Taylor5

I am 9 days post-op from having my sleeve done. All of a sudden yesterday I started sneezing like crazy (so much fun, doesn't hurt at all). Within a few hours I had stuffy/runny nose, sore throat, some light coughing with mucus, I'm a wreck. At first it felt totally like an allergy attack - seems weird to get in the winter, but our dog is shedding a lot and is overdue for a bath. Possible that is an irritant and trying to get hubby to find the time to take her for one (bc she won't go anywhere near our bathroom). Took Claritin yesterday, felt a little better. By last night the rest of the symptoms were kicking in...sore throat, coughing, etc. If I am getting full on sick, I don't even know what I will do. I have taken Mucinex Cold & Flu, Benadryl, you name it. Starting to feel a little nauseous for the 1st time since surgery and thinking all these meds aren't a great idea, but I don't know what else do. I am completely miserable and pretty desperate. Has anyone else gotten sick with a bad cold/flu/allergy attack in the immediate post-op weeks? If so, what did you do? Do you think there's a chance of popping a stitch/staple (my sneezes are coming from nowhere and feel like hurricane-force). Just figured I'd ask and try to get some help. Thx

The other night my husband thought it was our water pipes!! Like nah, just my new plumbing

Same with me, I can gulp (so hard to remember Not To!), nothing has made me sick so far, but after a few sips of chicken broth or protein shake I have to wait about 5 mins, take a few more, and so on. Don't necessarily feel Full, but I get the sensation that things are starting to back up a little (like a little gurgling at mid chest area) so I wait for that to pass before taking more. I also feel hungry. It feels pretty real to me as I'm not only craving things like pizza & fries, but also feel I would make great sacrifices for a piece of toast or an apple, LOL, not exactly the kinds of things that tempted me before. But knowing I have the restriction keeps me from doing it, and that's a big part why I had the surgery too I think it is really helpful having others who went through the same thing at the same time now having similar struggles. It helps to not be the only one #thestruggleisreal haha.

Lol, I call mine the "Rumble in the Jungle"!

Yesterday was 2 wks for me. I'm only down 10 post-op so far. I lost 5 within the first few days, gained back 1, lost 2, then lost 3. I was really discouraged around Day 5/6 when I gained back the 1 - but then Day 7 weigh-in I was down 7. Second week I only lost 3. I definitely thought I would lose more in the first few weeks and then it would slow down to 3-4 lbs/wk and then eventually slow down to 1-2/wk. I feel like I Barely Eat!! But have decided that stressing myself out is pointless as it only raises cortisol, which supposedly causes fat storage or something like that. Not worth it. Bottom line is I'm down 10 at 2 wks, if I'm down 20 at the end of the first month, that would be pretty freaking awesome!! Plus, it looks like you started close to me? I was 205. They say we will lose a little slower...I am determined to only weigh-in once a week max, and to try Really Hard not to stress myself out over it because they say if you follow the program (post-op diet, etc.) you can't help but lose weight - just some of us at a different pace. Try not to make yourself feel bad - I know it's hard. Good luck

Can't we all just get along....

Spoke with both surgeons and they assured me everything sounded fine - just a typical cold that's easy to pick up when flying. They said if the pill hadn't gone down that there would have been no doubt - it would have caused a partial blockage and I would have more pain and not be able to take fluids as well. Also the cold medicine was fine to take as a liquid - since I am taking a PPI there is much less chance of stomach irritation (their words, not mine). They said that after the Day 10 mark you kind of turn a corner and have a far less chance of a leak or post-op surgical complication, and more a chance of having something like an obstruction, which of course is an emergency. That's why the diet phases are so strict. They were concerned with the distention, but after further discussion said it sounded much more likely to be gas in the large bowel, which crosses from right to left about a few inches above the belly button, which of course is where I was feeling the "tightening band" sensation. Just advised to be careful in taking in excessive air unnecessarily, and try Gas-X and/or a warm heating pad to help with the cramping/spasms (tight band sensation). Actually got a pretty good anatomy lesson as well as more insight into this surgery and recovering from it, so it was kind of worth it. So just some extra info for anyone who might have the same thing happen, but of course you should always consult your own surgeon, especially if fever/chills/extreme nausea/vomiting are present.

