My Post-Op journey so far. Sleeved on 4/2/13

[kari61 128]

Hi Everyone, I’m finally on here again to tell my Post-Op story. My surgery was on Tuesday April 2^nd and I came home on Thursday. I waited until now to write because I needed to be in the right frame of mind before I write this or I was worried that I would scare everyone away. I would love to sugar coat everything and tell you that my journey so far has been wonderful, but I’ve decided to just be honest because after all it IS my journey. First of all I woke up from surgery! So yay that was wonderful, but then I am told that they are taking me to ICU because my oxygen level was very low and they were worried about that with my sleep apnea, ok, no biggie. Now when I finally get to my room, wham the pain hits me. Honestly I am not a big cry baby when it comes to pain but I have to tell you, I was not expecting the amount of pain I had. When I read other peoples stories on here that say they had NO pain, I just find that so hard to believe how you could have 5 incisions and your stomach pulled out through your skin and not have ANY pain, KUDOS to all of you that didn’t, but I certainly did. Ok so I dealt with the pain, I’ve had trouble breathing since my surgery ( I will address this tomorrow with my surgeon), and now I finally get to come home, pain and all…I, like most of you have been wanting this surgery for over a year, I fought with my insurance for over a year to get approved, I have been on these forums 24/7 reading as much information as I possibly can to be prepared, well let me remind you, that like anything else in life, until you experience it for yourself, you can not possibly know how something is going to be until you go through it yourself. Now please know that I am not saying this to scare anyone, I am not unhappy with my decision to have the surgery and today I finally have a better out look on everything, but you can not imagine how you are going to feel until after you have had the surgery yourself no matter how much you read or think you know. What I mean by this is that everyone’s relationships with food are alittle different and everyone is going to react differently when they actually can NOT have food. For months now I have been telling myself that I am over food and I can’t wait to get this done and start my journey, it took me by such surprise that when I got home, I was feeling so down, I couldn’t understand why until my husband starting eating a pizza and the smell of it just made me want to cry, and everyday since, watching my family eat, is pure torture for me. You kinda forget that their life goes on and they are going to eat and they are going to eat in front of you, you can’t avoid that forever. I know that this too shall pass and I know that I will get through this, but I’m just letting you know to be prepared that it’s not easy, afterall, didn’t we always fail before on diets because our willpower wasn’t great enough to keep us going? Well now no matter how much you may want to “cheat” you CANT or you will hurt yourself, yes I guess that is a good thing, but is not easy. Plus I had to give up smoking in January to have this surgery which would be my other “go to “ crutch that I now don’t have either.---

So back to when I get home, as I said, I was so prepared, had everything I needed and I swear when I got home I felt like I had no idea what to do, I thought they must have taken my brains out with my stomach cause I could not remember anything! I got so confused on –what’s a meal, whats a liquid- how much of each, when, etc..Well my brains finally came back and I’m figuring it out, but it’s not easy. It has become my full time job all week just trying to get it all straight and get it all in. I realize it’s not forever and that’s the only thing that gets me through the day. Trying to keep track of every 3 hours a meal, but half hour before don’t drink, then a half hour after don’t drink but then after that you better take in liquids every 2 minutes and then figure out your Protein intake, has become my job now. I thought I would try to go back to work next week, LOL yeah right..I need to have all this figured out first. I have never used my timer so much in my life! I really don’t mean to be a downer here, as I said, this is why I waited all week to write because if I had of written right away it would not have been good. This is only MY journey and how I have felt so far, I do not regret having the surgery because what is getting me through these tough days is the outcome and knowing (hoping) that it will be worth it, but I guess when your feeling this way and your still Fat, doesn’t help, LOL…For everyone who is upcoming in their surgery, I wish you the best and I’m sure you will be fine and not have my experience, and to everyone who’s had their surgery and had NO pain and everything has gone smooth sailing and so easy for you, KUDOS to you, but I did want to be honest so that if anyone experiences what I am experiencing I want them to feel they can come to me at any time to talk, because I will probably know how you feel and hopefully already be past that and able to get you past it as well. So please message me if you need any support at all. Sorry this was so long, I tried to make it as short as possible and I just want to end with this, if anyone has a dark day, my best advice to you is, to remember why you did this in the first place and that everyday it WILL get better, I promise..That is the only thing that got me through so far, Oh and by the way, I have lost 9 pounds since the day before surgery, so yay me!..Thanks for reading…Kari

[mirrim58 33]

Thanks for your honesty. Real is always better and I imagine there's a wide variety of experience. It makes me realize that more than figuring out menus, I need to make sure I have things in mind to take the place of the food. The calming, the celebrating effect, the energy boost and general pick me up. There are a lot of things I use food for without thinking. My surgery's May 21st, but I'll start on liquids on the 7th. So I'm trying to switch my current diet to mirror as closely the way I'll need to eat after the sleeve as possible. Not the amount of food, but the types. Thanks for your excellent post. Where did you get the weight ticker?

