Are you ever truly prepared for this?

[simpsongrad 85]

So I was sleeved last Tuesday (10/25). I feel like I was as prepared as I could possibly be. I lost weight pre-op, had no trouble following the liquid diet, researched the heck out of it and felt I had a handle on the next stage.

It seems so different than I thought it would be. I have had terrible nausea but relatively no pain. I just can't wrap my arms around the inability to eat and drink. I am getting in my Water but really struggling with the Protein, especially since my surgeon doesn't allow Protein shakes. I get double milk, Soups fortified with dry milk, pudding made with double milk and Greek yogurt. It is hard!!!!

They said to take it slow and I have but wow! I am probably only getting 300 to 400 calories per day and feel like that is difficult.

I know it will get better but I don't think I expected how hard it would be.

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[LipstickLady 25,682]

It's the "easy way out", remember?

Nope. I don't think anyone can really be fully prepared because everyone's experience is different. Even those who have textbook recoveries can't know the impact of the restriction we feel after having a full capacity stomach. I am not saying that it's not totally easy (or totally hard) for some, but I can't imagine how one could be full AWARE of what exactly is about to happen.

This is why I am so amused at the pre-op people who give such "stern" or "educated" advice. What they read/heard/researched is NOTHING like the reality they are about to face in many cases, and certainly not in everyone's case.

I am 3.5 years out. I am successful. I know what to do and what not to do. FOR ME. I am not an expert on anyone BUT ME. And I suck at that at times, too.

[Kaddykramer 17]

OMG I was sleeved on 10-11 and have totally felt this way! I've been in all liquids for the first three weeks and cried one night to my husband because I knew it would be hard but not this hard. I think it's such a huge adjustment and there's no way to comprehend it until you're living it. Each day is different but also better. Hang in there!!!

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[suzzzzz 1,005]

I think getting sleeved is like most everything major in our lives. You don't really know until you experience it. Part of journey in life.

[missmickeyd 55]

I'm totally feeling the same, sleeved on 10/13 and I am feeling a little uneasy about the reality of this. Nutritional has put me on phase III, scramble eggs, shakes, broth, & tuna. The eggs and tuna alls feel like it gets stuck in my throat. I totally feel like I can only eat mushy; yogurts, I tried mash potatoes and broth. I kind of feel some regret

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Edited October 31, 2016 by missmickeyd

[cindym44 75]

I was sleeved 6 weeks ago and have been through some ups and downs. I too, was frusterated because I could hardly eat anything. I survived on Soups and soft foods for weeks, plus Protein shakes. I lost weight and was happy. Then I got tired of the soups and soft foods, but still kept going. Then I stalled and was constipated for days. Frusterated again. All of sudden I was vomiting the foamies when I ate...another disappointment, but I kept going.

I went out with friends last night and realized for the first time ever, I would never be able to eat a full meal again. Never. But that is ok with me, but I find myself making excuses for why I am not eating like I used to because I kept my surgery a secret.

In the end, I still think it is worth it...but there are definitely some adjustments along the way. I don't think the adjustments will ever go away....

[rolosmom7 740]

I feel the same. I thought I was prepared. I had manuals and books, had asked all the questions, done all the research.

MAN was I WRONG. I don't think you can be totally prepared. I still don't think I quite know what I'm doing (switching to the "eat anything" stage is hardddd). But I come here for help, and I know I can do it. And you can too

[blizair09 3,250]

I'm not sure that it is possible for anyone to be completely prepared, but I do think you can be as prepared as you can be.

And I believe that I was as prepared as I could be based upon my experience so far....

[Dee~Dee 107]

So I was sleeved last Tuesday (10/25). I feel like I was as prepared as I could possibly be. I lost weight pre-op, had no trouble following the liquid diet, researched the heck out of it and felt I had a handle on the next stage.

It seems so different than I thought it would be. I have had terrible nausea but relatively no pain. I just can't wrap my arms around the inability to eat and drink. I am getting in my Water but really struggling with the Protein, especially since my surgeon doesn't allow Protein shakes. I get double milk, Soups fortified with dry milk, pudding made with double milk and Greek yogurt. It is hard!!!!

They said to take it slow and I have but wow! I am probably only getting 300 to 400 calories per day and feel like that is difficult.

I know it will get better but I don't think I expected how hard it would be.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I hope you feel better really, really soon. I'm curious, is there a reason your doc doesn't allow Protein Shakes?

