Marie from Michigan

When I was sleeved in April, it was my first surgery too. I kept telling myself that even though it was MY first surgery, my Doctor and his team have done hundreds. It was all very routine to THEM. Also, statistics show you are more likely to die in a car crash driving to the hospital than during the sleeve surgery! Hope you are doing great.

Another idea. Try to get up earlier and walk in the morning. If I wait until I get home from work I never walk on my treadmill. But in the summer when it gets light earlier, I find I can get myself out of bed 45 minutes earlier and walk. I am not up to an hour a day yet, but I am getting closer! I download podcasts that I like to listen to and "save" them for my walks. Marie

I would never stay home when others went out to eat. In fact, when my family picked me up from the hospital after surgery, we stopped at TGIFriday's for lunch on the way home. I always took my food along. At first it was

Most times I measure out about a 1/2 cup of food and try to finish it. My full signals are hiccups and a runny nose. I have learned to stop eating at the first hiccup. It typically happens when I am out to eat with other people. I think I eat faster and don't chew food as thoroughly. I can also drink Water right up to the first forkful of food, but then I have to stop. My stomach will feel tight and hurt a bit. I have also had a couple of episodes of "foamies." Lots of saliva production that needs to be spit out. When this happens, I excuse myself to the ladies room. Just getting up and walking seems to help as well. The foods that typically trigger this reaction are dense Protein like swiss steak, hamb patties, steak. However, I have also had episodes with scrambled eggs. I have learned to eat slowly, chew my food longer, and stop eating at the first sign of hiccups. I also get up and walk a bit after eating. I hope this helps!

I just got back from spending a week at Disneyland/California Adventure. I was 10 weeks post surgery when we left. My first victory was being able to sit comfortably in the airplane seats without an extender. I went on all the thrill rides without any discomfort. I had asked my surgeon at my 2 week post appointment and he said no problem. I wasn't able to eat my 70 grams of Protein or drink 64 oz of Water each day, but I did my best. I did have a few bites of holiday food here and there - 1/4 of a corn dog, bbq ribs, cheeseburger without bun, vodoo shrimp, one bite of a cupcake. Some of it didn't feel so good in my stomach for a while, but I kept it all down! Have fun on your trip. Marie

I had the same pain for about 3 weeks after surgery when I drank cold water. I switched to room temp water and it helped a lot. Pain didn't last long, only a couple of minutes. But, it was annoying.

Hi All I was sleeved on April 12. In the next two weeks, I will be vacationing in Southern California. We plan to visit several amusement parks while we are there including Disneyland. Prior to surgery I could do all the "big" roller coasters, but the spinning rides (Tea Cup) did me in. My question is that now that I only have 15% of my stomach left will my ride experience change? What has been your experience? More likely to get quesy? Less likely? I know I will need to just go on the rides and check it out, but I am interested in hearing about other's experiences. THANKS

I was also given the no coffee rule when I started my 2 week pre-op diet. I must have looked crushed as the Doctor then questioned how much I drank. When I told him 5-6 cups a day he told me to immediately switch to decaf coffee and take 2 Tylenol with my first cup in the morning. I did this for 5 days and never experienced a headache. I am now 9 weeks post-op and still drink 2-3 cups of decaf coffee per day. I don't plan to go back to regular coffee for at least a year post-op, maybe never.

On the written paperwork from the Surgeon's office it stated no nail polish or toe polish. When I asked my Surgeon about it he said toe polish was fine. Some hospitals don't like nail polish because it can interfer with the oxygen meters they put on your fingers during and immediately following surgery. However, he said he didn't have a problem with it. So...you might want to call your Doctor's office and check. P.S. I had planned to get a pedicure right before surgery, but didn't have a chance. I had one 2 days after I got out of the hospital. All went well and it was very relaxing!

Hope all is going well!

Hope all goes well! Remember walk and sip, walk and sip.

When I went for my first surgeon visit he asked if I often had heartburn. I told him yes and that I was using Tums on a pretty regular basis. He immediately scheduled an Endoscopy and found the hernia. Interestingly in the 6 weeks between the Endoscopy and the WLS my symptoms actually got much worse. It was clear to my work colleagues that something was seriously wrong with my stomach which made the "hernia excuse" for surgery very believable. About two weeks before surgery I started on Priliosec which I have taken daily since (Now am 9 weeks post-op). After the repair, I have had zero issues with acid. After surgery I did have some pain in my abdomen particularly when coughing or getting up from a chair or a bed. I was told that was probably more from the hernia repair than from the weight loss surgery.

