songsmith

Sleeved 2/15. Two weeks after my sleeve (surgery went fine) I developed on my left back that radiated around to the side. I thought I had strained a muscle because I'd spent 5 hours sitting on a bleacher for our State caucus. The pain steadily grew worse, but did not improve. I developed an occasional cough. I'd had a cold during my surgery and thought the cough was from allergies or maybe my cold finally trying to clear itself out. The pain became so bad that I couldn't lie on my back. The cough grew worse. Finally, I phoned my surgeon's office and was told by one of the Physician's Assistants that it didn't sound like anything to worry about but to see my primary just in case I had an infection. That was before Spring break (middle of March). My kid was home from college. I decided to wait until she went back to school because I didn't think the symptoms meant anything. Could not get in to see my doctor until this past Friday. By now the pain had spread up my back to just below my shoulder blade and around the front of my chest. My cough had gotten a lot more frequent, but I couldn't cough as deeply as I'd like because of the pain. I also couldn't breathe normally at all because (I thought) of the sore muscles. I'm prone to sinus infections and attributed the cough to that. Well, my PCP (bless her) is the type who digs. She listened to my chest, gave a lesson to the nurse practitioner she's training about symptoms and said, "No, I can hear something not right. She's still within the window from her surgery. Let's do a chest X-ray." Imagine my surprise when she asked me to come see my x-ray. About 3/4 of my left lung was shaded white. Even as a lay person I knew that wasn't good. She said, "Off to the ER for you. It's probably liquid, but I can't tell from this." She called the specialists ahead of my arrival and I was seen right away (for the ER). I got a CT scan and was admitted late on a Friday evening to the hospital. The lung doctor came and spoke to me Saturday morning. I have pleural effusion, probably a complication from my surgery. This is one of those times where my high threshhold of pain bit me in the butt. I wish I had had myself checked out a lot sooner. Monday I return to the hospital to have a needle jabbed into my lung so they can aspirate the Fluid and run tests to determine what's causing it. The surgeon is 99% sure it's a surgery complication, but can't rule other things out (including the Big C). Other experiences with this very rare complication? I'm not sure what to expect.

Muscle is denser than fat, so if you replace that fat with lean muscle mass, you will look thinner t hough you could well weight the same or even more. I think that's what happens with a lot of people. I'm astounded by the change in my face. I have a lot of fat around my cheeks and jowls, so I have no idea what my face shape actually is. I think I might be developing dimples like my dad! Who knew? (I also look happy. Prior to surgery, the fat in my cheeks gave a downward appearance to my mouth. That's gone since my cheeks have thinned out a lot.)

It's nice to hear a good story about an insurance company! Glad you stuck to your guns and will get this done.

I had my thyroid removed (cancer) about a year before my surgery, so I can't give you a direct answer. However, I am on synthroid to replace the thyroid hormones. My dosage keeps getting smaller and smaller as my weight declines, so your meds will change. I don't believe Hashimoto's (sp?) is something you get over like you can from high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. I could be wrong, though. Best person to ask is your endocrinologist next time you check in. (And make sure you do. Like I said, your dosage will change.)

You really oughtn't to feel true hunger after your sleeve. Head hunger, however, is a very real and difficult thing. I had to resort to tricks to get past it: go for a walk, play with the dog, get up and move around (I spend a lot of time on my computer, and an old habit to break is munching while I'm here). Does your doctor allow sugar free popsickles, etc. as part of your liquid diet? It can help if your mouth actually gets to chew/something (or at least go through the motions).

