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1. Could you feel your stomach? No, not really. I felt the incisions, but honestly there was so much gas that I didn't feel anything. I worried about this too, especially as I started to drink my liquids, but it was fine. I did feel my stomach about three weeks post-op as the nerves re-grew, but it truly wasn't even pain, just sort of "what on earth is that sensation..." Now I'm fine and doing sit-ups and tuck-ups and kip swings off a bar and bracing for heavy weight lifting no problem. I never took any of the serious pain drugs, and only needed 4-5 doses of Tylenol the first week. 2. Did you have a drain? No. There was a tiny bit of discharge from the largest incision (where they withdraw the stomach), but only for one day. 3. How long on clear fluids? Not at all. I was started on full liquids literally in the hospital. I had to have one day of clear fluids pre-op in order to clear my system so they could see what was going on. 4. Cold, tepid, or warm fluids? At first, tepid or warm fluids felt better. Cold ones were a shock. Now I can drink whatever (8 weeks out). 5. Sipping? I took trepidatious little sips in the hospital. By the time I got home later that day (I didn't even stay overnight), I was taking small but normal sips, at least 3/4 ounce. By three weeks out I was able to take nice little gulps. Now, 8 weeks out, if I want to (if I've been running, f.ex.) I can take 3-4 real gulps in a row. 6. Can't drink for the first 24 hours? Absolute b*llocks. I literally was handed a tray with broth, unsweetened cranberry juice, and cream of rice as soon as I was transferred from the recovery room to my hospital room. That said, I did have dry mouth even drinking. Get you a thing of Biotene at any drugstore and spray it in your mouth. It's the weirdest sensation but it helps immensely. 7. Sleeping? I spent the first night on my back because I would have to wriggle a bit to get on my side. I went back to side sleeping on Night Two. Oddly, as I've shrunk (down 51 lbs from surgery weight) I feel more comfortable sleeping on my back despite having been a side sleeper for decades.

From 1 month lost op to 6 months post op. I am 130 lbs down from my start weight and 110lbs down from my day of surgery weight. AND 153 lbs down from my highest weight. I am still struggling with all this change, it is hard to believe the way I look. Then when I stalled I was so upset and afraid until my hubby pointed out that while I stalled on the scale I was winning in other places. My face was changing, he could wrap his arms around me and he had to hold higher up on his forarm to close completely around me. My arms are smaller, I have more stamina and strength. Thank God for his support, helping me to be strong and keep going.

I had to do nothing after midnight (not even water) but then three hours before surgery I had to drink 12oz of gatorade. That had to do with nausea too.

I had quite a bit of post-op pain and I went back to my surgeon and told him I needed stronger pain meds. He prescribed something stronger and I was good after that. I only needed the stronger meds for about a week and then I stepped back down to what he had originally prescribed.

Hello! I'm new to posting on the forum although, I have been lurking without an account for quite some time. My surgery is also tomorrow. They gave me three Ensure pre-surgery clear, they said take two by midnight, and the other 3 hours before the surgery.

Parmesan crusted delicata squash. My side dish to go along with my Soup for lunches this week. Half a delicata squash, scoop out the seeds and then slice thin. Spritz with cooking spray. Top with garlic seasoning salt and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Roast at 425 for 30 minutes. Yum!

I am scheduled to get the gastric sleeve tomorrow morning and like the worry wart that I am, I am still doing research to prepare myself as much as possible. I have a few concerns/fears mostly related to recovery right out of the gate that I'm hoping I can find answers to. I know it will definitely vary person to person, but I'd still like to brace myself for what's to come.. or rather, what *could* come; Not so much rarer complications but the way your body actually feels. Here is the questions, thank you so much in advance to whoever takes the time to answer these! • My apologies if this is worded weirdly.. but, How did your tummy feel after the surgery? Were you able to *feel* your stomach, internally due to the surgery? - My reason for asking: I feel like I would have to mentally prepare myself if surgery can make my stomach feel like it's an open wound/raw. • Did you have to have a drain? Note: I'm not sure if this is absolutely necessary, I assume they would discuss it with me tomorrow. If so, how did that feel? Did it hurt or feel weird when it was removed? - My reason for asking: I didn't know this was something else that gets done with the surgery, I feel like the removal of it would make me rather queasy from the sensation. Yet another thing to mentally prepare for. • How long did you have to be on clear fluids after the surgery? If so, what clear fluids did you have? - My reason for asking: The clear fluids for two days prior has been hard for me since I've just been having chicken broth (which doesn't taste that great) and water, I might have to get some unsweetened apple juice or something. I don't think I can have something like Gatorade unfortunately due to my Citrus allergy. • Did you prefer cold, room temperature, or warm fluids? - My reason for asking: I imagine that if I'm able to feel my stomach in a weird way I'd probably be rather nauseous and prefer liquids on the warmer side. • Sipping. This one is a point of major confusion for me. Would the process of sipping be taking in enough just to wet your tongue, or is it enough to swallow? How long did it last for you? When were you able to drink down 1 ounce of fluid in one go even if slowly rather than over the course of 30 minutes or so? • Something I read said you won't be able to drink anything for the first 24 hours and that fluids will be through the IV, is that true? - My reason for asking: I tend to get a dry mouth/itchy throat when I don't drink water for awhile, so that's another worrisome thing. • How did you sleep in the first week? If you are a side sleeper, when were you able to finally sleep on your side? - My reason for asking: I'm a side sleeper, laying on my back tends to be extremely uncomfortable, I typically can only fall asleep on my back if I'm exhausted.

