I Wish Someone Had Told Me....

[Patienlywtng on my Curves 73]

I went to the doc today and I have an update as to why the ng tube is being used. I was told that it decompresses the stomach to help extract the gas and acids and minimizes vomiting. I must admit I did not have vomiting except when I woke up and found the tube gagging me because I was trying to throw it up out of me lol.

So with the NG tube did you have any gas pains? Because that could be the trade off...maybe???

[reallyrosy 161]

No one has mentioned that the chewable vitamins take a toll on your teeth. My dentist had a complete hissy fit when i saw him at 6 months post op- he said calcium chews (I take 3 a day) are terrible for your teeth and the Flinstones I take 2 times a day are also terrible for my teeth. I would rather have dentures at 60 than die at 45 of obesity. But wish I had known.

Also, I wish I had know there was a possibility that I would be left with a tiny waist, tiny hips, tiny legs and teny tiny BOOBIES!- never heard anyone complain before hand...again a trade off I would have taken gladly but would have been nice to anticipate and not been shocked that apparently all the fatty tissue that make up these things would disappear. Am I the only one?

Waitaminit...I didn't know @ the gummies and tooth decay. My teeth have been hurting so thanks foe letting me know!

As to boob wise...I'm losing weight all over except there. Went into this 4x all over and 44D and am now 2x and 44D. What gives?

[Melly 0]

lol, that's exactly what I told my boss :blush2:

I'd also like to add that the complications posts are freaking me out too. Thank you for sharing but, it's scaring the ^%$(*&^ out of me. If I have to miss work more than I'm scheduled to, it'd be extremely awkard. I told my boss I was having my gallbladder taken out. Not to mention they'd have to hire a temp to do my work. They would not be happy about that.

[Anakin Jay 39]

I wish someone had told me that if you wake up in the middle of the night with a racing heart, shortness of breath, and chest pain... that it MIGHT just be a piece of stuck food, and chugging a 32oz Powerade might instantly make you feel better.

lol... I literally spent two hours in pain, freaking out, deciding if I should call my parents at 4am to come take me to the hospital... THEN I realized maybe something is just stuck, and guzzled some liquid... I was instantly better.

[Bedhead 158]

I had read it a few times but I never really took it to heart that I would not be able to drink plain Water. I've always been the girl to easily chug over 100oz of water in just a few hours. I never drink sports drinks or juices. So after surgery when I couldn't get ANY water in I felt like my life was over. But then they brought me warm chicken broth and I felt like a whole new woman!

I don't struggle with my Protein Shakes at all- but holy crap I have a really hard time getting other fluids in because I can't tolerate them too cold without getting a stomach spasm and I can't tolerate plain water.

Still wouldn't change it for the world!

[Flagstaffian 31]

I wish someone had told me I was going to wake up with a tube down my throat. I was totally not prepared for that one and as a matter of fact my 1st words when I woke up was why are yall trying to choke and kill me? They started laughing but I did not see anything funny. They finally explained this is what they do for the sleeve. Up until this point I had done an extensive research on the lapband and had decided on the sleeve at the last minute. So if someone would have mentioned that then I would have been mentally prepared.

Oh my, I am freaked out by that! Does everybody have to have a tube? Was it for breathing? Are you glad you picked VSG over lap band?

[Flagstaffian 31]

No I did not have any apnea or other complications. The way they explained it to me is the tube was there to make sure I did not have any internal bleeding. It was a ng tube. I had some bag on the side and they said when the Water in that bag starts running clear then it was safe to take the tube out. So let me make this clear to everyone, if you are going to be sleeved in St. Petersburg FL by Dr Ernest Rehnke, You will without a doubt have a tube through you nose and down your throat lol. I cried and cried and they would not take it out until they knew I was no longer bleeding inside. They said this was standard for every sleeve and gbp patient. Only if I knew before hand I would have got out of dodge. I can laugh about it now. I took pictures as well. I will post them to my profile when I get a little further out. If anyone wants to see it message me and I will send it to you. My little girl was crying because she said I looked miserable and helpless.

OK, so I guess you totally already answered that...Sorry ...and I guess lots of us have very similar questions. thank Gd for all of yuo and this forum!

[Flagstaffian 31]

DITTO, DITTO, DITTO ... up until the point of surgery, I kept reading that the pain was minimal ... people were up and about in a day or two. (<-- Maybe I was only reading what I wanted to hear!) ...

