LT1002

7/17 sleever here. Same problem - dizzy, lightheaded, weak, whole bed was spinning. DW was so concerned she called my NUT who said to move to blended/mush just to get some nutrition in (protein shakes were making giving me diarrhea). Also started sipping on some G2 to replace some of the electrolytes I was losing.

I'm two weeks post-op and will probably be a slow loser - always have been. I'm fine with that, I'm sure it's better skin-wise, plus won't put as much stress on the heart. I'm wondering, though, does losing slower prevent hair loss issues?

This could be the lawyer in me talking, but stapler slipping sounds like either human error or equipment failure. After all your dad went through, have you spoken to a med-mal attorney about a possible claim? I'm sure your dad's life was turned upside-down - he's only 51 - and he should be compensated for this.

The problem with stairs, for me at least, isn't so much the pain from the surgery, but the lack of energy. I live on the top floor of a walk-up and pre-op I was having difficulty going up the stairs due to two herniated disks and a labral tear in my hip. It was painful, but I had the energy to pull myself up using the hand rail, rather than put the weight on my hip. Now, two weeks post-op, I just don't have the energy to make it up the stairs. I'm sure some of it is because I've been pretty sedentary post-op -- being off my NSAIDS for my back and hip has made the pain unbearable. Part of it must also be from diet - as hard as I try, I still can't get enough protein or fluids. I dread having to go up the stairs. I go back to work next week and am already stressing out about having the energy to make it through the day. I'm hoping to have my diet modified when I meet with the NUT and doctor this week so I can get away from the protein shakes.

So sorry your dad went through that! Question - did they do a swallow study while he was in the hospital post-op? Seems like if it was a problem with the staples, the leak should have shown right away, unless inflammation made it undetectable. All the best to both of you! Glad your dad is recovering and on his way to solids!

I'm 9 days post-op and have been having a really tough time of it. Hard to get fluids down, hard to drink those stupid Protein shakes. I so miss my Diet Coke - some people smoke, some people do drugs, drink alcohol - I do none of that, I just like my Diet Coke. So today, I took one of my caffeine free Diet Cokes (when home, I always drank caffeine free), opened the bottle to let out some fizz, poured it over ice in a glass, and took small sips. It was like drinking a little glass of heaven. No stomach upset and I feel almost like a normal person again. No caffeine, lost a lot of the carbonation, and when the ice melts down, I'm even getting some extra water! It's amazing how this diet can make a person so miserable at times, but the little things we took for granted before can make a world of difference now with just a little modification (I would chug all fizzy from the bottle ).

Losing does feel good - I'm down about a lb a day, now 15 since surgery on 7/17. How can losing this much this quickly be healthy?

I was intentionally trying to be a d-bag and for that I apologize. Knee jerk reaction - seems out of left field for someone to comment on one's appearance, especially here, when we've all had that shared experience of being overweight and somewhat outcast because of it. I immediately thought she was just trying to be a jerk, so I responded in kind. I do sincerely apologize Peacequeen and appreciate you reaching out to do the same.

Picture = done I hate having my pic taken and I've only been using my iPhone to post, which has about 1000 pictures of my cat and dog.

Go back and read the earlier replies to my original post, those are the ones that got me defensive. Diet coke is not a sensible choice, but at this point it was a lifesaver. I've been miserable. Gag at Protein shakes, sick of Water (which I don't really like to begin with). I'm tired, I'm weak... I miss my life. That soda gave me a little sliver of normalcy back. I wasn't seeking validation or criticism, I was just saying how it was amazing that one sip of normal life made me feel so much better. And why does everyone think I'm a guy? I'm definitely not.

How high are we talking? I asked the same question when I got out of the hospital and folks here said it was normal. Called and spoke to the doctor and he said the same. Highest mine went was about 100.4.

LouiseC, alcohol = empty calories. Only a person with a hardcore drinking problem would dare sabotage their diet by drinking not one, but TWO glasses of wine! I can't believe you would do this to your body! So irresponsible. And to post it where newly sleeved folks for whom alcohol may pose a bleeding risk can see it? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Really, you should be ashamed of yourself. Now, see how ridiculous that sounds coming from some stranger on an internet message board?

Thank you Sassypants! Caffeine free, flattened, watered down with melting ice cubes... besides the sodium (not an issue for the diet, but a personal choice) and the chemicals (again, not an issue for the diet since it's not touted as a natural/organic diet), what makes drinking that Diet Coke so wrong? In fact, it's probably better than a sugar laden juice or an extremely acidic orange juice. Even flavored Water has chemicals in it, and those naturally sweetened have sugar. Some people just have a knee jerk reaction to calling people out on stuff THEY personally disagree with. This is MY body, I get to control it. Oh, and after savoring the tasty goodness of that poisonous, going to ruin your diet, cause a leak, cause you to implode/explode/eat people's faces like bath salts, soda, I lost another pound - 14 down.

That's awesome. Did you major in circus clown or more kids' party clown? And I'm sure those pirouettes were a breeze in space.

It really cracks me up that this started as a fairly innocent thread I started some 4+ hours ago about how simply modifying my soda by flattening it out and pouring it over ice could make me feel so much better after feeling like I've been suffering for a week. Kind of ridiculous that it's turned into this. Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses, and none of us are in any position to criticize or judge anyone else here. We've ALL lived unhealthy and eaten to a point that landed us on an OR table to get part of our stomachs removed. Pretty drastic, don't you think? Yet here we are, bickering, judging, insulting - it's ridiculous! My god, the whole damn world picks on fat people, must we do that to each other too? Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take another little sip of that same poisonous 12 oz Diet Coke that I poured over ice some 5 hours ago.