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[simpsongrad 85]

The nutritionists want you to eat "real" food and not be dependent on Protein supplements that have harmful chemicals. They strongly believe in double milk - skim milk with dry milk powder. I have been using Fairlife milk with no sugar added carnation instant Breakfast mixed in. I try to get three in a day but it is difficult. The fairlife milk has 13 grams of Protein and the instant Breakfast mix has an additional 13 so it like a Protein shake but I guess more natural? They suggest a lot of greek yogurt, Soups, and pudding for the full liquid portion. I have to do this for 2 weeks, then 2 weeks of pureed foods and then a month of soft foods before having solid, non blended food. That puts me having my first real food at Christmas! I wonder if that will be a good present or not. LOL!

[CassiNicole 7]

I too was banded the same day. I thought I knew everything but I was wrong. It's very hard to get the Protein in and the liquid. I have been entering everything into my fitness pal and your right I'm getting around 500 calories or less. It's terrible. I have been amazed at my will power though. Cooking for my family and not eating is tough. I know it will be worth it but ready for the next few weeks to fly by. I get the green light for all foods the week of thanksgiving, that should be interesting

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[Torriluv87 300]

I was just telling my boyfriend this. How unprepared i feel. I felt so ready and now i feel like the rug has been pulled from under me. I've been having what i didn't want to admit was regret but now know is regret. Its hard coming to terms with the fact that you can't eat or drink the same. You know it's going to happen but have no idea how you'll feel after. I am about a month out and have been having a lot of issues mentally with this. Head hunger is crazy. Im not sure now if i even feel physical hunger but somethings going on in there. Never thought it'd be this hard to get Water in. I don't have a problem actually consuming actual Water i just never get 64oz in. Im lucky if i get in 32 in a day. I always forget or lose interest. There's so much more but i don't want to ramble anymore, But glad I'm not alone

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[KristenLe 5,979]

@@Torriluv87 I think you'll feel much better when you get enough liquids. Try other liquids - tea, broth, Powerade Zero, sf popsicles.

[Babbs 14,681]

For those of us who have kids, it's kind of like that.

We all have this picture in our minds of these perfectly coiffed children who excel at everything because we were the absolute perfect, patient, lots of time having, healthy dinner cooking, PTA attending parents.

Then we have them and it's all we can do to get them out the door with their hair brushed clutching a sack lunch consisting of a Lunchable so we can finally get a shower and throw some clothes on to sit in traffic to go to work just to come home and barely have time to cook hot dogs for dinner and have homework done by the time they go to bed.

Sometimes it's so hard and completely not what we expected, but so worth it in the end

[theantichick 2,204]

I thought I was super-prepared.

LOL

I had taste-tested tons of different Protein shakes, picked out the ones I liked and laid in supplies. I packed a suitcase for the hospital. I knew I was going to sail through this because I was prepared.

LOL

Post-op, I couldn't stand the Protein Shakes I'd laid in supplies of. Thank goodness they'd given me Premier Protein in the hospital, or I'd have been in a panic. As it was, I sent hubby out to get more of it when I found out I could barely stand the stuff I'd bought.

I couldn't get enough fluids in and it felt like I was trying all day long. I finally took the Syntrax nectar (roadside lemonade) and froze it in ziploc tubes I bought off Amazon (next day shipping FTW) to have Protein and fluids in a way I could get down. I also figured out the trick to getting unflavored Protein powder to mix into hot liquids (mix it with a small amount of lukewarm Water then add THAT to the hot liquids) when I realized that chicken bouillon was what my tummy wanted.

I had planned to get up and walk walk walk all the time like the vets here said I needed to. Thank goodness I didn't have any surgical gas pain, because with my auto-immune arthritis flared from the surgery, I was doing good to walk to the couch from my bed and to and from the bathroom and kitchen. My heating pad and heated blanket throws saved my butt.

All of that, and I really didn't have any complications. I only had a couple bouts of nausea, but didn't actually throw up. I had no surgical gas pain. No problems with my incision. No strictures. My surgery site pain was better than my arthritis pain by day 3 post op. The things I struggled with was the arthritis pain, fatigue (from both the auto-immune and surgery), Constipation (but I have IBS-C to start with, so it wasn't unexpected) and having to take those tiny, tiny sips because larger sips hurt going down.

What is the saying? No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy.