JULY 2014 SLEEVERS GROUP

[vsgjourney 19]

Hello all, my surgery is scheduled for July 22nd.....I cant wait. Was everyone able to stay faithful to the liquid diet pre-op? I'm struggling over here.

[Kanesha37 2]

My surgery was 7/14/14. Wish I had some advice, I didn't have a liquid diet before. But maybe if I did, I wouldnt be struggling with the liquid diet after. So stick with whatever your doc is telling you.

[vanessak8 158]

<p>Hello all, my surgery is scheduled for July 22nd.....I cant wait. Was everyone able to stay faithful to the liquid diet pre-op? I'm struggling over here.</p>

I was, but I was allowed to have sf Jello, strained cream Soup and low fat sugar free yogurt too! The fourth day was the most difficult. I did my diet for two weeks and it was over my birthday and the Fourth of July, which I did all the BBQing... I ate a bowl of pudding with extra Protein Powder while everyone was eating BBQ!!! Definitely not fun but I did not want any complications. I lost 22lbs on that liquid diet and my surgeon told me after the surgery how nice my liver looked. You can do it. It also prepares you for after. I have to eat the same after surgery until my follow up appointment which is on the 30th. I had my surgery on the 14th. I am definitely looking forward to some real food but I will say I'm not really that hungry and right after surgery everything even Water tasted horrible.

Edited July 19, 2014 by vanessak8

[dawn7714 0]

<p>I had Surgery July 9th.. I came home this morning on July 10th.. I can't keep anything down.. Everytime I take a sip of Water I throw up and dry heave.. It really hurts my belly.. My neck and shoulders are super sore also.. Is the sickness normal?</p>

My doctor said it is NEVER normal to vomit repeatedly and not be able to keep liquids down. I hope you called your dr.

[MarieR 8]

I evicted Fred (my demanding, gluttonous, extra stomach) on July 14. Those post-op hours were really rough. I felt like I'd been kicked in the gut by a mean old mule. I am doing better but only by small increments. Walking has been a challenge. So, I know I need to get my stuff in gear soon.

My post-op challenges since getting home are nothing most of you have not heard before.

• My stomach cramps with every tiny sip of anything. Yesterday, I took a half-dose of pain medication to get through a Protein Shake without cramping. Now, I am not going to make a habit of that but some of this struggle is mental. So, I had to give myself the mental experience of "eating" without pain. It will get better.

• Hydration is a struggle. So, I am keeping an 8 oz water bottle by my side and doing my best to drink as many of those as I can. Right now, I am hovering at a puny 24 oz total liquid intake per day but I am working on it.

• The sheer scheduling of things is frankly overwhelming. Vitamins must be taken with food but the Calcium w/D should not be taken with the Multi-Vitamin. Food must be no less than 15 minutes after Water. Water must be no less than 30 minutes after food.

• You need to LOVE whatever you consume. Why? Because you will live with the aftertaste of it for the 30 minutes you must wait before being able to drink water again. A previously-beloved cream of mushroom Soup has become nausea inducing at the mere recollection of tasting it for a half an hour.

All in all, I know it will get better over time. So, I am not wasting time beating up on myself for not doing this perfectly. I am focusing my energy on doing it a little better every day.

MarieR

[vanessak8 158]

<p>I evicted Fred (my demanding, gluttonous, extra stomach) on July 14. Those post-op hours were really <em><strong>rough</strong></em>. I felt like I'd been kicked in the gut by a mean old mule. I am doing better but only by small increments. Walking has been a challenge. So, I know I need to get my stuff in gear soon. </p> <p> </p> <p>My post-op challenges since getting home are nothing most of you have not heard before.</p> <p> </p> <ul><li>My stomach cramps with every tiny sip of anything. Yesterday, I took a half-dose of pain medication to get through a Protein Shake without cramping. Now, I am not going to make a habit of that but some of this struggle is mental. So, I had to give myself the mental experience of "eating" without pain. It will get better.</li> </ul><p> </p> <ul><li>Hydration is a struggle. So, I am keeping an 8 oz Water bottle by my side and doing my best to drink as many of those as I can. Right now, I am hovering at a puny 24 oz total liquid intake per day but I am working on it.</li> </ul><p> </p> <ul><li>The sheer scheduling of things is frankly overwhelming. Vitamins must be taken with food but the Calcium w/D should not be taken with the Multi-Vitamin. Food must be no less than 15 minutes after water. Water must be no less than 30 minutes after food. </li> </ul><p> </p> <ul><li>You need to LOVE whatever you consume. Why? Because you will live with the aftertaste of it for the 30 minutes you must wait before being able to drink water again. A previously-beloved cream of mushroom Soup has become nausea inducing at the mere recollection of tasting it for a half an hour.</li> </ul><p> </p> <p>All in all, I know it will get better over time. So, I am not wasting time beating up on myself for not doing this perfectly. I am focusing my energy on doing it a little better every day.</p> <p> </p> <p>MarieR</p>

Sorry it's been so rough for you. I to had my sleeve on July 14. Initially post op was rough. Lots of pain right under my diaphragm probably air and I had a hiatal hernia repair. I felt better later in the day after some meds and a nap. I too had stomach cramps initially they kinda felt like contractions when I was giving birth. However they got better after they took out the JP drain when I was discharged. I haven't had to take too much medicine since I have been home. Although last night I woke up out of a dead sleep nauseated, which I haven't had much of. I took a sublingual zofran and it helped a lot, but they don't taste that great!! I have also been walking a lot. I did a 2 mile walk with my friend today and that felt good but tired me out.

