Daisee68

@sparksrn There are quite a few out there but I am using Aqualert from the Google Play store on Android

@ - so sorry for the loss of your father. That is a lot to be dealing with in addition to the surgery. I hope everything went well (or as good as could be expected I suppose) at the service today. Re the pain, have you tried heating pad and/or ice pack yet? I lived with both (alternating - mostly the heating pad) on my abdomen for at least the first 10 days. Really seemed to help (or at least it seemed to but given some other stuff I have had in my life, I tend to turn to heat and ice quite a bit.)

I actually weighed more at Day 5 than I did when I went in the hospital - supposedly due to swelling and fluids used in hospital. It will start coming off as long as you are following the plan. Promise!

Yep, I am told no gum as well.

My NUT says no straw too, but I confess I have used one and haven't seen any marked difference in "air" getting in. Just have to take very small sips if you do and don't gulp (that goes for using straw or not! )

Congrats!!

My dr required same. My insurance company (Cigna) initially declined drs request for sleep study but after a conversation with the doctor eventually covered it but only for a home sleep study which they arranged. The equipment came to me, was very easy to use and then I mailed it back the next day. You are going to have to pay your deductible eventually for the surgery I assume, or if you are self-pay, at least for all the other medical tests, so I would definitely go through your insurance company. I had to make SEVERAL phone calls on my own to get it arranged. Have you contacted your insurance company? If not, I would suggest calling them and see what needs to be done next. I actually had to send a link to my drs office to fill out the form, then when it turned out they didn't do home sleep studies, I had to call Cigna back and get that arranged. Kind of a hassle but glad I stayed on it. hope that helps!

So glad it helped! I am told HOPEFULLY acid reflux will eventually go away so we won't need Zantac nor have the mock hunger issues.

Ugh. I absolutely need to join you in this. I had my surgery on a Thursday so I was thinking of weighing in every Thursday morning (of course that was after I weighed this morning ). Based on everyone's experience of a 3 week stall, mine is coming any day and I need to break that habit!

No advice to help the anxiety, but best first post-op advice I had was drinking from a medicine cup. It holds 1 oz and you need to try to drink 1 oz every 15 minutes while you are awake for the first few days to a week. (It gets easier after that.) You cannot (or at least I could not) drink the entire ounce at once, but I would set an alarm on my phone for 5 minutes and then every 5 minutes sip 1/3rd of the medicine cup. Once I started this (even did it with my broths and shakes), it get me rehydrated pretty quickly. Concentrate on the fluids. Good luck! You will be so glad you did this and 24 hours from now on your way to recovery / healthy life!

I had bypass but I certainly wasn't awake for the intubation. I do remember getting the "happy juice" and hearing the dr say "she won't remember the last 30 minutes" as they wheeled me down the hall. I do actually remember not only the last 30 minutes but also the next 5 or so as I went in to operating room, but nothing after that until they woke me up in recovery. I have had about 10 other various surgeries and each time, the last thing I remember is them putting the oxygen mask on my face and telling me to take some deep breaths. The most nerve wracking part of surgery is the moments in between checking in at the hospital and the moment they finally give you the good stuff. If you are VERY anxious, they will sometimes give you a valium beforehand, but that has only happened to me once.

Yep, I have been taking a Zantac which seems to help. When I have had intense hunger (pre surgery), it would take me several days to figure out "Oh yeah, that is my acid reflux rearing it's ugly head".

Thanks @Babbs. I think I was just thinking it was supposed to be something closer to 20 pounds in the first couple of weeks. Even my dr seemed a little disappointed when I had only lost 10 pounds in my first 10 days. Just thought maybe I had done something wrong. I know its a marathon not a race....

Woohoo!! Congrats! This is one of the biggest NSV's I am looking forward to! That and being able to put the airplane seats all the way down without bruising my darn thighs and hips!

I went back to work today - 18 days post op. I am exhausted! It didn't help that I couldn't fall asleep last night until after 2 a.m. so I am operating on only 4 1/2 hours sleep but mostly it is about the new lifestyle. I had the drinking thing downpat by yesterday and today I have hardly drank 1/2 what I should. Could you survive going back earlier, probably, but it will certainly slow you down and you need as much time as you can to dedicate to learning your new eating/drinking lifestyle. As far as being up and about, I was able to move pretty well by Day 6 BUT I took my pain meds pretty regularly.

@@bunnybunny626 - Don't get discouraged. My surgery was June 4 also and I have only lost 14 since that date. It is coming off slowly but surely - though according to most on here looks like we may come up on a stall soon. On that yogurt, you might try to find greek yogurt that has fewer carbs/sugar. I bought Fage 0% and then mixed in a little Torani sugar free Syrup - Caramel was great and so was Raspberry. Great Protein choice but need lower carbs.

Try small amounts of broth also. That helped me.

@@Inner Surfer Girl - a telephone meeting? I like that idea!

Congrats and thank you for sharing! Can't wait to get to that point!

I had this same conversation with my counselor. She was saying se wished that OA had taken off more and worked like AA and NA. I attended a meeting once - years ago and it was uncomfortable too few people and was told there was no one to be my sponsor so I never went back. My dr does strongly encourage bariatric support groups and I haven't committed to that yet. (Gotta be honest - I want to be sure I find one that is helpful and not just a bitch session and "how to get around stuff" conversation like SO many Weight Watchers meetings I have attended so I am sort of hesitant.) I know there is a support group meeting near my home tomorrow. Maybe I will make myself go. Tomorrow is my first day back at work so not sure how tired I will be (see how I am already making excuses?!)

Agree with everything. Fluid and Protein and Vitamins. I am Day 17 and finally getting in more calories. I use Premier Protein ready made shakes. Only 11 ounces and 30 grams of protein and taste pretty good. I also use Doc Hale's Whey-licious which is unflavored and can be mixed in as little as 3 ounces of fluid. I use Propel Fitness Water in berry and mix in a scoop of Whey-licious and get 20 g of protein. It actually is pretty good and quick to get in since it comes out to only 4 ounces or so of fluid which hopefully you should like be able to drink in 30 to 45 minutes now. Set an alarm for 5 minutes and take a sip every time the alarm goes off until you get used to it. it is the only way I am actually getting my fluids in - that annoying alarm beeping at me.n

Mine let up on day 7. honestly I woke up 1 week post-op and could tell before I got out of bed how much better I felt. Like night and day from day before. Make sure you are getting in as much Fluid as you can. Dehydration is very easy to get and will make you feel awful.

Good to know @@GottaBeME*! Thank you for the info! I have a lot that I hope to donate!

Oh Yay! I was wondering the same thing!

Same here. I was just associating it with swallowing too much - either Fluid or food. It happens even with my shakes and began happening even in the hospital with ice. I find if I slow down and take smaller sips and when that happens wait about 10 minutes or so before I put anything else in, it subsides and it doesn't occur the next time.