I had my RNY on Friday. Guess o wasn’t prepared for the gas pain. It was sooo bad. I’ve been told that my heart beat is slow. They checked it several times and couldn’t see anything wrong. I’m about to go home and I can’t wait to get in my bed. Thanks guys for checking on me. I really appreciate it!
I am a die-hard stomach sleeper, and never sleep on my back or side. I know that it will probably be impossible to stomach sleep for a while after surgery, but I'm just wondering what others' experience has been? I bought a wedge pillow to try and making sleeping on my back a bit more comfortable than laying totally flat. But, I'm really hopeful that I won't need it for long, and I will be able to return to my favorite sleep position asap. This is actually one of the things I'm most worried about regarding my upcoming surgery. Thank you for any input!
Good luck to all of you approaching your surgery in August. I was sleeved on August 8th 2017. If I can offer any help and support please let me know. I have lost 104 pounds so far and feel great, there have been tough times through the year but it all works out. Everyone is different so what works for one person might not work for you but remember there is lots of support and advice on offer. Just don’t sweat the small stuff.
Oh man, Cheez-its are dangerous for me too...one of my favorite binge foods, along with ice cream. I just have no Portion Control at all with those items.
I have seen some recipes for low carb Cheez-its, but I’m sure I would still eat way too many of them.
This is off the topic of caffeine, but I wanted to offer a suggestion for your RLS. My husband suffers from this, and we heard about a simple trick that has worked wonders for him. Place a bar of unwrapped deodorant soap (don't use Dove or Ivory...it needs to be more scented) underneath the fitted sheet on your bed, right near his legs. Something about the deodorant in the soap really helps calm the legs at night. I heard about this from a friend, and of course I had to Google it to make sure she wasn't joking. She wasn't...there are all kinds of people who swear by this. My husband now swears by it, and even brings a bar of soap with us when we travel...he can't sleep without it now. It's the weirdest thing, but it seems to help.
@Ravi... Ha! I just posted almost the same thing you did...I'm about to chicken out too. But, I think it's better to be hesitant and truly sure about wanting surgery, than rushing into it hoping for a quick fix. I know a lot of people who did the latter and have failed miserably after surgery. They were not prepared for the changes, and fell back into old habits. It's a lifetime commitment if you want long term success, so we need to be fully prepared for a different life. It's certainly not the "easy way out" that people seem to think it is...it's a lot of hard of hard work and sacrifice. I have nothing but respect for people who have chosen this path!
I feel the same way you do. I've lost over 100 pounds three times, but have always gained it back in the long run. I'm beating myself up over wanting surgery, because part of me feels like I should be able to succeed on my own.
My surgeon told me that we are the best kind of WLS candidates, because our bodies have demonstrated the ability to lose weight. He said that the WLS gives us the long term success that we've failed to have so far. If you lose weight by dieting, there is only a 5% chance that you'll keep it off...with surgery it is greater than a 50% chance. Yes, you can regain eventually, but the hope is that you will pick up much better eating habits while the restriction is at its best. Unfortunately, there is no fool-proof method...it will always take some work on our part. The surgery is just a very powerful tool to help you succeed.
What you are feeling is absolutely normal. I would be more worried if you weren't somewhat nervous. This is a huge life change you are undertaking. The process isn't always easy. Surgery isn't a miracle cure for obesity. But, if you commit to do what you need to do, it is a very effective tool. You are among friends here. We all understand the challenges. Come here for support and keep up the good work! You can do this!
I have had a battle all my life. However, it got worse after my 20's. I am 40 now and I still struggle with my weight. How it makes me feel and all the health issues that come along with it. I am so tired of living this way and I finally made the decision to go for the sleeve surgery in June. I am in the pre-surgery stage and I am finally reaching my last 6th nutrionist appt and already did my psych eval. This means my next step is to wait for the approval, pre-ops and then schedule the surgery. I am assuming it will be in late January 2015.
Since it is getting closer, I admit I am getting cold feet. I am scared of hospitals, surgeries, and scared that I will go through all of this and fail once again. I failed all my life at dieting. I am an emotional eater and I know that is a challenge in itself.
I ask myself am I going to survive this post op? Am I going to know how to eat properly? Am I going to find myself wondering, what is okay and not okay to eat. Will I mislead myself? So much on my mind.
I have come a long way and have already invested time and money into this and I cannot back down. If I do, then I am back to square one. Looking at my scale everyday staring at the failure I am. The surgery gives me hope, but am scared.
I welcome any feedback you may have or views.
