Texarkolina

My surgeon says it is fine to drink up until you start to eat. That is his rule for everyone post-sleeve. He still recommends no drinking with food and for 30 minutes after. It is hard to manage it all. Remember your priorities--1. Water (hydrate) 2. Meds/vitamins 3. Protein 4. Everything else.......and least that is what I was taught. Sometimes you can combine the hydrate and protein with a protein shake, but always make sure you get your fluids in even if it means you don't get everything else in.

I hate it when that happens--hope you are feeling better.

Pre-op diet sucks and is hard for everyone. Do not get down on yourself about it. You will be absolutely fine. I was never asked about the diet after I started it and most people are not. I worried myself to death and cheated way more than that and it was ok. I still lost weight, which was the goal. Stay strong--help (your sleeve) is on the way! If it helps you any, it is so much easier after the sleeve.

Really I am not branching out that much from pureed. I am doing mainly Greek yogurt and cream Soup. The easiest thing for me to eat is egg drop soup without a doubt. There is something about it that makes it very easy to go down. I am still supposed to be on pureed, but I have found a very well chewed cracker settles my stomach and helps me get something more down. My surgeon is not real big on shakes. He says that I will be fine with whatever I can do on Protein with foods like yogurt now and meats later. I have also tried taco bell's pintos and cheese--once again chewed to death--and I was able to get about 2 tablespoons down. I can't eat anywhere near the quantity that is listed on my diet sheet. I also can't handle things like chicken and tuna pureed. It is just too thick right now. I have not gotten all my protein, Vitamins, and fluids in one day a single time. I was freaking out about it and talked to my surgeon who replied, "I have never seen it not get gradually better for anyone. Just give yourself time--as long as you stay hydrated you will be ok." I decided after that not to stress about it too much.

I was sleeved on July 30 and have not had food dreams. I went to a cookout today, and it was the first time I was a little frustrated at not being able to eat. It was mainly because I felt awkward and kinda because I wanted a cookie. Other than that, I am very disinterested in food. I can still taste something I like and find that it tastes good, but I am ok not eating it. Does anyone else find this EXTREMELY liberating?

AWESOME! The appetite being reduced was why I opted for the sleeve rather than another WLS.......I am so hopeful for long-term success and this makes me even more so. <<<<happy dance>>>>>

Don't reschedule. Take this opportunity to practice being very honest with your surgeon and his staff about how you are doing. Most doctors know enough about the human body and obesity that they understand losing 10 pounds is a struggle--and they know all too well about delays and bottlenecks in medical equipment and such. The surgeon's office may even be able to make a few calls and speed up the delivery of your CPAP machine. Just be prepared to give him a status update and you will be fine.

I have a super-skinny friend who smokes. She is confused as to how people get really big--but not judgmental. As a former smoker, I was able to draw a comparison--the craving she felt when she needed a cigarette is very similar to the craving I felt for food. However, one cigarette would cure her craving, it took a large meal--like a restaurant meal plus--to make my craving go away. The light came on for her then......she said, "I guess the brain of a big person is wired differently because I never want to eat unless my stomach is growling." Of course, this lady WANTED to understand. She feels compassion for people who struggle with obesity and sees it as something she is very glad she doesn't have to deal with. So, realize that there are people out there that have a good attitude and will be supportive. Your coworker, sounds like a mean, judgmental person who basically needs to F&$@ off. You were nice. I would have said something very rude like, "funny, I don't recall giving a crap what you think" or something equally childish. It amazes me that some people feel free to vomit their opinions about your personal life all over you like that. Stay strong!

Welcome!

Toes are ok--fingernails must be natural where I had my surgery done.

My surgeon said to go ahead and drink it if you want it up until surgery day. My philosophy--you will be dealing with so many other things after surgery you won't even notice the caffeine withdrawal......and I didn't.

Check with the hospital. Mine required you to wear the hospital gown--no exceptions. They put one on me backwards to walk the hall--I was covered and comfortable and perfectly fine with it. At home, I was more comfortable in a gown/dress for a while--elastic pants hit my drain site/incision. Most useful thing I took to the hospital--bioten mouth spray. It is a spray for dry mouth--they also have mouthwash and toothpaste. It was so very very helpful to get through the first day.

