CloserToFine

Hi there -- congrats on being on the other side! You asked: "Do I just have to push past this to get my fluids in?" Short answer: yes. I had the same issue, as have many posters here. It's not easy to navigate, but in a relatively short time things will improve. Each day should get a little easier! Hang in and perhaps try sucking on a popsicle to get in some fluids. That helped me.

I'm wondering if you had a hernia repair at the same time as the sleeve? I did, and also had a very difficult time swallowing. My surgeon said that can happen . . . that inflammation is typically greater with the additional surgery. Have you tried Crystal Light or G2, the lower sugar version of Gatorade? Something with electrolytes might be helpful. {{Hugs}}

Even if Dr. NoBedsideManner believed that to be true, he should never say that to a patient who's undergone the surgery. There's simply no excuse for it. He sounds like a person who's pleased with himself and likes to pontificate. What an irritating blight on the medical profession!!! Keep your head up high!!

This is awesome. I can't afford to contribute now but wanted to say congrats and best of luck with your fabulous book!

Someone posted this yesterday, and it makes sense: http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.php

KittyChick -- First of all, congrats on being your best self! You sound like an awesome, authentic person and anyone would be lucky to be your friend! :-) That said, I recognize with sadness the reaction of your former BFF. It's hard to lose people that you've depended on and cared about. Since I've just begun my WLS journey, I haven't lost anyone due to weight issues (yet!!) In the past, however, I've made massive changes in my life (including divorce and quitting a very stable job to pursue a career in a new field) and "lost" several friends and acquaintances for those reasons. Almost always, the person's reaction had nothing to do with me; I simply acted as a trigger for some difficult emotions that they didn't want to examine. Instead of wishing me well on my individual journey, they tried to tear me down verbally. Instead of taking it personally, though, I learned to see it as a sign of where THEY were on their individual path. It's hard having to be the (emotionally) "bigger" person. But once I realized that my life changes were functioning as a mirror for them to look into and assess themselves, I could accept that their unkindness toward me was misdirected. It was their issue, their problem, that only they could resolve. Billy Joel has a great lyric that I keep coming back to on these sad occasions: "So many faces in and out of my life/ Some will last/ Some will just be now and then/ Life is a series of hellos and goodbyes/ I'm afraid it's time for goodbye again." Hang in there. xoxo

Laying down to sleep at night and not feeling like I'm being strangled!!

I haven't been in your shoes precisely, but here's my 2 cents. Given that tomorrow's your final appointment with the internist, I'm assuming some ambivalence/fear/excitement combination conspired to push you off the wagon. To which I say: "sounds normal to me." I mean, this is a big deal life change we're talking about. And of course you really want it! But it can still seem overwhelming and not-doable. So maybe, just maybe, you binged because you wanted to test yourself. One response in this situation is to hate yourself, get down on yourself, worry, assume you're not worthy, etc. etc. Another response in this situation is to say, "wow, that was interesting. What have I learned from this?" You have learned from this. Repeat it like a mantra. Literally write down what you've learned from this, and discuss it with your internist if need be. One way we sabotage ourselves is to sabotage our diets and then (far worse, from my perspective) is to hate ourselves for it. That effectively immobilizes us, convincing us we're unworthy. So which is worse: bingeing, learning something from it, and moving forward -- or bingeing, hating yourself, immobilizing yourself, tearing yourself down? I'd take a lesson from your own wise username and "choose hope." xoxo

Congratulations!!!!

This blog is golden! You can rely on Shelly's Ricotta Bake: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/08/pureed-foods.html

PS -- 1 serving is 37 mini crackers!

I've been having a few Trader Joe's Original Savory Thin Mini Crackers alongside my tuna salad or guacamole. They're light, thin and small. Really pretty good with a satisfying crunch! http://www.fooducate.com/app#page=product&id=4A27F150-169F-11E0-BF92-FEFD45A4D471

Headaches are normal during the pre-op liquid diet, sorry to say. I felt horrible during the first few days. I got irritable and felt sorry for myself. I hung in there because I was afraid of surgical complications. And I'll never forget that the surgeon and physician's assistant talked to me after surgery and said: "Your liver looked awesome! It's in great shape!! Good job on the pre-op diet!"

Nothing, @msredd. That's exactly how I feel too. I just don't lie down when I feel full -- my nutritionist told me not to lay down for at least 30 minutes after eating or drinking. It's part of the process, I think. It'll get better. This morning I couldn't even eat 1/3 of 1 scrambled egg before needing to stop!!

