1 week out today! Way different than I expected!

[juliarh 35]

Hi all - I also had a rough 1st week and kinda going into the 2nd week -- I attributed a lot of what I went through as a reaction to my anesthesia (even though I'd had general anesthesia before) but I looked it up and it seemed to match -- who knows. Anyway -- here's my nitty gritty from the first 10 days:

In the hospital:

Extreme dehydration such that I couldn't pee and had no saliva

Pains in my back so that I would wake up crying

dry heaves (I can't count how many)

and nausea

After 3 days and back at home:

Could hardly drink or eat anything

Had nausea

No dry heaves

Slight fever

After 10 days:

Could drink normally

Can eat very small bites (but my taste is not what it was)

And can exercise (although I was SOOOOO weak at first -- I attribute this to being 46 and not recovering as fast as younger sleevers)

Now (4 weeks after)

Can drink normally

Eat very small bites (taste is still not what it was)

No sense of being hungry

Acid reflux occasionally

Exercise every day (and loving that I'm getting better at it!)

Conclusion: I LOVE MY SLEEVE -- I've lost 40 pounds now and as I've said before, the first week or so is kinda like giving birth -- you are not at all happy during the process, but later on you think, "Hey, I'd do that again!"

Hope this helps!

[sleeveorbust 11]

OK OK OK!!!.... first of all... to everyone who has not had the sleeve yet... DO NOT BE ALARMED!!!

we all recover differently from the surgery and you may have bouts of nausea, acid reflux, inability to get all of your fluids in, weakness etc etc etc

HOWEVER... coming from someone who has just got off of the boat in regards to surgery, i would have to say that my experience has not been an easy one but it surely is DOABLE!

Tomorrow I will be one week out of surgery and I have not had any nausea what so ever and today i have been able to get in about 30 oz or 1L of Water thus far! Im 22 and Im not sure if age has a factor but i would have to say that i am starting to really love my sleeve!! last night i weighed myself for the first time and i have already lost a total of 12lbs!! im 202 now and seeing that number really had me elated. I have been doing alot of walking around since about my 2nd day out of surgery and today im back at work functioning!

dont be discouraged it is difficult but not impossible

[PamelaAM 16]

Julia:

Thank you so much for the outline of your journey. Certainly gives so many of us hope!

Sleeveorbust:

Your comments are correct! I don't want to scare anyone from having this very important surgery but for me, I just wish I would have known what "could" happen. And you are so right - it is difficult by doable!

[My New Life 0]

I am about 4 days out. I started stage two with broth and applesauce with little issue. I am lightheaded though and can only get in 20-30 oz of Water. My doctor said as long as your peeing and don't feel thirty to not worry about the 64 oz. He called that a crazy amount of Fluid to try to push through. That makes me feel better since he is head of the department. The nausea day two was horrible. Dry heaves are not fun. I finally got a prescription that seemed to work. I am still running a bit of a fever, but I don't have any real pain. The nausea has calmed down too. I have another week off work. I hope that I will be up to going back. Right now I feel like a truck ran over me

[4mygirls 66]

I echo everything that you are saying. Had my surgery on August 30th. I was really weak and sick for the first 2 weeks. I started my Protein Drinks after the 2 weeks and i started to feel better. After 3 weeks i was feeling almost myself excepting for alot of gas. Still having lots of gas. My time for me to say I love my sleeve is coming soon.

[4mygirls 66]

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[NewMe2Bee 5]

I haven't had the sleeve yet but have already prepared myself for any side effects that may come along with it. My aunt who is on chemo once a month has major nausea we got of book of home remedies because medications weren't working. some of the options were ginger tea, ginger candy and peppermint Water. We bought her all of these things and it helps her get through those bad days. the peppermint water is peppermint extract dropped in warm water it is very tasty and soothing to the stomach. I don't know if this information will help. But I already have my supply of all of it so that I won't suffer to much. I have to be well within 2wks to return to work so i am going to do all I can to get well and ready to get back on the floor at work. we know that all these side effects are temporary and the weight lost is worth it all because of all our family that we see on this site that got through as well.

