Firëfly

I wasn't too worried about my surgery but being on here helped quell some of the anxiety I had from the wait and just wanting to get the VSG done. I learned a lot and felt more prepared going in.

Since surgery I've lost a noticeable amount of weight and if someone asks, I will tell them that I had bariatric surgery. Most people don't know what gastric sleeve surgery is and I don't go into depth with them on it unless it's someone who is asking more questions about it. Those people are also the ones who would generally benefit from the surgery too so I try to be as open and honest with them because it might end up saving their life someday. I don't know if I ever would have been able to have this surgery if it hadn't of been for 3-5 people close to me that had already had the same or similar procedure done. Their openness and honesty made it easier for me to make the decision and know that I was doing the right thing. I hope to pay it forward to others as a way of giving back. As for the haters, I haven't said anything about the surgery. I just sit back with my tiny meal, get full off of a few bites and let them try to figure out what's going on. Most of those types made fun of me before surgery so I don't care to mention it to them and they don't have the guts to ask me about it so I just let them wonder . . . and watch me get smaller each day.

You should be okay and I think that the only way the nurse or doctor will know something is if you told them that you cheated. One taco won't hurt you -- just keep sticking to the plan and you will be okay. My doctor does not order a pre-op diet because he said that he's found patient compliance is horrible on it for the most part. He said everybody always cheats because they are afraid they will never be able to eat their favorite foods again. I think this is why some offices are more strict and warn people more about staying on the pre-op diets they order. It's for those people who will cheat a lot and really lie about their noncompliance. From what you've posted, I wouldn't consider you to be in that category.

I had to have mine done about 2 years ago before gallbladder surgery. I did not have someone there that day to drive me home so they just sprayed some numbing medication on the back of my throat and I got to watch the procedure done since they didn't knock me out. It's real simple. They just feed the camera tube down your throat, through your esophagus and you can feel a small jolt when it goes through the valve into your stomach. My doctor had to take a biopsy of some small red dots on my stomach and it just felt like someone was pinching you when he did. The hardest part was when they pulled the tube out and I was trying not to gag as it was coming up. According to my doctor, most people will probably have some type of small hernia right before the stomach valve -- I had one, my surgeon repaired it during my VSG -- and many people have some small spots on their stomach that they test just to see if you have the bacteria that causes ulcers. All my tests came back okay. I was a little sore the next day in my shoulder area from dry heaving when they pulled the tube out and had a slight sore throat but other than that, it was an easy procedure to do.

Just seeing this post and hope your journey gets easier for you now. That's a lot to deal with but it will be easier once you get your surgery and get more healthy yourself. Good luck!

I tried really hard to give up drinking Cokes and having my morning coffee before surgery. I didn't do so well. Now that I'm post-op, I haven't had a Coke and really don't want one. I tried drinking decaf coffee but my stomach doesn't like it at all. I can have regular coffee but I only drink it on the weekends if I'm not having a sugar-free hot chocolate instead. My hats off to you guys that can cut it out completely and not want to go back. I've noticed that if I drink ice tea (unsweet) that has caffeine in it, it makes the acid in my stomach act up and I have to take something for it. It sucks because if I'm on the road traveling for work, that's about the only type of ice tea that I can find in places because they don't always have the bottled kind I like. Keep up the good work!

Surgery date: 05/23/13 SW: 325 CW: 285 I couldn't be happier with the way things are going! I hope everybody else is still doing okay and starting to enjoy eating more regular food now.

Don't worry about the liquid intake so much -- everything is normal. I was able to drink more each day after surgery and had the same doubts. When you get to eating more solid foods you will definitely feel the restriction of your sleeve. Just keep getting in your protein and water and you'll do just fine.

Yesterday was my one month post op day. I went from 325 (no pre-op diet) to 290 for a 35 pound weight loss. I've turned into a fish junkie over the past two weeks because that's the easiest meat for me to keep down. So pass the tilapia, salmon, crab, shrimp and scallops my way!

Just a warning -- it may not have anything to do with your salt/sodium intake or levels in your body but your hormones instead. I had problems with swelling pre-op that went away right after surgery. A good lot of my loss the week after surgery was Water related. During the next three weeks out, I was losing inches but not weight on the scale. I couldn't figure out what was going on with my body and why I was retaining water so much. I cut back on sodium intake and upped my water/fluids as much as I could. Come to find out, it was my hormones coming back into play after I had been on the Deprovera shot for so long. I have never had problems with the shot but apparently a big weight loss will cause you to have problems with it and your hormones. As soon as my body got that figured out and realigned itself, the weight started coming off and so did the swelling/water retention in my ankles and legs.

I had to take Prilosec before my heartburn would go away. I'm glad you found something that works on yours -- it's a PIA to have heartburn.

When you look at it from this side, it is crazy the amount of food the old us and everybody else consumes. I think, "Gosh, no wonder why everybody I know is on a diet or worries about their weight to a certain extent." It would be worse for me if I was living with foodies and had to watch them continue to eat like I used to and know that they are heading to a dark place. I know it's hard watching that but is there a way how you can adapt some of the food choices in the house to make some of the good stuff a regular substitute for the bad? I know on this site that there are recipes for Protein ice cream, low-carb dishes and Snacks that might be an option to steer them in another direction? Is there a way to get them to at least try something new that would be better for them? I don't know if any of that will help or just listening does on it's own. (((hugs)))

I live alone and didn't want to cook a bunch of stuff for this phase because like you said, you only eat a few bites and have to throw it out for the most part. So what I did was buy a bunch of my stuff already pre-made and in smaller containers that if I had cooked it. Yes, I understand that you aren't always getting the freshest stuff or know what is exactly in something calorie/protein-wise but I estimated as good as I could and tried to vary stuff up right now. I ended up buying pre-made tuna salad, chicken salad and meatloaf from our local grocery store that has a deli in it. I also bought some of my favorite chopped beef brisket and cut it up in more smaller pieces to have some almost pureed bbq. I also found some chili that was in the refrigerated section that I tried one night (too heavy for my stomach). When I was out and about, I stopped at one of our local sub shops and got a couple of different kinds of their Soup. I've also gone to Subway and had them make a 6" meatball sub with just the meatballs (they can put them in a soup cup) and a little ranch and Parmesan cheese on them. I've had Sonic make a breakfast burrito -- just the insides of it -- and put it in a box to go. Refried Beans and cheese was another staple for me at this time. Anything I had I just mashed and worked with it enough with my fork to make it into a pureed blend.

