raven8888

When I get a chance I want to scan in the diet and how my NUT is showing us tricks to sneak in as much protien per meal. Great ideas she has. She also gave us a couple pages of recipes to try. I was able to eat thier bariatric suppliment, white cheddar cheese chips, today (with the strict rule to chew it down to apple sauce) But it was such a great feeling to chew and feel something crunchy. It's a small bag only 1.5 oz and I could only eat half. I finally feel that "real" full feeling and I am totally satisfied. Now it is a matter of getting the most bank for my buck so to speak with protien. She has us adding 1/4 cup of non-fat powdered milk to anything we can fit it into as well as skim or soy milk, which gives any shake, soup, smoothie, mashed potatoes, etc an extra 12 grams of protien for the dry milk and 8grams from skim milk, and even a scoop of unflavored protien, greek yogurt etc. So basicly if you use one cup of skim milk and 1/4 cup of dry powder milk and mix with a scoop of nectar protien powder lets say and fruit you can get a smoothie at 43 grams of protien! That is just one example, I'm kind of getting my crunchy fix out of the way first today and maybe tonight try a noodleless lasagna!!! yay!! Time to get creative, so many more options with meat, fruit, starches, and veggies now. .

I agree, call doc. When I was 6 days post op I had been doing great then all of sudden had same symptom you describe and it hurt evendrink water again. Doc thought it was stricture, so was ordered an egd. No stricture but found out I had gatroparesis, basically my stomach never woke back up and there was a blockage of bile because it was not emptying properly. He put me on a new med to help get the stomach working and a few days later things were back to normal. Better be safe than sorry and call.

I agree, call doc. When I was 6 days post op I had been doing great then all of sudden had same symptom you describe and it hurt evendrink water again. Doc thought it was stricture, so was ordered an egd. No stricture but found out I had gatroparesis, basically my stomach never woke back up and there was a blockage of bile because it was not emptying properly. He put me on a new med to help get the stomach working and a few days later things were back to normal. Better be safe than sorry and call.

May 14th. 15 days post-op. Down 16 pounds!!!!!! 20 pounds since pre-op diet!!!

I am so sorry for your loss.

Good luck

I think it is different for everyone. I am two weeks post op and got stuck at a weight for about 4 days, but when I took measurements I found out I lost 3 whole inches from my waste, 1 from my bust, 1 inch from hips, and 1 inch from thighs. So, I don't think the scale is the "say all" measurement.

Things were getting better and by Saturday I was getting in all fluids and most of my protein. Yesterday I started to have some trouble getting water down again, and last night felt like everything was getting stuck in my esophagus. Doc called me back today and said I have a stricture and scheduled and EDG on Wednesday morning to stretch it out using a baloon device. Until then just have to tollerate pain with the narcs and tylenol again and a muscle relaxer they gave me and get as much fluids as I can but it hurts to drink. Uuuhg! Wish they could get me in tomorrow, its a pretty yucky feeling and I have to take care of my 17 month old all day tomorrow.

Sleeved May 14th. Had a bit of a complication day 6 and was unable to keep fluids down, doc thought I had a stricture. Turned out to be a gastroparesis,was put on meds to get stomach working again and just started to hold down fluids yesterday finally. Lost 11 pounds since surgery, 16 since pre- op, and total 23 since I started seeing nut.

I was finally able to get the liquids down today!!!! Yay!!!!! Went slow, but it stayed down without too much discomfort!! My stomach has finally decided to join the program. lol!! I am so glad I can finally start to get in some water and protein.

UPDATE: Well I am home from the procedure. However, I feel a little worse, my throat is swollen and I keep throwing up andything I'm putting down. Good news is when he went down it was not a stricture as he thought, instead he found that all my bile has backed up and blocked the intestines so that is why I am having similar symptoms to a stricture because there is a blockage, but on the lower part of the stomach. Basicly he said my stomach still hasn't "woke" up and isn't funtioning yet, a gastroparesis. I have to take cytotec 3 times a day to help get it moving along. Cytotec is given to induce labor, so I assume it helps the stomach and intestines to start contracting as well. I was on versed, so I am having a hard time remembering everything he said, but my husband tried to fill me in as much as he could understand about it. The good news no stricture because that could have been something longer term to deal with. Now its just a matter of waking up my abdomen and getting the blockage to start passing and he said I will be able to resume drinking fluids and protiens without pain once that starts up. I don't even want to think about what if it doesn't work yet, I'm going to pray this works and I can start to feel better soon. Thanks everyone for your prayers and support. I know I will back to a normal road to recovery soon and sharing my success story with you instead. I am at 9 days post op and I have lost 11 pounds. I predict when I can start holding things down and getting all my fluids and protein in I will have another big drop again, so it will all turn out fine in the end.