I am one week post opp, and the soreness/pulling/muscle catching pain is still very intense for me. I am walking multiple times a day to try and help, but everywhere i've read people seem to barley have any pain from the surgery. Can anyone shed light on their experience with the pain after surgery? (P.S. im NOT talking gas, shoulder, or back pain) Im referring to the pain from the healing of the surgery, (incisions, super sore). What did y'all's timeline of pain look like? or was there something yall did to help heal faster?

well I'm 6 weeks post OP, lost 41 pounds so far, and I feel great, i thought about retiring early, because i had spinal stenosis, and couldn't walk but 50 yards with out having to sit, because the pain was so bad, but now I'm walking 5 miles per day, not at one time though, i feel like a new man, everyone notices but me, I cant see the weight loss, but i can feel the difference,

I’m three months post op and feel absolutely great now. You will feel so much better too after your body heals. Likely you will surprise yourself each day with another activity you couldn’t do before. Like doing a lunge in yoga or walking up the stairs without getting winded. Focus on your goals. I kept in mind that during the actual surgery I was going to be asleep. I wasn’t in charge of doing the actual surgery. It’s silly but it calmed me down. All I had to do was go to sleep and wake up, and I did. I was still me and felt like me afterward too. You will too. I also use a piece of jewelry as an anchor to remind myself to keep my focus on weight loss and self care. (WW idea) I have a ring. I couldn’t wear jewelry into the hospital but tapped my finger to remind myself of self care when I got scared. My old WW leader had a charm bracelet from her MIL who had died from diabetes complications. I still use my ring to refocus after missteps like Halloween candy lol.

I'm one of the sad exceptions. I was borderline pre-diabetic and chose bypass hoping to stave off diabetes. For the first three months post-op, my fasting BG was around 70-80. But after the three month mark, it shot back up into the 90's, and today, two years out, it's right back to where it was originally -- typically 95-104 fasting. My A1C went from 4.9 right after surgery to 5.2, so I'm still reasonably okay, but the surgery did not change my situation at all.

Hey guys! I'm currently 5 weeks post op (30 Ibs down since my surgery date) and will be able to transition to regular foods at week 8. I was curious to know who hasn't had problems with eating foods we are all lectured about avoiding, in moderation (Pizza, bread, fried foods). I am 25 years old and a lot younger than most I've seen on this forum. My goal for Bariatric surgery is to exercise, and portion control while making better food choices, but I never planned on ruling anything out. I'm not an emotional eater or have a mean sweet tooth, my biggest problem with my weight was how much I ate. Is it possible to live a balanced lifestyle after Bariatric surgery without completely cutting out junk food?