Our hospital TV had Netflix on it. I had Grey's Anatomy on all night. The nurses were amused about me "being in the hospital and watching a hospital show at the same time"!

I've had some light bleeding/spotting which seems to be the beginning of my cycle, which is only a few days past normal, but so far hasn't turned into anything else. I was 12/27.

Totally normal to be nervous - I almost backed out a week or two after scheduling. The closer I got the calmer I got though, which is weird. Or maybe I just didn't have the energy to be nervous bc I was too lethargic from the Pre-Op diet! I think you are lucky to be doing it young. Not that it should be taken lightly, but in my 20's and 30's I wasn't heavy enough to be a candidate - still struggled with my weight/dieting/body image, but just not extreme enough for this kind of medical intervention. I am 45 now, and when I look at the before and after pics, some of the women just look SO amazing, and then I realize that they are the ones who had it done while they were younger. Everything bounces back better Not to dis the rest of us, we still look and feel a far cry better than if we had not had the procedure, (I'm 10 days post-op now, so I'm kind of an expert, haha), but I think for most in our age group, it's the body contouring and "lifts" and skin tightening that make the best end result aesthetically speaking. Just remind yourself that you made this decision for a good reason and try not to second-guess that too much, because that's extra stress that really isn't worth it. Just shoot for "optimistically cautious"

I agree with @Laggy Keep it real simple, and definitely take your most comfortable clothing. They told me to bring a sports bra, but I found even that uncomfortable. If I were doing it again I would maybe take a cami or some other tank top to keep the girls somewhat in place without any pressure on the diaphragm/abdominal area at all. I forgot the wall outlet for my phone charger and my phone died. That was frustrating as my husband was trying to say goodnight/good morning/should I bring you anything? And I did not know. Also, I too am a big reader, so I wished I had brought my tablet (or Kindle, etc). I barely slept because the continuous IV fluids you have to get to keep you hydrated until you can drink enough liquids had me getting up twice per hour all night long to go to the bathroom. Even then there was little relief. Actually my full bladder/resulting spasms was the most painful part of my hospital stay. So yeah, soft, loose, comfy clothes, moisturizing products from head to toe, toothbrush/paste, deodorant, and cell phone w/charger & maybe a tablet/Kindle or favorite book in case you are awake more than you'd like to be Good luck!!

I just emailed them! Thank you

On my way out the door today I went to grab another Mucinex and the pack I had originally taken from was empty. So I just grabbed one from the next pack...popped it in my mouth...took a swig of water...swallowed it...noticed how huge it felt sliding down my sore throat...and realized I had - being on auto-pilot - just swallowed a huge gel-cap! Like huge, huge. And thought, "What the Hell did I just do?! What was I thinking?!" (I wasn't, obviously). It was too late to undo it, so as my son drove me to the eye doctor's I just kept sipping on my water hoping all would be ok and I didn't pop a stitch/staple with this ginormous pill - or whatever else might go wrong as a result, I don't even know. The eye doctor appt took 2 hours. A lot of sitting, leaning forward, carefully bending down to look at frames, etc. By the time we left I was NOT feeling so good. My voice was extremely froggy, throat dry and sore (forgot to take my water bottle in w/me, of course). I felt really tired, and I started getting some cramps on the left side of my abdomen. Sort of felt like menstrual cramps - def partially around the ovary area - but then some slightly higher. At first I was really worried, but then I got home, my son brought me home Liquid cold medicine - whoo hoo! It's so gross...but anyway...I had some chicken broth...a little vitamin water...promptly fell asleep watching TV w/hubs. He woke me at 8:30 and sent me off to bed. I took my usual night time meds for my Fibro/Back Pain/UTI prevention/Migraine prevention/Cholesterol (whew I really hope I can get off some of these one of these days). Anyway, I have an adjustable bed, so I had the head raised and was going to do some stuff on my laptop til the meds kicked in bc I was feeling a little awake by now. Next thing I know it's 3:30 a.m., my laptop is still on the bedside cart (I never even got far enough to pick it up...?). Get up to use the bathroom and notice my stomach is really distended. It feels all big, round, and tight, and one of my incisions is really sore - which they have been healing fine. So I take a look and I think it looks ok (incision) but can't believe how huge my stomach is! This was a busy day and I ate less than usual due to being sick and having the long appointment. So one protein shake, one cup of chicken broth w/added protein powder, a sugar-free popsicle, a vitamin water, and regular water surely were not the cause of THIS? Feeling super worried, but take more cough medicine, try to fall back to sleep. Notice that while lying more flat now it feels like there's a tight band around my abdomen. Like when I breathe it feels like there's a tight but stretchy belt between naval and sternum that stretches out when I inhale, and back in when I exhale. It's pretty scary because I've only ever felt anything similar when I was hugely pregnant (nope, not a chance)...So I get up to consult Dr. Internet, and I can't even find a complication that matches my symptoms! Huh. No nausea/vomiting, no fever/chills, no real issues taking fluids (hurts some/get gurgling still if I accidentally swallow too much at once or too fast, but that seems to be the normal response to accidentally doing those things this early on). Maybe it's a lot of gas bloating for some reason? Maybe I'm premenstrual and this is super-duper fluid retention? I don't know, and Dr. Internet is being of no help. Anyone else ever experience something like this (especially after swallowing a big pill/chunk of food etc. that already has you concerned?

