kem91

I struggle some with acid issues. One of the things that helped most is sleeping propped up. I went home through my first few days of surgery and slept on my parent's reclining sofa, which was a huge help since I could lay back some and use my legs and arms rather than abs to pull me up. I added tums to my routine (2000 mg 2x per day, the 2 of the 1000 mg tums of which you can take 7 in a day). Also I found the Zofran I was prescribed for nausea often helps with acid. I'm now 6 weeks post op, and have found sleeping propped up with several pillows to help with sleep. Also, hydration helps too! I have found my acid is worse after introducing new foods, and has gotten better the further out from surgery I've gotten. I hope your recovery is going well and you're acid problems get better over time!

Which part are you trying to update? If it's the facebook type page, you want to go to edit profile on your cover image right above your profile picture. If it's your weight or other information, you'll go to your username on the top toolbar and select either "my surgery" or "profile". Hope this helps!

Hi! I've had this issue since surgery, I'm three and a half weeks out. It's gotten better over time to where it happens maybe once a day now? For me it happens most with dairy products and when I introduce a new food. While I'm not distressed about it, I'd recommend checking in with your surgeon if you're worried. They're there to answer any questions you might have.

Thanks, Callisto, for your encouragement and totally have had similar thoughts. I think a lot of the denial came from being at a healthy weight in the past. At 16 I was able to lose weight and be at a happy healthy place because of it. As time went on and pounds stacked up, I kept saying to myself that I was the 180 pound me, not 250 and certainly not over 300. With my weight coming down I've been able to manage and identify this better and accept how all of these changes post op are contributing to me becoming me again. I'm trying to "enjoy the journey" and not get too excited about where I will be in X amount of months, because I know every experience is different. Ultimately, I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to be myself again (even if it is 10 years later).

I primarily got surgery to prevent weight related disorders prevalent in my family from manifesting in my life. Though it surprised me as part of all of this how much I had pushed myself away from who I am. I refused to believe I could really be the size I saw in pictures. There were times I wanted to ask if people would take pictures down because of how ashamed I was. I now realize how important those pictures were. I want to emphasize I didn't do this to look better, but to be healthier. I was surprised though how little I'd heard conversation about this topic in the community and thought it might be time to open up some conversations.

I guess what I meant more was this feeling for much of my life that my body wasn't mine, and after surgery suddenly feeling like it was again. I was really surprised how much I had pushed away and tried to "disown" my own body.

Hi all, One of the things I haven't seen talked about much is the concept of body dissociation. Dissociation is when you "check out" of what is going on. For me pre op, I had completely dissociated from my body. I felt "this isn't my body, this isn't me, this isn't real." And I can remember clearly sitting there the day I came home from the hospital, how real everything felt suddenly. I didn't realize how much I had separated myself from my physical self. Even though the actual losing hadn't started yet, I knew then that this was the right choice for me. Anyone else felt this or is feeling it and have questions? Just though it was something worth mentioning since a lot of people I saw around online pre op didn't mention it.

I'm about 2 weeks out and I have some burping and heartburn, even when eating non-acidic food. I think it may be that some air gets in there anyways and has to get burped up? Not sure, but so far no one has said anything to me about it so I mostly don't worry. Don't hesitate to check in with your surgeon or their team if you have concerns though, better to not have to worry than stress in not knowing (for me anyway).

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. It is really hard to be around other people who can eat "normal" food when you can't. I was one week post op when I started training for my new placement, and there were muffins, cookies, fruit, and orange juice around, none of which I can have. And I went to a meeting where egg rolls and fried rice were served. There are times when it doesn't feel fair, but I keep reminding myself I'm making good progress towards my health goals, and those meetings and things will shrivel in comparison to the day I reach my goal weight. It can feel very lonely, especially since this is such a personal thing. I've been very lucky in having several people in my life who are understanding and supportive. Feel free to send me a message if I can be of help or support to you!

My surgeon told me it can be irregular for at least 3 months post op. If you're really worried, it's always a good idea to call your surgeon's office or your obgyn's office. Even if someone tells me everything is fine, I'd rather have an answer than be worried.

I had to get back about 5 days after surgery for a mandatory orientation training. Originally I was going to fly, but my parents were able to drive me. The surgeon really just wanted me up and walking or tapping my toes to keep the blood flowing and prevent a clot, especially since I take birth control. Having a pillow to support my incisions and still healing tummy was very helpful, as well as getting out and walking frequently.

1 week post op as of today! Feeling pretty good overall and really not in any pain, except for sneezing and coughing. Incisions look like they're doing pretty good, I check them twice a day (morning and night). No signs of other complications so far. I personally have to do liquids for two weeks post op before going to puree. I am having some difficulty getting enough hydration and food, getting bored of what I can eat really easily. On the giant plus side: down 10 pounds from surgery and I've lost several inches from different parts of my body. Looking forward to next week when I can have things like pudding and cheese. Hope everyone else is recovering well and has excellent success on the road ahead!

Best of luck with your recovery, can't wait to hear all the good things coming your way!