I don't know what to do. I had the VSG 02/15/2016 and lost fine right after surgery (though slowly). That was okay. I've historically been a slow loser and I'm 56 and was right at 40BMI (SW was 235). Right now I fluctuate between 181 and 177. For SIX MONTHS. I've been at the same weight range for SIX MONTHS. I'm moderately active (walking) because of leg injuries. I drink at least 64 oz. of Water a day and get in my Protein (and basically follow a low-carb diet with around 50 carbs per day). If I eat over 700-800 calories I gain. I'm afraid of slowing down my metabolism by eating so few calories. My surgeon's dietitian doesn't seem to care. I feel like I need to shock my system to get it started. I'm afraid to up my calories to see if that does it because I sure as hell don't want to shoot over that 181. I'm so afraid of gaining the weight back at this stage. My goal is 140-150. What are people six months or more post-op doing? I thought I understood dieting, but I'm at the end of my rope. Oh, and I have no thyroid (cancer) and take synthroid for the hormone replacement. Thanks in advance.

Pretty sure I have. I went off over the holidays and gained about 10 pounds. I had stopped logging, so went back to eating as I had and started logging and weighing again. I was eating the same things I had before in (I think) same amounts. Lost the weight gain. Then have only maintained since then. I didn't realize how long this had been going on because I had a bad thyroid (cancer) for a long time before my surgery and had experienced long, long stalls because of that. I guess I was used to it, so it didn't register this shouldn't still happen. Then, like I said, I screwed up over the Holidays. But, yes, basically since about July I have been at the same weight (other than the 10-pound gain and subsequent loss). It's possible my portions were larger before the holidays I guess, but I really don't think so. I get all my protein from real food and don't do shakes or bars because I'm cheap. I eat veggies and the occasional fruit (no more than 1 oz.) with Greek yogurt for breakfast. I don't eat bread or rice or potatoes or sugary stuff. Two mistakes I pinpointed was drinking Fairlife milk with my decaf in an effort to get in more protein (I forgot about the calories involved) and eating too much cheese when we didn't have other protein in the house. I have cut out cheese because that's so high in calories and I don't think it was helping me. Also stopped the milk. Right now I'm trying to decide between upping calories, staying this low or trying to reset my sleeve. So, it's possible I was consuming more calories than I thought even though I wasn't "eating" a lot. But in my tracking of food I have noted I just can't seem to lose if I go over the 800 mark.

Three days out, it is probably gas. However, I had a rare complication common to any sort of abdominal surgery (not just WLS) so wanted to chime in. I also had diaphragm discomfort (tightness more than pain) and could only breathe shallowly. Then I developed a cough. My surgery was in February, so I thought I was sick and/or my allergies were kicking up. I called my surgeon's office, and his PA convinced me I had a cold and any soreness was due to "muscle strain because you are losing so quickly." Yeah. Made no sense to me either, but I was sure they would have had me come in if it was something to worry about. Two weeks later, the cough is worse. I phoned my Primary. Three more days. Walked in. My primary (because she's awesome) knew right away what was wrong: pleural effusion. It's when fluid builds up in the sacs that surround your lungs. She sent me to the ER on the off chance it could be a blood clot instead. (They couldn't tell by the X-ray she took.) I later asked the pulmonary doctor why an operation on my stomach affected my lungs. He said something along the lines that there is always fluid, but your body is so focused on healing the wound from surgery that it fails to empty out the fluid and it builds up. Aaaaaaanyway (sorry for the long story, but goes to show don't always trust your surgeon) it's possible you could have something like that. Definitely call your surgeon. Walk a lot in case it is gas. If shortness of breath continues or pain worsens call your primary. They took out nearly 2 liters of fluid from my lungs.

Thanks. I'm so scared to up my calories. I get between 50-80 g protein a day depending on what I eat. Any suggestions for exercise I can do when I can't use my legs much? (Doctor glares at me otherwise.) I guess I needed someone to tell me to try to take in more fuel and that I won't balloon up to where I was. I've never had problems with stalls prior to surgery except when my thyroid decided to turn into Mothra! I was always able to break them. Any idea about how long I should give it to see if that solution works.

Every surgeon is different. Follow your doctor's guidelines and try not to worry that others do it differently. I had 2 days clear liquids, a week of full liquid, a week of soft and after that solid. But like I said, my surgeon was different. Do you feel good? Able to keep your food down? Then you're doing good.

