cajun

AWESOME news. Congrats! It will be here before you know it. You will truly have a HAPPY NEW Year!

I showered the day after surgery. Tub baths or any hot tub, swimming, etc, was not allowed until all incisions were well healed...about a month I think was what I was told. Otherwise, you could get an infection in the incisions.

When I am carrying in groceries that are heavy, I think about how I have lost about 4 times that weight since August...and can't imagine how I carried all that weight!

It will get better. One advantage of the situation is when you feel you are getting constipated, you can just correct it easily with food having a little fat in it! I used that to my advantage over the past 10 years!

Yes, it sure is!

Dalite, You have had a lot of major changes in your life, and another one is approaching...it is normal to have emotional ups and downs when going through such changes. Be patient with yourself. Feel what you feel, then move on one step at a time. You will get through this! And you will be glad you did when the pounds start falling off.

Janette, I have not had any experience with drains/TPN after getting home, so I can't be much help on that. But I certainly will keep you in my prayers that you will be comforted by your own inner courage which I'm sure is in there somewhere even when you don't feel it. And it sounds like your son and husband sure are comforting. I don't know what I would do in your shoes, having no children or significant other...guess I'd be in a nursing home unless I was strong enough to take care of myself. Tiffany had sort of a similar course post op as you, and her husband was deployed at the time. She has a son too...am sure she can relate to your situation. Know that many are behind you in support...

Thanks Tiff. Happy Thanksgiving to you too. It's great to have you as an inspiring friend.

DITTO everything Vegas Angel said. You are just having a little slump day. It will pass. Did you take any "before" measurements and photos? Maybe posting them on your refrigerator will help you. YOU may not be seeing a difference, but I'll bet that other people are. You can't lose 65 lbs and not have it show. But even if it did not show, you can't argue with the scale. It is working. Keep working it!!! CONGRATULATIONS!

Caution...TMI for some... It was more painful that VSG surgery for me too. I had mine about 10 years ago, and it was a lap surgery...but I do remember walking bent over, and being sore for a couple of weeks after the cholycystectomy. I also had diarrhea when I ate any fats, for quite some time after the choly. Over the years, I have noticed it less often as time went on, unless I really overindulged. Now since I have had my VSG, I have NOT had ANY of the diarrhea after eating fats, like I had before the surgery. In fact I tend to be constipated, maybe because of the other dietary changes (hi Protein, little carbs/veggies/fruits). Once I am past 6 months post-vsg, and am eating more veggies and fruits, maybe my bowel habits will change again. I don't like this constipation one bit. Am getting hemorrhoids. Even with taking miralax and keeping my stools soft.

Chat room still down.

How are you feeling now, Daisy?

Sounds yummy. I bought a spaghetti squash today. Once that's gone, will try the butternut recipe.

Artteacher, Isn't it incredible, the high quality care you get in Mexicali? US Hospitals could take lessons from them. Drs Aceves and Campos have the rare combination of outstanding skill, and phenomenal bedside manner...they are just real, caring people who love what they do. Glad you experienced it too. Keep in touch with us all on the forum.

Dr Aceves gives his patients Toradol injections, which gives better pain relief than narcotics like morphine, demerol, or codeine. It also does not cause constipation stomach irritation, or groggyness, like the narcotics, and no chance of "becoming dependent on it like narcotics. I think it's the best thing since sliced bread! Before leaving the hospital, he gives patients a supply of sublingual Toradol to take home. I don't think that you can get the sublingual in the USA. It was great though, no need to put anything harsh in the new tummy. I did not need any pain medication after day 5 post op, so I still have some left. I never had such attentive pain management after surgery as I did under his care.

Chancie, Hope Santa brings you a new computer! There are two things that make me absolutely crazy. The first is when my car does not work. the second is when my computer does not work. How did we ever survive without one? Don't worry...now we know about your dilemma so will not expect answers. Once when my computer was on the blink I went to the public library and used one...they have a bank of them. Free use and Fast! Don't know if you are near a library. Have a nice turkey day!

Glad you are better Chandra. I found warm decaf tea and warm broth very soothing...tiny sip then burp then another sip, burp...I had to wait to let the burp come up, then the chest pain was not so bad. A heating pad helped me too...and the walking. Be kind to yourself...healing thoughts coming your way!

Great News Judy! Now relax!

It may also be due to the large amount of caffeine in Red Bull. If the headache is a true migraine, once the caffeine wears off after drinking Red Bull, the headache could come right back. Caffeine is a migraine trigger for some people.

Yippee yi o....wonderful! Congratulations! Keep up the good work Ky Hen!

GRRRRRRRRR. Hope you are home soon.

1 cup of banana contains 200 calories, 51 grams of carbs, 28 grams of sugar. Instead of eating all that "sugar", I put a few drops of banana-flavored extract in my chocolate shakes. Still tastes like banana but NO calories!

I think her question was if you can only eat a few bites, how in the world do you increase calories enough to stop losing? From what I understand, the amount that you are able to eat increases quite a bit after 6 months or so, so that you can eat portion sizes equivalent to more like 1200 calories. Is that correct? I guess the sleeve relaxes or stretches a little bit, so you can put more in it. Once you are at goal weight, unless you are into marathons etc, that amount should hold you steady at the goal weight you have achieved. If you're doing marathons etc, you'll have to work harder to find calorie-dense foods and/or eat more often, to replace what you are burning up so you don't keep losing too much.

Great! You probably know this already, but expect diarrhea if you eat anything with fat in it. I had that off and on for over a year after gallbladder surg. Not so much after that.

Yep, normal. Once you start on more solid food, you might want to take some miralax or similar product on a regular basis to prevent constipation. It can get pretty uncomfortable. Keeping things moving along also helps prevent "constipation stalls" in my opinion. One day I "dumped" four times and lost three pounds overnight!