CCWriter

I think the one in our family who probably needs to get some therapy is my husband. He was very upset before surgery, even talked about kidnapping me from the hospital parking lot. After surgery, he did pretty well and most of the time is doing OK. But I know he resents the impact my surgery has had on certain things we used to do, like have (maybe too many) adult beverages on the back porch while the sun went down with some kind of munchies. Now he drinks a martini and I have hot tea. He munches on Fritos and French onion dip and I drink my hot tea. Still fun, but not the same thing. He's a big guy so he can put down a lot of food and etc. I know part of the weight I'm hauling around is from having those adult beverages. And I'm at four-weeks so I'm just now getting back to things like veggies, which are still a challenge. We ate out a lot and that's not the easiest. I had some issues with depression after I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a couple of years ago. My body felt so different -- it was a new normal, and it was bizarre having all this energy, but the good part was not nodding off in inconvenient places in the afternoon. I also missed my naps terribly. I equated it with people who have heart bypass surgery and then have all this energy and get depressed. I always thought that was strange, but now I sort of understand it. Your mind and your body have to find a new normal. I bought several books off Amazon after surgery, and especially like the Eating Well and Before and After. Carol

Hi MIchelle: I have been very happy with Dr. Walton. He even gives out his cell phone. The one time I had any concerns with strange, intense aches, he called me back pronto (on the weekend even) and was very engaged. He also has an impeccable record ... no deaths from complications, which I think Dr. Keith has had. Not that I think Keith wouldn't be a good doctor -- there are so many variables. Hope that helps ... Carol

Sounds really good and I'll definitely have to try it.

Here there Paola: You are going to be fine and so much healthier. As a food writer and restaurant reviewer, I LOVE food. Not the overeating part, but the fun of exploring new cuisines, the finesse of good ingredients prepared well. I love the cooking shows as well, and get the biggest kick out of "Chopped." You must use anchovies, lemon Jello, cheese Whiz and blackberry yogurt. The clock starts NOW. But I will absolutely make my goal. I have NO doubt of this. And after the initial liquid diet and mushies diet, I am going to make the most of the least. I plan to take my love of cooking good food to make the best, healthiest, most nutritious, tastiest food to fuel my body -- food that anyone would love -- just LESS of it. Just because we have less stomach doesn't mean we can't put good stuff in it and it doesn't have to be fatty to be good. I'm only three weeks out so I have some time to go before my culinary adventures begin, but it's my belief that keeping things from getting boring and tasteless will help me get there. It's all in quality, not quantity. I think ultimately my goal of making food taste good will make me successful! I get the kernels of some of my best dishes from watching cooking shows, so what's wrong with watching and learning techniques? Hmmmm? We're going to rock this deal, girlfriend. Onward! Carol

The first time I ate out after surgery, I ordered a grilled salmon fillet with no mashed potatoes or sides and nothing to drink. My 6'2" husband ordered a salad, huge blue-cheese covered hamburger with a mountain of fries. Nearly drove me crazy. I could only eat about a third of the salmon, but that wasn't a big deal. The thing that drove me crazy is that the wait staff kept asking me and asking me if I at least wanted Water. In retrospect, I should have ordered water and sipped on it until the meal came, which is what I've done since. That accomplishes getting a bit more of my liquids and gives me something to do with my hands while everyone else is noshing on appetizers or their dinner salads. I ate out tonight and ironically, it was at a restaurant I'd reviewed last summer for an area newspaper. The wait staff was hovering, wanting to know if I was happy and here I am eating my little bit of (once again) salmon. I did make sure to get a Carol box of leftovers. It's doable, but I'm still finding it challenging and I don't want to change anyone else's behavior. But it's doable. CC

I had mine Dec. 27, and I don't feel like I'm any different except that I'm rarely hungry, can't eat much and I'm already visibly thinner. The first two weeks of liquid diet goes about as fast as being pregnant, if you've experienced that. And that would be the last month! I'm in my second week of soft food and a deviled egg is just sublime. I have no complaints! CC

Some great advice from Lissa. I was diagnosed with REM-related sleep apnea a couple of years ago. Before that, I'd have lots of microsleeps on the interstate when I was driving to our weekend place. I could hardly stay awake at work in the afternoon. I found out my "mild sleep apnea" was causing my oxygen levels to go down to about 80 percent and I was waking up about 13 times an hour in REM. In other words, I was not getting any REM and no deep sleep. And -- I'm just thinkin' -- having your O2 drop that much every night while you're sleeping can't be good for any part of your body. Ironically, the first time I used my CPAP, I knew it would help me. I HATED IT -- but I KNEW it would help me. My husband who works overseas, whose first response to seeing a picture of me in it, wanted to know if I might not have to wear it when he was in country. But after the first night I wore it when he was here, he changed his tune. He says I used to sleep like an egg beater, now says when I put it on, I go right to sleep and don't move. And I don't snore anymore. Apparently, I sawed some good ones before the CPAP. Now, I wake up rested and revived and rarely have microsleeps. The only thing I wasn't prepared for how differently my body felt -- because I had a "new normal." You know how you hear that people who have heart bypass surgery sometimes get depressed. I understand that now, because I had a lot of trouble getting used to my new energy. I figure that eventually, I would have a significant microsleep on the interstate and I would have killed myself or someone else. Thankfully, that didn't happen and hopefully never will because I am much more careful to use the CPAP before I know I have to get on the road. It will get better -- promise -- and you will make friends with the darn machine. Hope that helps, CC

Had a bad backache today and texted Dr. Walton about it. He texted me right back and then called me. Amazing to have the physician's cell phone #.

