When Does It Get Better?

[CoffeeAndMagazines 2]

Hello fellow sleevies,

I was sleeved 5 days ago. Definitely had a few "What the hell did I do to myself" little weepy moments so far. I feel like I have stomach claustrophobia, it's so small in there. I was wondering what your experiences were in terms of:

* Stomach air when you drink? Even tho I'm taking tiny-to-small sips, I almost always seem to feel an air bubble under my breastbone afterwards. Does that get better? Can you take kinda normal-size swallows of liquid after 6 months, a year, more? Or do you always feel some stomach air bubble thing when drinking?

* Trying to get all the Protein and fluids in? I'm only hitting about 40 grams of protein a day so far, and only about 32-35oz of fluids. How on earth am I going to get up to 70g and 64oz?? Did any of you fall short of this the whole time and were okay anyway?

* Low energy -- does it get better or does the thin liquid phase just feel like this? (I'm not on any pain meds, so it's not narcotic snooze)

Thanks everyone!! I really appreciate your thoughts!!

[ocean_ophelia 31]

I can't answer because I haven't been sleeved yet, but hang in there. From everything I read, all that DOES get better. It makes sense to me that if you're only eating approx. 400 cals (if that) a day, you're going to be tired; I think that would be the case even if you weren't sleeved.

[iegal 460]

Sooner than you think, but never soon enough.

Sip less than 1 oz, use a shot glass to SIP not gulp. Let it run down your throat. Protein you are getting so far is fine and it will increase slowly. You and I are about the same when I was at your stage.

So when does it get better and I assume better=normal? Well, I had VSG surgery as an outpatient so normal was the first day at home. Veda did outpatient surgery too. No pain meds needed since no cathedar, no drain, no staples in the suture sites. I confess I took pain meds once to sleep because I got my days and nights mixed up.

At about day 10 I went, wow - amazing difference, like I woke up out of a fog. Energy not back to 100% at that point but improving slowly. The low carbs, low sugar, low caffine made my body mad and lethargic for a long time.

Normal? Well, at about six months was as if I never had surgery minus the restriction and lack to desire to devour everything placed before me or on a buffet. I can gulp liquids now but not an entire bottle of Water.

Hang in there - things will get better day by day. Send me a message if I can help if any way.

Hugs for a speedy recovery!

[Lauraann 11]

^{I am 5 days out too. My stomach is doing the same thing, gurgling every time I put something in it. I think it hates me right now. I am having a real problem with diarrhea. I guess as they say liquid in liquid out!!! Urr. I am with you when will this all get better. Wishing you luck..}

^Laura

[apilil 0]

Hi Ladies, I had my surgery 15 days ago. Ive found it hard as well and have definately had a few "What have I done moments" but since I have already lost nearly 10 kilos (sorry in Aus dont know pounds) I keep myself positive looking at that and thinking about the future. As far as foods and drinking, I have found drinking Water really hard I can relate totally to the air bubble feeling. I used to drink about 2 to 3 litres of water a day so Ive found it hard and I feel thirsty alot.

The first week I made a huge pot of Soup with loads of veges and chicken with chicken stock and I blended it up to a puree soup it was delicious and at least I knew I was getting some goodness into my body. I also discovered Icy poles, I dont know what you call them in the states but basicaly like frozen flavoured ice on a stick!! My dietician said at this stage its fine to have them at least its getting liquid in and they are just like frozen fruit juice.< /p>

This week my dietician told me to try some mash potatoes and fish etc. I tried some chicken, was terrible, it got stuck and just sat there for ages, I even tried to throw it up it was so uncomfortable but it wouldnt come up. Eventually it digested but I wont be doing that again in a hurry. The mashed potato was fine, I boiled brocolli and carrot and mashed it all together with a little butter and milk and went down well, slow and small amount but it was fine. Last night I tried a poached egg and some soft steamed fish, I mashed it together and that went down slow but well too.

I have had severe diahorria, the dietician suggested it was most probably lactose intolerance so I have bought lactose free milk and yoghurt and so far it seems to be doing the trick.

I am also really tired and lethargic, i take a liquid Multivitamin but I think its just the lack of fuel for your body, I guess in time it will even itself out.

