LipstickLady

I feel great when I wake up. I get dressed, come downstairs, chew my baby Vitamins, take the puppy out, swallow my Vitamin D, make my shake, swallow my Prilosec, take a few sips of my shake and then it starts... The rumbling, the grumbling, the overwhelming urge to belch that is so down deep in my belly and throat that will not surface. (This morning I did take a GasX strip to help it along and it worked!) When I finally work the belch up to the top, it doesn't come out like a lady-like hic-burp, and it doesn't come out like a middle school boy with a soda. It comes out as if I had just shoved my finger down my throat after a night of binge drinking. It's ugly, it's mucous, it's deep and loud. It's preceded by a mouthful of spit that must be spat. Then it occurs again and again. The second and third are usually deeper and are accompanied my a mouthful of really thick saliva. There is no bile, there is really no shake that is coming back up and the pills are staying down. It's not even as if I am hawking a loogie, but it is definitely a mouthful of gummy saliva as if it's been pooling in my tummy all night. I would say by the fourth burp/retch, I have donated about 1/2 cup of this thick clear Fluid back to the sewer system and then I feel fine to continue on my day. Of course, by this time, I've only had a few teaspoons of shake and I have no desire for any more. What in the world? Let me tell you, this morning, it did NOT make for a pleasant drive to drop my kid off at school. Thank GAWD our neighbor was driving her own kid to school. That would have been a horrible thing for her to witness. I am sure the one teacher who saw me retching in the parking lot at school thought I was either pregnant or finishing off an all nighter. I think I need to start carrying a spit cup. Thoughts?

Why would you ASSume that? (Can someone turn on the fan?)

Now that y'all mentioned it, this did start around the time I started taking my daily regimen of pills. Called my NP and she said that I should take the acid pill first thing and the Vitamins later to see if that worked. She also said if I was still having trouble, the next thing to try is taking a zyrtec at night. She said that many people have post nasal drip (especially with the high allergens in the air where I live right now), and pre-sleeve is slid right through where now it might be pooling in my tummy. I will try what y'all advised above before adding another pill to my tummy. I will also tell my husband that any morning activities are off until this crap stops. No more sexy time until I can be up for an hour without retching sounds fair enough, right?

Who has the popcorn?

OHHHHH! Is that what the slimies are? Hmmm.... Maybe I shouldn't take all four at once? I am pretty full after even when I space them out as directed. I didn't even think of that.

I thought about that, but after the morning love-fest with my sink (or the pavement if I am in the car), I feel fine. I can force myself to sip my shake and it stays down just fine. I can sip my juice all day just fine, too. I can swallow yogurt, popsicles, pudding, etc. I just don't WANT to. It's almost as if I have a bellyful of saliva that's accumulated overnight that must be purged before I can continue with my day. Hmm... Maybe I should weigh myself AFTER the purge instead of before. At least one good thing will come of it.

Chew gum or suck on a mint. Seriously. It's so easy to slip into those mindless habits. I caught myself stuffing a chip in my mouth packing the cooler for the pool and I have always tracked everything because of my perpetual WWs habit. (I wonder how much I missed tracking because of blind habit?) I spit it out, got a Listerine breath strip (GAG O RAMA!!!) and went on about my lunch making. Now I keep a pack on the fridge to grab whenever I am cooking. And yes, I chew gum AND drink through a straw, being the rebel that I am.

You will be fine. Get up and walk walk walk even if you don't feel like it. When you are done walking, walk some more. Get the gas moving and out of your body as quickly as possible so you will feel less pain tomorrow. Walk, walk, walk. Then walk. Don't be afraid to ask for pain meds if you need them. Don't be surprised when you can't drink anything today but start on those ice chips as soon as they will let you. And then? WALK!! You are in my thoughts today!

Pot is the only thing that gives me dry mouth and I stopped that ages ago. That said, I will file that info away in case I need it! Thanks!

Yes, mom. I'll get some tomorrow.

