DDN

This helps me when t get that feeling...

@*SHOTzY* I experienced something similar right after leaving the hospital, well before I tried soft foods. While in the hospital, I was encouraged to stay an extra day because the nurse noticed an "Arrhythmia" on the heart monitor while I was sleeping, which meant my heartbeat was irregular. When this shows up, it doesn't necessarily mean your heart is beating too fast or too slow. It just means it's out of its normal rhythm. It may feel like your heart skipped a beat, added a beat, is "fluttering," or is beating too fast. Arrhythmias can be an emergency, or they may be harmless. In my case, the surgeon determined that it was a part of the healing process after heart surgery. I wasn't feeling anything while in the hospital, but when I called and spoke with them about it, he suggested that it might be trapped gas or it could be the Arrhythmia. It hasn't happened anymore, but I'm scheduled to see my PCP on Monday and he will do a complete 21-day post-op work-up…I'm grateful that he's associated with the hospital where I had surgery and can pull my records with a simple click of a computer keystroke. I would suggest at least giving your surgeon's office a call…you want to be sure that the feeling is not associated with anything major. I experienced a nagging feeling in the middle of my chest for the first time last night. However, it wasn't right after I thoroughly chewed and swallowed the dark meat chicken, but I feel it now and it's a tad bit irritating even when swallowing Water. I'm going to head back over to Clear liquids and pureed foods until Monday. I purchased several bottles of papaya enzymes for home, office, briefcase, and my car, which has been known to encourage proper nutrient absorption and aids in the digestion of Proteins, carbohydrates and fats—I will take it according to the instructions on the bottle in hopes of getting some relief. As always, I wish you the best of health.

Pedro...hey buddy, so good to hear you are doing so well. I have no complaints either. As far as exercising, I'm getting in 15 mins of exercise 3x a day and that's about all I can handle at the moment without getting winded. My exercise psychologist asked if I would try and get in 20 mins 3x per day starting next week. I'm certainly going to try...we'll see what happens. Re the pounds, well I feel as though my weight is falling off slowly as well, but I'm excited about moving from a loose 2XL to a comfortable XL in shirts and sweaters. I'm not buying anything new, I just happen to have various sizes in my closet which range from medium to 2XL. I guess it's almost like shopping, but in my own closet. We will see how the suits, shirts and ties fit as I prepare to return to work. My wife is begging me to try on those items so I don't get frustrated by having the too big look when returning to work. I'm almost nervous to do that, but I have sizes from 44R to 52R in suits and 16 to 18 1/2 in shirts, so I'm thinking I will find something in between sizes that will look presentable. Lol. Question for ya...when you say you "drink one Protein shake with each meal", what do you mean? Is the shake your meal or have you introduced other foods and having those with the shake? I return to work Monday as well. I already have an all-day meeting in my calendar. I'm writing out my list of things to do for me and hope I can stay on track with the many things we have to focus on for optimal health.

@"UnderDaSea" Yea that's bad and one of the reasons why I chose to have the Roux-en-y procedure because my GERD was bad for many years. My surgeon wormed me about the issues you're having but left the decision up to me on the type of procedure to have. I felt I had suffers with reflux long enough. The meds that I mentioned in my previous post is a preventive medication that should keep my body from forming major scat tissues, ulcers or strictures which can cause major problems after any gastric procedure.

Wow. I'm so sorry to hear about all of this. I can imagine it being painful and frustrating. Question....did your surgeon prescribe any meds to help alleviate the problem post-op? I'm curious because I'm 10-days post-op, visited my surgeon yesterday and he took some preventive measures and prescribed "sucralfate" 4x daily for 30 days, knowing the possibilities of an ulcer or stricture forming as a result of the new pouch.

