Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

SwampBillies

Gastric Sleeve Patients
  • Content Count

    130
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by SwampBillies


  1. Hi @@tiffanyt I have not even met with my surgeon yet. But I wanted to ask, if you don't mind, you said you went from band to sleeve. Why? My family is suggesting band, but I think I may be better suited for sleeve. Was you not getting the results you needed? Or a complication?... And OMG! 100 lbs is amazing!!!! Keep up the great work. I'm sure the scale will catch up soon. Wish I had advice for you

    Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

    My family convinced me that a band would be better because it was less invasive and "reversible". At the time I seriously looked at the sleeve then finally went for the band in 2014. I just revised to the sleeve July 22nd. Wish I had just done the sleeve from the beginning! So much better! Don't make your decision based on someone else's opinion. Do what you feel is best for you.


  2. My surgery was July 5 and I just passed the 30 pound weight loss Mark. Working towards 35. Now that I can eat regular food, I am feeling the restriction again. Not complaining, just mains sure I get my Protein and Water in.

    I had lettuce and tomatoes with steak...that I chewed really well. It was so fantastic. I have been craving salad! Everything settled great!

    I'm just starting soft foods at week three. My kingdom for a salad!!


  3. I'm only 3 weeks out and I feel great! I know everyone's experience is so different and you never know where you will fall on that scale. I had read both extreme's before surgery and because I'm in my mid 50's I was worried I would not bounce back as quick as some of the younger ones. But I have been blessed. The worst pain was the headaches in the hospital that first night after surgery. I assume it was from the anesthesia or caffeine withdrawal, or both! I never even took any of the morphine they offered because I was afraid it would make me nauseous and I had not had any nausea. I still haven't. Not once. I am just starting soft foods and I've not had any trouble tolerating any thing I've tried. I've eaten Beans and shrimp and stewed tomatoes. I've always drank a ton of tea and coffee and I continue to do so. I drink 24 oz of coffee in the morning then switch to earl grey tea for the rest of the day. Most days I will have another 12 oz cup of coffee after dinner also. No it's not Decaf. No it doesn't keep me up at night and no it doesn't bother my stomach. I take no PPI. Like I said, I've been truly blessed. I had a lapband put in 2.5 years ago and went from 233 to 183, then slowly started gaining it back as the band was either too loose or too tight. My doctor recommended revision to sleeve which he did all in one surgery. This is usually a little more in depth and so he did leave me with a drain for a week after surgery. The drain caused some discomfort when I walked. I wasn't sure what it was until he removed it. It wasn't painful, just kind of a weird tugging feeling. Kinda worrisome until I knew what it was! But the drain and the pain are all gone. I don't have the sluggishness described by others after the first week or so. I've been meeting all my Fluid and Protein goals from about day 3. Will this be your experience? I have no idea. But I do think it's true that most of the posts on the forum are people looking for answers to questions or people having problems. The rest of the people having no problems and no current questions are off living and enjoying their new lives. For me, I think this was the right move. I hope you are as happy with whatever your decision, as I am with mine.


  4. Oh OK....I thought they would have a sugar free flavored Syrup to put on it since they have so many other flavors.....Who is doing their menu planning anyway!? LOL....I will try it and maybe just get some sugar free something on my own to put on it...Thanks for the tip!

    So Sorry SwampBillies it's just a Restaurant called Sonic and their ice is tiny almost the size of hospital ice but even smaller so I buy it by the bag and just eat it with a spoon as well as let it melt some so it's not so much on my teeth

    Sent from my LG-H950 using the BariatricPal App


  5. What is Sonic Ice? I actually went other day thinking I could get something icey and cold to eat with a spoon.....They had nothing! He told me the only sugar free things they had were carbonated. I was disappointed. Maybe if I knew what to ask for?

    You have just made my morning I really needed this to help me along I had so much chicken broth my first week I vowed to never look at it again but it makes sense to use it as a duel purpose. I will also sip more Water and diluted fruit juices I Love Sonic Ice so that part should be easy enough. When was you procedure? How is your progress going?

    Sent from my LG-H950 using the BariatricPal App


  6. I'm 8 days post op and I understand your nervousness. I was nervous. I think most of us were. It's a major change and a major operation. But I guess I was one of the lucky ones who really has had very little pain associated with this procedure. Discomfort yes. But nothing that a couple of Advil hasn't handled after the first 3 days. I haven't even taken the liquid Tylenol with Codeine since day 3. I had my surgery on a Friday and went back to work on Tuesday. And I had a lapband removed at the same time I had the sleeve done. I have a desk job so it's not like I'm carting around bales of hay or anything. I get tired at the end of the day and grab some Soup and hit the sack shortly after I get home, but everyday has gotten better and better. Keep your eye on the prize. It sounds like you have a great support system and that's just as important as anything else. Good luck tomorrow!


  7. I had surgery on July 22nd, and I go to have my drain tube removed in the morning. YAY! I hate this thing! I have had some drainage around the drain site. I change the dressing most every day. Some days it's yucky and some days not. I think it depends on whether I've pulled on it any that day, which I am prone to do. Have I mentioned I hate this thing!!


  8. What meds for spasms? I didn't have any meds for spasms. I also have a pain in my midsection. I don't think it's my stomach because it doesn't hurt when I cough or sneeze. Doesn't hurt when I'm sitting. Really only hurts when I'm walking. Like something jiggling and hurting. It does seem a little better today. I had my surgery, a band sleeve revision, on the 22nd. I thought maybe gas?


