daadelishopeful

Am 6 days post op in those days I have only been able to eat Clear Liquids, I am suppose to be do Protein shakes but every time I try to drink one I can only get a little bit in and then I start throwing up not just a little I throw up until my back and stomach hurt. On Saturday I went to sleep to try to combat the nausea and then threw up twice in my sleep. I sat up and slept for the remainder of the night that night. I stop trying with the Protein that day. I called the nurse and they had me stop the protein and go back to clear liquid, then had me try again today. I got 2 oz down then became increasingly nauseous until I threw up over and over for about 45 minutes.

I called the nurse line again to ask about the throwing up and discuss some pain I am having... Well I am now sitting in the ER they were concerned about my lung where I am having pain and want ex-ray done they are also concerned about dehydration.

I am frustrated, defeated, hungry, tired, and really regretting doing this. I am not really sure why I am posting.. Support? Sympathy? IDK to keep from going insane. Has anyone had a similar experience?

It will get better. This is part of the journey. I had my surgery on June 26th of this year and then spent the next 10+ weeks vomiting and wondering what the heck I had done. I had to have two endoscopes with dilation, before my stomach settled down, but now almost 6 months later I am doing much better. Mind you at the time, I felt the same way you did, and people like Laura V, encouraged me and supported me during those scary and depressing days. I didn't have pain, so I am glad you followed up with your doctor's office and hit the ER(better safe....). It will get better. You are still healing and adjusting to the wonderful world of sleeve life! Keep posting. I found that during that time, having a support system of people who had experienced this journey, helped to anchor me. Keep us posted and good luck.

Wow. I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm not taking anything for pain so I think I can rule that out. I'm just so sick of vomiting. As a nurse I know that I need to stay hydrated and get my Protein in, but I feel like I'm taking 1 step forward and 5 steps back. ugh.

I had a very similar experience. I was sleeved on June 26th 2013, and for 10 weeks I suffered from constant vomiting and nausea. I had to have two endoscope procedures with dilation after my original surgery and it seemed like things improved after that. But it was a long process and I had "buyer's remorse" for those 11 weeks. I am now 16 weeks out and I am so pleased with my journey so far. I hate vomiting, and still do maybe once or twice a week(progress). But it is so much better. I just think some of us take longer to heal after surgery. Be patient, stay in touch with your doctor if the vomiting persist and don't get too down. Just keep sipping, and eating Soups, Protein Shakes etc..... Hang in there, it is going to get better.

Hang in there. It gets better. I am 13 weeks post op and after many trys I found that Premier Protein shakes were my salvation. I also drank Isopure in my first few weeks post op. Don't stress too much, as your stomach heals and you are able to eat more solid Protein, it will get easier. I still drink a premier shake daily to ensure that I get in my daily requirements. Best of luck.

Hi,

My NSV this week was that I jumped into my pool midday and just enjoyed myself and my evolving body in my bathing suit(which is getting to big ). Just happy!

Congratulations on your success! And thanks for the words of encouragement! Like you said, this is not an easy journey but it will pay off! I also like what you said about setting milestones. I do the same thing. I've been setting increments of 25lbs... So my next goal is to be in the 2's!! I wish you continued success!

Hi Karnie,

Thank you for the words of encouragement. I like your 25lb milestone goals. I think I may have to ¨borrow¨ that idea if you don´t mind. We will get there! I wish you continued success as well.

I was wondering the same thing since our hair texture is different. I have weave with a closure just in case but I am planning on going bk to my real,short hair after I lose weight anyway. I am just tired of the constant weave,wigs,tightness from braids and sew ins. It gets exhausting! I am natural now and will prob stay that way for a while after surgery since it keeps my hair thicker.

Hi,

I have braids for now, but my hair has been natural for 6 years. I am thinking about just taking out the braids but I am not sure. I want to be proactive, but this is a hard one to gauge.

Thanks Amanda...trying to follow in your footsteps! Great job to you....126 down... wow, how has the journey been for you?

Great post and thank you for sharing your updates.

I wish we had a subforum so we could post new topics withing African American Sleevers, and if there is would someone point me in the right direction? This thread is too long and we discuss such a myriad of relevant topics, but it is hard to get to each topic.

I have a question for my tenured sleeve sisters. What did you do about your hair? Did you find that you suffered from significant Hair loss? And if so, how did you manage it(weave? wig?hats? scarves?etc...) Have you found products that have helped with the hair loss issues unique to our hair types? I am heading towards my 3rd month post op and trying to brace myself for the hair issues. I am planning to weave, but I am in AZ and it is soooo hot here right now.

Question to those who have been sleeved: How long did you wait until you started driving again? My surgery isn't until Monday 10/21 but I'm hoping to drive by that Saturday. Do you think that is realistic?

Hi, I had to wait 2 weeks per my surgeon due to the pain meds.

