Search the Community

Hi had my surgery on Friday the 27th at 10:30 am and today is day 4!!! I feel really good today and each since the surgery I have been feeling better. When I woke up from surgery the only pain I had was from laying on my back unable to move during the operation coupled with the pain from my period, which of course had to start the day before. I spent a very long time in recovery because they did not have a room ready for me yet, that was about 3-4 hours. When I finally got to my room, being able to move around helped my back somewhat. The only bad thing for me was the nausea, I puked several times on Friday and a few times the next day when I woke up. I had the option to stay another night in the hospital, but I was eager to get the 130-mile ride back home done. Once home I only took one anti-nausea medication. I have not had any pain and very little gas. I am getting liquids down very well. My two-week diet consists of 5-6 mini-meals that are 2oz of either yogurt, pudding, creamy soup or vegetable juice. 1 protein shake and 48-64oz of liquids that are either water, broth, jello, herbal tea, crystal light, poweraide, or popsicles. low or no sugar for everything course I am finding it easy to eat more than 1 or 2 oz's at a time, this worries me a little. I am down to only one nap a day I am hoping soon I won't need a nap.

It took me 5 days from surgery to go. Mostly regular once or twice a day, at most only skip one day. I was good not really experiencing constipation for the first 6 months. Then the literal 6 month mark and it happened twice in about 3 weeks and I nearly died, lol. Not literally, but that's what it felt like. Both times, I wasn't exactly 100% on track (off my eating/drinking routine) and most likely not enough water intake. I am hoping to not repeat that again. I was already taking stool softeners since day 1, but have now added in a green juice, a little extra fiber and some ACV pills.

I really love your thoughtful reply. I'm definitely eating too fast. But the info you just gave will definitely encourage me to slow the heck down! At 6 weeks post-op, I don't think I should be eating as much volume per meal as I am. I'm doing about 1/2 cup each meal. I'm going to stop that immediately. I'll do 1/4-1/3 cup, as you suggest, and then just wait. I probably won't feel hungry after the wait, and I'll be better off for it. Thank you!

I had my gastric sleeve surgery on October 2nd and I was held in the hospital for three days because I couldn’t keep anything down. The pain I felt from throwing up or trying to digest the liquids hurt so bad but it was only about two times I had to ask them for something stronger. The discomfort lasted longer, just because I was sore and tender and I’m a side sleeper so trying to find a comfortable spot was a pain (my ass hurt from sleeping elevated 😅). I consider myself a wimp, I get nervous about experiencing pain but when it actually happens I find myself thinking it should hurt more than it actually does

Well I had my surgery on the 27th at 10:30 am. I was told it went well with no complications. I was pretty tired afterward. The only pain I had was from laying flat on my back unable to move during the operation and my period started the day before, ugh. I spent one night in the hospital with the option to stay another, but I was really only struggling with nausea and wanted to the 130 mile drive back home over with. today is day 4 feel great, I was feeling pretty good on day 3 (only one nap that day) but I feel even better today. I have not been hungry at all, but I have been following the diet schedule the clinic gave me for the next two weeks.

I am having surgery in 2 weeks and I don't have a number in mind on the scale but like you I want to be alive and healthy! The biggest gift of all!! Thank you for sharing your journey with us!

