Can anyone else relate to any of this?

[Dansha 16]

{{{{Hugs}}}}

Deb

[mp8btpc 33]

Bottom line, I'm bummed. Isolated. Hurting. I know that most of this is 'normal,' but I still feel like I've irreversably mutilated myself because I'm too weak-willed to get my ass to the gym and eat better. Whether or not this is or isn't true, it's how I feel. I feel pretty depressed. I'd rather be healthy and fat, than malnurished and miserable. Granted, I wasn't healthy or getting any healthier, but so far, this just sucks.

Sorry if I'm too pooped to shake my pom-pons right now. This is the reality for me right now. Hopefully I'll be posting a more up-beat reality this time next week.

Thanks for listening.

Holy crap PCINDY I am sorry your feeling this way but damn it feels good to know I am not the only one! I am 9 days post op and I have also used the term buyers remorse. I feel exactly the same way right now...though I am having better days ...i feel like I just tortured my body and am not weak and miserable at times. I just keep focusing that everyone seems to get better and before you know it they are singing the praise of the sleeve. I am holding to that. I am trying my hardest to stay positive...stay busy (mentally) yet let my body rest. I think it is just the first stage for a lot of people. As soon as the body heals and your not so aware of all the new feelings, the healing pangs and you just start living life again with a smaller tummy things will be MUCH better.

I totally get your feelings though, I finally slept for a 5 hour patch last night then rolled over and went right back to sleep. It felt so "normal". Things will move forward. BIG HUGS...throw something if it will make ya feel better heheh.

[pumpkin07 32]

HI there. Well, I did not have the gas pains or redness you are experiencing. It didn't really sound normal to me post op 6 days. You may in deed be having a complication.

I'll be praying for you, hoping your appt goes well. Don't let your doctor stick his/her head in the sand.

I was very sad and missed my tummy for a few days. I cried and struggled. But the physical part of what you are saying just doesn't sound like something I experienced at all. Stay on top of it and it will get better soon!

[pcindy 8]

Well, I just got back from my doc's. The rash (which has spread, even since this morning) is hideous-looking. He felt sure it was not an abcess and that I have no leak. He thought it looked like a Brown Recluse spider bite (which it sort of does), but had a dermatologist come in, who said with complete certainty that it is (get ready...) "severe eczema." I asked him if he was sh*tting me, and was he sure that he wanted that to be his final answer, and he said he is sure. Never saw anything like it, but now that I'm looking at Google images of severe cases (lovely red angry blister-covered ones), I'm seeing it. I'm also seeing articles on eczema plaques related to Heparin injection sites (it's EXACTLY where I had my Lovenox [a low molecular weight version of Heparin] shot)!

He also told me to quit trying to drink iced-tea. Said it's too acidic and with the caffeine can make my esophagus spasm.

Ditto to the poster about sleeping on the couch to be side-propped. I'm doing that, too.

Thank you guys for your continued support. I'm still in pain, mad-itchy, sleep-deprived, gassy, and scared for the immediate future, but I'm glad that this forum exists and for your encouragement and hugs!

Edited August 23, 2010 by pcindy

[Jane_J 117]

Sweety, much love to you and I am sure in a few days time this will be a distant memory.

Jane xx

[pcindy 8]

Sweety, much love to you and I am sure in a few days time this will be a distant memory.

Jane xx

Jane, I don't know what it is, your warm nurturing tone, or your sweet face, but you are like the gentle British mum every Yankee should have in her corner. (I have NO idea what that means- I am SO sleep-deprived, but your posts give me a warm-fuzzy. Don't know why!)

[christina@MIA 12]

So, I'm post-op day 6. The gas has been exhausting. The lack of regular sleep has me exhausted. I can't get more than an hour or 2 in any given position, and cannot lie down fully, because of the gas bubbles. Ditto the sudden sternal pain. Yes, I'm taking Gas X. My husband has pointed out that my tongue is green.

I occasionally (when lying on my left side) get a ripping burning pain to the left of my belly button that makes me need to get up right away. I am like a miserable zombie.

I have lost 5 lbs since the surgery, but it feels like 10 lbs of life-force. I don't want my calorie count to get any lower. I'm taking some Omega 3-6-9 oil and today I ate 5 olives (pureed) and loved every second of them. They went down great and felt like life itself. They were also the first non-sweet/ non-fake-sweet thing I've ingested in a week. I'm definately adding a couple of olives to my daily regimen. That aside, It's a battle to get down the Protein shakes and Fluid I need. I feel like I'm getting the minimum in, but the effort it takes is demoralizing. It was literally easier getting the olives down (and less painful) than just some Water.

I had some definate "buyer's remorse" yesterday, and couldn't even give in to crying, because it's too hard to get liquid in to let it go in tears and snot.

My husband has been very supportive, but he's worn out with not having enough time to decompress himself (encouraged him to go to the movies this morning, and he's at the gym now).

I went to the ER yesterday, because I have a gradually spreading patch of redness on my belly that is unassociated with the incisions. It started like a weird bee sting post-op and is red, puffy, and itchy as all hell. They gave me hydrocortisone cream and a heavy antibiotic (that is really fun to swallow crushed, twice a day, and is supposed to be taken with a lot of fluids- HA!). The red patch is just getting gradually bigger. Great.

