Mews

I was pretty miserable for about a month post-op. I would recommend postponing your surgery until after the vacation. This way you can enjoy the time with your family. Also, you don't want to be anywhere too far from a good hospital in case you develop a complication.

Doctors all use internal stitches as they close up the various layers. Some use glue for the outermost one. I had this happen to me with ankle surgery a while back. Just keep the area clean and dry and don't pull it out if it hurts. Just in case you may want to call your doc to get some advice on how to deal with it.

I would recommend about a month off. That's how long it took me to feel normal again and handle the rigors of a long commute and day. You can always go back to work early if you're feeling better.

Six weeks for me. Another reason why they want you to hold off is that you increase the risk of infection. I had to wait until I was completely healed.

No caffeine? My doc just limited me to no more than two servings a day. I pretty much gave up on coffee as my sleeve didn't tolerate it too well but I'm still drinking about two cups of regular tea a day. With my commute and long days I need it!

I didn't think that legally they could ask you for the co-pay in advance. It must vary from state to state. I say this because what the doctor charges might be different from what the insurance pays and what you'd actually be responsible for. My doctor said the surgery would be at least $25,000 so I expected to pay the 10% of that as per my insurance. However I only had to pay about $1,000 out of pocket instead.

That's not a bad idea especially if you are a gulper like me.

Mederma does work well but it does tend to be expensive. I used it to lessen the appearance of my scar from knee replacement surgery. As for tanning, I would put some heavy duty sunblock on your incisions as they are newly healed and still very sensitive.

I did two weeks of clear liquids, two of full liquids, two weeks of soft foods, and then I was able to start eating real food.

While I didn't get the flu I did become very sick due to low calories soon after the surgery. My doc says that I need to get between 800-1000 calories a day to keep my body functioning properly. I've felt quite a bit better since I upped my calories.

I was supposed to do them myself but between the fatigue and the mental fog I was in for about two weeks I forgot to take them. The clot is definitely my fault as I should've made those a priority. Live and learn.

They are hard to digest, especially the skins. As you're still healing they would be too rough on your stomach.

Is it warm to the touch? I would recommend calling your doc.

I've been eating sashimi since I was allowed soft foods at one month post-op. I just tried regular sushi the other night (I'm eight weeks out now) and I had no problem with it. I've had the wasabi with no problems but I don't like the ginger so I can't help you there.

I still suffer from some fatigue at eight weeks out but it was worse during the first month. Once I got on real food it eased up a bit.

Just sit down with her (virtually or physically) and just tell her the truth. You need this surgery to improve your health and your quality of life. Tell her about the surgery and how good the surgeon is. The more confident you are the easier she should take it. However, if she is a worrywart then she's going to worry no matter what you do. Also you'd be surprised about people's reactions. I was very nervous in telling my mom as she is very critical. When I told her she was very supportive and quite glad I was having the surgery.

Maybe your stomach isn't ready for dairy yet. It took me about six weeks before I was comfortable with it. Hold off for a few days and then try it again.

One of the key things is to make sure you eat properly throughout the day. Remember that if we skip meals we cannot "make them up" like before. I'm infamous for skipping meals so I started to set the alarm on my phone to remind me to eat. It has helped a bunch.

Mine were normal but I had three periods in six weeks. My nurse said it was a combination of all the hormones being released and the fact I had major surgery. When in doubt, get in touch with you doc.

As one of the people who have had complications I can empathize with your concerns. Yes complications do happen but they only occur in 1% of the surgeries. My knee replacement two years ago was more dangerous and had a higher mortality rate but it didn't stop me from doing it. Think of it this way: what would your quality of life be without the surgery? Is it worth it to get rid of any comorbidities you have now? Do you want to be active and healthy for your kids for years down the road? Yes, any surgery has its risks, especially major surgery like this. But sometimes you have to take those risks to get your life back.

Don't worry if you can't eat 1/4 cup of food. Your stomach is still swollen from the surgery. My NUT told me not to worry about protein for the first month or do. Instead focus on your fluid intake. If you can't get in all the protein don't fret. If you're still getting nauseous then fall back to liquids for a bit. Remember you are still healing.

Wow! That's amazing. I'm two months out and I've only lost 23lbs since surgery (37lbs in total). Grats!

Just start off with a short period and add like 30 seconds each day you do it. This way it's a gradual change and will be easier to tolerate. When I had my knee replacement surgery this is what the physical therapist did with the bike and it worked like a charm.

My NUT is a bit different, wanting to go up to 800-1000 calories a day but she is also more forgiving when it comes to carbs. Some days it is hard for me to get in that amount of calories but if I don't I tend to drag all day the next day. I'm losing slower than most but my energy levels have been good, which is important to me as I have a high stress job. I agree with Pennie that short term goals are good but don't get mad at yourself if you don't hit that goal. Our bodies can be very finicky. I thought I was on a good pace for weight loss but I've only lost three pounds in the past three weeks, which is rather frustrating. At the very least, though, I'm still losing and that's better than what I was doing before the surgery.

Those first few weeks of post-op are hell. If you're having problems with nausea, move back down to clear liquids for a bit. Maybe your stomach is not ready yet for anything heavier. I will say that at eight weeks out I'm finally starting to feel normal. My recovery has been a little longer due to various issues and complications post-op. I can tell you that once you start eating "real" food again you'll feel so much better. Just hang in there.