[pumpkin07 32]

Sorry you are having troubles. I had two c-sections and it was NOTHING compared to my recovery from this surgery. I thought this was very very difficult to get through. I got very scared b/c I couldn't eat (sort of a panic) and also sad, but mostly scared what have I done, etc. I didn't have a fever or the severe abdominal pain that might signal a leak scare, but I just felt horrible and was very scared of not being able to eat.

I went back to work a week after surgery, but I was worthless and should have stayed home that second week. I didn't have to go back, but the sense of normalcy and routine was a comfort even though I was very foggy-headed.

I stayed in hospital 2 nights I think, it is such a blur, and I was severely nauseated. Finally I threw up the last of the brown blood in my gut and then it stopped. I stopped taking the nausea medicine b/c I could see I was throwing up old blood and I figured i needed to come out and it did. I remember helping a litte girl after her tonsil surgery and she was throwing up blood too and she didn't get better until she ran out of blood to throw up. So I figured it made sense and I went with it.

I was very weak.

What finally helped me was this website and just hunkering down inside myself and realizing what was done was done, and I just had to take it one day at a time b/c I wanted to live through it. Someone else that had surgery a couple weeks before me developed severe complications and that scared me I had to calm myself down lest I be laying beside him.....it was too late to go back.

I know it isn't good to scare people. But I also know a Tummy Tuck is no walk in the park and I plan to get that done too. You gotta do what you gotta do, right.

Best thing is to have the BEST Surgeon. That is where art happens.

I don't know if this helps, but just take it one minute at a time, one hours at a time and the time will pass before you know it. But it isn't so great to have your tripas cut on, that is for sure. Makes for a tough recovery.

[PamelaAM 16]

Pumplkin: Thank you so much for your insight! I am starting to have better days now. Still not great but I can feel the difference each day. Last night I was even able to stand up long enough to make dinner for the hubby, which was a first (standing that long, not making dinner. . .LOL!) I just had to come to grips with the fact that everyone heals differently. I have always been a quick healer in the past so just assumed I would do it again. But of course, I didn't take into consideration that I am older now than I was for my past surgeries! Thanks again for your kind words! Keep up the good work! You are a great inspiration!

[dizzylizzy 2]

I am 8 days post-op and will add my 2 cents on the nausea. First, it was really helpful to know that it was normal. I think part of it was caused by the pain meds, and part was due to dehydration.,

I also had a LOT of weakness and felt really lathergic. I added some gatorade to my liquids and felt much better,. Once I had some carbs in my system, I felt a little more energy right away.

Today I took 3 1 mile walks, and will get all 64 ounces of Fluid down. sugar free popsicles help- I have one in my hand at all times. My hubby says I am going to break the bank with his needing to buy me popsicles every day..

I would also like to thank everyone for their stories about the post-op weight loss. I was down 5 pounds about 4 days after surgery and have not lost one pound since. But I realized that I was just gaining a little in fluids cus I was dehydrated, and I know I'm burning fat. I just need to need to learn not to weigh myself daily.

For those who have not yet been sleeved, everyone reacts differently. Yes, I was really nauseas, but it only lasted a couple of days. And it came in waves. I found that if I relaxed and didn't fight it, it went away faster. Every day the neausea started a litle later in the day. By day 6 it was all gone. I also found that if I had a sugar free popsicle before I got out of bed in the morning it helped.... Kind of like saltines for a pregnant woman.

[sstoots 0]

Screw her! If she doesn't like you now you don't want her anyway! My husband is extremely good looking, he could get most any girl he wanted but yet he chose me at 220 pounds, he saw my inner beauty and that's what he fell in love with. I have no idea why but for some reason he is feeling insecure about me having surgery and losing more weight and I say to him "baby when i get skinny why on earth would I leave you for some idiot that wouldn't look twice at me right now". I don't want someone like that, I know that no matter what my husband will be there for me, he will love me, want me, and treat me like a queen regardless if I was 600 pounds bald and toothless because he loves me not my shell. Of course he tells me now that he loves my body but I can't wait to treat him with my future body.