So, I see my doc tomorrow and am counting the minutes. I'm wondering if I need to go back in-patient to receive IV antibiotics and hydration so I can beat this infection/reaction I'm having. Being a nurse is both a help, and a hinderance. Meanwhile all I can do is outline it in permanent marker and date the lines, so I can chart it's growth. That's what they'd do in the hospital.

Bottom line, I'm bummed. Isolated. Hurting. I know that most of this is 'normal,' but I still feel like I've irreversably mutilated myself because I'm too weak-willed to get my ass to the gym and eat better. Whether or not this is or isn't true, it's how I feel. I feel pretty depressed. I'd rather be healthy and fat, than malnurished and miserable. Granted, I wasn't healthy or getting any healthier, but so far, this just sucks.

Sorry if I'm too pooped to shake my pom-pons right now. This is the reality for me right now. Hopefully I'll be posting a more up-beat reality this time next week.

Thanks for listening.

I feel you Pcindy, I'm not happy to hear you are suffering. I am happy to see Im not alone. I have several of the things you mentioned. The first few days I slept sitting up. I now can drink without pain, but the Jello hurts in the sternal area. I feel weak. The depression is letting up a little. Did you have a BM yet? Not to sound nasty, but it let alot of my gas out.

[kalew 0]

Walk walk walk, sip sip sip; that was my mantra. First week is the pits, but it gets better. I felt a whole lot better when the JP was pulled.

[Bevanne 0]

Believe it or not...all things will pass. The best thing you could do in my opinion is seeing your Doc. he will give you what you need. Believe me, it gets so much better..this will be behind you in no time. You will be loving the smaller clothes..it is so worth it!

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

Well, I just got back from my doc's. The rash (which has spread, even since this morning) is hideous-looking. He felt sure it was not an abcess and that I have no leak. He thought it looked like a Brown Recluse spider bite (which it sort of does), but had a dermatologist come in, who said with complete certainty that it is (get ready...) "severe eczema." I asked him if he was sh*tting me, and was he sure that he wanted that to be his final answer, and he said he is sure. Never saw anything like it, but now that I'm looking at Google images of severe cases (lovely red angry blister-covered ones), I'm seeing it. I'm also seeing articles on eczema plaques related to Heparin injection sites (it's EXACTLY where I had my Lovenox [a low molecular weight version of Heparin] shot)!

Well, that's a relief - the way you were describing it, it sounded like a staph infection, but I didn't want to post that and freak you out before you saw the doc. At least it's simply uncomfortable rather than dangerous.

[kalew 0]

very true! Glad you will be ok, I'm sure just knowing everything is ok makes you feel better. Less stress and all. Things will be a lot better soon!

[BeenThereWasThat 2]

The red patch on your belly Did you get a Lovenox shot before surgery or after? Are you still on them... That sounds exactly like the reaction I had to the lovenox. The doc said it might not have been the lovenox specifically but the peservative that was in the injection. I stopped using them and used hydrocortizone and they started clearing up.

[MuffinsMom 5]

Hey, PCindy, do I hear you about the gas. Does any one remember the candy Pop-Rocks, that popped and sizzled when you put it in your mouth? That's what it felt like was in my tummy, the minute I put anything thicker than Water in. I finally was able to recognize it as normal indigestion, (although there was nothing "normal" about this!) which I had been treating with Prilosec twice a day for a few years before surgery. My Dr. sent me home with Nexium and said to take it once a day, but I decided to go back to my old faithful and take it twice a day like I used to. The difference is night and day! Yikes, what a relief. I still burp a little, and even though I'm on full liquids (2 weeks out), I mostly stick to water-based Protein, because of the reaction my sleeve had to thicker fluids. But at least the gas doesn't take up ALL the room in my tummy, so I can get some nourishment in. Good luck, PCindy, I hope this helps.

[MKK 0]

Hey,

Wow, sounds like you're having a very tough time. I get the remorse and the gas and the sternum pain. Can't get much down, haven't had a BM in 10 days...eating colace and MoM tablets, ouch.

Here's what has helped me.

• Have warm tea first thing, losens up and relaxes all the muscles.
  
• Eat/drink standing up - goes down faster
  
• couldn't stand the Protein drinks, made work arounds such as:
  
• sugarfree applesauce with added Protein powder
  
• sugar-free low carb yougurt, thin out with skim milk and add Protein powder
  
• eat tons of s/f popsicles and s/f Jello
  
• cup a Soup - even cream of chix - seems like I'm craving salty things, even chewed a bite of scrambled egg to a pulp, know supposed to be on liquids, but I'm listening to my body's cravings
  
• sleep on side, hold pillow against my upper abdomen, like when coughing, seems to help
  
• Remember - right now it's not about the weight, our bodies are swollen and bloated, priority is recovering from surgery
  

Let me know how you're doing 8/17 sleeve buddy...sending you healing energy your way.....

Melinda:thumbup:

Dr Lynch - sleeved 8/17

BMI start 45

HW 333, pre-op 323, surgery weight 309, now??? find out tomorrow

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Hoping tomorrow is a much better day. I am sorry you're going through this. It's not supposed to be this way :=(