I know my sleeve is working because that sounds horrific. Now if I had known about these two weeks ago, I'd be singing a different tune... I started watching what other people ate when I started my pre op. It amazed me to see how my skinny friends ate vs. my fellow chubs. Never noticed before because I was so busy shoveling it in. It really doesn't gross me out but it does make me feel sad for them. One wants the surgery and her insurance doesn't cover it. Another wants to want to do it but I not think she will. I hope they never feel as if I am judging them because I am not. I have no doubt I would be eating the same way if I had not had this surgery and that scares me. I feel very blessed to have insurance that would pay, a support group behind me and the courage to make the plunge.

I would be more fearful of cotton mouth than anything. Pot doesn't give me the munchies either with the exception of one food - pickles. Awesome if you are on a diet except for the sodium. I could get medicinal usage for the nugget growing in my brain, but chose to do without having two teens in the house. Good example and all that jazz... On the coughing. I went into surgery with a fabulous chest cold and coughing sucked. That said, the nurses loved to hear it so that thy knew I was taking deep breathes and waking up my lungs. I can barely sip Water right now and dry mouth is intolerable for me. It's like tapping my teeth with a fork. Ack! Ask your doc! I'm sure you won't be the first.

What is a rib roll?

Please share. Problem is, I have NO appetite. NONE. And I really have no appetite for anything sweet.

I am getting in less than 300 calories a day (today I hit a whopping 202!) and I am 12 days out. I don't have taters, but I do have soup. I had an entire 1/8 cup today but I was aiming for 1/4. HA!! I think because we can't do much, it's not that detrimental this early in the game.

How far out are you? I am about 12 days and if I can get 1/4 cup in, I'm doing great!

Not so. My insurance requires a BMI of 40 with no co's or 35 with at least 2. The employer gets to pick what plan they want or even if they want to cover it at all. My BFF is a BMI of 48 with two co's and can't get WLS at all.

I love this line: http://www.imaginefoods.com/products You can find it at Fresh Market or Whole Foods (or I imagine most other "gourmet" grocers), or you can order online. They have the 16 oz or 8 oz sizes and they keep for a week. The creamy soups have no lumps at all and are delicious.

I'm drinking! I'm drinking! I'm drinking! And it's not getting stuck!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!! I am not burping it right back up!! It's not causing tummy heaves or mouth sweats. I'm drinking!!!! So, should I Water down my gatorade?I like it better than Crystal light, I've had less than 50 calories in 3.5 days and for today, I think I need to take what I can get. I don't mind it watered down but I do think I need the electrolytes Crystal Light won't provide. Did I tell you that I am finally drinking???

Every surgeon is different. I suggest you call yours and ask your NUT their expectations. It will be fine, I'm sure.

Protein vs. liquid Cuz it sure as heck can't be both. I got in a record amount of fluids today at the pool! I figured that was more important after spending an entire day in the sun. For the first time, I got down 40 oz of Water, but I had to force myself to eat 2oz of yogurt and 2 oz of creamed Soup and I am paying for it now. My youngest can't stop herself from giggling at the ferocious noises that are coming from my throat. Fortunately, before I drank all that, I got in one entire Protein shake so I got some protein in, but when I opened the second, it went back in the fridge after a few sips. Ugh... One day at a time, right? Still no complaints but it sure is weird having the FULL feeling up so high instead on in a thanksgiving tummy. I really wouldn't be unhappy staying this way IF I could figure out how to work out a belch faster. Ideas? (And if one more person goes to burp me like an infant, they will be gagging on their own teeth, for real!)

I watched them in the hospital post op and I still do. Love them. Best part? They give me new ideas for adaptation, but unlike before, I have no urge to snack during. Or before. Or after. Or ever. Ha!

I always associate those with bum trumpets. Thank you, I will!

My NUT said most sleeves won't operate soft breads well, but toasted is a go. Perhaps a whole grain bread to slice and toast? I love bread, but with so few carbs over the last 5 weeks, I don't crave it. Don't want to either, so I am avoiding it.