I know everyone is different...So everything is different for each person. But when polling a group of people you can get a better sense of what is "typical", even in this totally atypical post-op world I've now joined you in. So, is anyone up for sharing your approximate # of cals you take in per day (or took in post-op rather)? I know many may not count calories, espec at first, being more concerned w/fluid & protein intake. I'm just curious, bc at the end of the day, in some ways it still comes down to calories in vs. calories out, right? I'm a little discouraged, I guess. Trying not to be, but failing. I lost 10 lbs. pre-op bc I did my extended pre-op diet in stages to stave off severe side effects. I was good with that decision. Three days post-op I weighed myself at the hotel and I was down another 5 lbs already! I was totally stoked! I hadn't had any, um, movements yet, and knew I was still swollen, so I was really happy to see that # of 190 on the scale! Also, my stomach was a little sunken in around my belly button. It has been hard/round/pushed out for so long that I had almost forgotten I used to have an "innie". I was so happy that day and grateful I had done this. Now back at home, I have added a protein shake in each day, per my nutritionist. My cals per day I estimate have gone from approx 500 to approx 750. My tummy (espec naval area) is looking rounded and more firm again rather than sunken in (which had been a lovely sight). And my scale has gone up a lb or so. I have had several BM's (sorry TMI), so feel like that should have helped, if anything, but apparently not. Honestly, I am feeling pretty low and am not sure what to do about it. Taking in less calories seems ridiculous as I feel fairly hungry right now (yeah, I know, I didn't expect that either - I fill up quickly, but still have an appetite - my tastes have not changed - and there's definitely some head hunger going on as well). So, I'm not exactly "active" right now bc my tummy is still tender on the left side and near one incision, and I also still have my back and neck pain. Plan to add in more 5-10 min walks per day to help "get my steps in". Sorry, I rambled on again...Just, anyone who can share calorie experiences in the first 1-3 months, espec if you can give some perspective on what your weight and activity level were (for comparison/reference) and if you lost consistently, I would really appreciate it. Thanks

Ok, that makes sense! I'll try less or none for a few days and see what happens. Thx!

@orionburn, thanks for the words of wisdom. Everything you said makes good sense. It's hard to keep all this in mind but I have to try harder. One thing I worry about is that Greek yogurt seems to play a big role in most recipes - quick, easy, higher in protein - But I cannot tolerate the taste. Regular yogurt I do ok with, and although it's not a" favorite food", I could live with incorporating it more. But I'm not sure that will have the same desired effect...?

