ReaRaes

Hi all, I am feeling great for the most part. I think that I am constipated though. Having a hell of a time and not getting enough of anything in. I am not ever hungry. I do get thirsty and then I forget and take a big gulp of water and then immediately regret that. My stomach gurggles and grumbles and whines quite often, but other than taking 40 minutes to eat 5 oz of greek yogurt I can't eat more than about 3 oz of food at a time. A cheesstick and an ounce of chicken put me in to total pain this evening. Yesterday I had all of 248 calories. It has to get better right. I am dying to get to a point where I can eat whatever, just way smaller amounts than I used to.

I am two weeks post op tomorrow. I feel fantastic until I forget and take a big gulp of something or think I can eat a bit more than I can. It isn't that I try to force food in, it's just that when I get full, (which I always am) but I need to try to get some food in, I get really full and it hurts. There is no way I am getting in enough protein or fluids. However, when I eat yogurt, I can eat the entire container, although it does take me at least 40 minutes. I eat 90% of the food I eat each day at my office at my desk. I went back to work on day six. I have felt great since two days after I surgery. I have looked for protein powder and I can't find it locally. The only I nes they have are either vanilla or chocolate flavored. I usually make protein shakes with it, almond milk and frozen strawberries. I will have to do it again and freeze half of it for "ice cream" and drink the other half. My goal this week is to make plenty of good pureed foods. I am just so sick of pureed. I want to eat food. I've only had two instances of dumping, one caused diarrhea and the other just lots of pain. I got a tiny piece of crab stuck and that I had to bend way over and force it to come back out. I tried a rolo today (sucked it so it dissolved) just to see if sweets would not sit right with me like most people. Unfortunately it was just fine. I don't go back to the doc until the 23rd. That is when I get to go to soft foods. Then I am on those for six weeks. I just want to be able to eat small amounts of normal food and drink my water the way I normally do. The

Holly, it sounds like you are dehydrated. Are you getting your full liquids in? And your protein. It could also be iron deficiency. I am day day four post op and 11 lbs down and am feeling my skin drying out and becoming itchy. I have still only had 41 oz of gatorade since I left the hospital. It still hurts a bit when I swallow. I have to usually sit up and double swallow if you know what I mean. Like it gets to the pouch but can't leave it. I have been dying every time I see a food commercial. Everything looks good. Food that I haven't wanted in years looks to die for. This afternoon my husband and I were watching movies and he made popcorn. I had to take one piece. It melted in my mouth. Then for dinner he had baked beans. I licked some of the juice off his spoon. He had a twinkie for dessert. I ate literally a crumb. Then before I came upstairs I dipped my finger in the peanut butter jar and got just a tip full and put it in my mouth. All of it was heavenly. I can see that come Friday when I can have food again I will be so much better off. I will eat only what I can until I am full but I will stop my food cravings because I will be tasting food. I was happy with each taste of food I had tonight. I didn't want any more of them but that taste.

Wow Erin, it sounds like this has been hell for you. I hope you are able to figure out what is causing your daily dumping. I tried to make an appointment with my pcp today and found out I can't get in until May 30th. Not good. I hope I don't have any issues before then. Have you tried talking to anyone yet Erin? I hope you aren't trying to figure this out on your own. I am starting to feel a tiny bit better swallowing. I managed to complete a whole 20 oz gatorade in 24 hours instead of 36 like the last one. Yes, now since 1 pm on Sunday I have had 41 oz of gatorade. I did also lick the spoon of my husband's baked beans, ate 1 piece of his popcorn, had literally a crumb from his twinkies and had a fingertip of peanut butter tonight. Maybe a total of 20 calories. I guess I need to start logging my food intake again. Lol. My blood sugar this morning when I woke up was 183. The biggest reason I did this surgery was to get rid of my diabetes and the need for insulin. If after only having gatorade and onky two sips in four hours it is still 183 I am going to be so unhappy. Just now it was 146. On a great note, I received in my email today a bunch of high protein salad recipes including one I am going to make on Friday afternoon. Cilantro edamame hummus. If anyone would like the recipes send me your email address and I will forward you the email I got. I can't wait to try them all. Lots of beans.

