snokb04

Our NUT told us that we shouldn't eat again for 4-5 hours after eating and that we should feel full that long. I would guess it would take that long for it to digest and empty, but don't know that for sure. That's a really good question though. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Sparkpeople, but the only other one I've ever tried was myfitnesspal. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Nope. I'm four weeks out and had some a couple days ago. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Don't know for sure, which I know wasn't your question. But my PCP told me if I have or am willing to get some skin rashes and/or yeast infections, they can usually get the stomach approved, but that is it. My surgeon said they usually recommend not doing plastics until 2 years out. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Despite stool softener daily and regular 1/2 dose milk of mag, I felt that same pain Saturday night. Then it took full dose MOM and enemas. One thing they told us pre-op that I now sincerely believe is that many sleevers become pretty deficient in magnesium (which will cause constipation) considering most "normal stomached" people are too. They recommend Calm by Natural Vitality. It's a mag citrate supplement but not as strong as the bottles you get at the drug store. I got some today at my MDs office after I told them about my poo baby today at my 4 week follow up. Just mixed it up and drank it and it actually tastes good! You might ask your surgeon about that as well. I felt bad for laughing as I read your story, but the way you wrote it was completely hilarious! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My program allows tuna during soft food stage (starting week 3) however, I have tried it twice now and just 2 bites made me severely nauseous both times. Tilapia has given me no problems....but everybody is different. (I LOVE me a soft or medium boiled egg by the way) Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My programs NUT talked to us about this constantly pre-op and at my first post-op class. Besides potentially getting "slimed" if you eat too much, she says the mucous the stomach naturally makes and the post-nasal drip that usually slides through unnoticed can "back up" so to speak. I don't remember her exact words as to what she called what I call a back-up but basically it can't go through the stomach as fast as it used to. They encourage us to drink very warm to Hot drinks at least twice per day to thin the mucous which will help it slide through, one of the drinks being the first you drink upon rising to help this. I've followed this advice and it has helped me immensely. I was never a coffee or tea drinker (although I'm learning to like tea) so my hot drink is usually either chicken broth or ProtiDiet hot chocolate. Also, if I'm nauseous but don't feel slimed, usually a little broth and a Popsicle after have helped me...but everyone is different. Hope you feel better soon. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

That would be awesome. I'm a nurse and sometimes forget I haven't peed all day. A bladder that holds more and I can be some kind of superhero! Lol Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

We were told not for a year and then not more than one or two. I just went to a social event where the drinks were wine, liquor and mixers (carbonation). I took my own drinks (Water and some diet v-8 splash) because I asked about this from the hostess beforehand. I've never been one to feel like I have to drink even if it was all my friends and me at a bar so my friends are used to me sometimes not drinking. Once my year is up, I will if I want. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Could I get details on that sports bottle? I need that in my life! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I take Centrum Silver even though I'm nowhere near over 50. It almost exactly matches the list of vitamins/minerals and the recommended amounts our NUT gave us. Right now I'm doing the chewables because I had trouble swallowing large pills even before surgery and now it takes so much Water that I can't stand the thought of trying to get even one more pill down. The taste kinda reminds me of flintstones. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have a Cuisinart that is one version older than the linked one above that my mom gave me. It works great. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I agree with asking your surgical team. My program told us they used to do 6 mos but with newer research they just changed to 3 months; however, because I came into this with esophagitis and evidence of previous stomach erosion they are keeping me on the pantoprazole I was already on for 6 months. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

That is why I like my program. It is presented as this is what we recommend, here is why we recommend it and it's up to you to make your own choices. By no means is it presented as you must follow all our rules or the surgery won't work. I'm an oncology nurse who works for 2 surgeons and a rad med doctor in an office with 47 different physicians and before that I was a surgical nurse in this same large university hospital that is heavy on research. So I do know that if you take 2 surgeons of the same specialty, performing the same surgery, they will sometimes have some different ideas on how things are to be done and they will have research to back up both of their different opinions. It pretty apparent from all the posts on here that plans widely vary. Where I live, I went to the seminars for both programs that are available. The one I didn't choose had a much more "flexible" eating rec than the one I chose so that was pretty obvious before I had the surgery that different programs will say different things. However, in my case, if I say I am not permitted to eat something until this time , it's because I've chosen to put my trust into this provider and this program and, at this point, I've chosen to follow their recs. It's all about choices. This surgery and what you do afterwards is definitely not a cookie cutter program like, say, ear tubes. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm 3 weeks and 2 days out and I'm still having pain on the left side. All my incisional pain was gone as soon as they removed my external staples on Day 7. My providers told me this pain I'm having now is normal because this side is where the muscle was cut, most of the instruments were in and that incision was the one the stomach was removed through. It also receives the most amount of suturing and is sutured very tightly to try to prevent hernias through the weakened abdominal wall. I'm not having actual incisional pain, it's all internal and at this point, it's mostly positional. However, everybody is different in this regard and my story might not be the same as someone else's. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

