Lissa_S

Quick question - in the morning does anyone else struggle with your tummy gurgling like there's no tomorrow??? It is quite uncomfortable and goes away mostly dueing the day. Some days it can be quite unpleasant...

Thanks My dr cleared me to have nuts and salad veggies this week. I've had a few and they seem to have gone down ok. Just waiting for Tuesday and my official six week mark!! I don't talk to my dr again until mid-Dec so am hoping for the "all clear" then!

I am about 5 and a half weeks since the test showed there was no leak. So I am alsmost at the six week mark. And I know that I am being neurotic but it's what keeps me up at night I am sure you know what that is like. I am not doing anything that should put me at risk - but every little twinge or pain I freak out a little. I am sure that it will get better !! Thanks for your advice and best of luck!

Congratulations Puppyphat!!!!! What an amazing achievement! You look amazing and it must feel great!!

Has anyone heard of someone getting another leak after the first? It's what I am so scared about!

Shell - you look amazing! Changing old habits is really hard. And I am only back at work part time so I have no doubt that when I am fully back on deck I'll struggle more with this too. At the moment, I find that if I go too long without eating I feel a bit sick so that is a great motivator to remember to eat. I think you're doing the right thing in taking things with you to snack on - and nuts are great!

Dean - I don't own scales. Even now although the temptation to buy them has been great. The reason I don't is that I know I wouldn't be able to keep checking my weight I work at a hospital so now that I am back at work, I just nip into the office and weigh myself once per week. It's not for everyone but it works for me

Ugh I know - the nurses told me I was lazy and upsetting my familly by saying I couldn't walk down the hall. So i did and my heart rate wouldn't come down from 160 beats per minute. An hour later I am in ICU...being prepped for emergency surgery (7 hours) and ended up on a ventilator.

LOL that should read DON'T FREAK OUT

I had my surgery in September but got a leak - I have been out of hospital and eating now for six weeks. I was right where you were at the start of this process. Because of the leak, I really regretted my decision but from talking to others who also had a leak, as time goes by and you become more used to life with the sleeve, you no longer feel this regret. My friends who had normal recoveries also report the same thing - in six months, you'll feel so differently about this surgery! People keep telling me this anyway It doesn't really help but I just keep reminding myself that I will look back on this and not feel so, well, crappy. Just be kind to yourself and freak out...Best of luck, Lila

I had two back drains - like you without anaesethetic and I was hooked up via a garden hose (or so it seemed) to a pump. I was the same - couldn't get myself around without help either. My leak was also high up - sounds like it must be a common thing for that kind of leak. I am 5 weeks out since they did the leak test (as of yesterday) and although I find it really REALLY hard to eat and drink enough, I do think I am getting better all the time. I struggle a bit with nausea which is gross but it isn't too bad and I 've stopped taking medication to deal with it so hopefully it will go away soon.

Wow I am so sorry to hear your story. My lung collapsed twice too and I had about 3L of fluid on my lung. Twice they had to insert drains into my lung to reinflate it so I understand what you are talking about. Good luck for your test and I hope that all is well!

Thanks for your responses. My leak was diagnosed in hospital. I couldn't stand straight, had intense pain, was violently ill and my heart rate was around 160 beats per minute. I had two stomach drains in for two months, one of the wound sites is still healing. I had a test to confirm that the leak was fully healed at week 8 (it was such joy) and they then removed the drains. I am so glad that you are going well after your leak! It gives me encouragement. It's a hell of a thing though when it happens!!

Thanks all I appreciate it - although I think you're right Sue, it's taking time for my head to catch up but I am sure it will all settle down soon!

yeah it was a bit odd - I just think that they weren't sure what to say so they ignored it I don't mind, eventually they'll say something - or they won't. I don't really care so much. Decided to listen to the advice from you guy's and not go into work today...was so exhausted that I slept for 10 hours last night and am still dragging my feet so I'll have today off and go in again tomorrow. Luckily my work is very flexible around that kind of thing!! I have updated my profile photo - not sure if you can tell all that much - I really don't see a dramatic change but later I'll put up my before photo for comparison

