butterfly_gal

Just depends on the surgeon. I had a drain for a week after surgery. No catheter though.

If I'm 3 weeks out, can I take the BA chews? I have the citrical petites now, but interested in the chews.

It gets better. I am three weeks out and doing good (besides me pulling a muscle) . Just listen to your body to know when you're full. I can eat about 2 ounces of split pea soup and then I feel a tight chest, so I know I'm full. The bladder thing is probably from the anesthesia. My mom had a "lazy" bladder for several days after surgery once from the anesthesia. Good luck to you, you'll be fine

I was sleeved on 3/19 as well. I can count on one hand the number of days that I was able to get the protein in they wanted. I can not stand those shakes. I've tried three different kinds and they all make me gag. In fact, those are the only things so far that has made me gag/sick to my stomach. I just started puree's today and I have to say, so far so good. I only did pureed pea soup, but that two ounces was soooo delicious! I had a big smile on my face because I was so sick of broth. I'm doing ok with water, getting about six glasses a day, plus half cup of diluted apple juice and the misc. fluids.

I agree. First couple days are hardest. Good luck, you can do it!

It is on my pureed stage as well.

I'm having the same pain experience and am worried about the hernia thing too. Same circumstances: sitting, standing, bending. I've had it since Thursday after lifting a 30 or so pound box. I think I'm going to call the nurse today.

I too have been having issues since Thursday. I am three weeks out and was doing great, no pain. At work I lifted a box I shouldn't have and now it is horrible. Whenever I sit, stand up or bend over I have a horrible pain by my right side incision. I hope yours feels better soon.

The doctor said mine took about an hour and a half. I didn't have anyone stay overnight. All I wanted to do was sleep. Be sure to walk and drink! Good luck

Thanks for the great ideas everyone.

I move on to the pureed stage in a few days and was curious about fruit yogurt. Right now I can't have yogurt with fruit in it, but did you have yogurt with fruit during purée stage?

How is your pain? Same thing happened to me. I was feeling great and went and lifted a heavy box at work and have lots of pain near my right incision. I've had it now for 4 days and it's not getting better .

I've never had a broken rib, but I've had a broken foot and I would pick this surgery over that any day. That sucked big time.

This is funny because this is happening to me right now too. I am 13 days post op and was doing wonderful, no pain...until I lifted a heavy box that I shouldn't have at work and now, right by my largest incision on my right side it hurts soooooo bad. I know I shouldn't of lifted it, but I forgot because I was feeling so good. After I moved it I immediatly thought to myself crap! I shouldn't of done that! When I'm sitting it's okay, but getting up or sitting down or walking is painful. I took a tylenol, so hopefully that helps. I hope yours feels better soon!

How are you iron levels? I have those symptoms daily too, but it's because I am anemic (17 ferretin & 4% saturation) and have low hemoglobain (8.5). I am going to be starting iron infusions in a few weeks because I have gone years taking iron supplements with no help at all. I can't wait to get start on my infusions because I am sick of feeling like crap for the last 3 years.

I too am supposed to be taking iron. I have iron deficiency anemia. I took my first dose a week after surgery and within a half hour had diarrhea that was black clumps in a rust color. I freaked out. After that I have not taken it. I see my nurse in a few days so i am going to ask for either a liquid or some other way. It was very unsettling for me.

I have an office sit down job and I took two weeks off. Today was my first day back and it went well. No issues.

I didn't have one.

Thank you. I have to call my Dr. tomorrow because I started taking my iron pill again on Thursday night and within an hour had horrible cramping and the runs. I took it for two nights, both nights same thing. I stopped taking it as of Saturday. They are going to have to give me something else, that is for sure. I am glad you're doing better

My thoughts are with you! I hope it is nothing serious. How far out are you? I thought that after 6 weeks its very rare for a leak...

I'm glad I found this thread. Last night I had the runs (I think from my iron pill) and my stool had a rust color tint to it. I was freaking out and tempted to go to the ER thinking I was bleeding from my stomach. After I thought about it I realized that over the last two days I have been drinking crap loads of crystal light fruit punch, which is BRIGHT red. I am going to stop drinking it to see if my next #2 changes color. I hope it does. If not, a call to the DR. and a visit to the ER is probably in my future. I have no pain, so I'm hoping its the food coloring in the drink...

I have to take prevacid and a huge iron pill daily and I don't have to crush them. I don't seem to have any issue digesting them at this point.

It gets better! I am 11 days out and feel good. No real soreness at all. Went shopping for several hours this morning. You're doing great

I understand where you're coming from. I honestly do. I too, am single, 35 and live alone. My life revolves around my friends. One of the things that came to the surface for me and literally made me cry when I had my pre-surgery psych evaluation was that my life revolved around food. I associated food with fun, sadness, anger, lonliness and so on. I am no longer a prisioner to food like I was. There is still tons you can do including going out for meals with your friends. You will still eat food, just smaller amounts. I was a serverly depressed woman, to the point where I would lie in bed at night trying to sleep and cry. Cry because I wanted to have a family and no guy would ever look at me, cry because I hated my body and everything I tried never worked. I had no boyfriend for way too many years to count. I got winded walking up the stairs to my apartment. I never bought new clothes because I was a size 30 and would be embarrased at the checkout line. I honestly feel your pain, and respect your feelings, I really do. I wish you the best, and I honestly hope that once things get better for you, you will start moving forward with this great tool that you now have. I don't know you as a person, and I am sure you're lovely. I am just sharing my experiences as someone who seems to have the same social life as you.