KathyRS

Yes, and it's not super painful, just kind of uncomfortable, and a little weird feeling, when I lay flat on my back. Just feels better to sleep in my chair for now. I did forget one night to take the acid meds, that probably didn't help.

Aug 25th, so 4 days out. I can't lay flat on my back or I get heartburn. I've been sleeping in my chair. Hurts to get up and down or move around. Although, once I start walking it doesn't hurt much. Pushing at all on the toilet hurts. But, everything that hurts, hurts much less than yesterday, so whatever.

I'm so glad I read this. I had my surgery 4 days ago, and although I'm improving, I'm still having a lot of pain. Seems like the people I know who had it, didn't have much pain at all, so I was starting to wonder if there was something wrong. I'm not showing any of the warning signs my doc told me to watch out for, but it hurts. I came here to see if I was the only one.

I had a crazy week at work, which made it easy. Stay busy. Also, don't cheat at all. If you don't cheat it gets much easier toward the end of day 3. If you cheat, I suspect it will be hard the whole time. Also, my favorite flavor of the protein drinks was chocolate, and I only allowed myself to have it first thing in the morning. I'm someone who really loves my morning coffee time, so with creating my own little "treat" I was still able to get that moment. Drink lots and lots. If you cook for others, try to get someone else to handle that while on the pre-diet. Line up lots of emotional support. Who can you call or talk to when you have a tough moment? For me it's was very hard for the first 3 days. After that it was mostly easy with moments that were very hard, but didn't last long. I had lots of support, and I used it!

Coughing though. Ugh! Am I right?

They put me on full liquids right after surgery. I will be in full for 10 days

So I had the surgery yesterday. And I've done really well. I wss able to drink the liquids they want me to drink. Mostly protein drinks. I don't want to lose my hair. The pain is manageable with the Oral meds that I also have at home, so that won't stop me from going home. I hope I can get home tonight. You can't get a good night sleep at the hospital.

How did everyone do?

Eeeeeeeek! It's tomorrow!

I told nearly everyone. I'm a therapist and told all my clients, because I thought having them worry about me would be counter productive to their therapy. With being off two weeks, and then coming back and losing weight rapidly, I don't want them to think I'm dying of cancer or something. I got sick of telling everyone, so after I had personally told family and closest friends I made an announcement on Facebook (I have a private Facebook). I just said something like, "after years of back pain and months of research, I have decided..." I also teach a few psychology courses at the college, and did not tell my boss. I know she will find out with all the other teachers knowing, but I also know her well enough to know that if I don't tell her directly, she won't talk to me about it directly, and I'm just not interested in having that discussion. I guess I'm different. I could pretty much care less about people talking behind my back, so long as it doesn't ruin my professional reputation, and I don't have to personally address it. It's not even that I try not to care, I just don't, so I'm lucky there.

I appreciate what you guys are saying, and this is going to sound funny coming from me, since I am a marriage and family therapist as well as a pyschology professor, but the tension/hyperness I've been feeling is not emotional, it's physical. I think it might be a by product of being in ketosis, because it started right after the diet got suddenly easier on day 3. Also, I have a diabetic kid, and I was curious if I was passing ketones, so I used some keto strips and sure enough when the pee strip was reading more ketones, I was having both the easiest time on the diet, and having the weird tension/hyperness. It's not really bad. It's totally physical, and I was wondering if anyone else was getting this. Just sorta curious. Now as far as emotions go, I was so anxious and terrified before, but I haven't been at all in the last week. Just trying to get things together at work, so I could have the time off, and also really looking forward to it. Previously, I was so nervous, I wasn't experiencing the hope and happy anticipation much. Now I am. I feel like this week on the diet is actually easier than last week, worrying about the diet. LOL

I think it's harder if you mess up. I stuck to it strictly and it got easier about 6pm on day 3. After it was mostly easy with moments that were really really hard. But it's not that hard every minute, the whole time.

I'm August 25th. Been able to stay on the diet. It was miserable and suddenly, it kinda wasn't. One weird side effect is this extra hyperness/tension. Anyone else experience anything like that? I know I can get through 6 more days. Gotta carefully space out the shakes though.

I'm on day 3 of protein shakes only. I just had a marathon work day. I work as a therapist, and finished up my last session at 10pm. Apparently, I was worried about nothing, because I did good work all day. I got a little dizzy right before it was time for my 3rd shake, but afterward I was fine. Even felt better than Day 1 & 2.

Oh jeez! A catered event?! Now that's bada**!

Yes, I actually worked the weekend, and my surgery was first thing Monday morning. In fact, on Saturday we had a special event at work that I coordinated, involving tastings from a local distillery and fabulous catered food. It was tough, but I made it! Two days of teaching should be doable--just know that you will probably need to go home and take a nap afterwards!

Good luck! I start the liquid diet tomorrow. Your one-week-down post is very inspiring to me. You got this!

I'm August 25th. Start tomorrow on a 10-day liquid only (protein drinks) diet. My stomach is in knots. I can't wait to have the anticipation over. I am sick of my "what-if" thoughts, so much that I'm anxious to actually be experiencing it, and knowing what it's like for me for better and worse.

Thanks Lauren! That's very helpful. So you worked up to the surgery as well? I am only taking 1 full week off work. I do therapy part time and I teach at community college part time. I just can't take 2 weeks off teaching and cover the material so the second week I will be teaching, which just means 2 days from 8 to 3. I probably won't be as animated at teaching as usual, but I think I can get through it.

I hear ya! I start the liquid diet tomorrow, and I'm seriously worried about being able to maintain my responsibilities. I'm a marriage and family therapist, and some of my couples are having a hard time right now. I'm expecting grumpiness and general muddle-headedness. I'm taking 2 weeks off therapy, but I will be doing therapy up to the day before surgery, and then there's after. In my imagination my future horrible therapy sessions go something like this, "Stop being such a stubborn jerk, Joe. Bob, (I work with same sex couples) quit whining. Jeez! You are both so annoying, not only should you forget all this, but never date again. Seriously. Just get a cat." LOL. Hopefully it won't be that bad, but I don't think I will be as good as normal either. My clients know, so that should help, and I've lined up a lot of support from my friends and family. It's hard for me to do something for myself, especially when I know it will have a cost to others, but they keep telling me I'm worth it, and I have a sneaking suspicion they're right. Good luck to you, me, and all of us!