celeniavsg

I’m almost 9 months post-op. 235 to 160 pounds.

I am 8 month's post op and lost 75 pounds so far. It's been a roller coaster ride these past few weeks. I have been trying to stay on a strict regimen with my diet but there are times I do slip and have some carbs/sugar. I'm starting to feel disappointed in myself. I'm starting college this week and I am so stressed and nervous I don't even have an appetite and I know I am not drinking enough liquids. Plus, lately I've been waking up early in the morning dry heaving and throwing up foamy spit. I started taking my PPI again too. I just feel like this is because I am not doing something correct. I also get dizzy if I stand up too quickly from sitting, or if I bend over to pick something up. Either I feel like I'm eating too much or not enough at times. I was taking kickboxing classes but unfortunately I couldn't afford it anymore. Luckily my college has a fitness center, free for all students so I will def take advantage. Pretty much, long story short I feel like I am losing my drive and focus remaining on the right path because I have so many other priorities going on and I'm afraid I am going to start gaining weight soon enough and I don't know how I would feel if I saw that scale go up. Sidebar, I suffer from mental illnesses that I am currently on meds for and I am not sure if they are sort of causing this foamy spit, feeling tired and weak. I've already contacted my doctor and I have an appointment to discuss. The first several months have been great, I don't wait to fall back into old habits. The mind is a tough thing to battle. How is everyone doing 8-months post-op?

I'm one month post-op and I've been on the best behavior when it comes to my diet. Calculating, measuring, logging, all that good stuff. Today, I started a new job and went to my new hire orientation. Breakfast was served and unfortunately all they had were bagels. I was sad. I ended up rushing out of my house this morning because I wanted to make sure I wasn't late and all I was only able to grab my RTD protein shake. Three hours into my orientation I started feeling woozy and that's my usual sign that I need to eat something. I still had 2 more hours until lunch so I ended up grabbing one side of a bagel with a small amount of cream cheese and took about 4-5 bites. The last bite felt like it was ripping through my esophagus and I started panicking. I ran to the bathroom and stuck my finger down my throat to see if the piece of bagel would come out because it felt stuck. I started to cry and freaked out in the stall. I waited a few minutes and walked back to my seat. I tried so hard to keep my cool. After a few minutes I sipped water and now I'm pretty okay. I just feel like I have a piece of bagel stuck in my stomach and feel like complete ****. I'm so upset with myself I'm literally crying as I type this. d**k move. I am cleared to eat pretty much anything based off my surgeon and nutritionist but to be extremely careful. Always eat protein and veggies and stay away from starch as best as I can. Toasted bread is ok, this bagel wasn't toasted and I didn't even take the guts of the bagel out. I feel like an absolute failure right now.

Wow! 100 pounds down 6 months! Congrats that's awesome. [emoji173]️

Omg that was so painful and scary [emoji22]

I def packed snacks for my second day haha! Never want to experience that again!

Thank you everyone!!! That was the first time I ever experienced that kind of pain/feeling while eating. I thought I was tearing something inside. Scariest experience ever! [emoji30]

Hi, I am so curious to know why so many sleevers pre-op and post-op so different? There are times during pre-op when I wanted to ask questions and vent at how miserable I was during my 3-day clear liquid, all while a lot of you guys were suffering through it for 2 weeks, I just stood quiet. LOL! Now, tomorrow I make 7 days post-op and I can begin my puree stage, some people need to wait almost 3 weeks for this. Of course I start to overthink and worry myself like "Should I even try to eat eggs tomorrow?" "What if I'm not fully healed yet?" Honestly, I feel great. No pain whatsoever. Just sore at the incision sites. I am meeting my protein goals so far. Here are my dietary guidelines: http://www.cornellweightlosssurgery.org/pdf/dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.pdf Let me know what you think. Thanks!

