Texarkolina

I'm so sorry you had to endure that...sounds like a miserable time. Scary stuff. Yeah, on top of all of that you are experiencing a stall which really make you question your decision to have the surgery. My stall hit at exactly the same time. Sending you positive energy and well wishes. You will see weight loss soon. All the best.

Please note that I am posting in the "RANT" section and avoid this if you don't want to read my tantrum.
OK so this surgery sucked royally for me. The pre-op diet was challenging to say the least. (Fat chick trying to muster up enough self control to eat only Protein powders for 2 weeks---give me a break) Then I go for surgery day and my heart stopped beating when they inflated my abdomen. Chest compressions, followed by panic resulted in my surgery being canceled....I was fine with that. A week later we try again....(please note that this required an additional week of the pre-op diet---grrrr.....) and once again--heart refused to cooperate. Took some extra hands and enough drugs to kill a horse, but I was sleeved. Because the surgery ran really long and my heart rate was low, I wasn't given anything for pain after surgery. They brought me to the room in so much pain that I was unable to see. (Seems if you are in enough pain your brain will start to shut down--vision goes first.) After the longest 4 hours of my life we finally got the pain under control.....sleep 2 hours.....then they want me up in a chair. OK. I can tough it out now. However every time they moved me I blacked out. It took forever for them to get me into the chair and I was terrified of blacking out--falling--and injuring myself.
Forward a few days--I am out of the hospital and in a lot of pain. Severe sharp shooting pains in my upper chest and left shoulder---plus I can't get fluids down. Back to the hospital I go for tests and fluids. A few days later (9 days post-op) my drain is removed---I pass out and wake up with most of the pain gone. Seems the drain was on a nerve and that was causing the pain.
Now I know that this could all be worse. But for the amount of pain--strike that---agony I experienced during those first two weeks after surgery I should have done my fair share of suffering. It still hurts to eat and drink--but I am managing. I can only get in 500 or so calories a day--at the most. Most days it is more like 300. By this past Friday I had lost 18 pounds. Then, I stopped. Now, 5 days later, I have GAINED 4 pounds back. How is that even freaking possible? I know 3 week stall....water weight....liver replacing glycogen..... menstrual Fluid retention...blaugh blaugh blaugh..... I AM PISSED....and rather disheartened. I told people that I was having the surgery done--now I am the go-to person for all those in my world thinking about WLS......but you know what---I AIN'T YA POSTER CHILD. This whole experience has thus far sucked in a big big way. Maybe I will lose and in a few months be glad that I had it done, but right now I refuse to encourage anyone to do it. What I tell them now is that they need to understand that this is a MAJOR surgery and they need to be prepared for complications. I also tell them they need to go to the support group because I haven't been sleeved long enough to be a good resource. That is the most positive I can muster up. I would really like to tell them that, at this point, I am not real thrilled about my choice and am hanging on and hoping for a change in my point of view.

I was able to get down egg drop Soup very easily. Greek yogurt has helped me with the Protein. I am 3 weeks out and never want to see another popsicle again.

So I make it thru the xray machine and stand on the mat where they pat you down. The TSA agent kept asking me what I had in my front pocket while jabbing me with her finger. I replied...."That would be my hip bone!" The lady standing next to me on her mat busted out laughing!!!!!!

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 know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I can lose the weight on my own. I know that I can start on a very low calorie diet and become a gym rat and eventually lose the weight. How do I know? Because I have done it many times.
However, I also know, without doubt, that I will also eventually gain each and every pound back and they are likely to bring their nasty little friends. How do I know this? Because I have done it many times.
I know the same behaviors and eating patterns will result in weight loss with or without the sleeve. What I am looking for is something permanent that I can keep with me that will help me keep weight off. I do not feel like I have failed but rather like I have taken control.

Hi. I had surgery July 30. Since that time I have had really no appetite. If you told me that I could get in everything I need and not eat I would be ok with that. This is huge for me because before I had such a huge appetite.....like I had to force myself to stop at a restaurant sized serving and maybe an appetizer. I am not disgusted by food now or anything--just very disinterested. I have had a bite or two of things I like and still enjoy them, but don't have that craving food feeling. I would really like to hear from others about their experience with their appetite and surgery. Is the way you felt 3 weeks in the same that you feel now? Does your appetite come back over time? Did you feel similar to what I have described after surgery?
I am actually so glad that I feel this way BTW. I have been a slave to my appetite all my life and it is so freeing to just put food into my body when I need it. I hope this feeling stays. I would love to live the rest of my life without the struggle of an appetite but still able to enjoy food.

