Regrets that got better

[JamieLogical 8,708]

@@creneeha You'll get there. The first couple of weeks can be very very tough. It took about two weeks for my swelling to go down to the point where I could get all my Water in without too much issue. Try marching in place while sipping. That helped me a little.

[suitechicguy 105]

I think it was the second day when I had a moment. The gas pains were so bad I was crying thinking what have I done, why couldnt I just eat right and exercise. That moment didnt last long and I moved on. It will get better dont worry. No regrets though as it was the best thing to do to help me.

[AvaFern 3,516]

I regret not having it done sooner. I was miserable the first 1-3 weeks after surgery and convinced I had ruined my life. I was sick, hungry, and in pain and the idea that I had cut out 80% of my stomach forever was terrifying. It has now been 2.5 years, I wear a size 0-4 in designer clothing, I have maintained at weight for 11 months, and while I ended up with a sleeve that has no tolerance for certain foods (milk, sugar, oil, etc) which isn't the case for most people, every single day I would make the decision to have the sleeve surgery again.

[jintycb 721]

I also regret not having taken the plunge sooner. I had a few hours of real pain the night of my surgery (I nearly regretted having it done) and I felt like death warmed up the following day but that was it. I was up and wandering around the town the next day, drinking Water, tea and apple juice every time I had a sit down to rest, and I haven't looked back since. I've been lucky insofar as I can eat anything with no ill effects but I put that down to eating natural, home cooked food with no additives. I haven't felt this healthy in years. Love it.

[creneeha 3]

@@creneeha You'll get there. The first couple of weeks can be very very tough. It took about two weeks for my swelling to go down to the point where I could get all my Water in without too much issue. Try marching in place while sipping. That helped me a little.

Thank you sooo so much

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[MrsKarenC2008 622]

I'm with @@Dub

[Amelie2016 116]

No regrets here ever, not even in the first couple days and then weeks after surgery. The best thing I ever did and I haven't had any problems.

eta: keep in mind as you read these forums that people tend to come here and post about their problems, when they need sympathy or information or solutions. They don't post so much just to say, hey things are great, I love my life, I have no regrets.

Well thank you, really I mean it for coming here. I know you don't have to, and many veterans do not have to and it's so so helpful. I am going through a little emotional anxiety right now, and need someone to hit the "off" switch so I can snap out of it. You're so right, when people are having a wonderful time, they're not rushing to the forums to let everyone know.

Thank you and everyone else who come and stay and post, to help those of us so new to this.

[ssflbelle 829]

Unfortunately my experience is opposite of everyone else. Just thought you might want to hear a different perspective. I was having 3 surgeries diseased gallbladder removed.,hernia repair and the sleeve. I went into those surgeries so positive that I was going to heal really well and this was going to be the right thing for me and a lot easier then how I had lost the previous 180 pounds. The first 2 weeks were extremely easy. I was in the hospital 2 days and had very little pain, they kept me well medicated. When I got home my room mate was expecting me to take to the bed but I went right to the recliner. I was sewing making curtains less then 3 days later. I had no problems with drinking the Clear liquids and no problems with the full liquids. At one week out the Dr said my incisions were healing nicely and I looked wonderful. I was so happy as the first 10 days I lost 20 pounds.

The 3rd through the 6th weeks have been very difficult for me. I feel very tired, emotional and don't feel as good as I did the first 2 weeks. You see at week 3 I was told to start eating an egg a day. As soon as I started to eat I had pain and now almost 6 weeks out I still have pain under the left breast. I can barely eat 1 1/2 to 2 oz of Protein at a meal. I am only suppose to eat 3 times a day. A lot of people who have been reading my postings are telling me I am not getting enough calories or food Protein down. I told the Dr about the pain at the 1 month follow up and he claims that is normal and either I am eating too much or too fast. neither of which I am doing. In these past 3 1/2 weeks I have cried and never did the first 2 weeks. I am now sitting here wondering what have I done to myself? Since the first 10 days I have only lost 2 more pounds as this week at almost 6 weeks out I gained 6 pounds. I wonder if I am ever going to be able to eat more than 3 to 4 tip of the spoon bites without pain.

I hate to sound so negative but I am frustrated and don't understand why 3 to 6 weeks out I am in so much pain when the first 2 went so wonderfully. I never expected to be feeling this way this far out from surgery.

I hope and pray your surgery will be as easy as mine were. I also hope and pray you feel wonderful and will have no problems with eating when you get to that stage.

[Amelie2016 116]

Unfortunately my experience is opposite of everyone else. Just thought you might want to hear a different perspective. I was having 3 surgeries diseased gallbladder removed.,hernia repair and the sleeve. I went into those surgeries so positive that I was going to heal really well and this was going to be the right thing for me and a lot easier then how I had lost the previous 180 pounds. The first 2 weeks were extremely easy. I was in the hospital 2 days and had very little pain, they kept me well medicated. When I got home my room mate was expecting me to take to the bed but I went right to the recliner. I was sewing making curtains less then 3 days later. I had no problems with drinking the Clear Liquids and no problems with the full liquids. At one week out the Dr said my incisions were healing nicely and I looked wonderful. I was so happy as the first 10 days I lost 20 pounds.

