Estrellita

Hi all! Just wondering what your experience has been with popcorn. Do you eat it, is it uncomfortable, does it give you gas, does it get stuck? Has anyone ever been advised against it? Has anyone experienced any complications with popcorn or is it safe? Thanks!

I had the same symptoms when I started eating, and sometimes even when just on broth. I would get hot flashes and had a bit of nausea. Sometimes my heart would even speed up. The doctor said the hot sensation may have to do with acid, and it was normal. According to him the nausea might be to big bites, not chewing enough, or too much liquids soon after or before eating. Sometimes I'd get cold clammy hands, and that he said was due to eating less and my metabolism/body temperature feeling the change. I am 47 days post surgery, and all of those symptoms have gone away almost completely. I found that taking the time to chew, chew, chew, and being careful with not drinking too much Water before or after eating really helps in avoiding any nausea or uncomfortness while or after eating. Hopefully this helps. Good luck and God bless you!

Thanks for your suggestions and for sharing your personal experiences. I think it's a combination of everything you all said. I ate too fast, maybe too much, and I am definitley nervous about the next eating stage. I need to continue working on my anxiety issues. Thanks and many blessings to all!

Hello everyone! I'ts been 38 days since my sleeve, and I've had no complications with my surgery, except for pretty darn bad anxiety. Today I decided I would try new foods. I've been on yogurt, oatmeal, malt o meal, and cooked (killed) vegetables since my first week. I've stuck to the meal plan faithfully, but today decided to try something new. I cooked a potatoe with olive oil (a bit of it), mixed in an egg white for Protein, and added a bit of salt. All these foods are approved in the meal plan for my stage. I didn't let the potatoe cook to mash consistency. It was soft, but did require chewing. I didn't weigh the ammount I ate, but I know it was adequate for my stomach (I think). Almost immediately after eating I felt something weird. I felt fatigued, a bit lightheaded, a bit shaky, a bit of nausea, and my heart a bit accelerated. I also had the urge to go the restroom, but nothing came out. All symptoms went away after about an hour and half. Right now I'm not sure what is attributed to my anxiety and what is connected to my new stomach. Has anyone ever experienced this? Did I eat the wrong thing? Did I not chew enough? Is it a normal body/mind reaction to the first solid, "real" meal? I'd appreciate any sharings. Thanks!

I know your fears well Texas Diva. I'm terrified of abandoning my kids. I have an amazing 16 year old who is ready to take on the world and change it for the best, and I want to be around to encourage her and see it happen. I also have the most creative, curious, jolly, loving 8 year old I've ever met. Leaving them builds immense remorse, guilt, and regret about having had surgery. But I know this is emotional, because physically I have had NO complications. No infections, no leakage...no nothing. I've had weird sensations that are slowly fading, or becoming less recurrent. Cognitively I know I'm ok. I know I'm on my way to healing well, and being my old self again (a better version of it actually). However, the message hasn't reached my emotions. I'm struggling with feeling safe. I decided I will no longer read surgeries gone bad, unless complications arise. I'm reaching out to God, who unfortunately I didn't involve enough in my pre-op preparations. I'm trying to focus on the progress I see daily, because there is progress daily. I'm meditating and cherishing every moment with my kids and family. I'm lucky my job gives me the summer off (I teach middle school). You need to make sure you cool off before surgery. I'm nervous that stress from your job will carry into your surgery and after. Take a few days off before surgery and as many as possible after. The odds of dying in surgery are minimal. Fears are normal, but let them go. My advice would be to prepare the best for post-surgery. Have your support circle ready, your spiritual readings at hand, and definitely no work. Make that clear to your employer and to yourself. You've worked hard, and now it's time for you. In my sleepless nights I came across a passage that I wake up to every morning now: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. -II Timothy 1:7 God's spirit is all this, and so is ours! How divine is this! You'll do great Texas Diva. We all will!

Hi all! I was sleeved 20 days ago, and am looking for a buddy. I've posted threads with questions and concerns, and the responses I've gotten are priceless. Thank you! I'm from Los Angeles, and am in the process of looking for a local support group. I need all the support I can get, so I'm reaching out to a buddy here too. I currently don't have a cell phone, but we can chat via email and facebook. Email: Brisamari@aol.com. You can look me up in facebook under Maria Carbajal. Thank you and God bless you all with much health and peace!

Hi all! I already posted a message on the support group forum, but I'm doing it here also to reach more members. I just got sleeved 20 days ago, and am in desperate need of attendind a support group. I love this site and it's helped plenty, but I'd like to also join a support group in my area. I'm from downtown Los Angeles and am willing to travel 20-30 minutes to meet. Anyone know of support meetings? Thank you and God bless you all!

