Isabel'sGma

I'm getting most of the fluids in, but relatively no protein. Clear liquids don't have any protein in them.

I was sleeved on the 24th and boy do I know about the food confusion. I was put on clear liquids for 2 weeks. I am so weak and can't even begin to tell you how weak I am. I decided to add yogurt and cottage cheese myself this week because i just can't stomach the protein shakes, they make me nauseaou. I ordered the unjury chickien powder and I can't even stand that. I need to get my protein from real food. My heart rate has been going crazy (172 during my walk yesterday) and I even walked a shorter distance than the days before. Going crazy from all of this. No regrets, but extreme frustration. On the upside, I am down to 291 (twoterville for the first time in at least 12 years).

Don't get me wrong, but part of me is really excited that I am down 22.4 pounds since surgery on the 24th, but I am just concerned that it is coming off too fast. My Dr expected me to be down 18 pounds by my 1 month check up and I have already exceeded that. Do any of you a few more weeks out than me have any wisdom. My Dr. has me on Clear liquids for 2 weeks. When I spoke with him today, he said that I can start with just a little bit of Protein shakes, but to go real slow with them. He said when I see him next week, we will advance me a little further. My biggest concern is that I am losing only lean muscle mass and not any actual fat. I am walking a mile a day and right now I have absolutely no energy.

I like that answer.

I am fairly new to this, but what is a "slide food"? I hear it mentioned a lot and don't understand what it means. Thanks

I was sleeved on the 24th and finally had my fist BM yesterday. I went to the store and bought some cheap glycerine suppositories. I think they were $2.50 for a bottle of 50. Had to use them a couple of days, but they finally worked. Also, narcotics cause a lot of stoppage. Another idea my Dr gave me was a gentle laxative called Miralax. I found the generic version and will be trying it if I continue to have troubles because it is supposed to be unflavored and you can add it to Water, supposedly with no flavor (we'll see about that). Good luck, it is extremely uncomfortable.

For me, the bread at Olive Garden would be too hard to resist and I would probably opt for the other place. However, if you go to Olive Garden, they have an apricot chicken that is wonderful and moist. Comes with broccoli and some kind of starch.

I was also sleeved on the 24th and although I am not hungry, I am having a hard time with the food smells in my house and not being able to pick up and love on my 16-mos granddaughter. Since I am on Clear liquids for 2 full weeks, I better get used to it. My Dr said that my sleeve needed to heal before I put other stuff in it. So.......here I sit sipping Water, Jello and broth. Trying to get down Isopure, but it just makes it hard to drink the other stuff because of the taste it leaves in my mouth.

Oh my goodness. My Dr ordered pre-op Upper GI and Endoscopy just to specifically look at those things because this surgery can irritate any existing issues with the esophogus and stomach. I am so sorry that this is happening to you. Clear liquids for a while it sounds, I am 4-days post-op and have another 11 days of clear liquids to look forward to. Best wishes for a fast recovery.

Thanks everyone. No blood sugar or BP lows, have the monitors for those. I thought it might be dehydration. I am still very dizzy all day, hoping that I can sleep better tonight and feel better tomorrow. I am with a lot of those out here that I hear commenting on the frustration about the varying diets. My Dr. has me on clear fluids for 2 full weeks. I have no idea how I am going to make that, but I guess that I will do it one day at a time.

I am 4-days post op and have found I can sleep on my side if I put a pillow under my belly to support it. Not sure if that will help you but thought I would mention it.

Ok, so I went home yesterday and had a very unrestful night. I have eaten some 1/2 SF 1/2 regular Jello (the pure SF really made me nauseous). I can hardly stand up from my chair because the room is just spinning. Any suggestions. Looked through my paperwork and don't see anything for this symptom.

My Psych told me that if there were two things he could that could help all of us that have weight issues (he is 3 years post op from a LapBand). 1) Destroy the scale 2) Destroy the BMI A scale does not know what it is weighing, a rock, a frog or a person. He said if there is anything that any of us could do would be to get a tool that uses body composition (body fat, muscle mass, etc). This would allow us to see the changes in our body with the change in our actual makeup and use that tool along with the sleeve. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does so by increasing our muscle, we help ourselves in way more than one way. The BMI is essentially the same rational. It only takes one small step forward from a scale, because again, it only asses weight along with height. I am with him, I have looked around and they have body comp scales at Walmart for about $30 and that will be my next purchase after I recover from my post-op expenses and such.

