Madam Reverie

... I've licked a chip... In fact.. I'd lick anything right now if it had any flavour... Work surfaces.. windows...

In my defence.. I ain't no brainiac. I put it down to it being 02:17 UK time, being on a diet of fresh air and liquid (supplemented with a big bite of velvet cup cake and frosting) and frankly, I am so pig sick of the 'regulations' associated with this surgery, I even friggin' DREAM of Protein these days. If it starts with a 'P', it is now known as 'protein'. I need to get the hell out more. Seriously.

LOL That is funny. Shows how much attention I paid to the packaging! Nice catch.

LiptstickLady: You REBEL! Laura: Protein Pump Inhibitors are things like Omeprazole. They are basically like a nuclear version of Zantac. As for your Protein Bar fest?! lol love it. Least you could get it down! Jessica: You're more than welcome. There's no shame, we're all the same (as is said as the tagline on a rather disturbing program in the UK called 'Embarrassing Bodies'

Okay, so, since I've been frequenting this virtual bariatric world, there appear to be a few issues which seem to ignite much debate and throw the most meekly devised threads into huge ego-centric 'flaming' exercises. Not only do I, personally, find this predictably boring; it is also deeply unhelpful. We all know that this process changes or should change, how we do and view things to do with food and wider health issues, forever. As such, it takes a bit of getting used to. The prospect of having to adapt our long-held behaviours is scary and our little food related rituals? They are tough bleedin' Cookies to break. (My apologies for mentioning the 'C' word there) Consequently, I'm a big believer in the adage that 'skeletons in the cupboard' are no longer 'skeletons', if they are dragged out into the light of day. (Normally kicking and screaming with the neighbours looking on in horror) So, roll-up, roll-up. Consider this an online bariatric confessional! There'll be no 'Hail Mary's' or 'Our Fathers' and flagellation will NOT and should not be forthcoming. I want you to tell us your 'dirty' little bariatric secrets. What did you do? Why did you do it? (and I will refrain from asking 'with whom?' you did it!) How did it make you feel afterwards? Did you resolve to never do it again - or indeed, did you think that actually, everything in moderation is not so bad after all? Did you chow down on that hot-sauce laden and cheese encrusted beef taco 2 days post op? (No one can tell I'm fantasizing about anything that does not constitute a 'fluid' much, can you?!!!) Did you sneak into the fridge and eat all your kids chocolate bars, happy in the knowledge that your Protein Pump Inhibitors would prevent you from getting indigestion? Did you swallow 10 vodka martini's to see if your pouch and your legs could take it? Come on, tell Aunty Revs and lets see if we can put these beasts to bed once and for all x As is only fair, I shall go first.. Tonight, I, 8 days post surgery, ate a fair amount of cheese frosting off the top of a red velvet cupcake (and maybe a couple of mouthfuls of the sponge, too). Why? Because it was there. Did it make any sense? No, because I have never craved sweet stuff. I'm a savoury kind of girl. What did I learn from it? That damn, I'm an emotional eater (which I never thought I was) and that shockingly, that **** went down a little bit too easily. Consequently, I learnt in that way lies grave danger... See, if I can do it, anyone can. So, step forward and lets hear the 'worst' you've got. Everyone is welcome and all are equal here x

Potatoes? Bad? Ask the Irish, they'll tell you whether a spud is bad for you.. And that would be a big fat no! As everyone has said - in moderation, it's all good in the hood

I'm day 8, too. Had pain on my left had side, exactly the same as yours. I find if you don't jiggle around too much, or stretch yourself out too far - particularly if you're laying on your front, it eases off. Don't panic, we're in the same boat and I have every belief that it's getting better every day... Keep at it

5ft 10, highest weight probably around the 265-270 mark. Surgery day weight 250 odd. I am 8 days out and to be honest, I haven't got a clue what I weigh! Huzzah!

I'm on the fluid portion of the segment..and my lord, I think I'd sell a kidney for a portion of that right now!!!

Holy cow! Have you lost 26.5lbs in under two weeks?!!! How did you do that?!! It's amazing!

