teambrown4

I do not know how to upload a pic or i would send one of the Protein Jello. I bought them at a local health store (look also at like gnc) that I bought all my Isopure and whey powder. They have several fruit favors and I really like them. They Are made by protica, There's one full serving of fruit. And 25g of protein. 130 calories. I showed them to my dr and he was was happy I found them and could get them down. Since the isopure wasn't going so well. Plus I feel like eating, so have one when my family eats in front of me:-) if someone tells me how to add a pic I will:-)

Hey there! Each day is better.. I'm still superrrrr sore on my muscle they cut. My stomach still has contraction type pains even if I'm not swallowing. The bubbly and such while drinking pain has stopped but I still have some pain when liquid hits the stomach. I had two days Water only, and that was brutal. Warm water only worked! Then since Thursday I've had Protein shakes with water (no milk based or cream anything for 10 days), and if I blend them with a room temp water bottle they go down easy. I started adding frozen fruit Friday. I started with home made broth but it was too fatty! At first the liquid from cup o noodle was good, now I strain Soup, and add water to thin. chicken and rice has the best flavor but the. Vegetable soup works good too. I have a few varaities. I get more juice out of it if I heat it up first then strain it. SF Popsicles are good. I also bought protein Jello. I eat it slow as it still hurts a bit when it hits my tummy but I feel like I'm eating with that. Today I had activia yogurt and it was sooooo good!!!! Peppermint tea with a cough drop at The bottom (it melts fast), is so soothing and satisfying. I chew tums before and after each meal and make sure I burp every time I sip. I'm able to drink maybe a tablespoon at a time now without pain. I will start soft mushy foods tomorrow but am staying away from anything milk based until I feel better. I walked the dog today and went a little longer than my normal 25 minutes and around minute 40 I was so dizzy I couldn't see! Luckily my son was with us and sorta guided me home. Otherwise I think I'd still be on the curb at the end of my street. It's a slow process! I havent lost but a few piinds which surprises me but im not dwelling... and my stomach is still swollen to where I can't fit into y pants yet, and I'm feeling moody and crying spells now but I'm really optimistic that each phase will have to run its coarse. I am so grateful To read post from those ahead of me and leave my personal thoughts for those behind me!!! Helps in not feeling alone or that nobody around u understands. Good luck in your journey and keep sharing!!!

I use the app called "my fitness pal"! I love it! It calculates things so easily! Set your setting to the calories u want daily and it'll help u keep track of them while listing the individual intakes on the "daily" tab. Such a great tool!