Thank you so much - while I'm not happy you have to deal with this issue too, I'm glad to know it's not just some problem with me. I assumed Everyone didn't feel hungry at first, and then when that wore off was different for each person. Never occured to me that I would never experience that anomaly at all! What a disappointment, sigh. I do take OTC Nexium bc I already had mild reflux before the procedure that was well controlled with the med. I should probably up my dosage to 40 mg, which is what typical Rx strength is, and see if that helps at all - thanks for the reminder about that. I have been chewing sugarless gum (and keeping track of the minimal calories). I get severe dry mouth from my meds that water alone doesn't always help. Plus, switching up flavors has been helping to keep cravings for things like hard candy and other sweets at bay. I just ordered Trident in bulk on Amazon, lol, so I hope this isn't an issue, but now I am wondering. The first few days post op I'd only have 2-3 pieces all day. Now I'm up to maybe 10, which is about 50 calories. I know there is a concern with excess gas caused by chewing gum. I do have some gas but nothing crazy or painful so far. But one thing I wonder about is that my tummy, espec around naval area, had taken on a "sunken in" appearance after surgery, and now I am back to "basketball belly" look - all round and firm and protruding. Could this really be caused by gas caused by chewing sugarless gum? Sheesh I hope not...but will investigate more...

You guys are so lucky...I banked on that and I shouldn't have.

450, wow that's low. Especially because I actually feel hungry at meal time. I can't take in much, but everything in the house looks and smells great even though I try to stay away from food that's not mine. Visions in my head are tempting too. I think I can handle where I am now for a while cal -wise, but 450 cal w/o exercise or 600-800 w/exercise seems Low. I didn't realize it would need to be that low. I did a ton of research...I'm going back through some of it now...but it doesn't say much about actual calorie consumption. Note to self: This is going to be harder than you thought. Start planning again. Ugh. Thank you for your response, and good luck to you as well - you've already done so well, congratulations!

Happy Sunday & Happy New Year's Eve Folks!! Got sleeved on 12/27 {finally} and just returned from MX today. All in all feeling pretty good. Little itching/tenderness at one incision site. No nausea until my 1st protein shake today. Worst pain was actually from the constantly full bladder caused by the non-stop IV drip all night post-op. Once they took that out, oh sweet relief...! But, I digress...On Friday I went back for my leak test. It showed no leaks but they said there were two small areas that looked a little more narrow than the rest. I could see the screen, and yes, I could see what they meant. Below the esophagus, leading to the stomach, were two small areas that were more "gray" than "black" as the rest of the barium filled areas were coming up black. They asked if I was having difficulty taking fluids? I said no, I was taking 2 c of chicken broth per day, almost 2 sugar free popsicles, 1-2 bottles of water, and a bottle of electrolytes (also a small cup of watered down apple juice, at the nurse's recommendation). So yeah, Obviously I was getting my fluids! So he said, no issues at all? Oh, well then I told him I was experiencing gurgling when I swallowed - not severe - not exactly painful, just uncomfortable and a little annoying. He showed me the screen again and said that gurgling was the esophagus trying to push what I consumed down into the pouch and it was gurgling bc it was taking longer than it should, causing some back-up. He showed me on the screen where some of the barium was still sitting in my esophagus and I could see it and also feel the gurgling in my throat a little. He said the area around the stomach/diaphragm was just swollen still and that's what caused the narrowing. He said sometimes they do a steroid injection to help bring the swelling down, but they don't like to do steroids if they don't have to. So, the question was, did I really need the shot or would this get better on its own? I said I would defer to his expertise since I wasn't really sure what to do...I have plenty of experience w/steroids for back pain, but not applied to this situation. So he said they would give me a small dose of the steroid and he felt that should reduce the swelling and open the area up for normal passage. The shot was in the bum (they never tell you that til right before it goes in...), and it did sting for a while. I didn't notice any huge improvement in gurgling right away, but now, two days later, I guess I would say I feel about how I would expect to. There may be a small amount of gurgling if I swallow too much at once, and then too some slight discomfort (or if I have to swallow a pill, bc a few of my meds are time released and can't be crushed, so they said to just take as usual as long as I am able to). I think I'm feeling how I should be feeling at this point, 4 days post-op, but how do I know for sure? I'm back home in PA now, so I hope it's all good.. Just wondering if this is considered stenosis or a stricture, or if those are different things that would happen down the line? Also, has anyone else experienced this and does it sound like this was handled in the proper way and would you feel comfortable at this point if you were me? Just want to check in with some of the vets...

