stacechase

I'm a stomach sleeper myself, and I'm still too sore to go back to my stomach. I feel your pain! For now, I just have to tough it on my side and back, which sucks! But I've had other abdominal surgeries (gallbladder and ovarian cyst) and am used to the annoyance, LOL. It will be over soon!

Ooh, ooh! I started this thread a while back, and through everyone's great suggestions, it turned out to be a real gold mine! Enjoy! http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/85547-good-books-for-the-emotional-aspects-of-post-surgery/

HAHAHA! Yes, I'm SURE that was the reason.

Well, everyone's doctor is different, but mine said that was fine (he never even mentioned crushing). They even have me cut up pain pills in the hospital because the liquid version made me dry heave.

I had the same experience yesterday during my first purée meal. I was so excited to have my fat-free refried Beans, cheddar, guac & Greek yogurt...I think I ate too much too fast although it was easily under a 1/4 cup. I got what felt like excruciating heartburn and that feeling that my chest and throat were tight. I was so overexcited that even though I thought I was eating slow enough, I clearly wasn't. I'm currently nomming on some homemade egg salad, and have taken 2 tablespoons only, and it's taken me about 45 minutes to eat it...I've been waiting about 5 minutes in between bites, and everything is going down fine. Just needed to slow down and eat smaller portions!

I am also on meds (anti-anxiety) and I was allowed to take my pills! I bought a pill cutter from the drugstore. My doc said that as long as the pieces are about the size of a tic tac, you're good to go.

Hi everyone! Another Dr. Zare patient here. I was sleeved on August 19, and am happy to share a few tips for the new Zare patients! I can't stress enough to begin making lifestyle changes as soon as you can before your surgery. I saw Dr. Zare in May, and was already 98% sure I would be having the surgery sometime in the summer (my insurance is great, and I was an excellent candidate. I had been researching weight loss surgery & the sleeve for a few years so I didn't have any hesitations). Anyway, even though I knew in June that I would be having surgery in August, I also went through a phase of eating like I would never eat again. I work at a bakery on weekends, and sugar is my kryptonite...we would have extra cupcakes at the end of the day, and I would bring a bunch home. It's insane how many cupcakes I could eat in one sitting. I was frustrated with myself because of course my brain knew that I needed to get my act together, but I wasn't following through. Anyway, on July 26, I decided to watch a food documentary on Netflix called "Hungry for Change," and no joke, something clicked inside of me. I loved this film. It inspired me to put on my walking shoes and go for a multiple-mile walk right then and there. From then on, it's been no looking back. I slowly changed my eating habits, and even began doing a Protein shake for one meal a day to ease my way into the 10-day pre-op liquid diet that I knew was on the horizon. The sooner you can begin making these major changes that you'll have to make post-surgery, the better off you'll be. Also, cannot stress enough the importance of FOLLOWING THE PRE-OP liquid diet. I hate to get all caps-y there, but it makes me batty to read of people on these boards telling others that it's "okay" that they cheated on their pre-op diet with PB&J, Italian food, and all-you-can-eat sushi...?!? Dr. Zare is the expert here, and in my mind, what he said was law. No cheating! You will not die of hunger. Promise. I'm not saying it's a walk in the park, but it's worth it, and you owe it to yourself and your health to follow the plan. I lost about 20 lbs. pre-op, and it makes the surgery a lot easier for him (no fatty liver in the way!) Every victory you have—doing a little more exercise each day, sticking to your pre-op diet with no cheating—will make you feel like a superhero in the end! It's HARD to exercise when you're overweight, and it's HARD to stick to a liquid diet when food has always been in control. But when you do exercise and when you do stick to your diet, you will be so proud of yourself & how strong you are! It's a BIG DEAL to do these things, especially the liquid diet—all of my (very fit) friends at work constantly told me "There is no way I could do what you're doing. You're amazing." That was great to hear! Anyway, I'm always available to answer any questions about Dr. Zare via PM if you need support. He's a great doctor and you're all in very capable hands! Congrats on the start of a whole new life!

Thanks so much!

WOW, thank you SO much! What a sweet thing to say!! I think I'm far from an inspiration, but I am honored that you think of me as such!

Thanks so much!!

Thanks, Laura! He's such a nice guy. He was like, "Look at you! You're glowing!" Haha! I've been really happy with him so far.

Thank you both so much! I'm pretty excited with the visible changes already!

You ladies can do it!! Everyone gets their energy back at different times, it seems. Even a small bit of exercise is better than nothing! Congrats to you both on your surgery, I know you'll be ready to rock some long walks in no time!

Welcome! I was sleeved on 8/19, so we're at about the same place on this ride. This site is very helpful; I'm sure you'll learn a lot like all of us! Congrats on your sleeve!

Just to weigh in, after the last three surgeries I have had in the last two years (including this one on August 19), I have suffered thigh numbness and sometimes excruciating burning. None of my surgeries have involved my legs. It wasn't too bad after the sleeve surgery, but quite bad after my previous two surgeries. Of course, discuss with your doctor, but mine is likely damage to the femoral cutaneous nerve which runs along your upper thigh and hip. Sometimes when they strap people down for surgery, they damage this nerve--and it's more prone to damage with obesity also. There are parts of my leg that are still numb, but the pain has all but disappeared as nerves take some time to heal. Good luck!!

You look fantastic! Congrats on your success!

I've been single for over 10 years, and I am completely aware of the fact that while some of it has to do with my weight, quite a bit also has to do with my attitude toward men (distrust, bitchiness, etc). I've tried online dating to no avail...out here in the Bay Area, super-skinny gals get all of the attention. My online dating experiences have either led to socially awkward guys who are afraid to look at me over dinner (and then want to split the bill) or guys who act like they're looking for a relationship, then end up wanting sex with a fat chick because our low self-confidence tends to make us an easy lay. Apologies for the bluntness, but this has happened more than once. I was sleeved on 8/19 and am working hard not only on getting healthy, but also adjusting my attitude toward men. It's very difficult to change your thinking when you've literally never had an experience with men your age where they haven't ignored you or treated you poorly. I do want a relationship, and I love being someone's girlfriend...it's just a matter of changing my state of mind. It'll be tough, but I'm up for the challenge!

Hi everyone: Today, I attended a workshop at work regarding the power of unconscious bias, and how it affects all of us in our daily lives. Of course, many of us are probably already aware of the biases we may possess—but there are some that can surprise you! There's a website for Project Implicit, created at Harvard, that allows you to take 10-15 minute interactive tests to judge your unconscious biases on everything from gender to race to—wait for it—even weight. You may have to enter your email to participate, but the tests are free, and very interesting! https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/selectatest.html Try it out, and let me know what you thought, what surprised you, etc! Curious to see people's feedback.

You'll be fine! I was sleeved on Monday, 8/19 and didn't pass gas until yesterday. Now it's like I'm powering a hot air balloon for God's sake. Also had my first (very loose) poop yesterday. Give it some time; I also felt lots of rumblings before anything materialized...but walking is key!

Oh girl. I hear you -- anything too cold gives me spasms and I can't do it! Warm things -- broth, soup -- or room temp things are a must.

Welcome! This site is a great resource, and there are lots of great people here for support. I was just sleeved on Monday, 8/19, and even though it was a pretty painful recovery initially, I'm doing a little better each day. Congrats on your date!