@@amsaf, welcome to the club! And part of that club is "WTF am I feeling???" You're only 5 days out. At that point (just over 10 days ago for me), I was struggling even with Clear liquids. Pain is common, or at least "weirdness" with every sip. Burping is common. Gas is common. Feeling tired and wondering if this will ever get better is common. If we looked on the bright side, we'd see each day as a new gastrointestinal adventure. Barring that, I think we've just got to accept that we're going through a process with lots of bewildering stages. We've got to take it one day, one meal, one minute at a time. If I didn't have that attitude, I'd be pretty depressed. And why add insult to injury? It does get better. I'm figuring more stuff out every day. I can actually drink pretty normally now. Hang in there. You're going to be fine!!

@@kimpossible67, I agree with BizzyB. Grief is a whole-body experience -- not just your heart, not just your head, but every part of you is in pain. Trust me; I know. Think about putting together a team of folks that can assist right now. We're one part of that team. Your surgeon/nutritionist is another. A therapist might be another. Grief support groups might be another. Friends are another. And so on. By writing this post, you are asking for help. You want someone to notice your pain. And we do!! Now, we are saying: please put the team together. Make those phone calls tonight -- or tomorrow (Fri) at the latest. Do it before the holiday weekend. xoxoxo

First of all, @@eisorp, please let go of the shame. It weighs more than any food or any excess pounds we carry. I'm only 2 weeks post-op, but I'm still trying to figure out how to eat. I'm still figuring out what "full" means. Half the time, I don't know whether I can eat more or not. You're only three weeks out, and you're still learning your new stomach. It's all okay. You will figure it out eventually. Don't stress more than necessary. Happy adoption!!!!

Hi Chelle -- I think you've called it exactly. It's most likely swelling that's very vocally telling you "whoa, take it easy!!" I know it's hard. Today, two weeks out, I'm just dipping my toe in the blended/puree pool. I feel like I'll never eat "normally" again, or enjoy food again, but I also know I'm wrong The good news is that you are really attuned to your body. Kudos to you for recognizing the signs and following your "gut."

UGH ... I'm so sorry ... that's annoying in the extreme! Today I'm 2 weeks out -- and just stepping into the puree/blended phase. I was in three grocery stores today and felt overwhelmed by all the things I couldn't eat/buy. It's hard to live in a "food normative" world. Those of us who are different for whatever reason (WLS, gluten free, vegan) are made to feel like outcasts. Thank goodness we can come to a safe space online and vent. By the way: what did the manager say when you mentioned that you've never been so disappointed? Just curious. I wish you'd gotten some satisfaction from her...

Congrats, @@lisaluvsgreys, and welcome to the other side!! Your body's been through a lot; take it easy on yourself. LOL, @, Day 2 was the worst for me! Everything (slowly) got better after that. I'm 2 weeks out today, and I'm actually starting to feel like myself. Thank goodness!

I battled nausea too, and while the Zofran helped, the thing that really worked for me was the SCOPOLAMINE transdermal patch. I can't fully explain its effectiveness except to say: when I was wearing that patch behind my ear, I felt steady and had no worries that I would vomit!! It was incredible. It's a motion sickness drug; each patch lasts 3 days. Here is some info: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682509.html My surgeon said that it was only the second time he's prescribed scopolamine, and his other patient loved it too. He's going to start prescribing it regularly now. Best wishes to you!!

@@Alkalinetrio262, my heart goes out to you!! I don't have a similar experience to share, but given that you are worried (and surely exhausted from everything you've been through), I wanted to ask whether there are other bariatric docs in your area that you might be able to consult for a second opinion. Just thought it might give you some peace of mind to have another set of professional eyes look at the issue. Keep hanging in there -- you're your own best health advocate.

Welcome, @@RobiDobi! This is a great family of people . . . glad you've joined us! Whether you've got big questions, small questions, whether you need a supportive {{virtual hug}} or a big laugh, you can find what you're looking for on this forum. You'll do great!!

You're not alone -- we may be invisible, but we're here for you!! Congrats on this momentous day. Best wishes!!

I was sleeved 6/18, so I'm not even 2 weeks out yet, but I totally agree. This is NOT head hunger. This is a yawning cavernous void in my stomach, and it's uncomfortable. One thing I've noticed: it's worse immediately after "eating" something (I'm still on the all liquid diet because of hernia repair) that challenges me. In other words, it's worse if I'm pushing the diet progression (for example, if I've had a thicker Fluid, something closer to puree than thin liquid. If I stick with thin liquid, it's not as bad).