seeingme

Hey peoples! I had my sleeve done on December 7, 2016, so I'm a little over 4 months out. Can I just say, I feel amazing!!!!! I was wearing size 18 jeans on surgery day, and last week I bought size 10s, which fit me comfortably. With only 15 lbs left to my goal I will probably drop one more size, but I don't expect more than that. I am happy with it! I expect these last pounds I'll have to work a bit harder to lose. Time to ramp up the exercise now that spring has finally arrived! A few weeks ago I started having problems with my gallbladder, which I had removed on 3/31. The last week or so before I had that surgery I was retaining a lot of Fluid, and anything I ate or drank caused excruciating pain so I was getting dehydrated, and the fluid retention caused me to gain about 4 lbs. Prior to getting sick I was at a stall at 168, then gained to 172, which was very depressing for me because I couldn't figure out what was going on since I seemed to be living on air! LOL I didn't realize how sick that thing was making me until I got it out.The day after surgery I was running around like a mad woman, catching up on laundry and cleaning. I felt GREAT, except for the fact I couldn't eat anything. It took my body about a week to adjust without rebelling. Now I feel pretty good again, and all that fluid weight is gone. I still have to eat a bit more carefully without my gallbladder, but at least I feel good again! I have no regrets about my decision to have sleeve done, and every day am amazed at how different I feel from just four months ago.

So....what's up with this? I'm 2 1/2 months post-op (surgery on 12/7) For the past week, every time I eat, within about 15 minutes I have LEFT upper quadrant pain, just under my rib cage. Very sharp "stabbing" type of pain. Today it is significantly worse than it has been, so I put a call into my surgeon. In the meantime I thought I'd ask here. Google is NOT my friend, I already tried that. Anyone here experience something similar?

Gallbladder is on the right side. This is on the left. Way over on the left, almost on my side.

I was sleeved two months ago today, December 7, 2016. I feel absolutely AMAZING!! I have more energy than i've had in years. Taking my kids (I have 11 kids, 6 who have disabilities) to Special Olympics basketball practice and being able to run up and down the court with the has been awesome. And I'm not even out of breath, or sore, or feeling awkward! My weight loss has really slowed down a lot. 10 lbs the last month, so I'm hoping I continue 10 lbs the next two months so I can reach my goal. But I'm also a realist and know as the weather is turning here in Minnesota, it is also time for me to ramp up my activity level to reach that goal. You know, getting ready for this surgery, we call came here to read about what to expect; we inform ourselves. We take in as much as we can mentally digest. I can honestly say between my doctors and this site, I feel I was well prepared. I don't think I've had any real surprises, but that doesn't mean its all been super pleasant, Learning how to eat again is not really very pleasant! LOL So here are some things i have learned along the way. 1) If I am eating something that I am enjoying, then take another bite and have this feeling of, "This doesn't taste as good anymore." or "I don't think I want this now." Stop right there!! SPIT IT OUT!!! Self, if I swallow that bite I am in for trouble. My body just warned me, I had better listen! 2) keep an empty styrofoam cup ( preferably with a cover) in the car at all times, cuz guess what? Lunch may suddenly decide to make a return trip and you'll want that cup handy to catch it. 3) Tell your doctor EVERYTHING. "I have diarrhea after I eat X", or "I found out if I do x I will vomit." 4) Sometimes all the chewing in the world isn't going to solve the swallowing problem. Sometimes you need medical intervention. Sometimes you need to have your esophagus stretched out. (thank you hiatal hernia repair) 5) pooping is now a very odd thing. 6) The numbers on the scale are different now. Be satisfied with what you see today. I have discovered I have this odd habit. (probably some of you do too.) For example, i was recently stalled at 185. Days and days and...10 days, two weeks, THREE WEEKS "Just let me see 184 for cripes sake!" When I finally hit 184 I barely gave it a second glance because I already had my sights on 180. When 180 finally rolled around i didn't give it the attention it needed, instead letting my brain slide to 179 and breaking that 180 barrier. 7) DO NOT eat while talking on the phone. BAD idea. I never remember to keep track of how much I'm eating or how well I'm chewing. The next thing I know I have my head in the toilet, paying for that mistake. 8) Don't drink water after eating while talking on the phone. See #7 9) If I'm eating and I think, "hmm Have I had enough or should I have one more bite." DON'T DO IT! Its a trap created by your body to get you throwing up and MISERABLE! 10) Love myself. Every day looking in the mirror and love what I see. Put up "before" pictures so I can remind myself what I looked like before. Put up side by side before/after pictures so I can easily see the difference.

