Sept date I am all set

[New2this 4]

Well after drinking Isopure, the chocolate Protein Shakes are tasting better. Being more strict with my pre-op diet. Surgery in 9 days. Super excited. I can't believe the time has finally come.

[elliesgaga 36]

I will also remember not to weigh self when I get home! Lol funny I just printed out a chart for lbs and inches to keep track may start week after home!

[pindoctor 49]

Hi all!

I am 5 days post op and have been taking it easy so haven't been on line to check on everyone's progress. I woke up with some alertness about 4 hours post op (on Sept 2). They didn't have a bed open so I was in the Post op holding area for about 8 hours. No drains. They finally found a hospital bed for me about 10 PM at night. My only complication was than I couldn't pee for the first night. I finely peed just a little bit and they used an ultrasound to determine that I still had 900 ml urine left in my bladder! So they straight cathed me and after this I was fine and started drinking more and started to pee. I am a physician so I knew that even though I wasn't getting in 64 oz/day, I was still getting in enough because I was still peeing. On day 2 I was feeling pretty good and was able to take in a couple of pureed meals so they let me go home a day early.

When I got home I took a wonderful shower and went to bed thinking how studly I was not needing any additional pain meds. I barely slept that first night at home and by 5 AM I realized that stopping the pain meds had been a mistake so I started the tylenol and hydrocodone again. Being a self-sufficient person I told my husband I was fine and decided that the pain meds were necessary. For the next 2 days I slept off and on and felt ok. However my husband thought I didn't seem right and asked me to show him how much liquid pain medication I was taking. Turns out I was taking 2 teaspoons when the label said take 1-2 tsp. I thought I had been taking 1 tsp every 4-6 hours and I was measuring it wrong. So I backed off to 1 tsp and am more alert. I am getting in 1-2 Protein drinks/day, 2 pureed meals (4 tbsp/meal) and about 40 ml liquids. I know that from my reading that I am supposed to have 3 pureed meals with 2 pureed Snacks, 2 Protein Drinks so I am not quite there but I am listening to my stomach and force feeding/force drinking doesn't feel right. I am still peeing so I know I am ok.

This AM I decided to stop the oxycodone during the day and continue the tylenol. I will likely take 1 tsp oxycodone tonight before bed and I know that sleeping well will help me. I've been typing for awhile and am too tired to read all the posts (I'm on page 20, yesterday's postings). Overall I'm doing well. Good luck to all of you Sept sleevers. There has not been anytime so far that I've regretted my decision!

[toler48 120]

@@nomilktoday

Don't feel too bad. I'm sure we are all looking for that scale to start dropping and forget all the fluids they pump into us.

Hang in there.

[ExcitedNana 30]

i bet i asked 4 nurses or staff if I could weigh the day after my surgery. They just kept putting me off. The first thing I did when I got home was weigh, I weighed the same as I did when I went in. However, the next day I had lost a pound and another the next day. I lost 2" around my chest, of course!

[katybelle7 65]

A drain is a piece of rubber tubing inserted in your abdomen to allow accumulated Fluid from surgery to leave your body. There is a little rubber cup on the outside of your body attached to it; your nurse (or you) empties it a few times a day. It is no big deal. If you don't have one it's because your doctor is letting your body absorb the fluid to eliminate it that way. Surgery is wet and messy, not dry and tidy. If you end up with a drain don't have a hissyfit. It only lasts a few days then comes out. After going thru such major abdominal surgery, a drain will seem like a miniscule problem!

[pindoctor 49]

Hi all,

Hopefully all you September sleevers are in the process of getting your surgeries. I am now 1 week post op and it's amazing how it seems like I am doing better each day. Yesterday I got out of my house and took a drive. I went to costco and picked up a LARGE box of 2 oz condiment cups (the minimum for sale was 1200/box). I got the idea for using condiment cups from the hospital where that was how they served my pureed meals to me. 2 oz is 4 tablespoons which is recommended as to maximum amount I should eat at one time. Later today I plan on cranking up my nutribullet and filling up a bunch of pureed chicken, pureed tuna, pureed Beans and pureed lentils condiment cups (with lids so I can stash up a supply before returning to work next week.) I am also getting into the routine of all the meds I have to take. Some have to be taken in applesauce (emptying capsules), some have to be cut in half, some are simply chewed up. Even though I could have probably have returned to work sooner (hindsight is 20/20) I am grateful to have another week to get into my post surgery food routine. I also did a no no and stepped on the scale. I lost 10 lbs during the prep liquid diet and another 6 lbs since the surgery so was excited about that. I know this rate will not continue. I feared preop that I would be thirsty and unable to get fluids down. I have still not reached the 64 oz/day goal but I am getting close and it is happening more easily to drink. Good luck to all of you!

[Radar 204]

Great job @@pindoctor! I'm happy to see your progress going so smoothly and thanks for the tip on the sample cups. I think you can buy less of them if you go to Smart & Final, but it's still a good idea.

[Smytty 93]

Thanks for the update pindoctor! Glad you're doing so well

[toler48 120]

@@katybelle7

I had a drain when I had the top two lobes of my right lung removed becaue of cancer. I had that drain for a couple weeks. The only bad thing about it was cleaning it, the drainage was super nasty.

So I'm not concerned about a drain.

[dragonfly78 16]

@@pindoctor sounds like we are on about the same time line. Sept 3 surgery date here and down 14 pounds total as of this morning. I consider that a win for the past 20 days. I am going to get y hair done and venture out tomorrow and get some small tupperware cups as I decided this would be easiest to control the portions. Sounds like you're doing great! Keep it up!

[Kaylee49 0]

Me and my sis are set for the 24th!

[Smytty 93]

Kaylee49. I too am booked for the 24th! How nice you and your sister can do this together.????

[katybelle7 65]

@@pindoctor

They gave you puréed food while you were still in hospital?? So many of us are on liquids only for 2 weeks after surgery, some start puréed a week after, but this is this first time I heard anyone having puréed while still in hospital. My doctor said he wasn't worried about Protein these two weeks after, but wanted me to keep my liquids up to avoid dehydration. I'm curious what types of puréed foods you're allowed. I thought I was breaking the mold when I stopped all the processed Protein Shakes, Soups, by making my own homemade broths and straining them. Between sf popcicles, broth and Water I'm running to the bathroom every 15 minutes!

[Radar 204]

After a supervised diet since November 2014, I have finally been approved by my insurance company for the surgery. Scheduled for September 16th. Thank the Lord!

Congrats! and you're welcome.