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As others have said, it does get better. I remember feeling the same way and now I'm almost 5 months post-op and down 67 pounds - I don't regret the surgery at all. You just had major surgery a few days ago, ANY surgery is going to make you feel like crap at first, so give yourself some time to heal before you start thinking of regrets. What got me through the rough days in the beginning was focusing on the fact that each day would be better than the one before. This isn't an easy process, physically or mentally. Take your pain meds - I took them like clockwork for the first several days, then I was able to just take at bedtime. And I carried a travel neck pillow with me everywhere. It was my best friend. Hold it against your stomach when you cough, sneeze or get up and down out of bed/chair. This may be TMI, but it helps in the bathroom when you have to "go" as well. Stay hydrated - really focus on the Water right now, then Protein. But staying hydrated is most important for now. Also, your emotions are going to be up and down. I ate my emotions so I was a MESS without my food to comfort me (therapy helped with that). Maybe keeping a journal may help with the emotional stuff. Just remember, it DOES get better. So hang in there, keep reading the experiences of others on here and know you are not alone.

i apologize first for my questions: with the pre-surgery diet and post-op diets (consisting of liquids/mushy etc).... how does this affect your bowel movement? i work in an office environment and just kinda curious at what to expect (before/after). on the after, how about the (gas) i read so much about..how do you handle that? appreciate any feedback.

Tmi!!!!!!!!!!1

Okay so 2 days post op and I feel pretty good. My doctor found a hiatal hernia while performing the surgery so he fixed that. I am grateful because I imagine this will lessen heartburn and acid reflux substantially. After a few sips of liquid I am FULL! I mean Thanksgiving dinner full and have to get up and walk around. The gas ex strips help a lot. No more pain in my shoulder but still haven't had a BM (sorry TMI) since before surgery. Getting comfortable to sleep is painful though so I am still taking the pain meds for resting time. I intend to return to work on Monday and pray all goes well. It is interesting because last night my hubby and kids had pizza and I looked at it and thought I know that tastes good but I am soooo incredibly full I couldn't even imagine! So it was a lot easier than I thought. I am very happy thus far and know the more I walk and as the weight sheds off I think I will have an easier time being around things that used to rule me. I am looking forward to hearing some post op stories as they come this month. New year new us! Here is to 2014!

I hear ya!! It sucks being single and having all this "stuff" going on. Atleast there is my battery operated friend TMI lol

ok this might be TMI.. but can i just say..... now that im seeing someone... my eh hem.. libido is getting worse...lol.. its like i get some and i just cant seem to get enough!!!! WTF?!?!?!? I am officially a dude! lol I think im wearin the poor guy out! lol Might have to go find a spare...OK IM SERIOUSLY JUST KIDDING ABOUT THAT ONE... but it was too funny not to put in.

Ok, now for some TMI talk... How is everyone doing as far as going to the bathroom? Is anyone else really constipated all of a sudden?

I was also Sleeved on 11/12. I came out of recovery asking to walk because the pain was so bad. 4 hours later the nurse helped me up and I walked so far she was shocked, but it was the only way I could get rid of the pain. I was released the next day. I'm having problems getting all my fluid down, but each day improving. Had BM yesterday and felt 100 times better afterwards, (sorry TMI). Under my plan I am able to have strained cream soups, so last night I had 1/4 cup of strained potatoe soup. It took me a while to get it down but it was good. Also, I've been adding crystal light to my water and that has helped as well.

I got sleeved the same day as you and I have the same issue I now have TMI haemroids (can't spell it) the pain down there is worse than my operation pain and issues I can't go so I use an microlax enema then I go but it's awful and takes forever then last night I took two ducolax before bed and today is not a good day I'd be scared to leave the house so I go from one extreme to another than back again it's frustrating I've never ever suffered constipation. Sent from my iPhone

