JillianMarie

I was wondering if anyone wants to buddy up that has recently had their sleeve surgery. I had surgery on the 17th and would really like to have contact with someone that has also recently had theirs so that we could chat or text about recovery. I live in the US and have T-Mobile and unlimited texting, if anyone that lives within the US wants a buddy please send me a PM and i will give you my cell number. I think support is the best thing we can have right now! :puke4: Jillian

My incisions also look like they were stictched out of place but i think that is normal, it is going to look strange to have new wounds on our bellies :puke4: Is it the actual wound that hurts or internal? I have not had any wound pain and i was sleeved the same day as you. I only have internal discomfort, and problems staying hydrated because i can't get in enough liquid without feeling "stuffed". Are you taking pain meds?

Katt, No i was not Protein deficient prior to surgery. Yes i was consuming large amounts of broccoli, but that was far from the only thing i ate. I consumed 10- yes ten- carbmaster yougurts (high protein, low carb) daily, which gave me 120 grams of protein, and i also ate almost 2000 calories in other food. Close to about 3000 calories a day and i had at least 200 grams of protein daily, so i know that i was not deficient in protein or any other nutrient. The hair loss started a few months ago i believe due to a loss of my period (gone since September), and which they could not find a cause for. I was far from nutritionally deprived, and had a BMI too high to cause absence of periods. I did see a OB-GYN and had tests performed, and they were still unable to determine the cause of it, or my hair loss. To this day it is still a mystery, and to this day i am still losing hair.

thank you to those who have replied. Broth does seem to help, when i sip it it seems to go down easier and with less gurgling than cold drinks. It seems to sooth the most. I am worried about not getting any nutrition in though at this point. My hair is falling out and i can't get my protein in. What is the easiest way to get in protein requirements without upsetting the tummy at this point?

I am there with you. I was sleeved on the 17th. Had extreme pain, especially in the shoulder blade area. Since then the pain has eased up but ive had nausea and unable to hardly get my liquids down. It's hard to take pain meds when you have an upset stomach and can hardly drink anything!!

Thank you! The Dr and his staff was amazing- not to mention had a great personality, was absolutely gorgeous- and was so funny! I tell you what, laughing after sleeve surgery is pretty painful! Oh- and i was told i could have low fat ice cream, and low fat dairy in addition to my Protein shakes, Jello, popsicles, Soup, etc... So tonight i got some no sugar added reduced fat ice cream thinking it would feel really good going down sitting in this sore tummy. Well of course it tasted so good, and did feel good going down, so i took several spoonfuls- then it hit me, and i got really full and almost nauseated and had to stop because i knew if i ate any more it wouldn't stay down. After 1/2 cup of ice cream, i was more full than i would have been polishing off the whole carton before hand. What a wake up to reality! A few bites or spoonfuls, and it hits you like a ton of bricks! This is a truely wonderful experience!

I posted here about a month ago, having thought about having this surgery as the solution to fixing my stomach that has been stretched out to about 4 times the size of an average persons stomach (an able to hold about 8 lbs of food, resulting in continuous hunger and overeating). I then thought that i could try to attempt to shrink my stomach myself, by eating small portions. Well, the stomach acid has eaten my stomach alive, even with taking Nexium, and i have never had an acid problem, and the hunger is so extreme i am hardly able to function. I have decided to go ahead with the surgery, but have a modified version of it and have a larger sleeve done. Does anyone know about the different sizes of the bougie's? and what is typically used? Thanks, Jillian

Surgery was a success! I did get a 4 oz stomach so i am not able to eat much at all right now, but i know it will stretch with time. I'm recovering now and so glad to have made this decision. No regrets!!! Jillian Surgery Date: 5-17-2010

I am having my sleeve done Monday. I am curious as to what everyone's typical meal is like after surgery (after the 3 weeks on liquids/soft foods, once you can eat normal foods again). What do you normally eat, and how much? How much does it take before you have to stop due to feeling full? I am excited to get this feeling for once!!

im doing the same thing. Having a very hard time sticking to my pre-op diet. I am so hungry. I caved in and ate 4 packs of oatmeal last night and several sugar free fudge bars. I have surgery monday. The only thing i can think of is to drink mineral oil and take an extra laxative and hope it'll move through me quicker. Sunday is traveling day so i wont have to worry about eating, food wont be available or in reach. But this entire past week i KNOW i gained weight, ive eaten more than ever. Stress is a killer.

