ShoppGirl

Great suggestion to write down questions. A friend suggested for me to keep a list on my phone and that was ideal because it’s always with me so I could add them as they popped into my head no matter where I was.

I didn’t have any issues getting my fluid goals right away and was drinking pretty big sips in the hospital with my sleeve. They said I just didn’t have as much swelling as many people do. They said to me just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should do it. You want to get used to slowing down and taking smaller sips because when it’s more solid food and it’s bites you will feel your restriction and one bite too many will be the difference between full and vomiting. And just so it doesn’t scare you I lost plenty of weight with my sleeve. It worked fine until I let the bad choices slip back in so don’t worry about that.

There are so many different recipes online and even on this site if you really want one but honestly I just went by my taste preference. This one is a single serving using a ramekin. She uses Parmesan cheese In the ricotta mixture and eliminates the mozzarella but I never tried it that way. It will give you the basic portions though. https://bariatricbits.com/single-serve-baked-ricotta/

That’s awesome. I’m so thrilled for you.

Glad you are home and it sound like feeling pretty little pain.. I may have some questions for you about your gallbladder surgery experience. I had an unexpected removal of mine with my revision and I’m going tomorrow to get some answers I hope but I know absolutely nothing at all about all this. Take your healing time and let us know how you are doing. Then when you are feeling back to normal please let me know so I can pick your brain about that if you do not mind.

Today’s win for me was getting a little higher on my spirometer. I am exactly a week post op and still not to where my doctor would like me to be but I am doing a little better today. Still working at it.

Now that you know your size consider checking out some thrift stores. For this size and maybe even the next size down. Usually the church ones have the best prices on clothes. Places like Goodwill don’t price each item separately so sometimes you score but a lot of times it’s not even really a deal. They have like a set price for all jeans whether they are top of the line with the tags or if they are worn looking Walmart brand. The problem is that there are people who shop these places for their business and grab all the descent stuff and Resell it online so you really have to get lucky and find stuff that just got out on the rack before they get to go through it. The church stores tend to price each item as they see fit so you may pay a little more for a nicer quality but at least you can actually find it there. Maybe you will get lucky and your local store doesn’t have anyone like that but near me I never have luck there. If you have a reasonable consignment store near you it may be even better. You can bring things back and get credit as they become too big to use towards your smaller items.

I honestly think at a certain point it doesn’t much matter what they do while they are poking around in your abdomen it’s just hurts for a while regardless. I had a surprise gallbladder removal and I seem to be recovering pretty similar to most others with the surgery. I had a bit of a tough beginning but that was actually because of gas not incision pain. Hopefully yours will be the same but without the gas either

Not at all. I chuckled a little too. Luckily he was was in the garage so it can all just be hosed out. Super glad it wasn’t inside.

If you get one of them don’t fill it with more than you plan to use. I just tried mine tonight when I decided I prefer to eat with a spoon to feel Ike I’m getting food. I couldn’t open the lid cause it’s a YETI so of course the seal is 5000 times stronger than any other but when hubby opened it he spilled tomato soup anywhere. I think the one with a screw on lid would be much better. Think this is intended for you to use all the contents before you open the lid. Anyways, I added the warmer to my Walmart cart. They have one in stock that comes with its own mug for $24.99. They have cheaper ones you use your own mug if you have time to wait but I really kinda need it soon.

Yea. I’m hoping it’s something like that. I’m pretty sure he will say we will keep a close eye on it. I mean as long as like you said I’m meeting my goals and my labs are good I guess it doesn’t really matter.

I am just now learning that a mug warmer would be really handy. All this soup and post surgery you have to eat so slow it gets cold pretty quick someone in another thread just replied that it works all the way through soft food stage. You just used a saucer in the warmer plate.

Omg. My husband just reminded me that I have a small thermos I use for hot cocoa once a year when we go to look at all the Christmas lights because I’m not a super big fan but it’s a family tradition. I never travel with soup so it didn’t occur to me that it’s for soup too. 😆

Ooh that’s a good idea. I think the coffee warmer I was looking at is a similar concept to a thermal cup with the warmer because it comes with a metal cup with a lid. Aren’t the thermal cups metal too.

