FEBRUARY SLEEVERS 2013....how you doing after you've been Sleeved

[SMO 193]

I was also sleeved 2/4. I lost 18 pounds the first 15 days and nothing since. I was advanced to softs at 2 weeks. I can drink 8oz of liquid in no time but food is only about 2 oz at a time. I am eating a little something every few hours. It is the only way I am able to get my Protein in. I have an oz of cheese or a boiled egg or a couple of talespoons cottage cheese. I usually have a Protein shake for Breakfast and then I supplement with Protein at dinner if I don't have enough. I see the surgeon for my first post op appointment Friday.

I was sleeved the same day, and I've moved on to mushy foods. The plan prefers eating protein to drinking it. Right now I get about 2oz in at each meal. Scrambled eggs, meat ground up (chicken) with gravy or meatballs. I drink a protein supplement 45 minutes later or I have a SF Jello made with unflavored Protein powder. So far seems to be working pretty well.

[PhilyNurse 119]

My first follow up is tomorrow. I hope I'm eating a scrambled egg for dinner tomorrow night! How was it and how much of it did you eat?

I ate one egg with one tsp of feta cheese. Took me about twenty mins. I felt full but not uncomfortable. As my Nut suggests, I ate with a baby spoon and that really helped to pace me. Hope you get an egg tomorrow!

[Jwestate 6]

ME TOO!!! I actually get worried cuz I can't even tell I had surgery. Once or twice I had a weird pain but that's it. I feel bad saying it cuz the people next to me at the surgery center cried out all night. I have not gone off my scheduled diet but I don't feel hungry and I don't feel full, it's just so new! I feel so lucky that I haven't had pain or complications as of yet. Hope it continue this way!

ME TOO. I mention that to the Dr also, she said if you liked to drink Water before it is probably why I don't have a problem with it now. She said many people only no how to drink with their meals, but if you are a good drinker before that will help you after surgery. About the no pain not sure the question was answered. I jokingly asked did they cut enough. My opinion for me is my unjury Protein, no gas, I add as much Fluid as I want; which right now only about 1/2 cup. So I get in all the Protein and don't get full or hungry.

I am probably experiencing gas for the first time, because I had food. I might not be in such a hurry to eat food again.

[Tstorm1070 192]

I went back to work six days after surgery. I try to walk everyday but it's tough with no energy! I'm finally starting to feel like myself again. I have my first follow up appointment tomorrow. Hoping to move to food! Then I will feel so much better! I'm down 25# so I really can't complain.

Well the foods will help that is for sure! I feel like the old me again with lots of energy (: I cant believe how good I feel. Tomorrow will be 14 days out. I go back to work soon. I rather just stay home and get paid (: lol but I'm sure we all would.

The real test for me will be when I go back I work to nights 6pm-6am 5 days one week and 2 the next and 5 again etc.

[scrappooba 25]

Thanks for starting this DivaNurse;)

So happy to hear you all are doing well' date=' helps keep me motivated because as my date gets closer I find my anxiety has increased.[/quote']

I am getting nervous too! Start my pre-op diet tomorrow. Getting sleeved 3/12. Waiting for the next chapter of my life to begin!

[DivaNurse 171]

Divanurse' date=' God is good! So glad that you came out of this with a new lease on life. You are inspirational![/quote']

Thank you so much Philynurse. The only thing I can say is to God be all the glory. Thank everyone so much for your prayers I am getting stronger everyday.

[Gina6682 8]

How swollen are your bellies? My family says mines much smaller but I feel more of a pooch than before surgery... Still and I'm 7 days out... Is it just me?

My tummy definitively feels bigger since my surgery on the 18th. It's gone down some but it's certainly bigger than it was pre-op! I'm also convinced that I have stretch marks on my stomach from after surgery that were NOT there before! Is this because they put so much air in to do the laparoscopic procedure? Does anyone else have this?

[Gina6682 8]

Question-has anyone not been given the 2 week pre op diet and only given 4 to 7 days that is a lower BMI? My surgery is Tuesday afternoon and I start on all liquids tomorrow. The nurse told me since I am at a lower weight that I didn't need to do the entire 2 weeks because it had to do with the size of my liver. I tried to start yesterday and I have no control. Has anyone HONESTLY not followed the pre-op diet?

