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I told my mom, just in case I died during surgery. VSG is MY choice, but I am my mom's son, and just like I would want to know if my daughter was having surgery, regardless of whether I agreed of what is was for...., I felt mom deserved to know of my physical safety. TMI? Sent from my SM-G930V using BariatricPal mobile app

Yeah I'm getting it in but still just not my energetic self...I'm sure my period isn't helping lol...tmi

Hi sorry if this is tmi but this is my second period since I got sleeved and I am feeling super nauseous. I even threw up yesterday. Is this normal? Called my doctor and waiting to hear back. I do know my period is super heavy this time as well. Anyone else experience this?

This didn't go well at all for me, it was my first time eating out and I thought I could eat a mozzarella stick. I think 15 minutes later I was in the restroom vomiting cheese sorry for tmi I was sweating profusely and was hot and everyone was eating like normal. Oh never again and lesson learned probably avoid eating out or continue to make healthy choices. How do you order when you're out? What do you order?

AGH! I'm feeling that hunger too... let me know what your doctor tells you. I started feeling them AFTER I saw my dr. (my luck!). TMI ALERT Constipation.. oh how I dislike thee! I had that too. I use ALIVE liquid fiber (tastes good) and 2 stool softeners a day. When that wasn't working, I took 2 more stool softeners and it did the trick, although it lead to diarrhea. But I felt good after that. I think most people battle constipation after surgery. I'm just hoping I can nip it in the bud sooner than later. Yesterday was the first day I felt like I could take bigger swallows... which is probably how I made my fluids goal. I don't know how people make it taking only sips! Btw, I'm staying up an hour or so after my bedtime to reach the goal. Do you drink any of the sugar free drinks?

This might be TMI but..... Being able to use the restroom in the smaller stalls [emoji7] Sent from my SM-G935V using BariatricPal mobile app

Im just starting out with my WLS journey and figure I'll post some info in case it's helpful to anyone else, since everyone else's stories and posts have been very helpful to me. I just left my first appointment with the surgeon. When I was first considering WLS I wanted the sleeve since it's less "severe" than the bypass, but once I started doing more research I didn't think I would be a good candidate due to my heartburn and reflux. After speaking with my doctor today he said that my reflux isn't bad enough to rule out the sleeve (it's well controlled with medication and diet changes and I never suffered with it until I gained all this weight) but that he would be fine doing either procedure. He wanted me to pick a procedure today (I can change my mind later) so I went with the sleeve. The difference in projected weight loss between the two comes out to be about 15 pounds for me (175 with RNY and 190 with sleeve). Both of those numbers are kind of disappointing to me, as I would like to be closer to 130-140, but I am confident that once I get going with the weight loss that I'll be able to increase my activity to help me lose even more. I'm not sure if that's realistic or not. Does anyone regret going with the sleeve instead of the bypass? A little background on me: I'm 33, 5'2.5", and currently weigh 281.3 pounds with a BMI of 50.6 (just high enough to get out of the 6 month supervised diet required by BCBS of MI). My highest weight that I know of was 288 the other day. Not sure where the 7 pounds went because I didn't change anything yet. The surgeon wants me to lose 15 pounds before surgery which seems very doable. I also have to get medical clearance and a letter of necessity from my PCP, psych evaluation, exercise evaluation, and (TMI) see my gyno since I haven't had a period since new years eve (not pregnant, just good old PCOS). I met with the NUT today and then made all of my appointments in my car before I left the office. I hope to have everything completed by the 31st, which is the date of my exercise evaluation. The surgeon said that I could possibly have surgery at the end of June, which would be awesome.

So I am 3 days out and am trying my hardest to get my fluid in (cant even think about protein yet). I can only seem to keep my water down if i drink it while walking. If I am standing or am siting while drinking the pain of it moving into my tummy is almost unbearable and the nausea comes on full force. Does this end, will i be able to sit and sip soon? I know i still have a lot of gas roaming around inside me still and my upper back is killing me. Is the gas causing the drinking issue too? Anyone have any suggestions about helping with back pain as well? Tmi time....but boy i would love to have a nice big toot[emoji20] Sent from my SM-N910V using BariatricPal mobile app

Still taking pain meds at night otherwise I wake up a lot (mostly to pee) TMI I know but they really do pump you so full of liquids. Helps me fall back asleep faster if I take them. I went to the grocery store today and it made me tired which was really sad! LOL. Oh, and I'm now addicted to the food channels. It's becoming a problem!

