ready2B

For me, it usually started to hurt right away if my pouch wasn't ready for something. It felt like I'd swallowed a rock! It usually wouldn't just go away, I'd start getting nauseous and finally end up throwing up, but it wasn't food that came up - more like foamy mucus. I learned since that is what people refer to as "sliming" or "the foamies". I'd feel better after that, but would still wait at least a couple of hours before eating anything else. After 4 days in a row of doing that (my second week of soft foods), I became afraid to eat anything! Not good, because the really low calories I was getting in made me stall really bad. So, in hindsight, I should have gone back to pureed for a couple of days to let things calm down a bit. I don't know if it would have helped or not, or if everyone just ends up going through some times like that. But, the good news is at 5 weeks, I am now able to eat a lot more different things without the discomfort! I can even eat really spicy things. So - hang in there and don't be afraid. If something bothers you, just take a break from it and don't feel like it means you won't ever be able to eat that again.

My scale started moving again this week too but oh, so slowly!!! I lost about a pound a day for the first couple of weeks or so and it was like Christmas morning as a kid every morning! Now it is like Christmas morning as an adult - who just gets socks and underwear! It inches down a couple of tenths of a pound at a time. Agonizing! But at least it is moving and in the right direction! On a better note, I am able to tolerate meat again! Or at least chicken, which is all I've been brave enough to try again so far. I am very happy about this because it was getting REALLY boring eating the same non-meat stuff for Protein. And now I should be able to fix regular meals again for my husband and I with just teeny little portions for me. He wasn't interested when all that I could have was cottage cheese or egg salad! So, he will be happy too to take a break from all the frozen dinners. First up tomorrow - asian lettuce wraps!

You likely won't feel really full on liquids but you should know when you are once you get to solid foods. I quickly got to the point where I knew if I ate one more speck, I was going to throw up! Don't worry about fullness now - just keep getting in your fluids and Protein. I did have to worry about gas pains early on though. If I took too big of a sip, swallowed too much air, didn't chew enough, or something, it would suddenly feel like I swallowed a rock! It hurt. I'd have to wait it out until my little tiny tummy quite cramping to sip or eat anything else.

I am also 5 weeks postop. My nerves kind of kicked in a lot the last day or two before surgery but I really had to trust in my months of research & prep work before that point and know that I was making the right decision. On surgery day, I really had to just sort of pretend it wasn't happening, just to calm my nerves! It is scary. But - the good news is it was no where near as difficult as I expected. Very little pain, mostly just mild discomfort. The nurses treated me wonderfully and that first 24-48 hours went by quickly. For the next couple of weeks after, there was some adjustments time getting used to what I could & couldn't tolerate well, but I fully expected that so it also went smoothly. The best part was waking up each morning and almost running to the scale to see how much more I had lost!! So, for me, definitely no regrets! Though I am still really just getting started, I can already tell such a big difference in how I feel. Pain in my back, knees & feet is already gone. I sleep much better. I am off more than half of my meds already and I have HOPE for my future now!

I am 5 weeks out now and there are times things hurt my pouch too. I am on a regular diet now, but I can't seem to tolerate meat of any kind right now, even though I could 3 weeks ago. My NUT explained that some of us don't have the stomach enzymes that we need to break certain foods down like meats at first, and it takes some people longer than others to be able to eat them again. Be patient. In the meantime, I can eat cheese, yogurt, edamame, and a bunch of other things just fine and can get in my Protein with non-meat things. I do find if I eat or ever drink a sip of Water too fast, my ouch will cramp up and it HURTS!! It will take up to a couple of hours sometimes to quit cramping. I just wait it out, maybe sip some warm camomile tea, and then it all seems okay again.

That's an awesome start. I only lost about 12 the first couple of weeks. I gained a lot of Water weight from the surgery & IVs and that took a few days to get out of my system. Then I lost a pound a day for a while, which felt like Christmas every morning! But then I hit the dreaded 3rd week stall - prepare yourself. You might also hit a stall for a few days or even a week now. Don't be discouraged if it happens - apparently it is quite common. Congrats on your success so far. The fun is just beginning!

@@Wvcari - Glad I am not the only one with pizza on the brain! I was afraid the nutritionist would look horrified when I asked if I could have pizza now, or give me a lecture on how I needed to eat healthier things like sprouts or something. LOL!