That was my first thought. I vote we stop feeding the troll and just all ignore the posts. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So at my program we can't have fruits or vegetables until week 8 and then the veg has to cooked only for a couple of weeks and we have a list of which fruits we can start out with. Our NUT has told us as well that, when we start fresh veg to avoid lettuce as it has little nutritional value (especially for the amount you can eat) and that it can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea in a lot of people. As for lettuce expanding, lettuce has a gas producing starch called raffinose that some people lack the enzyme to process, making their stomachs feel stretched and bloated. That surgeon may find I it easier to just say it expands than explain all that. I hate it on here when people make fun of other people's programs (such as saying your surgeon needs to take a chill pill) simply because their program is different. The first thing I've found on this site is how different programs can be and that is because there is research out there that will support almost any opinion that a med professional out there can have. My opinion is that you chose your provider for a reason, so listen to them and adhere to their guidelines as much as possible, but as our NUT stresses to us, it is ultimately your choice as to what you choose to take away from it and your choice as to what you decide to follow. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I actually researched for a year before deciding. I researched outcomes and complication rates for both and talked to people I know that have had either VSG or bypass. I decided on sleeve since it doesn't have the malabsorption issues and there are less associated complications and side effects. On my initial visit, the nurse practitioner that works for the program suggested I revisit bypass because I have PCOS and she said my weight loss would be better with bypass because of the malabsorption. (PCOS makes it harder to lose weight). However, I was set against bypass after all my research and when I met with the surgeon, he said I made the right decision especially considering some of the meds I take for asthma and with the fact that I sometimes have to take steroids for my asthma. He says with the malabsorption, my meds would not be as effective. So ultimately, I would say to do some research, decide what you can live with and then discuss it with your surgeon. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

most definitely you are trolling to start this on a thread from 2012, couple with the fact you just joined today and you haven't even had the surgery yet. SMH Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I've seen 2 posts today that have me now wondering if I am not doing something right. One was someone just over 3 weeks out that has lost 26 pounds and someone 5weeks out that lost 40. Week 1 I lost 11 pounds (which I know was most likely mostly fluid). Week 2 I lost 5 pounds. This week I've lost zero. So 21 days and I've only lost 16 pounds. Considering I weighed 346 the day of surgery, I feel like I should be losing faster because I am so heavy. This makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I'm following my plan to the letter. Drinking my supplements, drinking my Water, eating 2 small Protein only meals (we aren't allowed fruits and vegetables until 2 mos postop) and doing activity. Anybody else out there have slow weight loss right out of the gate? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@Babbs That explanation makes so much sense. Thank you! Thanks to the rest of you for your replies as well....I'll just keep plugging along, doing what I'm doing and hope next week there is a loss.

Could you tell us the name of the group? I may be weird, but I don't usually add people I don't know to my FB. Might be easier to search for the group and send an add request. I searched spring 2016 vsg on FB but nothing came up. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

1. I only had Lovenox injections I. The hospital, but I work for surgeons who do different surgeries and they all do something different. One surgeon has her patients do them twice daily for 28 days after surgery. The shots don't really hurt, just a slight sting from the needle. Don't hesitate or put the needle in slowly. That will make it hurt. Shots should ideally be in the abdomen at least 2 inches out from your belly button and sites should be rotated. Don't massage the area afterward. This is how they did it in the hospital and this was how we were taught in nursing school, but, Disclaimer: follow your discharge instructions 2. My mom gave me a mini-processor she used when she was having jaw problems and had to do puréed food. It was only about $10 at Kroger and has been a lifesaver for me as I'm not doing well with non-puréed foods except for eggs and cheese. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So I am 2 weeks and 3 days out. My pain has been gone since my 7 day post-op with the exception of some pain with bending and laying in bed. Now that the abdominal swelling is gone, I can feel small knots under some of the incisions which I am sure are from the internal suturing. Here is the issue. The left abdomen incision (the one the stomach came out of and most of the instruments were in) has a much bigger knot than the rest. Maybe the size of 2 mini-cadbury eggs or half a whole cadbury egg. The pain when I bend has gotten a bit worse instead of better (burning and shooting) and sometimes I feel like I'm having muscle spasms or something. Bad enough that I can't bend without crying out in pain so I can't bend. I guess I am concerned about a hernia, although I know the incidence of herniation is extremely low with sleeve. Also, I am supposed to go back to work next week. I am a nurse, so I am unsure how I will go back to work without being able to bend. (Yes, I may be a nurse and a surgical nurse, but not a bariatric surgical nurse so what I know about something this specific to this surgery is what I've researched and what the classes my program offers tell me) I know I could call my doctor's office, but I'd hate to do that with a stupid question. What do you guys think?

Just in case anyone is interested...Called the surgeon's office this morning. Since I'm local they told me to stop by so they could take a look. After some poking around, they said it's normal. It happens to some people at that incision because of all the layers of muscle that have to be sutured at the big incision so the verdict is scar tissue and inflammation. The pain is muscular and although they have told us to avoid NSAIDS like the plague, they want me to take some Advil Liqui-gels. liquid gels only if you must use NSAIDS they said. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App