I also told most of my work colleagues that I was having surgery to repair a hernia (which was true). I had been having severe stomach issues related to the hernia in the weeks prior to surgery (TMI Alert - I was leaving meetings to vomit) so this explanation was readily accepted. Only a few people (including my direct supervisor) knew about the WLS. Since I have lost a considerable amount of weight some people might have put the two things together by now. Who knows!

Three years ago, I lost 80 pounds with the Medifast liquid diet program. After I lost the weight I maintained for about 2 months and then slowly started to put the weight back on. I was putting on weight while journaling, counting calories, and attending weekly support groups. After a while I just gave up, stopped exercising and just ate anything I wanted (well almost). In the next 2.5 years I put back on about 70 of the 80 pounds. Last November I had a heart to heart with my GP. She told me that only 3% of patients with my co-morbidities (hypertension and diabeties) are able to keep off significant weight loss. I mentioned weight loss surgery and she was supportive. She said she never suggests it to her patients since they have to be at the right place emotionally to consider it. I began to research and 6 months later had the surgery. I knew that I could lose the extra weight again if I put my mind to it. But I also knew that without this important new "tool" I would eventually gain the weight back. I am gambling that this very small stomach will do the trick. I also know that I have to identify the "triggers" that allowed me to stop exercising and eat foods not helpful to my goals. I am working on that now and am getting some insight. It there a professional you could talk to to sort out your feelings? The surgery and recovery was not easy. And, I didn't have any significant complications. Unless you are 100% committed to this path, I wouldn't have the surgery. All the best.....

My piece of advice is to join and actively participate in a support group - whether in person or on-line. I didn't realize how important this step was and didn't start attending my clinic-sponsored support group until after my surgery and recovery. I now know that my group would have been a great source of information and inspiration!

Congrats on the surgery date and the lower price! A lower price is always good news. I hope the time prior to surgery goes quickly for you.

Hi Meggie I hope today is a better day for you. I was sleeved just a couple of weeks prior to you and have been watching your progress and video blogs faithfully. Your upbeat attitude and approach to this surgery has been inspiring! I also experienced an 8 day stall starting at week 2 and then another 1-week stall during week 7. Interestingly, it was during the 2nd stall that I realized that the clothes that had fit fine the week prior were almost unwearable the next week even though I only lost 0.4 pounds. I agree with Swizzly that it is during the stalls that I see the biggest changes with how my clothes fit. Now for the good news. After losing only 0.4 during week 7, I lost 4.9lbs during week 8! This was my highest week yet. The only change I made was to really try to vary my food/exercise. I am like you in that I like a routine. I was doing the same exercise and eating almost the exact same foods every day. This last week I consciously tried to vary my foods and increase my calories from 600-700 to 800-900. And regarding carbs....some days I went real low (12) and other days quite high (45). Some of the new things I ate were chopped steak, french toast, olives, Amish cheese (the full fat kind), turkey Jerky, and pea Soup with ham. I was really surprised I lost weight since it has been very hot/humid here this week and I ate a ton of salty foods. I was expecting to retain Water. Just some ideas that worked for me. I had a couple of early morning meetings at work so I skipped exercising for two days mid-week. I am going to have to catch up this weekend. I am thinking that next week you will have a fabulous week!

My nutritionist approved one of the Kashi Go Lean cereals. Not all of them, but one that is high protein and low sugar. I typically have cottage cheese for breakfast. I like the Breakstone brand with the small fruit sauce that comes on the side. It is 100 calories and 8 grams of protein. I also have weight control instant oatmeal - brown sugar. It is pretty high in carbs, but I typically have it one of the weekend mornings. I have also had 1/2 Protein Drink and 1 string cheese some mornings. This morning I splurged and made french toast. I used one slice of whole grain high protein bread dipped in one egg. I saturated it good so that I used the entire egg. I then put one Tablespoon of sugar free syrup over the top. It was delicious! It's not something I would eat every day, but it was a treat for today! I hope this gives you some ideas.

