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Hi this may be tmi, so let me apologize now but this is the ladies room right? My surgery was 6/26/13 and it triggered my period no biggie I was too loaded on anesthesia effects to notice any change....fast forward to a month later and my first "real" post op period and I'm noticing I'm much much more exhausted from it then any period I can recall preop...I've mostly stayed in bed all weekend (which is unusual for me) Do you ladies have any good food suggestions that I could incorporate in the future in the week leading up to and the week of to help increase my energy levels during my time of the month? Vitamin suggestions? What works for you?

I took my first steps towards gastric sleeve in February of this year, 2016. The process was a bit of a nightmare, and I was denied by my insurance the first time around. Once I did finally get my approval, it was so late in the year that I just knew that my surgery wouldn't be until January at the earliest. Which was very depressing because that would mean that my insurance out-of-pocket maximum would start over, and that would cost us thousands extra. But my surgeon Dr. Shadle gave up his holiday vacation time to ensure that myself and many other patients got their surgeries before the end of the year. I cannot say enough good things about my surgeon. If any of you are in the Sacramento area, see if your insurance will work with Dr. Shadle. You won't be sorry you did. I started my 2 week liquid diet on 12/14. It was pretty tough, but I knew what was at stake so I pushed through. Dr. Shadle even gave me permission to eat Proteins and vegetables for the Christmas holiday. That was great, but my body pretty much rejected it because I hasn't eaten in so long. The night before the surgery I was so nervous and scared I could barely sleep. The next morning I paced around the house and sliced fruit for dehydration to keep my hands and mind occupied until it was time to go to the hospital. The check in went smoothly and quickly, and before I knew it I was being wheeled back to the OR. The next thing I remember was waking up after the surgery. I was in sheer agony. Crying from the pain and desperately dry heaving. It took several hours for my pain to come down to a manageable level. Part of the pain was from the incisions themselves, and part of it was from the gas. The gas itself feels like a tight band around your chest, and it eventually settled in my shoulder. The gas pain has mostly subsided at this point. Another aspect that I was not at all prepared for was how dry my mouth was. For the first 36 hours or so my mouth felt like sawdust, no matter if I just sipped Water or took an ice chip the moment before. This did eventually alleviate itself, thankfully. One of the things they really monitored in the hospital was my liquid output (pee). Strangely enough, no matter how badly I felt like I had to go, it would only come out in a tiny trickle due to the fact that my insides were still asleep. I was given a few doses of milk of magnesia to try to wake my bowels up, but to no avail. I also spent a good amount of time walking while I was in the hospital. It felt so good to get up and stretch out my torso. I was released from the hospital yesterday morning. There was a bit of a kerfuffle with my prescriptions. I had thought that I couldn't pick them up until after the surgery, but they had apparently been sent over weeks beforehand, and to a different pharmacy than I thought. So by the time I got my pain meds, my pain was out of control again. I have oral dilauded for pain to take every 4 hours, but it wasn't taking the edge off. I was told I could take it every 2 hours until it was under control, but even then the pain wasn't receding. I finally sent my husband to the store to get some extra strength liquid Tylenol, and some milk of magnesia. I've found that taking 1 dilauded every 4 hours, and 30ml of Tylenol every 6 hours is the winning combination for me. The pain is still there but it is very manageable and I can move around without too much trouble. I have also found that putting a heat pad on my belly is very effective for helping me manage my pain. I took a dose of milk of magnesia last night and finally had a bowel movement this morning! Tmi warning* it was completely liquid and did not cause any pain or discomfort at all. I was technically supposed to start the "full liquids" stage of the post op diet yesterday, but I was too scared to try with all the pain I was in already. I just stuck with water, and a few sips of a pomegranate flavored bariatric Protein drink (clear). This morning (12/30) I was actually feeling pretty good, so I tried about 1/4 cup or so of cream of chicken Soup. Took me about 30 minutes to get it down, and I have about 15 more minutes before I can start sipping liquids again to take my pills. It went down very well. There was one sip that I took a little too quickly that caused a little pain, but other than that there was no issue. In addition to the dilauded and Tylenol, I also have zofran (nausea), colace (stool softener), pantropazole (anti-acid/reflux), and Vitamin D (because I'm deficient). This is on top of the daily vitamin regimen that we are required to do. If you are reading this and don't already have one, I HIGHLY recommend getting a pill organizer. I have a 7 day, morn/noon/eve/bed organizer. It's a little bulky, but it is so very helpful. I started my pre-op diet at 343 pounds. The morning of my surgery I was 326, and I am currently at about 325. I expect this will continue to go down as my swelling recedes. I will be posting to this blog as often as I can, mostly for my own records so I can look back and see my progress. Of course any comments, input, or tips are most welcome Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

I borrowed a heating pad from my grandmother on the advice of a relative and kept it on my belly on high. I would get up every hour or so and do a very small about of walking and moving around like I would go downstairs and outside and around the apartment and then back upstairs to bed. haha...anyways....I didn't think it was helping until at the end of the first full day that I used the heating pad it was like my body deflated. Tmi....I know but i was burping and tooting and felt better and better as each one passed. So my advice to you is a heating pad.

