drawingdami

I had surgery September 2nd and the first 72 hours was agony. Make sure your team are doing everything they can to manage your pain. Don't try to tough it out. Narcotics and opiates don't work on me so 1500mg of Tylenol was what I did the entire time I was actively in pain. Only downside was that I could only take it every 6 hours and it wore off after 4. A heating pad on my back and on my stomach made a HUGE difference for me. Also, like everyone else says, walking, walking, walking. Make sure you are getting as much fluid in as you can as well--the dehydration can cause your muscles to spasm, and that makes everything feel 100x worse. Hang in there guys! By this time next week, you will all feel so much better!

I did and it was because my electrolytes were out of whack. The two main ones to help with muscle spasms are potassium and sodium. I am not a fan of Gatorade because it has a lot of salt, but no potassium. Cow and soy milk are high in potassium and have enough sodium per serving to help replenish your body's needs. But as @tarocardreader says, let your team know. Also, get your fluid in!

I am very new- two weeks out as of tomorrow. I am transitioning from purees to soft foods now and I am trying to practice intuitive eating. I think if you are hungry, maybe you should eat a good snack, something high protein. Everyone's body is SO different, and I think we have to remember that our diets are guidelines. You have to tailor it to you. Maybe your body needs to eat more often, especially if you are exercising. Maybe try a teaspoon or two of natural, no sugar added peanut butter as a snack in between a meal. Listen to your body--you don't have to go wild, but if she's hungry, feed it. She will hang on to every pound if she feels like she is starving.

I am having a similar problem as yourself. Eleven days out, nothing is appealing to me, and I am struggling to eat. I did the two teaspoons of hummus dinner too the other day and thought, I can't live like this! I am on purees and honestly, I don't know how babies do it! Food has no evil intent. It's just food. It is what our relationship to it and how our bodies react to it that matters. So I think there is no "good" or "bad" foods. I think it is important to keep in mind that the rules of eating in the initial stages are averages from studying hundreds of patients. None of it is usually tailored to your specific physiology, so you have to try things and see how you react. The only hard and fast rule is GO SLOW. You want to try your husband's lasagna, try a tiny amount and wait to see how it sits with you. If you can tolerate it, cool! If not, well, it isn't on the menu just yet for you and it may never be. There is an inherent level of risk in going through this process, so you have to make the decision what level of risk you are comfortable with when reintroducing food. Some things you try will make you ill, so mentally prepare for that but don't beat yourself up over it. We are all relearning.

I take 14 different medications a day, 22 pills in total daily, including one multivitamin and one calcium supplement. Hopefully as time goes on I can get off of some of them, but I am a transplant patient, so I know it won't be a great decrease. The thing that sucks is that I am used to taking multiple pills all at once--just opening my throat and throwing them back. But now I have to take some in liquid form, some crushed up and all of them only one or two at a time, which means I can taste the bitterness of all the medications, and it makes me gag. I hope as things go along, I can go back to throwing everything back in bunches, because this SUCKS.😓 But I am only 11 days out, so early days yet.

Hmmm. I am new to all of this, but I wonder, have you tried hot tea when you feel like this? I get that same sensation as well, although I am only in the pureed food stage. I have found that hot black tea seems to help. I think that maybe I need to be very conscious and intentional about drinking some fluid a half hour to a an hour after I eat. I don't know why I feel like it is somehow related, but I do know tea works for me.

No, actually. The slices of onion are almost paper thin. But sauteing might not be a bad idea!

Yeah, eight days out and I just started purees. I do feel MUCH better. I have almost no pain now, A teeny bit, but not even enough to bother with Tylenol. I just put my heating pad on my tum and it works well manage my pain. So far I have made a pureed black bean soup, whipped cauliflower mashed potatoes with chives and LF cream cheese, smoked tuna pate and sugar free jello pudding, which I added dark cocoa powder and cinnamon, whipped it for 10 min, poured into 4 oz containers that i had spread 1TBSP of all natural no sugar peanut butter into the bottom and put it into the freezer to set. came out sort of like a mouse! I used 1% milk. The tuna "pate" is a can of chunk light tuna in water, undrained, 2 TBSP lowfat cream cheese, slices of red onion chopped, a couple of dashes of Liquid Smoke and salt/pepper to taste. I threw it all into a food processor and ground it until it was as smooth as hummus. I thought it came out pretty good as well.

