ouroborous

Yeah, definitely: Water and protein, protein and water. Right now, that's the name of the game.

Seriously, I think people go overboard on the "no carbs" thing. From what I know, folks who eat carbs -- even (shudder!) pasta and potatoes and such -- can still lose weight. The key is moderation. And extremely low-carb diets can produce exactly the feelings of listlessness and sluggishness you're mentioning. What use is losing weight if you can't keep it off? And if your diet is making you feel miserable, that's a recipe for not being able to keep it off.

Actually, I just pulled the 1% figure out of... well, out of nowhere :thumbup1: I don't really know how many people have had WLS.

I think that's another word for "sliming." If you've ever vomited, do you know how your mouth fills up with saliva beforehand? That's "sliming" -- it's that mouth-watering feeling that you're about to throw up, just without the throwing up itself (hopefully). It's unpleasant, but not the end of the world, and it's definitely a good wakeup call that you're overdoing it!

I went through a LOT of misgivings and second thoughts before I finally got the surgery done on the 6th. I can't specifically address your emotional relationship to food, but I can address the malnutrition aspect -- you won't have any problem. The first few weeks are challenging, since your stomach is still swollen, and you're still learning how to eat. But after that, it gets much easier. My girlfriend, who was sleeved in November of last year (so, only about 6 months ago) can now pretty much eat anything she wants, just slowly and in small portions. Isn't that about the perfect solution for weight loss? Yes, you'll need to be careful with nutrition and hydration, simply because you'll be consuming a lot less food. And one specific issue (B12) is super important. But really, is taking Multivitamins THAT much of a burden? Compare it to what you'd go through if you had a heart attack or developed diabetes or cancer. You talk about losing weight "the right way" -- by this, I assume you mean through diet and exercise. Yes, it is possible to lose enormous amounts of weight through diet and exercise. Most sleevers, from what I understand, already HAVE lost a lot of weight through diet and exercise, and gained it back. That's the kicker -- they gained the weight bcak... that's always the catch. You can lose the weight, but very, very VERY few people are successful at losing weight and keeping it off through diet and exercise alone. The figure is around 5% -- 1 in 20. When you do the math and consider the known health costs of obesity, consider how very few people can lose the weight and keep it off "the right way," and realize that even though lap sleeve is relatively new, the studies show that it's very likely to become the "gold standard" in weight loss surgery, it just makes sense. None of this makes the fear go away, of course, but it should help you to realize that you're making a smart choice. A rational choice. The RIGHT choice.

You'll be fine! For me, surgery itself was a BREEZE. I told them beforehand that I was a bit anxious and they must have put something in my IV because by the time they wheeled me into the OR, I was really relaxed. They had me spread out and put my arms to my sides and then -- I woke up! The recovery is a bit more of a challenge. The first day you're pretty stoned, so it goes by quickly. Just do everything the doctor tells you and tell them anything that's worrying you, and you'll be fine. After the surgery, be prepared for some pain, and some new sensations. Most of the pain is from the gas used during surgery, not the surgery itself! You'll be burping and farting your way to wellness before you know it When you first take your first sip of Water or whatever, just remember to take tiny, tiny sips until you know how much you can handle. You will inevitably take in too much, but I found that it was better to be safe than sorry. As everyone says, sip, sip, sip, and walk as much as you can (and as much as the doctor will let you) -- it will speed your recovery! Finally, remember to take deep breaths when you can; it will calm you down and also reduce your post operative fever and risk of pneumonia. All things considered, it's a breeze. You'll do great!

I started chewables as soon as I was on full liquids (day 3). I guess it varies per surgeon!

I hear you, brother. I'm DYING for some weightlifting, but I'm making up for it by walking 3-4 times a day for longer and longer intervals. I don't want to end up with man-boobs! Must... lift... weights!

Anyone know if isometric (stationary flexing) exercises are safe to so post-op (until cleared for lifting)? I'd really like to try to build or maintain a little tone while I'm waiting for the go-ahead for full exercise again!

Congratulations, brother! I should meet you under 300 sometime early next week. It's a much nicer place to be, I hear!

I second this: my girlfriend has real problems with supplements; even baby supplements tend to make her want to hurl. But the Bariatric Advantage flavored chewable iron she has no problem with. Do make sure to get your levels re-checked and don't ignore it just because you "feel better." It's really important for us sleevers to keep up on our nutrition.

This is something I'm really interested in. Since my surgery I've been able to consume a lot more than my girlfriend. It's not like I'm trying to race or stuff my face, I just can, without any discomfort. Of course, it's still a LOT less than it was, and if I push it I pay the price. Right now it's useful -- I'm on "full liquids" until Saturday (when I go on puree) and it's really helping me to get down all of my Protein, Vitamins, and Water. I just don't want to sabotage myself when I go to solid foods! I guess that's why they say protein first, then veggies, then carbs.