I feel the same way you do. I've lost over 100 pounds three times, but have always gained it back in the long run. I'm beating myself up over wanting surgery, because part of me feels like I should be able to succeed on my own.
My surgeon told me that we are the best kind of WLS candidates, because our bodies have demonstrated the ability to lose weight. He said that the WLS gives us the long term success that we've failed to have so far. If you lose weight by dieting, there is only a 5% chance that you'll keep it off...with surgery it is greater than a 50% chance. Yes, you can regain eventually, but the hope is that you will pick up much better eating habits while the restriction is at its best. Unfortunately, there is no fool-proof method...it will always take some work on our part. The surgery is just a very powerful tool to help you succeed.
Well, this past Wednesday as planned, I had my surgery. Gastric sleeve.
OH MY GOD I WAS MISERABLE!!!
We read all these stories about success and how wonderful everything is after the surgery. I never thought about how miserable I would be waking up after surgery. You can't move, you can't drink, can't stretch, nothing. But, as the days go by, things get a little easier. I have a long way to go but I'm recovering nicely. I'm 4 days post op and I'm able to move around on my own for the most part as long as it doesn't involve bending over. I'm down 15 lbs since starting my Preop diet 5 days before surgery. It's funny because I keep thinking this recovery would be so much easier if I were skinny. Oh the irony.
Rgggdfi have been feeling guilty for considering surgery because I've lost weight a few times with weight watchers but always regained. I can eat a good amount on that plan & whatever I want. So why can't I stick to it if it's so great? I have a few reasons or excuses so I'm feeling bad about my lack of control & even if I'm losing weight if someone wants pizza & ice cream even if i have no points legt ill eat it. Then ill feel like I screwed up so bad I taje the rest of the week off to continue to eat unhealthy thn do it all over again the next week. Is this surgery going to help me have more control?
DISCLAIMER: This FAQ is in no way intended to replace or undermine the advice of your physician. Every person is different, every surgeon has different guidelines, and no two situations are identical. Therefore if any of the answers below are unclear or contradict your physicians’ instructions, always follow your physicians’ instructions. The responses given are a compilation from multiple sources and references.
How do I embed the weight loss ticker? There are many ticker generators you can use, but the majority of us use TickerFactory.com or MyFitnessPal.com – Once you create your ticker, embed the code into your signature via your “Settings”
*Adding* liquid stage? During your clear liquid stage you can have anything that you can sip through a straw that is translucent, meaning see through. For instance: Water, juice, broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free Jello, Isopure Protein Drinks, Gatorade, Powerade, decaf tea just to name a few. Once you move on to full liquids you may add liquids that are not translucent. For instance: creamed Soups, soups with the chunks strained out, milk, Protein shakes etc… NOTHING CAFFEINATED
When can I have coffee/soda/tea? Decaf coffee is typically OK about 30days post-op. Decaf tea is OK starting with your clear liquid diet. Soda is typically never OK, with the reasons varying from the carbonation causing painful gas to the carbonation stretching your sleeve. Regardless of the reasoning, it's generally a good idea to avoid sodas entirely, or to consume them in extreme moderation.
When do I start mushies/purees? Every surgeon has different guidelines for the progression of your post-op diet. The majority of post-op diets progress as follows:
Day 1-7 Clear Liquids
Day 8-14 Full liquids
Day 15-21 Purees
Day 22-50 Mushies
What’s the difference between mushies and purees? The major difference is that purees are anything that has been blenderized/pureed to a baby food consistency and has no chunks. These should not be watery, but instead a thicker pudding like consistency. Mushies are soft foods that have not been pureed.< /p>
I'm on liquids/purees and I feel no restriction, should I be concerned that my surgery didn't work? Nope! You'll feel your restriction as you start to take in denser foods. In reality, you never want to experience that over stuffed feeling again because that means you've over stuffed your sleeve. There's much debate over whether or not you can stretch your stomach by over stuffing your sleeve, I for one am not trying to prove or disprove the theory. Best to play it safe - when you start to feel full, stop eating.
Should I be counting calories or carbs or both? Both. Again, every surgeon is different, but the majority of sleevers will be on a 600-1000 calorie/day diet with carbs kept at 60-80g or less. The general guideline is this: When eating, protein is always first, veggies are second, and if you have room carbs/starch last. The majority will rarely have room for the carbs.
How much protein should I be getting per day? The recommended protein intake may vary from 55 to 100g per day, depending on your individual needs and the bariatric diet provided by your surgeon or dietitian. The generally accepted minimum protein requirement for women is about 50 to 60g per day and men need at least 60 to 70g of protein per day.
