Calling all October sleevers!!

[chrissy43 40]

This is the difference 37 pounds made. I'm so excited for my journey to continue

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

Amazing @chrissy43 - great job.

[Meguone 72]

I had my surgery on 10/30, so only six days out. Feeling rough with JUST the liquid diet right now, second stage of soft food starts on Tuesday and can't wait down about 20 pounds since the LSD, so that's good.

[Ms_Meli 17]

Hey there October Sleevers! If all goes as planned I will be sleeved at the end of this month. I'm wondering how long did you take off of work? I have a comfy office job that ties me to my desk for the most part. My plan is to have my sleeve done on a Thursday and return to work on Monday. Does this seem realistic to those who have been through it?

[Rose73 31]

1 minute ago, Ms_Meli said:

Hey there October Sleevers! If all goes as planned I will be sleeved at the end of this month. I'm wondering how long did you take off of work? I have a comfy office job that ties me to my desk for the most part. My plan is to have my sleeve done on a Thursday and return to work on Monday. Does this seem realistic to those who have been through it?

Hi! I took a week off total and was back to work no problem. The gal I met at ASM in Mexico, went back to work Monday or Tuesday after our surgery on Friday. She said she was tired but fine.

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

I would take at least a week off, you just never know how you will feel after major surgery and sitting all day will be no picnic with incisions. You will have very little energy because you can't consume much for about 3-4 weeks. Most recommend two weeks, what did your surgeon recommend?

[mbcarroll 3]

7 minutes ago, Ms_Meli said:

Hey there October Sleevers! If all goes as planned I will be sleeved at the end of this month. I'm wondering how long did you take off of work? I have a comfy office job that ties me to my desk for the most part. My plan is to have my sleeve done on a Thursday and return to work on Monday. Does this seem realistic to those who have been through it?

Surgery was on a Wednesday and back on Monday. I was hit with severe gas pain on that Monday and did leave early but I am fine and have been. Just remember to get up and walk!

[walleyecrazy 120]

I was sleeved on 10/11 and am just returning to work today. That is mostly due to the fact that my job can involve quite a bit of lifting and pushing and pulling up to a couple thousand pounds on a cart.

[Ms_Meli 17]

1 hour ago, walleyecrazy said:

I was sleeved on 10/11 and am just returning to work today. That is mostly due to the fact that my job can involve quite a bit of lifting and pushing and pulling up to a couple thousand pounds on a cart.

that sounds like a workout!!

[Rainbow_Warrior 996]

4 hours ago, Ms_Meli said:

I'm wondering how long did you take off of work?

I am a retiree ... but I have a skill set in high demand ... so I get plenty of offers of work for $$$$.

The one restriction was that my surgeon and clinic said, "Ideally, don't plan to do anything strenuous for at least 7-10 days post-op. And, please, try not to drive in the first four days post-op as you may have residual anaesthetic issues."

- - -

My work is such that I am:

(a) registered with a professional body and can be offered single days or multiple days filling in for other full-timers who need personal leave or sick leave.

(b) registered with four local service go-betweens who take bookings for work (2hr, 3hr & 4hr temp blocks) and assign it to people like me.

(c) able to be phoned by former or ongoing clients and to provide them ad hoc help and guidance via Skype/FaceTime

(d) can be referred by former clients directly ... they pass my name and role onto friends and family and I step in and work fee for service to address their current needs.

So, before the sleeve op mid October (Thur, 12th Oct), my work week looked like this:

Monday - provide two hours on site at a professional business showing young executives presentation techniques and product skills (3:30pm-5:30pm)

Tuesday - engaging at a business premises (2pm-6pm) owned by a fee-for-service franchisee showing school-leavers "the ropes" to getting employment in a range of suitable industries.

Wednesday - 5pm-6pm - sitting in an easy-chair at home on Skype/Facetime with two people in remote Australia who need development and use this hour every week to ask me questions and seek my advice. (THIS ROLE CUTS OUT NEXT WEEK.)

Thursday (1) - provide two hours on site at a professional business showing young executives presentation techniques and product skills (3:30pm-5:30pm) - same people as Monday

Thursday (2) - 6pm-7pm - sitting in an easy-chair at home on Skype/Facetime with two people on the far south coast of my state who need development and use this hour every week to ask me questions and seek my advice.

Friday - a young man with a chequered personal history comes to me home office to seek my advice to rejoin his career full time from next year. His family are paying me to help him "clean up his act" with some stable advice and tips to get him back to full accreditation.

Outside of these actual hours, I spend about 10-20 minutes per individual client reading/writing/tracking progress for them (and for my benefit too.)

- - -

The hard one was the Tuesday job - I stayed away for it for two full weeks and did just a half session on the 31st Oct. I went back to it for full session yesterday (7th Nov) and did okay.

The Monday & Thursday identical jobs (where I drive across town) I missed on the Thursday of the op and the Mon & Thur the following week.

The Wed and Thursday online jobs I resumed the week following the op - hey, I'm just sitting home in my own comfy chair ... little energy expended and limited risk of pain/trouble, I thought ... I was right.

