Comstock

I had my sleeve on 11/26 and am now down a total of 36.5 lbs from pre-op. I still can hardly eat anything, but did manage about 1/3 c of garbanzo Beans last night and a bite of a soy Italian sausage. Talk about yummy! It felt so good to have some actual flavor. I go back to work next week so am stocking up on hummus, chicken salad, egg salad, and a few other things to puree. I'll take some applesauce but will still rely on Protein shakes and yogurt for most protein, I think. Energy is good today; yesterday I took a 2 hr nap after a half hour walk! Hope that doesn't continue.... but am sure it won't. Be well, everyone, and congrats to all.

Nancym, I finally resorted to my old favorite, prune juice, after over 7 days without a BM. (If you are a Star Trek fan, you'll recall that Warf referred to prune juice as a "warrior's drink"). It worked like a charm. I think I drank about a cup. You might try it. I am having alot of trouble getting in my water and protein, and need to keep better track of what I'm taking in. Failed the scrambled egg test today....just couldn't get more than a couple of bites in and I'm at 10 days post-op. Looking forward so much to having REAL food instead of protein drinks, even if they are pureed. If anyone has some favorites, can you please pass along ideas and recipes? Thanks.

Is anyone else having persistent gas pain? It's lodged up under my left collar bone and I can't seem to get rid of it. Really uncomfortable. And I'm so sick of protein shakes I could die. Honestly, I never thought I'd be that way, but most everything I'm eating is kinda sweet and it's getting disgusting. Can't wait for that egg! Might try egg drop soup tomorrow....kinda liquidy but tasty and real food. I had surgery 11/26.

Me too. I took a bunch to the resale shop. My closet is getting kinda sparse, but I guess I will be able to make it through. I can sew, so guess I'll have to alter some of my clothes....I was hoping to trade them in for stuff at the resale shop but they didn't take everything. Grrrrrr.

I had my surgery on 11/26. I have lost 30 lbs from my pre-op diet til now. Finally, I seem to have lost the weight gain from the hospital. I am having alot of trouble getting my Protein and fluids in. Today, I've had 2 yogurts, 1 Protein shake, and about a cup of tomato Soup and about a half cup of thai ginger sweet potato soup. That's about 60 gm protein, but almost NO Water. It's really hard to eat as slowly as I need to. I tried the thai sweet potato soup because I was craving food, not something sweet, but I had a terrible time getting any down. It's soft but guess I am not ready for it. If I try again tomorrow, I will dilute it a lot. It's hard to go as slow as I need to eat, and consequently I often feel a lot of gas pain. I hope to get the hang of this soon. Feeling good, lots of energy, and have stopped pain pills today. That said, after an errand, I come home and collapse for a nap. Next week, back to work. Not looking forward to having a group lunch on Thursday when I don't know what I will be able to eat. Or what to say.....

I'm on day 6 and feeling much better. I am able to eat and drink more easily the last couple of days and can actually consume a mug of Soup if I take my time. I had gained 4 lbs since leaving the hospital but don't know if I've lost that now. People said it's because of gas and fluids from the hospital, so hope that's the case. I'm tired of feeling like an invalid and bored! I don't seem to be able to concentrate enough to do projects so I'm looking forward to next week when I am sure I'll feel more normal. Looking forward to the pounds starting to come off.

I use powdered whey Protein too, 30 gm/serving. I bought some Dutch chocolate and instant decaf coffee to add occasionally, along with Stevia sweetener. It's actually quite good. I've added the unflavored whey protein to Soup and it works very well. No flavor problems at all. Stir it into the cold soup and then heat it all together and it's an easy way to get some protein in. My favorite is Click Mocha Espresso Decaf. It's only 15 grams/serving but added to 1 1/2 c milk (12 gm protein), I think it's a good source of protein. I then add Water and ice if I have it and love it. It's a bit spendier than other Proteins @ ca $20 on Amazon, but it tastes so good that I'm going to continue with it. Good luck on your choices. I think I will always use some Protein drinks, but when we graduate to more regular foods, I think they will be less important. Always good for fallback however.

Hello all, I just had my gastric sleeve done yesterday 11/26 and I think I'm doing pretty well. I wanted to tell you about some of the things I am experiencing so you'll be expecting them. When I woke up in the recovery room, my first words were "no turning back now" --- don't know where that came from, but it's true! I was in the recovery room for hours because I was experiencing a lot of distress from the gas. They pump your abdomen full of gas so they have more room to maneuver, and they actually pull your stomach outside your body through one of the small incisions they make. The gas pressure was so intense that I really couldn't get relief from it. It felt like an all-day heart attack. Gas was pushing up against my diaphragm and it felt like I couldn't inflate my lungs. I had to wear my c-pap when I was in recovery and I just felt like I was suffocating. After several hours of huffing and puffing, some of the pressure subsided and they took me to my room. As soon as I got out of the bed and into a recliner, some of the pressure let up as I wasn't "folded" over. I spent the whole night and all of today in the recliner. In the evening of the surgery, the gas pressure had let up a little. I hope you will not have the gas pressure I did, but I guess people reabsorb the CO2 at different rates. Yesterday and today, I have been able to sip Protein drinks, tomato Soup, milk, yogurt, and Water without difficulty, although I am feeling very dehydrated. I am having a hard time taking in enough fluids, but I think that will get easier. It is a constant effort to try to get enough fluids in. At home, I am restless because I've been sleeping for almost 2 days! I feel like I would feel better to walk outside, but it's dark, so will wait til tomorrow. Each day is passing and I will feel better as I go along. It's kind of a shock to feel that pain in the abdomen, but not surprising, I guess. Looking forward to feeling more ambulatory and in less discomfort tomorrow.