I am 3 days post op and I was having some serious gas pains, too and I walked more than anyone that was in the hospital with me. I tried the heating pad, warm decaf rea with one splenda (just cannot do totally unsweet) and nothing seemed to help. So then to add variety to my clear liquid diet (that I'll be on for 2 weeks post op) I tried 2 oz of apple juice mixed with 2 oz of Water. It tasted delicious and was a good break from broth and then it made me go #2. Each time I go potty I sit there for a minute and a ton of gas comes out. So long story longer, apple juice worked for me.... Also, one of my friends that had the surgery over a year ago said that she thinks I was drinking too much and too fast. I went back through my paperwork and it said 1 oz every 15 minutes and doing it that way you shouldn't drink more than 4 oz per hour (and you still can get in 64 oz per day). I felt like I was swallowing air each time I sipped so I think she was right. I slowed down and the gas was much better today. Hope this wasn't TMI, but if it helps you then I will share..

I was told to wait for 40 days. I have read that others have done it sooner but the doctor want to make sure that I didn't do any movement that could cause any problems. So we wait for full sex and I just did my part to keep him happy. I know TMI. I just want you to know that it was worth it because I went back in with a very bad infection and then I got my period. So by the time we did it I was 30 lbs less. Since then he can not keep his hand off me.

Sometimes I wish he would have. When my surgery happened my surgeon had a surprise that I had intestinal malrotation which basically means my digestive system did not form properly. He had my connected incorrectly and then realized it and made the correction. I hope having this surgery done did not awaken something. Since last night I have had nothing but diarrhea tmi liquid and this morning there was lots of blood. Made an appointment and am going to try and get thru till then but I'm def freaking out

I struggle with a heavy flow (TMI to some idc). When it's that time of the month for me, I take ibuprofen. I hated the side effects of birth control and while I still have my hormones go out of whack and get insanely emotional or crazy during this time of the month, taking ibuprofen daily helped slow things down for me dramatically. Oh and buy overnight "ultra" tampons for the first few days that it's the heaviest. Good luck! It's a really hard thing to deal with, I know! @TheNewGiGi

Weird upset stomach! Gurgling stomach and diarrhea (sorry TMI). As if id have just eaten some bad Chinese food.. lol harleymelm

This may be TMI - so you may want to stop reading.................. But I had a visit from Aunt Flo for the first time in 6 or 8 months.....my dr said it would come back when I lost weight. Not really a "victory" since that whole process sucks, but it does show I am losing!

This is TMI, but you asked...I was lying down in bed the other night in a tank top (which I will only wear in the house) anyway, I happened to look down at my boobs which were of course slowing sliding up under my chin and they were wrinkled. Like really wrinkled, it was gross. I decided then that if they don't tighten up by the time I reach my goal, I'll have to get a boob job. I measure them as well (I'm weird I know) in inches all the way around the boob. I've lost 2 inches on the left and 1 1/2 on the right. Yet everywere else, it's only 1/4 of an inch.

Congrats:thumbup: I was also banded on May 28th Ive lost 15lbs. I lost 10lbs on pre-op diet and 5 after. It sounds like our post-op diets are different I was on clear liquids for 2 days and 5 days on full liquids. Im now on mushies for a week and then soft for 2 weeks. Im hoping that I'm retaining water because of that time(Sorry TMI). Keep up the good work.

I wasn't going to say it, but nothing's really sacred around here anyway. I could really do without the diarrhea. Geeeeezzzz, enough already! Prolly TMI, but I know you're all dying for details, right? I made a bad move by going on a 3 hour boat ride prior to surgery. Seasick, blah, crying on the boat, big baby. But we had 12 hours to waste, so we went on a whale watching cruise. The whales were nothing compared to the "country" of dolphin. My dad lives in Florida and has taken me dolphin watching many times, but I never saw them flying through the air in thousands, literally. Friggen amazing, even though I was quite green. You guys didn't think DeLarla wouldn't find a way to sqeeze in at least some adventure, did you?

I'd probably rip a fart and kill the mood. Was that TMI? I doubt it, I think we lost our TMI filter a long time ago on this forum. seriously, so gassy and gross feeling at this point (13 days out) I can wait a bit.