What. In. The. World..... <Closes the door quietly as she leaves the room>

Every post-op diet is different. I was told by my Nutritionist 'clear fluids only for the first week-two weeks. I'll be sending you a post operative diet book shortly'. This never arrived and I received it the morning after my surgery. Which, when it did arrive, stated that in weeks 1-2, I could 'eat' (amongst the other usual suspects of fresh air and water): Creamed soups, Yoghurt, Protein shakes. As it stood and on morning one, the hospital delivered me natural yoghurt and jello (or jelly as we like to call it in the UK) for breakfast. So much for clear fluids for 1-2 weeks then?! Anyway and that aside. Because I was legitimately provided these things on day one, I have continued along that path, whilst consuming bottles of clear Isopure Zero to get my protein in. I find them rather boring to taste (we only get three flavours in the UK), but it's easy on the stomach and makes me feel like a good student for glugging my way through them. Pain meds are hideous and always require something to line the stomach first before ingestion to prevent all the usual nasties which can happen. How in gods name you were supposed to manage that on clear fluids and without any form of PPI or stomach lining protection, I don't know? As for eating the turkey? This is the way I see it. You're on your own and you haven't been guided particularly well. Although with reference to the pain meds on an empty stomach - you probably new this would be an issue pre-op and maybe should have asked some more probing questions for a definitive position? After all, most healthcare systems, irrespective of which nation it occurs in, couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery, so it falls to the patient to be annoyingly 'on top of it'. Which, after paying exorbitant amounts of money no one feels they should have to do, but however, they invariably end up doing, because the administrative coordination systems in these institutions are, for want of a better word, so crap, you need to end up effectively taking charge of your own healthcare. <minor rant over> So, you had a couple of slices of mashed up turkey in some broth and you chewed it like an obsessive?!?!??!! Did the world stop turning? No. Could you have hurt yourself? Yes. Will you do it again? Course not! (well, you might, if that's your food of choice in the mushie stage!). However, everyone can fully appreciate why you did it. Hell, if I'd had such a lack of medical clarity, cohesion and guidance in how I should approach things, I'd be making my own executive decisions, too! The way I see it; you spun the barrel in a Russian Roulette game of 'oh my god, I need protein, oh my god how am I going to get it? Maybe I should just eat some meat directly?' kind of thing. After one week of nothing but clear liquids and a bucket load of pain meds - no person, however well 'schooled' would be making the most cogent of decisions. That aside, you were lucky, you didn't sweat out and black out and vomit and are not (hopefully) experiencing abdominal pain, heart palpitations and all the other nasties that can happen. You spun the barrel and nothing was thankfully in the chamber. Consider one of your 9 bariatric lives lost and carry on with renewed vigor and determination! You can do it! As for me and to illustrate we're all human; I strayed waaaaay off the path last night. I had four teaspoons of mashed potato drowned in baked bean juice so it was like, well, soup. It tasted amazing and before I get a rollicking for the fact I'd eaten a carb in week one - I'd got permission from my bariatric nurse first - so there! <insert tongue poke out here> I often find that a lot of things on this site, particularly nuances, when posted in text, are lost in translation. This leaves the doors WIDE open to misinterpretation and people taking conversations off into completely different realms and tangents; making reference to things which aren't immediately relevant, you feel are not immediately warranted, or even on topic. Although it is annoying and you're left thinking 'WTF?!' Most of the time, it is well intentioned. Sift through the 'blah' (which is the majority of my posts) and look for the 'ahh - eureka!'. Either way and on this site, it's usually either the 'carrot' or the 'stick'. All valid, if you know how to detach your emotions and look at the information proffered critically and objectively. You'll be great and you'll do great. Put this behind you, grasp your own medical coordination by the balls and go get 'em, tiger! x

I don't like the tone of this thread, at all.... Whether intentional or not, the air is thick with self righteousness. <closes the door behind her>

I'm assuming you meant '4 days post op'? I have the same problem. I had my surgery a week ago today. It's almost like there's a narrowing of the entrance to the stomach and you can feel the vortex of Water, swilling it's way down slowly, but air gets in the way. The only thing I can suggest, which has partially worked for me, is to sit up very straight when you sip your water, give it a few seconds to hit your stomach and then a few seconds more for it to swirl its way through the narrowed entrance. After even more time and whilst remaining staunchly upright, try to do a gentle burp to release the air you've just created in your esophagus. Hope it works for you and best of luck x

Take very little. You won't need it. Best of luck with your operation

Oh I LOVE it. If it was me? Every time I went to the counter and something crass was said, I'd smile and say: 'Yes, it is a small portion. However, I am only here to take samples. Apparently there have been outbreaks of Helicobacter Pylori - suspected source - your salad. Campylobacter in your meat products and Salmonella enterica in your shellfish products. As a consequence, I am only here to repatriate a small amount to our labs for further testing and to determine whether your establishment needs to be shut down by the food Standards Agency. As a consequence, you're right, it is a small amount and there's no way on Gods green earth you'd catch me eating it! Have a nice day!' Go get 'em, tiger! x

A-MAZ-ING!!!!!

