joatsaint

I named mine Frankensleeve, since he was covered in stitches and he growled like a monster for the 1st year!!!!!

I too have a desk job, that requires no lifting. I was off for 10 days (because that's what I had asked for) and was back on day 11. But I probably could have been back to work on day 8 or 9 without any issues.

I would see if your doctor knows of any WLS support groups that you can attend. That way, you'd get multiple viewpoints on the different types of WLS. You'll get much more information than the bit we can type in these response boxes. But having said that, having the Vertical Sleeve was the best decision of my life. BUT I was at a point in my life when I was ready to change. I didn't have anyone suggest it to me. So the biggest thing, is, are you ready to change? Are you ready to commit to doing whatever it takes to alter your relationship with food and your lifestyle? Because that's what it takes to be a successful WLS patient. WLS is major surgery, no matter how commonplace it seems on TV or coming from a doctor. It has risks associated with it, including death. So please be sure it's what you want to do and you are firmly committed to following the post-op diet and lifestyle changes that come along with it.

Being only 5 days post-op, my first thought is that you may not realize how much energy your body is using to heal itself right now. I was super exhausted for the 1st 2 weeks post-op and it took a good 6 months before my energy levels returned to normal.

I didn't bring anything but my car keys and comfortable clothes. I really didn't need anything else. I figured it was only going to be a 24 hour stay and I could manage if I had forgot something. The only thing I wish I had brought was my favorite pillow. The hospital pillows are the kind that puff back up, I like mine because it's filled with feathers and I can shape it to my liking. And it would have been handy to have it on the ride home to hold against my stomach.

The main thing I was not prepared for was the "stalls". I had a one-week stall every month, starting with the infamous "3rd week stall". I wish I had known that sticking with my diet plan and exercise would eventually cause the weight to start falling again. Don't fool with diet and exercise, just keep doing what was working and it will work again. I wish I had someone to reassure me that stalls are normal and that I would eventually start losing weight again. It would have saved me a lot of stress.

For the 1st few months post-op, I was having major mood swings, then everything went back to normal. But the 1st 2 weeks post-op were the worst, I wanted to fight the world!!

I had that pain every time I ate or drank anything, for about 2 weeks. The pain medications you received at the hospital are probably wearing off. Did they send you home with any medications?

I went through the same thing - twice. Once around the 6 month mark, and again at 1 year, after that, the amounts I could eat stayed the same - around 1 to 1 1/2 cups of food. I think at 6 months, Frankensleeve had relearned how to digest the "tough" foods and the healing from surgery had completed. That's my best guess. I don't have much in the way of foods to try. I stick with a combination of crock pot pork loin and black beans/lentils most of the time. I never want to go back to the old cravings, so I keep my diet pretty boring.

My taste buds went wonky for a few months. Most everything had to be really flavorful for me to be able to taste it. But it all cleared up in a few months. http://www.bariatricpal.com/blogs/entry/33213-taste-budssense-of-smell-change-after-weight-loss-surgery/

Congratulations and welcome to the loser's bench. :-)

I always found that eating processed foods loaded with carbs kept me hungry or I became hungry 2 hours after eating. You might look closely at the kinds of foods you're currently eating and try to eliminate anything that has a high carb count - except vegetables. :-) Once I cut out the things that had added sugar or processed carbs, my hunger pangs subsided to almost nothing. Good luck. Randy

I too am a scale junkie. BUT post-op, I made a deal with myself. ONLY the 1st weigh in of the day would count as my official weight for the day. There are too many other things that can influence my weight later in the day. I really try not to take it too seriously and remind myself that as long as my weight is headed down over time, then I'm on track. During the 1st few months post-op, the weight was dropping so fast that I would weight myself when I first got up, then again after a poop, then after I pee, and then again after work or exercising. It was exciting! (I know, I have no life. ) Now, I'm satisfied weighing in the morning and again after work.

I don't need much variation in my food flavors. Between eating out once a week and the free Cereal at work, I can do fine with my pork loin and lentils for most meals. Although I have to admit, since doing some taste test videos for Quest bars and OhYeah! Protein bars, I'm getting kinda addicted to eating a bar for dessert. But Eggface is highly recommended for those that would like to add a lot a variety to their post-op diet. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

Everyone responds to the surgery differently, and you may or may not be able to tolerate coffee right after surgery. I was told to stay away from caffeine for the 1st month. Unfortunately, Frankensleeve would tolerate almost nothing for that month. Most of my meals centered around Crystal Light lemonade and re-fried Beans. I took a sip of coffee here and there, and paid attention to how Frankensleeve reacted. At the end of the 1st month, I was able to drink coffee again, but not much, for months, I was only able to hold a sip or two every 30 minutes. Now I'm back up to 4 cups a day.

I have a few things I like when I'm in a hurry: Steamed Brussel Sprouts - 10 minutes from frozen to cooked in a microwave steamer. A large banana - some people claim bananas are a sugar bomb, but a large banana only has 100 calories. Protein bars - I eat them as a dessert or meal. ISS OhYeah Victory bars or Quest. I used to favor Premier Protein Bars, till I found ISS and Quest.

