Bubbletoes

I scheduled my time off with my employer first because of coverage concerns and then had my surgeon fill out my FMLA paperwork a couple of weeks before my surgery. (They charged me $5 to fill it out and fax it and $5 to complete my release for work paperwork! Talk about nickel and diming me to death!) Anyway I had 6 weeks of sick time in my bank but only took 3 weeks. The day I went back I wished I had taken another week off, so I think you have the right idea. It's nice to feel great when you go back to work and feel you have a handle on what you'll be eating.

I haven't tried salad yet, and lots of things for that matter. I made chicken fajitas this weekend and I tried a couple of grilled chicken strips with the grilled onions, peppers, and guacamole. (I am not eating bread, tortillas, pasta, etc yet nor do I want to). The only new things to my food routine were the onions and peppers and my sleeve said no way, Jose! It'll be a while before I try that again!

Definitely "My Fitness Pal". It tracks everything: food diary, nutrition (carbs, protein, sodium, vitamins, etc), water, exercise, weight and more. I have the free app on my iPhone and Kindle Fire and it provides everything I need to get healthy (except blood glucose readings-I have another app for that). They do have a premium app you pay for, but I have everything I need with the free version. I've used it for about 3 years on a 4s and now my iPhone 6 without any problems.

I'm 5 1/2 weeks out and have eaten out with my husband a few times. I know what I can eat and how much so I usually get soup and share a non-fried appetizer. On Friday night we decided to have sushi, one of my favorite foods. I was just cleared to eat anything I could tolerate, so it was a little celebration. I had a small cup of egg drop soup (lots of protein!) and two small pieces of sushi. I was full, satisfied and happy. ????

I had my sleeve and hiatal hernia repair on May 20, 2015. When they first saw what greeted them through the scope, they almost stopped and sent me home, but decided to go ahead with it. The first 3 hours were used to cut through adhesions, scar tissue and remove broken wires left from previous surgeries. The last hour was spent on my hernia repair and sleeve. I had 6 incisions instead of the promised 3, but my pain was only bad when I got up out of bed to walk and during the early morning hours with nausea and dry heaves. I did feel as if I were trampled by a herd of buffalo, but I think it was mostly gas pain which went away in a couple of days. I went home after one night in the hospital and took my pain meds for two more days. I was feeling pretty good by day four. The pain wasn't horrendous, but it was enough to want to stay drug-comfortable those first few days. Just like the pre-op liquid diet, the post-op liquids and beyond, you do get past it all and it doesn't last long in the scheme of things. It was worth it!

I go to the gym 4-5 times a week for 90 minutes of treadmill, nu-step, and recumbent bicycle exercise. I will start weight training next week (6 weeks out). I go to a cardiac rehab gym that has a bariatric program and they keep track of your BP, HR, etc while you exercise. I'll be 65 soon so I appreciate the extra care. It only costs $15 a month so it's a bargain! On the days I don't go, I use an old "walk away the pounds" CD. This has really helped me start moving again. Before surgery just the time it took to stand and take a shower caused excruciating back pain. Since losing 40 lbs (yay!) I have no back pain at all!

I brought a robe but it was useless. I had an IV in my arm until right before I went home and couldn't get my robe on over it. The gowns they supplied covered me more than adequately for my walks. I used my Chapstick, cellphone and charger and body wipes to stay feeling clean and fresh the most. Most important was the pillow I brought for my ride home!

Congrats! Doesn't it feel great to feel "normal" again? Today marks one month post surgery for me and I'm also back to "normal" although I feel like I am more tired at the end of the day than before surgery. (Maybe because I'm doing a lot more moving around and going to the gym everyday!) I am back to work full time and am eating actual food now, or at least incorporating a new food into my diet each day. I still drink one premier Protein drink which helps me get my 75-80 grams of protein in each day. I was on a 9-10 day stall and that was frustrating, but I'm losing weight again (I weigh on Wednesdays and Saturdays only) so I'm glad I just stuck with the program and trudged onward. I've lost 38 lbs and have 88 more to go to get to my goal of 150. It still seems like a mountain to me, but I've changed my mindset and live each day at a time. I have found that by adding a little more food (protein) to my diet, I can spark the slow weight loss just a little bit and it makes me so happy! It's the little things that do it for me now.

I only had one "food funeral" and that was about six weeks before my sleeve. I then followed a four week liquid diet and then a one week clear liquid diet. Anyway, I said goodbye to sushi. My husband ate lots more than I did because he knew we wouldn't be hanging out in sushi bars again for a very long time. ????