Gald to see I'm not alone!! My tummy does feel better now that I have been able to add some of the thicker liquids and some oatmeal etc... I am still TMI.....constipated and bloated!

I was never really below a size 11/12 as a teen and was about 150. I'm pretty short at 5'2". My goal is about 145-150 although I wouldn't mind getting into the 130's. I want to get to a size 8. Mostly though I want to be rid of my many asthma attacks during the summer and TMI Alert: my spastic bladder problems. Otherwise I ultametly want to settle below 150 after the regain.

"I do have an issue if the fetus has any chance of life outside the womb to be disposed of. Who are we to play God and say a baby only has a 1 in 4 chance to survive, so they don't get the chance." I agree. However, the difference between us, is I am pro-choice. I have stated in another thread, though, that once the fetus is biologically capable of living outside the womb, the choice is now taken from the mother, except in cases of danger to the mother. I consider conception as the "potential for life" not as life itself. If not, then I am a murderer, as my wife and I had multiple embryos created for IVF, and not all of those were allowed to grow. Of course, not all of the embryos that were implanted grew either, so I guess they weren't part of the "plan" either...oops gone into TMI land again. :frown: Met another mother who had two embryos implanted, and both split, and she had two sets of identical twins...talk about getting your money's worth!!

O.M.G. I am 6 days post-op and I had the worst constipation last night. I think that pain and discomfort was worse then everything else combined. Personally, I have never experienced severe constipation before so this was an alien feeling for me. But I just wanted to be taken out of my misery! I added some Miralax to my Gatorade and I used a suppository and finally got that sucker out Sorry if thats TMI. But even after I got through it, I think my body was in shock and I didn't sleep all night from cramping. Ugh. I just want to feel like myself again!!

I had to quit cold turkey 18 years ago! I was using a inhaler every cig I smoked! Yeah not good, now I still use inhalers 2 a day 2 puffs in am then pm. I also went into COPD and I'm on O2 at night and during day when needed. I'm not telling you this to get you to lose the cigarettes, it took me so long probably couple years to get really out of the habit of what to do with my hands! I would get in car light up, phone light up, had to have one sitting on the pot, yeah tmi. Now when I go past the smoke I get sick from the smell. Sometimes my lungs will get choked up from it, yep second hand smoke is horrid now. Good luck on quitting I have a lot of respect for you for your effort to stop.

Haha. This probably an odd question, but maybe not? What happens if you are on your period during the surgery? Do they let you use tampons or free flow (haha) everywhere? I'm probably going to be on mine when I have surgery, so I wanted to know what to expect.

Ok, so it's not so bad either, but man, I'm glad I don't have to have surgery more often. I was prescribed 10 oz. of Magnesium Citrate 24 hours before surgery to "clean my bowels" (yeah, probably TMI). Anyway, first.....IT TASTES AWFUL!!!! I don't care WHAT they flavor it with...it's just plain AWFUL. It says to drink liquid when you take it as well, but man, there's nothing that can help that taste. I chose grape and though drinking grape Propel Zero might help. NOPE. So, I poured the MC into a glass and filled the remainder of the glass with the Propel hoping this would dilute it and make it a little easier to get down.....NOPE. So then, I just made myself do it. The glass of MC mixed with Propel and a Trenta Black Iced Tea 1/2 the Water 4 equal (to be specific ) from Starbucks sitting next to it. I made a deal with myself. If I would take 3 large drinks of the MC I could take 2 drinks of the tea. If I did this every 5 min, I could have it down in 30 min. Somehow, some way, I managed to get it done (but not before wanting to vomit on the last swallow). OMG....it was NASTY! I might be over reacting, and if I'm freaking anyone out, I'm sorry. I just want you to be prepared so you can find something to help you get through it to if they require it of you as well. Before I started any of this, I made sure to get a few movies from redbox, picked up my scolopene (sp?) patch at the pharmacy, grabbed some propel to mix with my grape & watermelon Protein bullets when I get home, and praise the saits, Charmin was on sale too. Just a small tip...grab some Cottonelle w/Aloe cleansing wipes to help with the discomfort. If this bit of discomfort is a small amount to pay for the benefits of my surgery tomorrow....I'm happy to pay the price. Good luck to all who are venturing toward their surgery day.