You might have developed a yeast infection. I had one in my belly button! So, see your doctor. One, see your doctor to get yourself fixed up. Two, be glad you have rashes because it's good to have a record of them for down the road. Most insurance companies won't help you with any sort of plastic surgery unless you can prove skin problems. (Yes, lemonade from lemons.) Until you see your doctor, keep the area clean and dry. Cornstarch can help. And try not to scratch.

I'm a little more than a year out and occasionally still get gas pain. It often is triggered by food type (tomatoes and beef are two culprits for me). My doctor prescribed as-need prilosic (whatever the generic is called). I also use Gas-X.

I turned to Goodwill and consignment shops. I'm cheap and don't want to spend tons of money on something I'll grow out of soon. (For instance, jeans are 6.99 a pair at my Goodwill.) Also keep an eye out for end/beginning of season sales.

Did you take body measurements prior/just after surgery? Often our bodies need to settle. This has been a huge change for you physically (both major surgery plus dietary and exercise changes). Often you'll see your body lose inches or clothes fit better, etc., when that scale doesn't move. Our bodies also don't lose in a straight line. Weight goes up then down then up, then down past your last down. A lot has to do with water retention, time of day, time of month, etc. A lot of long-term WLS patients say you aren't in a stall until you've been in it for over a month or more. Doesn't ease the frustration, I know. But they do happen.

ETA: Disregard. I was in the wrong forum. I don't know what to do. I had the VSG 02/15/2016 and lost fine right after surgery (though slowly). That was okay. I've historically been a slow loser and I'm 56 and was right at 40BMI (SW was 235). Right now I fluctuate between 181 and 177. For SIX MONTHS. I've been at the same weight range for SIX MONTHS. I'm moderately active (walking) because of leg injuries. I drink at least 64 oz. of Water a day and get in my Protein (and basically follow a low-carb diet with around 50 carbs per day). If I eat over 700-800 calories I gain. I'm afraid of slowing down my metabolism by eating so few calories. My surgeon's dietitian doesn't seem to care. I feel like I need to shock my system to get it started. I'm afraid to up my calories to see if that does it because I sure as hell don't want to shoot over that 181. I'm so afraid of gaining the weight back at this stage. My goal is 140-150. What are people six months or more post-op doing? I thought I understood dieting, but I'm at the end of my rope. Oh, and I have no thyroid (cancer) and take synthroid for the hormone replacement. Thanks in advance.

Welp, the monthly support forum has not been updated for 2016. I know there's a thread somewhere for December & January sleevers, but thought I'd include you January peeps in honor of the upcoming year. Share your dates, doctor/nut/psych visits, tests, hopes, and whatever else you want to share pertaining to your surgery. Feel free to offer encouragement and cheerleading as warranted. Maybe everyone can link up with some sleeve buddies! I'll start. I have 100 to 130 pounds to lose (no goal set yet). My sleeve was supposed to be in January. Instead, my husband needs to go out of the country on business in the middle of the month and can't guarantee he'll be back, so I'll probably be sleeved in February. It's frustrating to me because my insurance requires 6 months supervised diet. I finished that the week before Thanksgiving (U.S.) I'm scheduled to attend the final "class" they require all patients to take on Dec. 17. My endoscopy is Jan. 13. I could easily have made it in December, but hubby didn't want me restricted over the Holidays. (I had thyroid surgery with complications last year just before Christmas, so I understand how he feels.) Still, you can imagine my frustration now that my surgery needs to be pushed back again! Who's next? *Mods please move this to the appropriate forum when you update the support groups.

