HereComesTheSun

Congratulations to all of you who have made it there already!! I love your ideas. When I get there, I will definitely be calling my mom and I think a cocktail sounds great too! I also plan to go skydiving, but that is going to be my celebration when I hit my goal or a least get to a "normal" BMI. My brother-in-law is an avid skydiver, so he is going to hold me accountable for that so I don't chicken out.

I am curious about what people did or plan to do when they get to one-derland (under 200 lbs). What did you do? Or, if you are not there yet, do you have a plan about how you'll celebrate?

I still battle with nausea, but I have learned most of it is caused by bad habits like drinking or eating too fast. If I go slow and take small sips and bites, it is much better. Also, as many people suggested, drinking ice cold beverages helps. The colder, the better. I am thinking of getting one of those margarita machines and filling it with water and crystal light so I have sugar-free slushes available at all times.

So, a few months down the line and I think Frankensleeve and I are finally coming to an understanding. I don't know EXACTLY what his deal was that night, but in general he likes to be hydrated and he prefers a little something with carbs during the evening meal to help with stomach acid, like a saltine or two. Something else Frankensleeve has taught me: I should NEVER take any kind of pill (no matter how small, no matter what it is) without eating something BEFORE I take it. Taking a pill and then eating immediately is bad. Taking a pill without eating anything is worse. If I try either of these things, he slimes up a storm and I always end up throwing up. I can't really remember, but that could've been what happened that night if I was still on nausea pills and trying to take them with as little as I was eating at the time. Frankensleeve's best friend until I learned these lessons was Han Solo - my red plastic "barf cup." Every once in a while they still get together and party.

I am getting ready for my doctor's visit and compiled a list from the responses to this topic. I also put notes next to each test about what they are looking for. I plan to print it out and bring it with me to my appointment to go over with my primary care physician. In case it is helpful to anyone else: Complete Blood Count (CBC) – overall health, anemia, etc. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) – liver function Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) – liver function Fasting blood sugar (FBS) – glucose levels Hemoglobin A1c – blood sugar and diabetes Vitamin D – bones Vitamin B12 – overall health, anemia Folate – red blood cell formation, anemia Iron – overall health, anemia Total serum Protein – measures Proteins including albumin and globulin Creatine – kidney function Vitamin B6 – ability to break down protein we eat Total lipid profile – cholesterol and triglycerides (fat) in blood Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) test – liver and bones Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) – kidneys and liver Bilirubin – liver Calcium – bones Electrolyte panel – measures potassium and sodium in blood Vitamin A – intestinal absorption of nutrients Thiamin (vitamin B1) – carbohydrate metabolism Parathyroid hormone (PTH) panel – thyroid function

I did the same thing the others mentioned - I WAY overstocked on Protein shakes and powders. You need so little at first and things do taste a little different. If I had it to do again, I would have just bought a little bit and waited to buy more until later. Something else I would do differently was that I had tons of sweet stuff in my fridge and pantry (lots of chocolate and vanilla flavors) and wished I had bought some salty flavors of things too. broth will taste divine after you've been on a steady diet of chocolate shakes. There are also some really good smooth Soups out there. My favorite was Imagine Creamy Broccoli Soup. Finally, the thing that totally saved me in those early days was Gatorade G series. I had what they call "Water nausea" where water made me extremely nauseated to the point that I would throw it up immediately. The only liquid I could keep down was Gatorade G-series orange. Obviously you don't want to be on it forever, but it saved me from dehydration. I tried other zero-calorie sports drinks but they all tasted WAY too sweet after surgery. The Gatorade, however, tasted just right; not too sweet to be cloying. Anyway, you might want to get a bottle or two of that to keep in the fridge in case you experience the same thing and need hydration.

I agree. One second you will be breathing in some oxygen and looking around and the next second you will be waking up in the recovery room. You won't notice time passing at all, nor will you feel any of the procedure. It is a super strange thing but awesome! You are going to do great. It is totally normal to feel anxious before surgery. Your team of doctors and nurses and assistants will all be there to help you through it and put you at ease. Mine all came in individually and introduced themselves before surgery and that was a huge help for me.