I missed the Friday job at my residence on the 13th (the day after the op) and the 20th Oct as I wanted to be settled in my post-op diet and toileting to be sure. So I resumed that from 27th Oct and again last Friday (3rd Nov).

- - -

You just have to consider whether you need to allow yourself any time to cover pain and adjustment, I guess. Are you right to drive or catch transport to work?

Be your own best judge, Ms_Meli.

[Rainbow_Warrior 996]

2 hours ago, walleyecrazy said:

That is mostly due to the fact that my job can involve quite a bit of lifting and pushing and pulling up to a couple thousand pounds on a cart.

Yes!

Qualifies as a strenuous effort job.

My jobs/roles (described elsewhere in this thread a few minutes ago) are low sedentary to medium sedentary. They are also limited public presence to open public presence (as I also described).

When I am working on Skype/FaceTime, I have a "optional pants" or "optional slacks" rule. I often just operate in my tracksuit bottom with a neat polo shirt ... but, heck, only my upper head and chest show on those services.

[belinda401 116]

On 11/2/2017 at 8:57 AM, chrissy43 said:

Hi everyone. I was sleeved on 10/10. I had a follow up appointment yesterday and I'm down 37 pounds from surgery date. I feel amazing. I'm can't drink my Protein Shakes because they are all so sweet. But I'm drinking high Protein milk and eating fat free refried Beans along with lots of fat free cottage cheese. This has been the best decision of my life. I hope all you October Sleevers are seeing some positive change!!

I work a desk job as well. I took one week off and then worked from home for the second week. I was sleeved on 10/19 and returned to work yesterday. One thing that I can tell you that I didn't really realize is how much attention you have to pay in the immediate weeks after surgery on your eating and drinking schedule. There is also the memory recall issues and just plain exhaustion. I would give it at least 2 weeks. I had a semi-panic attack when I returned to work yesterday because I was trying to stay on track with my eating schedule which is harder than you think at work when time is not your own AND you don;t realize how much your memory is zapped because of the Vitamin deficiency, lack of calories and your body trying to figure out what the hell you did to it. My humble advise would be take 3 weeks if you can - I think I came back too early. Good luck!

[BuffaloBill 168]

How's everybody doing in here ?? I know alot of people had surgery in late October. I had my month but really 5 week appointment with my surgeon on Tuesday. I'm not a big scale guy I'm more how I look and feel ,but I lost like 20lbs since surgery. The first 3 weeks were rough mentally. Physically it was cake for me. Very blessed. I see the light at the end of the tunnel tho I realized exactly how this is gonna work between week 4 and 5... we absolutely have to eat healthy and consume nutritious Protein when we eat. Cause once you switch to food again after liquids you see how limited the room in your belly is.. idk about u guys but I've saved a ton of money on food these past 5 weeks.. but I'm posting to let all the late October's know it got so much better for me between week 4 and 5 and after I spoke to my surgeon and he said I'm doing great. Remember we have the rest of our lives to figure out how to work the sleeve. My numbers aren't precise but HW=280 SW-245 CW=225 GW-170/180 . I look at it like I'm half way home to exactly where I wanna be for the rest of my life.

Sent from my SM-G935T using BariatricPal mobile app

[lpsouth1978 25]

I took 2 weeks off work and felt great when I returned, however, by the end of the week I was completely drained and felt terrible. I also think I returned a week too early and i suffered for it. My work is such, that I sit most of the day and have very little activity while on the job, but it still took its toll.

As far as everything else goes, this has been SOOOOO easy for me. I have had no trouble sticking to the post op diet. I had my 2 week post op a few days ago and everything is going well. I am now on the pureed food diet and the Dr. also said I can start eating eggs. I was able to enjoy my first LITTLE omelet in a long time this weekend. I feel blessed to be having such an easy time with this, I hear so many stories of people struggling and fighting for every little victory. I think I did all of my big fighting before surgery and went into it as prepared as anyone can be.

[ProfessorSlim 115]

Hi everyone. I had my surgery on 10/26. I am doing well, but tired at times. A lot. I am back to work ( teach FT at a college and work a few days a month as a nurse) I am 2 weeks and 4 days post op. This Thursday 11/16 will be 3 weeks post-op.

Eating almost anything gives me heartburn. applesauce and Jello are like rocks in my new stomach. banana went down tough, mashed potatoes hit me hard. I can do small amount of cream of wheat, I do well with my choc Protein Shakes, I do well with cup-of-soup (has some soft noodles in it)

I am not "hungry", but I feel like my body needs more Protein, or calories, or both. I just get tired and cannot do a lot like I want to (cleaning, organizing, laundry, etc) Is this pretty normal, as far as where all of you are ? I guess working and being a Mom of 3 teens is a lot, but I just need to get past this phase.

It feels like a "negative feedback" to eat.....I just feel like sticking to protein shakes and Soup. Nothing else feels good. But then I feel like I need the protein. Actually, I did a bit of refried Beans, they were kind of ok, and a soft boiled egg...ate them super slow. (not on the same day)

What foods did you have at 2 1/2 weeks post op? My surg said anything I can mash up with a fork,

On the bright side, I am down 27 lbs from my weight at 1 week pre-op. So this is good!!