My 1st 4 Weeks Post-op

[Frankie 0]

I can't hardly believe that it will be 4 weeks tomorrow since I had surgery (3/22). I don't post often but lurk daily and learn lots from everyone so thank you very much. But I did want to share my experience for the past 4 weeks for newbies since when I was doing my research this is the kind of info I was looking for. I have to say it has been fairly easy considering that I left 3/4ths of my stomach in Mexico! I have been lucky that I have had no problems. Recovery was pretty good - no pain from the surgery, just some soreness on my left side where the drain had been. I was nauseated the first night but medication helped. I had no problem traveling back from Mexico by myself and walking through the airport was not an issue. My main issue was increased stomache acid and after the 1st week my doctor upped my dose of Nexium to 2x per day and that has taken care of the issue. I am hoping later on that I can reduce it and/or get off it completely. Oh and being more wiped out the first 2 weeks than I expected. I am a high energy type of person and I am used to accomplishing a lot each day - it has been hard not to be going at full speed each day. I could have gone back to work the first week but took 2 full weeks off. I am glad I did since it did force me to realize that I just had major surgery and maybe an occasional nap would be a good thing to help me heal.

I started with a lower BMI since my weight was 213, height 5'5''. So I am somewhat of a lightweight. I was very excited this morning to see that I am down 20lbs in 4 weeks! Yeah!! I lost the first 15 in the first 2 weeks and then the past 2 weeks I have lost about 2.5 lbs each week. I am happy about that - just waiting for the first stall to happen. Oh did I mention that I am 50 years old - so not too bad for an old lady.

I have been exercising since the day after I got home from the hospital - walking 3 miles about 4-5 times a week (sometimes more). I was walking before surgery about the same amount so I figured since I went to all this trouble to get the surgery I had better keep on moving. At first it was hard since I was so out of breath (most likely effects from anesthesia and being a previous smoker) but I would just stop and rest. It has gotten much easier and now I push my self to walk faster so I increase my heart rate. Now that I am at the 4 week mark I am cleared to start more intense exercise so I will have to start really working on getting more cardio and strength training.

I have never really had any problems swallowing - I just make sure that I don't take big gulps. I have always loved Water and right now it is all that I am drinking. What the others say is true - somethings just taste way too sweet for me. I do have an issue with getting all my Water in - it just seems like I run out of time with having to wait a little before and then at least 30 minutes after eating. So I will be working on that since I know it is important for weight loss.

food is going down without a problem. I did about 20 days of liquids and then pretty much advanced to softs and now to regular food. I just couldn't do the pureed junk. I have been eating lots of low fat cheese, thin sliced deli meats, meatloaf and this weekend I did have some very tender beef and had no problem with that. Also had grilled chicken last night. It was pretty boring and dry but no problems there either. So far I feel pretty lucky. For some strange reason the last 2 days I have felt like grazing but have kept it to foods on the plan. I am getting in 600-800 calories no problem. I am down to 1 Protein shake a day - just drinking that to get a big boost of Protein in. The rest is coming from food - yesterday I got in 80 gms of protien.

Good luck to those who are just starting the post-op journey. I am so excited I made it through the first 4 weeks. Now I really am looking forward to that 6 month mark. My sister keeps asking me if I am happy that I did this. I honestly don't know the answer yet but maybe will be able to answer truthfully in a few more months.:thumbup1:

[VV2010 1]

Sounds like you are doing really well Frankie! Congrats:):thumbup1:

[stcyt 15]

Thanks Franki,

I hope I do as well as you. It's great that you started walking som much right away. I think I will try the same.

Congradulations.

Stacey

[sickofrollercoaster 7]

Franki, glad to see you are doing well! What doctor did you go to?

[Frankie 0]

Thanks everyone.

STCYT - You will do great. Looking at your stats you are really a lightweight going into this and if you are already motivated to walk/exercise afterwards you will have no problem.

sickofrollercoaster - I went to Dr Aceves - and I see that is who you are planning on going to. Good luck! It will go fine and they are very nice.

[sickofrollercoaster 7]

Frankie, another question (sorry, I will probably have more before my date in 3 weeks so bear with me!), how many leak tests did Dr. Aceves do?

[Dan S 0]

Frankie,

Congratulations on doing so well. You and I are in about the same boat. I am about a month post op and have been able to lose 31 pounds since then, 51 pounds total. It feels so good to finally be making progress after so many years of failure. Sounds like we both made the right choice. I know I did.

Good luck in continuing with the program. I'm sure you will reach your goal soon. You already have such a little way to go.

Dan S.

Sleeved: 3/15/2010, One of the best decisions I ever made.

[Frankie 0]

Dan - Way to go with 51 lbs lost :sad0:. That is amazing. I bet you are feeling good.

Angie - Dr Aceves does 3 leak tests. One is surgery, 1 the 1spt post-op day and then another one on the 2nd post-op day. Obviously don't remember the one is surgery since I was under but the other 2 were not that bad.