How much liquid do i need for the day? About 60-80oz
When can I eat salad? Once you reach the point where you’re on normal solids you can try salad. Start with a small amount and see how your sleeve tolerates it as it can be difficult to digest.
Best Protein Shakes? This one depends on your particular tastes, however most seem to enjoy powders? utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury.
What else counts as a liquid? Anything that can be sipped through a straw or that will reduce back to a liquid. For example: Jello, sugar free popsicles, frozen yogurt/ice cream (these are generally no no foods)
Why can't I tolerate plain water, is this normal? It’s called water nausea and it is completely normal. This is very common during the first few weeks following surgery and should eventually subside.
What is sliming/slimes? Sliming or slimes occur when you eat or drink something and then regurgitate a slimy, foamy, saliva like substance, usually when belching.
What is grazing? Grazing is when instead of consuming your standard 3 small meals and 2 small Snacks per day, you simply munch all day grabbing a handful here or a bite there. The rule is that your meals should take you 20-30 minutes to eat and should be about 3 hours apart with only fluids in between.
What do all these acronyms mean?
In no particular order:
WLS – Weight Loss Surgery
NSV – Non scale Victory (ie: smaller clothes, compliments, climbing a flight of stairs etc…)
NUT – Nutritionist
PCP – Primary Care Physician
VSG – Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
TOM – Time of the Month
SF – Sugar Free
WFL/WFD – What’s for Lunch/Dinner
How much did you lose at 1 month etc.? How much can I expect to lose in what time frame? Everyone’s body is different and so is everyone’s journey. There is no set amount you should expect lose in a set amount of time, and you should never compare your journey or your progress to someone elses. As long as you’re sticking with the program and following your surgeons guidelines, the weight will come off.
What is a stall? How long does it last and how do I break it? A stall is a point at which the scale stops moving for a period of time. The length of the stall varies from a few days to a few weeks and sometimes a few months. Non VSG’ers typically call it a plateau. Stalls are perfectly normal and to be expected. As we lose weight so dramatically, our bodies need time to catch up physically - this typically happens during a stall. While the scale may not be moving, you may notice an increase in compliments. This is because while the number on the scale isn’t getting any smaller, you are physically getting smaller. There are many tips and tricks for breaking a stall (increase your fluids and protein, increase your activity, up your calories…) but the reality is it will break on its own.
When can I have sex? When you’re ready. Keep it simple for the first few weeks post-op and don’t attempt any tricky positions. Be careful until you’ve been cleared by your surgeon for strenuous activity.
When can I start exercising? Typically right away, though the types of exercises you can do will be limited. Most surgeons restrict weight training/resistance training for about 3-4 weeks after surgery, but you should be walking/speed walking at least 30-45min daily starting from the day you get home.
What do I do with flabby skin? What's the best exercise etc.? The severity of the flab will vary based on many different factors. While there’s no way to tell how bad it will be or whether it will even be bad, there are a couple of proactive measures you can take. Make sure you’re using a moisturizing lotion with Vitamin E and Keratin several times daily. The vitamin E will help add elasticity back to your skin and the keratin will add moisture, both of which may help your skin bounce back as the weight falls off. The best exercises to target your problem areas are resistance and strength training in order to tone and build muscle to replace the fat. Lastly, be patient. Just as your weight stalls while your waist catches up to it, your skin will sag until it gets the signal to shrink. While it probably won’t ever be as tight as you’d like, it will shrink.
Will I lose hair? How much? What causes it? When does it return? Do Vitamins help? The truth is, yes, you probably will lose hair. Because of the drastic changes going on that are caused by the extreme reduction in protein and vitamins coming in as well as the hormonal fluctuations caused by the rapid weight loss, it takes our bodies a while to adjust. Don’t worry, as our hormones level out and our bodies get used to the new us, it will come back. There is no set time frame for it to do so however.
I’m constipated - what is it okay to take, especially in the beginning when newly sleeved? Will it get better? Worse? In the beginning a simple stool softener like Colace should do the trick. You don’t want to take a laxative or anything that may irritate your new sleeve. While you’re in the liquid/puree stage, Constipation shouldn’t be an issue, but as you reintroduce solids you may have to go back to your stool softeners. If you do find that stool softners are only offering temporary relief, try increasing your fluids and Fiber and decreasing your cheeses.
I’m having very loose bowel movements, is this normal? Totally. You do need to monitor stools of this consistency to ensure they contain no blood, but very loose stools, even watery stools, are completely normal for a few weeks post-op. When in doubt – ask your surgeon.