TMI for those sensitive to racy topics... [emoji6] Still preop but so far my favorite NSV happened yesterday while being intimate with my husband. My stomach wasn't squishing him in one position and I was able to be way more flexible in another. Also, there was air/space between "us" that has never been there in recent years. A non racy NSV that I realized yesterday was that I was able to do 10 minutes of stairclimber workout without needing a break or being winded. It was so crazy amazing that I did it again at the end of my weight training!! HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 288 Pounds disowned to date: 40

Here is a list of some of the abbreviations used on this website. ACL = Anterior cruciate ligament AGB = Adjustable gastric banding AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible (crossfit) BB = belly button bc = because BCBS = Blue Cross/Blue Shield BED = Binge Eating Disorder bf = best friend BM = bowel movement BMI = Body Mass Index bp = blood pressure BPD = Borderline Personality Disorder or Biliary Pancreatic Diversion bs = blood sugar btw = by the way CBT = cognitive-behavioral therapy CC = common channel c diff = clostridium difficile cos or cuz = because CPAP = continuous positive airway pressure CRNP = certified registered nurse practitioners cw = current weight CXR = Chest X-Ray DDD = degenerative disc disease Dr. = doctor DS = Dumping Syndrome or Duodenal Switch EGD = Esophagogastroduodenoscopy EKG = Electrocardiography ff = fat free GERD = gastroesophageal reflux disease GI = gastrointestinal GNC = General Nutrition Corporation store GP = general practitioner or family doctor HBP = high blood pressure hr = heart rate hw = highest weight ICU = Intensive Care Unit Idk = I don’t know IMHO = in my humble (honest) opinion IMO = in my opinion IUI = Intrauterine insemination LAP Band = Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band lol = laughing out loud LSG = Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy med = medicine MFP = my fitness pal msg = message NASH = Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis nf = non fat NG = Nasogastric NP = nurse practitioner NSAIDS = Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSV = non-Scale victory (“scale” means “weight scale”) NUT = nutritionist OA = Overeaters Anonymous omw = on my way Onederland = a magical place or destination for those trying to lose weight. It might correspond to attaining a weight in the hundreds or losing a hundred pounds. op = operation OSA = Obstructive Sleep Apnea Oz = Australia PB = Productive Burps PCOS = Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCP = Primary Care Physician PICC= Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter PM = private message (email) PMS = premenstrual syndrome POSE = Primary Obesity Surgery Endolumenal postop or post–op = post-operation or post-surgery PPI = Proton Pump Inhibitors ppl = people preop or pre-op = pre-operation or pre-surgery PTSD = Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PVC = Premature ventricular contractions RA = Rheumatoid arthritis RH = reactive hypoglycemia RN = registered nurse RNY = Roux-en-Y RTD = ready to drink RYGB = Roux-en-Y gastric bypass SADI-S = single anastomosis duodeno–ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy s/f or sf = sugar free SG = Sleeve gastrectomy SIPS = stomach intestinal pylorus-sparing surgery smh = shaking my head, scratching my head SO = significant other SOB = shortness of breath sw = weight at surgery tmi = too much information TPN = total parenteral nutrition TT = tummy tuck TTC = trying to conceive Ty = Thank you. [but according to the urban dictionary “Ty” is also an abbreviation for “a total stud with a massive carrot”.] u = You UGI = Upper Gastrointestinal VSG = Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Vit = vitamin wks = weeks WLS = Weight Loss Surgery WOD = Workout of the Day w/o = without wt = weight or :-) = = smiley face or :-( = = sad face

This is great! I typed it up, as well, so it will show up in searches. WLS - Weight Loss Surgery RNY - Roux-en-Y (Gastric Bypass) VSG - Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (The Sleeve) DS - Duodenal Switch HW - Heaviest/Highest Weight SW - Starting/Surgery Weight LW - Lowest Weight CW - Current Weight NSV - Non-Scale Victory ASMBS - American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome TT - Tummy Tuck SF - Sugar Free PCP - Primary Care Physician OH - Obesity Help TMI - Too Much Information WTF - Way To Go TY - Thank You YW - You're Welcome Nut - Nutritionist glossary dictionary define abbreviations terms

You're very lucky! I've gotten my nausea and vomiting under control but gas is still an issue. I also stopped taking my pain meds for the last two days because I'm so constipated. TMI here, but until this afternoon, I hadn't "gone to the bathroom" in a full week.

