misslu58

I got a card that I keep in my wallet about the weight loss surgery with the hospital name and phone number....on the reverse side it says about the senior citizen meal or kids meal. I ordered a bracelet off EBay that I wear that says gastric sleeve. They have many options on there for bracelets, necklaces, keychains, ankle bracelets, watches, etc. My thought process of having something on my body is...what if I am in an accident and do not have my purse with me, or my purse is thrown away from my body... I want the medical personnel to have the knowledge right there on my person of the procedure I had done for safety purposes....

My doc told me that two weeks is the usual for checking for leaks... he said four weeks is usually total heal for no leaks. In his 17 years of surgery, he said he only has seen two leaks after two weeks times, and, both were in smokers. I was afraid of a leak since the first night, I was vomitting from the anesthia. So, if that did not cause a leak, which it did not, must be pretty hard to get a leak.... I wreched all night long

I found a place that has what they call bariatric shakes. They have 15 grams of Protein in them. You mix the powder with Water and it tastes like flavored water. It is tasty after all the milk shakes. They come in a variety of flavors. The place also has chicken noodle Soup (the noodles amount to about t tsp--but the soup also has 15 grams of protein for 8 ounces. I use that as one of my drinks for the day.. I found the place online after reading many of these posts. I can't remember the name of it off hand, it is at home, but if you check out www.wonderslim.com you may find it

I have some Protein drinks that are not shakes,they are packets that get added to Water and taste like flavored water stuff....they are 15 grams per 8 oz. I drink that throughout the day. I try to get in a little milk each day for the 8 grams of protein in there. I usually have cream of wheat for breakfast--1/4 cup. I cannot eat a whole greek yogurt in one sitting--that takes two sittings. I usually have cheese for lunch. Then the other part of the yogurt later in the day. That is about it. On the meal plan I have, I can have a pc of toast.... in fact, it suggests some kind of carb one time a day. I was told not to cut out carbs all the way, something is bad about doing that too but I don't remember what off hand. What I am trying to say is that I cannot seem to get the three meals and two Snacks in per day, with the fluids. I am wondering how long it is before I am able to do that. I am afraid I am not getting in enough of anything. Today I had cream of wheat...then yogurt...some chicken broth with extra protein...and a few bites of grilled chicken breast for supper.... that is it again..... and I have only been able to drink like 20 ounces... I am full and dont want to try to drink anything, even tho I ate the three bites of chicken breast (one ounce) over an hour ago

I went by week 5 on Wednesday... Tuesday night I had an episode of eating "supper" (two ounces) and then an hour later drinking milk. Guess the two did not want to occupy my pouch at the same time, so they vacated... yucky, but no big deal. My question to all you out there.. I am having a problem eating and drinking like I should. Yesterday I had about 3/4 rice krispies with 1/2 cup milk for Breakfast... then the rest of the day, I had 2 ounces greek yogurt, one string cheese, and a piece of wheat bread with smooth Peanut Butter on it. I had about 28 ounces Fluid... I know I am not near what I should be at for calories/protein/fluids... I just cant seem to get any more in... Is this normal for five weeks out? I have a friend who had the sleeve in December and she said I am eating waaay to much. That I cannot believe...

I agree that salad may not be the best choice to eat. It is harder for the stomach to digest and it is "empty" mostly in Protein. I would say, have a piece of pizza, but only the topping part, with the cheese... and maybe veggies... that would be your protein

I was sleeved three weeks ago yesterday. I still do not have enough energy to be out walking that much. I get tired and sweat profusely. I am wondering what the ages of some of you are that are able to recover and exercise so quickly..... I am one of the "older generation"... I realize I also had a little more done than my sleeve, I had my gallbladder out that was full of stones. I do have a rarer disease of my liver too that zaps my energy...but still, how are you able to get into the walking more than just a little routine. I hurt too much and tire too easily for that.

I am glad to hear you called your doctor. I hope you mentioned the pain in your stomach also, not just the passig out. My doc told me that at two weeks, most chances of a leak have passed, however, there is a slight chance still up to four weeks.... Having pain and then passing out is not normal. Please, be sure when they call you back that if you did not mention the pain before, that you do now. Have you taken your temp? That should not be elevated....