Call your doctor to be safe. My sudden pain turned out to be a stricture.

Lissa "I've always found that I need to stay OFF the medical sites when anything goes wrong because I'm the one who always assumes I'll have the worst-case scenario." I know, me too, its torture. I stopped after it got me freaked out, but a little too late. Thanks. Everything post-op was going so well. Then literally it came to a hault. It's hard not to wish this isn't really happening to me. I will be asking the doctor a lot of questions on Wednesday morning for sure.

By the way, sorry if I seem to be whining too much today. Don't mean to be the Debby Downer on the forum tonight. I am normaly pretty positive about things. This is just really getting me down and needed to let it out a little.

Having a hard time sleeping tonight. I am so uncomfortable. The only thing that seems to help is to stop drinking water, but then I will dehydrate. Feeling sad and wishing I could be having an easier experience like everyone else. I'm scared because I have been looking up all I can on strictures and some strictures can be a permanent issue that has to be stretched open every few months forever. Wondering if this is a pain I will have to live with forever? Will I go through this again 4 months down the road again over and over again. Some things on stomach strictures say risk of malnurishment and extreme weight loss due to not being able to hold food down. I want to lose weight, but I never wanted to starve to death ya know. I'm sure it can't be that bad considering I can still get a little liquid through right now, but hard not to think the worst when your feeling it with every little sip of water, and just that little sip even comes back up and the stomach gives me a big jolt with a terrible pain under my sternum as if I have food stuck in my esophagus. I am really praying for the best case scenerio, but laying in bed in so much discomfort hard not to feel a little defeated by the situation. I'm also so tired with not being able to sleep much. I know I just need some sleep and come Wednesday I'm sure everything will be fine and it won't be so bad. Just scared I may have done something that I will end up regretting in the long run if it doesn't turn out like all the success stories on here. If there is any other post-opers who have had this happen to them, or understand it better than I do that can offer some reassuring words and help me know things will be okay long term, I would really appreciate it. I'm having a hard time tonight, and just want to cry.

Thanks. The doc said it usually only takes one attempt and I should feel right back where I did Saturday again once he fixes it. So, just a setback, I knew it was one of the risks of this surgery and I am that .1 % lol! I know it will be fine, I have a good doctor and I know he will do whatever it takes to make this right. Just wish it was tomorrow because it is very uncomfortable right now. He said just go to ER if I start to get any worse, or call him if anything changes until then and they have me on a muscle relaxer and lortab for pain and stomach cramping

Well last night things started to get even more difficult and felt as if something was stuck in my esophagus or something, lot of pain and pressure, and this morning very hard to get the water in. I can still do it, but it hurts bad and started refluxing the water right back into my mouth a little. Doctor says I have a stricture and is doing an EGD Wednesday morning to stretch it back out. Everyone make sure you call your doctor with any kind of change because it may actually mean something or be a complication. Better safe than sorry.

Yesterday I was finally starting to improve and tollerate a little more protein and actually feel a little more energy by the end of the day. I have had good luck with getting water down since about day 3. However, starting last night my stomach keeps cramping or spasming with a cramp and kind of sharp pain where the stomach is located even after just sips of water again. And this morning as well, just can't seem to settle it down. Is it normal for your stomach to be a little "tempermental" after it seemed like it was getting better. Should I be concerned or do I just ride it out?