  9. Your story sounds very similar to mine except for the esophageal erosion. I didn't have that. My band was either too loose or too tight. But I was revised on July 22nd. What I find interesting is that your incisions go up and down your torso. Mine are in a crooked line across my abdomen with a drainage tube on my left hip. I didn't have much pain either except for a horrible unrelenting headache. I figured out later it was caffeine withdrawals. Congrats on your sleeve!!

    Well i am 1 day post op and i feel pretty darn good. I didnt ask for pain meds a second ago for the pain but i asked for pain meds for my headache. Lol

    Here is my surgery story.

    I had the lapband in 2007 and did great with it at first. Then the last two years most everythi ng i would eat or drink would start coming up. Started having severe pain in my esophagus and started throwing up blood. An endoscopy revealed that i had a class c esophageal erosion. The band had to come out

    Met with surgeon and determined the bnd would come out and he would revise to sleeve!!!! Scheduled my op for july 26 yesterday.

    Had to be at the hospital at 5 am for an 8 am surgery. Prep for surger i got a patch for nausea to help with any nausea from meds. Then they gave me a shot in my tummy To help with possible clots. Met with sirgeon and andsthesiologist to discuss surgery. Then they gave me versed before wheeling me back to surg. Best "margarita" ever. Then i was totally worry free. I was still awake in or. They hooked me up with all the electrodes and the anesthesiologist said ok its nap time im putting u to sleep. I said just please make sure i wake up. Then make sure i wake up sleeved!!!!! I was so worried there would b such a mess in my body that wiuld have to hold off on the sleeve.

    Next thing i knew theybwere waking me up. Zero pain. I just said yayy im alive and ong was i sleeved??? They said u sire were. Then my main concern was going to peepee. I had to go really bad. Surgery took an hour and a half and i was in my own room by 11. They immediately got me to the pot. Was sore but not bad pain.

    No gas pains yet either. I wone up with a binder on which feels great. Especially when i get up to walk or go to the bathroom. Ive probabky walked about 6 laps. Blood pressure has been a little low but they said its expcted because of the pain meds

    No fever. Nurses are amazing.

    Getting woken up so often is for the birds tho. Other than that ive been sleeping a lot. sleep with my binder on and the pumps on my legs to prohibit clots.
    I had a popsicle and some sips of broth and sips of Water. Did not hurt when first going down but i was apprehensive at first. I did take a swig too large and it was uncomfortable but not painful. Have only drank half bottle of Water. But staying hydrated thru iv for now

    They did my barium swallow this mirning to check for leaks and NO LEAKS. Yayyyyyyy. I feel so so much better without the band in i can already tell a big difference. I have 6 incisions. Some are rather large but im ok with that. Ill attach a pic which shows three i think. Three large incisions mid tummy and the other smaller ones are up under breasts. It was all a success and very pleasant. So happy to be on the loser bench.

    Fyi BIOTINE mouth rinse helps so so much with dry mouth. So get that for sure.

    Hope everyone is doing well!!!!!! Here is a pic of my incisions. So excited to begin my healthier happy life!!!!!!!

    attachicon.gifImageUploadedByBariatricPal1469655161.714994.jpg


    Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App


  10. If you're waiting for the urge to pass, it may never. I smoked for 35 years then one day I decided enough. Everyone was shocked. Including me. I loved smoking and had never tried to quit. Didn't want to. It was hell for about a week then it gradually got better. That was 8 years ago and there are still times I want one so bad I can't stand it. Still times I automatically reach for one without even thinking. But I know that if I smoke one, I'll be back to over a pack a day. With all that said, I'm so glad I quit. I feel so free. No longer restricted on where I can go or how long I can stay because you can't smoke anywhere anymore. I had to go cold turkey. I wish I could do that with food. It's hard to do just a little bit. That's what I'm hoping the sleeve will do for me. Good luck in your journey.


  11. So did it hurt coming out? Don't want it in and scared to have it removed.

    I had conversion as well, and was given a drain. My doctor took it out for me at five days because I was doing well. Uncomfortable!! But I'm glad it's out. Listen to your doctor....the drain is there to make sure there is no leaking or internal bleeding. Way worse than the discomfort of the drain!


    Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App


  12. Congrats! But the 130 dollars ummmm what's that about? No one told me of that as of yet. But then again I haven't got my dates as of yet, I am getting the sleeve too.

    Sent from my LGMS550 using the BariatricPal App

    Before surgery my doctor called in a prescription for some nausea medicine to be taken the night before surgery. When I went to pick it up the pharmacist said $50.00. Wow! I said how much is it before insurance and he said $130.00.....When I opened it up to take it that night it was just one pill!! Amend was the name of it....But I haven't had any nausea so I would buy it again.

    Hmm, now you have me wondering. My surgeon called in some meds for me too. Anti nausea, acid reflux, and stool softener. I thought they were all for after the surgery, but I wonder if I'm supposed to take the anti nausea one beforehand. My surgery is Wednesday. I guess I better get on that!

    Yes, I would find out...You will probably want to pick them up before surgery anyway because you won't want to do it on the way home from the hospital. I took that pill the night before and they gave me IV anti nausea and a patch behind my ear at the hospital before surgery.....covered all my bases...I hate to be nauseous! My doctor didn't send me home with any anti nausea meds though....he said after the first couple of days it's not such an issue, and it hasn't been.

PatchAid Vitamin Patches

×