Yeah pretty much majority of patients I see on here are on full liquids for two weeks. I was only one week full liquids, 3 weeks puree and now i'm on soft solid foods introducing things little by little. I can finally eat a salad. (Never thought I'd say that LOL) Btw, tuna hates me.

I spoke to my NUT about this, she told me that some surgeons are a bit extra when it comes to diets to be super safe to avoid complications and admitted some are a little too intense. Patients can always ask if they can be cleared sooner for next stages if they are tolerating their current diet well. So it's really depending on the surgeon.

I was going through the same exact thing five days postop just like you. It was driving me insane. I promise it will subside and you will not have the hunger feeling anymore. It is just extra acid and the hunger hormone is not completely out of your system yet. Once I reached one week, I feel so much better. In the meantime, if you're not already, take a PPI. (Prliosec, Nexium, etc.) to help control the acid.

Sending positive vibes and hope you're recovering okay! Update us when you can.

You got this! <3

HEY EVERYONE! Download the app Bariastic! It's so awesome. You can do everything. Track your fluid intake, protein intake, vitamins, log in your meals, and will keep you on track based on your current stage. It also gives you recipes for puree and soft food stages. You can even track your bowel movements. [emoji90] It's free! Some surgeons have a code for this app that they can message you for any updates and changes in plan.

Hi! I know exactly what you're going through. The gas was so painful the first 2-3 days that I felt it in my shoulders and back. Walking around helped me. Little by little I was what I call "victory" farting all over the place! LOL! Tomorrow I officially make 7 days post-op and I'm feeling way better than last week. You will start to feel better soon!