Well, I am 8 days post op and I am a bundle of mixed feelings. I am still somewhat sore, but not bad. Getting up and down are the worst part. Or yawning and sneezing. But sometimes I have been having a terrible sharp pain, like a stitch, in my side and my shoulder. It hurts so bad. Then I have to use the Vicodin. But it is happening less and less, which is really good. I am having a very hard time telling what the heck is going on in my stomach. Is it gas? Am I hungry? Am I full? What the hell? Right now, I can drink fluids pretty much as much as I want and not feel full. It seems like it is just sliding right through. Which is all right - I'm not really hungry. I eat more on a schedule because I know it is time to eat more or have more fluids or whatever. But when I DO eat or drink, I have no idea what full is yet. Which worries me a little. I have moved on to full liquids which is wonderful. I am so happy. I love Cream of Mushroom soup anyway, so this is really good. I was going to scream if I had to eat one more bowl of broth. But I have realized that soup, even the thicker cream of mushroom soup, is really just another liquid, which means I can eat the entire can of soup in one sitting and not feel full or anything. I don't know.... I am hoping that as I eat more solid things, and as I heal more, it will all become obvious. TMI for many people - but something that might be important for many .... I think I am getting a yeast infection. It is the beginning stages and it may resolve itself which is what I am hoping for. I think it is a result of the antibiotics that I got in the hospital. Just one more bag of fun to add to the bag. I am having issues of being tired but not really, but wanting to nap but not really. I am really tired right now. It seems to come and go in waves. And sometimes by the time I am able to finish up what I am doing and actually take one, I am not tired anymore. Then later I have a wave of tired again and I wish I had taken a nap earlier! But I am also restless, so even when I am tired and want to take a nap, I often can't quite settle enough to really sleep and all. I don't know what my problem is! I'm sure it is a matter of calories (eating so little means little calories means less energy) and just recovering from the surgery. I am feeling pretty good and I think I am often suffering from completely unrealistic expectations of how I should be feeling and what I should be able to do by now. I can't wait until I am further out and eating more normally, feeling more normally and able to do the things that I normally do. I especially hate the lack of cuddle time! I cuddle with my two kids and husband all the time. Hugs, snuggles, couch cuddle time, everything - I am one who lets the kids climb all over me and love every minute of it. So this is hard right now and I feel a little isolated at times. I let Molly lie on top of my side against the couch, so she wasn't on the incisions or anything and she almost fell asleep there and it was nirvana. :frown: SIGH.....

jny I am going through same thing. I am a month post op as of today. I feel like I have attacks every other day and it leaves my stomach feeling like someone used it as a punching bag for a day afterwards. I was not sure if its foamies or gallbladder or stricture. but I am pretty sure if it was a stricture it would happen all the time not just every other day. but I did call my surgeon this morning and I go in tomorrow so he can scope me. when you have your "attacks " does it make it hard and painful to take a deep breath? mine does and when I do makes me more nauseated. and it lasts about an hour and last night (sorry tmi) I vomited about 15 times

Let me just say... I was big and bad going into this. I was in control of my two week diet before surgery... no cheating... picture of strength.. I was ready. The day of surgery, I was big and bad again... Let me tell you, when I came to after the surgery the nurse laughed at me because she could tell I skipped the silly talking a lot phase and went straight into "I'm gonna puke... what the hell did I do?" phase. I felt horrible that first day. Yesterday morning when I got ready to leave I was feeling OK but the minute I was in the car riding home I became SUPER nauseated. So what I'm trying to figure out now: Is the pain I'm feeling gas? Am I drinking my sips to fast and to big? Is my pain med making me sick? I kept reading about all the gas issues, but I don't know if that's what I'm feeling or what... TMI time... my poor roommate had to hear this, but I went to the bathroom cause I just thought I was going to die and ended up passing gas like an Olympic champion. My roommate literally ran to the door and asked if I was OK and I was screaming "Thank you Jesus." I didn't even get near my Protein or Water goals today... Every little thing I drink makes me feel bad. However, this morning (25th) I'm handling water better and I'm even having hot herbal tea right now because my sleep schedule is F'd up. Any comments about your experience with the first few days would be greatly appreciated!

Sounds similar to what I did! I got 2 litres of soya milk a day and 400ml of apple juice. I am lactose intolarant so could not have cow milk. I only had to do 7 days though! I did lose a significant amount of weight though even in a week so it was kinda worth it! The longing for food wears of one the hunger subsides I was fine by the surgery. The only down side was (this is prob TMI) the soya milk coated my tounge and no matter how much i brushed my teeth my breath was still awfull, and after a while my urine started to smell like soya milk not nice! I spent about 3 days after the op scrubbing my tounge!

My last fill (July 2nd) - I was too tight. I was like you I could eat more some days than others. I was having problems some days with mashed potatoes and mushies. I got a slight un-fill which helped wonders. I think I'm still not at my sweet spot. She gave me 1.5 cc (got me up to 6.5 in a 10 cc band). My unfill was .5 I think if I get .2 on my next fill (August) I'll be right where I need to be. Probly TMI, bu thought I'd share anyway.

update day 3 (i am not counting the day of surgery) day 1 slept a lot I was in a lot of pain due to the big incision. hard to move up and down. i did not walk that first day at all I just wanted sleep. day 2 i just wanted to drink Water and eat Jello the Protein was not my friend. still very sore. had trouble sleeping last nigh i was very shaky and I think it was due to lack of protein. Day 3 (which is today) woke up took pain meds and it and I have drank about 4 oz of protein this morning and feel so much better. Doesn't taste the best but I do feel better. I am going to take a nap then try to go for a mile walk. Walking really does help! Gas has not been that bad thank goodness! pills have not been hard to take. This might be TMI but I started the day after surgery and it has been one of the worst TOM. It is very heavy. hope this helps everyone. things i have noticed: I am not hungry at all, smells weird me out and i don't like to be around others while they eat even though I am not hungry.