Hi November Surgery Buddies! I just got home from my 1 month checkup. I've lost 20 lbs on their scales since my preop appt 1 week before surgery. I was really hoping for more, but they reassured me I was doing great and right on schedule. I told them about my week long stall and they said it is VERY typical for the first month - your body is still adjusting to a huge change. I finally started losing again the past couple of days and I can't tell you how happy and relieved I was to see that number finally move again. @@Dabliss111114 - hang in there! It will move! One thing the nutritionist told me is that not getting enough protein or water will cause a stall almost every time. I had a rough week where I couldn't eat much, so I know I wasn't getting enough. That's picked back up the last few days - and the scale moved! So - go figure. I was also released to eat a regular diet with no restrictions as long as I can get in my 60 gm of protein (and of course not eat more than I should). So the first thing I asked her if I could have was PIZZA! She laughed and said of course! I am still having problems with meats of any kind so, for me it would be a thin crust cheese pizza or something like that. So I stopped on the way home and got a Lean Cuisine artichoke cheese snack size pizza that totally made my day! Funny how that would have never done it for me before surgery, but today I was so thrilled to get it! The deal with meat is she said that after RNY, some people don't produce enough stomach acids to break down meats for a while so your small intestines have to handle it and they aren't ready for it yet either. Some handle it fine - I am just not one of them. That's okay with me for now - there are plenty of other ways I can get in protein. I love cheese! And I just discovered edamame this week, so that's another great source of protein. I will keep trying meat every now and then to see when I can finally tolerate it, but right now it feels like I've swallowed a rock and then sends me into nasty retching and other ugly stuff.

I absolutely obsessed about every little thing along the way. I think that is perfectly normal. It's a really big deal! I've had other major surgeries and I obsessed about them too and way over-prepared but that's just the way I am. For me, it was a good thing. I knew I had done everything possible on my end. Your doctor's office has been through this many many times before. Trust that they will let you know if there is anything you've missed! BTW - the obsessing doesn't stop once you get approved or even after you have surgery! The real fun begins when you start tracking all your Vitamins, Calcium, fluids, Protein, etc! Hang in there and try to just enjoy the ride. :-)

I didn't tell my Mom. Even though she has had weight issues her whole life, and even had lapband surgery in the past, she is "difficult" and I just didn't want to deal with her judgments, unsolicited (and usually very off-base) advice, intrusive questions and all that. So I purposefully didn't tell her or any of my siblings. (My dad is deceased.) But then, my son called my mom and told her even though I had expressly told him not to! That just made me nuts. So, when she called and said she heard I had surgery, I told her nothing more than that I was doing fine, but gave her no details at all and refused to get into a discussion about what I was eating, how much weight had I lost so far, etc. Even though I am in my 50s, this is very new territory for me - setting personal boundaries and calling my own shots in regard to my life! It's a huge step for me to take back that control and not let toxic people into personal areas of my life, especially when I need to be focusing on my own physical and emotional well-being!

I like to drink out of straws in restaurants because the dishwashers don't always get the rim of glasses clean enough and things like chapstick & lipstick can leave gross residue on them. But, since I can't drink liquids now 30 minutes before or after meals, even though I order a water when I go out, I rarely drink any of it so the one or two tiny sips I might take from a straw then aren't going to hurt me.