I didn't tell a lot of people about my hysterectomy either, and there was nothing dishonest about that. There are some things in life that can remain private, thank you very much, and my body is one of them. I think we live in a TMI culture and we've gotten so used to being an open book, that we feel guilty about closing those pages now and then! Because I have a lot of friends and coworkers who care about me and through close contact know something about my current health obstacles (due to Barrett's Esophagus I have a chronic cough that I've had to reassure folks is not contagious) all I'm telling them is that I'm having surgery to help fix the problem. That reassures them that I'm not at death's door, but it keeps the details to me and my husband. And truthfully, if it weren't for the Barrett's and a large Hiatal hernia, I probably wouldn't be having this surgery. My primary motivator is to improve my health and not be physically miserable all the time. We don't owe anyone else the details of our private lives. I always used to tell my kids when they were little that not every thought in one's head needs to come out of one's mouth. That applies in all kinds of situations.

I told my boss and four direct colleagues. I've lost about 45 pounds and it's interesting that they never mention it. Don't compliment me or ask questions. I don't think they're talking about me behind my back. I think they just have good boundaries. I work in HR and have over 200 employees that I work with. I haven't told any of them bc that seems like TMI.

Sure! I will give you yesterday's stats: Meal 1 (9am) Fiber One bar and 3 slices of turkey bacon Meal 2 (11:30am) half of a turkey burger with mustard and half slice of cheese Meal 3 (3pm) other half of turkey burger with mustard and half slice of cheese Meal 4 (6:00pm) 3 oz shredded chicken and black beans with taco seasoning and 1/2 tablespoon shredded cheese Meal 5 (8:30pm) 3 oz shredded chicken and black beans with taco seasoning and 1/2 tablespoon shredded cheese 801 Calories 96 grams of protein 24 grams of carbs 6 grams of fiber 1O grams of sugar 35 grams of fat I don't normally eat that much protein in a day but I am really hungry because I am on my period. (Sorry if TMI!) Hope this helps!

This post may be TMI so if you are sickened easily please do not read. I just wanted to vent a bit. So it is literally 24 hours before my surgery and I was suppose to take milk of Magnesium last night. Then today it says to only drink clear liquids no solids. Uhhhmmm that is what I have been doing for to weeks in the first place. So long story short since I have only been drinking liquids I have diarrhea. It is my last day at work and I work a full 8 hour shift. I hope it subsides. Thank God my tummy feels ok it's just none stop bathroom breaks.

I am scheduled and finding myself in a panic over an issue that men here must have an opinion about. Anal sex after the sleeve recovery period. Long term changes to the entire way your digestive system works. I had lost 35 pounds through exercise and discipline, but hit a wall while still at a BMI of 38, stuck for 4 years. I'm not morbidly obese anymore, but definitely eligible with a 45 inch belly to prove it. Also had an umbilical cord hernia mesh fix when I was 22 and a dancer, now in my 50's. There's a vanity aspect to this because my doctor thinks I'm down to a safer range of numbers - and I've been HIV positive for 32 years and never ill - a real miracle. Being overweight really did mean confirming I was healthy as friends died around me. Now it's really a last chance to live a long life, and not die of obesity related illnesses like my entire family has. Might I have diarreah or uncontrollable gas or other lower intestinal problems that could affect my sex life?

I'm confused - I think this is the LGBT group and I'm desperate for information to calm me down about fears that just aren't easy to bring up. I am a GAY MAN, I am versatile, but being on the bottom, well it's very important, and I can't get answers about the issues regarding anal sex after surgery. It's not just the obvious, it's fears of elimination patterns being so inconsistent (ahem) and gassy, there have to be gay men reading this who can comment. I'm a guy who added significant fiber to his diet on a regular basis so as to be having healthy and well formed bowel movements. I think you get it and I'll stop TMI right now - but this is my only real fear going in 3 weeks for surgery. I'm 38 BMI, very active lifestyle, I even like my body generally speaking - except for the belly where I look about 6 months pregnant all the time. It's all right there. I just want to communicate with gay men in this "position" .....ahem....us "situation".

