MinaT

What kind of soups? I am allowed creamed soups with no chunks. Unfortunately I could only get in about 4 teaspoons. I was told for sure NO potato soup and NO tomato soup. Tomato soup is too acidic.

I wish i knew. I look like a cone belly and I'm 12 days out and can't wait until it the swelling goes down. I had my gallbladder out I think it was 3 weeks, my hysterectomy 1-1/2 months, my c-section about 1-1/2 months. Laparoscopies varied from 3 weeks to 1 month, so I am hoping this doesn't last months. I also had a hernia repair and severe adhesions removed though.

I was in the hospital from Monday until late Friday. I used gowns because I bled from the drain, when I finally got the catheter out, it was easier to get down into the toilet. I had an IV and I couldn't put on a robe or anything else. They have gowns that are big enough for bigger people. The most valuable thing I brought was my brown extremely soft on one side and fuzzy on the other side blanket from Target. I sat in the chair and I used it for comfort. I used it to help support myself to stand up while pressing on my tummy. I used a hair brush. I had a cell phone I couldn't seem to focus on that well, chapstick. When I walked and talked my mouth would dry out and my lips would stick to my gums due to the several different anti-nausea medications that I was on. Water was a bit rough on me, I got sorbet, (i couldn't handle) Isopure fruit crap) I couldn't handle, Jello, I couldn't handle. The only thing that felt GOOD going down, and the one thing that helped me actually be able to train myself to get the water down was Celestial Seasonings Peppermint Tea and Truvia. They would bring me a food tray with hot water and a regular decaff tea and some generic crappy fake sugar. I opened the cup and wow - the hot water still smelled like coffee. Instead, I would ask the nurses to bring me hot water in large styrofoam cup. I made sure I never walked without one of the moist wipes. I kept them near at all times. Go in to surgery with a sense of humor. I had "theme music" playing in my head. I am 49 and I never liked cartoons really and my favorite show of all - time growing up was Sanford and Son. I brought my sense of humor and my Theme Music from Sandford and Son, I hummed it, I made the nurses hum it, I woke up and everyone hummed my Theme Music. Go in with a good attitude and even if you have as many complications as I have had, you will keep that good sense of humor and make it through. Good Luck.,

Drink your water and know lots of people had problems with it and worse yet, some cheated and got denied surgery. You can do it, it's hard, I know it, but the end result will be worth. Go back in time to when we were waiting to hear that you were approved. I remember how hard it was for you waiting. Drink water, walk, read, keep active and you will get through this I promise!

I'm 12 days out and I can get about 50 ounces of fluids in and I'm hitting 20-25 of Protein. That's about it. Today I tried a new concoction and got 4 ounces in and was nauseated for the first time since the hospital. I'm going back to clears for the rest of the day, tomorrow I'll go back to trying Protein shake. I have never had problem taking medication in my life, not Vitamins, not liquid medication, no problems brushing my teeth (I usually brush 3 times or more a day) I floss, I use mouthwash and what happened? Seriously the taste of toothpaste makes me nauseated. I can't handle the taste of cough syrup, it takes me easily 1/2 or more to get down 2 tylenol cut in 1/2 and my medications. I know I'm not the normal and that other's are progressing faster than me, but having an autoimmune disorder is definitely working against me right now. My husband, son and parents think I'm doing great though for all the issues I have had to deal with, and I'm just going to flow with it. I'm going to try baking soda next because the Sensodyne is not sitting well with me. I see surgeon for my 2nd visit June 27th and I see the nutritionist on July 9th. Looks like I have 4 more weeks of Pure liquids. I started my liquid diet of 3 shakes a day May 21st for two weeks before surgery June 4th, so I will basically be on liquids 7 weeks before I hit pureed stage!!! I'm hoping somehow my surgeon takes mercy on me and they let me advance after the 27, but more so that I can actually handle purees by then. Right now, it's looking slim, but sigh, August looks like it will be a good month

I went from 229 day of surgery to 235 after surgery and all I had was water, and peppermint tea and I had a lot of diarreah. I take in LESS than 200 calories a day and I am only down to 222 and I am 12 days out. Everyone needs to realize they cannot compare their body to another another persons body. You may very well have had a lot more swelling. You may have had more scar tissue prior to surgery. I can weight myself right now, and in an hour and after I bm and and each weight be different. It's a waste of emotion getting worked up over it right now, and comparing yourself to others is not healthy because eventually it all comes around and evens out. You may have more gas, more bloating, more water retention, more swelling. The comparison does you and your sister no good because it's really not a competition. It's about letting your sleeve heal.