The 3rd through the 6th weeks have been very difficult for me. I feel very tired, emotional and don't feel as good as I did the first 2 weeks. You see at week 3 I was told to start eating an egg a day. As soon as I started to eat I had pain and now almost 6 weeks out I still have pain under the left breast. I can barely eat 1 1/2 to 2 oz of Protein at a meal. I am only suppose to eat 3 times a day. A lot of people who have been reading my postings are telling me I am not getting enough calories or food Protein down. I told the Dr about the pain at the 1 month follow up and he claims that is normal and either I am eating too much or too fast. neither of which I am doing. In these past 3 1/2 weeks I have cried and never did the first 2 weeks. I am now sitting here wondering what have I done to myself? Since the first 10 days I have only lost 2 more pounds as this week at almost 6 weeks out I gained 6 pounds. I wonder if I am ever going to be able to eat more than 3 to 4 tip of the spoon bites without pain.

I hate to sound so negative but I am frustrated and don't understand why 3 to 6 weeks out I am in so much pain when the first 2 went so wonderfully. I never expected to be feeling this way this far out from surgery.

I hope and pray your surgery will be as easy as mine were. I also hope and pray you feel wonderful and will have no problems with eating when you get to that stage.

I really think, no, I believe you will get better, Belle.

Once I started on soft foods I experienced pain too and some people are still throwing it up. I'm also anxious and moody, and we've read that is to be expected. I think it's also due to so many changes that "sounded" simplistic on paper but are overwhelming now in reality. I have had to humble myself more than I thought. Weight gain is just you trying so hard to figure things out. And you will.

It's not fair that we're in the "figure it out" stage just as the time we need to heal the most, right?

I too had a pretty good first 2 weeks post op. The pain under my right breast was a muscle strain since I had started to go back to doing things around the house. The left pain was also some fluke. Then one time I actually had about an hour of intense pain in and only in ... my nipples, of all places.

But I'm learning, you're learning. Go to each one of these forum topics and type in something you want to search and read on. Also, don't stay married to just this board, do a vast google search and a lot of other issues that people experience will intrigue you. I guess your pain went up after your round of meds ended? That would make sense. Some people are way more sensitive to nerve pain, I am, I have Fibro and I feel things I just shouldn't! They never quiet down.

We're not going to be able to give up shakes anytime soon. No way we can get in 60-100mg protein just yet.

Write down all these concerns and get to your next appointment and ask. If I don't ask, I forget. And don't let the Dr gloss over your questions because we are not Dr.s. Sorry that they have to spend extra time on some of us. Even though we went through 6 months - one year pre-op, this is a new reality.

Huge difference between reading about something, and doing something. =) But I just know you will improve.

Edited March 6, 2016 by Amelie2016

[Wendyfm 494]

I was pretty sick the day after, I had a headache that wouldn't quit and I was throwing up. At that point I had a what am I doing moment,by the next day the headache and vomiting was gone andI was tooling around the surgical floor, anxious to be going home. I went home after four days in, haven't looked back since.

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[CowgirlJane 14,259]

@@ssflbelle I wrote you a long post and of course it just disappeared. I had a tough time transitioning to solid food - it was anxiety ridden, everything tasted terribly and I was perma queasy. It got alot better and by around 12 weeks I was returning to the living.

I am unhappy that your surgeon's rules make it even harder. Egg is NOT easy for everybody in the beginning. Most of us had choices and the general rule was to back off and try again a few weeks later if a particular food is a problem.

You shouldn't be in a position to eat so infrequently that the volume causes you pain. I was asked to consume 5 mini meals per day which was hard too (trying to separate liquid from solid food!). Eventually I settled on 4x a day as being my comfortable spot.

It does get better. I think the blues are normal. You will think this sounds crazy...but I actually felt like it was a bit surreal somehow. Like everything was so different..my mind was blown away by things like Water tasting metallic and hurting my tummy.

Hang in there.

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[Wendyfm 494]

I was pretty sick the day after, I had a headache that wouldn't quit and I was throwing up. At that point I had a what am I doing moment,by the next day the headache and vomiting was gone andI was tooling around the surgical floor, anxious to be going home. I went home after four days in, haven't looked back since.

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[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Nope, no regrets. I was one of the vast majority who have no complications and a comparatively easy recovery.

That's not to say there aren't challenges -- of learning, adapting, risking, not being perfect and trying again, figuring out perfect isn't required -- just consistency.

I think WLS has sparked one of my long life's best personal growth periods.

I'm workin' it.

P.S. I've lost 100 pounds and maintaining at 135.

[IrishGermanRN 151]

No regrets. I had my band removed as well.. Love the sleeve

[Margie122 845]

I don't have any regrets. Getting sleeved was the best thing I've ever done for myself.