I personally feel like I NEED to "go there" so that I can resolve some of my issues with food. I think if I ignore these thoughts and emotions and just think of something else it will all just get me down the road when I am eating food again. I'm coping with something in my life right now (surgery, small stomach, no food) and no longer able to "cope" with this situation with food. So I think whatever way works best for you is the right way to deal with this. And I do not think you should feel guilty or ashamed for thinking about food just a few weeks post op while adjusting to this new life. This is a process, healing inside and out. Give yourself permission to feel the feeling you are having and find ways to work through them in a healthy way, coming here for support is great. When we are both a year or two out from all of this, I'm sure it will be much easier not to think about it, but there is nothing wrong with you, or me. We are in the process of acceptance to this lifestyle change. Change is not easy for everyone so don't beat yourself up. Take it day by day. We can do this.

I can so relate! I was on this site for months preparing, but you really just don't know until you experience it yourself. I am 7 days post-op and I am also having some food blues if I may call it that. I kind of feel like I am dealing with a new part of the grieving process because I do miss and will miss some of my favorite foods. My sons birthday was this weekend and we ordered pizza and ice cream cake for everyone. I have to admit with the lack of sleep and the physical issues I have had this past week this sent me into a bit of a pity party for one. At one point I went up into my room and laid on my bed and just cried. I started to doubt and wonder, OMG, what did I just do? I can barely sip water without discomfort and everyone is just enjoying pizza and ice cream downstairs. Well, I pulled myself together and went back down and sipped my water while the rest of the family had the feast. So last night I went online and went to the "World According to Eggface blog" and checked out some of her recipes (Which she has a pizza porn gallery of great ideas for bariatric meals) Then I went on amazon and ordered three books. One was one dealing with the emotions post surgery, and the other two were bariatric cookbooks. I just thought, I f I can look at what I can look forward to in a few months and realize it's just right now...but things will get more normal and we can learn to eat "good" tasting food that is just right for our little tummies. I don't know why it helped to do this, but ti did. Don't get me wrong, when I am struggling to stomach broth or water I find myself wishing I were endulging in some alfredo instead. I just have to remind myself about my children, I want to be around for them, i want to be able to keep up with them pain free. Now I will have to be more creative about it, but I want to find a way to make food a "positive" thing in my daily life through health and creativity maybe. Anyway, you are not alone and I think everyone is going through similar emotions. The key is not to get stuck and bogged down in them for too long. It's okay to feel them, work it out, and find a way to redirect that doubt and fear into something empowering I think. Easer said than done, but we are all here in this together now. Keep your chin up

Six days post op with Dr. Baker from GHP. Doing ok, having hard time getting everything down still, but feeling better everyday.

Thanks. Maybe I just tried to get too much in too fast? I'm slowing it down again today. Just hate the light headed feeling when you don't get enough of the suppliments in. The warm water is what does seem to work better. I ordered a mug warmer so it will stay warmer longer since it takes so long to get it down.

Great job! I am 6 days post op. Lost 8 pounds since last Sunday (sleeved Monday), and lost 4 pounds before that on one week pre-op diet for a total of 12 pounds in the past two weeks and a grand total since this journey started 19 pounds!

May 14th here too. I am able to get all my fluids in now, but struggle with the protein. My stomach seems to cramp up more with that. I also get so full after only 2 to 3 oz. Like as if I had just ate an entire thanksgiving feast. So I guess that is a good thing and means its working. But I am not getting the 60 gm a day yet. Maybe only about 30-40 at best. I just want to get enough protien in to heal and recover and get the optimal weight loss. One day at a time I guess. Pain is manageable, but still an issue. Nausea comes and goes depending on what I am trying to stomach at the time. I have protein jellos, but cannot get nearly as much in as the liquid shakes. Warmed up water seems to be my easiest thing to drink, hot tea doesn't agree with me. Feel like a new baby trying out all the new foods again. haha! Hope everyone has a good weekend. I am on my own on Monday with 4 kids. I do have someone to help pick up from school since I can't drive, but with my toddler all day long. I'm going to rest as much as I can this weekend to get ready for it.

Hope you are doing ok. I'm feeling better and getting more fluids and protien down, but still having trouble with my blood pressure. Hopefully it will all balance out once my body finds some sort of homeostasis. Keep us posted. My thoughts and prayers out to you and all of us recent post opers! We will get through this together.