@"hurst143" Wow! Glad you're feeling better. That's a lot to have to deal with within a short period of time. How do you manage the stress? When I drop my son at school and watch how the teachers attempt to control the chaos, I always say "it couldn't be me". I'm still on my two week vacation, but I took a few calls yesterday from a few staffers and I tell ya, 3 hours later the amount of stress associated with those calls caused me to feel absolutely horrible. I had to take the calls because the email exchange server hasn't sent me any emails since I've been out and I thought it was strange that I'd only received 6-7 since Feb 5th and decided to check-in. Oh well, such is work-life...my wife scolded me and I went to bed afterwards and rested until my family came home. Don't forget to take your breaks. You need a mental break and you need to walk several times through-out the day...that should help with the scale movement. ????

@"Heavens2Betsy" Wishing u the best on your recovery. Walking and sipping are gonna be your best friends after surgery and it will get better each passing day. One thing that I didn't know was just how low the energy zaps after being disconnected from the IV....caught me off guard the days following my discharge, but it's getting better. Keep us posted.

Hey there "hurst143"! Welcome to the other-side. How was it for you going back to work yesterday? Congrats on not needing got take much pain meds. I only used my meds twice since my surgery last Monday--I like having some sense of control. I return to work on Monday. I'm getting stronger and noticed I didn't need a nap today. Lol.

@"SHOTzY*" Take your time and allow your body to heal properly. I'm so sorry you had complications, but we all knew about the chances going in, right? But, we appreciate you updating us...you will get on the other-side of all of this soon. ???? Woohoo...getting in the fluids is a great thing, isn't it? It was trial and error for me, but I finally figured out the taste my new pouch prefers for clear liquids. However, now I'm struggling to take in more than 26 grams of Protein each day. The taste, doesn't really matter which flavor, just doesn't sit well with my new pouch when I try and have a second or third helping of protein. I have a followup with my surgeon and dietician on Thursday and hate to share the slow progress with the protein, but it is what it is at the moment. ☺️ Maybe things will change once I transition to the milkshake type texture...we shall see. Get some rest and keep moving as much as you can.

@"Catmom8" I received a month's with of samples of these from my Doc's office...the Dietician mentioned that they can be purchased from Walmart, Walgreens, and Costco.

My fluid intake has been between 68 and 76 ounces within a 24-hour period. I'm not having any challenges with going, I'm just trying to stay ahead. ????

Fortunately, I have pooped everyday, sometimes several times a day, since surgery this past Monday. However, this morning it was more solid and I had to sit for about 30 minutes. I'm getting nervous and I'm trying to prevent the blockage. Anyone tried prunes within first 30-days of surgery? If so, what was the affect on the new pouch? Maybe I should be worrying. Dietician suggested that I take a probiotic every night and that it would help. That was a bit confusing, but I've been taking it.

James: Thx sir. Yes, I ran across your post from last year, but after posting my question. As always, I appreciate your wealth of info. Question for ya...how far out were you before you actually started eating apples "with the skin"? I have enjoyed eating honey crisp with my 3-year old, but of course I've had to turn down his offers to share his apples since surgery. ????

I see. It really is true that every plan developed by Doc's and Dietician's can vary. The one I posted is what my dietician actually gave me once I was discharged from the hospital. Thx for the response...I appreciate it.

For me, it's more about NOT having that feeling of satisfaction during the post-op liquid stage; but God knows I had the luxury of filling my stomach with tons of satisfying foods over the years, which eventually led to various parts of my body being damaged, thus leading me down the path of RNY-GPS to help with the repair. ???? I'm learning to manage this part of the process too--it's not easy, but I believe it's possible. I keep telling myself that all-around satisfaction will soon come.

Same here Ashley. My surgeon's reason is because he requires liquids only for such a long period during the first part of post-op--it allows the body to fully heal. I was grateful on the pre-op side, but hope I continue feeling that way because 17 days on liquids only doesn't sound fun, even when experiencing a feeling of constant fullness. LOL! ???? @"Pedro Valle-Inclan" is lucky to have the thick milkshake-type protein drinks...I'm only allowed the thinner type (only a few of the Nectar and a few of the Unjury qualify as digestible protein for me) until my post-op appt. on 2/18 and then I can transition to something like Premier, Muscle Milk Light or the thicker Unjury types (i.e., vanilla and chocolate)

@"Pedro Valle-Inclan" Thx for the update. Sounds like you're back on the road to recovery. And remember the fluid intake is within a "complete 24-hour period"...while in the hospital, I kept thinking within the waking hours of a day. SMH. It's confusing, but all will get the hang of it.