I have been creeping around here for months and finally decided to create an account and share. First though, I have to give great credit to my wife and family. My wife has been so supportive and flexible through the whole process. She has always been by my side, but during this process she read and learned about the changes, as much or more than I did. She has gone above and beyond with her support and care for me, all while still running a busy household. My kids are a constant reminder of why I did this -- so that I would be around for a long time. I wanted to be able to participate in life with my family. I also have to thank my surgical team and the care they provide. It has been great and truly lifesaving. I weighed 514-lbs on 9/12/22. I was a big boy to say the least. Shockingly, I was not in horrible medical condition. I did not take any medicine. Did not have diabetes or high blood pressure. I did have swelling in my legs, constantly sore/bad knees, and was very quick to be out of breath. I lived a very sedimentary live and limited my physical activity. I wanted to be able to be more active and be around with my family for a long time. I finally got up the nerve to discuss with my wife and she immediately got on board. I went through the program without an issue. Checked all boxes and completed all steps. Surgery was on 2/28/23 and it went well. I was up and moving that night, because that was one of the biggest hurdles to clear in order to leave. I was able to sip and keep liquid down. Discharged after one night! Incisions were sore, as expected. Gas was the worst, and not the good kind of gas that can clear the room when expelled (yeah, I am a guy), but the awful painful surgical gas, which took almost a week to fully go away. I was basically fully cleared by the doctor and back to work (in a nonphysical job) one week after surgery. My process was textbook, none of the complications that many have experienced, and I am lucky for it! This process has not been easy but has not been impossible. I have followed my plan, with the support at home, and it is working. I feel physically so much better. I am so much more mobile and active. I have never been happier. I have made changes to my daily life to support the process. My diet has changed but not radically. I eat a lot less and that is the biggest driver of my weight loss. I walk and am active in live, but I do not have a detailed exercise plan. I am still learning exactly what works for me, but most importantly I want others to know there are many routes to get to the same place. I try to get the big stuff right and not sweat the tiniest of details. My blood work at my six-month checkup was solid. Protein was on the low end in the range, but still acceptable. I was encouraged to keep on keeping on (shout out to Joe Dirt). They were comfortable enough to set my next follow up appointment out to one year. I was scared and nervous. I have had good days and bad days (constipation is AWFUL)! Most importantly, I wanted to share my story and I hope it can help others in some way. I never wanted to be skinny. I could care less what my BMI is. I wanted to feel better. I wanted to be able to participate in life with my family. And I am! I am no expert and I still have a long way to go, but I am happy and glad I had this surgery. As I have seen here, over and over again, we are all different, so what works for me may not for others, but I still wanted to share, and I hope it might be of some benefit to someone else. The non-scale wins are just the best! When I started this process, I was so huge that home scales couldn't hold me, so I would go months without weighing, but I knew good things were happening because of all the non-scale wins. Cherish those! This is a long (probably too long) post, so I will wrap. I recently weighed on my home scale (yeah, that's right, it now holds me) and I was at 288-lbs. If anyone has questions or wants more details about my journey, please let me know. I would be happy to share more.

I know this is an older post but it was so well done I had to comment. I'm having my POS band removed very soon I hate it. It doesn't work long term etc,, The first band was in 2008 and redone in 2014 since then all weight is back. 380 right now. Question? Why do I read all the bad things here about MGB? stalls, pain, GERD, ulcers, and can never use aspirin again? I chew a baby aspirin every day 83mg for my heart...MGB seems to be the best overall procedure. Thought maybe of the sleeve but heard even worse things about it. I'm confused as to what to do next as the Band has not proven a long-term solution for me. I'm 58 and don't want to go through this again. Also, does the stomach still produce hunger hormone which is removed with the Sleeve? Thanks and great post!

My surgeon gave me up to a week before, asking just to make sure I was comfortable with my choice. The surgeon gets prior authorization for WSL ...and can change options mid surgery if they feel its a better option for you. So, I don't foresee it being an issue for you to change.

PERIODS: I had my WLS when I was 47 and i *thought* I was already menopausal, as I hadn't had my period in a couple (few?) years before that. Well. 2-3 weeks after surgery, I got my period...heavily...for like 8 days or something like that (which for me is an anomaly as when I used to have periods, they would only last 4-5 days max, and were very light). Then I got my period like clockwork every 4 weeks after that for about 4 years. Go figure...I wasn't menopausal at all, I was just fat, lol I am actually going through it now i think as my last period was in the spring 2022 last year (i'm 5 yrs post op now). So yeah, i raise my hand for weird period happenings. HAIR LOSS: Yep, i lost a significant amount of hair. It all grew back eventually, and I feel like its actually thicker now...but that may be due to the fact that my diet is better? I dunno. Bonus as well is that my hair now has a little wave to it, which i love. Unfortunately, I don't think there is anything you can do to prevent it. My advice if it happens to you, is to just ride it out. its temporary and just a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things. STOPPING WEIGHT LOSS: My not-so-surprising answer to this: EAT MORE. lol. It took me few months of increasing my calorie intake until i figured out what calorie amount i needed to maintain. I lost 10+ lbs while i figured this out, but at least i did, ha! Now in my case (and alot of others) my restriction was still very much in effect, so I had to invoke the strategy of eating more higher-calorie foods vs. just more food in general. It was a little bit of a challenge as I was still in weight-loss mode thinking so switching mindsets to allow myself eat things i avoided for 7 months was a bit of mind f*ck. I'm really good at it now though, lol. Good Luck! ❤️

