Catherine707

Oh my goodness you have been through the ringer and then some! I had problems early on with weakness and vertigo that I finally figured out was due to too low calorie count. Once I boosted my calories above 850 per day I started feeling much much better! I always say that it is a delicate balance between Protein grams, Water intake and calories, and that each new sleeve patient needs to find their own "formula" that works for them. I hope you are on the path to wellness finally and that your energy comes back quickly!

I have been dealing with constipation for most of my post surgery time. It isn't every day, but enough that it makes me uncomfortable. I will have to give the smooth move tea a try. I also added Colace to my nightly supplements and that helps increase bowel motility. It is gentle and can be taken every day with no adverse affects. The problem is when you reduce calories you also reduce volume and Fiber, which is needed to have normal bowel movements. A fiber supplement may also work, but check with your doctor first as some are too hard on early post surgery digestive systems.

If you are following your surgeons instructions for how much and how often to eat / drink you don't need to worry about stretching the pouch! I remember thinking the same thing at about 20 days out, and the reality is the inflammation in your pouch is reducing and you are healing making it easier to consume a bit more than in the first days post surgery!

I haven't used that brand of Protein, but I highly recommend following the instructions for how to prepare the drinks. Trust me, it won't taste good at all if you substitute Water for milk! The purpose of the pre-surgery diet is to shrink your liver and use up the glycogen that is stored there. The calorie restriction is the most important thing, so long as you are reducing your calorie intake you should be fine. I would prepare the shakes as directed for the weekend and follow up w/ your doctor on Monday to ensure you are following the diet they need you to follow to prepare for surgery. I hope this helps! Good luck and congratulations on taking this next step on your journey to a healthy life!

Congratulations on making a healthy choice for your life! Wishing you continued smooth sailing in your weight loss journey!

I'm so glad that this problem isn't unique to me! I had ankle surgery and have been almost completely sedentary since Oct 18th, in the past month my butt has been so sore and uncomfortable. I've lost 90 pounds since March 2013 and still have 50 to go. Any suggestions for how to relieve the pain?

Tummy noise comes and goes for me.... it hasn't been a huge problem. I think I have had 3 times in the past 7 months where my stomach was so loud that someone else heard it. It will get better as your body gets used to the new stomach size. As for the heart burn. Make sure you sit up for 15 - 30 minutes after eating, let gravity help keep the acid out of your esophagus!

I'm not an expert on stiches, but I would have expected them to dissolve by now. I do know that your body will bring to the surface any foreign material, so maybe a phone call to the doctor is in order to see if you need to have the stiches removed rather than waiting for them to dissolve. If there is any redness or Fluid collection around the stiches then you definitely need to see a doctor to ensure that they aren't infected! Good luck, I hope you feel better soon!

Hi Lisa, being anxious is common in the days leading up to surgery! It sounds to me like you have a clear understanding of how you will benefit from significant weight loss, so focus on those positive thoughts and expectations rather than the teeny tiny chance that the doctors will finds a serious disease when you have your surgery. Wishing good luck and smooth sailing as you start this journey!

I highly recommend that your follow your doctor's guidelines for food. There are plenty of people on this website that have had issues with certain foods and nausea and vomiting. I promised myself that I would stick to my doctor's guidelines and I haven't had any issues with nausea or vomiting. For me it was pure liquids for 2 weeks - that meant Water, Protein shakes, broths and that was about it. It is only 2 weeks, look at the time as resetting your food cravings so that you can be successful at the weight loss and keep it off forever! A little discomfort and food cravings in the beginning will reward you with long term success!

That sounds like a great summary of what and how we eat! Thanks for sharing!

I was a slow loser in the beginning, and it took me about 7 weeks to get a good balance between Protein, Water intake, and calories to figure out how to lose weight. I have been losing about 2 pounds a weeks since then and just hit 83 pounds down in 27 weeks. When you aren't getting the results you want it is time to look at the details of what you are doing and make slow measured changes to see what will work for you. For me when I eat fewer than 800 calories in a day, I feel crappy the next day and my weight loss slows for the week. Each person's formula is different, so experiment a little and find what makes your body happy, and ready to lose weight. Good Luck To you!

It took about 2 weeks before that main incision stopped hurting for me every time I moved! At 3 weeks it was just a bit tender. Hang in there it won't be like this forever!

Sounds like you are dealing with a stricture. It could be a surgical error, or you could have developed scar tissue. I think I would take my upper GI results and get a second opinion from another bariatric surgeon before I had surgery again with the first surgeon. To answer your question, the new stomach should look like a banana, not a bar bell. Gastric sleeve surgery does not usually yield two separate pouches. You have had good weight loss, but the symptoms you describe do need to be addressed. Get a second opinion and then decide if you want to use the same surgeon again or go with a different one! Good luck!

No this is common post surgery. There are many unexplainable highs and lows emotionally. Since we all use food to sooth our emotions, taking that away means taking away a way of coping. Then you are left with the raw emotions and no "usual" way of dealing with them. I found that anger or sadness would appear out of no where.... couldn't connect it to anything. Certainly talk to your doctor, but in my experience what you describe is just part of the post-op process. You are normal and it does get better!

Sounds like you are doing a great job following the doctors recommendations and getting your protein first! How are you doing on water intake? Your body will heal faster with a high protein diet, so it sounds like you are doing great.

That is the amazing thing about this surgery for me at least. I can take or leave food, and make good decisions about what I eat now. Before I was a slave to food, and it did seem like every activity was all about food. In 4 months my relationship with food has changed in such a positive way.

water? Actually I am impressed that one week post surgery you wanted to leave the house! I still felt like crap!

Yeah that stage is rough, it does get better though!

My surgical office hasn't been doing the sleeve all that long, and all their documentation was for the Gastric ByPass, a lot of it doesn't apply to what we can do longer term. I learned to ask "why" for things that didn't make sense to me and if they didn't have a good explanation, then I decided for myself what was best. For example the surgical coordinator makes a big deal about no sugar, including the "hidden sugars" in processed products. I decided that I would limit my sugar in take, but that I could have ketchup and BBQ sauce if needed, and I haven't had any problems. I know that if I stop losing weight that I can cut my carbs, but I am very happy with the 2 pounds per week I am losing. The bottom line is that you have to decide for yourself how to use the "tool" of the gastric sleeve!

Congrats! A big step towards better health!

No chicke broth does not have enough protien to make a difference. Are you using protein shakes? I fortify greek yogurt with unflavored whey protein, it gives me 30 grams of protein in one yougurt serving.

I was light headed and had vertigo at week 3, I upped my protein intake to 80 grams, focused on getting my water in and upped my calorie count to 800+. It was the low calories that seemed to be causing a lot of my issues. My body just couldn't function (even laying around recuperating) on only 500 calories a day. I use Premier protein shakes from Costco, and I fortify Greek Yogurt with unflavored whey protein so that each serving is 30 grams of protein. It took me a couple of hours to eat a single seving of yogurt, but I was getting the protein in.... Good luck to you!

The in home version is much much better than going to a sleep center! Be glad that your insurance is forcing your hand on this one!

Be very careful! Lovenox is a prescription drug and you might get in trouble for selling without a prescription and not being a licensed healthcare prescriber.