Added katrina81, ready4change79, jonamarie2012 to the http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/39508-june-sleevers-compilation-good-luck-well-wishes/

I use myfitnesspal.com I have to take 4 optisource vitamins a day and I'm not good at remembering them. (seriously this will be tmi but I'm tired of orange pee and orange water coming out of both ends). I also have lower back pain, which I have never had before, I use an ice pack and that seems to help. Walk, sip, take Gas X and it will help. It's a good idea to start keep tracking of liquids, protein etc. now.

I am with Healthy4life - Dr. Stanish and Dr. Shamsi, Holly and my nurse is Anna. I live in Illinois but Munster is about 5 minutes away. I was sleeved on June 4th.

Dr. Paul Stanish is my surgeon I am his 4th patient at Community in Munster, IN because it is closer to my family than St. Mary's. Dr. Shamsi came to see me each day as did Anna, and Katherine the Nutritionist. Edited to say that Dr. Stanish, Dr. Dang and Dr. Shamsi were all at Methodist Hospital in Merrillville, Indiana and they moved their practice to expand it and moved to St. Mary's Hospital & Community Hospital. Though they have done literally 1000's of surgeries, they had to start all over for their "Centers of Excellence". They have done about 100 at St. Mary's already over the past year. I was #4 and #3 was done a few hours before me. . I was a little nervous to have it at Community because their nursing staff on the floors haven't a lot of experience with Dr. Stanish/Dang's patients but I have to tell you, I had the best ever Nurses and Nurses Aids at Community Hospital after surgery than I have ever had before. My room was massive, the Nurses and NA's attentive and I have had several operations at Community and never received this good of care from the nursing staff. Healthy4Life staff really truly trained the nurses that will take care of you after surgery.

It may suck jffjacobs, but it will suck much more if you do something like put food in your stomach and cause a leak, which would lead to another hospital stay. Your stomachs insides and outsides are inflamed and swollen. Your stomach needs a good month to heal. I'm 11 days out and I get in about 50 ounces of fluids a day and only 22 ounces of Protein, if I'm lucky. The only thing that really does drive me nuts drinking is Peppermint tea with truvia in it. 4 ounces of Protein shake makes me feel like I ate a 25 ounce porterhouse with 2 pounds of french fries, that kinda omg full feeling. Be grateful that you aren't suffering as bad as some others are with pain, take one day at a time and kind of suck it up because before too long, you will be able to go on to mushy food and your weight will be dropping and you will be looking and feeling great in no time. Good luck to you.

I added several to the June compilation thread which is actually located in the 2012 - June 2012 section. For those that have been around for a while, please help me direct people to post their dates at http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/39508-june-sleevers-compilation-good-luck-well-wishes/ or if you noticed that I miss anyone please send me a note. I'm still struggling bit after surgery and sitting too long is a bit rough on me. Luckily for you all my complications were not normal and most people seem to be doing better 11 days out that I am, but I will do my best to try to keep up with the June Compilation Best Wishes Thread!!

Actually I retried the isopure tea with lemon and added some extra lemon mio, I feel some hope of hitting over 20 grams of protein. I swore before surgery I was going to have no problem with my proteins and I LOVED my Pure Protein Shakes, wow, my tastes sure changed. I didn't much care for the Isopure Green Tea prior to surgery. It was okay but kind of weird, funny how taste changes after surgery.

Water, gas, bloating, body holding onto the calories, nothing you should worry about right now. Right now you are only 18 days out, your sleeve is not healed completely. Give it time

Congrats one week post-op I was up 6 pounds. I was 299 day of surgery then after surgery I was 235 - I finally hit 222. I haven't been upset about it, I knew that is the way it's going to be. I'm also still VERY swollen. My lupus flaired up like crazy and tried attacking my drain and it hasn't helped. Soon enough I'll settle down and be able to catch up with the rest of the crew.

Having serious issues getting my protein in. The only thing that doesn't cause stomach aches is peppermint tea to me. It took me from 9:00 - 1:30 to get in 6 ounces of protein shake mixed with 2 ounces of skim milk. minatrixa@yahoo.com Thank you so much!!!!

