Day 13 Post-op -- Turning Into Medusa

[Kris 78]

OMG, I'm on my 12th day of liquids, and I am turning into Medusa, evil snake-haired gorgon who could turn people to stone with a glare. I am POd at the whole world right now! My energy is low, I don't like the limited choices I have to drink, I went back to work about a week too soon and my boss is being SUCH a JERK to me because I am not able to work a full 8 hour day (after 5 hours the batteries are totally dead and I am useless at work). I want to eat, but can't; when I do consume something it's like I don't want it after two sips/slurps. I am on day 3 of my first stall and that sure isn't helping my mood any! It is all I can do not to snap and hiss at everyone -- I just want to be left alone and rest. Arrgggghh! Please tell me people that this is normal for two weeks out.

I keep telling myself things will get better when I can start eating food again, but that is still 2 long weeks away. The enormity of what this surgery is all about is hitting with the force of a giant brick wall right now. Unlike any other diet I've been on, when the going gets tough, I can't bail and get on the wagon the next day. There is no way off this freaking wagon!!!!

In my heart of hearts I am sure this will pass, but it is really not a fun place to be right now. I envy people who had a smooth recovery. I hope I am not scaring any preops away from surgery because I also know in my heart of hearts this was the right thing for me to do ... but man the first few weeks after surgery are no fun at all. I will be SO happy to get through this first month ... so happy!

Sorry to be a whiner, but I am hoping someone will say, "Been there, done that, and it all gets better from here on out." Just so I know I'm not really a gorgon, but just a semi-normal sleever 2 weeks post op.

[Eureka-C 20]

I don't know about you, but I was on liquids for a full three weeks. I thought I would die. At first, liquids were enough. I could barely get them down. sip watch clock, sip, watch clock... all day long. Then I got hungry. I wanted to chew. The liquids just weren't cutting it, not enough energy, not enough of anything. I feel your pain. At almost 8 weeks, life is much better. I thought I would lose faster - only 1-2 pounds most weeks from week 4 on, and a 10 day stall at week three when I finally was allowed to eat. But overall, I am great. I have lost more weight in the last 8 weeks than I lost in 5 months prior to surgery. Hang in there.

[Foxbins 625]

I am with you in spirit, Kris, and a week behind you (surgery 1/13.) Soft food is a few weeks away and I am sick of liquid already. I have found that sugarfree gum helps my need to chew. One stick in the evening (and I chew the heck out of it) and I am better.

Good luck!

[Kris 78]

Thanks you guys! Venting helps, thank you for listening and encouraging. I am so looking forward to February when things will hopefully normalize somewhat. I think I am not getting enough protein/calories and that is probably some of the reason for the low energy.I just am not loving my Protein Drinks at all and it's hard to drink them and get regular fluids in as well. I am a bit dehydrated and also need to work on Water intake. I wish someone could just put me in a coma or something and wake me up in 3 weeks!

[Ms. E 5]

I had an ice pop today and it helped me with the chewing thing. As of tomorrow I am going to freeze my Protein shake too

[cherice95403 13]

I was really low energy for over a month. I can't believe you went back to work so fast. You need rest! It does get better. Everyone has a different recovery and it is not always easy. Mine has been a really rough road and I am still having serious issues. I imagine everyone has that "what the heck have I done" moment Eating solid food does feel more satisfying, but comes with its own challenges. I think we put too much pressure on ourselves to recovery quickly and easily, feel great immediately, be satisfied with our consumption, and love our sleeve. I saw that message a lot when I was doing research, but after the fact, when I really probed and read between the lines I noticed people struggling. You are not alone and your feeling are normal. I really wish we heard a little more about "the dark side" so people would be prepared.

Don't worry about weight loss at this point. I didn't even START to lose until 2 weeks post op (that was annoying). Your body is swollen and healing and it takes time. Once I really started losing I have been pretty consistently losing 1-3 pounds a week. It will all come together and you will feel better and better each week. Try not to push yourself!

Cherice

[juliarh 35]

Cherice is right -- don't push yourself. We all have different diets that are given to us by our drs. And, on top of it, we all heal differently. And most of us stall usually around the 2, 3 or 4th week. After that, the weight comes off, we start feeling better, etc.

food, like Cherice said, is kinda a mixed bag. I'm 4 1/2 months out and I still don't like a lot of foods, don't really care to eat. So, even though you think you may want solids, you probably don't (because once you get there you'll not enjoy it as much).

Just the other day, my youngest son and I were driving around and he was talking about a present of a box of chocolates I had just received that I promptly gave to him and he said, trying to make me feel better about giving up the chocolate, "Well, Mom, you probably don't even like chocolate anymore." I was horrified by the idea (I LOVE chocolate - at least in my brain) -- but he's probably right. So, I'd rather sit with the idea of loving chocolate than test out whether I still like it or not because so far, my tastebuds have completely changed. sigh.

Sorry to ramble, but chin up! the liquid phase will be over before you know it and then you will have to confront (yep, confront) how to eat solids all over again.

[M2G 1,836]

Oh yeah, I think we all have been there where it just seems like you can't take another Protein shake !!!

I remember missing the act of "chewing"...so I would do a SF popsicle to just have something to CHEW. I'm sorry that your liquid diet isn't over for another 2 weeks (that is a LONG time to be on fluids only) but just think about how far it will put you weight-loss wise. I think I only did liquids for 10 days post-op and that was enough for me! After 10 days I was only allowed 5 foods (egg beaters, cottage cheese, refried Beans, yogurt and SF pudding) and at first I thought "woo hoo...real FOOD" and then because I had to do that for 2 weeks, they got really old really fast.

