supervisor only because he is having the sleeve done on October 23.

OTR, they told me NOT to take anything to sleep! Turns out I didn't need it anyway.

I was so tired the night I had my sleep study. They woke me at 5:15. I was ticked off because I was sleeping sooooooooooo good. I hope it goes well for you!

Send me a message with your info and I'll get them in the mail to you tomorrow!

That's such a crappy thing to say, dung it.

That's a crappy thing to say. Dung it.

Well, i was born in New Jersey. When MSN had chatrooms (showing my age here) i tried every angle of JerseyGirl and finally gave up and went with Joisey since that's how we pronounce it anyway. And the 01 is because I needed a number.

You aren't wrong. You can do it here! I'm only 12 days out at this point. I want those size 8's. These first 12 days haven't been all peaches and cream. I don't expect the rest of the road to the size 8's are going to be any easier. CONGRATULATIONS on your HARD work, your HARD decision and those beautiful size 8's! Keep on keeping on! YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!!!!!