You're human. Your friend's passing affected you greatly. I'm not a professional, but your description clearly sounds like depression to me (something I've suffered from for years.) Many people who are depressed or entering a depressive episode stop caring for themselves: what they eat, grooming, hygiene, even going out to run errands or visit friends. One way they deal with their feelings is by turning to food for comfort. Before my sleeve, the guy who gave me my psych eval suggested I seek counseling. I thought, "But I've never had an eating disorder. I don't binge. I don't eat for comfort." Well, let me tell you. He gave me several names. I chose someone who specializes in eating problems (anorexia, overeating, binge eating, etc.). I came home from my first session in tears over something in my past that got dredged up. Without thinking I walked to the fridge and promptly ate two helpings of the leftovers (read all) my husband and I had planned to have for dinner. There wasn't anything particularly great about those leftovers. We're not talking typical comfort food. Envision tasteless and boring and you pretty much have it. It wasn't until after and I had to confess to my husband I ate everything that I said to myself, "That was comfort eating." It wasn't what I had thought (secretly eating sweets or other Snacks to make yourself feel better). I ate "normal" food, but too much of it. I give you this story to suggest you find a good counselor who will help you recognize the times when you're likely to turn to food and come up with things you can do that will provide you the emotional relief you need without eating. I also suggest you talk to your physician about your depression because even if you may have gotten a handle on your grief by now, the depression could linger due to chemical imbalances. Hang in there. It won't be easy, but the wonderful thing is that you caught yourself before you gained back any more. That's a huge accomplishment. Recognizing a problem is the hardest part of all. Lucky for you that you already know what you need to start doing again. And you can do this!

It takes a few days because of swelling and gas and general body recovery. Don't be surprised if the scale says you gained (I gained 7 pounds) right after surgery. That all went away quickly and the real weight loss began. It doesn't help that my surgeon's scale is 5 lbs. heavier than my home one! GRRR

I had my thyroid out, so that makes me as hypothyroid as you can get! When you are diagnosed with thyroid problems, your endocrinologist will prescribe Synthroid (or the generic) to replace your thyroid hormones. This actually makes your t hyroid work the way it ought to. I maintain and lose weight far better than I ever did with my wonky thyroid. (Sleeved 02/15/16) I was borderline diabetic when I started my 6-mos. pre-op. I saw my doctor two weeks after surgery and had complete blood work. My blood sugar was all back in normal range. I was very happy since that meant I didn't need meds (I had begged her to wait to see how I was after surgery). Even better, my primary took me off of my high blood pressure pills around the same time.

Bananas are very high in sugar. Despite that, I occasionally (I mean maybe once or twice a month) make a banana Protein or banana/PB2 shake. I only use half the banana and try to buy smaller ones when I shop in the store. This is one of those choices we all make. What's acceptable and what isn't. Back in my Atkins days I would not have had one because they do have a lot of carbs. I'm allowing myself between 50-100 carbs a day, though, so the occasional banana is doable. You should be fine so long as you track your eating. If you're doing low carb, though, you might want to find a different fruit (berries are a decent choice).

I'm a veggie hater, too, but that doesn't mean I can't eat the veggies I do like. WLS helps because at first you won't feel hungry. On top of that, many favorite foods taste "different" and aren't as desirable. That said, I am also an emotional eater. The best thing I did was to see a therapist who specialized in food issues. I didn't want to undergo major surgery and expend thousands of dollars without making darn certain I did everything possible to make this journey successful. My therapist has helped me so much. I've learned to recognize when I turn to food to relieve stress or even plain boredom. I've identified the times when I'm likely to want food and to understand the underlying feeling/comfort I want. Knowing that, I've come up with several different things I can do other than eat. You are not alone. You are not the only person who faces or has faced these challenges. The road is not easy, but it is well worth the travel. ETA: It's possible your surgeon's office or NUT has a list of therapists used to dealing with weight issues. If money is a problem, your state/county might have a mental health department. The one in my town adjusts fees by what you can afford to pay. I can't recommend therapy enough for those of us who need it.

Argh. 194.6. Up by about a pound. Stupid fluctuating body weight.

You look great! My therapist said much the same. I'm a cheapskate and was avoiding buying clothes unless they absolutely were falling off. She told me the people who have the most trouble are ones who do just that. She suggested I wear appropriate sizes and get used to seeing real self.

193.5

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