Agree with @vikingbeast. You need to take a big step back. You’re stressed & emotional which only enhances those cravings. You crave the foods which offered you comfort in the past & you crave the familiar of being able to eat what you want, when you want it. And the more you worry the more anxious you become. You may find a therapist who specialises in supporting bariatric patients very helpful. Ask your surgeon for a recommendation. Constipation is part of the journey. I tried to keep on top of mine by taking Benefibre at least every second day, keeping my fluid intake up & taking a stool softener if I got to day 3 or 4 without movement. I also ate very mild instant rolled oats from purée stage. Took me days to eat a full serve but it was good fibre. You may need an enema since it’s been 15 days or a visit to the hospital for assistance. Being constipated does make it seem you’ve stopped losing or have gained. Get rid of it & your weight will be lower very quickly & you’ll feel much better. Stalls are very common. They can last 1 - 3 weeks, sometimes more. And you can experience a number of them as you’re losing. The first usually occurs around week 3 give or take. You just have to ride them out. They’re just your body taking a time out to come to terms with your weight loss. Changes to your sense of smell & taste are also common. They usually are temporary but how long it lasts is individual. Are there specific foods that upset you more you can avoid? The strong body odour is from your body being in ketosis - fat burning. It’s like every bodily secretion reeks. It passes too. I took deodorant, toothbrush, tooth paste & mouth wash & body wipes to work for refreshes during the day. I was someone who frequently skipped meals in an effort to lose weight (did that for 40+years) & tried all those very low calorie diets including one I did several times that was only 500 calories a day. I still lost all my weight & more. Stick as close to your plan as you can. It may take you a little longer to reach a stage recommendation for calories, portion size &/or foods you can eat but that’s ok. You’ll get there.

Protein is important for the rest of your life. Everyone should be eating protein regardless if they are bariatric patients or not. Your body needs it for healing, muscle & bone health, digestion, … https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/functions-of-protein#TOC_TITLE_HDR_9 The daily recommended amount is 0.8g per kilogram for a non bariatric patient. (I’m required to reach 1.2g of protein per kg of weight in maintenance.) My surgeon was ok if I didn’t meet my protein goals each day to begin as long as I was making an effort to be close. It gets easier when you can eat more. If you can’t tolerate the shakes try bone broth, well strained cream soups or consumes, wonton soup broth (no wontons or vegetables of course). I struggled with shakes too so would dilute them & just rode out one a day for the two weeks.

Oh yes. Most definitely don’t compare yourself to others. There are too many factors which influence our rate of loss: age, gender, staring weight, genetics, etc.. If you’re losing a couple of pounds a week on average you’re doing fine. As long as your weight loss trend is going down you’re golden & celebrate every pound & inch you lose. Don’t forget you likely will experience stalls along the way when you do t lose anything for a week or more. Watch keto. It’s very high fat & you may find your cholesterol levels are higher as your losing weight as it’s released from your fat. Better to look to low fat, low carb, low sugar high protein while you are losing. What plan did your surgeon & dietician give you? I’d avoid the popcorn too until you’re in maintenance. It’s very easy to overeat slider food. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

Monday is the day!!! We made it through the 2 week full liquid pre op diet and are both very anxious about Monday. Mine is at 1145 and my wife’s is at 145. Hoping for a good and speedy recovery!

Okay. Deep breath. Exhale. 'Nother deep breath. Exhale. One more. Exhale. If you search these forums, you will find almost 20,000 posts on the infamous "three-week stall". That is exactly where you are, and sometimes it lasts a few weeks. Stay on your plan, stay OFF the friggin' scale except ONCE a week, and just be patient. The constipation is almost certainly part of the issue, though you're not eating enough to really be backing stuff up. But you can go and get an enema at any drugstore; sometimes it just "packs" and you have to break the pack. (Gross, sorry, I know, but facts.) You're also almost certainly not getting much if any fiber. It does get better. One thing you might want to try (though who knows if it'll work for you) is INCREASING your food a little bit. I know it sucks, but anything helps. Soup. Tomato soup. Cream soup. Whatever. Just increase calories to about 500-600, in concert with your nutritionist's guidance, and see if that moves things along.

Had gastric sleeve on 10/1. Doing ok, but not a lot of energy yet. Just graduated to solid foods, with exception of no raw veggies for a few more weeks. I can't always seem to get in enough fluids and the vitamins make me nauseated. Just learned at my follow-up I can take vitamin capsules now so I'm switching over this week. Still having issues with constipation! Hoping that resolves soon so I don't have to keep taking supplements for it.

