Scully68

How about bringing fruit (like grapes and watermelon), or hummus and carrots (or pita chips)?

Today was the first day in a long time that I could paint my toenails without leg cramps, funny positions and feeling like I was suffocating!

Well I did an experiment and made my Protein Shake with water today and VOILA! No bathroom emergency 20 min later. Looks like I am now Lactose Intolerant. Oh joy!

Everything I eat is protein. (What I wouldn't give for a salad!) I can tolerate greek yogurt but maybe I am becoming lactose intolerant? All I know is that I can pretty much guarantee a trip to the bathroom about 20 minutes after I drink my shake. I've got Lactaid on hand at home because one of my twin daughters is L.I. maybe I'll give that a try next time I am having a shake. I did have my gallbladder removed during surgery because I had chronic cholecystitis. So I sometimes wonder if that has something to do with it???

I'm 4 weeks post surgery and I still have yet to have a "normal" bowel movement. I am far from constipated. I'm eating soft foods and some regular foods and still have this "issue" with bms. I told my surgeon about it and she said it's because of the foods that I am eating since they were pureed and are soft it's not a problem. I'm not so sure. I also have major issues with the need to go to the bathroom about 1/2 hr after I drink a Protein shake. I won't get into details other than to say when it hits me I need to act fast. Has anyone else had these issues? Will it go away? Do you think my history of IBS has something to do with it? Any advise or thoughts are greatly appreciated!

I know my "full" isn't anything like it was before surgery. Before, say at Thanksgiving, my "full meter" would be feeling stuffed, now my sign is being very uncomfortable. I try to avoid feeling full at all costs. Maybe your "full meter" is adjusting? And everyone is right, thicken up those shakes and when you start on foods you'll definitely feel fuller. Good Luck!

Way to Go! You look awesome. Your smile says it all!

I'm 2 weeks post op and I talked to my surgeon about this exact thing today. She put me on omeprazole twice a day because all I do is burp. For every swallow of Water or food it's 3-4 burps so I know your pain. She called me later this afternoon after speaking to her partner and she is also going to put me on a sub-lingual muscle relaxant to see if that helps. It's not so much that you are swallowing air as there is a lot less room for air to go. I go back to see her in 2 weeks and if the burping hasn't improved by then she's looking at doing an endoscopy to see if my esophagus needs to be stretched. I don't know if this helps you or not but know you are not alone!

Excellent work! Keep your eye on the prize and revel in your achievement!

Good luck and remember to BREATHE!

Based on the fact that you were "cleaned out" prior to surgery and you haven't really eaten anything that would create a BM it is totally normal not to have one for a few days or more. The big issue is getting rid of the gas in your intestines. I was only able to burp and I had loud bowel sounds for days with no gas or BM. What finally did help was MOM and (hate to say it...) a suppository. Even that took almost a day for it to kick in. I will tell you, you will feel 1000% better once you get some of the gas out. The BM will come in it's own time! Good luck & good wishes for relief!

Glad to hear they were able to get to the bottom of your problem. I know how you feel about getting scared when told "get to the ER NOW" I wasn't even home 24 hours before I was sent back to the hospital for a CT scan because I had the symptoms of a leak. Turns out it wasn't a leak but my spleen. Part of it died when they cut off the blood supply when removing the stomach. I was in the hospital for an additional 5 days for pain control. I'm happy to say that I am home and that pain is gone. I hope you are comfortably recovering! Take care and sip,sip,sip!!

I had my surgery 7/24 at 9 am. I went into surgery knowing that my doctor would be removing my Gallbladder as well as doing the VSG. I was told it would be about a 2 hour surgery. Well, it turned out to be more like a 4 hour surgery. Apparently my gallbladder was inflamed and stuck to my stomach as well as the omentum. My doctor told me it was basically 2 separate surgeries for her I was released from the hospital on 7/26 at 7pm on a pureed diet. I didn't even get 1 meal in at home before I was headed back to the hospital for re-admit on 7/27. I had terrible pain in my left upper quad area as well as in my left shoulder. My doctor rushed a CT scan and lab work (she was thinking I had a leak). Long story short my CT came back showing no leak but there was something wrong. Apparently I am one of those "luck ones" in the small percentage risk of spleen damage during VSG. The blood vessels that they had to cut to remove the stomach also supply blood to the spleen. The other vessels that supply blood to the spleen usually can take over for the lost ones but apparently mine did not. Just a little less than 1/2 of my spleen is now dead. I was finally discharged yesterday after several days of pain control. I have no regrets and I would do it all again. The only thing I have now that concerns me is the pain that I get when I eat. It's not fun. I'm wondering if anyone else out there has had/has this problem also. And if so, how long before it goes away? ~dawn