Of course. I am actually looking forward to the ricotta bake. Not sure if you guys are familiar with it but it’s ricotta, marinara and low fat mozzarella cheese. Sorta like a lasagna without the noodles. There are lots or recipes some go in oven with an egg which would add protein but I just microwaved it last time and supplemented with shakes.

@Averdra I don’t know much about Istanbul but is it a place that you would want to go to just visit? Perhaps if you get postponed you can make a trip out of it. Or can you change the place you go with the tickets. Sometimes things are not refundable but you can changes dates and itineraries. Also, check to see if it’s too late to purchase the travel insurance. I actually just learned that with cruises that you can still purchase it up till like two weeks out. Doesn’t have to be with the initial purchase. Certainly worth asking about.

My husband is thin as a rail and can only put on a few pounds back In the day by eating fry daddy for dinner and a dozen doughnuts every day. Even then he didn’t gain that much. The best way I could explain it to him how hard it is to not eat when I am hungry was to explain the opposite. I came home with five Big Macs and after he just ate I told him to eat them. I said as much as your body is telling you NOT to eat them Big Macs and it would be almost impossible for you to eat I believe that it’s just as hard for me to ignore my body when it’s screaming out for food. He isn’t superior or less lazy or a harder worker or anything else that skinny people like to think. He is just blessed with good genes. He did nothing to earn or deserve them anymore than we did anything to earn or deserve our bad ones. In retrospect maybe five was a bit of overkill but I really wanted to make a statement. But just like some of us are blessed to be naturally pretty or cute and others are less fortunate in the looks department or some of us have a higher risk for certain. Illnesses, some people are lucky enough to be thin. We may have a tiny percentage or control by dressing a certain way or make up for looks or good preventative medical care for illnesses but ultimately it just is what it is. Now there are others that work at it everyday who are a different story but my husband and it sounds like your neighbor are just blessed. i think i finally got through to him about that.

I had the sleeve 3.5 years ago and just had a revision to SADI a week ago today so I can answer for the sleeve and the “bypass type” procedure. With one thing to note. I also had my gallbladder taken out this time but it sounds like you would be the one to ask how much of my pain is due to that. 1. I have dentures will the rapid weight loss effect how they sit in my mouth? Does not apply to me 2. What are some of the best Protein Shakes out there in order to ensure I get the Protein I need? Premier Protein is a popular one If you like iced coffee the caffe latte is excellent but it does have caffeine and a lot of surgeons will have you off caffeine at least for a short time if you love your iced “proffee” though try mixing their caramel with decaf instant coffee and having that over ice it’s yummy too beyond that I prefer core power protein shakes by fairlife. Many people love the chocolate and say even their kids drink them as chocolate milk. I prefer the vanilla and their strawberry banana. I also like protein water for the liquid diet when you sorta get your full of shakes The Protein 2.0 in strawberry watermelon is pretty good . All of these are sold at Walmart. The premier protein is cheaper in the bigger packs but is sold in 4 packs and the core power is sold up front in singles and surprisingly it’s cheaper that way . The protein water I think only comes in 12 packs though . I would check a couple convenience stores for it first if you just want one to try. 3. How long were you down after surgery? How long until you started driving again? The biggest thing that will determine this will be whether you are on pain meds. After my sleeve I refiused pain meds even in the hospital but what I learned after my revision is that the most painful part for many is the trapped gas . After my sleeve I had no gas at all and I went home the next day on Tylenol. I could’ve driven right away if I had to. But I just got lucky because plenty of people with sleeve do have gas and incision pain. Post revision, I had a lot of gas pain and ended up staying 5 days starting off on morphine and oxy every two hours because the pain was horrible. Finally on day 4 I passed gas and realized that was the majority of my pain. Each subsequent toot brought more and more relief and I had about 7 big ones that one morning which I joke and say were life changing. I was able to cut back to just the one pain med less often and in a smaller dose immediately. Spent one more night and went home with normal post op pain script which I took one pill before I realized that the pain was mostly when I got up and down and the pain meds didn’t do much for that anyways and I wanted to be able to drive so I said I was gonna just take it at night but I forgot and then realized it was just silly to take it if I made it without. I did drive without issue on post op day 6 but honestly I did feel pretty fatigued and just wanted to get home. Some people are at a whole other extreme though and they do have a great deal of pain even after they are home and it lasts a lot longer. Long story short I can tell you my experiences but unfortunately no one can really predict this because it is honesty all over the map. 4. Did you have a person helping you with after care and if so, how long? Just my husband both times who is quite possibly the worst nurse ever. Didn’t need much of anything the first time except for things that require lifting, bending and straining this time I did need him to go and get things for me a little more. They want you up at least every two hours walking to prevent blood clots though so as long as something is within reach you can get it yourself. 5. I am disabled due to a nerve disorder; Is there anyone here who has a disability that has gotten the sleeve and how was your recovery? This does not apply to me BUT I know that a lot of diseases and disorders resolve some of completely with weight loss so this is certainly something to ask a surgeon about.