I'm actually a little over a month. My surgery was on 21/7. I'm down 29 lbs. I can't believe it! I feel amazing, and have noticed that when I go up and down the stairs a million times per day, I'm often running! Who would have guessed? We're deep into winter in Minnesota (-14 degrees here today) and I don't DO outside in winter much, so I've been walking 2 miles a day on my treadmill. I have to fight my son for it though, because he runs several miles per day *as a reward*. If only we all loved running so much. Eating has been going ok most of the time. I'm on solid food now, but I'm still figuring out what things I can't eat. For example, today for lunch was 1/2 a turkey breakfast sausage and 1/2 an egg. (so a total of about 10 small bites, eaten over half and hour.) Nope! One of them was not ok, causing me to throw up for the first time since surgery. Oh man, my chest hurts SO BAD when I've taken one too many bites!! Feels like an esophageal spasm. Happened in a restaurant a few days ago. So not fun. As long as I think about it, I have no trouble getting my water in. I have several alarms set on my phone. They say things like "start drinking now" and "stop drinking now" and "start eating now" so I can be sure to follow the 30/30 rule. This works pretty well for me. The last couple of days I have noticed I feel hungry now. STARVING somethings, but if I just drink my water or have a couple bites of a protein snack, it goes away. Constipation is probably my biggest enemy these days. I'm kind of in a weight loss stall right now and feel like if I could just POOP I'd lose again! LOL Every number I hit, I feel unsatisfied with it. Like, I was stuck at 185 for a week. The day I hit 184, in my head I was all, "Yep, there's 184, but that was so yesterday. I want 183 now." Anyway, so far I'm so happy I did this, and can't wait to see where I'm at in June!!

I'm 3 1/2 weeks out. Those first two weeks I had so much IN MY HEAD to deal with about eating!!! Fixing dinner for my kids, handling all the food. Oh man, it was SO HARD!!! Now I'm kind of "take it or leave it" with food. Some days I have to remind myself to eat so I have started setting alarms on my phone when to start/stop drinking and when to eat!

I average about a pound a day. Think of it...30 days out you'll be at 30 lbs at that rate! (just 5 more lbs and one week for me!)

A Fiber gummy once per day has been all I need to keep going, and all the volume I can handle.

What a rotten way to come into Christmas. So sorry! I am guessing you're still retaining a lot of Fluid since your kidney was messed up. Keep drinking as much as you can to help flush it. Did they put you on lasix or anything l like that?

I am 3 1/2 weeks post op. I notice this problem more if I swallow too much at once. I have to be SUPER careful about the 30/30 rule and about a week ago started setting timers on my phone so I stop/start drinking at the appropriate times. Swallowing air is also a big culprit for me.

I am getting, at the most, 600 calories a day right now, plus liquids. There is no way you should be trying to sustain nursing on that type of calorie intake, I would postpone surgery until you're done nursing.

Everyone is SO different! You'll have to see how you do after surgery. Buy insurance on your plane tickets so you can get a refund if you need to. There is just no way to predict how YOU will feel after this surgery. I left the hospital with no weight restrictions. I was on Tylenol only, and that was only for a couple of days. I have been walking one mile on my treadmill since the day after discharge (so day 2 after surgery) I was out to a very formal event, including a restaurant, on day 3 after surgery. We had to walk about 6 blocks from the parking garage to the venue. I took it slow, but was able to do it. I had a broth-based Soup and ate only the broth. Having Water with you at all times, and sipping constantly, is absolutely crucial. Bring Protein drinks with you, and you can get a note from your doctor to get them through security. At the airport you can request a handicap assist and get a wheelchair escort. All of my friends and I turn 50 this year and also have a trip to Vegas planned. I would have to be on my deathbed to miss it.

I have seen a couple people mention having a swallow study done. My doctor doesn't do that, but does keep people for 1-2 days post op.