You might have to rethink skipping puréed foods. I tried that and my tummy said NO! I revised my plan and stuck to my surgeon's schedule. I was just able to start soft food with tiny chunks and have tolerated everything I've tried so far this week. We're all different so maybe you can pull it off! Good luck to you!

I went back to work after three weeks off and I wish I took a fourth week. (I went back this week). I have a stressful job, but not a physical job. I probably would want a fifth week off if I took four off. ????. Do what you can and rest when you can. So far it's working for me. Luckily my children are grown and gone, and my husband is semi-helpful so my evenings aren't too tiring. I don't think I would do well with toddlers to care for. Best wishes to those who do!

I haven't seen many recent posts from anyone with Type 1 DM. I've had it for 42 years and have been on a runaway insulin train. The insulin helped me to easily gain weight which caused me to have to use more insulin (Lantus and Novolog) and the circle (and me) kept widening. I knew I had to do something soon to be able to keep my weight off. I lost 100 lbs three different times but it crept back on. My health in the past five years has really suffered due to my DM with neuropathy, heart disease (had a stent in 2011), retinopathy and laser surgery to repair eye hemorrhages, and stage 3.5 renal failure. I felt like my days were numbered, so when I researched WLS I felt I had found something that could help me control my weight and blood sugar. I still feel that way. What I'd really like to know is how much the sleeve has helped people with blood glucose control and cutting down the amount of insulin they used. My first two weeks after my sleeve were some kind of honeymoon eutopia because I was able to cut my Lantus from 60 units a day to 5, and my Novolog from 24-30 units a day to nothing. As I'm beginning to go from mushies to real food, I'm finding I am also having to add more insulin even though my carbs stay below 20 a day and my calories are around 500-600 a day. I knew I would not be able to be free of insulin but I'm disappointed that it seems like I'm going back to the large doses I once had to take. It's already harder to lose the weight and I have to watch my blood glucose levels when I exercise as they drop extremely fast in 30-40 minutes. I see my endocrinologist next week, but I'd love some insight from other type 1 people here. I know it'll take me a while to adjust everything, but it's always good to hear from others on the same track. Thanks!

Oh yeah. I told my daughter who fully supports me through this and I told my boss and my work team mates who are all very slim and lovely. They have all been very supportive and kept in touch to check on me during my time off from work. I also told my 2 best friends I've known for 48 years and they have been great! I'm a very lucky person! I don't care who else in the world knows or wants to know. I'm not telling anyone else. ????

I told my parents and siblings who all live far away from me and they are all very supportive. My husband is very supportive, but I chose not to tell my mother in law (age 87 and she is her center of the universe and so very judgmental and negative). My husband finally told her during my first week out after asking over and over why we weren't taking her out to dinner, etc. She got so mad after hearing I had sleeve surgery that she hung up on him and didn't call me for about 10 days. Aaah! Peace and quiet to heal. Anyway, she finally called, apologized and said she wanted to take me out to lunch to make up for it. (LOL). I explained that I was only allowed to eat liquids such as strained soup, etc, but she said she was sure I could eat some Pizza or bagel and lox. Sigh! We went to lunch and it was painful but I found some soup I could eat and that's the last I've heard from her. ????

Yep! I stalled for almost 2 weeks near the end of my 2nd week out. I'm happy to say that my scale is moving down again ever so slightly, but I'll take it! While the scale wouldn't budge, my body has been melting. Since my surgery date (May 20) I've gone from a tight 44DDD to a loose 42DD bra. I've also lost 9 inches from my waist, hips and thighs. I like it! I'm almost 4 weeks out and although I get frustrated at times, I'm pretty happy with the whole process.

I stay on the straight and narrow because I know if I stray, I am giving myself permission to do it again and again. That's how I got in this fix many times over! If you are having a craving, try to suppress it for a period of time. Revisit that thought hours later or the next day and more often or not, the craving will have passed. If you are strong enough to go through surgery, you must be strong enough to wave off what you know is not a good choice! Be strong for yourself! ????

I was also sleeved on May 20 and have been plagued with a 9 day stall. I even gained back two pounds which did not make me happy! This morning I had a pleasant surprise when I stepped on the scale and had lost the two regained pounds and also another pound and a half. I have done nothing different and have eaten by my nutrition booklet and I exercise every day. Today I started back to work so I hope just the stress of dropping back into the rat race took another pound off my belly. ???? I will find out when I weigh again on Sunday!