Like mentioned above it depends when exactly post-op you are asking about. I too was one of those weirdly low volume eaters (which, during weight loss phase, equated to being a super low-cal eater) According to my logs at week 6, i averaged 423 calories A DAY (vs. weeks 1-2 when I ate less than that for an ENTIRE WEEK) sloooowwwwwllly worked my way up to about 700-800 cals a day by the time I reached goal (about 7 months post op). I am 5 years post op and maintain now at about 1800 cals a day. (5'2", 51 yr old female, 113 lbs this morning). You will find that the number of calories each of us require to maintain or lose (or gain!) weight varies greatly. The trick is to find out what calories YOU need to lose/maintain/gain, and work that into your eating habits. Note also that this magic caloric number FOR YOU is forever a moving target and will change depending on your health, activity levels, metabolisms, time of year, amount of sleep you get, stress levels, medications, mood, etc., etc., etc. Good Luck! 😍

I'm sure you'll be fine, sleeve patients seem to bounce back pretty quickly unless they have complications. I've seen some return after a week off on this forum... ETA: Just no lifting heavy things!! You don't want to mess up those pretty stitches the surgeon worked so hard on... LOL

I couldn't get short term disability approved, and my company is too small for FMLA, so I'm going back to work the week after surgery. I actually couldn't get a full week so I had to schedule the week of Thanksgiving so I'm only burning 2 days. I've seen others do it in less time, so hopefully it won't be too bad.

I am working on my short term disability paperwork so that I can be out for the full 2 weeks with a little bit of pay.. Is anybody else doing this... Also anybody else buying there holiday PJ's a size smaller? I am in the middle of ordering our family Christmas pj's and gambling with ordering them a size smaller...

Hello everyone! Hi, I'm new here and I'm scheduled to undergo the VSG procedure on November 6th. Currently, on week 2 of my pre-op diet and it's going very well so far. I'm beyond excited but growing more and more nervous every day. Wishing much success to you all!

5.5 Years Out Hi all - I used to be very active on these forums, but as I continue on my journey I have found myself relying less and less on this platform. I do like to check in occasionally to provide insight, encouragement, perspective, and more to those who are about to begin their journey or in the first few chapters. A little about me- I had VSG surgery in May of 2018. My highest weight was about 260 and I was put out on my body and my weight affected all aspects of my life. I lost a total of 140 pounds and have maintained (most) of that weight loss. I am up about 10 pounds in the last year or so, but mostly muscle as I have begun weightlifting so I am not too concerned. I had two plastic surgeries after my VSG to help with loose skin and such. My favorite non-scale victories over the past few years: Being able to walk into any store and find something that works for me Having my boyfriend be able to pick me up as if I weigh nothing Being able to cross my legs when I sit! Feeling cute in my clothes My quality of life is exponentially better My most unexpected experiences: I am ALWAYS cold I quickly pass out if I stand for too long I struggle with iron intake Vitamins can make me feel super sick! I get an upset stomach very easily I suffer from acid reflux (something I never experienced before) My unsolicited advice: Listen to your doctors Get active Drink your water! Eat your protein Having one bad or off day is not an excuse to have a bad week You can still enjoy things in moderation

With my now being six weeks post-op, I'm curious what others' calorie intake has been in the early stages of typically rapid weight loss after surgery and am well aware that intake increases and body weight decreases. I realize everyone is different, and clearly stated in my original post that I have already spoken about this with my dietitian for my own case. I'm not seeking medical advice from an internet forum on what my target should be; I'm opening a conversation about the topic to see where other bariatric patients have found their own successes with respect to their caloric intake as one metric.

That's the hope. I initially started doing the research to help him but learning more about it and doing it together was best for us. I'm just hoping 2 weeks is enough time to support each other physically.

Don't bring a ton of stuff to the hospital, you'll spend most of your time trying to drink and walking. No need for a ton of entertainment items or toiletries. I spent two days (9/25-9/27) in the hospital and the only thing I grabbed out of my bag was my phone charger. Invest in a vitamin/pill organizer. I tried taking my pills straight out of the medicine bottles and was constantly forgetting. The organizer keeps everything in one place and is a better visual reminder. Ask for a binder in the hospital, it helps immensely when changing positions. I wore mine religiously for the first two weeks.

