mamasez

I started doing a junque journal. I put all kinds of things in there and I journal my feelings. I know I need to FEEL the feelings, not shut them up with food (although that is a cute saying about the cookie and the thin lady!). I was a major emotional eater too. Sleeved 4.5 weeks ago and taking it day by day so far. Tangie Baxter does three youtube video tutorials on junque journals. http://www.youtube.com/user/tangiebaxter#p/a/u/0/FeESd-nCGYU I am not real good with getting my crafts "just so" as I want to do everything fast so I tend to be a bit sloppy so the junque journal is a perfect activity for me. Keeps my hands busy. I'd love to be able to say I just exercise instead of emotional eating but that is soemthing that I have to push myself to do honestly! Good luck!

I'm sorry, I don't have any clinical knowledge but I will say that taking ER meds post op made me VERY sick. The hospital staff did not try to keep ER meds from me, but they did make me very ill and I had to get off my ER meds. I hope your mom gets better soon.

I truly wish I knew what to tell you. I would be pissed too. I am only 4 weeks out so I have no experiential advice other than what I have read on these forums which is to change it up, eating wise. Examine what you are eating and eat more or less than you currently are eating. Start eating different things, and check the carb level (I think you should be eating around 20 but no more than 40 carbs/day - someone correct me if that is wrong). Get EXTRA Water in to flush out those toxins. Also, have you joined MyFitnessPal to track what you are eating? I have heard it really gets people's weight loss going from a stall when they track carefully. I want to commed you for stopping smoking. You know that smoking is self-sabotoge and it will NOT help you be healthy. It will only make you feel bad about yourself! I know how hard it is to quit for good. I walked around looking like an idiot (but who cares?!) because I missed the hand-to-mouth action of smoking so much, I would "puff" on a toothbrush at home and blow out in long, slow breaths, just like I had just taken a calming drag. Did it in my car too. So, deep breathing in and blowing out to simulate that effect might be helpful. It was for me. With your back issue, can you go to a physical therapy place? Do ALL exercises make your back hurt? Could you do some gentle water aerobics? I am prone to injury and there's nothing to stall weight loss like not being able to exercise. I know things are going to get better for you. God has a plan.

Good to know, thank you JenniLee! Do you think taking Prilosec OTC in addition to my prescription Pepcid is ok to do? Thanks again!

I am 4 weeks out from surgery. After sleeping a max of 7 hrs, the reflux / burning that's churning up into my throat wakes me up. My gut gurgles at that time like a mac truck and I feel the acid bubbling up. If I open my mouth, I can hear it in my throat. It's like having exploding Pop Rocks in my throat! Feels like gaseous foam bubbling up. Eating a couple of bites makes it subside for a VERY short time, but not for long. I take prescription Pepcid twice a day and use Gas X strips. Is this temporary (I hope) or a long term thing? Anything I can do to lessen this burning & gurgling? Thanks in advance!

I am 4 weeks out today. After sleeping a max of 7 hrs, the reflux / burning that's churning up into my throat wakes me up. My gut is gurgling like a mac truck and the acid is bubbling up. If I open my mouth, I can hear it in my throat. Feels like gaseous foam bubbling up. Eating a couple of bites makes it subside shortly, but not for long. I take prescription Pepcid twice a day and use Gas X strips. Is this temporary (I hope) or a long term thing? Anything I can do to lessen this burning & gurgling? Thanks in advance!

I am using a baby spoon and a baby fork, but got some nice stainless steel ones so I don't look TOO goofy eating with some neon, flowery, cute-sie silverware. I learned from someone on this site to use a real small plate (like teacup saucer type) and put it on a mug warmer to keep my food warm. It works great! I feel so dainty with my little utensils and little petite plate. Kinda fun!