I am three weeks out today from having my surgery. I was so sick the first night I thought I was going to die, literally, I was throwing up brown dried blood. When the RN promised me that in the morning I would feel better, I growled at him... He was right. Then, I could not go home the day I should have due to (another) snow storm. I survived that extra night. The first night home, I slept in the recliner. Then I moved to my bed, sleeping on my side, but supported by pillows. I am finally able to ride in the car without too much discomfort -- bumps were tear jerkers for a while. I still get nauseated almost everyday for a little while, but not nearly as bad as it was. I find that I feel hungry, starved, and then, I eat a little and it feels better, almost like I have eaten too much. I cannot get down Protein shakes anymore. I had a hard time after surgery getting down three a day, let alone the five they recommend. I did a lot of sugar free Jello, sf popsicles, and some chicken broth. Those were the things that got my Fluid intake up... seemed like I always had to have something to keep it up. I never did get up to the ful 64 oz... and am having an even harder time now that I have "food" (the soft food diet). While at home, I hated watching television. I never realized before how many commercials are for food and how many shows have someone eating or food sitting out. Your hair would be falling out partly because of the lack of protein. Kellogg does have a protein that can be mixed in Water... It is only 5 grams, but it is better than no protein. Your hair may also be having some after effects from the anesthia and the hormonal changes. That happened to my daughter, she lost a lot of her hair after a surgery she had when she was 12! I know how you are stuggling... it is an awful feeling. I would suggest that you call your surgeon's office and ask about the depression. They can help with that if the Zolofot is not working...different med may help or even changing the dosage. Also, get some antiacid stuff from them. It makes it a little easier for the fluids also.... that can be part of the feeling that something is weighing down on your chest Best of luck...and in two weeks, you will feel somewhat more human (I know since I am at 3 weeks today)

On April 9, I will be three out from my sleeve. I have a question for anyone out longer than me... When I "eat", I get an odd feeling, almost like when you have to burp but can't/don't. I am wondering if that is normal? I also have some really weird and sometimes very loud noises that come from my tummy. Normal?

Going to sleep with anesthia is nothing. You will be talking to them and everything. You may be awake a little while they put the mask on your face, but once the stuff goes in the iv, you are out. You will wake up in the recovery room and everyone will be buzzing around you. They will say your name and you will just open your eyes up. It is like wow, where did the time go. If you are a smoker, your throat may hurt a bit from the tube they put down while you are sleeping. It would just feel like a sore throat sensation though. The catheter is put in while you are sleeping, so you will not feel it. If you are lucky (like I was), it is removed while you are sleeping too and then you will be able to pee like normal. It will come out a little slower after a cath has been in, but that only lasts like a day or two. You can talk right away when you wake up. You will feel somewhat groggy, and sleepy, but that will go away. You will probably have an oxygen tube thing (like you see people on tv with--it goes in both nostrils). That does not hurt, it is only to help you breath better and get more oxygen after anesthia (people do not breath deep enough). They will give you a spirometer (or whatever it is called) for breathing exercises while you are recovering... to keep your lungs clear. You may have the pumps on your legs to prevent blood clots.. they feel wonderful--they massage your calfs (LOL). You will have an iv in.. that may be the most uncomfortable thing you will have. They will give you a shot in the hand or whereever they are going to put it on your arm. It will only sting a bit, like a bug bite. That numbs the area and then they insert the iv thing. They will tape it all up and that is that. This is the port that your iv fluids will go in, the medicine to put you to sleep, all your drugs after the surgery. You may have a PCA hooked up too.. that is a machine that hooks to your iv for pain meds that you can push the button to release. Anxiety is normal, even for someone who has had surgery before. You will do wonderfully as long as you remember you are in the hands of experts. This is what they have studied for and are trained to do..... Wishing you luck and a speedy recovery. Let us know how it goes for you.

I am at just shy of three weeks out.. and I can relate to this, except sleeping in the recliner. I only did that the first night home, then I slept in my own bed with lots of pillows around me. The lost feeling and feeling like, what did I do, is certainly there. The doc and nutritionist reminded me last week that it was a major surgery I had done (plus I had my gallbladder that was full of stones out at the same time, so a double whammy).... They have promised me it will get better and in no time I will have my energy back. I keep doubting them, then think and remember after that first horrible night when I got sick from the anesthia and my nurse kept telling me that would end, I start believing this too will end and I will feel back to myself (and even better) in no time!

My first few hours after the surgery, I had a little nausea. I had surgery at 7:30 am and was up and walking the halls of the hospital for the first time at about 1:30. I went for another walk about 5:30 and that is when everything turned awful for me. I became so nauseated that no matter what they gave me, it did not help. I threw up all night long and felt like someone was sitting on my chest. The wonderful night RN I had, Joe, told me it would all be better in the morning, he promised. After a few choice words to him each time he said that and the glares I gave him, he would chuckle and say, mark my words.... Well, morning came and like a light switch, the nausea stopped, the vomitting stopped and I was ready to rock and roll, except for being exhausted from being up all night. It was truely amazing, just like he said.... So, anyone who does get "sick", it will pass rather quickly....even though it does seems possible at all!

I was "lucky" enough to get the really bad heartburn while I was still in the hospital. My doc prescribed me an antacid that I take two times daily. He said most people will have the reflux go away in about four to six weeks. He said a few unfortunates have it the rest of their life, but simply tell him and he can fix it for me if it continues.