April 16th role call - who's with me!

[Bluesea71 698]

Tip I have to share - those 3oz paper Dixie cups (typically used in the bathroom) are a God send along with plastic spoons. Otherwise I would have a ton of dishes to wash if I had to dirty up a whole bowl/cup for a tiny portion of cottage cheese or whatever I'm eating. The 3oz size also makes it easy to measure just the right amount!

[mysleeveid13 100]

I'm on Clear liquids for 2 weeks and it's pretty boring. So I asked my dr today if I could try the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chicken Soup since it's clear. They ok'd it so I tried a tiny sip of it today (was ok with it during the clear liquid diet before surgery) but today when I tried it I almost didn't get it down and I've felt nauseous since. I haven't felt nauseous since I was in the hospital. Ugh!!!!

I agree about the 3 oz cups. I just happened to have a bunch that my mother in law gave me when she moved and they've been great!

[mysleeveid13 100]

Oh and about the tummy rumbly noises, my dr said it was normal. And the diarrhea.....sorry for TMI but he said that will be par for the course while I'm on the Clear Liquids. Boo!!! Glad I don't have to go back to work like this because I'm grumbling bubbling away over here. Ugh. It will all be worth it in the end, so I'm not complaining.

[butterfly2014 128]

Omg I dont think I can sip one more drop of protein! It makes my tummy feel so full and yucky and it doesnt matter whether its 1 or 4 oz at a time it just makes me feel sick.

Surg coordinator told me today everyone has a hard time with it at first.

Did you guys have this issue your first week postop?

Please any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Edited April 22, 2014 by butterfly2014

[butterflypinup 136]

I'm only doing Protein at meals. Unflavored Isopure in chicken Soup broth, watered down yogurt, or today's add watered down cream of wheat. I get full fast so I try to mix it in a small amount of those to try to get it all in. I can't do Protein Shakes at this point too sweet. I also wait ten to twenty minutes and get on treadmill to walk for ten otherwise it sits like a lump in there for what feels like hours. Good luck sweets. Now that I'm on protein though I full longer and getting less fluids. Sigh. It's baby steps.

[Melodica 64]

Protein makes my stomach more gurgly but then so does a simple Tomato Soup. It definitely isn't liking food yet. Get pretty gassy when I "eat" anything. So sick of it.

I've actually been feeling pretty crappy the past couple of days. U went into work for 4 hours yesterday and it took everything out of me. All I want to do is sleep!

[mysleeveid13 100]

I'm still on clear liquids only and I'm dragging today. I got the kids to school and I came home and went back to bed for several hours. I tried to add Unjury chicken Soup Protein as that was the only thing outside of the broth, etc I am allowed and I couldn't get past the first sip. Made me sick for the rest of the night. Oh well. I will stick to the clear liquids for now. Anyone else on clear liquids post op?

[Melodica 64]

I am until tomorrow, then can move on to regular liquids (can't wait for soups!)

I keep reading about people who had so much energy and walked a bunch after surgery and all I want to do is lay down. Makes me wonder if they were just lucky or if something is wrong with me.

[Bluesea71 698]

I am until tomorrow, then can move on to regular liquids (can't wait for soups!)

I keep reading about people who had so much energy and walked a bunch after surgery and all I want to do is lay down. Makes me wonder if they were just lucky or if something is wrong with me.

I think we need to remember that we each have our own journey and our own experience in how we will experience this surgery. We (including myself) can get easily frustrated if we compare ourselves to others and wonder if we are doing something wrong. Listen to your body and respond accordingly. If you're tired, lay down. If something doesn't taste good, spit it out. No need to push ourselves to keep up with the sleeve sister joneses! These boards have taught me that there is no "norm" with how we will respond after surgery. We are all here to support one another! Just remember.... Slower weight loss equals a reduction in saggy skin! I'm reminding myself of that if my weight loss isn't "in check." Who am I kidding? I've had two kids. There WILL be sagging skin in the tummy area.... and I'm ok with that. Kinda.

I was cursing every single person on this board post surgery for the first 24 hours. It was brutal (for me) and I didn't understand why people sugar coated it and didn't warn me! I was in a lot of pain. With five prior surgeries under my belt and 2 children ( one I delivered ala natural) I have a very high pain tolerance. I ached and I was nauseous. My period also started the day of surgery. Good times! Good news is I never experienced any kind of gas pain. There are others on this board reporting going home the day of surgery and experiencing minimal pain. Good for them, I was a wreck that first day/night!

Then the next day came and I felt 70% better. By the third day I felt back to normal except for the pain we all seem to feel in our tummies as if we did a million sit ups. Not that I have ever been a gym-rat or ever did even 20 sit-ups.....So I'm assuming that's the feeling. Just saying! . by the 4th day I felt good enough to walk 1.5 miles to the library and back. Too bad it was closed for Easter!