BUT, the pain was VERY bad when I woke up. Felt like a train had hit me for several days. Around Day 4 I started feeling human again and each day from there got better and better. BUT OUCH! those first days.

The emotional roller coaster is also another one. I felt all alone & like I was the only one having issues. But, this board helped a lot.

That it hurt! I had a burning pain when I came to and was screaming...but was fine when the morphine kicked in. Also that I wouldn't be able to drink hardly anything, then I wouldn't have been so hard on myself...Also I wasn't prepared for emotional roller coaster...I was fine by 6 months out, and I'm doing really good at almost 18 months out now.

I'd also like to add that the complications posts are freaking me out too. Thank you for sharing but, it's scaring the ^%$(*&^ out of me. If I have to miss work more than I'm scheduled to, it'd be extremely awkard. I told my boss I was having my gallbladder taken out. Not to mention they'd have to hire a temp to do my work. They would not be happy about that.

Y'all are freaking me OUT! I mean, I know we are grown-ups and have to consider the risk of pain and complications, I mean, it's MAJOR FREAKING SURGERY, but I am a sad little baby kitten when it somes to pain. As in, I am terrified of pain and blood. I brought this up to my surgeon, and I wondered out loud if that should disqualify me from surgery, but he assured me that it does not disqualify me.

But I'm scared!

I'm so scared.

Of pain, not of being thinner and healthy :ack2:

[Flagstaffian 31]

i wish someone would have told me HOW MUCH PAIN is really involved... on this board i just kept reading ppl saying they felt minimal pain, so i wasnt prepared for the amount of pain i was actually in after surgery... im 5 days post op and still in pain, but i refuse to take my pain meds because they make me loopy and soo sleepy.. the pain is more manageable now... but there is definitly still pain. I hope im well enough to go back to work (im a waitress) by Feb 19th.

OK, my #1 fear about having getting sleeved is pain. I have never had surgery, never had kids, never even gotten stitches!! I've never broken a bone! I find menstrual cramps debilitating!! I have a really tough job where I sometimes have to work with terminally ill people, and I lost my mom when I was a teenager, and I am a TIGER when it comes to dealing with emotional pain, but I am so scared about the hurting. And I know myself, I am going to be ALL OVER those pain meds- luckily, I can take two-four weeks off from work so my main priorities will be getting Water, Protein, and walks in. ANd I can do all of those things doped up on Vicodin!

But my question for you is, have you had any other procedures? What was the pain like, specifially? Was it gas or incision? Can you feel your stomach inside your body hurting? TMI?

[Flagstaffian 31]

i wish someone would have told me HOW MUCH PAIN is really involved... on this board i just kept reading ppl saying they felt minimal pain, so i wasnt prepared for the amount of pain i was actually in after surgery... im 5 days post op and still in pain, but i refuse to take my pain meds because they make me loopy and soo sleepy.. the pain is more manageable now... but there is definitly still pain. I hope im well enough to go back to work (im a waitress) by Feb 19th.

Also, are you going to be able to serve? When are planning on going back to work?

[Tana_Q 20]

I am also worried about the pain as I cannot take any narcs. I have had a C section in which the recovery was very painful but at least I got my baby out of it! Just hoping I can white knuckle it or that they have the ON q ball available!

[ShouldBlittler 89]

Can someone compare the pain to the pain of a c section? Thanks.

[100%Sleeved 148]

Can someone compare the pain to the pain of a c section? Thanks.

IMHO there is no comparison. I had 3 c-sections and they were all open incisions. This surgery was done laprascopy and to me the incisions felt like ant bites. My pain was minimum but there are others who have had more pain. Everyone is different. As I stated earlier, the most pain I had was a sore throat from the ng tube.

[Bedhead 158]

I have one incision that is extremely painful but it's still got nothing on a csection- not even in the same ballpark!

Also- EVERYONE gets a tube in their throat for any surgery that you are put to sleep in. So if you have had a sleeve, band, gallbladder removal, appendectomy, hysterectomy, whatever- you got a tube in your throat. However- most doctors remove them before the patient is fully conscious.

[thebionicbroad 127]

Bionic Broad, I feel almost completely opposite of that, and I've been heavy since I was 23 (to 45 now). I feel like I'm finally appearing.

Most people maintain their weight to psychologically "hide" from something. Weight loss means having to face what we were originally trying to flee. Once we face our demons, we can adjust to the rapid weight loss. But people who love themselves and have no demons don't usually become morbidly obese. Whatever is said, it's still quite a mental adjustment to make.