I've never suffered from anxiety before, and boy is it hitting me hard now. I'm 20 days post-surgery. No physical complications (thank God), but many emotional ones. If you suffer from depression and anxiety now, please prepare for a possibility of emotional challenges post surgery. Tell the therapist about your meds, but demand higher quality and a thorough evaluation.

I've been posting several questions regarding weird sensations that freak me out. The night before last I awoke to a sensation of heat that traveled from my stomach to my chest area to my left arm. I freaked out and thought I was having a heart attack. It slowly went away, but yesterday almost all day I had a racing heart and the left arm tingling feeling didn't subside. I called my nurse and she returned my call around 6 PM. Our conversation was very enlightening. She went through several procedural questions trying to learn if it was leakage, or my fears: heart attack, body paralysis (I know I'm hysterical). Thank God, it's not symptoms for any of these. I'm tolerating liquids and soft foods, Protein drink, and my Vitamins. I have no pain, no nausea, no vomiting, no dizziness, and my lightheadedness is virtually gone. These are great news! So what's causing my accelerated heart, heat sensations, and left arm tingling? ANXIETY! Before surgery I had mild depression, only during PMS days, but never anxiety. This is new to me. The nurse explained that after surgery there is rise in hormone levels, including estrogen (as some of you who responded to my questions also suggested). This rise in hormones could lead to depression and/or anxiety. I knew she was right because I've been an emotional wreck. Any new physical sensation, as normal as it is to bariatric surgery, freaks me out. I think I'm gonna die and I spiral downward from that thought. I've gone as far as telling my 16 year to be strong in case I die, and I've delivered to my family my last wishes and instructions on caring for my girls. I've cried like I don't remember crying before, and I'm experiencing emotions and thoughts I don't remember having had before. All this is creating anxiety, and anxiety is manifesting itself in physical symptoms. It's the cause for my racing heart, heat sensations, and tingling feelings. I now know it is. I never believed anxiety to be so powerful. After getting off the phone with the nurse I decided to move back into my mom's house for two more weeks. I don't want to be alone at home, frightening my kids and husband. At mom's I have the perfect support system. My oldest sister practices meditation, my other sister is great at rationalizing, which subside my fears, my youngest sister is awesome with my 8 year old, and my mother makes sure I take naps and makes the best vegetable Soups. I stayed there a week and a half after surgery, but then left home. I'm back and so are my sisters (mom is delighted!). Yesterday I meditated, had a good cry, talked long with my family, and went to bed early. In bed I practiced breathing excercises, and tried hard to not dwell on fears. I slept good and today haven't experienced the heat, acceleration, or tingleness. I'm hopeful again. Those of you pre-ops, you need a support system. I expected to be pain free, on my feet, ready to go three weeks after surgery. Yes I'm pain free, on my feet, but I'm not really ready to go. I tire easy, and above all, I'm struggling emotionaly. This was soooo unexpected, but I'm taking the challenge. Something else the nurse recommeded that I'm following through on is to stop reading horror bariatric stories online. I've read horrendous stories, that I'm sorry to hear about, and do terrify me, but now is not the time to delve into them. I should've done that before surgery, not now, especially not now. That was adding to my anxiety. So I don't recommned any post-ops to do so. This is the only site I'm sticking to, and it's all I need. Don't underestimate the power of anxiety. It will cause physical symptoms, some scary and very concerning. Contact your dr, even if you're sure it's anxiety, just to make sure. My nurse told me to get my heart checked, and I will. But, calm down. Practice a relaxation method, do breating excersices, and reach out. I continue to have mixed emotions about my decision to get surgery, and I'm still nervous about my future life and health. But, I'm trying to be my old optimistic self and believe that all will be fine.

I'm 19 days post surgery, and I actually called my nurse yesterday for a similar sympton. My pulse was 105, when it's always been betwen 75-80. Besides the fast hearbeat, I had tingling sensations in my left arm. My nurse called back and said it sounds like anxiety. Based on the quesitons she asked she concluded it's not leakage, symptoms of a heart attack, blood pressure problems, thyroid problems or any other physical complication (thank God!). She believes it's anxiety related to depression, which may come from a rise in hormones which occurs normally after surgery. She recommended a lot of rest, liquids, and to make sure I'm taking my vitamins. She also recommended I go to my family physician and get my heart checked out. After our conversation I was much at ease to have eliminated physical complications. I did some meditation with my sister, had a long conversation with my mother about my fears and concerns, prayed, went to bed early, and had a great night! Today I feel much better and I'm working on my emotional stage. I haven't felt my heart speeed up at all today, so I think my nurse was right. For someone not used to depression or anxiety, and with no previous medical conditions, this is new and scary. I don't know how you've been doing emotionally, but if you're experiencing depression and/or anxiety, that may be the cause. I would still get your dr's or nurse's opinion. Hope you feel better.