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to share my success. I have had a struggle with my first 10 weeks with my sleeve. It was not an easy initial transition. However I have stayed the course(no other option) and did my part to accept and embrace my sleeve and with good results. I went to my doctor for my 10 week follow up after my 2nd scope/dilation and things are looking up. I haven´t had complications since last Sunday and according to the scale ( I don´t have a scale-just wait until doc appointments to weigh in) I have lost a total of 55+ lbs as of yesterday. I am now 282.6. I am very pleases with myself and am even more motivated to continue my journey forward. I was cleared to go back to work next week too. I am getting better, feeling more motivated and getting ready to really take on the weight loss focus of this journey.

I just wanted to share with those of you who may be struggling with adapting to your sleeve, or those recently post op. It can and will get better. We are all so unique and so are our journeys. If you are struggling today, just continue along the journey. It is okay to get frustrated, and even sad, but also know that you will get better and feel better at some point. After 9 weeks of feeling miserable, things finally fell into place for me. Thank you to all of the vets and newbies who offered me support either directly via post or by sharing their own struggles and successes. I would have struggled so much more if I had not had my VST community to support me these last 10 weeks.

OMG....I have lost 55 lbs in 2 months....mind bomb! It is so surreal that it takes the mind time to acclimate.

Next goal is to work on loosing another 45lbs. That will be a 100lb weight loss. I have to have milestone goals along this journey to enjoy those victories. Doctor wants me to get to 188ish as my goal weight(haven´t been that weight since senior year in HS). He said that is based upon my height(5´7) and wanting me to be below BMI of 30. Of course I had to ask, what the time frame was for that goal. He said within the next year and a half. I figure that is manageable. Before the sleeve, I would have not believed it possible. So onward and upwards.

I guess I will try to figure out how to post some pics now.

Have a great day my friends and stay positive.

Hello Vogue,

I am a woman of color and like you, I did keloid a bit. Of my five scars, the two smallest scars did keloid, while the larger scars did not. I am actually thankful for that. I plan to just use Vitamin E, and scar reducing meds to diminish the keloids as much as possible. But I am pleased overall with the scarring.

I keep sliced melon and other fruits on hand. I have 3 busy, ravenous kids that demand food all the time. I am 10 weeks post op and find that the fresh fruit is a win for us all.

Thank you Pookeyism. This post was perfect. I needed that!

You know you just made me think of another aspect we all deal with differently. The "aftermath" for lack of a better word, of surgery.

How our body reacts to this surgery is the luck of the draw! You, as I remember had a rocky start and your intake is limited even at 10 weeks. Whereas some come out of surgery with "sleeves of steel" (me) and can handle everything. Our sleeves are all different. I had a girl several months ago here gasp in shock that at 7 months out I can eat a whole banana, she was almost 2 years out I think? There is also the fact that some of the vets throw up if they eat to much, and some of us don't.

I would imagine if you have the throw up thing happening it would keep a person in check pretty well alshano. That's why I always kid around that I got jipped because I didn't get the automatic emergency shut off valve

Ok Cindy back to you original topic! Sorry about the hijack

That is it! Laura you are correct, I am one of the ¨ lucky"ones whose initial experience in the form of an ¨ emergency shut off valve¨ . Thanks for giving me an appropriate title for it, because I tend to call it something a little less polite most days. But I truly believe that if I´d had an easier transition to my sleeve, I may not have had as much weightloss in these 10 weeks. I figure this is just a part of my personal journey... trust me, those first 9 weeks I envied everyone who celebrated their easy transition. I had a few pttty parties and had to find a way to accept my reality because the other side would have left me reeling with my new shut off valve talent. Sorry Cindy for my hijack... back to the topic at hand.

Congratulations! Keep up the great work.

Yes my mindset has changed, shifted and still is ever evolving..

As far as do's and don'ts I do really TRY and stay away from junk type food because I can eat unlimited amounts.

In the beginning, say the first 4 months I would of never tried things like potato skins (hehe I never ate them before either) out of fear? And following my doctors plan (same with lettuce) as you get further out not only are you able to tolerate more but the amounts change. You will be able to eat a lot more! It won't always be 1/4 cup at a time..

I had some moments of sadness at one point when I realized I will always be on some form of "diet" for the rest of my life. But really you need to rethink the word "diet"

di·et1

ˈdī-it/

noun

1. the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

2. a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.

"I'm going on a diet"

We think of diet as # 2

But really it's more like # 1 and what kinds of foods I need to keep my body healthy and at this point at least continue to lose weight.

I spoke to my surgeon this week about all of this.

I've spent a lot of time reading about our special circumstances. And I mean special in the sense of not only being bariatric patients. But also being formally obese people!

We will never be "normal". In the sense I cannot eat the same way as a woman who is 150 and that has never been obese. The fact of the matter is we will always have to be mindful of our diet.

Our metabolisms are different, we harbor millions of more fat cells (they NEVER go away just shrink and wait) than a naturally thin person. We are sneaky beings also what starts out as a little becomes more and more over time. DUH we are fat and will do anything for food that how we got here!