I returned to the medical gym I started going to before surgery and have been using the treadmill, recumbent bike and the stepper, although that is still a little much for me. They check our vitals before and after exercise and give us guidance along the way. Most of the clients are there for cardiac rehab but many like me just feel safer exercising here since I've had previous heart surgery. The only thing I wish they had was a pool as my surgeon said I can start swimming next week. I'm just happy to get back at it!

Today marks two weeks since my VSG and I feel wonderful! I feel no pain, I feel no hunger and have even forgotten to eat several times which I need to work on. I lose more weight when I get all my protein in. Since surgery I have lost 16 lbs and since starting my preop diet I've lost 34 lbs! My clothes are starting to get baggy, but I'm ready! I've got plenty to keep me nicely clothed until size 12/14. Yep, I've kept clothing because I knew I'd need them again someday. (I kept only the most fashionable, of course!????). Once I go through those 12/14s, I'm going on a clothes shopping spree! The sad news: I have to go back to work next week. I've really enjoyed my time off except the first few days. Oh, and I started on puréed foods yesterday!! That made me HAPPY!

I bought a case of the Premiere chocolate Protein drink about a month at costco before my sleeve and drank a few during my pre-op diet with no problem. Since my sleeve eleven days ago, I've tried it twice and both times it resulted in almost immediate diarrhea which bums me out. The unjury powder and Body Fortress powder I use have given me no problem. I won't give up, but it'll be a while before I try it again. It was so convenient to have on hand.

I am 8 days post op after having my sleeve and hiatal hernia repair. I also had 3 hours of adhesion lysis before they even started that part because my stomach and intestines were all stuck together and to my abdominal walls with scar tissue from previous surgeries. I never do anything the easy way. That being said, I had my follow up appointment today, first with my NUT and then my surgeon. They were both very happy with my progress, although I'm still sore and tender from the first part of my surgery. I started full liquids yesterday and had no problems except I wasn't able to take in the recommended portions or protein, but I'm working on it. I'm up to about 42 oz of water a day and am working on that, too. I have a bunch of crystal light packs that I bought but don't like the sweet taste. It's plain water all the way for me. The best news was I lost 12.1 lbs since the day before surgery and a total of 30 lbs since I began at my first appointment. I feel great and go to the gym to walk on the treadmill which I've done the past three days. I'll get back to the stationary bike and stepper next week. This is the best thing I've ever done for myself and I feel like I'm well on my way to a healthy life. I'm a type I diabetic so I'll never be able to throw away the insulin but I have cut it back by more than 80% of what I took before surgery. Yay me! I'm so glad I didn't let my age (64) stop me from doing this. I feel great!!

I'm 64 and had my VSG and hiatal hernia repair on Wednesday, May 20. I've had extensive abdominal surgery decades ago and my surgeon was anticipating some adhesions. When he got in there he said he never saw anything like it. It took over 3 hours just to lyse and clear most of them before he could start on my hernia repair and sleeve. I had to stay in the hospital an extra day because of severe nausea and vomiting, but I'm home now and doing well. I still have a lot of abdominal pain, especially getting up, but it is getting better and I am dealing with it. I will remain on clear liquids until May 28 when I have my follow-up appointment, and then move to full liquids. I haven't had any hunger pangs yet, and the thought of eating anything makes me nauseous. I stepped on the scale soon after my surgery and had an 11 lb gain due to IV fluids. I'm down 8 and feel I will get rid of the rest today. So far I'm only able to sip water as the flavored waters seem too sweet tasting to me. I tried some chicken broth and jello while in the hospital and could only get a couple of spoons down before I felt full. I'm taking 3 weeks off from work (my surgeon recommended 4 weeks) so I will have time to get past the healing process before I jump back into the rear race. I hope all the sixties have a relatively easy time of it. We are a strong bunch! Stay tuned for updates!

I had my sleeve and hiatal hernia repaired on Wednesday morning (May 20). My first night in the hospital was horrible with constant nausea, cramps and dry heaves. Of course I questioned my sanity on why I did this to myself, but I'm much better now that I'm home. I've only been able to drink water but I've done pretty well with it. The flavored and sweetened drinks made me nauseous, and have only been able to take a couple spoonfuls of broth and jello. I'm not hungry at all and dread the thought of eating anything at all. I'm sure this will pass soon enough! Hang in everyone. We can do this!

I just had my surgery on Wednesday and was in the OR for about 4.5 hours. I had so many adhesions that it took my surgeon over 3 hours to lyse them all. He also removed broken wires left from a surgery done in 1981. Then he proceeded with my hiatal hernia repair and gastric sleeve which took a hour. I came home last evening.