Hi All I am eight weeks post surgery this week. For the past couple of weeks I haven't exactly had hunger pains, but I do know when its time to eat. Yesterday I skipped my afternoon snack and worked late. On my way home about 6:30pm, my stomach was telling me it needed food. I ate my 4 oz of baked fish, 2 small olives, and 3 sliced strawberries. I was stuffed. That was all I ate all night. It is very different that the all consuming cravings I used to have that would require massive amounts of food to be satisfied. I lost 4.9 lbs this week, my highest total yet. I am loving this sleeve! THANKS Donna

I think it is dangerous to expect others to change their habits in order to help me cope with my food issues. That means that when I "fall off the wagon" I get to blame them because they ate in front of me. I was sleeved 8 weeks ago and I never expected anyone - spouse, kids, siblings, co-workers to change anything. I eat out in restaurants daily and those with me order whatever they want with no regard for me. I either take my own food or find something to order off the menu. We even stopped at a Friday's on the way home from the hospital and I prepared

I was scared too. I just kept telling myself that being morbidly obese was also a death sentence, just way slower. I took comfort in the fact that my Doctor has done hundreds of these surgeries and to him it was just "routine." Have faith and you will be fine!

I agree with the others. I have lots of food in my cupboards that I "thought" I would eat/drink post-op. And some of the foods that I ate during the two week pre-op diet, I could not tolerate after surgery. Save your $$ and make your purchases after surgery. For me, Protein drinks were (still are) the hardest. I have to have them to up my protein counts, but I don't really like any of them for long. 4-5 days and I am moving on to try another brand. Best wishes to you for your surgery and new life! Marie

My surgery was April 12. I did not have either a drain tube or a catheter. I woke up in recovery with severe pain in my shoulders. The nurse said it was due to the way they have you lay during surgery, but I know now it was gas pain from the CO they inject into your abdomen. My surgery was mid-afternoon and I was up walking about 7pm. I remember being extremely thirsty and was given ice chips. I controlled my own pain pump and pushed it consistently. The first time I got up to walk I was a bit quesy, but it went over quickly. I had a lot of trouble sleeping that first night. I would think that I had slept for a couple of hours but the clock had moved only 3 minutes. It was literally the longest night of my life. The next morning I was a bit nauseous and the nurse told me it was probably from the pain drip. Since I really wasn't feeling any pain, I stopped pushing the button and the nausea stopped. I was able to use the bathroom on my own beginning a few hours after surgery. I began coughing a bit the day after surgery and that hurt. The nurse showed me how to support my stomach with a pillow when coughing. On the day after surgery my face felt really flushed and my blood pressure and temp were a bit elevated. I was concerned, but the medical staff didn't seem at all alarmed. Said it was pretty normal. I spent the day after surgery drinking 1 ounce of unjury each hour with ice chips in between. I was supposed to go home the 3rd morning, but early morning blood tests showed low potassium levels. I had to have 2 bags of potassium intravenously and that took about 3 hours. Since potassium really burns going in it was by far the worst three hours in the hospital. Sorry this was so long, but I wanted to give you an honest account. I was pretty weak and low energy for the first three weeks, but beginning week 4 saw great improvement. At 8 weeks out I feel normal. All in all I am very glad I did it and wish I had been able to have the sleeve 20 years ago! Marie

I am 8 weeks post-op, but I remember having sharp pains at the beginning that lasted only a minute or so. However, I encourage you to call your Doctor's office and discuss. My doctor's office has a "phone nurse" whose job it is to take such calls. I called several times during the first few weeks and she was very, very helpful. She eased my mind that some of the things I was experiencing were normal, and a couple of times prescribed over the counter meds that were very helpful (Milk of Magnesia, etc.). You paid for it!

Congrats from another Michigander! I am eight weeks out this week and have lost 28 pounds since surgery, 44 since my first WLS appointment last January. The first week after surgery was rough, I won't lie. Walk as much as you possibly can. I went to Costco the day after I was released from surgery just to hang on to a cart and walk around. (Weather was cold and rainy in mid-April). I must have looked like death warmed over but I didn't care. The first week I went back to work was also hard. I had low energy and was very tired. Don't be surprised if a stall starts about week 2 or 3. About at week 4 things really started improving! Wishing you all the best. Marie