CraftyChristie

I've had the same problem because I'm a side sleeper too. Sleeping has been so uncomfortable and I already had a bad back so sleeping on my back has been rough!!! My back really hurts when I go for my walks too. I am mostly off pain meds but am taking them an hour before going for my walk and that helps.

My instructions are to make sure I get up and walk around at least 5 minutes on every hour. Additionally, to try and walk for 30 mins a day besides that. It can be 3 x 10min walks, 2 x 15min walks or 1 30 min walk. I tried for the first time yesterday (my 4th day post op) and surprisingly walked 35 mins at once with no problems. Will be doing so again today.

You need to ask your insurance company to be sure. Mine said Weight Watchers did not count, it HAD to be doctor supervised. You could be using WW as your method but would have to be doing monthly check ups with your doctor. I ended up being self pay so it didn't matter (they would only cover bypass) but just make sure before you get started so you don't waste your time. Good luck!

I didn't go to Mexico, but when I was laying in the hospital here waiting half an hour every time I pushed the nurse call button, I sure wished that I did! The stories I have heard seem like the staff is so much more attentive to you there. Here I felt like I had a different nurse every time I pushed the button, had to re-explain everything each time, and I seriously had to wait forever any time I needed anything lol. I love my surgeon but the hospital not so much.

I don't have anything new to say but I agree with everything already said here. This is about you now, and I know from your other posts you weren't happy before either.. there is just no reason to stay with someone like that. Being alone IS better than being with a prick, I promise.

Firstly, thanks for your super positive post! It's awesome to read! I am 4 days out. Really looking forward to the soft foods stage of the egg beaters, refried beans etc, which I am allowed to start after Wednesday if I can tolerate it. I will probably like some of the same things you are liking I am already noticing that each day I feel a little better, can get more liquids down, can walk better. I was able to walk for 35 mins today and it's only day 4! Whoo hoo!

My surgeon actually recommends no more than once every OTHER week to weigh in!! I am planning to weigh in at my 1 week post op, 3 week post op, 6 week post op, and then either every other week or only monthly after that. I have no desire to play guessing games with the scale I am just going to do my thing.

You would know if you had a drain :thumbup: Not everyone gets one. I have tube coming out of my abdomen and it goes into a little bottle/bag thing. I have to empty it a couple times a day and record how much Fluid was in it. When I go to my 1 week post op appointment they will remove it. Basically it drains excess abdominal fluids and blood.

Immore, I don't think it's acid reflux because I'm quite familiar with what acid feels like for me, but i guess it could manifest itself differently now? My dr didn't put me on an acid reducer... I do have some though so I guess I could take one and see if it helps.

Today is going a little better with the liquids. I'm able to drink some water in between the 15 minute intervals so I think I am much better hydrated today. Sleeping/laying down is still really really uncomfortable for me. I'm glad to hear other people are going through some of the same things... I wasn't expecting it to hurt this bad! I just can't wait to get past this part.

Today is day 3 post-op. I think the pain is getting a little better and I definitely slept better last night. The one thing that is really bothering me is intense hunger pangs. The dr. said once i started drinking protein and getting my liquids in, these would go away. Maybe I am not being patient enough but I really hoped they would go away by now. The pain at my incisions is not too bad, but the internal muscle pain is pretty bad for me. I think it is better today though. Walking is getting easier except I feel like I can't stand up completely straight. My back got really sore throughout this process too but that's because I had a bad back to begin with. I've been icing my back a few times a day and it's starting to calm down. I am just so looking forward to Wednesday when I can get my drain removed and go to another nutrition class and possibly advance my diet to full liquids (on clears now.)

What pain meds are you on and are they working for you? I'm on oxycodone but it doesn't seem to help much!

I really want to hear some repsonses to this too as I am going through the same thing. For me the gurgles and growls hurt, they feel like extreme hunger pains.