Hi Kelliv - it's kind of funny, no one came and said too much outright which was really kind of funny. A few of the old ladies in the canteen said something though. Everyone was really nice at work, very caring and welcoming. Cause I have so much to lose, I don't think it looks like I have lost as much as I have - well I can't really see it. I am always surprised by what the scales say anyway. With clothes, a lot of my stuff still kind of fits, just is quite baggy. And I had a few things in smaller sizes in the cupboard so I have been able to wear that stuff. I went from a size 26-28 to a size 22 (in most things - bought a skirt from Millers in a 22 that didn't fit on the weekend which was a bit of a bummer lol- should have tried it on first). I think the next 10-15 kilos is when people will really start to notice. That will take me to around 115kg which I haven't been since I was at uni And that was quite a while ago! It should also get me into size 20 clothes which will be really nice!!

Welcome Deano Congrats on your weight loss to date - it's amazing! You'll find a lot of support on this forum as you noted - the people here are brilliant! It's great seeing so many new people to the forum!

My surgery was September 3 but I got a leak, then a whole heap of other stuff that kept me in hospital for 2 months. So my journey isn't a normal one

Hello all, I went back to work today for the first time in three months. I only stayed until 2:30 and man, I am wiped out. I can't believe how tired I am! Had lunch at work - a quarter of a ham, cheese and tomato sandwich - it took an hour to eat it but it stayed down I am on normal foods now which is great. I eat very little which I knew before the surgery would be the case but I get such a kick out of how little I eat. I am not trying not to eat much, I simply can't eat much. I just eat often now, every two hours or so during the day if I can manage it. I find that my body tells me if I need food now which I don't remember experiencing before (or if I did, I was able to ignore it). I have been having crackers as Snacks which has been really good. I am going to keep a packet of lesnack in my bag at all times from now on for food "emergencies" lol and some nuts. I am finding that the hardest thing is remembering to be prepared. I tried a soft drink over the weekend. This is what I found - I can get away with a few sips but do NOT try to drink a whole glass for two reasons. One, it is so damn sickly sweet I feel like I need to brush my teeth and two, the bubbles do not sit well (yet). Not painful just gassy and uncomfortable. A good reason to avoid them for sure! I find that I can have carbs (I know some people struggle with this) but just very little - bread sits okay, I just get really full. I had a little Pasta recently (none since lol) and I can eat about 5-6 pieces of spiral pasta and that is it. Rice is just as bad. Generally I am finding the best stuff is veggies and some kind of Protein, mostly red meat for Iron. I am going to try some fresh fruit tomorrow and yoghurt for lunch which I am looking forward to since I just haven't been able to fit any fruit in since the surgeries. Anyway, things continue to improve very slowly. Hope you're all well! Cheers, Lila

Hi Deb and welcome! Congrats on your surgery - it's all ahead of you now! You too Ozeedonkee I hope things settle down for you both and you reach your goals!

Congratulations Puppyphat! That's an amazing achievement. My surgeon told me that the 60-80% was just in the first year though and that she had every expectation that I would meet the goal (which I put down as 73kg - a lot more than your goal but I am hoping that I might be a bit taller???).

I am going back to work on Monday in time for all of the Christmas stuff too. Apparently there is a rumour at work (remember I work at a hospital) that I had complications from weight loss surgery (true) but that I SWALLOWED MY LAPBAND...now what worries me the MOST about this rumour is that it is an impossibility anatomically/ physically. And these people work in a hospital I am looking forward to some very interesting conversations over lunch lol

I know what you mean. Christmas is an eating day from start to finish...an endurance event. There is just no way I will be able to do what I used to Having thought about it for a little while, I decided to have three things I wanted to have a little of over Christmas - for me, it is prawn (singular, lol), potato salad and trifle. Now I don't care if I can only have one or a small spoon of each but as long as I get these three things, I'll be a happy camper Does anyone else have anything they don't wanna miss out on for Chrissy??

I have had problems with dumping post surgery although it seems to be a little better recently. If I eat too much though, I feel sick and have to have a lie down. It's pretty awful. And it could be anything that I eat - for me, it seems to be the quantity of what I am eating (which most recently was about 3/4 of a party pie at a kids birthday party on the weekend)...dumb, I know and it was uncomfortable for about an hour. I managed not to puke which was a heroic feat at the time lol. Hope you feel better soon though - that feeling sucks!