Aworkinprogress you have been added Best wishes to all June 15th Sleevers and sending my prayers as well as our only Saturday Sleever tomorrow: June 15, 2012 TLC223 HolyCow1234 Territravel -- June 16, 2012 june16 -- Dr. Jorge Daes, Columbia, SA

I had to do the 6 months too. My first stint I quit because my husband lost his insurance. The second time I joined healthy4life, I could not handle the writing of my food log down and I ended up getting pneumonia after the first few weeks and I quit again, I gained even more weight. If you are doing this, then I suggest putting 100% effort into it. Sign up for my fitness pal.. Start working on the things you NEED to work on to succeed. The sleeve is only a tool. It does not guarantee you will not gain weight back, it does not guarantee you success. ONLY YOU can guarantee it. I did my best to follow the 80 grams of ap rotein, lower carb diet. I still drank beer or overate on some days, but I started following the program again and when I was seeing improvement I called and remade my appointment with them. I had my first appointment in November and the day of surgery (7 months later) I had lost 70 pounds...on my own!!! I still have 100 to lose, but I made necessary changes in my lifestyle, learning not to drink with my meals, giving up caffeine, learning to chew my food, learning to eat meat first, vegies second, then carbs. I had days I indulged, but I kept myself honest. I think too many people go into this thinking the sleeve is going to cure their food issues. IT WILL NOT!!!! You will still have issues with being a food addict and if you can change it before surgery, you will do much better after surgery. Take each day as it comes and learn that only you can control if you will succeed, the sleeve is just a tool and tools do break if you don't use them correctly.

My lower- mid lumbar has been very sore since surgery. I use ice packs on it a lot. My tailbone also hurts from sitting more than usual. I'm 11 days out and today is the first day I almost feel human. I also had to take a sock and cut the foot out and the top out and put e-ointment on my right elbow. It seems I used my right elbow to get out of bed and to prop while trying to twist to take care of personal business and I caused my elbow to be raw. My back is starting to feel a little better. I still have sharp pains in my left shoulder, though I walk a lot and take a lot of gas medication.

Okay doke, well we will go back to compilation list here: http://www.verticals...ck-well-wishes/

If we can get a final list I will take over and copy & paste over to the original Compilation 1. We will go back to the original thread located at http://www.verticals...ck-well-wishes/ I am having a difficult time so I must ask that other's help out and if I am missing something, add it to the COMPILATION 1 section, so I don't have to hit thread after thread in JUNE to find new people. Robin, thank you so much for taking over for me, good luck with your 14 day preop shake. Please also realize that I am spending less time online because it takes a lot of focus for me to walk around and getting my Protein (only able to get about 20-30) in a day is like a chore. It seems most people have had a lot easier time than I am having, but I had complications that probably most won't have to deal with. Just bare with me and I'll get around to updating the list the best I can.

Good Luck to June 14, 2012 Ssilian -- Dr. Anthony Terracina, VA Karma84 Finding Myself -- Dr. Kelly in Tijuana Mexico Goofycathy -- Dr. Kelly in Tijuana Mexico thinmymind -- Dr. Kelly Estrovan - Dr. Bauman in Charlotte NC Pdubbaya23 - My thoughts and prayers are with you!!

Get some gas x Jenni. I am 10 days out and I'm still suffering gas pains. Not all surgeries are a like and not all bodies are a like. I have no problem admitting, this has been extremely hard on me. I still hurt horribly. The gas pains are hard on me, I can barely stand anything chewable (like the vitamins) I can drink Water all day long, but the Protein shakes cause pain. I had a 5 hour surgery with complications. That's my reality, it's not everyones though. Do what you think you can and don't base what you can do on others or it will drive you crazy. I lost 70 pounds before surgery during the 6 month pre-approval period. Day of surgery i weighted 229 - I came home at 235 - I am now 224.6. That's not a huge loss, but I know in the end - when I'm healed, I will excel and I will do a great job. Having an autoimmune disorder Lupus and neurological issues (brain tumor) i'm not going to heal as fast as others, and I can get down about it, but I'm not going to. Make sure you keep taking the gas x and watch any gassy producing Soups (a few teaspoons of broccoli cheddar Soup with no broccoli pieces caused me serious tears and I swear I felt like I was having a heart attack). I walked a few hours a day and still have gas issues. I honestly thought I was going to breeze through this surgery because I'm a pretty tough cookie, but it's just a set back. I got my drain out yesterday and my pain was cut in 1/2. The drain was up against my diaphragm and causing breathing difficulties. I'm still coughing a bit, but that's getting better now too. I am so happy that so many are doing good so soon. I don't feel jealous, I just figure it's my lot, and I can take it, and in the end it will equal out.

How are you doing?? Are things starting to get easier on you? I hope you are doing well.

Ugh, I have supposedly another 4 -5 weeks of liquid. I can't even get the liquid in I need. I want instant mashed potatoes with cheese and Tabasco, because someone was talking about Tabasco today. I know I can't handle it, because I can barely handle my liquids.