Hi. I had surgery July 30. Since that time I have had really no appetite. If you told me that I could get in everything I need and not eat I would be ok with that. This is huge for me because before I had such a huge appetite.....like I had to force myself to stop at a restaurant sized serving and maybe an appetizer. I am not disgusted by food now or anything--just very disinterested. I have had a bite or two of things I like and still enjoy them, but don't have that craving food feeling. I would really like to hear from others about their experience with their appetite and surgery. Is the way you felt 3 weeks in the same that you feel now? Does your appetite come back over time? Did you feel similar to what I have described after surgery?
I am actually so glad that I feel this way BTW. I have been a slave to my appetite all my life and it is so freeing to just put food into my body when I need it. I hope this feeling stays. I would love to live the rest of my life without the struggle of an appetite but still able to enjoy food.

I know I loved looking at pictures when I was just starting out or preop. Keep in mind that I still have a ways to go. My starting weight was 298 and I am currently at 224.
The first two photos when I'm all in black are my preop. I hope they posted correctly.

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 am large in the chest too (42J)--my incision was not irritated by my industrial strength metal reinforced bra.

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.......

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

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."

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."

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."

Read this and thought I would share.
You know you are a Gastric Surgery Patient When…
ü I have a date" does not mean you're going out.
ü You have baby food in the house and no baby.
ü "I'm a loser" is a good thing.
ü All of your silverware says Gerber.
ü A wooden spoon isn't just for cooking.
ü "Welcome to the other side" doesn't include death.
ü New clothes fall off in a week.
ü You get excited ab
out hand me downs.
ü The scale at Wal-Mart no longer says "one at a time please".
ü Going bald and getting wrinkles is a good thing.
ü "Just Water for me please".
ü Hitting the "Century Mark" is actually a good thing.
ü You can be touched by an angel and still not be considered crazy.
ü When your rear end no longer looks like a mudslide.
ü When you get excited that your incision was "only 4 inches".
ü When the word lap has nothing to do with a strip club.
ü Other women are calling you names behind your back.
ü When you are glared at in the plus size department because you don't "belong there".
ü When you really don't have a thing to wear.
ü You have to prove you are the person on the driver’s license.
ü You start being in the pictures not behind the camera.
ü You want to hug everyone fat and hand them your surgeon's card.
ü You are never parted from a bottle of water
ü When you order a doggy bag at the same time as your meal.
ü Being too small for your britches.
ü When the only way your nipples are where they belong is to roll them up, position them with your bra and secure with a ponytail holder.
ü When you go pick up your child at school and all the other kids say WOW you're mom is hot.
ü When you go to the mall and take the first available space instead of circling 20 minutes for one closer to the door.
ü You truly are a "cheap date".
ü When one drink makes you flipping floozy!
ü When you run to the door and don't hear a flapping sound.
ü You flip your shirt to show complete strangers your scar.
ü Vitamins feel like a meal.
ü You go from a 56DDDD to 32AAA in a year and didn't have a breast reduction.
ü You've just lost 100 lbs and run into a high school friend who asks "did you change your hair? "
ü You can cross your legs... both of them
ü Instead of a Wonder Bra you need a Wonder Where They Went Bra
ü When your obsession from food turns to your scale.
ü They no longer call 911 for the Jaws of life to extricate you from a turnstile.
ü No more Velcro shoes
ü Tongs are no longer to fry chicken.< /span>
ü "Checking for leaks" no longer includes your panties
ü When your Stairmaster is no longer used for drying your fine washables
ü Your mother says "You don't eat enough"
`ü When your doctor looks you in the eye and says "I know you will have success with this."
ü Having sex your husband complains that your hip bones are poking him.
ü You can wear corduroy pants without igniting a fire
ü When you wave and your upper arms wave back
ü You safety pin your underwear
ü Someone phones and thinks your husband is sneaking around with some skinny mistress
ü Cannot blame the cat for shedding
ü Cancel your Lane Bryant Credit Card
ü 3 Lean Cuisines a week and that's your total grocery purchase
ü The kids wonder what happened to the cake and cookie god...did he die???
--Author(s) unknown

I am large in the chest too (42J)--my incision was not irritated by my industrial strength metal reinforced bra.

I eat a lot of fish, shrimp and crab. They go down well, sit well and are loaded with Protein. Of course it helps that I live in the NW and my husband goes crabbing/fishing every weekend.