My pre-surgery weight was 217, so I guess I fall into the lower weight/BMI category and I was only on a pre-op diet for 7 days and it wasn't liquid. My surgeon puts all his patients on South Beach Phase 1 (lean Protein and veggies) as their pre-op diet. People familiar with all of this questioned it, but I was sleeved on the 18th and did great in surgery! In fact, my surgeon commented my liver was small! And I'll be honest, I cheated even on the South Beach pre-op a few times. You should be fine!!

[JackieV 246]

Just wanted to give all the post op sleever their reminder: make sure you're taking a stool softener or Miralax. It's no joke and will sneak up on you. I've had 2 battles post op and I won't wish them on my worst enemy. Stay on top of it.

[DivaNurse 171]

Just wanted to give all the post op sleever their reminder: make sure you're taking a stool softener or miralax. It's no joke and will sneak up on you. I've had 2 battles post op and I won't wish them on my worst enemy. Stay on top of it.

The key 4my is not stool softner but Water hydration. Keep your Fluid intake adequate keeps your bowels moving along with walking .my motto is a body in motion stays in motion. You become dependant on stool softener for a bm and that can cause more problems down the road. Just a little nnurse perspective

[erp 2,016]

Just wanted to give all the post op sleever their reminder: make sure you're taking a stool softener or miralax. It's no joke and will sneak up on you. I've had 2 battles post op and I won't wish them on my worst enemy. Stay on top of it.

Word! I have already had my first episode on Monday. Oh my! Started Dulcolax today.

[tiffy0485 123]

