Chatty

Well done Paul - you put it beautifully! It's an incredible achievement. If you're on facebook, there is a 'achieving through sleeving' group you might like to join. Congratulations

What a coincidence being done on the same day! How much weight have you lost already? I don't seem to be having any problems in that department. I'm still a little sore and tender - but assume it's all part of the healing process. Are you sticking to your diet plan ridgidly? I must admit, I sneaked a little slice of bread and butter (well, by the time the crust was cut off it transpired to be about quarter of a slice) boy did I enjoy it I am struggling to drink enough though - so maybe that's something to do with it? If it doesn't go off in the next couple of days, I'll ring the hospital and see what they think.

I had my surgery on 5th July - and in the last couple of days my stomach feels sore. It feels a bit bloated and as though something is cutting in. Not enough to make me shriek with pain - but enough to feel uncomfortable. I am a little concerned - only because I'd had no pain relief since the day after the operation and wondered if anyone else had experienced this. I've never had an op before and don't know if it's normal.

This might sound silly - but I'm 3 weeks post op - so still on the soft, mushy and tasteless foods - but I've noticed that I have been sneezing when I try eating. I'm still on tiny portions - but today found the sneezing quite painful. Is anyone else sneezing when they eat? aaatchhhhoooo

Thanks for all your answers... I'm so glad I'm not the only one!

I'm sorry to be an old fogey - I'm losing who's who and who's had what done in this thread! Congratulations to us all!

Hi Jennifer I had my sleeve done just three weeks ago... I managed to lose 11kg before the op - and since coming out, according to the scales I have only lost a couple of pounds in the three weeks. However, my body is going smaller. When I went to pick up my prescription earlier, I was talking to the pharmacist. I told her that I didn't think I'd lost (according to the scales) but that my body was definitely going smaller. She then began to explain that once you start eating again after the operation, the liver re fills itself and everyone gains a little weight immediately after surgery. It sounded plausable when she explained it to me... you will lose, be patient and watch it drop off!

Hi, I had mine removed last week, I had to take a little staple remover the hospital gave me to the nurse at my doctors surgery. The first one gave me a little 'ouch' and I must admit I jumped, but the remaining staples came out without any difficulty... You'll be fine

OK, I'm really confused now. Can anyone explain about DSers and GVS (I'm assuming the GVS is the Gastric vertical sleeve) but have no idea what the DS is. Nor do I know about the bougie and the different sizes. Please help

OH MY GOODNESS... I've just heard about all this hair loss! Do we know why this happens, or if there is anything we can do to help minimise the effects? This is one side effect that I hadn't heard about

Yikes, I think I'll be taking more Vitamin supplements and carry on stimulating my scalp... Must admit, I'd not heard about this before and now dreading it. If it's temporary though it's no real hardship, I can hardly be vain after walking around so overweight for such a long period of time.

Hi Laila, Can you believe, I've only just had the email telling me you'd replied to this post? or at least that's what I think - I'm struggling with this site still. I had the op at the Spire Regency in Macclesfield... I can't believe how well it went! Mind you, I'm so hungry, I keep feeling the thighs of my little dogs seriously though, after re-reading my 'gastric advice' sheet from the hospital - I noticed that it said it was imperative not to eat during the first week - so I figured that meant I could have the inner out of an egg custard! boy, did I enjoy it. I managed to lose 11kg before the operation - and no idea what I've lost since, but I go back to see the surgeon on 19th August. I actually want to not weigh myself before then, to find out the 'huge' amount rather than a pound here and there. Showing off my culinary skills, I've just made three small egg custards for over the weekend and I intend to have some scrambled egg! I never thought I'd fancy scrambled egg - but I'm almost fantasising about it now. Can I ask what the biggest and most noticable changes you've had are? Catch you soon Cathie

Hi I had my sleeve done on 5th July... Gotta say, on the second day I told the nurse I didn't feel I needed the pain killers - and I've never taken them since! I'm not being brave or foolish - I simply haven't needed them! I haven't been sick either, or suffered with wind. I can't believe I've had it done - it's incredible

Hi Dawn I had my sleeve done six days ago. My pre-op diet, was six days of very low calorie diet, given to me by the nutritionalist - and eight days of the clear liquid fluids only. I managed to lose a staggering 11kg. Believe me, the 10lbs is do-able. My surgeon praised me so highly - not the fact of the weight loss, but the results on my liver. He told me that the operation couldn't have been easier. EVERY HUNGER PANG WAS WORTH THAT. I'd seen on television a woman of a similar weight to me, when they finished the operation the surgeon was sweating profusely and told the camera's what a very difficult operation it was. She had many holes - and the operation had taken much longer than it should. I look at my stomach now, the largest 'hole' is only just over an inch long - and I've a total of five incisions. It was worth sticking to the diet - I never deviated once. I found it easier as my husband ate his meals at the local supermarket or my mums rather than eat in front of me! IF you can avoid any contact with food you can't have, my advice is, make it easy on yourself and avoid it. Best wishes for your operation and hope that you make the same progress I have. Cathie

I'd been told that I should be able to return to work within 1 -2 weeks after my operation, however when being released from the hospital, they told me I wouldn't be able to drive for six weeks. I was horrified. I have to drive to work - there is no suitable alternative. A girl in the room opposite who'd had the gastric bypass was told she had to have six weeks off work and couldn't drive for two weeks. I was just wondering what length of time others couldn't drive for - as I just can't imagine being off work for a whole six weeks.