So glad to hear it’s getting a bit easier for you and that you found something that you actually enjoy for during that stage.

Welcome back. Do not worry about jumping in. This is open to anyone. I’m sorry to hear about your COVID and hope it doesn’t derail your surgery BUT being a week post op I can tell you that coughing does hurt quite a bit so if they make you wait that could be why and you may not realize that they are doing you a favor. I hope it all works out one way or another.

I’m so happy for your roots. I swear I never realized gas pain was that bad until it was amplified to so many that were held in there. I was actually waiting at the doctors office and I needed to pass one and I would have absolutely NEVER have done this before but I lifted myself up a bit to pass it while knowing they may walk in at any second. That’s how bad it hurts to hold it in. I swear to you I am the one who has gone number two in a public restroom like 4 times in my whole life. I actually used to make an excuse to go to my mom’s house like every other night I was dating my husband and practically living with him so I didn’t have to do that at his house. I get so embarrassed about that stuff. Yet during all this. I have told everyone I know when I finally farted. That’s how much relief it brought me. For those of you still pending, trust me. I don’t care who is in the room. If you can belch or fart. Do it!! Especially at the hospital They get it.

lol. I am SO not superwoman. I have bipolar disorder and I have been on medication for years but I still struggle a great deal with the depression part. My weight gain after the sleeve surgery just amplified things for me and I had let my house go for so long. I guess the anticipation and hope of the future loss sparked a little motivation and then the nervous energy kicked in which mimicked the super woman you guys got a glimpse of. I also have ADHD so as much as getting organized seems impossible for me, being that was makes my life so much easier. I used to have it halfway together though before the weight issues and i really hope to get back to that point at least. I think that’s why I’m so afraid of breaking my momentum. It was just starting to feel a little like home again and it was so peaceful walking through the doors to a house with some order to it. I so badly don’t want to let it get back to the way it was I think this weekend I’m just going to ask my husband to do a few things that I can’t do. I think he will get it if I tell him how I feel.

I wonder if after hearing all of these perspectives if starting with a therapist that specializes in disordered eating may help. You mentioned that you haxe some behaviors that are ingrained from childhood that make things challenging for you and they may be able to help with that. Honestly it will most likely make your even more successful in the long run when you do decide whether surgery is right for you. And if you still don’t want to do it booefully you can lose something with the therapists help. Anything you lose will only make you that much healthier and if survey is the end goal you will just have that much less to lose. My only other suggestion would be that once your even beginning to lean more towards doing surgery that you make your appt and get the ball rolling because it’s a pretty lengthy process and once you do make your mind up if your like many of us the wait seems really long. Actually making that first appointment may hurt either. Make a list of your exact fears and get exact statistics to help you decide. Many of the risks are less than getting in a car and driving. But do yourself a favor and ask what your risks are if obesity related complications too if you do nothing. For most of us doing nothing comes with far greater risk.

That’s brilliant to reward your reaching your fluid goal with purées. I am so looking forward to them, omg!! I already have my Walmart cart ready to go. PS, I came to my senses about the vacuuming. Momentary insanity I think. 😂

Wow. I’m so sorry. I know that has to be a let down. But better they know ahead of it instead of figuring it out after. Trust me. You do NOT want to have a cough immediately post surgery and I’m guessing fighting anything while trying to recover would be a bad thing anyways. I coughed like two times and even shallow coughs hurt so bad I am contemplating skipping my yarn group tomorrow even though they have been my cheering squad through all of this but it’s a pretty small room we meet in and you never know if someone is coming down with something. I do not want to be coughing or sneezing anytime soon.