Were do i start. Am I going to start. As many of you know I was sleeved on the 19th of Feb' date=' the surgery went quite well, my Dr said my liver was lovely. The problems for me started after the surgery and boy did they start. They went to remove the intubation tube and then it started, vocal chords started to spasm, Fluid started to fill my lungs, throat begin to swell, the it shut down, clamped closed. I WASN'T BREATHING!!!!!!they were able to reintubate me breathing begin again. I guessed they tried again to remove the tube later and again I WASN'T BREATHING!!!!!!!!! (long pause, this is very emotional for me) after 2 attempts ti reintubate me to help to breathe I was placed on a vetilator, I COULD NO LONGER BREATHE ON MY OWN!!!!!! For 3 days I was on the lifesaving machine and in the ICU for 3 days. on that morning I was able to be moved to med/surg and on the floor for 5 more days. My blood sugar stayed in the medium 60's nothing they did would keep it elevated for more than 10 minutes at a time, we had to do something. In addition my blood pressure stayed dangerously low, heart rate seemed to race just because it was 2 o clock. My throat was very very sure and felt as if something was stuck there. Which was very very possible due to all the trauma it endure ...BUT I WAS ALIVE, I WAS ALIVE!!!!!!!!! It seemed has though one problem gets fixed another erupted. Drinking anything even sucking on ice chips was a major task not because of the sleeve but because of my throat, yes you guessed it I WAS DEHYDRATED, SEVERELY DEHYDRATED!!!!!!!! so what do you do increase IV fluids, that seemed to pose another problem within itself.....THE FLUID WAS NOT LEAVING!!!!!!!!!They really wanted me to take in fluid on my own, not possible I told them, I felt like something was stuck in my throat, I was feeling full up to my nose ok, FULL UP TO MY NOSE!!!!!! All I did was watch trays come and go come and go. My urine output was disgustingly low, no where near what it should have been for all the fluids I was taking in. I forgot to mention I hadn't had a bowel movement since the day before surgery. So nothing is MOVING NOT GOING ANYWHERE. but guess what I WAS BREATHING AND I WAS ALIVE BREATHING WITHOUT ANYHELP!!!!!!!! Despite those problems I m still thankful to be alive. I could barely walk for various reason , being lightheaded and dizzy due to low sugar and blood pressure, pain my entire abdominal region, my vision was effected also it sucked it sucked to be me........BUT MY GOD I WAS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!! so what did I do I got up and walked when physical therapy came in. Could I walk on my own BUT OF COURSE NOT!!!!!!!!SHE CAME IN WITH A WALKER......OMG A WALKER.... But I kept pushing.......I WAS GOING TO SURVIVE AND SURVIVE VICTORIOUSLY. There was no way I was walking out of that hospital with a walker, a cane, or oxygen....I neglected to tell you my oxygen level keep dropping down in the eighties.........BUT PEOPLE PLEASE LISTEN TO ME I AM ALIVE TO TELL HOW I BECAME A MIRACLE!!!!! This got really long and I am sorry. SOLUTIONS: how do we control the sugar fluids with D5 to keep sugars stabilized ...yes working, Blood pressure....still stumped on this one, increase the fluids, ahhh but a problem it is not leaving.....it's not were it is supposed to be either because my blood pressure is still low. feeling full to my nose, ahh lets try a suppository, embarrassed because someone now has to place something in my bottom, nope and why you ask, I AM ALIVE AND I BREATHE ON MY OWN... but guess what it didnt work, so what do we do , lets try 2 suppositories then, okay guess what nothing i mean nothing, but I am walking a little further now, refused to use the walker, just me a nurse and the trusty IV pole. I notice something strange though as i increase my walking distance, nurses, hospital staff members whom all see to know me were happy to see me up and walking, and so happy for me and how they prayed for me. I was none as the nurse in the ICU that works in corrections...During my 5 days on the medsurg floor those miss days from my life slowly begin to get filled in. One nurse Natalie even told me she was complaining to me one day she knew i would understand because i was a nurse, i asked her what I said she said i shook my head in agreement and went back out....But to finish up before I put you all to sleep, things got better slowly, I had a moment one evening wasn't pleasant, there was lots of tears lots of crying from me my nursing caregivers...my emotional stability was on the verge of eternal decline. I was nausea extremely nauseated, once i started vomiting which amounted to almost nothing except fluids were coming from everywhere, the pain during this episode was incredible, i was embarrassed wishing i had never done the surgery, hating myself for putting myself through this torture But all that was endure during was my turn around, my breaking point so to speak, after 2 days and night sleeping in a chair because laying was to painful and uncomfortable, that wonderful nursing staff at St Joseph East Hospital cleaned me up, restarted my iv which gave up after 4 days of fluids meds and blood draws had to be redone, dressed me in a clean gown dabbed my head with cool towels, held my hands, hug me cried put me to bed and assured me all is going to be okay as i cried and sniffled they covered me up with a sheet and my afghan brought from home, told me they love me and try and get some rest.....(crying now),things begin to get better.........and eventually i came home this week and have been reflecting over the past fews days and the changes that are going to take place in my life. Surprising to some reflecting doesn't really include loosing weight, it's going to happen that's why I had the surgery, but because I had a life altering experience living as i did prior to 2/19 can not be the same and will not be, am i going to crazy and start wilding out HECK NO, to old for that.......but life now has become even more precious to me than before and I am going to treat it as such...........I went in for a sleeve and came out with a new lease on life....................................[/quote']

I am sorry that you went through that Hun but glad things are seeming to get better

Are you talking about St. Joseph East in Lexington, KY?

[JackieV 246]

The key 4my is not stool softner but Water hydration. Keep your Fluid intake adequate keeps your bowels moving along with walking .my motto is a body in motion stays in motion. You become dependant on stool softener for a bm and that can cause more problems down the road. Just a little nnurse perspective

While I normally agree I've learned that's not always the case post op. I've been hitting fluid goals ( clear urine) and walking a lot and still had issues. The stool softener is safe for long term use as it won't make you go but it will draw the water in to make it not as hard. Miralax on the other hand should only be used until things get back on track.

[mj_sylva 12]

I only tried the rtd (ready to drink) ones and I did like them but the draw back for me was they were so EXPENSIVE. They run about 5.00 usc each. I have never tried the powdered version

GNC has them on sale right now. Buy 3 get 1 free. bariatric pantry has them for about 3 ea...

[DivaNurse 171]

I am sorry that you went through that Hun but glad things are seeming to get better

Are you talking about St. Joseph East in Lexington' date=' KY?[/quote']

Yep are u being sleeved there