What's a TMI post you (might) be asking. It's a post about those things I'm finding a part of VSG life that people don't talk about in polite company or usually admit to in any company, but that I really wanted to know about before getting myself into this! (Don't worry, still no regrets). So if you are polite company or do not want to hear about blood, bodily functions, and the vagaries of animal existence, you might want to skip this one. To those of you who are still with me, this edition will cover Underwear woes, scabs, itches, surgical leftovers, bowel movements, vomiting, periods, and a special surprise guest appearance by Yeast. Underwear woes: Your surgeon will tell you not to bother buying new clothes, because you'll only wear them a couple of times before they no longer fit. Your surgeon will not warn you that your boobs will soon be falling out of the bottom of your bra, and your oversized underwear will twist in new and exciting ways on your body. As a woman, I can honestly say I have never needed to "adjust myself" so many times in a day as I have since surgery. I started out wearing size 10/Torrid size 1/2 underwear that were all either snug (the 10s) or fit perfectly (Torrid, of course). Now, they're all a nightmare of chafing, twisting, falling down, and creeping up my butt. I would seriously recommend considering the purchase of an inexpensive package of underwear every few weeks or so. Scabs, itches, and surgical leftovers: Let's put all of the skin stuff together. We'll start with itching, since it has been a constant since surgery. There are two types of itching, though. There's a deep, crazy, going-insane itch that happens inside with the healing tissues. I hate that one. That seems to have faded around week 3. The other itch has been ongoing and is stopped only by Eucerin for eczema lotion. It's a combination of healing and difficulty fully hydrating. When I came home from the hospital, all of my incisions were covered in purple surgical glue with the instruction to shower carefully and avoid getting "much" water on them for "long." I followed this to the letter, and when I saw Dr. Zane again for the 10 day follow up, he was surprised the glue was all there, and he said go ahead and peel it off. This is where the blood comes in. The incision above my belly button had glue that had lifted by a good centimeter, so I figured I'd go with his advice. I got half way across when, blood! I stopped there, and was seeping blood for the next 12-16 hours, and now, two and a half weeks later, that incision is a bit deeper and more tender than the others. That also happens to be the incision with a stitch in it. The stitch is still there almost a month later, and it is black with blood I can't get out of the knot. I may just be slow to dissolve the last part, though a week ago, a 1" piece of filament poked out of my skin next to it and slid out when I scratched at it. No pain for that one, just "weird." As tempting as it is to peel after approval, go slow, and if there's any tenderness, maybe wait. The others that I peeled the last of the glue off of were no longer tender and looked sealed underneath, and that's what I found. The only raised scar I seem to be developing is the bigger scar where my stomach was pulled out to the left of the belly button. That one is raised on the edges where it was (I assume) stretched during removal. Other surgical leftovers not to stress over: I came home with iodine on my sides, no big deal, but a bit itchy. It looks like they washed the area where surgery actually happened (good to know!). I found serious gunk in my belly button once everything was un-swollen and de-tenderized enough for a thorough wash in there. I can only describe it as goo. I do not know what it was, but it didn't do me any harm, and I assume it was from the surgery, since I've never seen anything like that in there before. There was a lot of it, though! I also had a big bruise on my tailbone along with a painful abraded area about 2" long and 1" wide. Silly me, I put an antibiotic ointment on the rash. DO NOT DO THIS. I woke up the next morning to pustules all along the abraded area. The doctor I saw for that diagnosed it as a reaction to the ointment, and said to just use petroleum jelly or a steroid cream because (something something - sorry) antibiotic ointments can cause reactions after all those IV antibiotics of another type. Following those instructions, the area cleared up within a week after shedding the entire top layer of skin. I found out from my surgeon's office that the bruising is because they sit you up during surgery. Mystery solved. Bowel movements: I had to gird myself for this one, since I'm not really the type who usually talks about bathroom habits in public, but if this helps one person not feel so weird or at least feel better knowing what to potentially expect, it's worth it. Bowel movements since surgery have been consistently weird. The first was about three days after surgery (which they say is good), and very very little actually came out of me in a thin, strangely orange, stream. In spite of how little there was, I still felt the same cue from my body as I did pre-surgery that it's time to find solitude and a toilet. Since then, BMs have been increasing slowly in bulk, but they remain orange, soft-to-runny, and low-velocity enough that as soon as I feel that cue, I'm also planning a shower. Aside from week 3, in which velocity was so slow, I spent all day close to the house, it hasn't been awful. It's not fun, but it's also not often. Once a week or so at a month out from surgery. I should also mention that it's one of the things that can cause that "my heart is racing" feeling, because there's an enormous blood vessel that runs right next to your sphincter. I may only notice it so much because BMs are no longer a daily occurrence. As far as I understand it, the phenomenon is harmless; drink more water. I'll also add that urinating is fairly normal, though for the first week after surgery (or longer if you're slow to clear anaesthesia) prepare for some stop/start and give yourself a little more time. Vomiting: There has been more vomiting than I'm accustomed to after surgery, and I've pinpointed a few things that tend to cause it and others that don't. Triggers: Vitamins, unless buffered with a lot of food, are coming right back up. Even the ones I don't need in chewable form. I'm looking into the vitamin patches for this reason. Even before surgery, my stomach has been iffy with multis and B vitamins. Juice without water. Even a tiny sip. Too cold water on an empty stomach Water without additive (I had a serious case of water nausea which is starting to resolve just this week) Stress (I had to ask my family to please not talk about anything remotely stressful around meal times) Not a trigger: Fat Protein Carbohydrates Fruit Dairy Physical activity I do find that sometimes I need to lie down after a meal or taking medicine until the nausea goes away. Lying on my side seems to help. Periods: Depending on your rate of recovery and when it falls, prepare to be more exhausted than ever on your period. That hit me hard. Otherwise, totally normal. Yeast: I found out at my 10 day checkup that I had a mighty yeast overgrowth on my tongue from the IV antibiotics. I was first prescribed the slimiest mouthwash in the world (which belongs on my vomiting triggers list, probably), then 5x/day tablets to suck on which left my tongue raw and painful but tasted like nothing at all, and finally a single pill, take it once and you're done oral treatment. (Why not that one first? I don't get it!) It's almost gone now at 4 weeks out, but while it was active, the entire back 2/3 of my tongue were slimy and thick, and a lot of foods tasted very strange. So, keep an eye out for that. This concludes the first month TMI post. I expect any future posts to be shorter. My top recommendations really are to watch out for yeast and make sure you always carry Eucerin (or similar thick lotion for SUPER dry skin that works for you).