I'd be interested in knowing the science behind why not to have alcohol after surgery. I just think it would be lovely to be able to have an adult beverage with hubby in the evening occasionally. I know you can get inebriated more easily, and it also is reputed not to stay with you as long. My physician recommends not drinking any alcoholic beverages for six months after surgery. A few questions: Does it interfere with your wound healing? Does it impact your liver adversely? Does it slow down your weight loss? Looking forward to hearing from everybody!! C2

Your experience sounds like ditto to mine Dec. 27. Congrats on your sleeve Noob, and we'll be looking forward to hearing about your progress! I'm on mushies now, and scrambled eggs never tasted so good. Only difference is I didn't have the drain or the pain pump. They shot Dilaudid into my IV and at home I had liquid hydrocodone for pain. Worked fine and got off it after about four days. CC

I'm having a lot of pain in my back in the area of my kidneys. It's not a stabbing pain, more like I'm just really achy. I just want to go curl up in bed, but that doesn't seem to help either. I know I'm staying hydrated, so it's not that, but would love to have some input on whether this is common at this point (close to three weeks out), and what I might do to relieve it. CC

Talked to my physician and he thinks I might be constipated. Says take some Miralax and if ache is not better by Monday, to come in to the office. Says if it was kidney stones, I'd have a different kind of pain and it would be more intense.

Thanks folks. I'm out of town unfortunately and hoping it will go away by itself. If it gets worse, I'll go to the ER.

Thanks folks. Certainly careful of transfer addictions. Have had the occasional glass of wine, but am not getting carried away. I appreciate everybody's input!!' CC

Height: 5'6 Weight at start: 273 Surgery weight: 256 Current weight: 238 Surgery date: Dec. 27

I think I would adore the very-famous Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill in Chicago, but it would be frustrating not being able to eat a regular meal. Good luck, Chicago is a great city.

I was sleeved Dec. 27, and I have sleep apnea. But I've been waking up even using my CPAP and have been lying awake several nights. I confess I took a melantonin one night and it knocked me right out. I wouldn't hesitate to take another if I needed to. CC

I started "Mushies" today, and went to The Diner in Norman, Okla., for a couple of scrambled eggs, while hubby had his usual spread. Scrambled eggs never tasted so good!!! I set the timer on my cell phone for an hour so I can start drinking water pronto after that. Still feel full from eggs though. Hooray for December sleevers!!

I'm thinking something like Rum Tum Tum, sorta like Rin Tin Tin and both even growl the same. And call it Rummy for short.

You might check out the insurance forums on here and see if there is one regarding your insurance company. Because you have co-morbidities of diabetes and high blood pressure, your BMI requirement might be lower than if you didn't have those. Hope that helps ... CC

Had my sleeve Dec. 27, 2011, and am recovering great. Can't wait until the next step of MUSHIES. Hooray for MUSHIES!!! Glad to have found all these kindred spirits of the same month surgeries. Let's rock and roll!!! CC

I'm hesitant to jump into this thread, but I'm going to anyway. Please, please, PLEASE don't jump on other folks in the forum, no matter what your experience has been. reallyrosy, no matter where you've been, this should be your safe place to explore what's going on emotionally and physically, not be attacked by anyone in any state of healing. Hope things get better for you ... CC

Hey there Brene ... I faced all those things you faced and I'm so darn glad I gutted it up and came out on the other side (Dec. 27 surgery). I had so many of your doubts and had friends and family working to derail me, including my husband. But I also realized that many of those people also sabotaged my previous weight loss efforts. At some point, you have to take charge of your own health and give everyone else the heave ho, so to speak. See you on the other side!!! I started a blog to chronicle my journey and you're welcome to visit: Takin' a Load Off.

I'm 11 days out or so and doing great, although I'm still on the liquid diet until Monday and I'm so darn jealous of anyone who has already made that jump. That said, I'd advise you to guzzle Water like crazy and do the two-week deal. They give you the liquid diet for a reason. Looking forward to your next update ... !!! CC

I think it's so interesting the question of losing 100+ pounds naturally or -- I presume -- "unnaturally" like all the folks who get sleeves like me. I tried and tried and tried as many of us have to lose weight. And I succeeded and failed and succeeded and failed, etc. etc. Heck, it's just a darn large mountain. I'm a little offended about people who postulate that sleevers lost weight "unnaturally," like we've bought our way to losing weight. It's not like it's not hard work for that period of time and forever after. I don't care if it's 100 pounds to lose or 200 or 300. Once you get past a certain amount, it looks like a darn mountain from any perspective. I'm not going to apologize for only having to still lose 104 pounds, for goodness sake. Onderland or whatever, we should all persevere ... We're going to come out on the other side and it's going to be darn wonderful. Cheers and looking onward !!! CC