I didn't have a drain so I can't sympathize with anyone there. Sorry. I'm sure that's a lot to deal with. I'm getting better slowly..... Very slowly! The first two days I wa in tears of a sea of pain! But daily I see imporvemmt. I've found a few things that help ease my pain... The "pop rocks" bubbles in my throat get soothed by using baby colic drops, gripe Water as some call it but look in the pharmacy section where baby colic drops are. Any are good! My throats sore from the tube and everything going down hurts,, so I melt a cough drop in warm water and drink that often. Been wonderful! Having my husband rubbing my back in circles helps me burp... A LOT:) he will even walk with me and do it and it's so relieving. I had amazing pain under my larger right side incision and was icing it and finally went back to the dr on day 4 cause I was in tears as every time I coughed or sneezed it pulled that muscle up and felt like an alien baby was popping outta me. Low and behold I'm told that incision held a larger instrument and cut into my muscle hich has stiches and the Ice was spasming the muscle, so I bought icy hot heat strips and also am using my hearing pad for overall stomach and that's stopped that horrible pain. I use my breathing apparatus every hour and cough as much as possible after, while holding a pillow or something against my tummy and that's helpful to breath better and get the particles from the gas outta my lungs. I wear my compression hose socks they gave me every night to avoid blood clots but also walk a lot when I'm awake. Walk walk walk... Oh I pace all I can stand! and burp my little heart out. Never felt so in lady like ever! My teen boys and husband LOVE IT! My sips are still maybe a teaspoon at most at a time. It hurt like hell going down and once it hit my tummy the first 3 days, now not so much going down but yea still bad when it hits my tummy. So I sip sip and walk and burp then repeat. Warm liquids are my best friend! I strained chicken and rice Soup and added a bottle of water and that's two different "meals", and I strained lentil soup a d added water as well, a little more water tho. Warm Peppermint tea with a melted cough drop is how I get most of my water as it soothes my throat which is sore from the tube and it doesn't kill going down. It took me all 4 of my days to get through one Isopure liquid drink. I don't mind the taste, it just really hurts when it hits the tummy. I can tell that's getting better tho. I chew a few tums before I drink anything and I'm not going near any milk based drinks yet. Today I had a scoop of vanilla whey Protein with a bottle of water and 5 strawberries! Oh it was heaven. I'm not near my daily 64oz of fluids yet cause of the pain I'm in, but I'm getting closer everyday and working harder to burp between sips and not lay down too soon after liquids. I still take my pain meds every 4-6 hours and it looks like I'll be out by tomorrow so I'll switch to liquid Tylenol if need be, as the torn muscle is the worst. The pains in my gut feel like contractions. Coming on even when I'm not drinking. So I remember my Lamaze breathing from childbirth and make myself walk and burp when they hit me. Everyone is diff and I applaud those who aren't in too much pain, I hear there is a lot of you and I'm envious and happy for you too tho. For me it's been very hard and painful but I'm doing my best. My stomach is still bloated beyond anything. I couldn't even fit into my "period pants" on day four when I went back to the dr, so that's depressing but dr said I was one of the few that don't tolerate anesthesia well and it'll just take longer to disaapte out of me. I have been putting scar cream my dr gave me On my "raccoon wounds" twice a day and other than the bad bruising around each wound they look pretty good. It's such a rough road but I'm so confident it's all worth it! Good luck and do share!!!

Thanks all! I'm very hopeful and every day feel one new improvement so I do know it will get better. I feel like I'm hungry all day, not just when i hve pains or growls from my stomach but all the time and I hope that subsides soon. The biggest pain today is the muscle that's trying to heal. Otherwise I'm hanging in there;)

Please take in some of the advice given here. You may need professional therapy help vs help from well meaning people who in the end, can't help you if you are not ready to help yourself. You are hurting yourself and I'm sure you know this? Talk to someone that can get it through this with training in this area. Please. Good luck and I do pray you can recover well:)

I live in Los Angeles and had my consultation jan 18 and my sleeve done feb 13. I saw all the doctors in between and total cost $20k. I know I could've done it for half in Mexico but I could not bare THR thought of being in another country doing something like this. Many have success stories going there but I feel that's a personal choice and for me wasn't even an option. My cost does include 5 years of all tests, blood work, and office visits including nurses and nutritionist and so on. Plus past that it includes unlimited access to the nurse and nutritionist. So I am happy with my decision. It was worth it to me to be close to home to ease my kids and husband and have their support. My husband stayed in the hospital both days with me and I've had to go back to see my dr once and having him so close and available was good for me. No matter what you chose, or where, be comfortable with your consultations and have more than one if possible, I saw two dr's previous to the one I chose and having the right feel for a dr is big. Pay attention to you insticnct. Good luck on your journey!

Good for you! U look great!!! What was your starting weight?

Sorry about the typos its hard on an iPhone to type in the dark:)

I was sleeves on 2-13, and I felt that since day one. Today I found out that the muscle under that incision was torn and they stiched it so that's why I'm having so many pains there. However your surgery was way before me and you should have noticed it before so I doubt that's what it is, tho it's one possibility. Good luck and I hope you discover the cause very soon.

