Made it to the other side

[gwbicster 257]

Well I'm three days out (does the day of surgery count as day zero or day one?) They put me in intensive care after surgery because they said this is normal for someeone who needs a CPAP. Even though the nurses kept asking me, why I was there? lol

Lost eight pounds in three days since surgery? That's bananas...

Biggest struggle is getting all the Water in. I can take only the tiniest sip and even so I feel the "bump" going through in my still swollen stomach. They say that will go away. For some people I guess it can go away as soon as the second day, for others up to two weeks. (Do you all concur?) They say once it does pass it feels like the Red Sea parting. I am looking very much forward to that day!

Because of a mix-up with the pharmacy I tried last night without any pain meds. It was uncomfortable but not unbearable. So it's good to know I can do that if needed.

It's a little more sore than I imagined, but of course, I've just had major surgery for the first time in my life, I guess this was all to be expected. Coughing is painful but it gets a little less so as time goes on. I think as a typical man I am a bit of a baby when it comes to pain. I theorize that women are much better at enduring pain due to the fact that they have to go through childbirth. How do they do that? Ouch!

Any advice that anyone has would be appreciated. I think I'm doing all right but it's a bit hard to tell as I've never done anything like this before. Biggest thing I have to keep telling myself is that this is not forever, that the pain will reduce and I will be able to eat real food soon.

Thanks to everyone on these boards they've been very helpful!

[YeaMe 246]

Yes, all this is very normal. It is scary when you can barely get anything down, but it is swelling and will get better with each passing day. I am officially 4 months out today and I can guzzle Water again. I managed without pain meds, but I am a woman. :-) But women tend to get the nausea that comes with the surgery so not so great.

Just take it slow, do what your surgeon tells you to do, and the weight will fall off.

Congratulations!!!

[gwbicster 257]

I seem to have figured out a way to get more liquids in. For some reason when I drink warm green tea it doesn't seem to hurt as much. Is that maybe because the warm Water massages the swelling or something? I had read somewhere earlier that warm beverages are preferable, but mostly because of the reflux that comes up in the mornings.

Anyone else had success with this? I think I may have gotten in the entire 64 ounces today! This feels like a victory somehow.

[Apple1 2,572]

36 minutes ago, gwbicster said:

I seem to have figured out a way to get more liquids in. For some reason when I drink warm green tea it doesn't seem to hurt as much. Is that maybe because the warm Water massages the swelling or something? I had read somewhere earlier that warm beverages are preferable, but mostly because of the reflux that comes up in the mornings.

Anyone else had success with this? I think I may have gotten in the entire 64 ounces today! This feels like a victory somehow.

Yes. Warm liquids definitely worked better for me the first couple of weeks. I can drink colder fluids now with no problem.

[gwbicster 257]

There is a psychological component as well. Part of me is afraid I will never be able to eat solid food ever again, since it is so difficult to even get Water down there. This "hibernation effect" people speak of at least in my case is related to that- thinking in the back of my head "what have I done" to my body and finding it difficult to believe that it WILL get better and the swelling WILL eventually go down... I want it to happen TODAY! lol

Even taking the couple of pills I need to take is such a major ordeal....

And I find myself hungry for real food. Not like hungry enough to eat the normal embarrassing quantities that made me fat, but the idea of an ounce of chicken or tuna salad or a couple of spoonfuls of ricotta cheese sounds SO awesome right now... I need to keep talking to the voice in my head and assure myself that I WILL get there eventually and just to hold on and be patient.

I won't lie this is hard. And there's still some pain so I also worry that I did something to mess up the surgery and worry that it's just not going to work out.

Did any of you have this internal battle with yourself before the healing?

[gwbicster 257]

Also, can anyone tell me how to get the awesome graphic at the bottom of your posts like the one Apple has?

[Apple1 2,572]

1 hour ago, gwbicster said:

Also, can anyone tell me how to get the awesome graphic at the bottom of your posts like the one Apple has?

Go to your profile page and click edit, on the left hand side there should be some choice like profile, surgery, signature, and trackers. Click on trackers and it will guide you through setting up your own.

[Newme17 3,444]

On 6/15/2017 at 2:07 PM, gwbicster said:

does the day of surgery count as day zero or day one

My nut counts it as day 0.

[Newme17 3,444]

1 hour ago, gwbicster said:

Did any of you have this internal battle with yourself before the healing?

All quite normal. Lol. You'll get there!

[gwbicster 257]

Testing one two three...

[Berry78 4,261]

Instead of thinking about solids "soon", I really kept my mind occupied on what I was allowed THAT DAY. Try not to think ahead because that's when you will get into the...

"Well, I can start this food tomorrow, so what's the harm in starting it today.."

Just don't go there. Post your food list up on the wall at home, and make a production out of changing it as your diet advances.

Some of the most successful people on this board keep their daily foods the same long term. (Every day they eat the exact same things). I do this 90% of the time, and I have found it very easy.

The limited post op selection is good training for eating this way if you choose to.