Navigating the Wilderness

I strongly disagree with this. Gelcaps will dissolve in gastric fluids where normal pills will not necisarily. My surgeon and I discussed this at length. With over 10,000 surgeries he has never had a patient get a gelcap stuck because they dissolve. He has had plenty of times with regular pills doing this and we discussed his many 'fishing' adventures removing blockages in the sleeve from pills that would not digest. On a side note, he said antibiotic drugs were the worst culprits for this issue. Lastly, I'm in favor of crushing pills rather than splitting them (that is as long as they are not some type of extended release coated medications). The crushed pills will taste horrible, but are much more sleeve-friendly.

Sorry it took so long for one of us to respond to you. In apology I am going to take some time and really answer your questions in detail: First, congrats on taking that huge step to a helthier you! While it is true that the fundus part of your stomach stretches, since the majority of that was removed it is really almost impossible to stretch your stomach. Realistically what would happen is food will push past the pylorus and into your intestines or you will simply throw up if you eat too much. The greater amount of food we can eat after a few months has more to do with reduced swelling as your stomach heals than your sleeve expanding. Good advice to succeed: Follow what your surgeon says at all times, especially in the beginning. Take gas-x for your gas and bloating pains. Hit you macros that your surgeon set out for you for protein, fat, and carbs every day, plus make sure you stay hydrated. That last part is worth repeating, STAY HYDRATED. Incorporate at least 30 mins of cardio 5 days per week. It does not need to be crazy high impact workouts, I walk a mile and a half to hit my 30 mins per day. There may come a time where you become an emotional wreck and completely regret having surgery. This is completely normal and it will eventually pass. Keep looking toward your goals. This is my rule for new WLS patients, and is a bit controversial. If you have a crazy craving for something and can't hold back, give in to temptation and have it. Note how it does not taste anywhere near as good as you thought it would and learn that your brain will play tricks on you. Use this lesson to realize the power your former eating habits have over you and remember it is just a head game the next time you crave something. Break those habits with rational thinking. Use a food diary to document everything you eat. This is a very important tool to determine eating patterns. Most importantly, enjoy the new you and this fantastic journey. It is a one-time shot so use the experiences to shape your habits for the future.

Job well done! Congrats on the fantastic results!!

Most likely due to the way they situated and braced you on the operating table. It should feel better soon. Congrats on the surgery!!

Almost everyone has fears before they go in for surgery, it is completely normal. I would definitely try busying yourself with things in the coming weeks to take your mind off the surgery. I totally understand the extra apprehension because of what happenened last time, but that just means you've earned the right to have everything go smoothly this time!!

I wouldn't try anything bigger than aspirin for a month after surgery. After that any gel caps should be fine, bigger pills may need to be crushed, but physically I have not had and problem with pills. oh and incidentally I would actually stay away from aspirin, and definitely never use NSAIDs. Tylenol is ok though. Of course always double-check with your doc.

I'm excited for you as well. It really is an epic journey!

Fantastic news!!

As far as driving a car it was 7 days, but I suspect it could of been sooner. As far as my wife, I was driving her crazy before I even left the hospital.

I'm a stomach sleeper, so the first three weeks were really rough for me because I had to sleep on my back. I wouldn't think sleeping on your side would be bad though unless it causes pain.

I tried regular black coffee two months out. I totally regretted it, massive heartburn and reflux. I would suggest trying decaf first and see how you respond.

I'd ask your doctor for some anti nausea medication. They work pretty well. Feel better soon, and congrats on making it past the first step in your journey!

I don't really believe in setting a hard goal. For 5'6" 148lbs is considered a healthy BMI. If you want a hard goal, that would be my suggestion. Of course 5'6" and 160lbs is pretty darn good in my opinion as well. You need to listen to your body and find that weight that feels comfortable for you. You'll know it when you hit it.

Burning fat releases estrogen, so you are correct that it is common to have crazy emotions. As for dealing with them, just remember it is not permanent, and it will get better. If you are completely overwhelmed, there is no harm in seeing a psychologist.

Liquid diets make everyone angry and agitated. It is very, very normal. The headache is coming from either low blood sugar, or withdrawal from sugar. This is also very, very common. The pain you had was due to a breathing tube they used on you during surgery, and I have had a couple of surgeries where the pain from that was worse than the site they operated on, so I hear ya!

Chronic dehydration can most certainly cause high blood pressure. It can also cause low blood pressure. Go figure. If your doctor is not worried, I would not spend too much time fretting over it. I would however be persistent about calling them if the HBP continues. Congrats on the surgery by the way!

I had incision pain in one area due to infection, but it doesn't appear that is your issue. Honestly, if you are in severe pain, keep after your surgeon. It is most likely nothing, but I wouldn't let it go until I felt better. I took 3.5 weeks off.

On the bright side that means she really cares about you, and that is a priceless thing. Just educate her regarding the surgery and things will fall into place

Other than the empty calories, I don't think it's a big deal and wouldn't worry about it. Have fun, then get your mindset on the surgery. At least that is what I would do.

That is a fantastic way to look at it.

That is a weekend after my own heart! Enjoy them!!

Yes, exactly!!

Yeah, that is some bullshit! Crappy of Dr.'s office not to find that out first and work with the insurance company to get you approved. I say f it, go have a fun long weekend anyway, then fight the system next week.

That is the exact reason why I chose to go forward with WLS as well. Never had a problem losing weight, always had a problem keeping it off. As for your mother scaring you, she is most likely doing that because she herself is scared about it. Education is the best way to turn a naysayer into a cheerleader. I would suggest taking her with you to the doctor on your next visit, or sharing posts on this site with her. Either way, my guess is she will come around to supporting you.

Oh Joann, I am so sorry to hear you are going through this. You have been one of my favorites with such positive comments! So, first off, there isn't any head work you could have done pre-op to fully prepare for this. None of us truly knows how we will react after surgery, so please don't think of it that way. I will tell you exactly what to do about these feelings as soon as I figure it out myself. I can tell you that with continued positive eating habits it does get easier to not think about food as a consolation, but I certainly had/have my days when I miss certain foods, especially on bad days. There certainly were days where I felt unsure what to do with myself as I had spent so much time previously planning my whole day around food. There were also a few times I took a nap just to get food off my mind. Writing this out makes it sound worse than it really was. I did seek help from a psychologist which lasted two sessions before we both determined I really didn't need any help, I just needed time to get used to the new me.