A light bulb went off

[Thinkingthinner1109 485]

Jz0917 if someone took what I said as sarcastic I am sorry, it was not meant to be sarcastic. I have had a very loonnnggggg and very horrible seven days! And I cerTainly can relate to those who are having issues. I certainly have had my share I the last 7 days. I wonder what I did to myself and why I did it. I am praying for al of us having a rough time right now.????????????????????

[BitterSweet* 835]

@, it sounds like you are having a really rough time. I think it's easy for things to get misconstrued online like this. I didn't find anything you said offensive or sarcastic at all.

Btw, I really appreciate all of you taking the time to reach out and share. I'm one of those people who've done a great deal of research, not just about preparing for surgery, but moreso afterwards - which I think is really what matters most. It is eye-opening to know that even the best preparation pales in comparison to reality. I really needed to hear that.

Better days are coming girls. One day at a time.

[Jz0917 21]

Jz0917 if someone took what I said as sarcastic I am sorry, it was not meant to be sarcastic. I have had a very loonnnggggg and very horrible seven days! And I cerTainly can relate to those who are having issues. I certainly have had my share I the last 7 days. I wonder what I did to myself and why I did it. I am praying for al of us having a rough time right now.????????????????????

Oh, I didn't take offense to anything. I was just as confused as you. Lol. I just merely commented on the post. Trust me, I feel your pain. Literally, as I post this response. I'm just ready to feel better. Praying for you! Feel better.

[blondebomb 580]

Hey y'all. ..I was reading ur thread. I just wanted to say..my first few wks..was very difficult also. I had the hernia repair when I was sleeved. The spasms from my esophagus was. .well..bad! Every freaking sip I took it felt like a heart attack. .my surgeon came in an when I told him he said it does happen to some. Everyone's experience is different. I told him I needed another day hooked up for fluids so I stayed 2 days. My incisions bothered some. He developed a topical script that he gave me which has lidocaine an tramadol an 4 other ingredients to rub on tummy. An I had hydromorphine at home. I felt by thinking the same when I got home..even with all the preop classes over the months an testing on my knowledge of before an after..he warned me before If you can make it thru the first month ull b fine...BOY HE WASN'T JOKING!! I'm 8 wks out..my first few wks were brutal. .after 7 days that was my turning point..spasms started calming down, by wk 2 got better...by wk 3 I was buying an trying all kinds of brands of unflavored protein! I was gagging! I literally was crabby I wanted real food! My psych forwarned us that the brain would kick in full throttle an would b tuff! Yes I had a few crying days..my mood changed from not hungry then hungry..by my 4th wk it just really changed an I felt different. Yes my first 2 wks I was thinking wat have I done?? But I knew deep inside I wanted a life back! With all my diseases I had to do this. I refused to live fat any longer. This was an is my journey. I don't regret at all...I was determined to do this. An I think you will also be glad u did a lil later. Just concentrate on healing. .don't beat yourself up bc u can't get it all down..take a drink every 10 to 15 min. ..at least try n stay hydrated. Yes it's a lot of wrk for a few wks. It will become a habit soon. Its a learning process I'm still learning. I'm down 57 pds an have cleaned out my closet last wk..I gave my friend 8 big garbage bags full! That's the result you get! It wrks! Trust it! An questions. .that's how u learn. I do things around the house I havnt really started truly exercising per say but I go up n down stairs..listen to ur body. Rest when u need to. If u feel good take advantage walk around. What calories ur getting is goin to body for healing. Hang in there! You can do this..youv done the biggest one by having it done! Congrats..major surgery is a big deal. Don't expect to feel normal for awhile. I still pace myself. ..u can do this! ...If I sound anything but kindly honest believe me..it's not my intention. ..

[starspring 30]

I have had a horrible 7 days I am only 7 days post op also. I have had burning incision pain, just plain pain, I was allergic to the hydrocodone and had vivid dreams/nightmares and it gave me Migraine headaches. I have cried everyday since I have had my surgery. Doing my best to walk and sleep. I don't know who said anything sarcastic it certainly was not me! I can't get in enough Protein or Water. The Calcium and Vitamins I am taking upset my stomach. I cannot stomach crushing my meds and have had to discontinue some of them. I thought I had the beginning of a UTI yesterday which made me even more miserable. So anyone that thought I was being smart by putting lol has a huge misconception. I am miserable and I feel for anyone going through this process it is VERY difficult. You are all in my prayers and I pray that God keep you in the palm of His hands and heal quickly.

Wow! You are having a really rough time. You remind me of me 4months ago. I can't suggest what you should do but I can tell you what I did...I concentrated on staying hydrated I drank diluted reg. Gatorade all day I didn't start my supplements until 1month out and that's about when I could finally tolerate the Protein Shakes (finding one that was palatable is another story) its really overwhelming at first with no complications...you are struggling. Be kind to yourself, cry if you need, sleep when you can and most of all try to take it one minute one hour one day at a time. Im rooting for you xoxo

[starspring 30]

And I almost forgot to mention my surgeon made us mix our crushed pills in unsweetened applesauce. ..much better than in liquid!

[Thinkingthinner1109 485]

Oh the applesauce idea sounds like it may work. Yes it has been rough and you used regular Gatorade? I may have to do that just to get by. I certainly do not want to end up back in the hospital dehydrated. I don't wish any of this on anyone, I am looking forward to being out a little further in the process so i won't dwell so much on all the negatives that have been going on for me in the last seven days. Oh and the other thing is I got on the scale 4 days post op and gained 6 pounds. Lol that was really depressing and didn't help matters any. I refuse to get on the scale until I go to the doctor on Wendesday. And I pray there is some kind of weight loss. Because I was so embarrassed of my measurements I didn't take them before I started losing weight back at the end of May and I wish I would have.