@@NewJeffrey - I was talking to a member here about this today - she is 9 months out and she reassured me that the honeymoon is far from over! This phase is a very temporary blip and will be over soon. Apparently LOTS of people have early stalls but continue on to great success. Very common. I know what you mean about ti being hard to handle compliments. I lost almost 100 lbs 10 years ago and got to my goal weight. That entire year and a half it took to get there (Weight Watchers) I had to deal daily with that. It was the hardest part for me. I hated all the attention! I wouldn't have minded a few quiet, sincere compliments every now and then, but it got to be ridiculous. I'd walk into a room and everyone would stop talking and start staring, then someone would squeal "OMG!! LOOK AT YOU!!" I wanted to hide! I hated every conversation being about me, my appearance, my weight - all topics I had carefully avoided for years! At first, I tried explaining respectfully to people what I was doing and thought that would satisfy them. Nope - they just asked more and more questions - super personal ones! It was like by losing weight, I had also lost all rights to any privacy or respect. it wasn't long before I gained all the weight back and more - I think partly because that was so uncomfortable for me. Then for years, I didn't even want to think about losing weight again and having to go through all that over again. So - this time, I really had to do some deep soul-searching before I came to the decision to have surgery and get healthy. The main thing that I have to remind myself over and over a thousand times a week is that I am doing this for ME. I want to be healthy. I want to live. I want my life to be fuller and more satisfying and I can't do that if I hide behind all this extra weight. I cannot allow what others say and do get in the way of that again. I have to learn to graciously accept the sincere compliments as well as set personal boundaries and respectfully let people know when they are crossing the line. I will not use self-depreciating humor to deflect when things get uncomfortable, but I will look people in the eye and speak honestly. I think underneath it all, people don't want to make you feel bad nor do they want to sabotage your success! They are just awkward and don't know how to think before they speak sometimes. It is shocking to them when someone loses 100lbs or more! But this part is also temporary. Our huge changes will be very evident for the first year, but after that, people will get used it the NewJeffery and eventually forget what OldJeffery looked like. The new you will become the normal, EverydayJeffery that they see and things will settle down and you will be able to wake up every day and enjoy this wonderful gift of life you've been given!

I had lost a lot of weight in the past (though gained it all back quickly & more) so I had to deal with a lot of very inappropriate comments about my weight loss and it always unsettled me. I hated my weight loss (and regain) always being the topic of the day wherever I went! So, this time, in doing the emotional prep work for this surgery, I've already come up with a response that I think will defuse some of the unsolicited & unwanted comments. If anyone goes beyond a nice simple, "wow, you look great". and starts in asking things like "how much has you lost?", or commenting on how fat I was before, etc, I will just smile sweetly and say "I am bored talking about my body, let's talk about yours now!" I figure that will stop things pretty fast. :-)

I had been on Protonix for the past 7 years for horrible acid reflux. My doc had said I could discontinue after a month. I am almost a month post op and discontinued mine at 2 weeks out and have had no problems. One of the things is I broke the habit of eating near bedtime a couple of years ago and that helped considerably! Before than, I was eating dark chocolate and other no-no's right before bed every night!

I was in the honeymoon phase a couple of weeks ago, but sadly the honeymoon seems to be over way too quickly! I am stalled already this past week at only 20 lbs lost since surgery on Nov. 10th - almost a month ago. I was losing a pound a day, but now haven't lost anything in 5 days. So it is hard not to worry that I won't lose much weight after all - and that scares me. I told my husband last night that I hate food! I hate having to eat it and I hate when I do I am so cautious that I can't really enjoy it. It seems if my mouth likes it, my pouch doesn't and vice versa. cheese seems to be the only thing that pleases both but I am quickly getting tired of that too.My tummy is so finicky that he and I don't eat meals together because I have to eat when my pouch says it is okay, which stinks because sharing mealtime was special to us and I miss it. So most nights, he grabs a frozen dinner when he feels like it and I nibble cheese or whatever when I can. I am really hating this arrangement. The first couple of weeks went so beautifully and I was easily getting in all my Protein & fluids, but now it is a real challenge to get in (and keep) even half. My energy is low and I am frustrated and a bit depressed wondering how long things will be like this. Fortunately I have my one month appointment this week so maybe I will get some tips that might improve things a little. Sorry to be such a downer but I decided to share anyway in case anyone else is feeling the same way about now or has already gone through this phase and might have some words of wisdom for me.

@@Dabliss111114 - I am so sorry to hear about your father-in-law. Recovering from surgery is stressful enough without all you have gone through lately. Hugs to you and your family. I've been doing better the past couple of days - finally! It was a rough 4 days there, but thankfully that was short. TMI alert: I finally blench a BIG air bubble up as I was throwing up and I think that was the cause of my 4 day puking spree. My nausea went away after that. Since then I've been forcing small burps throughout the day to keep that from happening again. So far, so good. I got out today and did a lot of walking in Target. :-) I really do need to get out more. I had more energy since I can keep food down better. I was also dragging emotionally - it was frustrating nor being able to eat, not feeling like doing things, missing some of my favorite foods and probably having a minor pity party. Not full-blown really because I am extremely grateful that everything has gone so well, so more like a pout!