The size of the sleeve they do here in Australia is really small as they say the success rate has been better in the long term after it stretches etc so I think the sleeve is only able to hold like 100grams!!!

Until I am able to have the 3 small meals a day I am trying to get mouthfuls into me as often as possible.

Anyway good luck to you all

[CoffeeAndMagazines 2]

Thank you guys for your info and comments!! I really appreciate it!!

I have to admit, my worst fear is that air in my stomach will cause my staple line to pull and leak. :-( I don't think I'll have a day of peace of mind until a couple months out, when it's all healed up...

[CoffeeAndMagazines 2]

BTW did anyone else get post-op dermatitis? I have red welts where the surgical tape was on my torso, and speckled red all over the front of my torso. I sent photos to the surgeon's office and they said it was dermatitis (I, of course, being a panicking sort worried it was MRSA or a fungal infection).

[jenni_867 14]

I'm a month out today, and I feel 110% better than I did when I first got out of surgery. I also thought WTH did I do to myself. But, tonight I had some Pasta and chicken for supper, crackers and soft cheese for lunch, and yogurt for Breakfast. I've been trying to be faithful with my protien drinks, but I do struggle with them. I'm very very sick of them. My turn around was when I got off the liquids and moved on to the pureed/mashed foods. I had a hard time to feeling like I had alot of air and gas stuck in my tummy. Try sucking on popsicles rather than trying to swallow juice or Water. I also bought an ice cream maker and made Protein ice cream. Very easy to do, and its kind of fun to make My energy totally picked up once I was off the liquid diet and starting to get some nourishment in with real food. It's a learning process trying to figure out how much to drink, how much to chew, what to eat, what you can't eat, etc. But the reward is soooooo worth it! Only a month out and I haven't felt and looked so good in years! I love my sleeve, and you will too, it just takes a couple of weeks to get used to it. :biggrin5:

[Lissa 2,631]

coffee, did they use regular tape on you or bandaids? If so, and the red marks are in those places, congrats, you have a latex allergy! My surgeon put a big bandaid over my drain opening when he pulled the drain out. The drain hole has healed pretty well at 3 months out, but I can still see the red mark from the bandaid around it!

I was dx with the latex allergy after having a pre-cancerous melanoma removed from my back as an outpatient. The nurse taped a huge bandage onto my back and by morning I was screaming in pain. I went back into the docs office and when they pulled the tape off, everywhere they had put the tape, I had huge welts. Some of them were even weeping Fluid. Not a pleasant way to learn.

I knew about my latex allergy before surgery and that's why I got to be the first operation of the day. That way they didn't have to clean the OR specifically for latex between operations. Maybe the nurses will weigh in here, but I guess that's a long, tedious process.

I use a little hydrocortisone if the spots get itchy or weepy, otherwise, just wash them well when you bathe and it should heal up with time. It should also be noted on your medical chart for the doctor and hospital.

"dermatitis" is one of those dx that docs use when they aren't sure what's actually bothering you. "Contact Dermatitis" means that your skin reacts to a certain substance.

Good luck!

[jenni_867 14]

BTW, I also had a bad gurgling tummy and heartburn really bad too. My turnaround was around mid month when I started taking zantac for the acid. The acid was causing me to feel like I had a burning bubble stuck in my chest. I had been popping tums like crazy, and then I read that if you overdo the tums, you can actually cause kidney stones...so anyway....if you feel like you have acid reflux or heartburn try a PPI or OTC acid reducer. That may help with some tummy issues......

[apilil 0]

Yeah I still have redmarks and itching at my site marks but have been putting paw paw ointment on it and it seems to be clearing and not soo itchy. I was worried about leakage too. My surgeon said by two weeks its healed and wont leak so I was relieved when I hit the 2 weeks.

[CoffeeAndMagazines 2]

SO MUCH good info here that makes me feel better -- I feel like I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. It's been hard the last few days, feeling hungry and watching my family eat real food. I didn't think I'd *be* hungry, because of the surgery factoids about removing the part of the stomach that produces ghrelin. Well, I'm definitely hungry. I can't wait to eat real food again and get my energy back.

Thank you so much, you guys!!!

[sleeve 4 me 910]

I felt much better on day 14. By the 3rd month even more better. It does get better with each new day