BarrySue

Ugh, I'm so sorry you're going through this. In reading all the different studies and reports, it seems like Vitamin noncompliance or an inability to properly absorb is the main cause of peripheral neuropathy. How long have you missed your B Vitamin compliance, and have you tried to get B Vitamins through shots or sublingually to avoid malabsorption? I wish I had answers for you.

As for the headaches, while they are common after a lumbar puncture, if you are STILL having them days after, you need to get back to the hospital ASAP because you may have a leak that could lead to complications!

@@BarrySue why not say wls?

Unless you have a relationship with that professor and know how they will react, I would be vague in order to avoid fallout. A lot of people judge WLS and consider it both "elective" and "the easy way out." There is a big perception of obese patients as being lazy, unmotivated lumps, and when someone is holding your future in their hands, you don't want to give them any ammunition or set yourself up for failure. Some professors grade heavily based on attendance/participation, and would be more willing to permit you time off if: 1) they think it is medically necessary, and 2) you tell them in advance, preferably before classes start.

You could also check the syllabus, which is always available before the drop date, to ensure you will be okay. One person I know had a professor who had a test every. single. friday. It didn't matter what the reason was, because no professor is obligated to give you time off for any reason. She missed two Fridays, and ended up with a "C" in a very important science class she needed to get into a competitive program. Another girl I know GAVE BIRTH and still lost points for still being in attendance.

Ultimately, it is up to YOU to make arrangements beforehand and with plenty of notice, and drop the class if it will negatively impact your grade.

One pound is 3500 calories. You're doing just fine. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

I needed a lot of help. I wasn't expecting it, and I'm so grateful I am staying with my mother. I couldn't sit on the couch without needing help getting up and down or awhile. On day 3, I slid onto the floor and the fire department had to come get me back up (my mom was tiny and I was in too much pain to do much because I tore some internal stitches). I even ended up having to trade beds with my mother because hers was higher with a headboard to help me! For a week, I could only sit on a high hard chair if I was by myself because I didn't know if I could get back up.

I seem to be NOT the norm, but hey, at least prepare to have someone assist you just in case you turn into a big sissy after surgery like I did

My doc didn't set a calorie range, only a Protein range. He figures as long as I'm getting 60-80g of protein, 64 oz of fluids, and all vitamins/minerals, I'll be fine. However, calculating it, I'm typically between 350-500 the past few days (which is better, because I was at zero for six days post-op).

The three week stall is a right of passage, my friend. Welcome.

Fairlife Milk is how I survive these days! I either drink it hot with diet cocoa mix, or cold with sugar free strawberry Syrup. It actually replaced Protein Drinks for me, and I am so happy with it.

I told 3 people going in (two who helped take care of me, and one person who lives 3000 miles away). I told a few trusted friends a week later, and as far as anyone else, they can wait until I am ready, if I am ever ready at all. I refuse to have negative, toxic people during what is supposed to be the most transformative period of my life.

While the first week was awful, at day 11 I've having a much easier time now than I did on my pre-op diet

It's a crapshoot, really...you don't know where on the spectrum of "Yes!" to "Oh my God, kill me!" you'll fall until after your surgery.

I prefer least invasive methods first. If the sleeve fails, I can always do the duodenal switch or gastric bypass. But I'm young, mobile, no co-morbidities, lower rate of complications, and the success rates were statistically insignificant. I don't have to deal with dumping or malabsorption, fewer Vitamins, and no costly revision if it needs to be reversed.

Also, I love my doctor, but I know he makes more money on a 40k procedure than a 14k one.

Your ability to tolerate liquids will increase. If Protein shakes are giving you trouble, check with your doctor for other options (For a couple days I refused to eat anything because I HATED the shakes). He switched me to greek yogurts and a special low carb/high Protein milk to replace the shakes, and I felt better. Don't be afraid to collaborate with your doctor to find a successful plan for you (just make sure it's with your doc, not solely with random internet posters).

Also, breathe. It gets better, I promise.

11 days post-op, and glad to say I am past the worst of it, but my larger incisions still hurt like hell! I had a lot of problems getting Protein since every shake out there gave me problems, but Fairlife Milk has finally made getting protein easy again.

Down 31 lbs in a month though, so I'm happy about that!