Hey everyone! Thank you all so much for everything. Another update for you. I'm home and resting in my own bed, unfortunately not all that comfortably as my back is hurting a lot. I'm on oxycodone but it's not killing my pain much. They had me on a really good one at the hospital but they said it was ibuprofen based so I couldn't stay on it. Bummer cuz it made me feel so good! My best friend arrived tonight. I slep 8pm to midnight and she got in around then so we have been up talking a bit. So nice to have her here. My incisions are sore but it's mostly the muscles underneath that really hurt so bad!!' can anyone tell me how long until the muscles start feeling better? My biggest prob is intensely painful hunger pains. The dr said they will go away. I hope he's right, they hurt so bad! It's definitely not acid either, I've had lots of acid in the past and this feels totally different. anyway I am just hoping that in a couple days I'll feel better. Right now pretty miserable.

Just a note to let you all know my surgery went well and I'm doing fine. I'm still at the hospital but will post a full update when I get home! Spent yesterday very nauseous and in lots of pain but doing pretty great now. Lots of pain in abdomen when I move around or in the proccess of standing up or sitting down. But once I am sitting still or walking slow I feel pretty good. I am getting down 1 oz of liquid every 15 mins with no trouble. Was not expecting a drain but I did get one. Yucky. Also most of my incisions are just 1 inch but the one in front is like 4 inches!!! That one hurts a lot. Time for me to walk the hall again, will update more later.

Thank you everybody!!! I'm going to bed now and really looking forward to my surgery tomorrow :wink1:

Mine is tomorrow too! I didn't have a preop diet either other than being on clear liquids today. Had my last meal last night. Good luck, you'll do great.

Thanks everybody! I am so hungry being on clear liquids only today... looking so forward to waking up after surgery and not being hungry.

Hi there Wheatthin, welcome to the forum! I feel the same as you, that this place helped me make a wise decision. Congrats on getting your surgery date! Mine is tomorrow, and I can't believe it's here already. I also watched a lot of youtube videos and came to the same conclusion that you did! I really think this surgery is going to be it

I don't have personal experience with this yet but I've read the boards, watched a lot of youtube videos etc so just wanted to tell you that the consensus seems to be - it starts around 3-4 months out, and ends around 7-8 months out, with hair back to more normal thickness around a year. I am sure this varies from person to person but this is the average experience I have heard from everyone.

My surgery is tomorrow!! Wow!! I can't believe it's already here. I am on Clear liquids today, trying to convince my tummy that a glass of Water is Breakfast. LOL. I am going to have some Isopure today too and probably chicken broth. Thank you to everyone on this board. You've given me information, shared your experiences, helped me make my decision, and helped prepare me for what is to come after surgery. Without the people here, I don't know that I would be feeling so calm and ready for this. I'll update as soon as I possibly can after surgery. If you are curious about what's going on with me it's best to track my health blog at Health and Happiness - it's easy for me to update that from my phone so I will probably be able to do that in the hospital

Jerry, does it get better or feel to "loosen up" as you walk on it? Or does the pain remain constant? Usually if it's still when you first get up and it 'loosens up', that is arthritis or possibly ligament pain. I hope everything turns out to be fine for you.. please let us know!

thanks Tiffy! The appointments went pretty well. It was kind of a long day, but everything is done. :confused1:

Elly, I totally understand as my dad is paying for my surgery too and I don't want to let him down either. I just think the sleeve, and your adherance to the guildelines, is going to be it. I don't think you are going to need this other stuff. Whoever suggested having your parents check out these message boards.. I think that's a GREAT idea!

Firstly, have you ever been diagnosed with a particular back problem? For example my back pain turned out to be herniated discs in both my thoracic and lumbar spine, and I have degenerative disc disease. When I was first diagnosed I was actually at my lowest weight (240.) After a year of physical therapy I was doing great. I am now over 300 lbs and my pain started getting really bad again about 5 months ago. I am now seeing a chiropractor and it's really helping. My back pain is the reason my doctor suggested me to have WLS.... but he thinks I need to be under 225 to feel a lot of relief from my pain. We shall see! I guess my point is - your back pain may or may not be cured by losing weight, but I think it will certainly get better. My condition is degenerative so it won't go away, but less weight will slow down the progression and hopefully the pain symptoms will be much less. I have heard that every pound of weight puts 7 pounds more pressure on our spine so just imagine how much less pressure will be on your spine soon. If you haven't already, definitely talk to your doc and have some xrays, try to find out the source of the pain. Good luck!