Catherine707

I was a slow loser too. I found increasing my protein intake to 90 grams a day, ensuring I got the full 64 oz of water and a minimum level of calories seemed to put it all in balance for weight loss. When I have about 900 calories a day I lose weight, less than that and I don't lose and I feel like crap the next day. I'm sure each person's "tipping point" is different so experiment with how you feel when you make a change to the pieces of the equation.

Thank you so much! I am 7 weeks out and it has been a struggle, so hearing your success and things learned on the way is really an inspiration to me!

I work in the medical field and did extensive research in the medical literature when I deciding to get my sleeve surgery. I found peer reviewed research that shows that the complication rate with gastric bands runs at about 15% (I thought that was way too high to consider banding surgery) the complications are everything from reflux to slippage to erosion and embedding of the band in the stomach. The details were enough to warn me off the gastric band and point me toward the sleeve surgery. In my research on the sleeve, I found that the complication rate was less than 1% and that the morbidity statistics (complications so sever that it caused death) were almost negligible. So that is why I decided on the VSG surgery. The information on sleeve revisions is spotty because there just haven't been that many second sleeves done in settings that are being reviewed for the medical journals. I'm guessing that the nurse quoted you statistics about revision of Rouen X/Y surgery, and while it is useful information, what really matters is what your surgeon thinks about your personal situation. Do you have any other chronic health issues that make having a second surgery more complicated and risky? These issues would include bleeding disorders, lung issues, allergies to anesthesia etc (your doctor can discuss all the various contraindications). If I were in your shoes, I would have a very serious heart to heart with my doctor and ensure that the surgery is really going to improve your situation, and that you are clear on your personal risks. I also think that anyone who isn't nervous before surgery is not in touch with themselves. I had a ton of doubts the week before surgery and even after when I was in the hospital laying there feeling like crap and wondering "what did I do to myself!" But when the anxiety wears off and you are looking at losing the weight that will make your life better, and solving other health issues, I think you will be glad that you made an informed decision about your unique situation. Good luck to you, I hope the surgery is a really positive experience for you!

I had a MAJOR bout of vertigo in weeks 3 and 4 (now I am almost 7 wks post-op). I went to urgent care and they determined it was not blood pressure, blood sugar or dehydration issues. They had me take an over the counter anti-vertigo medicine (ask the pharmacist) that seemed to help. After the vertigo attack I started taking my vitamins (my doc had told me to wait). I take a multi, B-12, Iron and Calcium. The low calorie Gatorade seemed to help some as well. I increased my protein to 80 - 90 grams per day and made sure I got in all 64 oz of fluid. It took about another week - 10 days but I started to feel significantly better. Today I almost feel like I did before surgery (and the liquid diet!) so I know this is a passing phase for you. We had major surgery and some people seem to bounce back in less than a week and other take about 2 months to feel "normal". Everyone is different and the best thing you can do is get your fluids and protein in and give your body time to heal!

I started out telling only my very close friends and immediate family, but ended up telling some of my work colleagues too. One of the co-workers has a really big mouth, and seems to be talking about it with other people. At first I was bothered by that, but I decided that I wasn't going to stress out about what I had no control over.... I agree with folks that it isn't anyone's business, but have made peace with the fact that some people are going to ask and know. Now that my surgery is done I'm not as worried about people telling me what a bad idea it is since it is fait accompli.

You might try chicken broth and egg drop soup. Kefir (liquid yogurt) might also work for you. I had a tough time getting in enough protein until I could eat soft food. Once I could eat eggs and cottage cheese, things got much better. Hang in there this phase passes quickly!

A great reminder that not everyone is the same, each WLS program is different, and it is important to follow your doctor's directions.