An aisle seat would be the best. I didn't want to crawl over people to use the restroom. My other suggestion, and I'm sorry if it's TMI, but try be be near a bathroom on the plane home. I had diarrhea from the antibiotics.

Hello all!! I had my revision surgery from the band to the sleeve on March 8th 2017. I must say overall I am pretty damn happy with it. I am still having pain where the port was but I have heard that is normal, also it is still hard there not sure how long that will last or if it will be forever. It has been about 6 weeks from surgery and I have no more pain at all other then the port site, and that is just some slight discomfort once in a while not really pain, my wounds are all pretty much healed. I have lost to date a total of 49 pounds putting me at 210 down from 259, I am pretty excited about losing 11 more pounds because then I hit onederland!! (wiggles) Ok, so now for some things that I have noticed happening to me after surgery and with the weight loss. First one is my butt hurts a lot lol...I think it is because I am losing my cushion there, also I have been having a lot of back pain since and I never had back pain before. I get really cold often now which is new since I used to always be hot. My hormones are out of wack, sometimes I cry for no reason and I am not depressed or anything it just happens. This maybe tmi but my periods are much heavier and afterwards I notice I feel warn out, just so wiped out I don't want to do anything but sleep, it only seems to last during and a few days after but it really takes everything out of me for those few days. Also my sex drive seems to be amped up, hubba hubba..lol . I walk everyday and do ok with that but I have noticed if I try to go to the gym and work out I get light headed and tired real quick, not sure if that is because I am just about 6 weeks out or if that is because something else. Another thing I am really struggling with it trying to get all my food, liquids and proteins in a day, I am never hungry so trying to get all that in I always have the feeling of being overly stuffed. So that is about all I can think of for now, but if anyone can help a newbie out with some of these issues I would be most grateful!! Also if you do not use protein shakes to get in your protein, what do ya use?

Same here. Oh, the itchies growing back out! (TMI? ) There was nothing in my pre-op requirements about shaving, because, as others have pointed out, the surgery isnt anywhere near the hair for most women. I wonder if those places also require men to shave all. The only thing I had to take special care with was to have a scrupulously clean navel because of its proximity to the main laparoscopic incision.

