Clary

Hello @LibrarianErin, you’re not a failure, you are trying your best. This is a major surgery and it is going to take time for both mind and body to adjust! You got this!! :)) I also struggle to get my liquids for the day and I recommend Nectar daily hydration water packets as adding it to a water bottle multiplies the intake (1 oz is 2; 2oz is 4 etc) which has helped me reach my water goal without having to drink that much to where my stomach feels uncomfortable! It also helps with that dry mouth feeling as it works fast in terms of hydration. (I added it to my gatorade on days I couldn’t stomach water) There are other brands but this brand is 0 calories and sugar free which I find to be very bariatric friendly! And they have a variety pack so you can try different flavors. May you have brighter days ahead! ☀️

Apologies in advance for the long post!! Hello everyone! I had my surgery July 12th! I am a little over a week post op! Here’s a little bit of insight for those interested! Before surgery I was given a whole bunch of stuff as well as some antibiotics in which I had an allergic reaction to and made me break out in hives. It was super uncomfortable considering I was then wheeled to the operating room shortly after. I couldn’t do anything about the itching as I had to lay in a particular way and kept thinking “I hope they put me to sleep under soon” because it was soooo uncomfortable. After waking up I could barely open my eyes, and at some point I stopped trying but I was still aware of my surroundings for a bit. I just remember shivering and feeling extremely cold. My entire body was aching and I kept getting these chills of pain run through my body. I was in and out so I didn’t even remember leaving the operating room and into the post op room. If I am being completely honest the pain was at its highest the day of the surgery and thankfully the medications they gave me were strong or else I didn’t think I would be able to bear it. I pushed myself to walk about 3-4 hours after surgery even though I wasn’t pushed to, I felt like I needed to?? (Idk my brain was all over the place). I just couldn’t stand laying down for all this hours so if it meant walking to use the bathroom to get out of bed then so be it. I kept trying to push through it and walk walk walk. They were not kidding about the walking and how it helps with gas pains. The gas pains were so bad for me, it felt like bloating(?) just everywhere..the gas pains wow.. My entire stay everyone was super nice and attentive! My surgeon was also kind enough to fulfill my request in taking a picture of my stomach after he took it out! (I personally found it very fascinating!!) I was finally discharged the next day after being able to handle water and soup about 4oz for 5 hours consecutively. And I was very homesick and really missed my bed (and pets). By day 5 though I felt pretty good and a bit back to my normal self for the most part. Until day 5 I could NOT stomach regular water. For some reason I could not stand the taste of it?? It tasted disgusting and I had to keep drinking Gatorade or mixing my water with daily hydration flavored packets. After day 5, I was able to stomach protein shakes (mixed with collagen) and was super happy about the progress. There hasn’t been any complications and for that I am thankful, I didn’t check in sooner as I was busy trying to consume fluids every 15 minutes (I got tired of the timers soooo quick). An app that has been a staple for me personally is Baritastic, love the easy platform and the visualization of the water goal for the day as well as being able to log in my weight. It breaks down my goal into little milestones and basically an all in one app as I can also log in food and tracks weightloss from before and after surgery as well! I also lets me keep count of the days after surgery and my BMI! Highly recommend this app, especially because it’s free Apologies for the long post! I wanted to be thorough and detailed especially for those that are still waiting to have surgery! I cannot think about anything else to write but if anyone has any questions, please let me know! I’ll be happy to respond and as open as possible! I cannot wait to start puréed food though!! 😩

Hi @LibrarianErin! Yes!! I’m still adjusting my mind but I will admit it feels so hard when those around me offer me food or forget I’m on the diet. Because my first thought is “wow that looks so good” not “I can’t eat that”. Also, thank you for creating this forum! It has allowed me to gain more insight about the journey of others as well as learning a few new things on here! I agree, the criticism is often them just thinking I’m lazy, taking the “easy” way out or not eating right or whichever reason, but I have tried all reasons to lose the weight naturally and also on medication and well, nothing worked.. As I mentioned in another reply I wish I was more tight lipped about the surgery to prevent all this negativity towards my surgery. I sincerely believe the surgery is going to help me change my eating habits and start a new path of healthy choices! Hope all is well with you!

Same here! I only told certain people only when it was necessary but it somewhat spread through friends and family. I now wish I did the same as you and just kept it to a minimum or refuse to expand further as now they all believe to be weight loss experts and chime in with their unwanted opinions, and it’s a bit frustrating.. I have always felt like the fat friend as well and it has really killed my social life mostly due to embarrassment about the way I look and feel like I take a ton of space for those around me you know? Hopefully this lifestyle change will improve our confidence and change our way of life for the better! Good luck on your journey!

Hi LibrarianErin and others! First time posting here! I am scheduled for July 12! Currently on my pre-op diet. To be honest, it is a lot harder than I expected trying to fight the urge to eat and constantly having to remind myself that I cannot. Although it feels hard now I know future me will thank me for it. I’ve also found TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit nice for information and following others to see their journey. Especially the food recipes. Currently on day three of my pre op diet and on the first night I had a little moment where I started to panic thinking and just overwhelming myself with “what-ifs” but I found that watching videos and reading threads such as this one has helped ease my nerves a bit. I was met with some criticism from peers and others about having the surgery mostly due to my age. Also the typical “just diet and exercise” answer which is frustrating as I’ve been trying that the last 4 years and struggling to lose anything. But I am doing this primarily for my health (a little tiny bit for myself lol) because I want to enjoy life again. Excited to start the journey of a new lifestyle and learn to have a better relationship with food and myself! How is everyone else doing?