A very nice treat from the wifey. Each cup is 4oz of fluid with great flavor. SF would be a much better option, but this NSA helps to get in the fluids until we find the SF.

Question @"SHOTzY*" -- What's giving you the problem with getting in your fluids...is it the constant feeling if fullness? I can certainly understand if that's the case, I'm not used to eating or drinking anything when I feel as full as I do. However, it's no longer uncomfortable to push past the feeling in an effort to get my fluids in. I'm determined because I don't want to end up going back to the hospital as a result it dehydration. I started keeping a log of my fluids and counting popsicles, broth, Protein drinks, decaf coffee and Water. I'm still not sure about the decaf and that's why I'm pushing to take in at least 20 more than Doc's recommendation. Plus I get up early and start sipping so I can give myself a break somewhere between 2 and 3 pm. I ordered this "adult-friendly" 16 oz sippy cup from Amazon and it really helps me to sip and not gulp. Also, I'm learning to drink only what I enjoy. Broth doesn't really sit well on my stomach, so tea has become my replacement. Also, Mio flavor enhancer with my smart water works much better, for me, than sugar free kool aid and crystal light. The easier it sits with my new pouch, the easier it is to get it down. One last thing, I'm using Almond Breeze for my nectar and unjury Protein Drinks and I really enjoy them. I'm not experiencing anything strange, thank God. Try different thinks and see what really works. I only had 2-days of liquid pre-op and in the profound words of a BariPal Senior Member @"JamesMaruael" "I really need to stay in a happy place", especially during a 17-day liquid phase post-op that's required by my Doc. Finally, this combo has been awesome: -4 oz water -4 oz Almond Breeze -1 Splenda -1Chai French vanilla Tea Bag brewed for 7 mins Try different things and see what's gonna help you reach your goal. Praying that it gets easier for you.

@@Pedro Valle-Inclan...man, I hate to hear about anything negative happening, although I know things happen. I'm glad you spoke with a healthcare professional. Are you going to see someone today?

@SHOTzY... Thx so much. Yea, I was that fat kid sitting on the sidelines during PhyEd too. Funny thing though, as much as I dislike working out, I always made sure to keep moving during my adult years, in hopes of not going above a certain weight. It wasn't until after the two knee surgeries, ankle injury, and diagnosis of degenerative disc disease that I felt and became limited with my activity and began to gain past my "never get bigger than this number". I'm so ready to be more active with my 3-year old, enjoy the outside with my wife, and to be a healthier me. I'm trying not to focus on the numbers, but I'm already down from 275 to 250 since my initial consult with the surgeon in December. It makes a big difference for someone who's 5'7. So, whether I'm ready or not, I'm going to have to start thinking about some new clothes. ???????? My wife keeps reminding me that the assistance of the toll hasn't even kicked in...wow that's right, ready or not the weight is coming off.

@ AnnainMS... Hi there. The surgeon's office should give you information on coverage of specific things after surgery. I was a self-pay patient and certain things are covered up to 6 months and my wife and I decided to pay for an additional 6 months through BLIS and it was only $60.

Hey Pedro. I'm also glad to hear that you have been discharged and that all went well. Welcome to the losers bench. Honestly, if I were you I would think twice about going back to work next week, it at all possible. I'm so glad I took off the week of and the week after surgery. My energy levels are so very low and my fluids are around 70 oz's and I'm getting in 60 grams of protein. I'm going to try and start the vitamins tomorrow--I need a pep in my step. Still no significant amount of pain, just sore, but extremely tired. Just something for you to think about.

@"catwoman7" Thanks for the info...I will be sure to keep an eye on the labels when buying things. Unfortunately my wife can't find those delicious popsicles anywhere. I honestly think it's a part of the post-op process.