We told my 11 yr old who has Asperger Syndrome and is ultra attached to me. I homeschool him and knew he would ask lots of questions aobut my 3 week pre-op diet, why I needed rest when I came home from hospital, why our homeschooling routine / schedule needed to change a bit for awhile, etc. I went over the details he needed to know but kept the info very basic and made it sound extremely harmless and safe to reassure him. I am three weeks out as of today and my son has been a great helper to me. He is doing his best to be patient and helpful, which he might not have done so readily had he not known what was really going on. Good luck to you!

Congrats! Glad to hear that you are doing well. Get lots of rest!

Hi Oct 17 thru 20 Sleeve Sisters! Just checking in to see how you are all doing. After being sleeved on Monday 10/17 I stayed in hospital for two nights due to my BP being sky high due to pain. whoo - that was a doozy, but moved past it and got home safe and sound. I have been in pain but it does get better day by day, thankfully. My husband has been taking great care of me and he has just been wonderful. I've had a few unexpected things crop up. I thought ok, it's surgery. I will feel bad at first and gradually feel a bit better, day by day. I wasn't expecting new issues to keep popping up. They are managable issues, but still a pain in the patootie. The two things bothering me most right now are that I get diarhea whenever I take my PPI (ugh). It feels like what I imagine dumping syndrome must be like. I feel like I am going to throw up (like pill is stuck), I get hot flashes and sweat profusely, feel nauseated and weak and headachy and overall sick to my stomach. Plus I am, for the first time in my 49 years, experiencing severe anxiety. My doc called something in to the pharmacy for me today so I hope it'll all get better soon. I cannot get comfortable at night and can't get to sleep. I try all sorts of different positions but just feel like I am crawling out of my skin and get panicky. No matter where I sit / lay (couch, bed, recliner, etc) I cannot get comfortable. I do have good moments, praise God, but sure will be glad when this is all behind me and I move on the the "it was all so worth it" stage. I can tell my incision areas are much better. Still hurts when I sneeze but holding the pillow against it helps. I have been walking on the treadmill for 10 minutes at a time about 3 times a day for the past several days which feels so good. I went out of the house for the first time since coming home from the hopital today and since I had taken a pill just before I left the house, I felt nauseated and overheated and sick the whole time I was out. We managed to get what we needed to turn my 11 year old into a killer zombie for Halloween though and that's the important thing! Hope things are going well for you. Would love to hear how each of you (and other October Sleevers) are doing. I send best wishes to each of you! Leah

Good to know. Thanks!

I was already taking Dexilant (ppi) pre-op for gerd so doc said to stay on it post op. Now, 8 days out from sleeve surgery, I am suddenly having very sharp pains near the biggest incision (where excess tum was removed - under left breast) and am wondering if it is gas or if I have pulled something or what. Ideas? Thanks.

I am 8 days post op and have had pain in the same area. Called dr yesterday and was told it's normal and to try putting a heating pad on it. Today, something new happened. The pain, which is right under my left breast has now become MUCH more sharp, like a stabbing pain. Even hurts when I take a deep breath. Suddenly, I'm a bit scared / freaked out. Any thoughts appreciated!

Thanks, yall. I appreciate your help!

Great feedback! Spoke to my doc's PA (who, for all intents & purposes, runs the show w/patients post-op) and was told what I am experiencing is normal (for me, since we are all different) and to walk as I am able. What calmed my nerves most was hearing that I am still doing well, even if I am not bouncing back from surgery quite as quickly as some others do. While I am thrilled for others who get up and go mere days after their surgery, the fact that I am slower in healing is just as.normal is a relief.

Prior to my sleeve surgery one wk ago (10/17) I used a CPAP every night successfully for about six weeks. Prior to surgery, the CPAP allowed me to get great sleep again. However, since the surgery, it feels like the machine is forcing tons of air into me which causes very painful gas sensation in my chest / gut. So, I have stopped using the machine. Hubby tells me I am snoring again without the machine so I wonder if I should bother with having the machine recalibrated to blow less air or just blow it off (no pun intended) since with major weight loss, most people can stop using the machine anyway. Thoughts or experiences with this? Thanks.