Well, I am a week out and I can tell you fellow bubbly guts folks that my GERD is GONE. Like, zero!

You and me both! The first 36 hours were just plain awful. I really was like, what the f!ck did I just DO?!?!?😱 I am finally being discharged today. I do agree with walking. That really does work the gas out. I started to do the electric slide down the hallways. It made the nurses crack up but it really works to move the gas out!😂

Thank you! We shall get through this. By this time next month, both you and I can have my favorite tuna salad: 1 can tuna packed in water, 1 slice red onion, 2 tbsp of low fat cream cheese, couple of dashes of liquid smoke and salt and pepper to taste. Do not drain tuna and put everything together in blender or food processor until very smooth. I have made this for parties as a cracker spread! It's delish.

Have you checked out the bariatric program at NY Presbyterian @ Columbia University? I was cleared for surgery with a 35bmi and a few comorbidities. High cholesterol was counted for me. So was joint pain with the beginnings of osteoarthritis.

*sigh* Just grit your teeth. I have surgery tomorrow and have only managed 30grams of protein via these awful, awful shakes today. Some people only feel like this for a couple of days into the liquid diet. Unfortunately, l have been hungry and miserable the whole time. Every night I have dreams of either a hard boiled egg, a plum, or a real NYC-Italian sub sandwich. I can't imagine I will eat the sub again, but I will dance a little dance when I can eat an egg, fruit and salads!

Hey there, Surgery Sis! You and I are going to be afraid, mentally hold hands, and on Wednesday, JUMP! 🤗🎉 I am similar to you in that I have several chronic health issues, and I am similar to @Addicted in that I too had bacterial pneumonia, was in ICU in a coma and also lost around 55-60lbs during that time a few years back. I went under a size 16 and woke up an 8! That was freaky.🤯 Anyway, I also thought I could keep it off on my own as well. But I went right back up to my usual 215 within a year and a half. Like many say here, if you could have lost weight and kept it off all on your own then you would have. I congratulate you on the weightloss you have achieved already though. Respect!😎 The biggest factor in deciding to do this was my health. In theory, many of my health issues will be improved--some greatly--by this surgery. I am all about quality of life. To me that matters way more than quantity. If there is a chance I can feel better than I currently do, I am gonna take it! Why do you want to do this, really truly. You and everyone else here knows this isn't the easy way out. It is hard, but it's going to be a different kind of hard. Do you think you can trade the hard work of losing weight on your own with being a bariatric patient and all it entails? You said the weight is just falling off now. There will be a time where your weight will stall out, no matter which route you take. Do you think you can fight through that stall on your own, which could be several weeks, or do you think having a tool with you could help? Like EVERYBODY says who does this, surgery is a tool, not the solution. You still gotta work. I would take another good look tonight at why you want to do this. You can always, ALWAYS cancel a surgery, up to the last minute. I have had many surgeries, and there was one time that I actually did that. I yelled STOP!!! right there on the table in the OR and began to sit up. I just wasn't comfortable with what was going on and you better believe everyone stopped what they were doing and got me off of that table! No one wants a potential lawsuit, even if you did sign the consent form. So really think about this. Don't worry about anything else right now but yourself. This is your body and at the end of the day, you're the one who has to live in it AND you can't get another one. How big is your bariatric center? Initially I thought my surgeon and his team were a bit ambivalent about me and that made me doubtful. But then after talking to the nurse practitioner there I found out that they oversee over a thousand patients. For them, I am just passing through. It's a miracle anyone remembers my name! The best antidote to fear is knowledge. Do you know how many years your surgeon had been doing bariatric surgery, specifically what you are having done? Do you know what kind of reputation that bariatric clinic has? I have never seen a hospital have more than a 3 out of 5 rating, but that doesn't necessarily mean your clinic is bad. No matter what you decide, you have to advocate, advocate, AD.VO.CATE. for yourself! Your bariatric team will only give you as much attention as you demand and you have to demand it. Never be rude, but let them know you ain't playin'. Blessings on your head and good luck on Wednesday! Don't forget--if you decide to go ahead and feel like your panic is going to overtake you, remember there is someone in NYC holding your hand and taking the same step forward with you.