Mirrim58

[Molly3 495]

Kari- Thanks for sharing!

[Houston17 115]

Thank you for your honest feedback. We need to all know what can happen. My surgery is Wednesday. I remember my gall bladder surgery was very painful for me so I'm preparing myself! This will all be worth the healthy life that we are getting in return! Hang in there! Take care!

[kari61 128]

Hi Mirrim, I'm glad my post helped you to rethink the tools you are going to need post op, you definitely have the right idea. Question, do you have to start your liquid diet that soon or is it your choice? I only had to do one day of liquid pre-op diet and my personal advice to you, is only do what your surgeon says you have to. 4 weeks on liquids post op is a long time so enjoy food while you can and longer will be an eternity for you! LOL..Do you have to do liquids for 4 weeks after as well? I am counting the days for my pureed stage so don't be in too much of a hurry to start early, trust me..As for my weight tickler, you need to click on your personal settings and you will find it there..Keep me posted and good luck to you!

[mirrim58 33]

My surgeon said I should have 2 weeks of liquids preop (includes Protein shakes). Something about shrinking the liver. Then post op it's liquids for about 2 weeks., then pureed for 2 weeks, then well-chewed regular food.

Checked out the tickers - what handy gadgets! I think I set up one, we'll see if it appears :-)

[elpaso73 66]

Hi Everyone' date=' I’m finally on here again to tell my Post-Op story. My surgery was on Tuesday April 2[sup']nd[/sup] and I came home on Thursday. I waited until now to write because I needed to be in the right frame of mind before I write this or I was worried that I would scare everyone away. I would love to sugar coat everything and tell you that my journey so far has been wonderful, but I’ve decided to just be honest because after all it IS my journey. First of all I woke up from surgery! So yay that was wonderful, but then I am told that they are taking me to ICU because my oxygen level was very low and they were worried about that with my sleep apnea, ok, no biggie. Now when I finally get to my room, wham the pain hits me. Honestly I am not a big cry baby when it comes to pain but I have to tell you, I was not expecting the amount of pain I had. When I read other peoples stories on here that say they had NO pain, I just find that so hard to believe how you could have 5 incisions and your stomach pulled out through your skin and not have ANY pain, KUDOS to all of you that didn’t, but I certainly did. Ok so I dealt with the pain, I’ve had trouble breathing since my surgery ( I will address this tomorrow with my surgeon), and now I finally get to come home, pain and all…I, like most of you have been wanting this surgery for over a year, I fought with my insurance for over a year to get approved, I have been on these forums 24/7 reading as much information as I possibly can to be prepared, well let me remind you, that like anything else in life, until you experience it for yourself, you can not possibly know how something is going to be until you go through it yourself. Now please know that I am not saying this to scare anyone, I am not unhappy with my decision to have the surgery and today I finally have a better out look on everything, but you can not imagine how you are going to feel until after you have had the surgery yourself no matter how much you read or think you know. What I mean by this is that everyone’s relationships with food are alittle different and everyone is going to react differently when they actually can NOT have food. For months now I have been telling myself that I am over food and I can’t wait to get this done and start my journey, it took me by such surprise that when I got home, I was feeling so down, I couldn’t understand why until my husband starting eating a pizza and the smell of it just made me want to cry, and everyday since, watching my family eat, is pure torture for me. You kinda forget that their life goes on and they are going to eat and they are going to eat in front of you, you can’t avoid that forever. I know that this too shall pass and I know that I will get through this, but I’m just letting you know to be prepared that it’s not easy, afterall, didn’t we always fail before on diets because our willpower wasn’t great enough to keep us going? Well now no matter how much you may want to “cheat” you CANT or you will hurt yourself, yes I guess that is a good thing, but is not easy. Plus I had to give up smoking in January to have this surgery which would be my other “go to “ crutch that I now don’t have either.---

