mymarth

I love crystal light - grape and cherry are my favorites. I also like "Hint" flavored waters...

I love crystal light - grape and cherry are my favorites. I also like "Hint" flavored waters...

First of all, I would like to apologize. This is my very first posting. As you will read below, I have read numerous postings on this and other bariatric blogs trying to see if ANYONE is experiencing what I am going through since my surgery.
In July 2014 I went through a Gastric Sleeve Bypass (in the US – (Hospital listed is not accurate)) for weight loss reduction surgery. I was around 370lbs and now I and hover around 230 lbs. Off all high blood pressure and cholesterol medication. That’s the good news. Now for the very bad news.

Immediately after the surgery, and over the last 2.5 years I have been experiencing severe pain in my abdominal, thoracic, and left lower ribs beyond anything imaginable. I have been unable to eat anything without taking pain medication which will only reduce the immense pain. When I say pain...the scale from 1 to 10 is 7-8 off medication and 3-4 on medication.

To make things worse, I have drink alcohol (not beer) from morning (wake up) to nighttime (sleep) to enhance the pain medication because it’s not enough to reduce the amount of pain I’m currently in to have any quality of life. What’s amazing, I don’t feel intoxicated. Now, to make everyone feel safe out there, I don’t ever drive. I work from home and if I go anywhere my spouse is ALWAYS driving.

With the “stigmatisms” of all the opioids in the news and current abuses, it’s embarrassing to tell the physician it’s not working as good as it used to (after 2.5 years) or that I need more, so I drink. Talk about depressing…..

Over the last 2.5 years (and a 140lbs lighter) I have sought guidance from the mayo Clinic (Rochester) and the MRI and CAT scans found mesenteric hernia, Pain Management (Local), and even returned back to the original bariatric surgeon who supervised the sleeve operation. I’ve been enrolled with pain medication for the last 2.5 years had several injections from Pain Management to include a “Celiac Plexus Block” (burn nerves with denatured alcohol) which provided temporary (30 days) relief.

The Bariatric Surgeon completed another “exploratory surgery” in Feb 2017 and removed some extensive scar tissue but didn't think the hernia was an issue. After the surgery I seemed to be fine and my pain reduced significantly, and was able to eat without any pain. But within 45 days I am unable to eat anything. The pain has returned to my abdomen, ribs, and thoracic spine.

All of this has taken a very extreme toll financially (about $40K out the window), emotionally, physically, and most of all on my very great supportive family. I have read through THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of bariatric blogs to see if anyone has experienced anything like I’ve experienced with my surgery. I’ve found nothing. I’ve been to the very best physicians in the country and nobody has seen anything like what I’ve experienced. This really sucks.

I have another appointment next week and the surgeon thinks he can “block” the upper left port nerves in the abdomen with “denatured alcohol.” I guess it’s worth a shot. I’m almost out of options, and it’s very hard to keep going on. I'm barely hanging on.

St. Elizabeths in Brighton has a good program, try getting an appointment there so they can get you back on track????
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I'll be 6 weeks post op on Monday and have also lost 29 lbs since surgery! Of course, I wish it were just a little more but I'm still happy!! I have at least 70 more to go.... one day at a time.

I am 12 days post op.
It is OK. I asked that question to the DR and I was told your sleeve won't stretch with Fluid you need.
Actually I am in the bathroom all day emptying out.

I'm glad I can be some help! These forums were very useful to me before (and after) my surgery, I'm just trying to give back.

I was sleeved on 2/13 and also have felt very hungry for the past few days.... I go back tomorrow to get my next phase diet.

I am doing the surgery with a low BMI too. 19 days until surgery.

I have told my mother and son. That's it. No one from work or anyone else.

I have gained every year. Just 5 years ago I weighed 50 pounds less. I know the way I was coping was a losing battle. I am tired. I want my body back. I want to smile. I want to get dress and not put something back because it won't go over my thighs. I want to stop buying cheap clothes on sale because they fit. I want to go to the beach and wear a swimsuit. I want to actually look in the mirror instead of rushing past it because I don't like the reflection.

You are not alone. This is about you. It is your turn.