I'm so sorry I didn't see this! I hope your procedure went well! I'm now almost a full week post-op. I'm 10 poundsish down from my day of surgery weight. Thankfully having little to no pain, except when I sneeze. I can get up and down on my own now, usually without a support pillow, but sometimes that's needed. Taking zofran as needed along with gas-x to reduce pressure on my tummy. BTW post-op constipation is no joke! Wish I had started trying to address it sooner. Staying hydrated and eating is kind of challenging, I'm getting really bored of protein shakes, plain greek yogurt, and soup. Overall, I'd say all is well and I'm making progress in a good direction!

Hi! 25 on the west coast and 4 days post op. Feel free to send me a message or post questions, but it sounds like you're on the right track! Good luck on your journey!

Congrats on your date! I'm 2 days post op right now. Biggest thing for me is walking and taking pain meds on time. Don't ever be afraid to ask questions, I'd rather have an answer than not know. Having a pillow to hold over stitches is so helpful for support (been using my pillow pet personally). You'll do great!

Alrighty, y'all. Surgery was yesterday, home today. Worst part so far was just waiting to go into surgery. They started me on pain meds and anti nausea stuff just before surgery. Last thing I remember was the mask going on my face and being told to breathe deeply. Then I woke up in recovery. I was mostly fine, but reacted a bit poorly to the anesthesia and was nauseous. Told the recovery nurse who helped me out until we found something to stop the nausea (ativan I believe). I was out of it for a good few hours, got into recovery around 6:30 and got awakeish between 10 and 11. Had an iv from pre op to discharge. I was taking some pills by mouth this morning. Overall I haven't been in pain, except for going from lying to sitting up. No nausea except as a response to pain meds. Didn't need anything at all today for about 3 hours. Keep in mind I'm 25, and my mother who is 30 years older had a different experience. I'm almost certain my age plays a big role in this. Walking helps so much with gas pain, so walk as much as you're able to. It also helps reduce your risk of blood clots. Wear loose comfy clothing as your incision sites will be sore and things that fit tightly will irritate them. I brought a pillow pet with me, which was great to help support my belly as I sat, stood up, and rode in the car. Always ask for a nuse if you need one! Mine were incredibly helpful and a wonderful support. They answered questions and helped with getting meds when I needed them. If you're someone who has spiritual beliefs, lean on those. Praying to my spirit guides, goddesses, and wearing a raw emerald crystal made me feel so much better (even if medically it did nothing). Hope that answers your questions. If not feel free to ask more, I'll do my best to answer!

I have surgery tomorrow too! I'm a little anxious, but mostly excited (though I'm sure that will change by tomorrow morning). We'll be okay, and looking back a year from now we'll both be glad we made this choice.

According to my surgeon the most common is infections in the incision sites. If you keep them clean and wear loose clothing that helps reduce the likelihood of it happening. Other complications happen in 1 in 300 to 1 in 500 patients. Gallstones happen in more than 5% (can't remember the exact number, sorry) of patients, but there is a medication you can take that recuces the number to less than 3% of patients. If you're ever concerned post surgery, call your surgeon. There are no silly/stupid questions, and it's better to ask and be sure than assume everything is fine.

Of course! My favorite youtube sleevers are Chemistry Queen, Timetodeflate, and Clusie L. They're amazing anout talking about post op as well as results. They answered questions I didn't know I had!

I'm scheduled for mine on the 15th and alternating between excited and anxious. For me, it's finding out why I'm anxious and trying to address it. Like if I'm worried about complications, I remind myself about what my surgeon said about rates of complication. I think one of the things that's helped most is watching post op videos and seeing the positive outcomes from the surgery. It is scary, but for me what could happen if I don't have surgery is so much scarier. I hope the prep for your surgery goes well, and just remember you're not alone.

Pre op diet has been a struggle for me at times too. Especially like when the other people in my house can have the food I know I shouldn't eat, but love anyway. I'm grateful it's not a terribly long time til my surgery and I just won't be interested in that kind of food. I just have to keep reminding myself why I chose this in the first place (which honestly isn't that hard). I got into a lot of bad behaviors with food, so I'm having to re-learn healthy eating habits. It's a little hard to imagine life without some foods, but I know it will be better for me in the long run. You'll learn to adjust, it's just hard to do after a lifetime of living a certain way.

Good luck! In my experience, calling to follow up helps to make sure you're not forgotten about. I'm now 5 days until my VSG surgery and I'm sure I'd still be stuck in pre op work if I hadn't advocated for myself.

I'm working towards my doctorate in psychology and found the psych eval to be the most interesting part of my pre-op appointments. In general, I would suggest just coming in open and being willing to talk about your history. I have yet to meet a colleague who judged someone for their history. Mostly they're just concerned that you're emotionally healthy and prepared to take on the challenge of WLS, and if for any reason there's a reason they think you aren't ready they should be talking to you about why. If they don't you have a right as the patient to ask for that information. BUT! You all will be totally fine and pass without any issues. Good luck on your eval Dmano!

I think it's always helpful to have other people going through it too. It's so much worse when you think you're the only one experiencing it. But you're not alone, and you will get through this and get the healthy body you want!