First I want to say how sorry I am for you having to go through an ectopic pregnancy. I am an ultrasound tech, so I am very familiar with ectopic pregnancies. There is no comparison between having emergency surgery for a ruptured fallopian tube and scheduled surgery for the VSG. The emergency surgery is so much more of a shock to your system, and since they had to do an open surgery (rather than laparoscopic) it is a much more involved and extensive surgery. I won't lie, the VSG was uncomfortable and I had some pain with my incisions, but most of that was gone in a week. I took a bit longer to feel "back to normal" than most, but I'm 6 weeks post surgery and feel pretty good most of the time. The most important thing you can do is follow your doctor's instructions to the "T" and drink all the water and protein shakes that they tell you to do post surgery!

Each person is different. I caught an upper respiratory virus in the hospital and was miserable for 2 weeks, but I was able to take basic care of myself and my cats. Dogs can be more work. Maybe you could hire someone to come in and take care of the dogs for the first week (walking, feeding, cleaning up the yard). My Mom came down to be with me for the first week I was home and it was nice to have someone here, but I didn't need help going to the bathroom or showering. Do you have friends that you could call on if you need something? How long will you be in the hospital? I think I have healed much slower than other people on this website, but I never needed a nurse after day 3 and I went home from the hospital. Good luck, and I hope your surgery goes smoothly!

I have been struggling with the same thinking! I am down 18 pounds in 6 weeks, and I thought it would be faster too. I realized I had "magical thinking" that the surgery would be my moment to blink my eyes and the weight would all be gone! Don't we wish! The people I find inspirational with their weight loss from bariatric surgery lost the weight over 12 - 18 months, I need to "get real" and quit thinking I should be losing 3 lbs a week! Instead of focusing on weight loss right now, I am focused on getting all my Protein, Water and exercise in each day. I KNOW the weight will come off if I stay on program and manage those 3 things!

I didn't start to feel better until almost 4 weeks post surgery, so each person is different in how they respond and recover from the surgery. Keep sipping the Water or low calorie Gatorade, it gets better I promise!

I was totally surprised by the blood thinning shots (Levinox or Heparin). I had one Heparin shot before surgery and then one every 8 hours while I was in the hospital. I am 4 weeks post surgery and I still have bruises on my belly and one that has the hard center that you describe. So it will take a while for it to go away. Being up and moving helps, otherwise you just have to wait for your system to clear the bruises.

I was fortunate to attend a fitness resort back in 2010 and found that there were all types of exercise that I had never tried before that I really liked. Specifically kickboxing was a new experience and I found hitting the bag very cathartic and healing for me. Other activities were interval training and circuit training, disco aerobics, hiking and so much more. I also loved dance classes as a teen and young adult, even folk or square dancing can be fun! Don't be afraid to try something wacky and different, and expect that you need to do it 3 - 4 times to judge if it is right for you. Unfortunately for me, I developed Achilles tendonitis and it forced me to stop exercising, the weight I lost came back on plus. I'm hoping that my sleeve surgery will help me lose enough weight that I can get back to the activities that I love!

I am 3 weeks post op and I have been struggling with fatigue too. I also caught an upper respiratory infection in the hospital and that impaired my rest and sleep for the first week post-op. I talked with my Dr's office and they suggested boosting my protein from 60 grams to 90 grams. That seems to have helped a little, but like you I can't even think about going back to work in this condition. I hope the fatigue eases in the next few days.... good luck and let us know if you find any of the suggestions helpful.

I had to wait 24 hrs to drink anything post surgery then they started me on water for the first day; 15 ml (1/2 an ounce) every 15 minutes while I was awake. Day 2 was protein drinks 30 ml every 15 minutes. I know there are huge variances in the instructions received from different surgeons. I find it helpful to ask "why?" when a rule doesn't make sense to me.

I'm 3 weeks out and having a hard time getting enough protein and fluids in. I get about 55 grams of protein and about 55 oz of fluid, and I feel like crap most of the time too. The program coordinator recommended that I go back to 3 shakes a day (ugh) and I do feel better with more protein. This is a challenging surgery, and it has been much harder than I expected.