I know earlier this week I gave a quick description of what to expect when going to for VSG! I would love to thoroughly describe the experience, up until where I am today. (4 days post-op) Surgery date was May 4th, 2017. Performed by Dr. Afaneh at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell GI and Metabolic Surgery. Pre-op: A lot of surgeons are different and everyone's pre-op diet is different. Some patients need to start two weeks prior. Me, I had to start a full clear liquid diet 2 days before surgery. I was miserable. When I found out other people started way before I did, I sucked it up and kept moving forward. I was having unlimited amounts clear broths, sugar-free ices, sugar free jello, and Powerade Zero. None of these liquids are supposed to be red dye color. I assumed so it is not confused for inflammation and blood in the stomach. Miso Soup was my best friend for my meals, just make sure to drain the tofu. I got the call from the hospital the night before and they told me my surgery time. EIGHT PM. I gasped on the phone and the nurse asked if I was okay. I was under the impression surgeries were usually in the morning and i immediately started freaking out at the thought of a tired surgeon after performing these all day coming in to my OR. I asked the nurse twice if this was correct and she laughed saying I am not the only person who had this reaction. But, this was the time my surgeon worked so what can I do and since my consultation, I felt a good vibe from this guy even if his hours are weird. So I got everything ready and started the mental preparation. What to pack: Please whatever you do, don't over pack! You will not use anything you bring with you. You will be too busy in and out of sleep the last thing you'll give a crap about is what panties/underwear you got on. All I packed was one pair of underwear, a change of loose clothes when I go home (Big t-shirt and loose leggings), deodorant, CHAPSTICK (SO IMPORTANT), and a pair of socks to wear under the hospital socks for extra warmth. (I'll explain why later.) Toothbrush? Most of the time , hospital gives you a little kit with those things. New York-Presbyterian hooked me up and gave me a toothbrush, paste, lotions, shampoos. a robe, and a refreshing spray since you won't be able to shower until you go home. Then of course, bring your purse with your usual "purse things", wallet with ID, some cash just in case, a good book/ipad/laptop, and some headphones to keep you entertained during your stay besides sleeping. SURGERY DAY: So remember when I told you my surgery time was at 8pm. Check-in was at 5pm. My day was DRAGGING. I was beyond nervous. Then a phone call came in around 11am and I automatically knew it was the hospital. They ended up asking if I can come in by 2:30, surgery at 5:30pm. I was a little relieved I was able to go in earlier. I wondered if someone canceled? I was overthinking everything! When I arrived to the hospital i was escorted to the pre-op area where the nurses had me take off everything and place all my belongings in plastic bags. Get ready to say your name and date of birth a thousand times before you go under. You'll meet everyone. (The attending doctor who will monitor your vitals during your stay and ask you for your medical history, the anesthesiologist and his crew will introduce themselves and make you open your mouth really wide to see how far back they can see, and then you will see your surgeon one more time to sign your last consent form before surgery.) The nurses started my IV port and gave me my first round of heavy pain medications, which I started feeling woozy around 45 minutes after. Then I just sat and waited. Watched some Scandal, listened to music and waited for my surgery time. I saw my curtain pull back and it was the nurse telling me it was time to go. I immediately started sobbing. I thought I was so cool and collected but it hit me like a ton of bricks when it was actually time. I was super nervous and she gave me a really warm felt hug and assured me that everything would be okay! She escorted me to the surgery room. That 5 minute walk felt like an eternity. I thought I mentally prepared myself enough but the nerves were still there. Dr. Afaneh came out of the room and said we're ready for you! He saw my eyes were red from crying and he said "Listen, don't worry about a thing, If it makes your feel any better i'm all warmed up, just did two bypasses a sleeve and a hernia repair so I'm ready to go." The nurses brought me in and set me up on the table. They explained everything they were doing up until the moment they placed the gas mask. The last thing I remembered was when the nurse anesthetist say, "see you in a bit girl!" Post OP: I woke up crying. (I'm emotional, sorry.) Everyone welcomed me back to my conscious state. The first thing I felt was an immediate need for water. My throat was on fire because of the breathing tube. The nurse had this little sponge on a stick dipped in ice cold water that she gave me and it was HEAVEN. My voice was raspy and I barely could move. She asked me if there was anyone in the waiting room for me and I told her my boyfriend was. She went to get him to me and that's when the other nurses came in and started vital checks and my first injection of Heparin, a blood thinner given every 8 hours to prevent blood clots. This is not administered through your IV and has to be injected. You can choose either your stomach or arm. Go for the stomach. You got a lot of cushion there for it doesn't hurt as much as the shoulder. On both legs, I had these boots which applied compression every 5 minutes for circulation. All I did was lay there and suck on my sponge stick until they brought me into my room. When I was brought to my room, the nurse on the clock came in and introduced herself and gave me another round of pain medication, anti-nausea, and a stool softener. I felt so exhausted, once she walked out, I pressed my little light button and fell asleep...and woke up again in a few hours for the same routine, pain medications and my second dose of Heparin. There was a nurse coming into the room every few hours and I barely slept. My body was fighting for REM that when the nurse asked if I wanted to walk I told her I couldn't do it. My breakfast tray was delivered and it was a full bariatric liquid diet: broth, G2, Jello, and tea. I probably took two teaspoons of the broth and felt pain as it went down so I just sipped on the Gatorade a bit and fell asleep. It was 6am and the nurse came back in with my first round of crushed vitamins and medications. She mixed them in small cups with G2 and I took them back like shots at the bar. It was pretty gross but she said it counted as fluid intake. I ended up going to urinate every time the nurse came in, and like clockwork she would check the amount I did and let me know I was healing well. So every few hours, just repeating the same old vitals, meds, another heparin injection which bled through my gown after the 3rd one. My lunch tray came in with the same stuff that I barely touched. Acid reflux started kicking my ass and that's when I laid there and asked myself "What the hell did I do to myself?" I started feeling afraid that maybe this wasn't a good idea. An hour later a whole gang of resident doctors came in with the surgeon. They all smiled and said hello and Dr. Afaneh started asking me how I felt and told me the surgery was basically perfect that he wish he could've recorded it. (He's a professor as well since the hospital is also a medical college too.) He was very pleased and told me I will be seeing the results soon and I will be discharged in a few hours! I couldn't believe it, it didn't even hit 24 hours and I was already going home. I started getting excited to go home. By the way, my lips were chapped, so use that chapstick! I WAS FREEZING. The extra socks under the hospital socks kept my toes warm and my hands were pale white and freezing. The nurse told me that's normal when your body is recovering. So get extra blankets! My last tray came in and TADA! PROTEIN SHAKE! I was so happy! ANYTHING BUT BROTH! The nurse manager came in and gave me a small gift bag that had a shaker bottle, pill crusher, a protein power bag of Vanilla UNJURY, and little soap set. It was super cute and she wished me good luck on my weight loss journey. After drinking some of my shake\ I got up and walked around a bit and felt pretty good at this point.The nurse came back with my discharge papers and removed all my IV's. She put some band-aids on my heparin injections sites because they kept bleeding a little bit. I got dressed and was escorted to the main entrance and saw my boyfriend and son waiting for me. It was a little after 7pm, a little under 24 hours from when I was woken up from surgery. Cool right? I am now 4 days post-op and I feel great. My acid re-flux sucks still but my doctor told me it was fine to take my PPI twice a day instead of once. I am drinking 2-4 oz of liquids every hour. Slowly sipping all day. I try to walk around for 15-20 minutes twice a day outside or even in the house. My surgeon gave me a goal of one 8oz protein shake a day which I have been actually accomplishing! Little by little it's getting better and I was able to walk my son to his jujitsu class near the house. My boys have been trying not to eat near me but we live in an apartment in NYC so it's a little impossible to avoid each other. I just put on some headphones with some good music and sip my protein shake, planning my first pureed dinner i'll have in a week in my head. Physically, its going to be tough not being able to get around on your own without the extra help and annoying pain. Mentally, you might feel drained, you might have second thoughts, and it'll probably piss you off when you see other people eating food. But when you step on the scale and see your progress in such a small amount of time, it will motivate you to stay strong. It will feel good and realize how strong you are mentally. Stronger than what you expected. YOU ARE A WARRIOR! You got this baby! Meal prep your little yogurts, broths, and prepare your Crystal Light the night before. My favorite thing right now is taking 4oz of Chobani plain greek yogurt and mixing 1 TSP of strawberry UNJURY protein powder. It's like a tangy semi-sweet strawberry yogurt. Feel free to contact me through message if you have any pre-op questions. See you on the loser's bench! <3