Thanks for responding @AZLoser, Every program that I researched, even the ones here in PA/NJ/NY/FL/VA did a leak test as part of the process. Some did it right after surgery when you are still sedated - inject some barium and check the screen for leaks. Others would do it the next day before discharging you or have you come back in a day or two and drink a very small amount of barium (a tiny medicine cup full, about 2 swallows). Thankfully you are right, leaks are not common, but I believe they are still a concern in the field of bariatrics (one reason for all the caution w/what to eat & drink & how soon), and that the test is a common part of making sure the patient is ready for discharge or is recovering as expected. That said, the gurgling I'm describing isn't the "Hello Down There!!", Standing at the top of the Grand Canyon, massive echoing gurgle from the empty tummy, it is the little foam- feeling gurgle sometimes felt within a few seconds after drinking something (especially if you accidentally take too much at once or it is a new experience (cold/hot, etc.). It's further up in the esophagus - actually feels near the back of the throat, but from watching on the film I could see it was a little further down than that. A couple of my meds I have been on for many years and cannot just stop taking. They do not come in a liquid form, and a few are extended release. For this reason I cannot crush them as I do my other maintenance medications. The one is a decent sized capsule a little smaller than a kidney bean, and the other is a tablet about one and a half times the size of a pencil eraser. I know this is not ideal, nor is it fun to do, but unfortunately is necessary to my overall health. So hopefully, no issues will come from that. Also, I know every program is different in pre-op/post-op programs, but I was told to resume vitamins on Day 7, which is tomorrow. I do not have a follow-up physician at home yet. I had planned to see my PCP until I was able to look up a Dr/Facility on the ASMBS website who states they are willing to follow other surgeons' patients. Most are not until about 3 mos post-op, but a few are. Unfortunately, we are self employed and also moved to a new county recently, so our health insurance changed in December and all my regular doctors except 1 are not on my new plan. I have to see brand new docs in my new county. So that's fun, and a lot to take on while in the early days of recovery. But it's one of the things I will be working on this week, and in the meantime I can go to the ER if anything happens to warrant that. So far I don't think it has, thank goodness. I appreciate your response/feedback and the tip on Dr. Alvarez. Have a great day!

I am like the hiccup queen all of a sudden. And they do, totally suck!

I agree with @Sydney7. I just arrived home yesterday after having my procedure at OCC on 12/27. I'm not saying other surgeons are not qualified or other facilities are not good, I am simply speaking on my personal experience. That experience is streamlined from the start, which I would imagine is similar to experiences at other facilities. The thing I liked about OCC was there were no "go-between" liaisons or coordinators. Everyone you dealt with worked for the clinic, with the exception of the hotel staff at the Marriott. The concierge driver who picked us up in San Diego was extremely polite and eager to help in any way possible. He seemed genuinely interested in why we chose OCC and spoke to his observance of other patients' experiences. He also gave many good tips on local sights, etc. My first impression of the clinic was also how extremely clean it was. It is also very modern and comfortable. The front desk staff were so nice and called me by my first name the second I walked in the door. Some of my long-time drs office staff at home still don't do this! The nutritionist was very encouraging and excited that I met my "surgery weight goal" the day before surgery. She went over post-op nutrition instructions in more detail and answered any questions I had. Then I had blood work and an EKG. All staff members were very pleasant, and their English was very clear and easy to understand. This is important when discussing your health and needing to be clear on all instructions! The next day I was back in by 7 a.m. and was first up for surgery. I fell asleep very quickly after entering the OR, but did have two conversations with Dr. Ortiz and other surgical staff after waking and discussing how I was feeling. The nursing staff were diligent throughout the night and erred on the side of caution whenever anything was slightly less than ideal (oxygen level a little low? suck on your spirometer more often!) - come in with slightly more than average amount of usual health problems - stay longer in the morning to be cleared by internist before going back to hotel! Return the next day for leak test - no leaks, but slightly slower swallow time/gurgling? bend over for your steroid injection to help reduce swelling and open up that GI tract more! All after discussing your options, of course. I was sent home with a ton of paperwork and an id card with a link to my online medical record. I am told to expect continuing interaction as part of aftercare so they can monitor my progress. There were about 7-8 patients there per day, from what I could tell, each with their companions. As mentioned by Sydney, some of the companions were former patients as well. The man who took the shuttle back to the airport with us was speaking to his friend on the phone during the trip (yay) and apparently the friend and his wife had recommended this man. Word of mouth really is the best advertising. We flew first class to San Diego because I have serious chronic back and neck pain. First class wasn't all I had anticipated, but even with the cost of those tickets, the cost of surgery at OCC {which is not the lowest in the TJ area}, and all other related travel/surgery expenses, I still saved a few thousand over what I would have spent on surgery at a nearby facility - just for surgery locally. And I still have complication insurance for 175 more days in case, heaven forbid, something does go wrong, in which case I can be treated locally and it will be covered by my plan. I had a really good experience at OCC and with Dr. Ortiz and the rest of his staff. I am also happy for others who have had similar experiences with other surgeons/facilities. I think options are important. I'm happy to try to help anyone still in the research process, if I can. Thanks and Happy New Year!