I was sleeved on Oct 17 and going thru the same thing as you. Standing for more than 5 mins makes the pain a lot worse. Sitting in a straight up position also hurts. Reclining partially back in the recliner or propped way up with lots of pillows in bed is best for me so far. My main incision site (under left breast) is still very tender, swollen and painful. So much so that I plan on emailing a picture of it to my docs office in the morjing just to make sure everything is as it should be. I figure I am healing at my own pace. Slower than some others, and slower than I want it to be, but it is what it is and won't matter in the long run as long as I lose the weight (no matter how long it takes) and most importantly, keep it off. Hang in there!

Thanks all. Your comments make sense. Love what u said, Southernsleever. That was such a common sense (or horse sense as we say in TX) approach!

Hey All, I was sleeved Mon Oct 17 and wore the tummy binder they gave me at the hospital til today, Friday. Now, though, I have a bit of a rash and am very itchy. No one at the hospital said to wear the brace/binder for any particular time so I'm wondering if discarding it now could cause any probs. I don't want to slow the healing process or cause additional pain. I could use some input. Your experience would be helpful. Thanks a bunch!

Glad to hear that our October Sleevers are kickin butt and takin names! I am proud of each of us. I wondered how open & honest I should be about my surgical experience but since it was important to me to hear pre-op what the process was *really* like for others, I decided to share the positives and negatives (sorry ren). As most sleevers have reported, it does get better as time goes on. Maybe my experience was a bit rougher than for some others b/c not only am I a self-confessed pain wimp but I'm also not a kid anymore (49). Hope everone is resting easy!

Hey kcsunshine, I am not quite ready for 16/18's yet (just got sleeved Monday) but will need the smaller clothes eventually. I am in Plano. What part of Big D are u in? Thanks! Leah

Hi all, I came home today after being sleevd Monday the.17th. I won't lie, the surgery day and second day were pretty bad pain wise. I questioned why I had done this to myself. My blood pressure, which had never been high before, went out of control so I spent two nights in hospital. I was only able to start walking a few steps at a time today. I got really scared this morning because there was an electrical fire right outside my hospital room door. The nurses used the fire extinguisher and then tons of firefighters came and got the fire under control. The excitement made my BP spike again but by 3 pm it was good enough to go home. I am still taking things a moment at a time. Wishing I was one of those who seem to cruise thru the process, but I'll get there eventally. Hope all of you are doing well. Leah (aka mamasez)

Is October 17th really tmorrow? Is my surgery day finally upon me? I can't believe it! Reporting to the hospital at 7:30 am. Getting my bag packed and ready to go! Just sent my 11 year old son off to stay with close friends for the next two days so HE won't be a nervous wreck. The friend he is styaing with also has a son on the autism spectrum, and she is GREAT with my son. She has lots of fun activities planned for him, and I am so grateful that he will be in good hands. It's an ordeal to pack all his favorite things, his daily regimine of supplements, his special food and more, but he will be much happier having a two day "sleepover" than being home in surgery reality. The house is all cleaned, laundry done, Protein drinks, Soups, Vitamins and meds ready to go, etc. So... it's full steam ahead! See ya on the other side, Leah in Texas

Thanks for the confirmations and support, yall! WE WILL MAKE IT!!!! Leah

I am sleeving the day before you on the 17th.... I know one thing... I will NOT miss the horrid guilt after binging. The thoughts of "that was tasty going in but now I feel stuffed and awful and like a complete failure." We are worth more than binging and being unhealthy. I have heard others say that the desire to overeat disappears for the most part. But, we will have to replace the over-eating with something else. I am getting some scrapping and journaling stuff together now so I will be able to work on little crafty things with ease post-op. Maybe I will look into needlepoint or something that is easy for non-arsty types like me to do. I love doing arts & crafts but am not that great at them and my final product can come out looking like something everyone would pass right by at an arts & crafts show. We're in this together! Leah (aka Mamasez)