[sdvorak88 10]

Surgery is July 28th! Not going to lie little excited but also little nervous too. Dr didn't put me on preop diet but I am starting a week long in the morning. Hoping it helps surgery go smoother.

[lovingdavid 119]

Hi I had my sleeve surgery 7-16-14 the gas has been the hardest pain. Haven't had any pain but glad that I did this procedure. Hope to meet others and discuss daily process.

[GottaDoSomethin' 31]

I think I'm finally hungry. I'm ready for a couple of bites of food but I don't think that will happen for a few more weeks...

[mrssusie 18]

I, too am wondering: hw 302 sw 269 cw 274 Sleeved 7/16 How have I gained 5lbs since surgery??? I'm 3 days post-op. I don't want to go to my support group next week with a weight GAIN!

[kris05 0]

I, too am wondering: hw 302 sw 269 cw 274 Sleeved 7/16 How have I gained 5lbs since surgery??? I'm 3 days post-op. I don't want to go to my support group next week with a weight GAIN!

I was sleeved 7/14. I gained weight too. Just yesterday i started losing. It was day 5. So weird I know.

[erinwix 2]

I, too am wondering: hw 302 sw 269 cw 274 Sleeved 7/16 How have I gained 5lbs since surgery??? I'm 3 days post-op. I don't want to go to my support group next week with a weight GAIN!

I was sleeved 7/14. I gained weight too. Just yesterday i started losing. It was day 5. So weird I know.

You are still swollen and have inflammation and Fluid in your body from the surgery . Doc told me you have that for atleast a week so don't be discouraged ! That really adds pounds !

[purpur92 1]

My surgery was July 15. Nausea kept me at hospital 2 nights because I couldn't drink anything. However, pain was minimal which was surprising! Stopped pain meds after first day. Starting phase 2. Adding cream Soups. Does anyone know why we have to strain the Soup which is very hard to do, instead of using blender?

Starting weight 260

Today 244.4

Only lost 7 lbs pre-surgery and didn't cheat at all.

[Yasman 195]

I was sleeved on 7/14 . I'm really tired of my liquid diet choices and I'm having difficulty reading my new tiny tummy's signals about when its empty, full, etc. I was craving just a heavily squished piece of chicken and broccoli (the chicken part) today but settled for some egg drop Soup. Which was delicious and I stopped after about 4 oz certain that I must be full but not feeling full. which is the hardest thing to do when something yummy is in front of you. But that was about 4 hours ago and I can't get even a sip of Water down without feeling pressure all through my chest so I guess stopping the soup where I did was the right idea.

What signals do you all get when you "feel" full or "feel" hungry? For me it seems like real hunger = true emptiness is actual stomach gurgling with physical churning and audible gurgling going on. at which point one would think I'd have to be dehydrated for all that goings on. real fullness seems to be "oops too late only esophagus area left free" which is a lot of pressure but no pain thankfully as they removed my hiatal hernia at surgery or else I think this would be agonizing. I'm just having difficulty discerning when non-emergency hunger is and when are the last few bites the actually best last few since there are so few altogether in the first place. Anyone else having this problem?

seeminglingly totally unrelated but probably not... i'm feeling sort of tired and weak for the second day in a row and don't want to be worried. is this normal? saving the conversation with a doc about it for my already scheduled post-op on tuesday.

I am 3 days out post op. I had my sleeve on July 14th. I am doing well with the broth and Clear Liquids but I'm starving! I slipped an ate a couple of bites of the thin sliced turkey. So far I'm okay. My only worry is my stomach is REALLY swollen, I haven't had a bowel movement. And unlike the others I have read about, I have not lost ANY weight since surgery 3 days ago. I'm a little sad about that. I lost 12 lbs during pre op diet but no more since.

Has anyone else had the same issues as me?

Lynm I just wanted to touch base because I think the no bowel movement thing goes hand in hand with the swollen thing. I think once that sucker moves you will be dropping weight and feeling better. I dont have a good scale at home (yet - it comes on tuesday) so I can't tell you about my weight loss just yet, but without getting gross, #2 finally came the day before yesterday and I'm certain that's where all the swelling goes.

[kdward21 0]

I had my surgery July 16th. I'm on clear liquids and full liquids. Still have a bit of pain but getting through it. The scale before surgery stated 254.9 I think and I'm 5'4. I posted my picture from July 4th and I can't wait to next July 4th to take the one year result. I'm still nervous about it all but I know it was right choice to improve my overall health. I am type 2 diabetic and this could reverse that which will be awesome!!

Keep up the good work everyone!!