Yeah, I think everyone gets focused on reacting to your physical changes and forget that there was a huge health aspect in deciding to do this as well. I'm doing it for health reasons first and foremost and mental health is included in that. If my appearance makes me feel better about myself then that is a healthy win.

The only other time I have lost a lot of weight was years ago in my 20's when I had to go through chemotherapy. Once my hair grew back, I was suddenly getting loads of attention. I was scared stiff and a little bit angry. I was used to being invisible or a little picked on and now suddenly I was worth being noticed...a LOT...by everybody! It was so overwhelming I kind of shut down. It made me think most people were assholes if it took going through chemo and losing 70lbs to be worth anyone's time. I was very suspicious and cynical. Now, I'm in my late 40's and I feel the same anxiety I felt when I was younger starting to creep back in. I think I will attract a lot less attention now, but I still fear the feeling of 'visibility' to others. I don't think I ever really realized how much I use my physique as a shield until I started this process.

Yikes! I am having my Nissen Fundoplication with metal banding revised to an RnY on Wednesday. I had severe GERD and a large Hiatal Hernia. The Fundoplication worked for about 2.5 years but now the GERD is back and I have another hernia that developed above the fundoplication. This sounds like it's going to be...not fun.😰

YES. My surgery is on Wednesday and I feel like I am starving and I am so tired! I have lost 15lbs so far. Today I woke up from a dream about a sub sandwich. I am hungry, yet I feel like I can barely choke down these protein shakes. I make my own with pea protein powder, but now I am so over them.

@BayougirlMrsS-- I am so glad you found your strength, courage and self-worth. I am also glad you found yourself a good man! Your story makes me very happy.🤗 My dude is a good dude, but for the last 5 years, he has shown no affection what so ever. We live like friendly roommates, doing out own thing. I don't know what is going on within him, but he won't talk about it, and won't bother with therapy. I don't know if he feels self conscious--he was thin for most of his life, but then because of illness and medication, he gained a little over 100lbs. His weight doesn't bother me except that I am worried about his health. I know something has to change, but we are so interconnected for so many reasons, it would be hard to detangle ourselves, both practically and emotionally. And frankly, I don't want to. In other respects he is a good partner. We make a good team, I think. But I didn't get married to live like a nun. I don't know how my upcoming changes will affect our relationship, if at all.

Hi good people, My surgery is scheduled for next week and I have an issue that no one seems to have an answer for. I take a lot of daily medications due to a kidney transplant. Most of my medications have been changed to liquid solutions except for a couple. The few that are left are of a chalky consistency and can be broken up and/or crushed. But there is one-- Wellbutrin Extended Release, 300mg that can't be broken up and will only be prescribed in a liquid form if you have a permanent tube in your throat, according to my insurance. I don't know what to do...anyone ever have this type of problem?🤔

Ok, thank you!

Hello surgery sis! I have the same day as you.🤗

That is very understandable. If you do feel uncomfortable with anyone, ask to switch. They can always transfer test and lab results to other facilities in a timely manner so you shouldn't have to do them again. Hopefully you know the name of your surgeon by now. Research as much as you can, and even check with your state's medical board to see if they have any infractions or flags. Good luck to you!

Isn't it just AWFUL?! I am half way through. I think most people are fine after day three, unfortunately, I am still hungry😢 and I have had a constant headache from caffeine withdrawal. I keep thinking about hard boiled eggs and plums. I don't even LIKE eggs! Six more days to go...we can do this!

Yes, that is right.The behavioral analyst just wants to make sure you are mentally stable. Even if you deal with depression, as long as you are managing it with therapy and/or medication, that shouldn't be an issue. Really it's just to make sure there aren't any real red flags that have to be dealt with before proceeding. Same with the nutritionist. It is a meeting to get a general feel of how your diet is right now, and to start to talk about what your diet will be in the future. This is what happened when I started, they were the first two things I had to do.