Will I feel fatigue? Will fatigue go away? Yes and yes. Your body has just undergone major surgery and it needs to heal. While it’s healing you will feel more fatigued than normal. Subsequent to having such a large portion of your stomach removed is the fact that you can no longer take in as much food (read: fuel) and therefore your body has to adjust and find a new fuel source. Your body will eventually begin to burn fat for fuel and some of the fatigue will subside. Your surgeon should also prescribe a B12 supplement which will also help with energy.
When can I go back to work? How much time should I take off? That will be entirely up to your surgeon. Most return to work within 2-3 weeks.
How many days in the hospital? Your hospital stay will depend on your recovery. When you are able to keep down liquids, are up and about and walking as directed, and your surgeon and nursing staff are confident there are no complications, you’ll be released. Your surgeon should be able to give you an expectation of the length of your stay.
Do the staples dissolve? No. The staples used to close the stomach are titanium and do not dissolve. The stomach tissue will eventually grow over the staple line. Your staples do not make metal detectors go off or make you ineligible for an MRI. They are completely benign.
Why am I always hungry? The most likely culprit is either head hunger or reflux/heartburn. Head hunger is a false sense of hunger triggered by boredom/emotions/the clock or any number of things which make you think you’re hungry when you’re really not. Heartburn is the most common culprit of constant hunger. Even though you may not feel as though you have heartburn, you may find that a simple antacid will eliminate that constant hungry feeling.
What is dumping syndrome? Dumping syndrome is what happens when the contents of your stomach are rapidly dumped into your small intestine. It is characterized by cramps, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Most people that complain of dumping syndrome associate the attacks with eating a certain type of food IE sweets, carbs etc.. It generally resolves on it's own once the offending food has left the system.
What is a stricture? A stricture is what happens when scar tissue builds up in your esophagus (sometimes caused by reflux) that causes your esophagus to narrow and makes swallowing difficult.
What is a leak and what are the symptoms? A leak is an opening along the suture line of your sleeve that allows bile and other digestive fluids to leak into your abdominal cavity. The symptoms of a leak vary but the most common symptoms are pain radiating across the abdomen, fever, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. It is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Can you get a leak any time after surgery? Or is it just immediate? Most leaks happen very soon after surgery, but there is still a risk for about 4-6 weeks after. Again, it is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Some of my incisions are oozing - is this normal? If they’re oozing a green or yellowish Fluid, absolutely not. Green and yellow are the colors of infection and should be reported to your surgeon immediately. If your incisions are oozing a pinkish or clear watery fluid it’s your body’s way of keeping your incisions clean and isn’t usually a concern. When in doubt, ask your surgeon.
I see a lot of people posting about drains - I don't have any. Should I be concerned? Drains are tubes that are temporarily placed in the abdomen that allow fluids to drain from your abdominal cavity in order to prevent infection. Not every surgeon uses them so if you don't have any, don't worry. It likely means your surgeon saw no need to place them. That being said, it doesn't mean you're immune to infection so you should still be on the lookout for fever or any areas that a red, warm to the touch, painful, swollen, or oozing any green or yellow fluids.
I have low-carbed in the past and always lost a lot of weight...the last time I lost 140 pounds! I just have a hard time doing it for the long haul (for life), because that is the only way to keep the weight off. I keep thinking that if I have to eat low-carb after surgery, if I can just get my mind switched over to low-carb now, I could just avoid the surgery all together. I know I'm just kidding myself, because if I were that strong, I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.
Is anyone else scared about the restrictions after surgery? No more gulping liquids, just small sips. No drinking while (or around) eating. Taking tiny bites that you have to chew 20-30 times. Etc. I know these are all pretty minor things, but when you combine everything, it's somewhat overwhelming. So many changes...forever.
I don't know anyone personally who has been sleeved, but I know several who have had gastric bypass...and every single one of them lost a ton of weight at first, but they've all gained their weight back. I'm worried I won't be any different.
I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, I'm just having all of these thoughts. I'm lucky enough to have insurance that will cover the surgery at 100 percent if I'm approved, so I don't want to miss this wonderful opportunity. I know this surgery could greatly improve and extend my life, but I'm still so conflicted.
I do plan on attending the support group this month at the hospital, and I'm sure I will get some wonderful feedback there. I really appreciate this site, because it is so helpful to hear everyone's experiences. This is the place where you can hear all of the stuff the books don't tell you. Thank you all for sharing!!
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