sasicas

Congrats!

Have you seen a GI to see if you have a stricture? I did some time in the hospital recently and found out multiple issues I had, one of which was a stricture which caused me to feel stuck and in pain too. It's a simple process. Get knocked out, they scope you, balloon it open and hope it works (it can close back up but normally doesn't). Each of my scopes (I've had 3) from the time I got there til i woke up was about a 2 hour process.

It's so nice to come to this board and not feel like a complete freak. I do have people still watching me eat at Church and it drives me batty. I realize those people are just curious (very small church, most know I had surgery) but it makes me feel like more of a freak, especially to see my 4 year olds eat more than I do. I still eat because I have to but am trying to add more foods that have more flavor so maybe, just maybe I will enjoy it. I still don't enjoy going out to eat. I guess its not so bad when I can nibble off the hubbys plate but if I have to get my own portion it drives me nuts to get asked over and over if I don't like my food. I have busted out the good ol bariatric surgery card before to order off a kids menu but finding most kids meals at places are not WLS friendly. At least for now I don't have to eat out, hubby had oral surgery and is on a liquid diet for 6 weeks right now. The change in food tastes is still so odd to me. I used to only be able to handle a bite of string cheese, now its the most common thing I eat daily lol. Oh and on the food thing, I do look at what others eat now and wonder how in the world I ever ate so much. It's crazy how much a "serving" is to most people now. This surgery certainly has changed the way I view food.

Out of all 5 incisions, only 1 has caused me problems, mine is to the left of my belly button. The stupid area still hurts and I am nearly 9 weeks post-op. The surgeons said it very common for that one area to cause pain. It was bad enough, we went as far as to have an ultrasound done just to verify there was no hernia or anything else going on.

Seems to be a common problem. I have struggled with it since surgery. Finally broke down and bought some chewable fiber gummies at Costco last night.

It's worth a try to see if it works. Try taking your vitamins at night too. That seems to work best for me.

Unfortunately not everyone can tolerate those. I actually know more people who cannot tolerate any of those meal replacement/protein drinks than those that can. I know some people believe a person should just suck them down whether they want to or not but when they make you even more nauseous or actually vomit, its just not worth it. Everyones body will react differently to the sleeve, just like some people have acid reflux afterwards and some don't. The only time I dealt with it pre-op was in my twins pregnancy, now since being sleeved I am forced to take medication at least once a day, sometimes up to 3 times a day.

YES! My hair has completely changed. It went from extremely oily to dry hair. I used to have to wash my hair daily to now being able to go 3 days, if I wash it sooner than that it becomes even more dry. Its not as curly/wavy as it was before surgery either. Totally crazy.

I don't know if its a matter of being proud, at least not that I have seen to be at a such low calorie intake. I am 2 months post op and I am lucky if I can get in 400 calories a day. My sleeve does not allow me to eat more than that at this point and it took me the full two months to get up to where I am now, I would say the first month at least I got in maybe 100 calories a day and have worked up from there quite slowly. And trust me, it is not intentional, most people physically are not capable of getting to an acceptable calorie intake for months and months. Now choosing not to eat when starving is not wise but the calorie intake cannot always be controled.

Today is a new day. You know where the changes are that you need to make, so make them. Force them. Do NOT look at the way we are to eat post op as a diet. It is not a diet it's lifelong eating. Yes by all means go eat something that is not all that healthy from time to time but it keep it as a treat. We have gone out to eat a lot since my surgery and I keep it at healthier foods than what I would have gotten pre-op and obviously smaller portions. Look at how great you have done too! So don't beat yourself up so bad. Just start fresh. Take your Vitamins, just get some Multivitamins and some vit D and b12 is good too. Oh and on the Protein, we were told 60 grams a day was the number to shoot for. So fill up on the protein before anything else.

Hang in there! If you look through the other messages on here you will see most people stall out in weeks 2 and 3. Your body still needs time to adjust and look at what you lost in the first week! That is a great loss for one week, your body is just in shock from another surgery and as long as you keep eating the way you are supposed to your body will kick into gear again within the next few weeks.

You look great! LOVE the dress!

WOOHOOO! CONGRATS!!

THanks everyone! Ok lets see if I can figure out this picture thing now Oh and I should mention I'm wearing the same pants in both pictures.

Praying for yoU!

Praying it has nothing to do with the surgery!

Like Tiff said just try a little at a time. I am adding real food now little by little. certain things I do puree still but I mostly try to just have very small bites of meats. Lots of gravy or bbq sauce, that kind of stuff on foods to help them. THe best thing I have found so far was ham and rotisserie chicken, both are extemely moist to were I did not need anything on them. Just expect it to be very small bites and take your time eating. Like for me last night, we had ham, scalloped potatoes and candied yams. I had a very small piece of meat, it was maybe 1/8 of a cup of ham. I had a spoon full of potatoes and a spoonful of candied yams. By the time I was finished my family was completely done, including most having seconds or thirds, leftovers were put away and dishes loaded in the dishwasher before I finished my plate. I would ask for a scope, I just had my 3rd today. It's worth it to at least put your mind at ease and who knows if there is a stricture. On the meds, even if its mostly controled find out if you can add another med to use in case there is a day where it is worse. I have Nexium daily and Zantac is my emergency med, I was told I could get some other kind over the counter too (cant think of the name) as all 3 work in different ways. There is no reason to deal with pain if there is a med that will control it for you.

I tend to not feel well in the morning especially if I skip my PPI at night, I take mine twice a day. I wake up with headaches most days now too and if I go too long without eating the nausea is worse.

