delta_girl

Second day at work since my surgery on Wednesday. I felt great after work yesterday. I even had lots of extra energy. Today I feel even better, though still a tad sore. I just needed 5 days. I've seen others that took weeks. I'm not sure if that has to do with the surgeon and his particular technique in the operating room or what. I do know that my doctor performs a lot of vsgs and he says that there are no restrictions after surgery and for his patients to get back to life and work immediately. That doesn't sound possible for some of the others whose recovery stories are different. I really do wonder what types of things make for such a big difference in recovery times.

This time is going to fly by in the blink of an eye. You're going to do great!

I was extremely nervous, too. I made out my Power of Attorney and Will and had them notarized prior to surgery. That was some thinking time right there. I had to keep asking myself if I was ready to go through with it regardless of the outcome. Family came with me to the hospital, which was helpful to me. After surgery wasn't the most pleasant experience of my life, but neither was it the most horrible. I had read enough and asked enough questions that I knew what to expect and what I needed to do about drinking, moving around, resting. The pain was never horrible, just uncomfortable at times, which was well managed with pain killers that were available when I asked for them. The more active I was in the first few days, even though it wasn't easy, always made the next day much better.

You can read through dozens of books, hundreds of forum posts, have lots of conversations and ask a million questions, but nobody can guide you better than yourself. I started looking into the band about two years ago and read everything I could find on it. I tried it out in my mind and kept reading about it for months. In January 2012 I decided that I wanted to go through with the band procedure and went to a seminar. A few weeks after that I thought that I would prefer the band with imbrication. After many more weeks of reading I was back to the band only. After more reading and a serious analysis of my lifestyle, work issues, other goals, I determined that vsg was my best choice. That probably sounds really crazy, but it is a very serious decision that deserves a lot of analysis. What works best for you is all about your needs and parameters. Nobody else can really help you answer that, unless they ask you questions that lead you to your own answers.

The injection in the stomach is a blood thinner, which really doesn't hurt much since the needle is so tiny. These little shots are also MUCH more preferable to the outcome if you did not have them.

I had the same problem for several days after surgery. I had a lot of trouble going to the bathroom. It was a scary feeling. Thank goodness it eventually got better around day 4-5.

Are you really hungry? It may be that you need more fluids. I picked up diet hot chocolate (25 cal) from the store this afternoon and just tried it. It was SO good and it was nice to have something different.

My father, step mother, sister in law, and best friend know that I had bariatric surgery. Two other friends and my boss know that I had some type of surgery. Outside of those few, nobody else knows unless one of the aforementioned individuals spilled the Beans. For me it is personal and private unless I decide that I don't want it to be. I don't discuss when I have my teeth cleaned, have diarrhea, my bra size, if I have athlete's foot, how often I shave my legs, switched my brand of eyeshadow, the details about my gall stone, the outcome from my most recent mammogram or Pap smear, etc. In the future if someone gives me a compliment it will be very nice and I'll thank them. If someone asks a question I will probably say something like, "Thank you for noticing! I really feel fantastic." I am not obliged to disclose anything to anyone at any time about my personal business. I certainly will not lie about it or be rude, but neither are others entitled to intimate details about my health issues.

I had to laugh at myself last night for wanting to lick things...not eat ...just lick! I knew it was head hunger for crunchy, sweet, salty, carby things. Thank goodness my inner parent got a grip on the inner teenager.

I had surgery last Wednesday and am doing pretty good I suppose for an old gal. I have done a lot of reading in the forums and there is so much information out there. I really like this site.

I would think that even if the staples did migrate, the healed tissue of the stomach will remain intact. The stomach only requires the staple line for healing purposes, unless I'm misinformed.

One of the challenges that we face that really hits home is "stages of grief" because we are all experiencing losses. There is a 5 Stage and a 7 Stage model, but they deal with basically the same emotions. At different times we will be scared, sad, regretful, feel guilty, and other times elated, excited, confident. I have told very few people about my surgery, but some comments from nurses or family are along the lines of, "Aren't you excited!?" No...no I am not excited. I am terrified. I have self-sabotaged through dozens and dozens of diets. I am incredibly well educated on nutrition and exercise and have failed miserably with applying my knowledge to my lifestyle since it sure is self-gratifying to eat chocolate and read or have beer and barbque with friends on the weekends plus indulge myself beyond what is apparently reasonable on most every day. I am terrified that I have made a life-altering decision that cannot be undone and the only thing between success and failure is myself. My weak willed self. But I am taking one step after the other and hope that I internalize a lot of wisdom along the way and actively apply it in my daily life. There is no guarantee, but I will do it.

I think that the Vitamin B12 shot I had prior to surgery was a huge help. I had been doing sublingual B12, but that was NOTHING compared to how fantastic I felt after getting the shot. I plan on getting one monthly.

I had surgery on Wednesday, September 26th and am back to work today (Monday). I spent two nights in the hospital and very little of that time was in the hospital bed. Most of the time I was either walking or sitting up (sometimes falling asleep in my chair). It was not easy then, but may have paid off because I'm feeling pretty good with the exception of ongoing stiffness and soreness in my neck and soreness and occasional sharp pain at the site of my largest incision. I have taken some painkillers off and on. I had a B12 shot the week before surgery and I take a chewable multi-vitamin each day, as well as a prescription acid-reducer that my doctor is having me take. Sometimes I chew a Tums, too, to get in some extra Calcium. Yesterday I walked a mile and I try to get up and move around as much as possible. Getting out in the fresh air, even if not walking very fast, has really helped. I am drinking iced tea, G2, diluted cranberry juice, warm herbal tea, EAS AdvantEDGE Carb Control shakes (100 calories, 17g Protein, 2.5 carbs, 11oz.) that you can buy in 4 packs and 1-2 sugar free popsicles a day. My very sweet boyfriend has been making me a special broth to drink which is made by boiling chicken breast meat with fat removed, red onions and carrots. He uses the remaining solid chicken and onions to make his own chicken salad for sandwiches. Today I am going to the store to get sugar free Jello and some canned Soups to try out, as well as some Protein powder. I know I'm getting in enough liquids, but probably not enough protein. I really don't know how many calories I'm eating each day, but not many, that is for sure. Probably around 400 if that many. I am trying to learn how to drink and I don't quite have it down yet. Drinking is not something you usually think about and now I'm finding that I swallow air. I'm not sure if my swallows are just that big or what. Today I am trying out a straw to see if that helps me sip more. When I do swallow air, or a bit too much I feel it immediately with a small cramp in my little stomach, which eases when I burp (if I can). I do not know what full feels like. Can you feel full on liquids? I have had nothing even close to solid, not even jello yet.

I had surgery on Wednesday, September 26th and took off Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from work. Today is Monday and I'm back in the office and feel pretty good with only a bit of soreness in my neck and the largest incision in my stomach.