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I'm on day 3 of 2-week pre-op diet. Not bad at all... 4 Protein shakes and two Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice meals (certain ones). 2/13 VSG - starting to get a little nervous!!!
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm on day 3 of 2-week pre-op diet. Not bad at all... 4 Protein shakes and two Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice meals (certain ones). 2/13 VSG - starting to get a little nervous!!!
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm 15 weeks post op this week! WOO HOO!! I've lost over 50 lbs so far. I had the VGS, Hiatal Hernia repair and Gallbladder removal. I was pretty weak post op and didn't really heal, get mobile, till 8 weeks.
Food: This is a general look and the stuff I eat. I tend to eat the same things for years on end. I know it's weird. lol! I make everything at home and I use low fat, sugar substitutes and high Protein whatevers I need to make the dishes. I put aside one day a week to do all my food prep. Usually Saturday or Sunday while I'm cleaning the house as well. I found that I have been far more successful when I make my own food and take the time to create really delicious flavorful dishes. Then when I'm hungry I'm excited to eat the food I made and I don't even think about going out and buy my meal.
Breakfast: have low carb english muffin with 4 pieces of Hormel Black Label pre-cooked bacon heated, one slice low fat american cheese. This is my high fat meal. I have tried so many other Breakfast things but this is the one that my new stomach digests the best and my tastebuds still like.
Protein: 18g
Fat: 16g
Cal: 296
Lunch: 4 oz Homemade Butter chicken (Indian dish, not much butter despite name, lol)
Protein: 20g
Fat: 10g
Cal: 214
Snack: 4 oz Homemade Butter Chicken
Protein: 20g
Fat: 10g
Cal: 214
Dinner: 4oz Homemade Chicken Teriyaki (I make my own teriyaki using splenda brown sugar, low sodium soy and real honey)
Protein: 26g
Fat: 4.5g
Cal: 130
Exercise: I walk 20-30 minutes vigorously twice a day, 10 and 2 generally, I purchased an under the desk eliptical (https://wiki.ezvid.com/best-desk-ellipticals?id=adw&gclid=CjwKEAiA2abEBRCdx7PqqunM1CYSJABf3qva7xq2EINdf9gHKU-V7MNl197f-b-wrCB5-1Vwvw181RoCGJLw_wcB The one I have is the blue one in the middle) and use it all day.
I also walk and run around all day at work and then go to all the hockey games here so I walk several blocks to and from the stadium 2-4 times a week.
And then I am generally MUCH more active. I jump, run, move quickly and love to feel my muscles work so easily and it feels so GOOD.
Size: I find that I am MORE excited about moving to a lower size than I am about a drop in weight.
Started out as a size 24, I'm currently a size 18 about to shift to a size 16. OMG do I love seeing my ass look cute and perky in these tight jeans!!! lol! I find myself staring at my ass sometimes, I had no idea it was adorable. hahah!! Conceded? Maybe but the joy I get at seeing I have something cute I like about my body has been a great and wonderful part of this experience. Also, it seems I have a bit of an hourglass figure!! I had no idea really.
It's amazing watching my body reveal itself to me. Seeing my bones and curves, my saggy places showing the frame underneath, the feel of my arms able to fold under my breasts and feel my ribs. To feel my pelvic bones pop out when I'm laying in bed. lol! John Mayer was RIGHT, my body is wonderland, but not quite the way he intended. hahah!
Psychologically: This is where I feel I'm doing the best. WOW did I struggle. This was not an easy process for me. I didn't decided to do this. It was forced on me by my own morbid obesity. I was dying last year. My gallbladder, my pancreas, my kidneys. All bad.
My gallbladder went bad, real bad, and they took months to figure it out. Once they did my doc just said to me "Look, do you want me to make this easy for you?" I said yes. She said "Just get the VGS and have your gallbladder out. You will feel 20 years younger and be off all these meds and I will rarely see you. You have the best insurance and will only pay $500 max out of pocket. Or you can just have your gallbladder out and die in the next 10 years." Well, it's hard to argue with that logic. In fact it was so hard to argue with it I had not choice but to just do it. Somewhat reluctantly. I was scared. This is a huge permanent choice but I realized then I'd used up all my time to do it "my way". I didn't have time left. I was dying. I was sick every day vomiting, in and out of the hospital. My mom and sister weren't happy with the choice, they were scared too. But we also knew I had to do something now if I wanted to change my future and have one.
So after the surgery I struggled with the emotional loss of my stomach, my old way of life, my old way of soothing myself, my old way of being me. I was fine at first and then at 4 weeks when I was still so weak and healing and miserable I started crying and didn't stop for a week. I was in mourning and I realized I had to experience it all, I couldn't suppress my feelings anymore because that was killing me too. So I cried and I felt sorry for myself and I moped. And then a week later I moved to my next food stage, I realized I wasn't trapped, that I had options and I needed to give it more time.
From that point on it's been wonderful. It's like I allowed myself to mourn and grieve and feel and then like a burned out forest meadow the fresh new sprout of green flowers start pushing up. Slowly that meadow, my emotional landscape, has bloomed. I am so happy now, I get so excited to go to work knowing I'm going to be taking two walk breaks and feeling so good walking. I love checking out my profile in the windows - something that I refused to do before.
I'm smiling and laughing more and I'm beginning to consider dating again. My life is opening up like a flower and I love it. And it's only been 15 weeks!! My life is so much more, so much bigger than before. It's weird, the bigger I was the smaller my world became. The smaller I am the bigger my world is becoming.

February 13th for me. So ready for this. Good luck to all my fellow February sleevers!
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