Had my sleeve monday 2-13, and I am not gonna lie, for me The first day home was hell. Breathing right helps but dries your mouth out so Chapstick has become my best friend! The walking and having someone rub my back in circles helped with burping and I burped like nothing I've ever heard. But u must get out the gas the put in you!!! I went home tuesday and was to be on Water only until wed. The pain of any liquids, even my two teaspoons of liquid pain meds hurt so incredibly bad. I didnt get much water down. Walk walk walk as much as u can and don't forget to use your breathing apparatus they gave you! And cough after using it to expel that crap from your lungs. I found I could burp better too after doing my breathing. The burping causes a type of hiccup that is so painful. So having a pillow or rolled towel on the abdomen before burping helped so much. I've kept an ice pack on my stomach almost always since surgery and that's so helpful too. One of my larger incisions hurts worse (I was told prior it would), so ice on that is a blessing. I got scar cream from my dr so have applied that as often as needed and the incisions look pretty good outside of the brusing. Day two I was able to get in some of my Isopure liquid Protein, which was great. Small sips ohhhhh I mean small as if you barely have a half a teaspoon. For me it helped if I kept the liquid in my mouth a few seconds to warm it up. That afternoon I had chicken broth... It wa delicious and again I had to take super small sips out of a coffee mug, but it still hurt so bad going down and once there. The fizzing and gurgling sounds are loud and very uncomfortable. I'm told it's the "pop rocks" phase. I just take a deep breath and breath slow everytime I feel the contraction pain when liquids hit my stomach. sleeping is tricky, u hate being on your back too much and sitting in my recliner seemed to put too much pressure on my neck and stomach so I propped up a bunch of pillows and I'm slightly on my left side. Can't even bare to sleep on my right side yet. Yeaterday also started acid reflux, and I didn't know peppermint tea would get rid of the acid so didn't have any on hand, so for a quick relief my nurse said melt a cough drop in half a cup of warm water for the same effects and boy that helped a lot. felt so good in my throat. Also she suggested sugar free honey cough drops to suck on and that's been a huge blessing for the soreness in my espohogus. So here we are day three, I tried beef broth today. I Strained a beef Soup can It's so yummy! Still hurts so bad but I just have to remember smaller sips and breathing right while it's processing. I feel like I'm hungry but I'm sure it's the pain and the gas that's tricking my mind. I have no weight loss but again my nurse says that's from has and iv fluids and such. I'm not worried about it yet though anyway. It's a rough tearful process but I see very small improvements daily so I focus on that. I am in a lot of pain in my stomach still but I know eventually it'll get better. I'm blessed with an amazing husband that took the week off for me. So having him motivate me to walk, sit up, take meds, drinks. (ya everything) is what I need! Good luck to all on this journey and if you're doing better than me congrats and if worse than me, hang in there and reach out for support. Use the myfitnesspal app. It's really wonderful. If u do I'm on there as "browndes". Let's share in our journey;-) Blessings to all<3

4 days po here and those pains seem to be getting worse! I actually thought I was h ing a heart attack this morning as I was woken by the tightest chest pain ever and could t breath or move for about 1min. I'm seeing my dr today for a chest X-ray but nurse said she is positive it's gas. Warm broth and peppermint tea seem to be all I can get down without horrible pangs of pain. And I'm burping like nobody's ever heard, so I know I'm getting it out!!!

This is a very hard position you're in. If it were me (and this isn't advice, just my personal opinion for me if I were in your shoes), I would talk to the person in charge of interviews and be honest. I'd say i am thrilled at the opportunity and look forward to it, but that i wanted to make you aware that I just had major surgery on (such date) and am not quite 100%, but am doing wonderful so far. It will not affect my work habits or ethics in anyway but for the next few weeks I'm moving a little slow and eating a little less. So with that said please know you can be assured I will heal before this position is available and I hope that you understand my temporary needs. Something like that;-)

I'm not able to find how to track the proteins or carbs in my fitness pal??

Had mine yesterday! I'm told it went well but I'm in a ton of pain an tying hard to tell myself it was worth it and this too shall pass! Good luck for you and keep in touch.