I know, I know, I should have started this before surgery, but instead I'm staring it 3 weeks after surgery, so let's see if my memory will let me get caught up. Background: I've lost and regained all of my excess weight the old-fashioned way a few times, but I had been resistant to bariatric surgery until I heard about and researched VSG because I was concerned about malabsorption and dumping syndrome. The last thing an aspie with life-long IBS needs is dumping syndrome. Even after reading up on VSG, I was leery to try it because I didn't want to lose the enjoyment I have from cooking for my wife and exploring the culinary world. We talked about it a lot. Finally, we decided that the benefits would outweigh the struggles in the long term when I became very unsettled by no longer recognizing myself in mirrors. (That's not to say that pain and fatigue weren't an element, or wanting to be there for my family long term, or wanting to avoid the severe loss of quality of life my mom suffered after 50... But those were already there.) Pre-approval classes: Before surgery with Kaiser So. Cal, I had to go through their Options class. What I learned from the class is that if one instructor seems to have unreasonable demands and/or rubs you the wrong way, there's usually another with a different approach. My first instructor was a "tough love" type, and if you know anyone on the Autism Spectrum (like me), you know that tough love doesn't work with us, especially when we're trying to meet you half way, but need more information to do so. Long story short, first instructor operated by goading the class, and some people need that. Some people do better hearing "don't ask - just do" while others need to know how they can tailor a plan to their other medical problems. This instructor insisted on 60 min, minimum, of moderately strenuous exercise per day, and all that did was destroy the little cartilage I had left in my knee. I could have really used that cartilage post weight loss! It got so bad, I almost quit entirely, when I found out that I could finish the class with another instructor, and what a fantastic instructor she was! She answered questions, explained the whys of everything, and she was honest that each post-surgical plan will be unique to the individual. I finished the course within a couple of weeks then, and I had my clearance to request an appointment with the surgeon by Feb 13. She also helped out by telling me which hospital tended to have the shortest wait. Approval: I had my appointment with Dr. Zane on March 10, and all of my labs were good. No sign of diabetes. Weight loss of 25lbs the old fashioned way. Blood pressure a little elevated but not too bad. Fibromyalgia? Bad. Joints and back? Crazy painful. Dr. Zane agreed that I was in a great place for VSG, and when he asked when I'd like to do the surgery, I told him "I'll take the first opening you've got." As it turns out, he had one last opening available for March 27, and I took it without a moment's hesitation. Pre-op & Surgery Day: To get ready for the surgery, I had to observe a clear liquid diet for the two days leading up. That, alone, made it tough for me to eat. Looking back at my logs, I was lucky to make 600 calories a day those two days, and that was only by virtue of being able to chug protein water. No chugging after surgery, though! Surgery day, my wife, MiL, and the service dogs all trundled down to the hospital. We arrived only to discover that we had a two hour wait before check in time! So the lucky dogs got a nice long walk around the new hospital complex with all of the flowers in bloom, and I think everyone felt better for that. Once I checked in, I was given a robe to change into and a pair of disposable hospital underpants that were made of the most uncomfortable material ever invented. They had a texture a bit like stretched out gauze, and (TMI alert!) my butt is STILL healing a patch of chafing from them 3 weeks later. Just so you know, part of the surgery involves you being sat up in the OR, so if you have mysterious butt bruises or soreness, it's probably that. I had no idea. Okay, so, hospital, gown, TMI, and now I met the surgical team. Two anesthesiologists, both of whom were incredibly cool. Don't be shy about telling these guys if you have nausea issues. Everyone kept me WELL drugged to avoid any vomiting. They also made adjustments for my long-term use of extended release morphine, so make sure you tell the docs about that, too. I remember being wheeled into the OR and my doctor making a joke. I was just alert enough to respond to the joke and then they knocked me out. I went out while being transferred from the gurney onto the operating table, which was so bizarrely narrow. After surgery, I woke up on the most comfortable hospital bed I have ever been fortunate enough to experience. I guess it's because it's the bariatric ward and the beds have to be comfortable enough for people significantly heavier than me, but it's the first time ever in hospital that I wasn't squirming in discomfort because of the mattress. Aside from that, I woke up thirsty and in zero pain. I think I only used the pain pump 4 times during my 24 hours in the hospital. I also want to mention that I woke up feeling incredibly positive, motivated, and ready for the future. For someone who's suffered major depression most of her life, that was kind of amazing. Endorphins, maybe? I slept and dreamed of cooking delicious things and serving my wife and MiL afternoon tea on our deck, enjoying the process of creative cooking without needing