[Jackie100 0]

I can't hardly believe that it will be 4 weeks tomorrow since I had surgery (3/22). I don't post often but lurk daily and learn lots from everyone so thank you very much. But I did want to share my experience for the past 4 weeks for newbies since when I was doing my research this is the kind of info I was looking for. I have to say it has been fairly easy considering that I left 3/4ths of my stomach in Mexico! I have been lucky that I have had no problems. Recovery was pretty good - no pain from the surgery, just some soreness on my left side where the drain had been. I was nauseated the first night but medication helped. I had no problem traveling back from Mexico by myself and walking through the airport was not an issue. My main issue was increased stomache acid and after the 1st week my doctor upped my dose of Nexium to 2x per day and that has taken care of the issue. I am hoping later on that I can reduce it and/or get off it completely. Oh and being more wiped out the first 2 weeks than I expected. I am a high energy type of person and I am used to accomplishing a lot each day - it has been hard not to be going at full speed each day. I could have gone back to work the first week but took 2 full weeks off. I am glad I did since it did force me to realize that I just had major surgery and maybe an occasional nap would be a good thing to help me heal.

I started with a lower BMI since my weight was 213, height 5'5''. So I am somewhat of a lightweight. I was very excited this morning to see that I am down 20lbs in 4 weeks! Yeah!! I lost the first 15 in the first 2 weeks and then the past 2 weeks I have lost about 2.5 lbs each week. I am happy about that - just waiting for the first stall to happen. Oh did I mention that I am 50 years old - so not too bad for an old lady.

I have been exercising since the day after I got home from the hospital - walking 3 miles about 4-5 times a week (sometimes more). I was walking before surgery about the same amount so I figured since I went to all this trouble to get the surgery I had better keep on moving. At first it was hard since I was so out of breath (most likely effects from anesthesia and being a previous smoker) but I would just stop and rest. It has gotten much easier and now I push my self to walk faster so I increase my heart rate. Now that I am at the 4 week mark I am cleared to start more intense exercise so I will have to start really working on getting more cardio and strength training.

I have never really had any problems swallowing - I just make sure that I don't take big gulps. I have always loved Water and right now it is all that I am drinking. What the others say is true - somethings just taste way too sweet for me. I do have an issue with getting all my Water in - it just seems like I run out of time with having to wait a little before and then at least 30 minutes after eating. So I will be working on that since I know it is important for weight loss.

food is going down without a problem. I did about 20 days of liquids and then pretty much advanced to softs and now to regular food. I just couldn't do the pureed junk. I have been eating lots of low fat cheese, thin sliced deli meats, meatloaf and this weekend I did have some very tender beef and had no problem with that. Also had grilled chicken last night. It was pretty boring and dry but no problems there either. So far I feel pretty lucky. For some strange reason the last 2 days I have felt like grazing but have kept it to foods on the plan. I am getting in 600-800 calories no problem. I am down to 1 Protein shake a day - just drinking that to get a big boost of Protein in. The rest is coming from food - yesterday I got in 80 gms of protien.

Good luck to those who are just starting the post-op journey. I am so excited I made it through the first 4 weeks. Now I really am looking forward to that 6 month mark. My sister keeps asking me if I am happy that I did this. I honestly don't know the answer yet but maybe will be able to answer truthfully in a few more months.:thumbup1:

Hi Frankie,

Congratulations on your 4 week mark! You seem to be doing great and I am so happy for you.

I notice you weighed about the same as I do now. I am 5'2" so look bigger coz I am real short. I am 52 yrs old so in the same age group as you. I am considiering the sleeve surgery but is afraid to lose too much. I would like to lose about 60-70 lbs. I previously had the band and it never worked for me. I did not lost weight on it.

Why did you choose the sleeve surgery? My doctor is recommending it for me. He wanted me to do Gastric Bypass but I absolutely will not do that.

What do you think?

[Frankie 0]

Jackie,

You asked why I chose the sleeve as my WLS. Truthfully I am suprised that I ever decided to do any WLS - it never really had been on my radar. I would go up and down with dieting. But the last 2 years I tried to accept how I was and I realized that I couldn't do that. I know lots of people talk about when they lose weight their image of themselves does not keep up with the weight loss. Well I had the opposite problem - I would look in the mirror and not recognize that person who had gotten to 200+ lbs. So in January I quit smoking, realized that I was not ever going to feel comfortable with the person I saw in the mirror and knew that I just couldn't yo-yo diet anymore. I first looked at the lapband and that was the route I was going to take. But the more research I did it seemed like a no brainer for the sleeve - that it was the very best option for me in that I wouldn't have dumping like I might with RNY, none of the possible slipping, erosion, and bandster hell like with the band. My goal is to lose weight and have a normal life with a tool that I can use to help me maintain. I don't want to be on a diet the rest of my life - I just need help controlling how much I can eat. I never considered RNY but if I had I would have ruled that out due to all my aches and pains and the need to take NSAIDS. Good luck with your journey and I am sure you will make the right desision for yourself.

[pnw218 14]

Jackie, ditto to everything Frankie said!!

I had never really thought about surgery until I hit rock bottom in mid January. I am so glad that I changed to the sleeve from the band!

It is a great tool!

[Jackie100 0]

Thank you Frankie.

I am going for my psych eval on 4/30. Just because my ins demands it.. I should be on my way in about 4 weeks if everything goes according to plan.

Thanks again, I will be coming back toyou with questions..