Hi everyone! It feels good to know there's a community out here for VSG patients. I just had my surgery on 5/4/17 and I have no idea of what I'm feeling is a lot of acid or actual hunger pains. Whatever I drink (water, G2, protein shake, etc.) it will go down very slowly, feel like it stops right in the center, a sharp pain, then my stomach growls. I try to make sure I have 2-4 oz of liquid an hour. But I never feel satisfied. I swear I feel like I can eat an entire plate of food. I take Prilosec in the morning 30 mins before breakfast. Yesterday my acid reflux was so bad I had to take another one. Now I feel super hungry. Is it hunger? I wish it curbed my appetite completely.

Thank you! See you soon on the loser's bench as well! [emoji173]️

Had my surgery in New York on Star Wars day! (May 4th) So far so good. A lot of acid but hopefully as days go by it'll subside. Had my surgery at New York Presbyterian, performed by Dr. Afaneh. One of the first doctors to use robotics while performing VSG's. He said the surgery couldn't have gone any more perfect. HW: 233 CW: 225.5 GW: 130 To everyone awaiting there surgery, it's going to be tough. Your throat is going to hurt because of the breathing tube, you're going to feel very groggy because you're pumped with many meds prior and during surgery. You might ask yourself "wth did I get myself into?" because I am not afraid to admit I asked myself. But, it will get better as days pass. Plus to boost your spirits, my surgeon said May is one of the best months to have surgery. Perfect weather to go on walks. Good luck everyone and speedy recovery! [emoji173]️