Hi I had my surgery on the 5th July, just gone. As soon as I was round I wanted to be in my own nightie before my mum got there to visit - (it might sound silly, but my mum is elderly and I knew she'd be upset at seeing me) I thought if I was in my own nightie and not in a hospital gown, it would help her. The nurse stayed with me, whilst I cleaned my teeth, brushed my hair and helped my husband to put my nightie on (she helped with the tubes and wires coming from me). I felt better immediately. I had to wear another nightie the next day as my wounds had wept through a little. It's personal preference at the end of the day - but how will pyjama's effect the catheter? I was fortunate enough to have mine out a few hours after my op as it was so painful. I think whatever you wear, the hospital staff will have seen it all before... Hope your operation is as easy as mine was. :-)

Hi Escape Pod I'm guessing we're a few days apart, I'm on day 5 after surgery and obviously will have another week on fluids before I can go pureed. However, I've been dreaming about that time Could you try - egg custard (without the pastry) for your lunch? or maybe a cup a Soup, with bits sieved out. - stewed fruit and custard (that's something I've been almost fantasising about) - or if you don't want it to look obvious, how about a small banana and just chewing it really, really well - mushing in one's mouth, before swallowing? If you have a microwave, could you do scrambled egg? Very simple basic ideas, I know. Hope it helps?

Hi Debs I'm very, very overweight and had my sleeve operation done on Tuesday. Two weeks before that I went on a very low calorie diet, it consisted of just a 3tblsp helping of cereal (no added sugar) semi skimmed milk, for lunch I had two crispbreads with either a boiled egg or 10z of cheese - and for my evening meal I had a 2oz portion of either meat or fish with salad or veg - I was also allowed one pot of low fat yogurt, and two portions of fruit per day. I did that for six days and then I went onto the clear liquids only diet - which meant black tea, coffee, sugar free juices, I was allowed batchelor's (not that I want to mention brand names) low calorie minestrone soup, with all the bits sieved out - sugar free jellies, and if I fancied it a stock cube made into a hot drink. I was amazed to find I lost over 20lbs in the two weeks before the operation. The surgeon was soooo pleased with me - he told me before the operation how well I'd done - and the following two days when he came to check on me, told me again how well I'd done and how me losing so much weight had really made the operation as simple as it should be! Believe me, the diet was well worth sticking to - just to hear him say it and know the operation wasn't as difficult as it might have been. I've got five tiny little scars (I know they have to be tiny due to the size of the plasters) even the one they said was the largest is only about an inch and a half. I can't believe I only had pain killers for less than 24 hours - I had the catheter removed a few hours after the op and was sat talking to visitors that afternoon and evening. I am so much better than I expected to be (although I did hear that I'd been quite a while in the recovery room) I haven't been sick - and I'm able to do everything for myself. I do hope my story will fill you with confidence and that losing weight will make a real difference to your operation and recovery. I don't regret mine for a moment. Like you, I couldn't go up a flight of stairs, my ankles and lower legs were full of water and I feel more 'human' already. Very best wishes and add me as a friend if you'd like to keep in touch

Thanks everyone for your comments, the swelling seems to have gone down in the last few hours considerably. I'm not worried about it anymore and remember one of the nurses forcing some pain killers in rapidly and my hand hurting at the time. I can't believe I have no pain in the stomach area, just tenderness.... I was expecting to be in agony. :-D

Can anyone answer me if it's normal for the hand that had the canula (all tubes in the back of my hand) to be swollen? I just wondered if anyone elses was swollen and if so for how long..; I don't want to contact the hospital in case they think I'm a hypochondriac. Many thanks

I'm having my surgery on Tuesday, but I wondered how you found the two weeks of Clear liquids beforehand? Also, are you in much pain? I was under the impression that this operation removed the ghrelin (hunger hormone) and wonder if perhaps more fluids would help you?

Hi Laila, I just saw your post as I was browsing through the site and noticed nobody had answered you... What rotters! I'm due for surgery on Tuesday, and I'd love to be communicating with others in the UK - not that I've anything against anyone from elsewhere, it's more of a 'birds of a feather' type thing. Enough ramblings - how did you get on with the operation? was the pain intolerable (I must admit, to being a wuss, so I'm dreading that side of it). How much weight have you lost? It seems a little odd writing to people you've never met, but I hope with our ops only being a few weeks apart - that we can support one another. Cathie