bini120

A good way to gauge what your gut is telling you is by imagining yourself 6 months into the future and asking if you'd feel regret or relief if you don't stick it out and have the surgery now.... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I picked up Core Power Protein banana Milkshake at the airport and it was delicious! They use honey to sweeten. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

1. The SteriStrips fall off your incisions? 2. Your incisions stop hurting? 3. The swelling in the sleeve seem to go down? 6 days post-op and my body is healing incredibly quickly except for minor niggles (see above) so just wondering about others' experience. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

One week out - I've lost 2 strips with the very teeny tiny cuts now exposed. 2 to go. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Soft foods are 3 weeks away for me (can't wait - hell, I can't wait for puréed foods next week), but I'm vegetarian (no eggs) so my protein options are sadly limited. But I'm pretty good at jazzing up tofu a million ways for my vegan husband and me, so will need to stick to that largely. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thank you for sharing your experiences! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I was wondering if any of you were able to successfully visualize your thinner self before you had the surgery or soon after surgery? 1 week pre-op and I'm struggling with what my slimmer body will look and feel like. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

What book did they give you? I bought Through Thick and Thin by Dr. Huberman (he did my psych analysis), which is an OK read from the mental standpoint, but would be interested to read a good book from the physiological aspect of sleeve surgery. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

These accounts helped me when I was pre-op so wanted to lay this out there for folks whose big day is coming: 9am - checked into hospital (NYU Medical Center) 9.30- 10.30 - changed into my gown and had some more pre-op testing like urine analysis, weigh-in, blood pressure check. 10.30 - 11am - met with my surgeon again and met with the anesthesiologist. Was encouraged to ask any questions I didn't ask before in the process. 11am - got taken in wheelchair to the OPERATING THEATER. This I wasn't expecting - I thought they'd sedate me in another room and trolley me to the OR when I was out but I got to meet the entire surgical team who were prepping for the operation. I couldn't help make jokes that it felt like I was abducted by aliens with all the huge lights point towards me from the ceiling and folks in blue scrubs and masks all around me. The last thing I remember is an oxygen mask put over my nose and mouth - and then, black. 1pm - I came to in the post-op recovery room with wonderful nurses taking care of me. I ended up staying in recovery overnight as they didn't have any beds available. My husband wasn't able to stay overnight with me for this reason. 1pm - 7pm - I was very groggy all day as I kept pushing the button that released a v potent painkiller. My family came to visit on and off as well but I was pretty dozy and nauseous. 7pm - 6am - I was in and out of sleep. I must admit it was a very uncomfortable night as I couldn't get comfy in the bed, they had attached a blood pressure cuff that inflated every hour and woke me up. I also had the gas pain in my chest and back and pain at incision sites. But I can't say enough nice things about the nurses who never left me for extended periods of time. I also dreamed of food the whole night 6am -9am - The team wanted me to pee and I went 3 times which they seemed pleased with. I texted my husband to come over to be with me - poor guy had to wait downstairs as the recovery room was filling up with other patients. 9am-12 - I was desperate to go home but my doc told me that the only way I could be discharged was if they got positive labs from my bloodwork (they couldn't find veins so they poked me 6-7 times which was a bit traumatic as I hate needles). She also wanted me to finish approx 400 cc of Water and Propel so that she knew I could tolerate it and keep hydrated at home. It took me 3 hours to do this. 12.30 - I had a final conversation with my team at which point they discharged me with a bunch of pain, nausea, spasm and antacid med. 1pm - I got home and went to bed for a proper sleep. I've only just woken up and feel ok to look at my phone. Was too nauseous to read Other Notes: I have 4 incisions - the one at the belly button is most uncomfortable and 'pulls' if I move incorrectly. I seem to need my husband's help to get in and out of bed but I'm sure this only temporary. Per one of my previous posts, I did cheat quite a bit during my pre-op diet (bad bini120!) but I guess my liver was small enough to do the surgery. While I may have dreamed about foods, I'm not hungry at all. I'm sipping my clear fluids very slowly today as I don't want to overdo it, but no issues getting the liquids down. Tomorrow I can start with the Protein shakes. Thank you everyone for answering all my questions pre-op. Looking forward to where this journey takes me next. Any questions, I'd be delighted to answer them. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