In the more detail than you probably want department, I have started taking Colace twice/day. I'd like to keep my intestines moving, ya know! I was having trouble with constipation even before my surgery, since I started a high Protein diet. Unpleasant, and I want to get a solution to staying with normal activities in the intestines. Was able to get all of my protein in today (I think I even exceeded at about 87 gm) but short of Water. Most of the protein was in drinks and Soup, so will keep on sipping tonite. Walked about 30 mins tonite and it felt quite good. I was pooping out a bit on the last leg, but made it home and am glad I did it. Onward, all....thanks for listening.

Greetings November Sleevers..... I've had some difficulty getting enough liquids and Proteins, but today is the 4th day and everything seems to be settling down. My sleeve feels pretty comfortable and I'm moving around pretty normally. I didn't have any difficulty finishing my 30g Protein drink this a.m. and am sipping a nice chai latte now. Feels pretty normal. Not hungry, and feeling much more like I will be "myself" soon. But, get ready for this: I went downstairs to weigh myself this a.m. because I am/was convinced I must have dropped a few pounds since I went in the hospital. I have GAINED 4 lbs! I know it must be Fluid retention, no BM yet, but it was a shock, I have to tell you. I have barely eaten anything (maybe 400 calories/day?) so I wasn't expecting this. I am not alarmed but I am shocked. Has anyone else experienced a weight gain after coming home? Jeez.

I think being anxious is to be expected as you've made a big decision. If you think it's really too much to handle can you get your doc to get you some anti-anxiety medication? In the past, I took some and it really helped take the edge off. My surgery was 4 days ago and for the few nights before it, I didn't sleep at all well. I was up for a couple of hours most nights....trying to take care of details, get stuff ready, read more blogs of people who were facing the same thing. It did help. That said, after surgery you'll be sleeping for a couple of days! It's actually quite a blessing as you get rest and just sleep through the most challenging pain. Take the meds as much as you need and you'll be surprised at how well you'll do. Good luck! You're feeling what every one of us has felt, I'm sure, and you'll be so glad you stuck with it. Hope to hear soon that you've had the surgery.

Thanks for the reminder, Susan. I did turn over on my side last night and felt like a pillow to rest on would have felt good. Looking forward to the day ..... say, next week, when I step on the scales again and have all the excess gas and fluids gone!

Yes, I'm sure you are right Tink22. I just wasn't expecting and am not panicking. I'll give it a few more days!!!

Hi 7 Bites! I watched several episodes of your show and was surprised that you use so many full-fat ingredients. Would the recipes work just as well if I used low fat cream cheese, non-fat half and half, and light butter? I also buy the low-fat shredded cheese and low-fat Irish cheddar so would prefer to use that instead of full fat cheeses. Any experience with those products? I'm curious why you chose full fat for recipes used by people after weight loss surgery. I thought we were supposed to avoid a lot of fat.

Lyndy, my surgeon told me when I was pre-op to avoid white foods: Pasta, potatoes, rice, bread, sugar. I found that when I have a hard and fast rule like that it's easier than having to make a judgment call every time I face food. I lost 25.5 pounds before my surgery and didn't feel deprived because the Protein was so satisfying. It was a struggle to keep portions small, as it always will be, but you might give this some thought. It's good practice too, for me, because I don't think I will want to go back to eating these items with any regularity because they are such triggers for me. Good luck! You CAN do it! This whole process is easier than living with the extra weight and health problems for the rest of your life. It's a little bump in the road. Hang in there!

Hi everyone.....today is much better (day 4). I am quite comfortable and am moving around more normally today. I was able to finish my 30g Protein shake this a.m. and am sipping a chai latte now. It all feels quite normal. My sweetie and I even ran a couple of errands today and it felt good. I only slept in the recliner a few hours last night and then went to bed. I was really comfortable and slept soundly til this a.m. I think it's because my incisions are far less painful than they have been in the past few days. It really is remarkable how fast we heal up. Just want to report a surprise though: I checked my weight this a.m. and I GAINED 4 lbs since my surgery. What a shock!!!! I know it's just retained Fluid and no BM yet, but I wasn't expecting it. Still, I wanted a little reward. Hope your journey is going well. It is so encouraging to have the pain subsiding and feeling more normal.