Ran across this deal - 2 free samples of Quest Protein powder. All they ask is you email and mailing address - they even pay the shipping. Flavors: Strawberries and Cream vanilla Milkshake Offer valid in the U.S. only, while supplies last (approx 2,000 sets). Limit one set per household. Hurry if you want one. http://www.questnutrition.com/hungry-girl/

I call myself a jogger - I can jog continuously for 30 minutes. I couldn't do that before starting the C25K program. I hadn't ever really attempted to jog in years. But for full disclosure, I had worked my way up to walking 3 miles in 50 minutes by the end of November last year. I completed the C25K program a few weeks ago. I am planning on doing a 5K run in August. You can see my videos after each workout on this thread - http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/335774-starting-my-c25k-adventure-looking-for-advice/

I say, start your online dating NOW! If nothing else, you will get practice writing a profile that expresses your personality, and practice your conversation skills with the ladies, and you can start reading profiles and see which types you would like to date. Plus you might even find a match. Never give up! Let me share my experience with online dating. I've been on online dating sites since 2000. And being overweight, didn't have much luck - I was #270 from 2000 to 2008ish. :-) I had a dozen or so ladies respond to my emails over that time, but most quit responding after the third email. It was probably me.... not knowing how to carry on a coversation and/or not knowing how to transition from email to phone to meeting in person. But I kept hoping for that one connection. After I got up to #370, I did not have the self confidence to believe that any lady would date me, but I held out hope and stayed online and sending contacts to ladies that seemed interesting. But I still got a few responses and some I got seemed to be from hurt jaded ladies who had been in bad relationships. 2012 I had VSG and didn't feel confident to date anyone till I was at least back down to #270, it would take a year to reach that weight goal. But I still kept on reading profiles and sending emails to the ladies. Very few responses. And for some reason, the ladies that contacted me first, and wanted to talk, were at least a hundred miles away! No way I was going to drive that far for an initial meeting. So they were out of luck and so was I. :-P I started getting a few responses after I was getting down into my #250's and had a few in person meets, but nothing worked out. In Feb, 2015, I got an email from a lady - with no profile photo and barely any info in her "about me" section (I usually pass on these profiles, as they don't give me enough info to see if we have common interests). But I took a chance and emailed her back. We've been dating ever since. Things are going good between us.

Just a few months post-op, I took up walking for my exercise. My goal was to get in 10,000 steps a day. But I had serious foot pain that kept me in my chair most of the time and the least bit of over exertion to my feet would put me out of commission for days. I found these shoes, that are made for diabetics, are extra cushony and let me insert an extera 3/4 inch of padding (Dr. Schoals inserts, plus the shoes come with extra padding inserts). I've had 2 pair of these and put average of 3 miles a day of walking on them for almost 2 years. I swear by these shoes. I think they are a bit pricy at $109, but they let me get in my walking, without causing foot pain. http://www.phc-online.com/Orthofeet_Therapeutic_p/boot-581.htm

Guys, in general, grow up with heroes like John Wayne and Bruce Willis - overcoming incredible odds and toughing out the worst injuries. Asking for help or assistance is a sign of weakness. That's what I grew seeing and hearing. So it's only natural that guys don't want to open up and share in a group setting. Dennis Leary said it perfectly in a joke about John Wayne - John Wayne had cancer twice. Second time, they took out one of his lungs. He said, "Take 'em both! I don't f****' need 'em! I'll grow gills and breathe like a fish!

There IS beer and pizza on the other side. :-P But, you may find that you don't really care about beer and pizza anymore. At least, I didn't. I'm not a beer lover, but pizza WAS one of my all time favorites. I didn't try either for at least the 1st 6 months post-op. Bread would do a real number on Frankensleeve and he didn't appreciate it one bit! So I was only doing test bites, here and there, from 2 months to 1 year post-op, of all kinds of foods. But by the end of the 1st year, I could safely eat pizza and slowly drink (because of carbonation) a beer. I just didn't have any real desire for either. Once I got into the habit of trying to get as much nutrition per bite of food - because of the limits on how much I could eat per meal - I felt that pizza and beer (plus a lot of other foods) were empty calories and I just didn't want them anymore.

I did not want to tell anyone, pre-op. I have many trust issues and have plenty of defensive walls built up over the years, from being bullied and taunted about my weight. So I kept it to myself. So I live by this simple rule - You can always tell someone, but you can't untell them if you change your mind. I didn't worry about how anyone would feel if I didn't tell them. When I felt comfortable.... many months later, I wasn't worried who knew about the surgery. But, even, 29 months post-op, I don't volunteer any WLS information, unless I am directly asked about it.

My 1st sign I'm getting full is a feeling of bubbles moving around the food in my stomach, if I go past that stage (and eat a little more), I'll get this poking sensation where my throat and stomach meet - not a good feeling. I've only gone past the pokey threshold once, and I got this very painful tight feeling in my stomach. I quickly learned to eat slower and pay more attention to my new "full" signals. :-)

I never have any foods that get "stuck", but I have some issues digesting things like eggs, chicken, and whole wheat bread. They are a little tougher on Frankensleeve than other foods. I get a few gurgles and twisty feelings in my sleeve after a few bites.