3-day Update: I'm feeling a bit better everyday. - I'm off the liquid pain meds as I don't seem to need them. I also don't seem to need the nausea or antacid meds. - The gas pains these last few days have been the most challenging. Every burp and fart is celebrated. And walking around definitely helps to relieve those. - I still have a tightness in my chest though. I've been putting it down to gas pain but I'm not sure anymore so I'll be ringing the doctor today to check. - I had some leakage from one of the incision sites (on my sternum) yesterday (no signs of an infection though) - my husband and I were able to get dressings and alcohols wipes from CVS and redid the covering, which is looking better now. - I sleep on my side or my back with a pillow against my tummy. Partly to protect myself from any unexpected movement at night and partly for support as the belly button incision still 'pulls' a bit. - Yesterday I experience spasms of the stomach, but I've been given pills for that which I took every 4 hours. I also read some advice on here which said a warmer temperature might help, which it definitely did. - I haven't been able to get much Protein in last few days and I'll start again today as I'm feeling a bit more myself. But need to remember to sip very very slowly. - Finally, I haven't had a BM since surgery so last night I picked up some liquid Colace per advice from an RN from the hospital that rang to check up on me. She said Milk of Magnesia should be the last resort as it's a bit more aggressive on the gut. I'll update again in a few days. Good luck all. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Exciting! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@judanna77 response makes complete sense. Don't pay mind to responses saying that 'if you can't do the pre-op diet you shouldn't be doing the surgery'. That's unnecessarily unsupportive and not true. I had my own fears (see my own post in one of the Beginner's forums where I was given wonderful advice by @@MissMay and @provenzee). And even though my plan allowed more than others' seem to have, I still had slip ups here and there pre-op. After surgery the whole thing changes - I was only done a couple of days ago and you realize how little you want or crave food. You're justified in being nervous about pre-op - after all, right now you're functioning with the mindset and stomach that led to obesity. If pre-op diets were easy to do, none of us would even need the surgery! But look at your surgery as resetting your mind and body. Once you're over that hump, you'll listen to your body and be great. Do the best you can during pre-op. If you have a slip up or two, don't be too hard on yourself. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yes she did mine! I can't recommend her and her team highly enough! Also the Staff at NYU Langone were absolutely wonderful. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm 4 days away from surgery and for the first time I'm questioning what will even change after my surgery. I have cheated a little here and there during my pre-op diet and am constantly thinking about food. If I can't even do this bit properly, what makes me think I can change my thinking and behavior patterns with my sleeve? Food's always been my friend and I would love to know if any of you felt this way before surgery but then saw the weight come off after you had your sleeve? What changed your mindset and behavior towards food? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@Miss Mac and @@provenzee THANK YOU SO MUCH for writing this out. It is EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I will be coming back to read your responses repeatedly over the next few days/weeks. Truly, thank you.

Hi all, for reasons I'm too embarrassed to go into, I'm only doing 1 week of the pre-op liver de-fatting diet instead of the 2 weeks instructed by my doctor. So up to 6 Protein shakes and up to 2 cups of green veggies every day. Do you think my liver will be shrunk enough? I have a BMI of 40.

Good luck!!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I've always believed that if you can see it, you can be it - so I'm rattled that some days I have trouble seeing it. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Do you mean 'embrace'? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi All, I'm a long-time lurker (have learned loads from discussions here - thank you), first post. My surgery is on 6/21 and I was wondering if any of you got on a plane soon after surgery. We are having our home refloored a week after my surgery and my husband and I are thinking of places we could go for a week to chill as I'll also be off work. My surgeon says no air travel for 6 weeks after surgery, but since several folks on here have had theirs in Mexico I'm thinking you would have flown back home soon after surgery. Are road trips any better, as long as we stop to stretch my legs every couple of hours? Any insights would be appreciated. Thank you!

Thank you both for your advice! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App