I would probably find another Dr. First of all, they should not require their specialized products, there are many out there that meet the same basic requirements. Of course, that is my opinion. My Dr gave guidelines regarding shakes: 20g or more of Protein per serving, less than 5 grams of sugar. I took listerine strips and gas-x strips to the hospital and did not use ANY of them. Go with minimal stuff to the hospital because they should have all you need there.

Ok, surgery on 4/24/2012. In hospital until today. My surgery went well and I honestly thought it went betther than possible. My surgeon Dr. Higa was very attentive and wonderful. I have next to no bruising and have honestly had more pain from my lower back and the dinosaur bed that they put me in than anything else. Tuesday and Wednesday, I slept most of both of those days and used some of the Morphine in my PCS, I would have preferred regular tylenol, but didn't want to make a fuss. Yesterday they finally took out the drain and I was ready to get up and leave. Then I went for a walk and my heart rate decided it wanted a workout and it went up to 172. Scared the nurses, telemetry technician and me a little too. So, no more walking for me that day. I was able to get up and walk again this morning and it only went up to 132 so they decided to go ahead and let me go and told me to just take it easy with the walking. I am feeling good, just need something to increase my fluid intake. My Dr told me two weeks of clear liquids, so I am not looking forward to that, but I will deal somehow. Then another 2-4 weeks of full liquids and then soft after that. Feeling great and looking forward to the scale moving down. I almost didn't weigh when I got home, because of the stories I read here, but prepared myself for a gain and just did it. Down 0.8 lbs since just before surgery so that was a bonus on this end.

This is a suggestion to anyone who is a hard stick for an IV. Talk to your Dr/Hospital team about having a PIC Line placed prior to surgery. It is a short procedure that places a line in that can have blood drawn from it and you can receive all meds through it with absolutely no trouble. It is a one stick procedure that can save all the pain and bruising that JanetF experienced. I had one during a previous hospitalization and the guy who had to stick me three times for my Upper Endoscopy suggested would be a good idea to the surgeon and he was all for it. Simple procedure, great to not have to be poked numerous times.

I am so glad to find someone else here on the same day. I went through all of the posts and didn't see anyone else. I had all my pre-op today and also my Upper GI w/small bowel follow-thru. Ugg, barium is AWFUL! Monday I am having a PIC line placed and then off to surgery at 6:00 AM on Tuesday. I went to GNC for Isopure and was shocked to find several on clearance. I certainly couldn't have afforded $5 each. Got a few for $1.34 and a couple for $2.69. My nutritionist isn't super familiar with VSG, so we are learning together. I am looking forward to having someone to cheer and support. I am in Oregon, whereabouts are you?

I am getting sleeved in McMinnville on the 24th. 4 days and counting. Glad there are some others from our beautiful state.

Try some different extracts. Banana extract, peppermint extract, cherry, etc. There are a lot of them out there and I saw a recommendation somewhere that they helped with flavoriing things.

NINJA, available at walmart and the one I bought here in Oregon was $39 with two size pitchers. One about the size of a small chopper. This thing in wonderful, I have used the majic bullet and hated it. The power of the ninja is great and it takes only seconds to get things nice and chopped/blended.

Hey can anyone tell me how to get ones of those cool sliding scales I see at the bottom of a lot of profiles/signatures?

I have been flying through the process. I consulted with the surgeon on the 30th of March, Support Group on the 2nd, insurance approval on April 13th, surgery scheduled on the 24th. Struggling with what I need to buy for after surgery. I have the list posted on other forums, do any of you who have recently gone through have any suggestions? I am excited about the future!

I was reading on one of the blogs that a heating pad helps with the pain. I plan on bringing one when I go in on the 24th. Super excited and a little scared, but more excited for what the future holds for all of us.