I feel really defeated and upset. Sorry this is gonna be a negative post but I dont know what to do anymore. I had my surgery (vsg) September 28th (in another post I mixed up September and October) and recovered very well, very fast. Hardly any gas pain, no incisional pain and so far no vomiting. As thankful as I am about all that that pretty much sums up all the good things there are. First of I’m hungry ALL THE TIME!! In fact my cravings have never been this bad. I think about food 24/7!! Then the moment I smell food or prepare food my hunger vanishes and gets replaced by feeling incredibly nauseous. I can only eat something once then it grosses me out. Because of this I avoid eating and - as stupid as it sounds I’m well aware of that - I get scared to eat because I dont want to be miserable. I can tolerate everything fine but the smell is just awful! Speaking of awful I have the worst and most disgusting bad breath of my life!! No matter how much I brush my teeth and floss my mouth my family can smell me from down the hall. I feel so gross! If only I was loosing weight I’d accept it all but the kicker is I’m not losing any!! The first two weeks I lost 25lbs. Week 3 and four I lost 3lbs and since then (two weeks!!) I’ve been stalling. I’m so frustrated!! What makes matters the absolute worst (sorry this is tmi) I can’t 💩!!!! I havent gone in 15 days!! I’m seeing a nutritionist, who has prescribed me stool softener but nothing happened. I’ll probably have to go back to the hospital over the weekend to get a stronger laxative (talked to the surgeon on the phone today). I didnt expect to have regular bowl movement as before but feeling constipated for two weeks is really no fun. I’m telling myself at least once that’s out maybe my weight will finally drop? Some more context: My surgeon’s plan calls for regular food after day 4. I didnt follow that guideline because it scared me and ate soft foods till aprox. week 5 focusing on my protein intake. I weigh my food though I feel like I can eat a lot. So far I consume around 300-400kcal a day. I had to eat out once for work where I had bread with cheese. Other than that I’m very diligent with my diet. My water intake could be better but I’m constantly sipping on water and cant get more down than 1 maybe 1 1/2L a day. I feel like I’m being punished because I lost (and gained back) 100lbs three times before with very restrictive diets and my body is so used to “being starved” so it’s not playing along. I keep reminding myself my main goal isnt weight loss (though I need and want to) but to stop yoyo dieting in such excess. It’s hardly comforting though because I’m really really frustrated. I’m sorry to be so negative! And I’m sorry I wrote so much but I need to get it off my chest. Have any of y’all had a similar hard beginning? Does it really get better? At this point I can’t imagine it

I had my RYN on Nov 1st. I cheated on my liquid diet everyday. I had soda crackers, burger patty, etc. But no other drink besides water and ate once a day, and made it, and lost 10lbs in the one week liquid diet. My surgeon said my surgery was great no issues. And now that i depend on protein drinks, its a new thing and like it. Yes, your hungry flies out the window, so have to keep on top of your liquids. Yesterday i had "fairlife straberry and bannas" shake, and i fell so deep in love. It tastes just like a milkshake and drank the whole thing under an hour. And tolerated well. You will know when you are "full" because when you feel like something is stuck in your throat, then you stop and wait for it to pass. Since my surgery date today, lost 7lbs. Good luck! Sent from my SM-G973U using BariatricPal mobile app

august 2021 weight 125.1kg november 2021 weight 102kg 9 weeks post op and im now anemic and getting alot of sickness after taking my Forceval supplement, has anyone else suffered like this? I also randomly get a sharp pain in my left side that i never had pre op. Comes on randomly and is worse when sitting up.... i cant seem to link it to any food. Consultants just seem to be happy that im losing weight not these things im now living with, anyone else got these issues?

I'm on day 3 of my 2 week liquid pre-op diet before the sleeve. Hunger hasn't been too bad though it's been emotionally much rougher than I realized. But, I am so done with protein shakes, I feel like if I drink another one I'll puke. So my question is, how important is the protein at this stage if it's just to shrink my liver? Wouldn't just eating nothing also work? Because at this point that sounds like a better alternative.

Hello, glad to hear you are doing so well. My sleeve was 4/15 I too am doing as well as you in fact we sound so much alike I am finding myself able to eat more which is definitely scary I seem to graze more than I eat meals, but dr said it was OK as long as I eat the right things. I finally hit Wonderland I don't weight myself much at all I go by my clothes and my accomplishments like A1c down from 9 to 6. And pills I was on I don't have to take anymore. I walk the park 4 days a week something I couldn't do before. I have No regrets about the surgery at all. I am still losing hair which is frustrating but hopefully dr said it would stop about now so fingers crossed. Anyway, sorry mine is a long post too. Hang in there all newbies it does get easier down the line. Take Care all.

Wow thats a amazing amount of weight to drop in a week, How long do you do it for ? I am 21 days and on day 4. What is your regime ? Mine is a quart of milk, ff Yogurt, non carb veg and 3 pieces of fruit a day

yep - a lot of people have trouble with eggs the first few weeks/months. Also, sausage is kind of heavy and has spices (even though it's turkey rather than pork). So that might have contributed as well. I ate pretty blandly the first month or two.