DawnOfANewMe

My surgery was on July 7, 2011 and I've lost 86 lbs.

I do not do the fat free/sugar free anymore either. My surgeon told me that his only restrictions were no fruit juices and no glasses of milk of any kind - not even skim. I have followed that to the "T" and he said whatever I am doing just keep doing it because it appears to be working for me.

Mine, was a Kool-Aid consistency blue/purple drink. They made me take several sips and it was awful tasting!

Hi, I am also a Diabetic on an Insulin Pump that just had my surgery last Thursday, July 7. My basal rate was originally set at 4 units/hour and he had me change that to 3 units per hour the day before surgery and then the morning of surgery had me change it to 1 unit/hour. My surgeon allowed me to wear my pump as long as I placed it on my thigh. He couldn't have anything on the abdomen area. He gave me strict instructions that I was not to give myself a correction unless my sugar went over 226. The anasthesiologist placed my pump into a rubber glove and taped it to my leg so nothing would get on it and he told me not to worry as he would be monitoring my sugar throughout the surgery. The techs came in 4-6 times per day to take my blood sugar readings which I input into my pump. The 1st day of surgery, I was pleasantly surprised I never went over 140 - no corrections needed. By Sunday I was averaging around 126 for the day and by Tuesday I am running 96 - 112 - no corrections needed. I am still on 1 unit per hour and that's it. I go back to visit my endocronologist in a few weeks and he is very optimistic that I will be able to come off all of my diabetic medications and insulin. Dawn

That is the bench that grows larger and larger as each of us get our surgery and start losing weight. We move over to allow another person to sit on it with us. It's a good thing! Dawn

Congratulations Manda, Here's hoping for a speedy recovery and oh, by the way, Welcome to the Losers Bench! Dawn

Congrats Nancy and here's hoping you have a very speedy recovery. Dawn

Wishing you a speedy recovery. Congratulations! Dawn

Good luck to everyone having surgery this week. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way. Dawn

My surgeon was Dr. Philip Price of Mount Carmel Bariatric in Columbus, Ohio. He rocks!! I had to wait 3 months to get on his surgery calendar, but it was well worth the wait. Dawn

Wendy, so sorry to hear you went through such a rough patch with the nausea. I am glad to hear you are home and it sounds like your kids are making you get back to normal pretty quick. Wish we could harness all that energy they have. Get as much rest as you can and I look forward to following your progress as the pounds starting coming off. Dawn

Kath-A-Leena Where did you find your Isopure. I'm having problems myself with getting enough Protein in and I think I would like to try some.

Good luck to all of you. You will be in my thoughts and prayers today. Post whenever you can, I'll be waiting to hear how you do! Dawn

Congratulations and welcome to the "Losers Bench". I just had my sleeve done last Thursday and I am feeling great! Let me tell you, each day gets better and better just like everyone who has gone before us has stated. Hope you get home to see that cute little boy soon tomorrow he is such a doll. Dawn

SeattleSue, So glad to hear you are back safe and sound and that your recovery was as miraculous as mine! I too had no nausea or very much pain (just felt sore like I had done a hundred ab crunches). I too was up walking right away and had no trouble getting Water, Jello, broth, etc. down. Yeah for us! We are on the losers bench. Dawn

Tell her we are so happy this is over and tell her that each day gets better and better! Sending "hugs" and soothing thoughts her way to help her through the night. Dawn

Sending good thoughts and prayers your way. You'll do great. Dawn

Susan, so glad to hear your are doing so well. I got sleeved on Thursday as well and I am doing great! I came home yesterday and it felt so good to be home. I understand that feeling of missing family, doggy and bed. Dawn

It looks like you have it all lined up. Sending good vibes your way and remember..... sip, sip, sip, walk, walk, and walk some more. Dawn

Ready to live, I had a hysterectomy in 2008 and my experience was just like yours. Very painful and when they told me I had to get up and walk the first time, my whole body shook because of the pain and I could only make it two steps towards the door. I just had my surgery on July 7th for my sleeve and let me tell you, I had no nausea and hardly any pain -- Just a lot of soreness like I had done 1,000 ab crunches. I hardly used any pain medications and when they got me up to walk I did an entire lap around the hallway. I did exactly what everyone on here talks about, after my leak test I started sipping, sipping, sipping and I got up and walked whenever I could. If I couldn't sleep, I walked and by the time I came home on Saturday, I was feeling pretty darn good . I went into this surgery expecting, like you, the worst pain ever and actually was very blessed to have just the opposite. You will do great too. No one can understand that pain unless they have been through it, but this doesn't even compare. Good luck on your surgery... You'll do great!!! Dawn

I am doing great! I really can't complain. The hardest part is getting in all the liquids. My stomach feels like it is cramping just a little if I take a sip that is too big. It is weird being able to feel that. My doctor has had me on full liquids since Saturday, so I am able to eat cottage cheese, sugar-free Jello, creamed Soups, etc. I am drinking Protein drinks throughout the day because he wants me to eat 6 times so I do small portions until my stomach gets healed. I can eat about 4 teaspoons of cottage cheese before I start to burp and reading what others have said on here, I am taking that as being full. I am really surprised that I am actually not feeling so much cramping when I drink today, so its true that each day gets better and better. I need to get some more walking in starting today. It is so hot during the day as you probably know living in Texas. I will either have to wait until this afternoon or perhaps what we did yesterday and go to Wal-Mart and walk the isle ways while we window shop to get in my walk. There is always a way. Dawn

I took as little as possible. The clothes I wore to the surgery were the ones I wore home and I took my CPAP machine and my own pillow. Hospital pillows tend to be hard and flat. I just wore the hospital gowns with one worn backwards as a robe. I wore the non slip socks for the first day and then switched to me Adidas swimming flip flops the 2nd day. They were easy to get on and off. I hope your surgery goes and easy as mine with no nausea and very little pain. Dawn

Texasmom65, Good luck tomorrow, we will be thinking about you and all of the July 11 "July FireCrackers". I hope that you have the great experience I had, with no nausea and hardly any pain - just soreness. You'll do great, I just know it. Dawn

Just had my surgery on the 7th and I am not trying to walk that far yet. I did, however, get up and walk every chance I got through the halls at the hospital and today at home, I am starting to feel back to normal. I walked at the hospital every time I couldn't sleep, 3:00 a.m., 5:00 a.m., etc. I figured if I couldn't sleep I might as well walk. My husband even commented on Saturday through the halls at the hospital before I came home that I needed to slow down and that I was walking at a pretty good pace. I will comment, however, that I was one of the lucky ones and didn't have hardly any pain....just a feeling of soreness (like I had done 1,000 ab crunches) so I didn't need to take all the pain medicines. Glad to be on the losers bench! Dawn

Thanks Nancy, I am just about to leave for the hospital. I can't tell you how excited I am and how long I have waited for this day. I will hopefully be able to get back on in a couple of days to let you all know how things went. Good luck to all those who are having surgery tomorrow as well!!