I'm 19 days post surgery, and I wouldn't go to the beach now. I do light driving, walking, and try to completely avoid lifting and bending. I have almost no pain and thank God, no leakage or other type of complications. However, I tire easily, especially in the sun and in crowded places. Too much noise, movement, action make me a bit dizzy and lightheaded. I went to the mall this past Saturday, and had to leave to the car 20 minutes after being inside. I wasn't like this before surgery, so I know it's part of the recuperation process. My body and mind are still in recovery, and I know I must be careful to what I expose them to. Another issue that has come up is depression, better yet: anxiety. This is something I wasn't familiar with either. Never had anxiety, only mild depression on PMS days. This time though, it's different! I panick easy, I become terrified and immensely emotional. It hits me at any moment. It's mindboggling and almost unbelievable given my pre-op personality. Be careful. I wasn't prepared for all the different physical changes and sensations. And I especially wasn't prepared for the emotional challenges. Given the way I've felt, I wouldn't go the beach on such a hot, crowded, noisy day. But, hopefully your experience will be different and you will be able to enjoy a day at the beach. Best wishes!

Thanks for sharing. I'm 19 days post, having intense, mixed feelings about my decision to do this to my body. I'm nervous, terrified, yet also hopeful. I need to be patient. Best of luck in starting your excercise program. The five pounds will come off, no doubt. Thanks again for sharing.

Thanks for all your comments. It could be hormones because I am also an emotional wreck. Will continue observing myself and will keep you posted. Thanks again.

In all the pre-op research I encountered, a heart attack or paralysis were never risks. That's why, I'm confused. My dr. still hasn't called back. I'm hoping this hot sensations are temporary and will diminish. Maybe they're just a normal, new tummy reaction. As for my heart, maybe I'm panicking and setting off a fast heartbeat. Mention this to your physician before surgery.

It's been 18 days since I was sleeved, and I'm experiencing an array of new sensations and emotions. Some I know are normal to my new stomach, but some frighten me deeply. I'd appreciate anyone who can shed some light on my experiences. Is it normal to feel your body hot? When I eat (veggies, yogurt, oatmeal), I get a hot sensation in my tummy that travels up and around my inside; at least that's how it feels. A couple of times I even broke into a minor sweat (that hasnt't happened since 5 days though). Has anyone experienced this heated sensations, and is it normal? The most frightening experience was last night. At 4 AM an inner hot sensation awoke me. I felt my tummy, my chest, my face, and my left arm hot. There was pressure around my heart area, and a fast hearbeat. Needless to say, I was terrified. I got up, tried hard to control my panic, but had a difficult time doing so. I had a major breakdown. I'm afraid of some complication that will lead to a heart attack or body paralysis. I know this sounds drastic, but I've never experienced these sensations before. I'm awaiting for a call back from my dr., but would love to hear from anyone who's experienced anything similar to this. I've taken my temperature, and the highest is 97.9. I don't have diabetes, blood pressure problems, or any existing condition that I can account for this. Help, please.

Thank you all for the advice. It makes sense that lightheadedness comes from a lack of sugar. I'll commence my days with some apple juice. Thanks for the advice! I'm so blessed to have found y'all! Best wishes.

Hi All! I'm blesed to discover this site. I just had surgery July 8th. I can't complain because my wounds are healing well, and overall I feel strong. I know I'm ok, but can't help to freak out at all the new sensations my body is experiencing. I'd like to know if anyone shared my experiences and how you handled it. I'll see my dr in two weeks, but would like to know of other patient's experiences. To begin with, I experience lightheadedness in the morning. Not enough to feel like I'll faint, but enough to make me nervous. I try to eat no more than 30 minutes after I wake up to combat the occurence, but it still happens. Did anyone experience this? Is it still related to surgery, am I weak? Does it go away eventually? For the first time yesterday I experienced something stuck in my esophogus. I chewed through a piece of cauliflower, but guess not enough. It was one of the most unpleasant, frightening, nervewrecking experiences. I ddin't know if I'd vomit it, if it pass, or just stay there. Drinking Water didn't help much. I know we have to chew thoroughly, and thought I did. Will this happen often? What do you do when it happens?! Does this "stuck" sensation eventually go away with time? I was under the impression that our esophogus wouldn't change. Yet, mine is so delicate. I need to be careful with the thickness of food, gulps of water, I can't swallow soft gels, etc. Will this ever go away? I'm sorry if I sound hysterical and misinformed. I thought I researched the surgery enough, but honestly wasn't prepared for my new stomach. I'm not disregarding my progress: I feel strong, sleep well, stitches healed, 18 lbs down, NO LEAKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yet, I experience nervousness with these new sensations. I would love to hear from anyone that can shed light on this. Thanks!