BethinPA

sleep apnea is only one reason why people have to get up several times nightly to go to the bathroom. For men, the prostate could also be the culprit. Might be a good idea to have a conversation with your doctor about it.

I am off of my Levoxyl now, attributed to weight loss

I think some people engage in magical thinking - they think that somehow the stomach is the center of all of their problems. They believe that once most of it is removed, they will suddenly want to eat healthily, want to exercise and will be this incredibly happy person. So after the surgery is performed and they realize that all their hopes and dreams did not come true, they are so disappointed, and wish they could go back in time and not have the surgery. It has to be a really bitter feeling for them.

Whew! This takes guts for me to do this, but fair is fair....if I like seeing others' pictures, I've got to pony up my own.

I totally disagree with her lack of support for you and your decision! However, as nurses in the hospital setting, we tend to see all of the complications and worst case scenarios, which color our opinions. So, since she is seeing the "sleeves-gone-wrong" type patients, that is what she knows. She doesn't come to a site like this forum and read about all the success stories that we do. I would just try to have a little compassion for her is all....

I see it in my face too! I feel like I've aged 10 years in the 6 months since I've had the surgery!

I was on Levoxyl for years. During the month of March I was feeling really bad, generalized achyness and flu like symptoms. I finally got labs drawn, and it turns out I was hyperthyroid. So, I stopped taking the Levoxyl, and am hoping that I can stay off of it. It was an unexpected bonus!

I'm almost 6 months out, and I still don't feel "normal". Going out to eat and eating in public settings is no problem. But the daily focus of getting in my protein and fluids - sometimes I just feel exhausted! I saw my NUT today, and she wants me to incorporate more carbs into my diet, maybe that will help me energy wise. I will say that this is truly a journey, and there is much emotional work involved. Whew!

Toradol is a great drug that is often used in the hospital. As long as it isn't used for long (no more than 3 days), you should be fine. I'm a Toradol fan - works very well for pain for me.

I'm very sorry for your loss, Iggychick.

I hope this is not the only week that you have off! Sounds like you are going to need some more time at home to rest. Now is the time to invest in yourself.

I am an apple, and I feel like I am losing top down/bottom up and getting stuck in the middle!

Donuts are crack! And (unfortunately) I can speak from experience - they go down waaay too easily! Good move to remove the temptation from the equation.

For me the surgery was like a reset button. A chance to start fresh, but with built in restrictions that don't allow me to just throw up my hands and have a cheat day that turns into a cheat week and so on. This surgery really seems to change most chemically, in a different way than just dieting would. You don't crave sweets/breads/carbs in the same way that you did before. You feel no hunger to get you off track. These are tools to hopefully get you to significant weight loss, and then I am hoping to keep that ball rolling down hill. So in the beginning your new, small stomach forces you to change your habits - after that, it is really up to you. Make sense?

Those of you who were hypothyroid pre-op - were you able to come off of your thyroid replacement medication once you lost a significant amount of weight?

So I am over 5 months out, and have lost 76 lbs, which I'm very happy about. But when I look in the mirror, I'm startled! It is uncomfortable. I look older, have wrinkles I never had before (I guess the fat/plumpness kept them visually at bay) and look mildly stressed all the time. Thats not how I imagined this! Those of you who are further along.....does your face sort of even out once the weight loss tapers off, or do you just become accustomed to your new look? I'm hoping to like the look of myself better in the future!

I think it looks ok, but for scarring purposes, a triple antibiotic ointment and a bandaid for a few days (change twice daily) would be a good idea.

When you read the drug information online, the manufacturers are very careful to cover themselves with lots and lots of warnings. Using a patch rather than a pill greatly decreases the issues with stomach erosion, because you are avoiding what is called first pass, which means the medication does not have to pass through the stomach and gut to reach the bloodstream. But, you can still absorb the medication systemically via the patch, although it would be a much less amount, so there is still a risk. It is just a much smaller risk.

I used Diclofenac orally for years and years with no issues. I didn't take it daily - I did take Naproxin daily prior to having my knees replaced. Diclofenac is an old and safe drug - I have worked as a nurse for 24 years in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and have not seen anyone have serious reactions to diclofenac. Is your bariatric surgeon ok with you using NSAIDs on a daily basis?

I've used the patch. It was not every effective for me, although I love diclofenac as a pill. I was using the Patches for knee pain, and I think it was just difficult to get good results over a bony prominence like that. In my experience the patches are not helpful for most, which is probably why your MD did not mention it - the patches have been around for quite a few years now, so I'm sure s/he is aware of them. Sorry I can't give you a more positive answer!

It happened to me also, and I was not taking anything for nausea. It was really upsetting! But, it did pass in a matter of weeks. I personally think it has something to do with anesthesia.

My surgeon was really firm that I am not to take NSAIDs after this surgery period. I was told it was because our stomachs are so small, when we take medication the pill tends to land in the same spot every time, and so we are much more prone to ulceration as a result. I miss NSAIDs, believe me!