I've been reading up a lot in my surgeon, Dr. Jeremy Korman at LA Bariatrics and he's known across the US! He's been on dr. Phil and dr oz and a few main stream morning programs! His anesthesiologist is one of the best in the biz too! Dr. K's stats are amazing! He works out of Marina Del Ray hospital that is dr owned, so he has an amazing staff! His office is complete!!! All tour visits are done there... The physch, nutritionist, physical therapist, endoscopy, physical and a full time nursing line too! I'm self pay cause my ins denied the procedure, and although I saw a few others before him for less money I wasn't "clicking" but I (& my husban who goes to all visits and seminars) both clicked right away! They offer long term nutritionist visits and monthly and weekly support visits and it's just a one stop shop! My surgery is tomorrow and I feel completely comfortable in his hands! Being a wife and mom of 4.... This is a big decision and I'm confident I made the right choice. Good luck!

Well tomorrow is the big day!!! I'm through all my pre-op visits and check up's and blood work and so on! This was a very fast journey! Only one month from my first visit until now! The weight loss journey however has been 21 years! I'm so ready to feel good again... Healthy, energetic, attractive! I'm going to have two of the four kids and my loving husband waiting for me in the hospital room and I know the other two kids would be here if distance and work wasn't a factor so I'm holding their thoughts dear to me too!!! Tomorrow will be a life changing day... And I'm ready!

Me too!!! Tomorrow @10!!! Let's all celebrate the choice we made for our health an our future!!! Good luck!!!

I've known people that have done Lapland and gastric bypass. I never considers wls based on what I've know of those two procedures. Then the sleeve started to get notice, so I researched it all again and was more than excited to consider the sleeve. For me, I don't want Lapland because I see what my friends have gone through in terms of constant maintanence throughout the years. It's too tight, go back in.. It's too lose, go back in. It slipped! It's a foreign object. It rots the area and can eventually chaff so bad it splits. The other issues I didn't want was there was a lot of throwing up which is due to the food sitting on the top of the banded area. Lots of issues but those are what I personally didn't want to deal with. The only negative thing I have heard about the sleeve is its not reversible. Well duh! That's easy enough, I mean why would I want to reverse it and gain my weight back and then suffer all over again? It's about a mind set and if it's not reversible then I'd better make it count right? For me this was an EASY choice!!!! I hope you really educate yourself too so you can find what's right for you long term. Good luck!!!!

This was at the top of the list of my questions! My surgeon says wait a week, but that this varies based on the patients desire! He states it's a personal choice and after a week he has no concerns:-)

Good luck to you! My surgery is the same day as yours! I too was pushed up from march to feb 13th. Got a two week prep so felt so rushed, but I'm very ready! Good luck again and please share and keep in touch.

Good luck!!

I'm so excited!!! I start my liquid diet & go in for my pre-op visit tomorrow! Being self pay this process went super fast as i had my consultation 1/18 and my surgery is 2/13! Saw the nutritionist, pysch dr., physical therapist, had a physical, endoscopy & all related blood tests and so on,all in two weeks!!! (I'm super motivated)! Been debating wls for years but unt I found the SLEEVE I wasn't comfortable with my options! This is the not scared I've been but most excited too in a long time. My kids and husband and friends are very supportive, even though most don't agree or feel I need this, they still support me and that's very important! Only a serious side i do understand surgery is still risky... So I've printed all my medical Wishes, advanced directives, living will, letters to my husband, kids and a few friends. (not to be open unless tragedy hits me, then husband will give out). I added all my kids on my bank accts as beneficiaries and made sure to write down all accounts and passwords for anything I can think of for my husband. But after doing all that, which was emotional in itself, I was able to feel ready! I love my Surgeon and his staff and the fact that he has every doctor I need to see on staff and he's located in the medical bldg upstairs to the hospital I'll go too. He even has a plastic surgeon on staff for after if I need (and oh I will) to remove skin and lift my breasts. I finally see a light at the end of a long dark tunnel! I'm always the happy one and people were saying how Surprised they were to hear I would do something so "drastic" and I'm always thinking "look at me I'm 100 pounds over weight", yeah I'm happy cause I have a good life but I'm not healthy and that makes me Unhappy inside! Now I'll finally feel how I look and look how I feel! So nervous yet so excited!