Glad you will be able to get in to see a local surgeon. Having stricture I can tell you it hurts, I get the feeling of being stuck and went through a phase the lead to being hospitalized where I was unable to eat or drink anything. The pain was too bad and it made me too nauseous. I now see a GI who preforms my scopes, I've had two so far and go for another this week to close a small hole in my sleeve and then back after it heals to stretch my sleeve again. A scope isn't too bad, just make sure to have tons of throat lozenges for afterwards. Eating to me now is just a neccessary chore, I no longer look forward to eating. I find that if I get too empty now I get nauseous so make sure you are eating on a regular schedule. On the reflux, ask for another med. I started out on Prilosec and it did nothing for me. Now I am on Nexium and have Zantac that I can take if it gets bad enough. Hang in there and just make sure you can eat whatever you can and get enough liquids in.

Not sure what the leading culprit is but I do know mine was #4. After a 12 day hospital stay we determined that I had a stricture, it was ballooned open, my nausea increased. I had a leak test and swallow study, then began vomiting. After another scope there was a small hole found at the top of my sleeve that will be glued shut this week (drs determined it was not leaking and small enough to allow me to go home and eat normally again). And my sleeve is more of an L shape vs a banana shape. Its just the way my body healed. The doctors also suspect that I have/had more inflammation in my sleeve than most people do. Also found narrowing in my esophagus and delayed emptying. All of which seem to just be random complications. Of course now most surgeons want to revise me to RNY but I am standing strong against that. Just praying things continue to improve instead of getting worse.

For whatever reason I was scared to try on the other clothes sitting in my closet. I have been walking around in these size 20 jeans that were literally falling right off my body. I kept thinking there was NO way the other clothes would fit yet and I didn't want to be disappointed in trying them on and it not working out. So yesterday I looked in the closet and I finally gave in and decided to try on a pair of size 18 jeans that haven't fit me in quite some time, thinking maybe I could finally button them up. Um yeah, they were falling off too! Tried another pair today that were not a true 18, more like a 16 and guess what! THEY FIT! So I went to the thrift store today to look for some Church clothes and found a really pretty size 14/16 lacy skirt/shirt combo, thinking no way would it fit for at least another month and I was a little nervous because of the type of material thinking it would cling too much to my body but for $5 I couldn't pass it up. Well I tried it on and it fit too! It has been YEARS since I could fit in a size 16 anything and I have no idea how long its been since I could fit a 14 or smaller. I'm just shocked. AND my husband who is not one to give compliments keeps telling me how small I am getting when he hugs me. LOVE hearing that. I've had so many friend from Church comment on me wasting away, it makes all the complications seem not near as bad as they were last week I'm already over half way to my goal and only 7 weeks out. I cannot believe how quickly its gone and how much my body has changed. Wish I could figure out how to get my pics smaller to post my beginning pics and my new pics. Hopefully soon I will figure it out. I am loving these NSVs way more than the scale victories that is for sure. edit-Pictures are a few posts down

Well I'm still doing ok. Trying more foods, able to chew down chicken pretty good and we have had to eat out quite a bit these last few days so its been nice to have something I can eat. Portions are obviously so stinkin small, its kind of funny. At home I try to puree things. The biggest issue is that I am trying to do too much. Today I realized it by having to go back on the pain meds. I was doing pretty good without them but had to rely on them 3 times through today *sigh* I know, I need to let my body heal. Still VERY weak and easily worn out but I guess that comes from the hospital and the lack of nutrition. I hope to start trying smoothies soon with Protein since I know I am not getting in nearly enough even though that is all I eat. Having a hard time getting in enough liquids too because its taking so long to eat. After all the drama of making me wait to see MY surgeon because the other surgeon didn't want to step on his toes, I am being switched to ANOTHER surgeon because mine is deploying UGH! I really love my surgeon and you could tell he felt terrible over my complications, though its not really his fault, just how my body decided to react. So I meet the new surgeon tomorrow. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I hope as the inflamation continues to go down that the L shape moves into the banana shape like its supposed to be or prayerfully the L doesn't cause any more issues. Im a little scared to see the new doctor, worried he wont be as conservative or that he will be one of the ones that really wants me to revise, which I am totally against still. Still waiting to get the little hole glued, there is a problem with my referral, not sure how int he world I can get two scopes while in the hospital but its taking an act of congress to get me another appt with the GI on an outpatient basis. Lovely government healthcare system is always out of wack. I have been only taking the Nexium but thinking I might need to go ahead and add in the other med as much as I don't want to ugh. Oh and most of my Water weight is gone WOOT! Weighed once at the hospital at 204, which was up from the 199 I was the day I was admitted and now down to 194!! Happy to see the scale move again and the clothes falling off ANyways, sorry for rambling, the oxycodone is kicking in so I better head off to bed before I get too long winded. YOu all have no idea how much I appreciate the support you have given me. I would be a complete basket case without the support of this group

Thanks everyone for the input. I do hope I get back to enjoying food. Ready to get to what my new normal will be like long term instead of dealing with all this early out wierdness

I totally agree!

I love the support group I have found. I started going back in September, months before I even was sleeved and it has been such a great help to me. Many of our members are a year or more out, not many newbies lately. The group is not one through my surgeon, there is another one that meets during the day weekly at the hospital but I find they are not as real as the other group. The other group lives by the rule of nothing leaving the room, we can share what we want to and if someone happens to be in the medical profession we prefer not to know. The folks who are farther out say the group has helped them to hang on and get through so much better. My surgeon even went as far as to say that most people who go to groups generally lose 10% more than those with no group. If I lived far from a group I would imagine that I would try to get there at least once a month, but if it's impossible, this group and youtube are great places for support.