Hang in there, don't worry about scaring away pre-ops...I think we all have our tough moments but it's good to share and know that you aren't alone.

[Kris 78]

Hi all, well today is my 2nd week surgiversary and I do feel better than I have all week. Hopefully yesterday was my rock-bottom point and it's going to get better from here on out. I got to work at home today and that definitely helped. Now I have two days off and yay, I intend to keep it very low key and rest a lot this weekend. Also it's helpful to know that one week from today I get to go onto mushies. That's more variety, and there will be other ways to get Protein aside from Protein Shakes and broth. The surgical tape over my incisions has started falling off and I've been happy to see my incisions look like they have healed up nicely. My abdomen is still a bit sore but not painful.

I wish I could chew on ice or popsicles, but I have very sensitive teeth and can't tolerate biting anything frozen. Argghh. I did chew a piece of gum and that helped a bit, but the whole time I was paranoid about accidentally swallowing it, so I can't say it was a really enjoyable experience.

I appreciate everyone's comments and glad to know it's not uncommon to have a rough patch after surgery. I guess I was so excited about having the surgery it never occurred to me that recovery might actually be harder than the surgery and hospital stay. Live and learn...

[Skinnyagain 12]

I am so glad you posted your story. I am to be sleeved on march 14. I am not the type of person to stick to anything for long and that alone scares the crap out of me. My will power is about the time span of a goldfishes memory (about 2 seconds). Which is how I gained all this weight in the first place. I think that this post op all liquid diet is what is freaking me out the most. My surgeon only requires me to do this diet 2 days prior to surgery, which in reality is all I think I would last anyway. I am not scared off by your story but reading it is helping me get prepared for what is to come. I know I can not screw this up and like you wish I could just be kept in the hospital or in a coma till the bad part is over. Where do you find your strength to not cheat.

[Kris 78]

I am so glad you posted your story. I am to be sleeved on march 14. I am not the type of person to stick to anything for long and that alone scares the crap out of me. My will power is about the time span of a goldfishes memory (about 2 seconds). Which is how I gained all this weight in the first place. I think that this post op all liquid diet is what is freaking me out the most. My surgeon only requires me to do this diet 2 days prior to surgery, which in reality is all I think I would last anyway. I am not scared off by your story but reading it is helping me get prepared for what is to come. I know I can not screw this up and like you wish I could just be kept in the hospital or in a coma till the bad part is over. Where do you find your strength to not cheat.

Hi there Skinnyagain, I will say the ONLY thing that keeps me from cheating is fear of damaging my new sleeve. My surgeon put the fear of god into me about that. He is pretty strict about keeping his patients on liquids for 20 days. Not all surgeons require that, though. Also, I can honestly say I don't really experience physical hunger. It's all head hunger. It's wanting to eat, not actually feeling a physical need to eat. And also, being on this forum helps Tons. People are very kind and supportive, and we've all been through the same surgery so there's understanding and words of wisdom. I know it will be worth it in the long run. But yes, post op is hard. At least for me. I have always been kind of a wuss, though!

[Skinnyagain 12]

Thanks. I think I have made a new addiction. It is this forum. I have been reading and reading and reading. It has really helped me with my decision to get the surgery, and I hope to keep me strong after. I think when I feel the need to eat I will just pop in the forum and read instead. Thanks again

[k8bwalsh 1]

So glad to hear someone else is moody!!!! Thanks for sharing!! I'm 10 post-op today - and I am so freaking sick of liquids - I only have 4 more days of it and then I move onto mushies. But I've been so snappy and moody, it's like I'm PMS'ing!!!! Only I'm not. I have not read anyone else who was going thru this yet, but am glad to know I'm not alone. I can't believe you're back to work already, though. I have three weeks off total. Thanks for sharing. Hope you're doing better now!

[Kris 78]

Hi there, I'm doing way better, thanks! I think day 13 was my low point and things improved from there. But boy those first two weeks post op were no joke! I hope I never experience anything like that again!

[lewisfamilytexas 0]

I'm 12 Days post op, On liquids for 21 days, and its so freaken hard, i hate it, the first week went by like a breeze though, cause i was so miserable from having surgery didn't feel like eating at all and didn't have any kind of appetite, and then the second week there was like a day or two that i was a little hungry but the fact that i had horrid Constipation that was the worst pain i've ever been in including the surgery pain, made me not want to eat anything, i just drank my liquids as best i could but even those were a bit hard to get down during the constipation faze it was awful....and now day 12, i woke up this morning and tried Water, that irritated my stomach so i tried juice, that irritated my stomach, so i tried a zero calorie coolaide and that irritated my stomach, so i ended up having to cheat, because all the liquids felt awful being in me, it was like painful, like i needed something more substantial then liquid, they did not agree with me at all, its like my body was telling me it needed food......so i had an egg, mixed it with some milk before cooking so it was nice and soft and fluffy and chewed that thing like crazy and took a long long time to eat it, it was so freaken good though, even though it was sooo cold by the time i was done eating it, but i just needed something different, and that helped alot, i'm going to try not to cheat again if i can stand it but my stomach couldn't take the liquids only anymore, i just hope tomorrow will be a new day and my stomach will tolerate the liquids better....well good luck to everyone i've already lost 51 pounds Total includes pre op weight lost....so i'm a happy camper