What did you find the hardest to deal with post op?

[MrsFlipFlops 2]

Aphrodite- you are so right on!

I totally missed food. Watching commercials, being around family was so hard. It was and is still now EMOTIONAL! I feel like I lost my best friend! And in a sense, I was mourning food. Mushies helped, but since I will never be able to eat everything I wanted and all I wanted, I have continously (although it has died down a little) felt a sense of loss and frustration.

Food was there when I was mad, sad, bad, happy, frustrated, stressed, celebratory...

[Sufina 0]

Since most of us have had ongoing love affairs with food, it's going to be a challenge to find other things to focus on. I've been giving this some thought during my first 6 days post-op with the limited array of choices (broth, broth or juice, Water, tea etc). I would fantasize fixing myself meals (and even tho I live alone as a single person believe me, I cooked like it was serious entertaining!), each nite. Sometimes I would gather my ingredients from 3 different stores so I know alot of time and money was given to my food obsession. Now, I'm trying to consider what else there is in life I can get involved in. I know there are (thin probably) people out there for whom food isn't given much consideration so I feel this is going to be a real "growing" experience- that ultimately is going to make me feel much better about my life and feel healthier. I was (at 64) starting to get alot of the "co-morbidities" as a result of being overweight. i was about to resign myself to only a few years left at being very inactive and limited but now, I'm seeing a new future spreading out before me. This is going to strengthen us if we keep our dedication in focus. Love to read your input guys. thanks, sufina:tt2:

[Insky67 2]

I miss chewing right now too, the way I try to please that urge is I went and bought a ton of sugar free gum! I was never a gum chewer before but now I love it. I got all kinds of flavors and it helps a lot...not sure if it is okay or not but it seems like it would be since it is sugar free.

[rcoleband 0]

I am just 3 days post op. The hardest thing is the gas, that has almost killed me. I had jaw surgery 6 weeks ago and was on full liquids for 4 weeks and had only been on soft foods for two weeks before havingthis surgery. As of now, I feel full most of the time with just drinking Water, Jello, etc.... So I do not miss anything now but the gas was UNREAL!!!! I still have it, but it is much better now.

[shay30 0]

:thumbup:I am 3 days out and was on Clear Liquids for an entire week before the surgery - so I have been on Water and broth now for 11 days and yes it sucks! I miss the taste of food and I keep saying that I only have to wait until monday that is one more full day and I can have any liquids that I want. I just want to some creamy Soup. I will be so excited to be on the pureed stage. I am not really hungry but in the matter of 11 days - I quit smoking and drinking and eating - so if that is not a drive fo anyone out there - I don't know what is - please keep it up!

Still so sore - and it hurts to take deep breathes - not a fan of pain medicine - but I might take some tonight (first dose in 42 hours)

[luigismama 0]

Not drinking Water as quickly as I used to AND not drinking with meals. I feel a constant sense of thirst, like I'm not getting enough Water (even though I'm getting at least the recommended 56oz a day). It might be mental as I used to drink 2-3L every day.

This morning I started mushies, and I pureed myself a scrambled egg with a little salsa and 1/2 string cheese on the side. You would have thought I'd died and gone to heaven! But trust me, between the 12-14 pounds I lost before surgery and the weight after, and seeing a difference in my face, my body, my feet and having my favorite jeans HANG off me even with a belt is ALL WORTH IT!

[sophiekitty 0]

I'm almost 3 months post-op and have one fill and I can drink Water almost as fast as I used to. I live in So Cal and it's been very hot here. I've been so thirsty that I've had about 16 oz. of water in a very very short period of time and I've noticed when I drink really really fast I can feel the water kinda sit in my stomach. I'm still getting used to not drinking during meals, that seems very hard. My doctor says I can't drink 30 min. before or after meals, and the second 30 min. is up after I eat, I'm drinking my water.

[e-jay 0]

Hi,

I was banded on the 11th. I was surprised to learn, afterward, that I had a paraesophogeal hiatal hernia. My surgery went great though. The hardest thing to deal with immediately after surgery was the gas. If you have the laproscopic surgery, they'll fill you with it. Be sure to walk as much as possible, and stacking up pillows helped me. I couldn't lay flat. I haven't found that food is a problem yet, since I haven't been physically hungry. At first, I was disgusted by the look and smell of food, but now I'm beginning to understand "head hunger". I try not to watch the TONS of food commercials on TV. I'm starting to see things that look good to me again.