I could go on but I'm probably boring those on this thread to death already.

P.S. Cindy I don't do fat free on everything either!

If I'm going to have cheese it's going to be real

cheese. And my yogurt is 2% because I feel we need a little fat and its much more satisfying, plus it stays with me longer

Well you never disappoint Ms. L! I appreciate your candor and honesty. Yeah we are experts and minimizing the impact of "just one little bite...". I am not afraid of food(today), as I am only 10 weeks post op tomorrow and still on sorta mushy foods due to complications. It will be interesting for me once I am no longer restricted by nausea and vomiting. When I can eat anything I want. But I do eat without the "oh I can't have carbs", or carbs are evil mind set. I have an occasional 1-2 tablespoons of rice with a meal if I want it...which is a far cry from the non measured amount before. And for me, that is how my sleeve as a tool works for me...not depriving, but rather helping me to control the amount of what I eat. It will be interesting to see how that evolves as I move to maintenance. At that point, I may have a very new mindset. We shall see.

Thanks for this post. I agree, that this journey is unique to each of us and although I think people on this forum try to support each other, there does appear to be those who are extremely judgmental and forget that their journey is unique to them and that even when offering "advice", that they need to check what is motivating that "advice". I don't feel like my sleeve is to restrict me from eating those "bad" foods. I feel like it is a tool and nothing more. I like that I can only eat a bit at a time, and I realize that Protein, then veggies, then carbs are my life. I can only get in my protein in most meals and then have to eat a bite of veggies/carbs later after the protein. I guess it just seems to me that this all or nothing approach to the sleeve is as extreme and somewhat obsessive for some. Perhaps the obsession they had with food is now applied to their sleeve. I think for many of us, our relationship with food is about control over our body. Now with the sleeve, for some of us, this need to control our body is now manifested in this other way. From one extreme to another for some of us. I look forward to revisiting this subject as I become more tenured in this journey. I think Laura may be on to something when she mentions that we are new. Laura V. Did you find your mindset shift around your do's and don't during your journey and relationship with food post op? Just curious and I appreciate your insight(and humor ).

Hi fellow AZ sleevers, I know what you mean about the support groups. I went to my first last month. Trying again tomorrow.

1000 calories??? Ummm what are you doing???

LOL...I politely refrain from responding to that question Ms. Laura .

Congrats,but no need for details. Assume you burned a 1000 calories!

No guilt! You just had major surgery and the healing process is both physical and mental(emotional as well). Give yourself grace. You will know when you feel up to doing more. I would suggest you just take it easy. The kitchen and cleaning can wait a bit. You don't want to over do it. Recovery happens at different speeds for everyone. I thought I would be back to work 4-6 weeks post op, but I am just now getting to a point were I can keep food and fluids down and have some energy. I am getting bored to be home, so that is a good sign that I am getting ready to go back to work. Plus I think I have become addicted to this forum, and I think I need to redirect my focus a bit. But take your time to heal.

I had my surgery on January 7, so far I'm 91lbs down. For some reason I feel behind like I'm not doing well as I could or should be,bur her it is.

Hi Ready4....,

First off, congratulations. You look great! I hope you feel as good as you look. Your post brings me to something I have been contemplating since my own journey started 9 weeks ago. I think that so many of us detached from our bodies a long time ago, so as we are loosing weight so rapidly and starting a new relationship with our bodies, it is difficult to recognize our own accomplishments. I read daily on this forum people posting about how they have lost tons of weight, but who can't see it. It is really an interesting thing. I struggle with it too. I have lost 49 lbs, but I struggle to see it. I sometimes find myself focusing on the other 93 lbs I want to loose. I have to check myself mentally. I remind myself that I hadn't lost this much weight in 15 years and to be patient and to Celebrate my accomplishments. I would offer you the same....CELEBRATE your victory! Go buy a cute new dress and go dancing or do something to show off your great new body! No matter how far you feel you need to go, don't forget how far you have come! CONGRATS.

Hi,

I was sleeved on June 26.

Highest weight -341

Current weight - 292 as of last week.

I still struggle with vomiting and nausea, and had to have 2 scopes, but getting better. I have lost a total of 49 lbs as of last week. I don't get on the scale every day or week. I am focused on getting my eating and drinking goals down. Congrats to all of you June sleevers.

I did not like any of the powdered Protein Shakes that I tried and discovered I now have an intolerance for milk products post op. But the good news for me is that I actually found that I like the Premier Protein shakes. I get a case from Sams club and they last a few weeks. I have only tried the vanilla(plan to pick up the chocolate this week), but it is great. If you can find it, I would suggest trying it. I drink one a day (30 grams of protein) and then try to eat the rest of my Protein. If I feel like I still need a bit extra I will have half a shake at night before bed , so atleast I know I have gotten in 45+ grams a day (not including my meals).