LisaPunkinHead

Our grocery bill has gone down tremendously since my surgery. I barely spend $250 a month now (it's just my husband and I).

I use the squirt flavors in my Water -- I like that I can use less than a whole "packet" so it's not so sweet. I keep 3 or 4 in my desk at work and another 3 or 4 at home.

I'm a C25K person. I used the podcasts by a guy named Robert Ullrey. He cues you when to run and when to walk, so you don't have to use a timer or anything, and there is music built in. You can get them free from iTunes. I used it when I first started running January 2011 -- and did a half marathon that September. You should be able to do a brisk 30 minute walk before starting the couch to 5K program, though. Also -- go to a running store and get fitted for some GOOD running shoes. Don't buy the cheapies on sale at Big 5. The good shoes will set you back about $150, but they will save your feet !!!

So excited -- I can't remember how long it's been since I got on the scale and the first number was a 1. Except that one time 5 years ago when it was off balance, but I knew it was a mistake. And today I did a 30 minute run! First one since I blew my knee out a year ago (on a run...)! I will be ready for that 10-K in 3 months!!!

1. Push that button in the little gadget they give you. You can push it -- I don't remember how often -- but that's where the pain meds come from! Don't be a hero! 2. Have a pillow in the car for your ride home. You can hug it and the road won't feel as bumpy. I had a 90 minute drive home and wish I had thought to do that. I have driven that road 100s of times, but didn't realize how bumpy it was until I was post-op!!! 3. Your post-surgery course is your course -- some of us vomit, some don't. I had none. Some get up and walk around. I didn't want to. But it's a personal process, so don't compare yourself to others. Same with your weight loss. Do what your bariatric team tells you to do and you will succeed. Good luck!!

I had that same thing 3-4 weeks out, and wound up in ER as well. Turns out in that large incision, there is a stitch that holds the muscle that the doc pulled the stomach out through. I strained that muscle and had a little tear where the stitch was. Rested for a couple days and I was fine. I just overdid it -- I was feeling good so thought I was all healed!

Ballpark food: hot dogs, sausages - even without the bun. Started packing my own food when I go to Giants games.

You look great!

1. I fit in the seats at the ballpark and there is room on either side where my hips used to cram in and hurt. 2. I wrapped the towel around me at the gym on my way to the shower and it stayed on!

@@MissLiss, I LOVE Born shoes. So cute and comfy. And when I was finally down below a size 40 band size, I went straight to VS and bought two new bras. They are almost too big so I will have to get fitted again and will happily spend $100 on two more and so on until I am at goal. They are the best bras and I decided no more WalMart bras -- too many years I bought those ones "while am losing weight" and didn't lose the weight. Now I'm buying pretty ones!

When I was on pureed foods, I used a demitasse spoon (like a baby spoon but a shorter handle) to make sure I didn't get big bites. Now I use small Rubbermaid containers, like others have said. I also use the Laptop lunch bento containers for smaller portions. I am still continually surprised at how little food it takes for me to feel full, and my biggest challenge is slowing down -- I still eat too fast!!!

Those hiccups are pretty uncomfortable too!!

I think she is trying to be funny -- and I don't think she is doing a very good job of it!! It's satire and sarcasm. If you are concerned about the potential for scar tissue, as your surgeon -- don't get it from a not-so-funny blog entry.

I read the runny nose is a result of the vagus nerve being moved when taking the stomach out. Since my surgery I have had a runny nose. But if I start burping I have to stop eating, or I will wind up with the hiccups -- also have that when I eat too fast.

@@Unbesleeveable, me too -- only the right nostril!! I carry a Kleenex around with me wherever I go!

My surgeon and NUT say no caffeine, ever - period. So I went cold turkey about 5 weeks before surgery, and now only drink decaf coffee or tea (among other things, but still no caffeine). My husband never thought I'd be able to do it, but amazingly I don't miss it at all, and I don't know how I quit caffeine without any withdrawal symptoms.

I slept on my back with a wedge pillow and my usual pillow. Too painful to sleep on my side for the first couple of weeks!

I started out with a nasal mask and did great. Switched to nasal pillows and find myself tearing it off at night. Going back to the mask!! Whatever works for you, do it!

Agree with OP who had a pillow to hug. You're going to want that on the drive home. I had about a 90 minute drive and was miserable and wished I had a pillow.

I took my phone and my husband kept it with him. I took a change of undies, did not wear my bra home, and wore the same yoga pants and sweatshirt home that I wore to the hospital. And my slippers. So I didn't really pack a bag -- my clothes were in a bag that they gave me at the hospital when I changed into the gown for surgery. Like Kathy, I slept most of the time and was pretty uncomfortable all around (the bottom sheet kept coming off my bed and I had some sort of weird air bed so I was always sliding around on the mattress) but that nice little button that I pushed kept me in no pain.

Mine lasted over 3 weeks, but I overdid it by doing some closet purging just under 3 weeks out -- all that twisting aggravated the sore muscles and made it much worse. So don't do what I did!!!

The best exercise is the one you will do!! I like Zumba (I use the Wii version) and I also still love the old Tae Bo DVDs. Leslie Sansone has the Walk Away the Pounds series that's fun. I love being outside on nice days too, so walking, biking, and I love running and am slowly building myself back up to be in shape to do that without destroying my knees!! Do you have an indoor pool near you? Water aerobics is a lot of fun!!

I'd skip it because of the sugar content -- 20g of sugar in most of the flavored ones. That said, the plain only has 10g carbs. So that wouldn't be as bad.

@@aubrey222 -- I agree, a lot of the first week or two feels like rehab. I'm a recovering alcoholic (sober 14-1/2 years) and as I was going through the pre-op classes I could see that a lot of what they were teaching felt very similar to the first months of sobriety, and I use a lot of those same tools I learned when first sober now that I am newly sleeved (just under 2 months out). In AA we ask what has to change -- EVERYTHING and nothing. The point is we still have to live our lives. We have to get up, go to work, shower, take care of the family, all that. But now we have to take care of ourselves. This is MY responsibility, just like staying sober was (is). Just like it would be dumb to drink to punish a perceived slight from someone (what we called "drink at them"), it would be dumb to "eat at them" too -- I'm only hurting me. I don't really know where this came from this morning, lolol -- I just took the thread topic and turned it all inside out.

@ -- it must be something about Dr. Khayat's technique, because he removed my sweet tooth too!!! I had S/F chocolate pudding all ready for my full liquid stage, and took one bite and BLEAH.