Am I the only one who doesn't like Greek yogurt? Like at all? Seems like this is going to be a problem, but I really can't tolerate it...

Hey everybody I was sleeved on 12/27. My worst pain was the excruciating full bladder all night due to the non-stop IV drip. I was walking up and down the halls twice an hour to use the bathroom, and never felt any relief until I got my IV out the next morning. Thankfully that is over! My largest incision was bleeding a tiny bit while at the surgery center the night of, so they put a ton of band-aids over it (all the others just have surgical glue on the outside, which this one does too but I think too much pressure from getting in/out of bed all night caused a little hole in the glue and led to the light bleeding). Now it itches like crazy and is a little sore with all those band-aids piled on. Supposedly they will come off in the shower, so we'll see. We traveled for my surgery so we were discharged to the hotel the next morning. I was in a bit of a daze for the first 48 hrs. The pain meds helped but weren't strong enough to make me feel "high" so to speak, just felt tired/wired at the same time if that makes sense? We spent most of the time in the room watching movies On Demand, and I remember having a hard time following the plots, LOL. At the hotel, "surgery guests" were provided chicken broth and low sugar popsicles twice per day along with 2 bottles of water. To that I added a bottle of reduced sugar Gatorade or Vitamin Water for my electrolytes and some watered down apple juice for flavor/energy (discharge nurse actually said, "Don't get super freaked out about sugar - I mean don't go crazy, but you NEED a little sugar! Just water down some apple juice or something"). So that helped a lot. I had also taken several packets of the Cream of Chicken flavored soup protein packs with me in case I needed them on the plane. I ended up mixing them with the chicken broth at the hotel since their's was roughly colored water. It added a lot of flavor plus protein, of course. Much more palatable, I found. I actually had to force myself to stop drinking my broth and eating my popsicles before I finished them because I wasn't really feeling a "full" sensation. Just all of a sudden I remembered that I was only supposed to be "wanting" and "needing" a few oz at time. So that was a little disconcerting. Worse was when my husband's burger and fries showed up with room service. I couldn't look at him for a while- I too had issues sleeping on my side, but am now doing ok on my right, surrounded by pillows. Left is still a little tender. Only taking half a pain pill 2x per day now, and that's mostly bc we spent 6 hours sitting at San Diego airport last evening before our 6 hour flight to Philly, which arrived home at 7 this morning. Talk about a long night. I was really freaking out about no food options since I had to dump most liquids before security, but there was a California Pizza Kitchen where my husband got me a small beef barley soup. I only drank the broth, but OMG, it was the best thing ever. I even forgave him for the burger and fries. After boarding the plane last night I crumbled several of my meds into a little cup, dumped them onto my tongue, let them dissolve a little, then washed it down with water. 30 minutes later I was sound asleep and stayed that way for a good 4 hours, which is basically miraculous. So thankful to be home safe and sound. Started my first post-op protein shake this afternoon - that was my first experience with slight nausea so far, but I am definitely looking forward to good things to come here the next few weeks as the body gets back to normal. Congrats to all my fellow "Late Dec Sleevers"! Good luck everyone ~ Let's do this!!