I never did figure out what Frankensleeve's problem was that night. The next day I was fine and back to normal. I think he just likes to remind me who is in charge. Just to be safe, I fed him anti-nausea pills the next night before bed. He still grumbles, but hasn't thrown another tantrum. Fingers crossed that we can avoid doing that again for as long as possible!

Frankensleeve: Attention! We are about to vomit!! Erin: Frankensleeve, don't be stupid. We don't have any food in you. All we had for dinner was yogurt and that was hours ago! Frankensleeve: I don't care! We are about to vomit! You can't tell me what to do. Erin: Frankensleeve, just calm down. Frankensleeve: No!! Here it comes.... [Erin vomiting VIOLENTLY] Erin: What the f*$#, Frankensleeve?! We didn't even have anything in there. You just made me spend 30 minutes violently throwing up clear liquid and bubbles! And now I have petechial bruising around my eyes from heaving so much. You a#*hole! Frankensleeve: Enjoy the post-vomit nausea, b(*$#! What was Frankensleeve's problem? Has anyone else randomly vomited on an empty stomach? Did you ever figure out why? If so, please share so I can avoid ever doing that again. Afterward, I was (barely) able to keep an anti-nausea pill down. (BTW, I am 4.5 weeks out from being sleeved and everything had been going swimmingly until last night when the intense nausea struck suddenly and fiercely.)

Thanks, @@Stevehud! I will up my Water intake and see if that helps.

I was sleeved on 1/28/15. Since then, I have had really intense morning nausea. And no, I am not pregnant! Even brushing my teeth makes me gag. I am able to sip a Protein shake after I take the anti-nausea meds the doctor prescribed and keep it down. But, the prescription will be out soon. I was just wondering, did anyone else experience this and, if so, did it go away? Do you remember how long it took? If it doesn't go away, are there any tips or tricks to dealing with it without meds?

I am only about a week out from surgery. I have a question for folks further along. How long do the stomach gurgles continue while you are eating or drinking? Every time I take a sip, my stomach gurgles as it settles and I usually need to burp after a few sips. Is that something that continues for the rest of your life or is it something that will go away after a while? If it does go away, do you remember how long it took? It doesn't bother me when I am home alone (in fact, I appreciate the gurgles because they let me know I am good to take another sip); but, I don't see myself drinking in front of people anytime soon unless they are really good friends.

I am totally with everyone on Protein pills. Surely SOMEONE out there is working on it! I would love to take pills throughout the day instead of having to choke down a slimy shake. Ick! I was also excited about the possibility of protein shots (a protein you can drink in one gulp) instead of shakes, but when I researched them I discovered they are not a good source of protein. They are collagen-based (very poor protein source) and don't have the amino acids you need to absorb the protein anyway. I found this review on Amazon was a wealth of information. It was posted by a lady who had the sleeve and works at a hospital. She consulted with 4 nutritionists and 2 doctors about the shots and posted what she was told. Good info! http://www.amazon.com/review/R23SQAJ6VSKI8H/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0030DM28C&nodeID=3760901&store=hpc#wasThisHelpful So I guess a solution is still waiting to be found! I honestly wouldn't even mind getting a real shot (with a needle) every day if it meant I could forgo all the protein shakes.

I am really glad you shared this! I was thinking today that I don't feel like I have lost any weight and how discouraged I am going to feel if the scale hasn't moved at my first week checkup. It is good to be reminded about all the factors in play and that not everyone will notice immediate, significant weight loss. If you think of it after a week or two, come back to this post and let us know how you are doing. I bet the other folks who responded here are right. In a few weeks, you will start to see the drop!

Have you read The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery? I am reading it now and it has some good advice about pre-surgery worry and how to decide if you are ready for surgery or if surgery is even the right option for you. My main advice would be not to feel that you HAVE to have surgery if you don't feel ready. With all the hoops you have to jump through and all the planning and preparation, it is easy to feel like you are on a runaway train. If you need more time or want to explore other options, don't be afraid to say so. Having said that, some nervousness is to be expected. In fact, the nurse I spoke to before going into the OR said she worries when patients AREN'T worried. It may ease your mind to know that worry is a sign that you are taking this very seriously and going into it with realistic expectations. Whatever you decide, let us know!