Thinthoughts

I guess that does sound a little confusing, huh? <br><br> I think it's head hunger vs. stomach hunger, and also that I miss chewing. Like, he made turkey burgers on Friday night, and they smelled so good that I really really wanted a bite. I'm still on liquids and purees, so I didn't have one, but I wouldn't even have thought that I wanted a bite of burger if I hadn't smelled them. But before I had the surgery, I would have probably wolfed down a burger without thinking about it, and then considered a second one. I don't feel that kind of compulsion anymore, to overeat. And my stomach doesn't give me hunger signals anymore. I'm still trying to figure out how they work now. <br><br> I don't know if that explains it any better. It's a weird combination of feelings!

That is weird. But also a Godsend. Head hunger will be so hard to overcome. I'm on my two week presurgery diet right now. My first day of the second week and my kids are eating hamburgers tonight. I can't even be on the same floor of the house. After the two week diet, does it feel like a relief to do the puréed and cream liquids or is it torture. Right now I can have 4 Premier Protein shakes a day and a 230 calorie lean cuisine for dinner or 3 shakes a day with a 380 cal lean cuisine. It's soooo hard but at least it can eat one meal a day. I'm starving but at least I get to chew once a day.

<p>I am 4 months out now. For the first month I thought it was the stupidest thing I had EVER done. I regretted it, and even begged my husband to put me out of my misery. A month and 2 days after surgery I began hurting really bad in my left shoulder, to the point I could not move. I went to the ER and it ended up I had a tear in my stomach. They did emergency surgery within 1 hour of my arrival to the ER. If you would have asked me during the first 2 months after surgery, I would have said...DO NOT DO IT. YOU WILL REGRET IT. lol...Today, I say, GO FOR IT. The results I have thus far make it all worth it. I would not change a thing. I would go through it all again just to be where I am now.</p> <p> </p> <p>Good luck to you!</p>

Wow! After going through all that you'd still do it again?! Do you feel ok with what you're able to eat now? The amount, variety, textures. My surgeon says I should never eat rice, bread, Pasta, or potatoes ever again and that is a hard pill to swallow.

<p>I had read on here about shoulder gas being caused by the residual CO2 rising up to the shoulder area. I asked my surgeon at my final pre-op visit how he manages the shoulder gas, and he said he will extract as much as possible. I was so glad I asked, because I did not have that problem at all. Your doctor may look at you with the side eye, but it's worth asking. <br> <br> I agree with the recliner suggestion. Because of spinal issues, I have one of those lifting recliners...oh so handy. The only postop pain I had was from the largest incision, and using the recliner helped to reduce opportunities to pull on it.<br> <br> Since I am retired, I did not have to worry about going back to work or having toddlers around the house. But I will tell you that for the first couple of weeks, I did tire very easily. I would be puttering along and then suddenly hit the wall.<br> <br> I was on full liquids the first week home, and then on purees the second week. I tried baby food, but it was easier and cheaper to just put a meal in the blender with some broth and make my own. The third week I was able to move on to soft foods, and by the end of the fourth week I was allowed to have solid food. </p> <p> </p> <p>So yeah, take a week minimum, but I would recommend two, just to get your bearings and see how your recovery is going to go. For sure, Water is just weird post-op. It needs to be infused with Crystal Lite, or Gatorade or Vitamin Water or something. Good luck with your surgery. let us know how it goes.</p> [Hi! Thanks for responding. That is strange about the water. You're not the first to say that. I love water right now but I'll definitely keep some crystal light on hand. Great tip!

Again, everyone is different.....but for me recovery was no problem. I had never had ANY kind of surgery. None! So, I was expecting the worse. I had my VGS about 9 am on a Monday morning and used the pain pump the last time about midnight that night. I left the hospital on Wednesday afternoon about 2pm and went to Academy Sports and walked around for about 45 mins Christmas shopping! I came home and did a Load of laundry and then rested. I was off all week and part of the next week (because it was the Christmas holiday) but I could have definitely gone back to work that Monday. I have a desk job so that makes a difference I'm sure. Overall, very uneventful and no issues at all. I'm almost 8 months out and down 90 pounds!

Hi! And congratulations! I hope you have a smooth surgery, and a quick and easy recovery. <br><br> I felt pretty sore and I tired easily for the first week, until I was allowed full liquids. Running on just sugar for that week did not agree with me at all! But after that, once I could start getting Protein again, I felt much better. I had my surgery on a Tuesday, and was back at work the following Monday. (I have a desk job.) That was earlier this week. Now (Friday), I feel almost normal. My incisions are still a bit sore, and I'm still ready for bed at like 9:00, but it's not bad. My husband has done most of the cooking this week, though, I don't really want to be around food I can't eat. But I don't get hungry at all.

Hi Tamlyn, thank you so much for giving me your feedback. Would you tell me a little more about something you said. What do you mean by not wanting to be around food you can't eat when your husbands cooking but that you're not hungry at all? Are you referring to the habit and craving to eat the foods he's cooking? How has the surgery effected your cravings vs. your appetite?

Hi All!

I'm new to all this and have my surgery in a week and a half (Aug 19th). I have been reading all your posts and you are all so brave and truly inspiring! I applaud you all! Bravo! I have heard many conflicting accounts of what post op will look like that first week. Mostly people are using words like "hard, difficult, etc." I'm just taking one week off work and I'd like to know everyone's personal accounts of how their first week or two went so I know what I'm in for. Please be as specific as possible. Were you tired, weak, in pain, do you have children to care for and what is your profession, how soon did you go back and what was it like, etc, etc. I'm on the two week pre surgery diet and as this gets more and more real I'm getting more and more nervous.