Praying you all do extremely well. Let us know how you do.

Ok I think I am having issues. I am supposed to have had 64 oz of gatorade since I left the hospital. I've had 10 oz. It hurts to swallow any amount of fluid, like I am breaking through a blockage or something. Even a tsp hurts. I don't want to take anymore meds cause I feel like they are all piled up in my pouch blocking anything from getting through. I know it isn't pains from the incisions, my husband says it is from moving everything around. It feels like it could be bad heartburn too. Anybody have that? I literally have no desire to eat or drink except the pity me eating and drinking but if a tsp of gatorade hurts this bad I can't imagine what a chip or a candy bar would feel like.

I made it home safe and sound. I tried drinking gatorade, was hoping to get a whole 20 oz. In over the five hours. Instead I think i got two in. It hurt to swallow anything, now it feels like I am full all thecway up to my chest. Could this be the start of the gas pain?

I am in Minnesota at the Mayo Clinic. Just getting ready to check out. They need to take out my staples and my iv then I get to go. They are fine with me driving because I have had no narcotics since Friday, 4 hours after surgery. I just neec to stop and walk every hour or so which I need to do anyway to pee. Lol.

I am getting ready to leave the hospital shortly, just showered and got my street clothes on. They have to remove my staples and my iv then I am gone. It has been an awesome stay though. The nurses are fantastic.

It went great Carol. I am up sitting in the chair now. I've taken three walks so far today and one last night and basically have no pain. I took oxycodone only once yesterday shortly after I came back up from recovery. Haven't taken it again. If I lived clser to the hospital they probably would let me go today. I just got my first b12 injection andlearned how to do it so I can do it again every month. I have very slight gas pain. Occasionally, drinking my juice and gatorade. Yay, I get to brush my teeth now. Then I get to put my pjs on instead of the dumb gown. My nurse is laughing that I am too independent. She told my roommate she didn't think I'd had surgery cause I am moving too well. Have slept comfortably on both sides and my back. But the most amazing thing for me is that my excruciating knee pain that I have had for the last three weeks is completely gone.

I am waking up and just getting my next dose of pain pills, yay! The ones I am already on for my neck. I've had 8 oz of apple juice and water, just took a walk down the hall and am now going to hopefully go to sleep for the night. Thank you all for the prayers. They worked!

Just got out of my shower and realized I forgot my hair brush. I also forgot my glasses. Duh!!! LOL

No, Dr. said since I live 5 hours from here I will definitely be in until Sunday. I am hoping that by then I can be on my regular pain pills that I can drive just fine while on. They have no effect on my reaction or senses.

Hi all you amazing people. This is it. My surgery is in about 12.5 hours. I report to the hospital in 10. Not thinking about it cause I think I will start freaking out and decide against it. I have actually had diarrhea since I walked out of my last appointment. I think it's nerves. I am alone here as we can't afford for my husband to stay in a hotel here for three nights. Besides, he has shoulder surgery coming up himself and he is in extreme pain and I don't want him to have to deal with me and his pain. My only problem is figuring out how to get checked out of the hospital. They are insisting I get picked up. I can't make friends drive 10 hours on a Sunday. My diet for t he next week is 64 ounces of gatorade a day and that's it. I went out and bought it this afternoon. Thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

I report to the hospital in 10 hours. I am in the hotel room now, just going to hop into the shower and get ready for bed. I drove down this morning leaving home at 4:30 to make my 10:00 a.m. appt. I am going to be alone as we can't afford for my husband to stay in a hotel for more days and he is awaiting shoulder surgery and is very uncomfortable himself and is not too pleasant due to his pain. My only challenge is that they require someone to pick me up but I don't have anyone to do that. I am not going to drag friends to drive 10 hours on the day I get discharged, when they work the next day. So, maybe I'll call a cab to drive me a block and then come back to get my car.