This is interesting. One of my goals in losing weight was to be sick LESS often. It sounds almost like I can expect the opposite... grr.

Once your body starts running lower on fat reserves to burn (and it doesn't have to run "out," just "low"), you have to make sure that you're getting enough calories to fuel you for the day or you'll be very low energy and weak. If your labs are good, I agree w/katt that you're probably undernourished. You may not lose weight quite as fast if you bump up your calories (or who knows, you may lose weight *faster* -- the body is a strange and wonderful thing), but you really don't want to start scavenging muscle and brain tissue for calories. Trust me.

Five weeks out sounds a little late for a leak. On your RIGHT side (your stomach is center-left)? Right upper quadrant pain could be gall bladder issues, especially in a WLS patient. Definitely ask your doc about it tomorrow.

Angie, it's so great to hear that you're doing so well! Sounds like your recovery is going as smoothly as mine did (I'm 4 days ahead of you Believe what they tell you: the first few days are the hardest, but it really does get better every day. After a week or so, you'll be a whole new person!

I can't wait! It's been too long since I felt like... well, like a man!

I just had my first post-surgery followup with the surgeon, and I'm doing well! My incisions are healing up nicely, and pretty much all of the various aches and pains and gurglings I'm having are normal. I've been prescribed a new drug to help with the ongoing acid reflux I experience: carafate. Apparently it's a very, very safe drug (since it doesn't get absorbed) and it might eventually let me reduce my omeprazole a little bit. Plus, my weight is already down to 305 (from a high of 330, and 328 before starting the pre-op diet). Huzzah -- sub-300, here I come! Should be there by next week. Life is good. I can't wait till I can start having foods with some more texture and flavor. I'm getting tired of everything being cold, sweet, and creamy (or water). I would KILL for some mashed potatoes or mac 'n cheese!

I was able to walk 1.5 miles in 30 minutes today, so my stamina is definitely back (if not even slightly higher than it was pre-surgery)... and I'm less than a week out of surgery. This surgery is amazing.

Are you working with a nutritionist? I'd definitely talk to them about that!

Thanks! :001_smile: I go back to work on Monday. I've arranged it so that I don't HAVE to walk the half mile hill right away, but I might do it just because it's good exercise. I want to come out of this looking as great as you and the other success stories around here!

I had a couple of mild bouts of nausea in the middle of the night, but nothing serious. I woke up with a burning throat, so my very first thing consumed was about an ounce of skim milk with 40 mg of Omeprazole. I'm not going to erode my esophagus just to be sparing of the Omeprazole! Overall I think I'm healing much faster than my girlfriend did; I took my milk in a single gulp -- not to show off or anything, but simply because I know that I can drink that much (but that's about my max) in one mouthful without pain or restriction. She was astonished and a little worried because she said that would hurt her. That made me a little concerned that I'd stretched my pouch, but honestly, I've only had about a half dozen times where I had that "stuck" feeling, and I listened to it. It's not like I'm eating solids or regularly, intentionally gulping food. I just am able to consume more than her; I think that my sleeve is longer (which must account for something), and I think I heal faster -- I bet my swelling is already better than hers was at day 6. In short, I'm going to stop worrying that I've stretched my pouch. I'm just grateful that getting in all my liquids and nutrients isn't such a chore as it was on the first couple of days (I think I got in over 120 oz of Water yesterday). My incisions look good -- dry and not oozing at all. Mostly they're bruised! My stomach is a little sore around them, but not too bad -- I can lie on my side without too much discomfort. I still haven't had that weak feeling. I felt a little wobbly at times, but never fatigued. I'm already losing weight; I think my CPAP pressure (which was already reduced a point after my pre-op diet) is too high again. I woke up with major dry mouth and a massive fart (sorry, TMI, but there you have it!) which is usually the symptom of too much pressure. That's uncomfortable, plus I don't want to be inflating my sleeve like a balloon, so I may drop it another .5 cm tonight. I just weighed myself -- 307.0! That's down 21 pounds since about three weeks ago, and 3 pounds since yesterday. At this rate, I might make it under 300 before the end of the week. That would be SO exciting!

The bone loss thing has been known for a while; this plus the reduced intake is one of the reasons why everyone post-sleeve is put on a calcium sup. The C. difficile thing is news to me, however. My long-term goal is to wean off of the PPI's, but I'll take the risk if it's a choice between a possible infection and the certainty of something like esophageal erosion or Barrett's esophagus.

My experience is that the first day was cake, since I was so stoned! It was day 2 and beyond where I really started feeling it...

I'm curious about this myself. I wasn't told anything about being "allowed" to sleep on my side or not, I was just told that it might be painful. Here's a tip; if you have apnea problems sleeping on your back, try sleeping in an easy chair or use a wedge pillow. Sleeping more propped up like this keeps your airway from collapsing as badly and may be the edge you need.