I honestly think that we are all very lucky that we had an oppurtunity to be fat in our lifetimes because it has forced us to wow people with what we have inside, fat people almost always have better personalities because most of us feel that we have to compensate for whatever we feel we are lacking.

I'm sorry that Im rambling your note just struck a nerve in me, must have been all the teasing I endured in school or something.

Take Care, Sara

I had an attractive girl laughing and having fun last night, but she wouldn't touch me cause apparently I'm physically repulsive.

I'll take all the pain/suffering that you endured, plus a kick in the crotch to lose 100lbs. No problemo. And I won't even complain about it. Just get this weight off...

[4mygirls 66]

Hi Pam!

I know exactly what you're experiencing. Three weeks post op I was still experiencing pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, Constipation, depression, and had serious mixed emotions about my surgery. I too believed I had researched enough, plus I completed a 5 month prep program my insurance demanded. Yet, even five weeks later I was regretting my surgery and was resentful at my family for "allowing" me to do it. How irrational was that!!

Hang in there. I will soon be three months post-op, and boy did things get better!!! No more lightheadedness, dizziness, constipation, depression/anxiety, fatigue, or pain. I can drink and eat enough to feel strong and 100% normal. Things will get better. Relax, pray, meditate, read, talk to people (positive people), walk, journal, breathing exercises, listen to music, etc. This is what got me through, and it will help you too. Make sure you're taking in liquids, your Vitamins, and as much Protein as possible or your fatigue may persist. But don't stress. Relax.

God bless you. All WILL get better!

I echo everything that you are saying. Had my surgery on August 30th. I was really weak and sick for the first 2 weeks. I started my Protein drinks after the 2 weeks and i started to feel better. After 3 weeks i was feeling almost myself excepting for alot of gas. Still having lots of gas. My time for me to say I love my sleeve is coming soon.

[SouthernSleever 228]

I don't want to jinx myself but I'm feeling like my old self 5 days out. I sleep on my stomach, no nausea or fatigue. The only thing I'm doing a little different is I'm not drinking sugar free. I don't like artificial sweetners and I'm nursing my little one. I don't want him getting all those chemicals. I'm just sipping all day on Coconut Water, gatorade, and fruit juices.

[thegeek 0]

So today is one week out for me. I honestly have to say that I had no idea what to expect. Problem was that I thought I had done my research, talked to alot of people and really read up but boy oh boy was this one shock of an experience!

I never really had any pain to speak of and stopped taking the pain meds within 12 hours. What got me was the horrible nausea and the fact that while I knew I was supposed to get the liquids etc in, I couldn't even make a dent in ANYTHING.

I'm sipping Water all day and still not getting nearly enough in. And I know I'm not getting enough Protein in. But I am going to move forward and just keep pushing myself. I know it will get better - just hadn't planned on it being this difficult.

Sounds pretty close to where I was 1wk post-op. I wasn't getting enough Protein (the doc said not to worry about protein for a few weeks, just be sure to get some), and I definitely wasn't getting enough liquids (that's still a struggle).

But 1week post-op I hopped on an airplane for a quick over-night trip for work. I was a little tired, and it was a little awkward when I had to "disappear" at dinner the night before to go to the grocery store and pickup some yogurt. Even more awkward when at the meeting the next day with customers and needing to "disappear" again to find some Soup (and someone to strain it too). I'm lucky enough that my co-worker knew about the surgery and handled things for me during those times.

I came home and took it easy for a few more days before really getting back to work. (I'm a desk-jockey, so no heavy lifting, etc.). Hopefully now that you're in your 2nd week you're feeling much better!

[PamelaAM 16]

Geek! I can't believe you went to work 1 week out!! OMG, I couldn't even move out of bed until day 14! I guess I'm a wuss :-) But when I woke up on day 14 I actually felt human again. Still didn't have much energy but as I approach the 3 week mark (on Monday) I am feeling pretty darn good compared to the first two weeks when I thought I was at death's door :-) Congrats!