I have issues with the whiney people on the show. I still watch though. And the enablers. OH MY WORD!!! But remember, they post the most interesting cases, or most annoying people, on the show. So when I was in the hospital for my sleeve one of my nurses (just happened to be a new neighbor I hadn't yet met) complimented me on how well I was doing with all the changes. I am no super strong person believe me, but I have had a lot of surgeries the last two years due to cancer, plus chemo, and all that comes with that. Compared to all that, this surgery was a radar blip for me, and nothing more. (so far. I'm only 3 weeks out. LOL) Anyway, I was doing laps every hour, starting a couple hours after surgery, mostly because my back hurts so bad to lay in bed. The nurse, who was sleeved herself two years ago, said, "A lot of the people in this (bariatric) unit are used to having people do everything for them. A lot of them are pretty whiney, and a lot are hard to get up and moving because they think if they feel ANY pain at all their world is ending." Her comment reminded me of the show because I see a lot of that on the show.

I have had 14 major surgeries in 2 years. All of my abdominal scars are hard first. (I now have 12!!) Takes them about 3 months before the scar tissue starts softening up. Usually by day 10 your incisions should be completely closed. Then you can start massaging them in small, circular motions. Per my breast reconstruction surgeon, I use aquaphore on them when I massage them.

I used to be a very regular pooper. I had dumping syndrome prior to surgery due to intestinal neuropathy caused by chemo. So not a fun long-term side effect. However, it seems to be the only thing helping me since I was sleeved! Since I was sleeved on 12/7 I have a tough time with this, but when I do finally go its liquid. Very weird. But I DO loose weight! LOL

It is usually an overnight or more. They have to make sure that suture line on your stomach doesn't fail when you start taking in liquids.

I was given no restrictions on activity. Have been walking one mile a day on my treadmill since the day after discharge. Getting all my protein in purees, plus liquid calcium w/D, b12 sublingual and biotene. I struggle the most with water, so I start drinking when my feet hit the floor and set timers on my phone so I remember to STOP drinking then start again so I can follow the 30/30 rule. But we're all different. Check with your doctor or dietician if you have questions. We can all tell you what WE do, but you doctor knows you and your circumstances better.

I was sleeved on 12/7. I have stalled twice. Once for four days, and I'm currently in day 3 of another stall. I've noticed the days I struggle to get my protein are the days I stall.

Today I start pureed foods. Well, my doctor said I could start anytime after today if I feel I can tolerate it. I have noticed there is a very fine line between "that is enough", and the very next bite which is "that was one bite too much and now I'm miserable." I'm eating *very* slowly. (30 min for a greek yogurt) so I have time to see how each bite feels in my stomach for a minute or two before taking another. But if I bite too many? Oh the misery! LOL I spend the next 3 hours burping or wanting to vomit. (thankfully have not vomited since surgery, but there have been times it would have felt better to do so!) How do you know where that line is? Is it just a learning curve with our newly altered anatomy?

When you have hair on your head, it takes 3-4 months before you will be able to notice new growth. The first thing you'll notice is a change in body in your hair. That's because the new growth is pushing the current hair up away from the scalp, giving it some lift. That will stop when the new hairs are long enough to lay down.

Thank you. Yes, I am measuring out everything. I learned last week that cream of wheat, even a single small bite, is absolutely a NO food for me! I could't eat the entire rest of the day. Not sure what that's about. It was very thin (could pour it off a spoon, since I was still on full liquids) Other than that, it seems the sweet spot to stop is between 1/4 - 1/2 cup, depending upon what the food is. Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Me too! Surgery on 12/7 and as of today I'm down 22 lbs. This is unbelievable to me, and I already feel better than I have in 3 years, which was right before I found out I had cancer. This is life-changing, for sure! Have you started purees yet? I started today. Slow going. The 30/30 is hard to follow when I feel like I need to wash something down.

Starte pre-op diet on 11/25 dropped 8. Surgery on 12/7, down 14 since then. I haven't seen the other side of 190 in several years, but expect to this week!

If you cannot manage the pre-op diet, and knowlingly sabatage it, you're going to have a hard time post op. Sent from my SM-G928P using the BariatricPal App