Hi Laurivgs, I do feel better today. I slept in my recliner again last night as I am not looking forward to having to sit up to get out of bed. I think I will do it again one more night. Today, I felt less discomfort and was able to drink 1/2 Protein drink, about a cup of tomato soup (took 2 hrs), a yogurt, and about 10 oz. of another Protein Drink. Not so much Water as yesterday, but wanted to try to get my protein in. I feel less dehydrated than yesterday, but still not getting anywhere near 64 oz. My protein intake today was about 50 gm. Tonite, I coughed kind of hard a couple of times. It really scares me that I might be tearing at the staples and causing a leak. I hope NOT....the whole area feels a bit stronger today. I even went for a walk around 2 blocks this afternoon and then promptly came home and took a nap! I think that's still my plan for getting though the next few days....sleep it off whenever possible. In the long run, this is just a short stint, so I am practicing patience and know that every day will be better. Luckily, food has not been that appealing (my partner did fix himself a nice T'giving dinner and I'm glad he did that). Stay tuned....tomorrow I hope that there will be less discomfort and more a feeling that I DID NOT hurt my sleeve by coughing. Jeez. Always something to stew about, eh??

I had my surgery yesterday. I'm home today and doing pretty well although I'm having a hard time getting enough Water and Protein in. The rate I'm sipping is not enough to get all the requirements in. Hope that eases up a bit in the coming days. Gas pain is the biggest issue...and being dehydrated. I'm sure this will pass.

I had five, the largest on my lower left abdomen where they took my stomach out. None of the others hurt at all. They are quite small and I don't expect to have much scarring. It's not that big a price to pay, in my mind.

In the hospital, I was drinking faster than I should. The nurse told me that the reason you should not do this is because you will stretch your sleeve and stand a chance of tearing out the staples and causing a leak. I know it feels OK going down, but I am going to be very literal about following their instructions. No way do I want this thing to fail.

Tomorrow is my surgery day. I've been trying to eat mostly liquids all week and have been all liquids today, per instructions. I've been so focused on getting ready for this that now I'm sort of numb about tomorrow. I am excited but don't know what to expect. My partner is very supportive and is totally behind the food changes we will both make. He isn't going through the surgery but always is mindful of losing weight too and eats very healthy foods. I feel like we have so retrained ourselves over the past year or so, but actually experiencing the tiny amounts of food I can eat will be something completely new and a bit scary. I'm still flying under the radar with regard to telling friends/family/coworkers. Just don't want to discuss this personal journey at all. My partner and clinic are very supportive, so hope that my privacy won't become an issue later. I'll check back in after the fact. Hope to hear from the rest of you November sleevers too.

My surgery is in 4 days! I am nervous as I've been struggling with my liquid pre-op diet but pretty much managing to stick with it. It's the 'food in my head' that looks so good, even though I am not really hungry. Also monitoring my blood sugar as it's been pretty low on the Protein drinks. BTW, I made some egg drop Soup tonite. WAY easy and delicious as well as low cal and a good source of protein. I love it when I find something that seems like a real food I'll be able to eat well into the future. It's hard to imagine what I will feel like after the surgery, but hope the transition is easy and I'll feel well. I'm determined to make a success of this!

I know the feeling. I am having surgery on the 26th and am even doing things like preparing my will. It's unlikely that surgery would go so badly that I would die, but I want to have things in order since I need to do that anyway! It's just putting a bit of pressure on my to get those adult chores taken care of. I've laid in a supply of Soups and broth and Protein drinks, as have you, I'm sure. Good luck tomorrow.....I am sure your hubby and son will be there to wake you up and you'll be home soon with all the details falling into place. Hope you feel great.

My surgery is the 26th....I decided to try a liquid diet this week, even though I am allowed cottage cheese/lean meats/veggies as pre-op. I wanted to see if I could do it and also lose a few more pounds before surgery. It's going pretty well, but I must admit I can see where wanting something to chew and/or savory will really become important. It's true that I've slipped a few times, though I feel pretty OK about clam chowder! Anyway, meal prep sure is fast! I also realized, which may be obvious to some, that post-surgery, I will need to come up with a lot of activities that are NOT food centered. Even poking around on Pinterest and other sites for bariatric-safe recipes focuses a lot on FOOD and feeds that gratification. I can tell that I will need to really be out and about so that I am not tinkering in the kitchen, even if it's fixing "safe" food. It's all about obsession. I am anxious to be done with it and on the other side. Hope I will recover quickly, don't have any awkward moments of explanation required of curious friends/coworkers, and can just slip into the groove of maintaining a healthy life. I already feel SO much better having lost about 24 lbs pre-op and have been exercising for months. Looking forward to more of that. Thanks for listening!

Congratulations, Goldilox! At two weeks and you are already on the treadmill. That sounds terrific. I am hoping for the same fast recovery time. My surgery is 11/26 and I'm on pins and needles. Anticipating it very much, scared a little. Guess that's pretty normal, eh?