to eat it. I still want to do that. (But I'll probably join in, at least for the tea...) Shortly after napping, I felt well enough to walk around the floor, and I fell into a routine of getting up to pee and then going for a walk. No catheter involved. Kaiser also had a set up for bariatric patients of single rooms with fold out chairs that allow a family member to stay with you overnight, and that was invaluable. I don't think I slept much after the time immediately post-op, and my will to exercise was a lot greater than my stamina. I was also incredibly grateful to the suggestion I read somewhere to bring your own pajamas and robe, etc. I'm sure that helped with morale. Food, or "food" rather, was diet Ocean Spray cranberry juice (ugh), chicken broth that tasted exactly like KFC fried chicken (still don't know what's going on with that one), jello (didn't touch it), and ice chips. I found the salty broth and the ice chips the easiest to eat, but I also discovered I had a bad case of water nausea. That's only just starting to go away, and I'm a person who LOVES drinking water. So, thanks to the soup, I met my Dr's expectations, and when he came in the next morning in between surgeries, I was bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to go home. He warned me that I had one stitch "to remind me I had surgery," and said my healing looked good to him. Don't scrub the surgical glue or get it too wet, and then Discharge ahoy! Dr. Zane released me onto a full liquids diet and out the door I shortly went. I was also told that I'd had heparin shots (one last for the rode before I left the hospital) and a LOT of IV antibiotics. It was an absolute dream to slip into my own clothes, but if I had thought it through more, I would have brought something other than comfortable jeans. Even though they sat well below my incisions, they pushed up on the incisions just enough to cause a case of the ouchies and enormous relief upon arriving home. Having a pillow to hug to my stomach helped a lot on that car ride and on car rides for the next week and a half or so. First week post-op: I have 5 incisions, and the "big bad" where my stomach was extracted is just to the left of my belly button, about an inch long with almost no bruising at all in spite of the heparin. Dr. Zane assures me this is because my surgeon is just that awesome. I love him for his modesty. That one stitch he mentioned was a tiny slice of hell for the first week and a half. Rolling over or sitting up were painful enough to make me see spots and yelp, but that did go away as the sutures began to dissolve. So if you're in that kind of pain, know it does go away, and it's just whatever stitches you have being evil. In fact, they were so evil that on the first and second night home (where the IV pain meds had worn off), I was in so much pain, I spent most of the night wandering back and forth across the dining room and kitchen with a pillow clutched to my stomach. The third night, I managed to sleep all the way through, and then some. Taking my medicine for the first week was probably the hardest part. One pill at a time with only enough water to wash it down. Did I say water? I meant water with a splash of juice. I couldn't tolerate plain water or artificial sweeteners at all. And I did try. Unfortunately, my sensitivity to artificial sweeteners has only gotten worse post-op, which made it increasingly difficult to get my protein in. My salvation? The discovery that milk is still not only delicious but that I did not develop an intolerance to dairy! Granted, I always drink lactose-free milk, but I also have no problems with cheeses or yogurt. So, fat free lactose free milk kept me going when the going was rough. It took the best part of an hour, at this point, to get down a 12 oz glass of liquid. I spent a lot of time sitting at the dining room table staring resentfully at a glass half full. It did gradually get easier as the first 10 days progressed, and the evening before my follow up with the surgeon, I had a delicious dinner of Tom Kha Kai (broth only) from my favorite Thai place, and the spice was deliciously soothing. YMMV on that part, but I was raised on salsa. The other discovery I made the first week is that walking was suddenly easier. I wanted to walk. I felt like I could just keep walking forever. That's a feeling I haven't had in a long time. By the time I went to my follow up, the majority of those struggles were in the past. And one was in my future: thrush. Follow up appt & the 2nd & 3rd week: At the appointment, my Dr. asked me how I was feeling, how I was healing, and how I was doing at keeping things down with the full liquid diet. It was all going well there, with 20lbs lost since surgery, so he cautioned me that everyone has a 2 week stall about 2 weeks out, and he moved me right along to soft foods. I asked him what's the difference between soft foods and mushies, and he answered "they're the same." After asking a few questions, it became clear that he combines those two groups and emphasizes that the food has to be soft even before you put it in your mouth. No chewing chips until they go mushy. I have no problem with this at all. He also diagnosed me with thrush. Ugh! The mouthwash treatment was intolerable, the tablet treatment, slightly tolerable, and the pill, completely tolerable. What a pain in the behind to deal with while learning to eat again! Especially with soft, mushy food. It did put me off eating for a few days, but things got better once the medicine kicked in. So make sure you can find a yogurt