It takes a lot of calories to maintain that heavier weight & for the body to function at that weight (just moving with that weight alone requires a lot of energy) & so the calorie deficit has a greater impact. It requires your body to burn more fat to get the energy it needs to function so there is a greater weight loss. There is a percentage formula to help give you an idea of what weight loss you may expect (may not will) but I can’t recall what it is. Though I think they say you may expect to lose about 30% of your weight at three months. Say it says you’ll lose 10% of the weight you’re to lose in your first month. It you weigh 600lbs & are to lose 400lbs you might to lose 40lbs in the first month. Have a lower starting weight & are to lose 200lbs you might lose 20lbs. Well, that’s my understanding. 😁

Listen to your body. If you feel tired, rest/nap. If your tummy says nope don’t like that don’t eat or drink it for a week or so & then try it again (your tummy can behave like a petulant tantrum throwing 2 year old for a little while). Don’t push yourself to do more physically than you are able. You may experience random muscle twinges & discomfort at odd times for a couple of weeks - part of your healing. We all heal differently. We all lose at different rates. We all experiences stalls at times while we lose ( they’re a vital part of your weight loss & do break when your body is ready). We all lose some of our hair (it doesn’t last & it grows back.) Don’t compare yourself with others & beat yourself up if you’re not doing the same. Use other people’s experiences as examples of what you might experience & might achieve not should be doing or experiencing. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t hit your protein & fluid goals right from surgery or everyday. As long as you’re making an effort, are pretty close & eventually you have more days you do than you don’t you’ll be okay. Follow your plan as closely as you can. If you’re struggling with aspects contact your team for alternatives or strategies to help. All the best.

I have the same thing, and I'm 5.5 weeks post-op. I've never yet felt that "Stop! You're full now!" warning. And like you, it does worry me. I hadn't heard about the nerves being cut and that's why I'm not receiving the signals. Very interesting. And it makes sense. I just wish they'd hurry up and heal because I really don't want to stretch my stomach.

Thank you so much. I ended up going back to the hospital on Friday for two bags of fluid and a catscan. Catscan shows normal results. Swelling, fluid, gas, enlarged liver and spleen but no bleeding and no blockage. So I at least felt content with that. The surgeon put me on Miralax and today is day three in a row of that. It is not really helping to free the gas that is built up. Neither is Gas X Chewables. Today is the first day though without taking any Tylenol and I was able to walk further without the pain being AS agonizing. I think it will just take time to dissipate. On the bright side… I am down 11 pounds in 6 days! lol ♥️

Hm, good point about the sugar alcohols. My doctor is letting me have peanut butter in the soft foods stage, as she and my dietician let me know at my first post-op appointment last week. For me, candy has been a trigger in the past, but not as much as savory things. I feel like on that front, I'll be ok. As you said, I too definitely want to move towards whole foods, but I would like this one day to have a little something, within reason, if I can.

Everyone has been going through so much! I'm glad for all of us though. My RNY was on October 16th. I haven't posted since then since I had a really hard time the first week, but I'm doing better now, thankfully! Post-op in the hospital was fine, but after that I had a hard time getting any liquids in. Day 3 at home, I only got 6 or 7 ounces in, and kept throwing up nothing. I went to the ER, got 2 liters of IV fluids and had a CT scan which was fine. I was having serious buyer's remorse about the surgery. I was not happy. But sometimes it's just hard to see that things will change. Because they do! My surgeon (who talked to me twice on the phone for about 10 minutes each, once while she was going to dinner with her family! So thankful) had me go to a hydration infusion clinic every day last week, to get 2 liters a day. They had wicked nice nurses, one of whom had had an RNY with my same surgeon 4 years ago! She has kept her weight off and is doing really well, despite having a rough start. She was so encouraging! We talked a lot. I feel so much better now! It's not perfect, and I keep forgetting to take SMALL sips, lol. I'm on full liquids until Tuesday/Halloween, so I'm planning on making a pumpkin puree something-or-other to celebrate. There are a bunch of recipes online for Pumpkin Whip/Pumpkin Fluff, if anyone is interested and in the puree stage. There's always pumpkin soup, if full liquids are better! We shall see.