I am scheduled for the 17th so we are close, i am also scared to death! However, im scared about other things. I have thought long and hard about not being able to eat normally ever again. But i have let food become MY LIFE. It has ruined my body, make me hate myself, hide from people and public places, not enjoy the things in life I should, basically, those 5 minutes i really enjoy eating each time i stuff myself, ruin the rest of my day and night. I am willing to give up my stomach for this. To me, this means either- keep the stomach and stay fat and miserable, or have the surgery, go through some pain and withdrawals, learn new ways of living, and have a new body and a new life that i've been only dreaming about forever. I'll take the new life. No one says we CANT eat. We just can't eat much. A few bites taste just as good as 100 bites. We just have to learn to savor each individual bite, instead of forcing into our mouths as fast as we can (at least thats what i have been doing). We are all different, but im willing to sacrifice this to make changes in my life.

I am going about this alone- having surgery in Mexico, and going there by myself. My friends do not know about this surgery, and only my father is aware of it, i am hiding it from my mother and sister as of right now. I am extremely stressed. Not only to be going alone to Mexico, but of the pain and possibility of getting sick afterwards. I'm ready to change my life- and know that this surgery is my answer- but i am literally in tears and a nervous wreck with everything going through my head at this point. I am so worried of having severe nausea and pain after surgery while i am there alone. Please, any words of encouragement, i could greatly use right now

Wow that's a coincidence that you went alone to Mexico and didn't tell your mom or sisters, I plan on telling them of course, after the surgery, but hiding it from them right now and coming up with an excuse to leave for a week, and planning on having an excuse to not eat much when i see them is really stressing me. Theres just so much stress on me right now it's about to kill me. I am so ready to have it over. I'm more worried about getting through the next two days than getting through the surgery. Once it's done, it's done, and behind me.

I think the biggest difference is what size of sleeve the patient gets. I have read that the size of the bougie used is anywhere from a 28 to a 60. That's a huge difference. That can be the difference between being able to eat a few bites at a time or nearly a whole meal. So i wouldn't say it's the quality of the Doctor, just how much stomach he removes. Because i have less weight to lose i will need more stomach removed, because it takes a lot more for me to lose weight.

You are so right- we are so used to overeating, we really need very little food to survive. And even if we reach a normal and healthy weight- we still have sufficient body fat to last us a long while. Look at those in countries without hardly any food. People walking around at 80 lbs. They survive. Just nothing but bones. Obviously the body knows how to adjust with very little food. It looks like the smallest you can get for a sleeve is a 28, and the largest is a 60. If i go with a 32, i wonder how much my stomach will be able to hold.

I am using Dr. Mario Almanza in Mexico. Anyone here use him?

I was wondering the same thing! I really dont want to experience it!!

wow there are a few of you getting sleeved around the same time as me! I'm on Monday (the 17th) and so nervous! I'm also self-pay so i got to book it as quickly as i came up with the funds. I'm so tired and having trouble thinking about anything else right now, my mind is racing and i can hardly sleep, oh it will be so nice to just get this over with!!

How did you all get through your pre-op days? I just made a ton of jello and bought about 10 yogurts, as well as some sugar free popsicles and sugar free fudgcicles. I fly out Sunday so i just have to get through tomorrow and Saturday, this is going to be rough!!

oh gosh i know exactly what you are talking about, recently i have overeaten on a few occasions to a point where all of a sudden i got very nauseous and my mouth just filled with saliva. I never threw up but swore i was about to. Wow well then i will know to take it VERY slow and not test my luck because that is the WORST feeling in the world!!!

I just watched the video as well, and with the food that she ate "after", i would not lose weight. They may be somewhat small portions, but they were calorie dense foods. For me to eat those foods, it would have to be much smaller potions than that. I'm really hoping i won't be able to eat nearly as much as she did in those videos.

What are the foamies? I've heard of a few people mention that word... kinda scary! :/

Thank you so much! Did you have trouble with post-op nausea? Also, did they let you sip on water or have ice chips after surgery?

Being 4 days pre-op, i am also thinking very hard about coping with breaking the relationship with food. I discussed with my Dad earlier about what I am going to do when i am having anxiety, depressed, stressed, etc... as for 10 years i have turned to food to medicate my feelings and numb the pain... and i will no longer be able to do that. I am wondering... what WILL i do when i am in those circumstances? I have no idea right now, and it's very scary. I'm going to start therapy soon, which will help, but the 2 weeks immediately after surgery i'm on my own and it will be hard. What is even harder, is the fact that i am hiding this from my sister and my mother, as they would not agree with my decision right now. Down the road, the would. But right now, as my sister puts it, "surgery is not going to FIX your eating disorder". Clearly she does not understand.