Oh bummer on the nausea. So far I've skipped that since leaving hospital. I haven't had any gas pains as such but feel bloated at times and pretty 'burpy' at others. I'm honestly finding eating the biggest challenge - so full so quick. And of course I've begin reading the forums and comparing myself to everyone else who seems to be sculling Water and shakes like no ones business. I find I'm better with warmer stuff so once I'm driving I think I might go get some of the tony ferguson Soups for more Protein. Anyway - awkward personal question coming - but have you pooped since surgery? Sorry I know it's possible tmi but I haven't and I know I'm not really eating much but I'm starting to wonder if I should take something? Gonna try some apple purée today to see if that works for some fibre. I laughed when you said you'd already been on the scales! I jokingly asked the Dr what size my stomach was that he removed because I was curious and trying to be a bit funny... I thought I'd wait for a week after surgery so maybe tomorrow ( I think I read somewhere that someone put on weight and I'd be devo'd for that to be me!)

I was really scared too at first. I even cried right before surgery and my Doc talked to me and calmed me down. They wheeled me in and put the mask on me as soon as they got me situated in the OR bed, so I was out of it fast. After surgery, my mouth was VERY dry and yes I was in pain(only when I tried to move and get out of bed). I did get out of bed an hour later to go to the bathroom and I asked them if I could walk(the quicker u start walking, the quicker it will work out all the soreness ur feeling). The next week, I was still in pain, but again, only when I was trying to get out of bed or if I twisted wrong. My pain was consistantly on the left side where the doc had made a deep suture inside me. I had no pain whatsoever at my port site or even where the actual band was located. I was constipated for 6 days.(Sorry if TMI) I have been having trouble sleeping on my sides, which stinks cuz I am a side sleeper at all times! I won't lie, there has been times when I've cried to my husband and just felt like I could give up, cuz I was just so frustrated with feeling bloated, swollen and on top of all that, Mother Nature had visited me as well and not getting to sleep on my side was really getting to me. I was losing alot of sleep. I did forget to mention, I was up walking ALOT and the same day I came home from the hospital, I went to a restaraunt with my hubby and son to let them eat some dinner and get me out of the house. So, it's not alot of pain, it's mainly just feeling uncomfortable. I am on Day 11 now and feeling back to normal pretty much! Sorry this is such a long post, but I thought I would fill you in in my details. I know before my surgery, I was reading all kinds of posts trying to learn everything possible! Hope at least some of it helped. LOL. Good luck with ur surgery and I will keep you in my prayers!!

Heyas, I'm doing well - down 12 lbs so far since surgery. I feel hungry not all the time but I do. I am on day 7 of 10 for full liquids in my post op diet and am looking forward to going to pureed food towards the end of this week which I will be on for 2 weeks I believe it was. I've been struggling with head hunger and not being able to just "eat what I want" or anything normal. Getting a bit tired of Soup, pudding and yogurt but eh, thems the breaks, it will be all worth it. Still struggling to drink enough Water but I'm working on it. One embarrassing thing though - I haven't pooped yet (TMI I know), but perhaps since I'm only consuming liquid'ish type foods that is the reason. It's not that I'm "backed up" because I don't even feel like I need to go. Steri-strips are all off and incision sites are healing quite well, I'm pretty sure that besides possibly my port spot the others will be almost unnoticable. I am looking forward to pureed food like you wouldn't believe and then to be able to just .. eat normally OMG HEAVEN. :eek: Hope everyone is doing well. *BIG HUGS ALL AROUND*

I dont know how many other people do this but whenever I come home I change into sweatpants/pjs. I have not been able to wear jeans for more than a few hrs comfortably in a long time! Well, on monday, I was home cleaning the kitchen and looked down and noticed that I never took my jeans off after taking ym daughter to school! I was comfy and kept them on all day as like a trophy. Maybe tmi right now: to top it of I am on my period this week, so normally nothing fits! It just felt awesome!

I'm out of the 270s and I just wanted to pat myself on the back out loud. I've been really struggling with this 3 month pre-op weight loss. Every day I fight the demons that tell me it's ok to eat more, I deserve it/I need it. Every day I battle with hunger, something I've never let myself feel for very long in the past. It has never been so very hard for me to lose weight before, because I always did WW, and if I was hungry I ate something, even if it was veggies or a fruit. Now I'm working so hard on getting the habits my nutritionist told me I need for post-op, like not eating between meals, and limiting the volume of the food I eat instead of stuffing myself with veggies. I woke up this morning knowing that last night's intense struggle with my demons would pay off. I hopped on the scale, naked, before Breakfast, after pooping (I know, tmi, sorry) as I always do, and eureka! 269.8. I started the journey over 280. I am blessed with a man who has gone through his own weight loss battle (lost over 100 lbs w/o surgery) and is filled with patience for listening to me as I go through my own private war. I would not have gotten through the night without ordering Pat's Pizzeria's turkey club sandwich with extra mayo, waffle fries and a Pepsi without him. Talking it out helps me tremendously. I am in this to win this, and now I'm convinced I'm going to do it.