I was very, very selective in who knew about my surgery, because I don't need that type of toxic environment. I'm very sorry you're dealing with that bunch of jackwagons.

Rome wasn't built in a day. You're a human being and fried chicken wings are delicious.

I did awful on every Protein shake/powder I ever tried (to the point where I preferred not to eat at all), so now I live on a carefully cobbled-together diet of random things:

Frozen greek yogurt bar in the morning (low cal, low carb, 7g Protein, I need something sweet in the AM)

Fairlife skim milk (LOVE this! Ultra-filtered high protein, high Calcium, low carb/low cal milk)

Sugarfree strawberry Syrup or diet cocoa mix for my Fairlife milk

Low fat string cheese (7g protein, nice little snack!)

Couple tablespoons of cottage cheese with a tiny bit of Tomato Soup on it (tastes like lasagna ricotta!)

I use the opurity bariatric Vitamin (vitamin made specifically for sleeve patients) so that I only have one supplement a day to take. Originally, I was supposed to take Calcium as well, but the Fairlife milk has so much in it that my doc gave me the go-ahead to hold off on it and do a bloodwork check next month to see if I can go without it.

Honestly, I didn't buy special blenders, plates, etc. Sometimes I feel like we try to hype ourselves up through unnecessary purchases, lol. I keep it simple and try to stick to food prep/diet that I can sustain. It's a marathon, not a race.

Protein yes. Protein always!

Honestly, I have had some complications with my surgery (bad fall, incisions tearing a little), and I still would have been okay to start school after a week. Work is another story entirely, but for school I would have been fine. I'd definitely email your professors NOW before classes start, because if for some reason you need a little extra time, you want to make sure a particular professor won't be a jerk about it. Don't tell them you are getting WLS, just mention that you will likely be having abdominal surgery.

On my doc's nutrition guide, he wanted all Protein Shakes. But when I had bloating/nausea with them, he said greek yogurt was okay. Generally, carbs should be under a set amount for a day, but realistically, it is okay to have a few if it helps you meet your Protein goals. Eventually, you will have to integrate healthy carbs back into your diet, so I wouldn't get this rabid NO CARBS EVER mantra stuck in your head. I value learning to have a healthy relationship with food over religiously sticking to a diet that might not be working for me.

It literally just happened again, tried to get off the couch and ended up on the floor. My sister and her husband were on the way over to help, but after about 30 minutes of wiggling around, I finally got to the stairs and pulled myself up (my house is tiled and nothing is bolted down, so I was unable to get any traction). It's official, I can't sit on any couches if I'm alone. Yikes.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, guys! I think I need to accept that this is a painful process and keep walking/put ice packs on before I drive myself nuts.

I know it isn't gas pains, it is directly tissue-related. Today I also realized there was a tiny amount of clear yellow draining from one of my incisions. I really, really hope it is typical discharge and not the beginnings of an infection. It isn't the one where the drain was placed, so it's concerning me that it is the one causing most of my pain.

Thanks for the suggestions, folks.

I did call my surgeon as soon as the office opened, but was only instructed to double up on the tylenol with codeine dosage. I will definitely try the ice pack and keep walking around, as well as pay attention to any signs or symptoms of a leak or something more serious.

I was discharged from the hospital yesterday, and day 3 post-op. However, the tylenol with codeine I was sent home with didn't do anything for my pain. During the night I slept upright on a couch, but around midnight I started to slide off and couldn't straighten up due to the excruciating pain. I ended up stuck on the floor and the fire department had to come in and get me up to bed. It was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life, and I'm terrified it's going to happen again. I'm just in so much pain that I can't even get myself into a good position to sleep.< /p>

I never imagined it would be this bad, because I have a very high pain tolerance. Heck, when I go to the dentist, I refuse novocaine and just let them drill away! I take care of my own cuts and wounds instead of going to the hospital. I can't believe that a VSG is giving me so much trouble when people twice my age are already out and about, totally fine!

Has anyone else experienced severe pain post discharge?

Just finished up my pre-admit testing, lost 18 lbs from the preop diet so far! Six days to go!

Do you count your Protein Shakes in with your liquid intake? I drank 32oz of Water and had 27oz of Protein shakes.< /p>

Yes. It counts!