to take in during that first week after the IV antibiotics! Other than that, the Dr. said I'll be on this soft/mushy stage until my next follow up with his nurse, the beginning of may, so here's how I'm allowed to eat now: 4 tablespoons of food per meal, max. (I've only managed the full 4 a couple of times. More often, my meals are closer to 2T, and I feel full) 4-6 meals per day No water or drinks for 30 minutes after eating. All food must be soft and moist. On the way home, my wife and I celebrated by swinging through Taco Bell to split a Pintos & Cheese. It takes me about 30 minutes to eat 2.5T of it, one tiny mouthful at a time. We're talking Barbie spoon size for that first meal! I also had to wait another 30 minutes for the nausea to go away before doing anything else. Since then, I've been living primarily on beans, soft cheese (queso fresco is a favorite!), yogurt (plain with cinnamon), the occasional tuna salad, and lactose free fat free milk, still 1-2.5T for most meals before I feel that sensation that the next bite will not be appreciated in my stomach. That feeling really does seem to be different for everyone. For me, it's a subtle hiccup-like sensation in the back of my throat. I have missed the signal a couple of times, and yes, I did throw up. Throwing up itself is an interesting experience post-op. It's not the same "oh my god I'm turning inside out!" feeling I remember from before. With the exception of my body rejecting a vitamin it did NOT like, throwing up since the surgery has been non-painful and over quickly with very little bile involved. My birthday happened during this time, and I had a treat of curry rice in Little Tokyo for lunch, cheese enchilada and beans for dinner out with family (shared the dish with my wife, who ate most of it), followed by a birthday flan the table shared, and then at home, a bit of ice cream birthday cake and some out of this world raspberry sorbet from Fosselman's, a local family-owned ice cream parlor that's been dishing out the good stuff since 1914! Some of you are probably wondering if the carbs on that day set me back at all. The answer is: nope. Remember, this is only one day, and each serving was 4T or less. I had a great time downtown on my birthday and got in a lot of walking with my family while we explored Little Tokyo together. And then I crashed into bed and slept for 36 hours. No joke! During this stage, I also had my first post-op experience with stairs, and my heart would race like crazy by the time I got to the top. It turns out, that's a sign of dehydration. Once I got to the point where I was getting in my full hydration, the racing heart issue stopped. Now, I seem to be evening out a bit as I get the hang of things. I still eat with the family when there's a family meal, and I focus on the soft foods that I can eat, protein first. When they have tostadas, I have beans, queso fresco, crema, and salsa. When they have Eggs Benedict, I have egg and avocado with a teaspoon of hollandaise. When they have spaghetti and meat sauce, I have meat sauce. My travel food is low fat string cheese, or in a pinch, Taco Bell Pintos & Cheese. My wife and I split a lot of meals. My most recent meal was beans, salsa, and requeson from the middle of her burrito. Working out a plan to share meals with your SO has been a great way for us to keep eating together and enjoying food as a shared experience while keeping me within my requirements after VSG. I've also been pleasantly surprised with HOW the weight is coming off me. It seems to be coming off from the areas that were deforming my shape first. I used to be one of those larger people who stays perfectly in proportion, just large. I'm moving quickly back in that direction, and that alone is heartening. I do suspect that part of the reason my waist went down as dramatically as it did is due to the actual removal of 85% or so of my stomach. Considering how much I could eat in a sitting before without feeling full, I would imagine my stomach was on the large side. I'll have to ask about that during the follow up. What else? I'm on the verge of crossing down from Obesity III to Obesity II, which feels like a great landmark to pass. I'm wearing clothes I haven't been able to wear since a major injury pushed me from "hanging in there" to "nope" back in 2014 by severely curtailing my physical activity. My clothes are fitting better even when they're loose (except my damn bra, which is too big around the ribs now and a collection of underwear that think they're thongs). My vintage-style dresses no longer REQUIRE a petticoat to hang correctly over my hips, although petticoats are always cute, and I suddenly have more leggings and tank tops that are actually comfortable to wear again. It's like shopping in your own packed wardrobe and the opposite of all of those miserable shopping trips where nothing fit right. I'm glad I never gave up hope that I would be able to wear these things again. I really am. Hopefully by summer, I'll be able to fit into my favorite size 17 capris. #GOALS

I'm waiting for insurance authorization for a VSG now, but I've had 2 other surgeries on my abdominal area that required catheterization and neither time was I required to shave beforehand, nor did I wake up shaved. One of those surgeries included a "bikini line" incision, even. Having said that, I recognize that we are all different and (TMI), I just don't have a ton of hair in that area. I'm especially interested in receiving my pre-op paperwork after reading this. I've only shaved once and regretted it immensely, lol!