Hang in there. I cheated with grilled chicken breast strips nearly the whole time and my surgeon had no issues. Just make sure you stay away from carbs---one carb cheat will make you feel like you are starting over. I tossed in the grilled chicken breast and did enough time on the elliptical to burn any extra calories I had consumed--and still lost 14 pounds. Nutritionist said it probably made me lose more to do it that way. Help--aka your sleeve--is on the way!!!

I am only down 28 pounds, but I am convinced someone is messing with the scale to make me feel better about it. I can see a tiny difference in my ankles and that is it.

I was on July 30 also.....I want to gulp so bad. I know sip slowly, but I am thirsty all the time. I have learned that it takes about one hour to recover from a gulp of liquid, so I wouldn't advise it. People keep telling me to sip and walk and it will get better. My surgeon said that he has done hundreds of these and he has never seen someone not get better--the magic ingredient is time.

liquid diet blows. The pre-op is horrible and nearly impossible until you get to day 3 or 4.....seems to get easier after that. I am 9 days post-op, and the liquid/pureed stage is way way way easier now. Like it is not even a problem at all. It isn't like you have to do it for months without a tool. A week of the post-op is easier than one day of pre-op. You can do it---and it will sucketh royally at times, but it is not nearly as hard as you think.

I copied a post I made in another thread about pre-op diets here. Hope this helps you.
........may I just say for someone struggling with the liquid diet that I am pretty sure we would all agree that....... liquid diet SUCKS! Not just sucks a little bit but really really really sucks. So if you are all whiny and angry and down and thinking about driving up to a window for a heart attack in a sack....don't think there is anything wrong with you. If there is anyone out there who can say that the liquid diet was a breeze then they most likely wouldn't need surgery.
The good news....it starts getting easier about day 3. Somewhere along day 3 you go into ketosis if you are on a high protein/low carb diet. This acts as a natural appetite suppressant. If I had to do 14 days of day 1 or 2 I would never make it. I am on day 4 and it was doable today. Not fun, not pleasant, but doable. To be honest, however, I have been an over-sensitive, emotional wreck for the past 3 days. If you are reading this on the first few days of your pre-op diet you are probably overly sensitive, tired, shaky, have a headache, and are absolutely starving. The entire world is probably ticking you off and you could come through the computer and slap someone that says "if you can't do the pre-op how are you going to do the post-op?" I caved and had a boiled chicken breast and asparagus on the first night, then a boiled chicken tender on day 2 and 3. Today I did ok. If you do cheat, make it a smart one. Don't cheat with carbs or you will kill the ketosis benefit. Good luck..........
In other news--I am now 10 days post-sleeve and the liquid diet is so very very very easy now compared to before. My first surgery date was cancelled (anesthesia issues--nothing to do with pre-op diet) and I had to continue on the pre-op diet for another week. I was so discouraged and upset and struggled so much that last week. I mean--there was a baconator combo involved--upsized. This is hard--very very very hard and you don't have the help of a sleeve yet. Do the best you can--have a "smart cheat" lined up so you won't fall off the wagon into a cheeseburger--and realize that help is on the way.

You said you wanted all replies so here goes. First of all, I generally have a pretty high tolerance to pain but....When I came back to the floor I was in excruciating pain. I had complications so they didn't give me anything after surgery for a bit and I have never experienced pain that intense in my life. The pain pump and my ever diligent sister pushing the button every time it was available finally got on top of the pain about 3 hours later. I used that pain pump quite a bit because--well--it freaking hurt. My IV went bad and they had trouble starting another one--like 12 sticks worth of trouble. I had visitors at the time and they are still talking about how I didn't even react when they jabbed me over and over. I didn't react because the IV sticks were NOTHING compared to the pain I was in--like being tickled with a feather. I got up and walked a lot, but that did not touch the pain. I went home on day 3--back in the hospital on day 6 for pain and dehydration. The pain I had was sharp shooting pain in my shoulder and chest. They did some tests--everything normal--and home I went in agony. On day 9 I had my drain removed in the doctor's office and passed out cold. When I came to--pain was gone. I was a little bit sore--but no real pain. The surgeon said that the drain must have been irritating a nerve and that was the source of most of my pain. Today--day 10--I feel like a new woman.
Hopefully you will have little pain and feel great, but prepare yourself just in case. Either way, it will be worth it. The surgeon and hospital staff were kind and understanding and did what they could to help me. I wonder how my recovery would have gone if I had a surgeon that removed the drain earlier......
Good luck to you.