I had my op on the 19th. I, too, have had what you're describing. Thankfully, they seem a little milder than yours. I, too, have trouble getting Water in - its like I have to wait for the vortex of Fluid that's created in my stomach to swirl its way down. Once it has, I have to inevitably burp up a bit of wind that makes me feel better. All I can say, is that I found that if I stretch my body upwards - so sit very upright and take slow deep breaths. Accompany it with gently rubbing my sternum up and down, it improves. Although in saying that, I can't do it at night, so am currently getting a bit of disgusting heartburn and indigestion which is causing me great concern -as I do NOT want to be a GERD case. I feel your pain. For what it's worth, I have found that i'm better taking in plain natural yoghurt in little tiny bits, as opposed to drinking clear fluids. I know every prescribed post-op diet is different, but give plain natural yoghurt a go... It'll boost your energy levels and may improve the spasms. I wish you the best of luck. Let us know how you get on x

I went to the loo and I had a pooooooooooooooooooooooo! Yippppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Take THAT morphine induced constipation! HUZZAH!

I think I'm going to take your advice re: doubling up doses, not eat/drink anything with flavour late at night, sit up straight more and wait to see the quack on Monday. Fingers crossed they'll give me something more effective..... I'm so scared this will become the norm...

I dunno! I'm 4 days in and already craving anything that has any taste or texture... Not good... Please tell me that you ate relatively normally as soon as you were on normal food and didn't go crazy for 0% everything?! I need a light at the end of the tunnel that will tell me I can still have a small steak and a salad with balsamic dressing and still lose 100lbs!!!

Okay, fully jealous. I want to go on holiday!!! (And have meatballs! ) x

Dear Lord, that's amazing. You look amazing! I am in awe of you and, for the record, thoroughly jealous! Well done you! x

Sanks, it is exactly as you just described for yourself. I think I, too, will have to sit bolt upright for an hour after dinner. They gave me some Lansoprazole 30mg, but I think it's rubbish. I got the reflux even after taking it. Consequently this morning, after waking up feeling like acid-burn-death, I swallowed my old omeprazole tablet and felt much better. I do NOT want to be on these PPI all my life, as they have dodgy long term affects on the stomach. I guess I'm going to have to leave the 'heavier' food for lunchtime and eat lightly at dinner to avoid a repeat performance! How are you doing today, btw? What's new in your world? x

GamerGirl, you're so right about that one. After considerable academic research, discussions with some of the best in the business and which requires to be thrust in your rheumatologist's face immediately, is the undeniable fact that diets don't work. That everyone is pre-programmed to be a certain weight in our brains and all our yo-yo dieting has done, is to deplete our muscle mass and wreck our metabolisms. Does the weight come back after a few years post bariatric surgery? Yeah, it can do, I concede that. However, I believe we have the tool and it's up to us to use it. My Nutritionist said that I would lose 85% of my excess, gain about 20-30% and will level out. Even with those stats I was elated. I am NOT trying to look like Kate Moss here. Febi, for what it's worth and in my humble opinion? If you don't want the negative, don't give them the ammo. I know you felt obliged to share it with your boss - but in all honesty and based on UK employment regs; unless you're taking significant amounts of time away and not correctly accounting for it, the specifics of your medical care, is not really their business. As for the other people you're intending to tell? You already know what they're going to be like, so is it worth it? I know some people might truly surprise you. However, you know these folks and I would say trust your instincts. If you know they're going to give you a hard time, is it worth wishing for them to be caring and sharing, when all they'll end up doing is making you feel like crap? Just a thought. Wishing you the best of luck with everything to come. We'll all be here to listen when you need to get it off your chest. We're all pretty good at that! x