I am one of those who had a horrible time with the surgery--lots of pain and complications--you don't want to hear it. I am on day 16 now, and I am on the upswing. I guess my advice would be if you could just wake up tomorrow and be sleeved--without having to go through it--would you want that? If so, go for it. Even though I have had a rough time I can say that my appetite is gone--I definitely feel restriction, and I am excited about what the future holds. I was miserable for 2 weeks--but then again, it was just 2 weeks.......

I struggled with the decision, too. I finally had to ask myself "why" and "why not" for each procedure. I finally decided that the portion of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone being removed would help me more than malabsorption. I had a HUGE appetite before surgery. That is just me. Some people don't eat that much but their bodies are too efficient in processing food to get energy......they may be happier with the bypass. Make it your decision----and make sure you can verbalize WHY before you commit to one,

OK--so we are "cheaters" and we "take the easy way out." Fine with me. Why is that a bad thing? I have a hard time believing that ANYONE would opt for the "hard way out" when there is and "easy way out." "Excuse me, ma'am....the building is on fire. You have 2 options. You can walk through this door here and go outside where it is safe or you can go up those 5 flights of stairs right there that are thick with smoke, climb on the rooftop, and jump to the next building." How many are going upstairs--Not me. I firmly believe that most people will take and easier path if it is available to them. Many chose not to have weight loss surgery for a variety of reasons--mainly money, fear, or ignorance--or it may just not be right for them. However, If I invented a pill that you take one time and you will wake up the next morning at your ideal weight--with no health risks--and it was free..........do you know anyone that is morbidly obese that wouldn't take it? I am OK with having taken the "easy way out" if that is how someone sees it..

I wouldn't.....you are going to have stalls. Try mixing things up to break this one--eat more calories--exercise more--even adding a couple of hours of extra sleep for a few nights--add an extra protein shake--any of these can break a stall. You need the nutrition from food.

How many days of liquid diet did you have to do? 14 to start with, then surgery was delayed so I had 7 more How much weight did you lose during it? 15 pounds--but the last week I cheated--bad--like there was a baconator involved How many days (if any) did you have to stay at the hospital? Surgery on Monday afternoon--released Wednesday evening Did you have any complications? Yes--first surgery was canceled because my heart stopped on the table...second surgery was made more difficult by the constant struggle to keep my heart rate up where it needed to be (this was a reaction to the pressure of the gas in my abdomen--rare but happens) and I had a problem with my drain irritating a nerve and causing a lot of pain How long after surgery did you try to eat normal food? (non-puréed, etc) Not yet--just 2 weeks out How soon after surgery did you feel mostly or fully back to normal? I feel about 80% now. Please share any extra comments about things you weren't expecting or tips: Remember this is a MAJOR surgery. You will need help with your child your first week home. Also--the most useful thing I took to the hospital with me was Biotin spray--mouth moisturizer......get some....it helps so much

I have 6.....

Welcome! Glad you are here and I wish you best of luck!

No one has said it to me.....rather I have had lots of people ask about my experience and ask if I would recommend it. I have had a rough time, so I am not really a good poster child, but I have told them that I think I will be happy in about 6 months. I think it is ridiculous to begrudge someone an "easy way out."

On my list of things I can have at 14 days out is oatmeal. It sounds good and I want to try it, but I am a little afraid of it. Has anyone else tried oatmeal at 14 days?

Ok--to be the devil's advocate.......Why is that a bad thing? If there is an "easy way" out of a health issue that plagues a third of Americans.....Great. Doesn't have to be hard to be good. I would answer a person saying, "I can't believe you took the easy way out." with "I can't believe you wouldn't if it were available to you--about anything."

I have been super sensitive to heat or cold since I was sleeved 2 weeks ago. Just a walk to the mailbox leaves me hot and sweaty for 30 minutes.

Hello???? Anyone out there???