Berry78

It isn't normal for the incisions to ooze after the first 2 days. After 6 weeks, they should be pretty much all healed up. This is definitely in need of attention. I would worry less about the pain after vomiting, but do let your surgeon know what you're feeling, all the same. Good luck getting it sorted out!

I could see doing arms, since sleeveless shirts and dresses are da bomb. My boobs are fine, since they're stuffed in a bra all the time anyway. My tummy only matters if I start developing sores. My thighs might become a major problem area. I'm still only halfway to goal, so hard to say for sure. So I'll vote arms and legs...

In my opinion the sleeve should be the default surgery for everyone unless they are dealing with: 1. Type 2 diabetes (especially if they are on insulin, or have trouble controlling their blood glucose levels) 2. GERD 3. Food addiction (we all like to eat, but the true food addict would benefit from possible dumping and the malabsorption component) 4. Particularly high BMI.. in which case a DS might be a better option than RNY 5. Physiological factors (for example: lap bands can damage the stomach, making RNY a better option) 6. The patient doesn't want to risk "another surgery". RNY is "one-and-done" (usually). Sleeves sometimes need revision.

Definitely keep healthy options at your desk. I recommend not running from the doughnuts at first, but take a moment or two to work through it. Here is something I posted in another, similar thread today:

The "head hunger" is the worst for the first few weeks postop. Once you're eating real food again, it does get better. You do have to work through the head game (don't just avoid it.. actually take the time to think yourself through it).. and take your diet week by week, and pretty soon you'll be on the other side, and able to taste that pizza or ice cream again. (And might be surprised to find that it isn't as good as it used to be!). How I worked through the cravings.. I would see a food that I wanted, and I would just sit there and stare at it. While I was staring, my mind would work through the memory of what that food tasted like, it's texture, etc. Then I would imagine my current size, and the size I wanted to be, and all the health complications that come from consuming those types of foods, etc. I would stay with it until I felt relieved of the pressure to eat it, and then I would go on about my day. When a family member would see me staring at that pie, so intently, they would think I was really miserable.. but I was allowing myself to go through the process. And you know what? I only had to do that a dozen or so times, and I didn't have those cravings so much anymore. I'm SURE that if I just simply ran and hid, and avoided the pie, that I'd still be here, trying to avoid looking at pie 4 months later. I can look at pie just fine (most of the time). If I'm ACTUALLY hungry, then I have to fight with the pie concept (a little), and go get something real to eat.

That fever concerns me. Please talk to your surgeon about getting more evaluations to make sure everything is ok. Once you know that things are fine, and you're just having a bit of a rough start, then you can relax and just ride it out until you heal and feel better. The emotions DO run high postop, and so that part of your recovery is perfectly normal. {Hugs} Good luck!

Pain and nausea are very individual. I didn't have either after leaving the hospital. You will need to take an antibiotic if prescribed (that is doctor specific, some get them, some don't), and an acid reducer (or two). Capsules are MUCH easier than pills, and anything that can be crushed or chewed is even better.

Bingo! Well said!

My family lives with my in-laws. When I was on my preop diet, MIL brought home about 4 cakes, 2 dozen cupcakes, a couple gallons of ice cream, 4 pies... etc. There was no birthday, or party, or anything like that. She just couldn't seem to help herself. "Trial by Fire" is what I felt like. But I knew going off the diet wasn't optional, so I powered through. It took her a few months to wrap HER brain around not doing that anymore, and things have gotten so much better. She goes out for ice cream instead of bringing it back. Now we just have treats on actual special occasions. Shew.. what a relief!

Sweets beget more sweets. At first, most of us are blessed with an intolerance to anything very sweet. Over time, that goes away, and sweets will taste good again. It's a good idea to really think about whether you'll WANT to get used to sweets again. And whether to start "giving in" to sugar cravings. I don't have a problem with the carbs in the peanuts, per se.. the problem is with continuing to eat sugar in any form (except that which is naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables). Eat an apple, it's sweet. Eat a honey roasted peanut, then eat the apple.. and the apple isn't really sweet anymore. Fruit at least comes with vitamins and fiber.. sugar is just...cocaine. And just as addictive.

I completely disagree with this. It will be years before a patient can meet their requirements in 3 meals. Have you heard of Johns Hopkins hospital? It's in Baltimore, MD.. hugely respected place. They have a bariatric unit, and here is their recommendation for 5 weeks: Sample Soft Diet Meal Plan (Weeks 5, 6, 7 and 8) 7:00 am 8 oz fluid such as decaffeinated coffee 8:00 am 2 oz protein food such as an omelet (1 scrambled egg with 1 slice light cheese and 1-2 tbsp cooked vegetables) 9:00 am 8 oz fluid such as water with an orange wedge 10:00 am 8-12 ounces protein supplement 1:00 pm 1-2 oz protein food such as tuna with low fat mayonnaise 2 saltine crackers 2-4 oz canned/ diced pears in 100% Juice 2:00 pm 8 oz fluid such as water with lemon 3:30 pm 8-12 oz protein supplement 5:00 pm 8 oz fluid such as decaffeinated sugar-free iced tea 6:00 pm 1 ½ -2 oz protein food such as chopped chicken breast (moist, tender) 2 tbsp cooked green beans 1-2 tbsp mashed potatoes with 1 tbsp fat-free gravy 7:30 pm 8 oz fluid such as a sugar-free flavored water 8:00 pm 1/2 cup melon I count 3 meals, 1 snack, and 2 protein shakes. So in my eyes, it's eating 6 times a day. If anyone wants more info on Hopkins' plan: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/johns_hopkins_bayview/medical_services/specialty_care/bariatrics/nutrition_after_surgery.html Click on the "Nutrition Guidelines for Weightloss Surgery".. the first link on the page.

