PamelaAM

Amazing post! I think it is so important for the pre-op folks to know that the first couple of weeks is rough but that there IS a big wonderful rainbow once you get through those first weeks. I am starting week 4 today and am really starting to feel good. I, too, have struggled with weight all my life and I finally feel like I hve done something that is really going to work!

Ok, so as long as I know I am not alone LOL! I know that there is no way to really *gain* weight on only 750 calories a day and if I wasn't such a scale addict I'm sure I would have never noticed. I'll take up 3 and then down 5 anyday! It's the net results that matter!

I fully expected to stall around week 3 and that's exactly what I did. But I weighed this morning and was up 3 lbs from last Monday morning - weird. I'm not really freaking out too much because I know it has to be water weight somehow because there is no way I even ATE 3 lbs of food - LOL! Have others experienced this too?

Just figured it out - http://video.about.com/lowcarbdiets/Low-Carb-Cauliflower-Rice.htm

Sounds yummy!

I was sleeved on September 27th also and just this week I am finally being able to cut back a little on the acid reducers. I had been on a prescription acid reducer for years before the surgery so thought I would never be able to cut back, but I am only taking it once a day now instead of twice. I would definitely contact your doctor and ask for something prescription. And if what they give you doesn't give you any relief ask for something different. Not every medication works for everyone - you sometimes have to try a few to find what works best for you. Good luck. It will get better. My first two weeks were AWFUL! And then my third week things started turning around. . .

Can I ask a silly question? What is "riced" cauliflower?

Today was GREAT! So sorry I was late but appreciate you all waiting for me :-) There is nothing like being able to chat face to face with people that actually understand what we are going through. We talked and talked and I could have kept going - so nice to be able to actually relate to others in this journey! Looking forward to getting together next month to compare notes! Thanks Sophia for putting this all together. I hope more people will join us next time! PS. You are all very welcome! You all are cheap dates. . .LOL! The bill was so cheap that I ended up tipping the poor waiter almost as much as the bill was and wrote a note that said "Thank you for accomodating us!" Figured that way he won't run when he sees us again!

Geek! I can't believe you went to work 1 week out!! OMG, I couldn't even move out of bed until day 14! I guess I'm a wuss :-) But when I woke up on day 14 I actually felt human again. Still didn't have much energy but as I approach the 3 week mark (on Monday) I am feeling pretty darn good compared to the first two weeks when I thought I was at death's door :-) Congrats!

Thanks Mary! Getting some carbs and sugar in me for a few days really helped. Plus now that I am on *mushies*, seems to make a huge difference in how I feel! This week vs last week is like night and day!

So excited for you! I am looking forward to being in your shoes in another 4.5 months! :-)

Thanks Mary! Never even thought about ice :-)

I have severe (to the point of burning like pain) itching at my incision sites. It woke me up last night and I couldn't get back to sleep for hours. I've tried putting antibiotic cream on and it helps a little bit. Does anyone have a suggestion? It's driving me crazy and keeping me awake at night!

Sending thought and prayers her way. How awful!

I, too, am taking 4 weeks before I go back to work. I am in my 3rd week and just now starting to see a little bit of energy return. I am hoping that by the end of week 4 I really am ready to go back because I am going back to the busiest weekend of our year as well as lots of travel in the couple of weeks after that!

I am 2 1/2 weeks out and my doctor and the nutritionist have told me to get in a little bit every two hours which seems to be working for me. I guess I am still too early to think I can do actual "meals". It usually takes me 30 minutes to get down whatever I am eating but I have noticed in the past couple of days that time is shrinking. I remember the first egg I had earlier this week took me almost an hour to get down and now I can do it in 20-30 minutes - just small bites and waiting in between to make sure it is going down well. I find if I eat too fast and don't wait a bit in between bites, that I sometimes take one bite too many and I suffer for it. Good luck to everyone else on this journey! It's been a tough one for me but I know it will be worth it!

Pumplkin: Thank you so much for your insight! I am starting to have better days now. Still not great but I can feel the difference each day. Last night I was even able to stand up long enough to make dinner for the hubby, which was a first (standing that long, not making dinner. . .LOL!) I just had to come to grips with the fact that everyone heals differently. I have always been a quick healer in the past so just assumed I would do it again. But of course, I didn't take into consideration that I am older now than I was for my past surgeries! Thanks again for your kind words! Keep up the good work! You are a great inspiration!