I'm 5'5" with a large frame and my doctor set my goal at 145 if that helps you with your numbers any. Congrats on your weight loss!

My doctor told me to take Immodium for that problem. I only had Pepto in my house one night and had to use it post-op. He said he preferred Immodium so you should be okay in taking it. It does get better after you get off of that post-op liquid diet. (((hugs)))

I almost had my surgery date pushed back a week too and it's hard to describe how much even that small amount of time can be really frustrating. I had those same feelings of wanting to just get it done and get one with the rest of my life. I'm sorry for you. (((hugs)))

I hate to hear that so many of us are experiencing stalls (including me) but I'm so happy in that I am not alone -- I was so afraid that I was messing something up and was alone in that! I did not do a pre-op diet and I lost 28 pounds in the week after surgery. Since then I've only lost about 2-3 pounds (depends on the days I've weighed). I know that I'm losing inches though because I can fit in clothes that I could not when I got home from surgery but it's still frustrating to not see those numbers move on the scale. I'm trying to stay positive by tracking my NSV's -- which I've had a few -- but it's so hard remaining upbeat when I go to weigh every couple of days and I end up yelling "Seriously!" in not a nice way at my scale.

At six weeks I can have almost anything -- no raw veggies and bread til 7-8 weeks out -- but I can say right now at 4 weeks, I can have this on the go that might help you: Subway -- You can order a 6 inch meatball (will be 4 meatballs and sauce) and have them just put the meatballs in a soup cup for you -- no bread. I put some swiss cheese on mine to add some Protein and got two meals out of one cup the other day when I was on the road. You can usually find a deli shop with soup to order and get along with some of those family restaurants. Subway in my area doesn't have soup in the summer but they may still serve it down state so you also have that option there. Sonic or Whataburger -- I got them to make a sausage Breakfast burrito the other day without the tortilla -- just the "guts" of it and had 3 meals off of that because eggs are so filling for me. At a nice steakhouse or fish place, I can have salmon and a baked sweet potato right now. I've also seen where some people have ordered loaded mash potatoes -- with bacon bits, cheese, etc. -- that I know is not the greatest choice but one that I can have on my plan right now that might get you by for a meal. Wendy's = chili Taco Bell = I've had them make a mix of refried Beans, some taco meat and cheese and put it in a cup for me to go. Cheap and lasted two meals for me. Have fun on vacation!

I'm going to practice chipping in my front yard next week (4th week out from surgery) and if that doesn't hurt too bad, I'll probably go hit some practice balls at the driving range (7 & 9 irons along with my driver) the week after that. I bowled for the first time on Thursday (16 pound ball) and that didn't hurt at all. I was a little sore yesterday but it was more around my incision areas than anything stomach related. I'm giving myself a little more time with golf just because of the twisting you do with your torso.

I had this same problem earlier this week. It only lasted for about 8 hours and I was a little worried that I had maybe given my stomach too much to handle. It was located more around the incision site though so I just waited to see if I was going to start running a fever. I never did so I just went out and walked for 45 minutes that night. Woke up the next morning without any pain or soreness and I haven't felt it since then.

I came home with two of them. Tried the plastic wrapping both in the hospital and at home with no real success on keeping things dry. I just got where I would reapply bandages every day after my shower until they were removed a week after surgery. I then kept changing everyday until I didn't need anything covering up the incision lines.

If I drink something cold, I sometimes feel when it hits my stomach but other than that I'm not having any problems with drinking (17 days out). I can take normal drinks (not gulps like others have posted) without too many problems. Over the past few days I'm not even feeling as full in my stomach as I was a few days post-op from just drinking either. It's wonderful because it was hard getting all those liquids down and being full from Water. Now it's starting to feel more normal and I can drink more stuff throughout the day. I haven't had much discomfort. Are you thinking that you are having a problem somewhere? Do you just feel too full or have major stomach pains when you drink? I sometimes felt full but it didn't hurt at anytime to drink stuff.

My surgeon did not require a pre-op diet -- just no food after 9 p.m. and no liquids after midnight the night before surgery. I'm glad that I didn't have to do one, especially in my 1st week out from surgery because staying on that liquid diet was hard enough. I've been on liquid diets before so I didn't have the question of whether or not I'd be able to handle it. I knew that I could and I did just fine with it. With the stress of the surgery itself and everything that comes after it, I was so glad that I didn't make myself diet or go on my own pre-op diet before surgery. That week after surgery was so hard for me to get nutrients, Protein and fluids in and I was glad that I had been eating well and drinking well the week before.

I'm 6 days post-op and a little dizzy this morning. I think mine has more to do with needing to get in more fluids (only got 50oz yesterday) and hitting my protein today (got 60g yesterday but should have 80g according to my plan). I'm watering down some of my clear protein drinks so they aren't so sweet and adding powder protein to the small bit of foods (like yogurt) that I'm allowed. I hope you get to feeling better. (((hugs)))