Eek! I'm running away now. Good luck! (attempts to exit stage, but trips on a cord and falls flat on her face, pulling down the mic and half the drum set with her)

GERD IS an illness.

Oh man... (Ok, Berry, shake it off.. you'll be ok. Just a harmless comment...*twitch* *twitch*) deep breath.. OOOmmmmmm ok.. story time! So, when I was about 5 or 7, my brothers told me to be careful swallowing watermelon seeds because they might grow in my belly. I literally didn't eat watermelon for 10 years. And, when I DID start eating it again, I spent like 30 minutes picking the seeds out of one piece. After all that? Now watermelon hurts my sleeve! LOL!

You keep using the term "lies", like I'm saying she should tell them she's the queen of Egypt or something. (I dunno, maybe she is the Queen of Egypt.. but we'll assume she's not). I think we have all had an epiphany of one sort or another that made us get wls. We all got scared of what might happen if we didn't do something to fix the weight/health issue. So all I'm saying, is take those facts and feelings, embellish a bit if necessary, alter the actual timing, throw in the doctor prescribed diet, and voila! Suddenly it makes sense that she comes back from surgery, and is now eating these tiny quantities, and as time goes on she's dropping the weight, and it all makes sense.

My rules of thumb: Weight between 300-400: size changes every 50lbs 200-300: every 25lbs 150-200: every 15lbs below 150: every 5-10lbs This is a rough estimate, but shows the concept. It also explains how skinny people complain about gaining 5 or 10lbs, when heavy people can gain 50lbs and barely notice.

Man, they have you on some good stuff! Once some of the pain meds wear off, you may be a tad more uncomfortable, but it sounds like you are doing stellar!! Congrats on getting to the other side (in a good way!).

Oh, and people get bored of other people that just talk about themselves. 5 minutes of "unveiling the mystery" limelight, will solve the everyday nagging. No more mystery to nag about.

Maybe so.. but if the questions keep coming, then there ought to be some REASON she's eating 2oz of food for weeks/months at a time. Even "healthy eating" comprises a whole salad. Not 2 bites. They will start getting concerned that she's becoming anorexic, fueling MORE questions! Definitely mention that it is a doctor-prescribed diet, so they don't get all.. "well, my auntie lost 600lbs by going gluten free.. maybe you should try that" and the like.. The easiest thing to eat that looks like an almost normal portion is soup. Definitely try and stick with soup

Yep, you are allergic to something. It could be the antiseptic they used to clean your abdomen, or one of the meds surrounding the surgery. I had exactly the same thing happen (showed up about 5 days postop). We blamed it on the antibiotic, but it's hard to say. I stopped taking the antibiotic, and the rash got better a few days later. I don't know if it would have gotten better anyway, or if it really was the antibiotic. *shrug* You should let your doc know, either way, so they can help modify your meds, or watch and see.

Everyone knows that the surgery should have a relatively short recovery time, after which you would be able to resume normal eating habits. But, if you had a spiritual revelation (or something as dramatic), then that explains the life-long change. Since it's such a close-knit group kind of thing, I think I would tell a grand story about how you had an epiphany during the hiatal hernia surgery. Maybe you had trouble fitting into the gown, or the doctor was concerned that you were going to be more at risk because of being heavy.. and "it scared you" (gotto use those words) .. so that's why the change.

You know what's funny? I've lived in the same county for 18 years, and even owned a retail shop here about 9 years ago. The shop had a group of regular customers. Right after we went out of business, I became a stay-at -home Mom, and instantly gained 70lbs. For the last 9 years, I've hardly ever gotten the: {"Hey! How are you, long time no see.. miss the shop..."} But now that I've lost 69 of those pounds, suddenly people are SEEING me! My habits haven't changed, but the weight gain had made me unrecognizable. It'll be really interesting if I again become invisible when I get to goal...

You guys are doing great! I'm gonna make a chart, compiling the responses and see if we can make anything of it...

Ok, I did what research I could.. and the 6 weeks vs. 6 months argument actually has an interesting answer. You're both right. How can that be, you say? The body lays down an "emergency" layer of keratin in order to get things sealed up quickly. This takes about 6 weeks. Then, over the next 6 months to a year, it replaces this emergency layer with more permanent stuff. So, yes, you're both right We'll just call it lucky that the body does the emergency layer first, or we'd be stuck on liquids for 6 months. This phenomenon might explain why the restriction feels different between 6 weeks and a year as well. The permanent tissue has a different texture. Think about scars in the skin.. the skin first seals up, and has a lumpy, red or dark color. After a year, it changes (turns lighter, smoother, etc). That's what is happening on the inside.

Ok, I put dashes as place holders, and it seems easy enough to read now. Let's say you're a man with a 42" waist.. you'll be size x-large.