Yesterday (5 days post-op) I have developed a weird pain in my shoulder area. I wonder if its possible to have a delayed gas issue? It's hard for me to distinguish it from the chronic shoulder pain I experience anyway as I tend to hold me stress there. Sadly, I guess I'm just used to the pain there

I do seem to be having an easy recovery. Good for me because I have to return to work next Monday. The perk of being self-employed is I can arrange my own work schedule. The down side to self-employment.... I don't get vacation or sick pay. I don't get paid at all if I don't work! Sigh. I need to go back whether I'm ready to or not.

I have always had a hard time with work/life balance. It became even more complicated tending to self care when children came into the mix. The old me didn't plan and ate on the run. The real challenge for me is going to come when I have to go back to work in a week. On one hand, I think work will be a nice distraction from "head hunger"and all of this obsessing I am currently doing over what I eat and drink. Expect me to struggle a bit. I will need your support then.

I started using the Lose It app on my iPhone last June 2013. Tracking everything worked for me as long as I actually used the app. I made a pack with myself yesterday that I would start recording everything down NOW. Maybe I will post my results from yesterday so you can see what I'm eating.

So I am having an easy time now. But I'm sure my time will come to struggle. This is where I am so grateful to have met others on this board who get what I'm going through. So lets not judge each other, or worse, judge ourselves. Each of our journeys is as unique as we are.

Edited April 23, 2014 by Bluesea71

[butterflypinup 136]

Today's not a good day for eating. It all just sits in my chest like a lump. Which is weird because yesterday was good. I'm going back to clears for a couple days.

I walk and do a little around my house. 15 minutes max of constant moving and it's nap time. I took four naps yesterday. At least an hour each. My brain wants to do more but my body just gets so tired. Dr told me at my appt that being this tired is normal and it can take about 15 days for my body to start burning fat (using fatty acids for fuel? Can't remember word for word because I was so exhausted from the walk in parking lot) but when that happens to expect a high. Come on high. Lol. I need it.

[Melodica 64]

I know that everyone is different, so everyone will have a different recovery. I just read so many posts about how great it was and how great they felt and how wonderful it is. I didn't seem to read as many about the extreme pain and the adjustment that this takes. I'm sure for some it wasn't a huge thing, but for me it has been. I had the hernia repair as well, so that may be contributing to some of my difficulty. Though I can say I haven't had it as bad as some. I've had little nausea and no vomiting (thanks stomach of steel). So I'm thankful for that!

I guess I'm also experiencing some depression. food was my way of coping with any issues because it made me happy. Now I don't have that, so I'm trying to find some outlet.

I worked half a day yesterday, but I couldn't go in today. I had to bend over and get on the floor for something yesterday and it made my stomach hurt like nobody's business. I spent most of the day in bed. For the rest of the week I've got to do half days because I don't have enough paid time off to cover this week. My work isn't physically difficult (desk job), but there's a lot of crap going down right now, so it's very stressful mentally. Again, my normal reaction to that was to eat, so now I'm going to have to find some other way to deal with it rather than tearing heads off, LOL.

I know how you feel, butterfly. I feel about the same way. I'm hoping that once I can add more nutrition and Protein to my diet and after I begin taking Vitamins I will get more energy. We'll make it through this! It's just going to be a tougher road than I thought.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Melodica

[mysleeveid13 100]

I am not trying to compare myself to others as much as I am seeing what's normal and get suggestions to help get you through. As someone said earlier there are some people saying how much energy they had etc and it was good for me to know I wasn't the only one that felt like I needed to go straight back to bed after getting the kids ready for school this morning. Sometimes just random things like someone's suggestion to strain Hibachi Restaurant Soup to get a little difference in the clear liquid diet made a HUGE difference in the way my day started out. I feel like I'm a sponge right now soaking up and and all advice I can get. Glad we are all going through it somewhat together. I've never been one to be on foruma or post stuff online but I've really needed it post op. Thanks again for everyone's support!!!!

[Melodica 64]

You guys have been so helpful to me by sharing your experiences and your knowledge - it's made this a lot easier and less scary. I've never been huge on forum posting either (especially not about such personal stuff) but here I feel like I can share anything and find someone who will understand what I'm feeling.

So I want to offer a huge thanks as well to all of you!!

[butterflypinup 136]

I think staying connected with others is key to this being successful. We are going to hit bumps and no one wants to feel alone. The stigma that can come from wls still can be trying and I for one need like minded positive people in my life. I'm up for any topic too. If I don't say it or ask it how am I to know if someone's riding the porcelain hell train with me. Buahaha! This is my go to lifesaver and since we are all discovering our bodies at the same time what better people to share everything with.

I have decided that my crappy start today is because I think everything is settling internally to where the space of my stomach used to be. I'm feeling a lot better the more time goes by. Biggest complaint at this point is energy. I do my treadmill but time I'm on it is getting shorter and right after lights out.

I have a question though. So now that passing gas is a relief is this a forever thing or just an body adjusting thing? :/ I have so many people trying to come see me and I'm embarrassed but if they know me they will get over it as fast as I do. Lol

Thank you girls for sharing too!

[jschmottlach 4]

Hello, I had my surgery April 16th. It all went well. I am excited but also nervous. I am glad I found this forum and to have support along the way.