Croaker

First time I got out of bed, I peed and then put on underwear and a pair of scrub pants. I still had on the TED hose and their grippy socks. I'd considered changing out of the gown to a tshirt, but kinda needed the pocket of the gown for the telemetry device they had me on.

I'd be cautious with any exercise requiring lots of twisting and reaching high for a few weeks after surgery. Torquing on your abdominal stitches could lead to a couple popping and an incisional hernia. I was sleeved 2/23. I'm up to 30 min on the treadmill at 3mph and 3% incline, then the ellipictal. Right now only managing about 10 minutes on that, with the goal of increasing the time spent. At four week post op I'll add weight lifting.

One moment you're staring at the ceiling. The next moment, you're in recovery - of which I remember precious little.

My boys are 6 and 8. I told them I was going to have an operation to make my life better, that it would limit how much I could eat so I wouldn't be as big any more. That would mean I would be healthier and around for a lot longer. We also discussed my stay in the hospital and that my stomach would be sore for awhile after coming home, so to be careful. They've been great.

I was sleeved on the 23rd but also had a substantial hiatal hernia repair. The first couple of days I had intense referred pain in my shoulders with each swallow, every breath from my diaphragm. It faded by Thursday. I can swallow with only a slight hitch as it passes through. 60oz of water and 3 protein shakes today. The chewable multivitamins make my sleeve clench. I went off narcotics the day after surgery, as the liquid caused such intense spasms that I thought I'd have to return to the hospital. I stopped Tylenol Friday and am back to driving since my abdominal pain is gone and the muscles don't hurt to turn fast or stomp on the brakes. My current challenge is that my sleeve has a tendency toward strong spasms when empty. I get to advance to cottage cheese, yogurt, and eggs tomorrow.

Never heard of it myself, not in all the reading I've done. Also, I'm flying out five weeks post op and my surgeon hasn't mentioned restrictions. He and I are friends and see each other several times a week, and we've discussed traveling several times. The only thing he's said is that it's good I'm going that week as the weight lifting restrictions would be lifted.

It's called referred pain. What is really hurting is your diaphragm. However, the nerves carrying sensation for it and your shoulder enter the spine at about the same place, allowing a bit of cross talk and confusion to occur. Same thing happens with the heart and the left arm.

My surgery is next week. I have an event that I go to at the end of March that requires a week of wearing suits. I'm eager to see how they fit when that time comes.

I'm 15 days into a 3 week shake and veggies only preop diet. Down 17 pounds and still having weak spells, though they seem to be mostly in the mornings. Once I get that second shake in at lunch, I'm better. And yes, I feel hungry all the time. But it is what it is.

Could be a contact dermatitis. Did you change anything, soap, detergent, anything?

Anyone tried working out with a weight vest? Was thinking about trying one as the pounds come off.

I'm preop, sleeving on the 23rd. I'm looking forward to the flight thing, buying suits off the rack at a normal store, and being able to do the yoga position where you sit cross legged and bend forward. Right now I can't bend due to my gut. Feeling agile again, able to run with the kids with ease, learning to scuba dive. Fitting into tight places at work. Not worrying if the attic stairs are going to collapse under me.

Yeah, the Isopures are fairly ick. mybariatricpantry.com Search around on there, they have several sample packs you can try. I personally like the Syntrax Matrix 5.0 and Metabolic Nutrition brands in terms of flavor. I haven't tried the Syntrax nectar ones yet, but have ordered a sampler.

For the sleep study, it's needed before surgery because when your oxygen level drops due to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), it can significantly impair wound healing. Therefore, if you have apnea, you have to get on CPAP therapy and be compliant before you'll be cleared for surgery. No, using CPAP therapy does not make you dependent on it. But it can take a long time to lose enough weight to no longer have apnea. Plus, not all apnea is weight related. Some people have OSA and are below goal weight.

I understand. I'm getting sleeved on the 23rd, and my BMI is 53 (though it's also dropping like a stone - I started losing during the preop evaluation process and now am on the preop diet). Yes, I'll admit to having moments when I step on the scale, see how much I've lost, and think that perhaps I don't need the surgery. Then I remember all the times I've said it before. And while I could let doubt and worry creep in, I keep pushing it back with thoughts of my children crying over my casket. I'm doing this for them, and that keeps me focused. So my advice to you is to let go of the thoughts of the post op recovery, and find something to fixate your mind upon beyond simply losing weight. Think of the people who want to keep you around. Good luck.

1) While not all causes are the same, having to get up during the night to urinate is a sign of obstructive sleep apnea. Apnea and hypopnea interrupt brain chemistry, such that your body doesn't ramp down urine production like it would if you didn't have OSA. 2) Your surgeon and anesthesiologist will want it addressed prior to surgery. OSA leads to periods where your oxygen saturation will decline, sometimes to dangerous levels. This can be an issue in the recovery room and in the hospital after surgery when narcotics get added into the mix. Also, low oxygen levels impede tissue healing and can promote wound infection. 3) If you have sleep apnea and are prescribed a machine, you have to demonstrate compliance with the device in order to be approved, either by insurance, the surgeon, or both. Ultimately, if there's a chance you have OSA, you need to test. If you do have OSA, you need CPAP therapy.

It's also a hedge. Worst case scenario would be if Barrett's were to progress to esophageal cancer. In that case, it'd require surgical excision, and in doing so would need to use part of the stomach to reconstruct the esophagus. With a gastric sleeve, there wouldn't be enough stomach to work with. A roux-n-y bypass would preserve more of the stomach as a separate pouch, thus enabling a surgeon to put the patient back together in a way that would allow swallowing in the future.

It will likely take several lawsuits in order to get insurance policies changed regarding WLS. There's new ammunition, however, with an article published just last week in JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association - one of the most prestigious and reputable medical journals in the country, if not the world). It involved a study of patients at the VA Hospitals who averaged a BMI of 47. One group underwent WLS, and were matched with controls who didn't. They then followed them for a decade and the results were stunning. The surgical group had an approximate 60% reduction in mortality at 10 years. It's a stunningly convincing finding, one that basically says that WLS is not a lifestyle surgery, but a life saving surgery. It will be nearly impossible to refute in a court of law and will be a big wallop of ammunition in disputes against insurance company denials. Good luck.

February 23rd here. Just called insurance on Friday and was told I was approved. Hard to believe it'll be in five weeks.