@@NewJeffrey - I am impressed with your walking! I don't have any energy lately and even a short trip to the grocery store seems really overwhelming. I know it will get better though. @@Dabliss111114 - There are a couple of posts after Thanksgiving before yours. They were on the next page. I've been super tired lately too but have had a hard time eating lately so I think it is just from very low calories. I am doing better today so far (holding my breath!) so hoping that my energy level picks up soon. How much have you lost since surgery? I just looked at my weight chart on My Fitness Pal and realized I've lost more in the past three weeks than I did in the 4 months before so I am happy! They tell us not to compare with others because we are all so very different. Your weight will come off - it just takes time. Are you tracking your food intake? I am only getting between 400-600 calories a day so even though I feel really full at times, I KNOW I am not eating too much. Right now I am having to each such a little amount at a time, that I am not too worried about eating more often. I know once I can eat something that resembles more of a small meal rather than just a couple of bites at a time, I won't have to eat as often. @@mary314847 - Welcome! I am also having a hard time finding foods that don't nauseate me right now even though I am on soft foods. meats of any kind don't go down well or stay down. I've been eating a lot of eggs and cheese and those seem to work better than most. Can you have those yet?

@@Elisha1015 - I am 3 weeks out too and have had a hard time the past few days keeping things down. I am on soft foods and did fine the first week on them. About the only thing I can keep down consistently right now is cheese. I had my doc call in a Rx for a liquid anti-nausea med. It helps, but makes me very sleepy! Maybe I will just sleep through the next few days until this stage passes!

I was going to a pain management doctor earlier this year for severe lower back pain that had greatly reduced my quality of life. She was the one who told me I needed to lose weight any way I could if I ever wanted to get relief from my back pain! It was interesting, before that, none of my regular doctors mentioned my weight - guess they were all trying to be "sensitive". Anyway, she was the one who planted the seed that got my ball rolling in the right direction. I had my surgery a little over 2 weeks ago. I've lost 40 lbs since I started the process in July and I have had NO MORE back pain. My hips, knees, ankles and feet are also much happier. Our bodies aren't meant to carry that much extra weight. If you are 100 lbs over, you put an enormous amount of stress on your joints and spine. It can't support the weight well and pain is the way our body tells us that. Good luck to you as you find relief! It is amazing to wake up each morning not in pain! Some doctors are just ignorant. My husband reminds me often that "someone had to graduate at the bottom of the class" and that's true with every profession. But with doctors, we have a trust that what they say is for our best interest, but that's not always the case. Like any other group of human beings, there will always be some who look out for their own interests, prejudices or uneducated beliefs before their patients. Take what he says with a grain of salt, weigh it against all the research you've done and judge for yourself whether or not there is any validity there. He's just one man with an opinion. If he were to call your surgeon, I hope your surgeon educates him a little more and gets his view out of the dark ages.

This also varies greatly by surgeon. Mine only required 1 day of liquids preop, but I think that's pretty rare. Others here have had much longer ones before and after surgery. Ask you doctor's office what his requirements are.

I didn't puree anything. There were plenty of other options at that stage for me that didn't require me sticking regular foods in a blender (gross!), such as yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding, protein drinks, refried beans, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, cream of wheat, etc. Don't worry, you will find ways to get creative! The pureed stage actually went by very fast for me. I am on soft foods now and was surprised at how many choices I have including crackers!!

It depends greatly on your surgeon. However, with the holidays and you not being done with your final requirements until Dec 16th, it would be highly unlikely you'd have your surgery in December. Insurance approval can take anywhere up to a few weeks, doctors sometime schedule several weeks out, etc. And some doctor's require a couple weeks of liquid diet before surgery. So lots of factors come into play. At any rate, your surgery will be a great way to start the new year!

Happy birthday and congratulations on your upcoming surgery and the birth of the new you! That's great that your girls are there to support you and help you. I had my surgery on Nov 10th and trust me, you won't be tempted with food commercials or what others around you are eating! I have such little appetite now, I never would have believed it before! The thought of something greasy like pizza totally turns my stomach and it was my most favorite food ever 2 weeks ago!

@@mzjaejeffery - Good luck with everything tomorrow! It's perfectly normal to be nervous, but I am sure you are in good hands. You will be on the other side before you know it!

My incisions itched like crazy for about 2 days then eased up again. But for those 2 days, I was climbing the walls! I couldn't stand anything touching them. An icepack helped a lot.