You look fabulous!!! Keep up the good work!

So I went in to get my staples out and to have my first post op. Told my doc about my weakness and overall fatigue. They couldn't even get a reading on my blood pressure because it was so low, which scared me. Doc said that I had lost 21 lbs in less than two week and that was normally what someone my size should lose in the first month. Said I had become hypoglycemic and that I needed to add back sugar and carbs into my diet. Suggested that I eat ice cream - I was shocked! So tomorrow I will send my hubby to the store for ice cream and more things with carbs and sugar. Doc said I need to eat more than I have been. Not sure how to do that but I will give it a try! Kind of concerned about the blood pressure thing. She tried at least 6 times with no reading. One of the times when she asked me to talk while she was taking it, it came up as 73/46. But then when she tried again it wouldn't register. Doc said I should feel better once I can get some carbs in me. .

Julia: Thank you so much for the outline of your journey. Certainly gives so many of us hope! Sleeveorbust: Your comments are correct! I don't want to scare anyone from having this very important surgery but for me, I just wish I would have known what "could" happen. And you are so right - it is difficult by doable!

1-4: I pretty much agree with Cherice - it's like awful motion sickness and you can't get off the boat. They tried every type of nausea meds while I was in the hospital and the only one that worked was one that was a pretty heavy duty steriod (can't remember what it was called) and the doc said he couldn't keep me on it for long because of what it was. When I stopped taking it I actually had withdrawals big time. Didn't know what was happening to me when I was waking up drenched in bed and shaking like crazy and freezing cold. Doc said it was withdrawals - wow! after only a few days but I guess it was pretty heavy duty as they were trying everything to help my nausea. Never threw up because there was nothing in there but had the dry heaves twice while in the hospital. Right now I am kind of keeping the nausea under control with meds. But when my stomach gets empty I get nauseous and have to sip something. First thing in the morning is the worst so I get up, drink some Protein drink and then go back to bed. Yesterday, Day 9, I had part of the day that I really felt good. I thought that was a good sign. If I can get just a little bit of time each day I know it will get better. It's definitely been the ride of my life!

Try measuring your food and try just eating 2 oz. at a time. I sometimes try to keep it to 2 oz but certain things I seem to get in 4. But I measure everything because I am so scared of eating one bite too much.

Irene - I agree that there should be more discussion here on the board of what to expect - coupled with the statements of those that have come out on the other side. I think I would have not freaked out so much if I had known what was going to happen. I still would have done the surgery, of course, because like everyone else, nothing else had worked. I hope to see more, maybe moderated discussion on all of this so that people can be prepared. I'm just so relieved to know that I am not the only one with major fatigue and weakness :-)

Thanks so much everyone! I can't tell you how much the support of this board helps! Joey - Please don't let these kinds of posts discourage you. Just please go into the process knowing what to expect. That's where I thought I had done well but turns out I didn't read deep enough. Nina - we're going through this side by side - I know it will get better Sleeve4me - you KNOW I couldn't be getting through this without YOU :-) Love you! And everyone - thanks so much!! I think they should tell all of the VSG classes about this board! It's the best!

So today is one week out for me. I honestly have to say that I had no idea what to expect. Problem was that I thought I had done my research, talked to alot of people and really read up but boy oh boy was this one shock of an experience! I never really had any pain to speak of and stopped taking the pain meds within 12 hours. What got me was the horrible nausea and the fact that while I knew I was supposed to get the liquids etc in, I couldn't even make a dent in ANYTHING. I guess for some reason I thought it was going to be easier than this. I'm a pretty intelligent and realistic person but there is no way that I was prepared for what I have been through in the past week. I know it's different for everyone but I remember reading someone posting on the board who had gone to Mexico and said that the first day home she went shopping. I can barely force myself to get up and walk around - so weak. I'm sipping Water all day and still not getting nearly enough in. And I know I'm not getting enough Protein in. But I am going to move forward and just keep pushing myself. I know it will get better - just hadn't planned on it being this difficult. I know when I would come to the board and read posts from people who were a few months out and everyone was saying "I love my sleeve!" I got really excited! I should have sought out more of the reality of what happens in the first month - or I should say what "could" happen. I was totally blindsided. I am feeling better every day and I know this was a great decision. I am just waiting for the day that I feel whole again :-)