So back to when I get home, as I said, I was so prepared, had everything I needed and I swear when I got home I felt like I had no idea what to do, I thought they must have taken my brains out with my stomach cause I could not remember anything! I got so confused on –what’s a meal, whats a liquid- how much of each, when, etc..Well my brains finally came back and I’m figuring it out, but it’s not easy. It has become my full time job all week just trying to get it all straight and get it all in. I realize it’s not forever and that’s the only thing that gets me through the day. Trying to keep track of every 3 hours a meal, but half hour before don’t drink, then a half hour after don’t drink but then after that you better take in liquids every 2 minutes and then figure out your Protein intake, has become my job now. I thought I would try to go back to work next week, LOL yeah right..I need to have all this figured out first. I have never used my timer so much in my life! I really don’t mean to be a downer here, as I said, this is why I waited all week to write because if I had of written right away it would not have been good. This is only MY journey and how I have felt so far, I do not regret having the surgery because what is getting me through these tough days is the outcome and knowing (hoping) that it will be worth it, but I guess when your feeling this way and your still Fat, doesn’t help, LOL…For everyone who is upcoming in their surgery, I wish you the best and I’m sure you will be fine and not have my experience, and to everyone who’s had their surgery and had NO pain and everything has gone smooth sailing and so easy for you, KUDOS to you, but I did want to be honest so that if anyone experiences what I am experiencing I want them to feel they can come to me at any time to talk, because I will probably know how you feel and hopefully already be past that and able to get you past it as well. So please message me if you need any support at all. Sorry this was so long, I tried to make it as short as possible and I just want to end with this, if anyone has a dark day, my best advice to you is, to remember why you did this in the first place and that everyday it WILL get better, I promise..That is the only thing that got me through so far, Oh and by the way, I have lost 9 pounds since the day before surgery, so yay me!..Thanks for reading…Kari

Wow...this is by far one of the best feedbacks I have read...it's like a clear sum up of my own experience. I was Lol when u descriped how u try yo keep track of meals every 3 hours. Hahaha that's so me! I was sleeved on the 3rd and the pain was intolerable for a few nights. And I found myself wondering how can someone be pain free after such a surgery???? And I was so scared my sleeve was a fail...now I'm ok. What u said is so true: to each an experience. I hope u're doing better everyday. Oh and keep in mind that u will be able to taste anything later.

Sent from my Galaxy Note II using VST

[kari61 128]

Yes Elpaso it's been way more of a challenge then I thought keeping up with the diet. My timer has become my new best friend, lol. First, remember to set my timer 30 min before my next "meal" so that I don't forget not to drink anything, then set my timer to make sure I don't eat past 20 min , then set it again for 30 min not to drink again, then 30 min before my next meal etc etc etc! Phew, exhausting. In the meantime make sure you take a "sip" of liquid every 2 minutes! It's my new full time job! Lol. How am I suppose to go back to my full time job doing all of this while I'm busy at work? Just being sarcastic here, I know this too shall pass and as I said is the only thing keeping me going! But it's true right?

[kari61 128]

Oh and yes, I am doing better everyday. Today has been my best day so far. Went outside for a walk and the fresh air did me some good. I just wonder why I really feel hunger, do you?

[elpaso73 66]

Oh and yes' date=' I am doing better everyday. Today has been my best day so far. Went outside for a walk and the fresh air did me some good. I just wonder why I really feel hunger, do you?[/quote']

Very very ashamed to tell u yes. I AM hungry. All the time:(. It's a mastermind challenge. I learnt via this forum that it's called head hunger lol...maybe. And the most important thing I learnt in a few days is that I should read with caution. My doctor is my number 1 referral. Kisses. Pascale

Sent from my Galaxy Note II using VST

[kari61 128]

Pascale you should not be ashamed! We are all gonna have our ups and downs. I am learning to fight my "hunger" to, after all we used food for comfort for so many years now we have to relearn something new. You will do great! Hugs.

[nerlyc 15]

Kari your post literally spoke to me!! I too woke up with excruciating pain, and even know I still feel pain being 15 days post op. I had gotten my gallbladder removed a few yrs back and that was a breeze for me. I figured this would be the same. Boy was I wrong!! I had been trying to get sleeved since July 2012, I researched, went to support groups and lived on this forum but like you said only until you experience it do you know what it is. I really don't think I was ready, this by far has been the greatest challenge of my life. And although I am happy for the future right now I have my days where I don't know how I'm going to get thru it. I too had a breakdown a few days after surgery my mind really gets the best of me. Anyhow THANK YOU for your post, it's refreshing to know I am not alone.

[kari61 128]

Hi Nerlyc,

Sorry it took me so long to respond, I haven't been on my computer all week..I am sorry that you are still in pain 2 weeks out, is it getting better? When I wrote this post I was about a week post op, tomorrow I will be 4 weeks post op and I can honestly say that I am SO much better now..The food and Fluid thing is still challenging but is getting better, honestly, some days I even forget that I had surgery.Have you gone for your post op appt yet? How did that go? Good luck to you on your journey and I promise, it does get better..I'm here if you need me..

[Tv22120 19]

I also relate to your experience. I woke up from anasthesia hungry and grumpy then the pain kicked in I have a high tolerance of pain so I was ok until I came home. My incisions itch and are swallow. I hate going to bed because I can't get comfortable and it's painful to get up. My stomach growls every second. I'm also barely able to drink a whole 16 oz water bottle all day.

[kari61 128]

Tv how far out are you from surgery?