Hahaha I laughed so hard with this one because it's SO true. Id like to add and this maybe be tmi, but being able to wipe my butt without pulling a muscle in a small stall! I also look forward to walking without my thighs rubbing together. Not being drenched in sweat while cleaning And so so much more

This may be TMI for some.....but after my TT my abdomen looks great. But my ass looks like 2 sleepy shar-peis.

amy, maybe this is tmi but i couldn't reach around the front because most of my weight is in my belly. so i lean forward and get to it that way from the back. hopefully when i lose the belly, i can do it the "normal" way. it works for me though and haven't had a uti in more years than i can remember.

All I can say is I'm 11 days away from surgery and scared too. I was so freaked out, I sat down and told my husband what my medical wishes are in case I have complications and am unable to make my own decisions. I'm not so worried about hair loss, but I am scared to death of failure. I am young, so no one in my family understands why I want this now. But I can't chase my son at the park. I can't stand on my feet for a full 12 hour shift, like I need to. Probly TMI, but I am so turned off by my own body at this point, that my marriage is suffering. I also know that after this surgery all of these things will change. I will be able to go on hikes with my spouse without feeling like I'm going to die going up a hill. I can keep up with my son. I will be able to stand on my feet without having them swell up at the end of the day. I know that this surgery could potentially lengthen my life, but I am still scared. And I think as rational human beings, this is normal. Because we have researched this enough to know what could go wrong. But we know that this is still our best option for a better future. PS. I also projectile vomit with barium, but there has to be something else they can give us right?

I am about 50 lbs down from my highest weight and about a month post surgery. My libido went from 0 to 500. Sometimes I think my water bottle is cute. Orgasms are through the roof. Three times a day at least. Sorry for the TMI. I can't wait to start dating again. But for now it's spanking the rabbi like an imprisoned Iraqi prisoner.

Sleeved Nov. 14, started @ 235, down to 152! I am in a size 8, even a 6 at times. NEVER been so happy. Loving life!! I really need something done to my boobs now, but the cost is 12K!!!!! Crazy Oh Well, i'll just buy some good push up bra's. I know I know TMI, but hey i guess if thats the worst thing that can happen, i'm fine with it! :-) I hope everyone else is doing great!

After I lost around 20% of my body weight -and over a weekend, it seemed - my boobs seemed to deflate as if someone put a pin in them! They are probably same size overall (lost weight off my back which has decreased band size) as cup size still seems ok but they are much softer (floppier, dare I say, though that's probably TMI). I'm quite pleased as I'm over 50 and in regular mammogram territory - last one was agony and radiologist mentioned my breasts were "unusually firm for a woman of your age" (!?). Hopefully next ones will be easier.

I felt better (more at ease being prepared) having supplies on hand ahead of time. Turns out this was very helpful in light of the fact that despite having my surgery 4/12/18 in Minneapolis, we had a MAJOR snowstorm on my post op day 2 and 3. Because we were unable to leave our driveway due to heavy snow, my poor husband walked to the pharmacy to pick up glycerin suppositories for me (TMI, I know!). The other thing I wished I would have had on hand before surgery was the Tylenol dosage they recommended post op. I stock 500mg at our house, not 325mg tablets. That was another thing for my hubby to have to track down. Of course your surgeon may prescribe something completely different for post op pain. I had stocked my cupboards with clear liquids and full liquids ahead of time. I brought home from the hospital 4 of the tiny cups they put pills in and used that to measure my water intake the first day and a half. I would put 4 on a plate and know I needed to get those 4 cups down in the next hour. After the first day and a half, I didn't need the tiny cups as I was much more able to drink plenty of water. I also am glad I had 1/4 cup reusable plastic food storage containers for my pureed stage, but also even now, it helps with packing my lunches. For the pureed stage it was helpful because a little food covers many meals. It is super important to have a source of protein (liquid) prior to surgery that you know you can tolerate, if not enjoy. And a way to make your purees. You got this!!!

I have several food allergies so dumping syndrome (I call it IBS-D) is not new for me. One of my worst episodes was at the Magic Kingdom when I drank a fruit smoothie. I was trying to avoid dairy, which is a major trigger for me. But it was LOADED with sugar. I started to sweat heavily, get dizzy, cramp up, and had to run to the restroom. TMI Warning: I had explosive diarreah. After about 30 minutes in the bathroom, I thought it was safe to walk across the park to first aid to get some Immodium. I finally felt better about an hour later. I've also experienced something similar when I eat MSG, which is in a lot of chinese food. Within 10-15 minutes, I'm running to the bathroom.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one is who going through this! I didn't ask the why behind his reasoning because it really wasn't a big deal to me (*TMI* my libido has been NIL since I was about 6 months pregnant...and my son is almost 2) and I just assumed it was a common practice for these type of procedures.