[starspring 30]

I had an issue with vomiting. Gross! So to try and swallow the pills in liquid they came right back up! At my one month appt I told him I couldn't tolerate the Vitamins they came right back up he encouraged me to try a pill cut im threes. That pill slicer was a god-send! I feel for you because I know how trapped you feel but trust me when I say, it gets so much better!! xo

[Thinkingthinner1109 485]

Starspring it just seems like it's something new everyday. It is defeating sometimes. This evening the pain is a little better so I am hoping this is a turn around for me, at least with the pain. When I go to the doctor Wednesday I will go over all my other issues with him also. . Thanks for the encouragement. It is so much appreciated.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I am in Michigan too. Muskegon area. I am struggling. Now, day 7, I am feeling sick from the Protein drinks. I have my doc appt tomorrow but I don't want to be a whiner. I am scared to shower again because I had some bleeding yesterday. I don't feel well. So tired and weak. I wonder how all these people are up and walking around the grocery store but I am struggling just to walk around my house because if the stabbing /burning incision pain. I read a lot, prayed a lot, and felt that I was educated enough to make this decision, but going through is totally different than reading a blog. I'm just praying the painful days will pass quickly so can get on with the buisness of getting healthy again. Thank you all for sharing your stories. They are God send and are helping me get through this time.

Hey there - love the west side of the state - so beautiful over there! I'm from the Monroe area. Our lake is not so beautiful

Anyway, I forgot to mention that, about how miserable I felt at a week out! I also read how other people went back to work, blah blah blah. I could barely take a shower because it wore me out! I did have a mild post op infection, which probably slowed my healing, but I do know what you are talking about. I was totally not prepared for feeling that bad. I was also not prepared that the shakes would be so hard to get down - never had that problem in my whole life, lol! I did eventually switch to premier Protein Shakes (ready to drink, from costco) and they were a life saver. Still drink one every day for Breakfast.

Sorry you are feeling so bad, but this is normal, and every day you will find you get a little better. I never had a day where I just was miraculously better - it took months to totally get my stamina back, but every day did improve. By about 4 weeks, I could go through the day pretty good. I think for me, the reason I felt so bad was because I was only taking in about 400-600 calories, and that's a big switch from 3-4 thousand!

[MichiganChic 3,262]

Thanks Michigan chic. It will get better. Whew. It's been a long seven days. Lol. I am also from Michigan. Bay city but I had my surgery in Saignaw. Best wishes I cannot wait until it gets better.

Hey, I was just passing through that area this past weekend - went "up north" to Cadillac for the holiday weekend. I'm on the Michigan/Ohio border, so I had my surgery in Toledo.

Anyway, you will find that every day, you get a little better, a little stronger. I can just remember feeling so bad at a week out! Just keep hydrated, moving around best you can, and follow your program. Soon it will be just a faint memory, and you'll be feeling better than you have in a long time!

[Thinkingthinner1109 485]

Thank you Michiganchic, yes I will give it time. Even though I was heavy at 289 and 5'9 inches I still had energy. I was at the Y everyday walking 5-7 miles and lost 60 pounds since May 31st. I have resumed my walking and I am up to about 2 miles a day it just wears me out. I am sure things will get better. Post op appt with doctor is tomorrow. I am hoping the scale is lower than my pre surgery of 229.

[Rogofulm 2,440]

I also did a bunch of research and talked to several people about their surgeries. And still... I had no real idea what was coming. How is that possible? Maybe people just block the unpleasantness, or don't want to scare you, so they don't tell you how hard the first night, and the first week or so are going to be. Whatever it is, everybody in my surgeon's support group seemed surprised at how much it hurts when you wake up, and how hard it is to start taking in food and drink at first. So now, whenever I'm asked, I try to give people the real scoop.

At 7 days I was still a little roughed-up. The surgery pain had abated, but I thought the Constipation was going to kill me. I even called my surgeon's office a couple of times to ask if what I was feeling in my stomach and chest was normal. The first time it felt like everything was getting caught trying to turn the corner into my stomach. The second time, everything seemed to be getting stuck in my chest. And each time they reassured my that it was perfectly normal. They reminded me that my insides are very swollen in response to the trauma. As the swelling goes down, things will begin to feel more like your "new normal". Which is quite different from your "old normal".

For the first week or so, focus on getting your liquid in - even over the Protein if necessary. Staying hydrated will really help you heal. Try to walk as much as you can. Take Fiber to avoid constipation. And try swallowing your pills with your Protein shake. I find that coats them nicely and makes them go down more easily.

But if anyone is experiencing a severe pain or discomfort, please call your surgeon's office immediately! They need and want to hear from you! Even if you just have questions -- call them. That's part of what you paid for.

And since there are several new post-ops following this thread, I will again mention "The Dreaded Week-3 Stall". About 3 weeks after surgery, you may stop losing weight. This could last for two weeks or even longer. It's a perfectly normal biological adjustment to your new situation that involves renewed Fluid retention. Don't fret. After a few weeks you'll start losing again. If anyone's interested, here's the reason.

And as everyone else has said, it gets better every day! Honest.

[Thinkingthinner1109 485]

Rogofulm....well said. And when my psycological eval came back for my surgery the first sentence said.......Ms. Bahm is a highly intelligent, intellectual person.......I didn't feel so much like that after I had my surgery and the issues that went on. I actually felt like a big dummy like I didn't try to educate myself. When in all actuality I did educate myself or so I thought!