SydneySleever

Had my sleeve done two days ago. Finished up two nights in hospital and have been discharged. Learnt that I have diabetes and being sent home with insulin. Lots to take in and get my head around.

I can drink quite a bit of Water but still feel so thirsty with a dry mouth. Looking forward to seeing what the coming days and weeks bring.

Everyone is different. But I had a very easy recovery.
I work from home, so I technically took no time off. I wasn't on any pain meds after the second day. I was able to work, emails, conference call etc., immediately. I was driving by the third day. No issues with doing laundry, light housework, fixing meals.
If I had a sedentary desk job then 1 week would have been more than enough for me.

The effects are limited. I gained the weight back, and I never even lost that much, about 35 lbs. for the first year I ate less than 800 and stalled the last 10 months. They asked if anyone regretted and I do. I am at my starting weight. I didn’t place blame you did.

My office recommends yearly blood work and a yearly visit forever, too. They've also mentioned that some people disappear after a few years, but they're always glad to see you again if you want to return.
I plan to go every year for at least five years cause I'm part of a study.

Most surgeons do. Bariatrics, I feel, is a whole new ball game/specialty to doctors & medicine in general. Even though WLS isn’t that new. I think it’s vital they follow up with you; you’re their art, their work and they want to keep track and make sure you don’t go off the wall as many WLS patients do.
Especially if you have a sleeve; the sleeve is somewhat new as a solitaire weight loss surgery (it was the first step in having RNY years ago); so it’s best for these surgeons and programs to follow & study patients.

Hope all goes well for you! The diabetes wasn't tested for before surgery as part of the assessment for surgery?

Glad you're headed home:) The diabetes could resolve with your new diet. Follow all your instructions and try not to be overwhelmed...you're on the right track and things should get better before long. Wishing you a quick recovery and great results:)

Had my sleeve done two days ago. Finished up two nights in hospital and have been discharged. Learnt that I have diabetes and being sent home with insulin. Lots to take in and get my head around.

I can drink quite a bit of Water but still feel so thirsty with a dry mouth. Looking forward to seeing what the coming days and weeks bring.

I’m a month out and trying to figure out how to pack foods on my list versus trying to find something in the cafeteria at work. Let alone I usually eat at my desk while working/conf calls what not. Taking a daily lunch is just not an option for me.

I do better when I pack my own lunch. It’s a habit I’m trying to get in (most days at least). When I can walk extra during the day by either taking stairs, taking the long way to a meeting room etc. I also have my water bottle with me when ever I leave my desk. I try to drink a good portion during a meeting say 10 ozs over an hour meeting...

So familiar with food waste guilt! I love the idea of blocking out calendar time for a walk, will definitely need to do that.

So familiar with food waste guilt! I love the idea of blocking out calendar time for a walk, will definitely need to do that.

I also work in an office setting, mostly working at a computer in a very sedentary position.
I overcome this by planning and packing all of my meals. I track my meals on My FitnessPal and I schedule "walk time" in my calendar so that no one else tries to schedule things for me on top of it.
I avoid the inevitable Snacks that are in the break room because honestly I do not really want them. I see them. I look at them. I walk away. I no longer have that compulsive need to have some.
Full disclosure: about 3 weeks ago someone brought in cupcakes. I really, REALLY wanted one. So I took one. Had 1 bite and I was done with that. I actually threw a cupcake away! I had a brief moment of regret because I was WASTING perfectly good food, but that passed.
In my experience, my relationship with food has changed and not just because I've been following the post operative diet. My cravings and desire for food is just not there. I rarely get hungry and I can easily forget to eat if I don't keep an eye on the time and think about it.

One of my friends has "conversations" with food. She looks at something and says, "I like you, but do you like me?" If it's not good for her, she treats it that way--as an enemy to be avoided. It doesn't matter if you like cupcakes, say, do they like you? No . . . no, they don't.
I'll admit that I'm still in the process of retraining my habits. I have eaten all kinds of things that I shouldn't--but I do know I feel better when I eat correctly. That's something to remember all the time.

Honestly it just came to me as I was looking at what "nutrition" I needed at each stage, I embraced that instead of I need to eat etc. Trying to use new words for my new stomach.

you are doing it.

Day of surgery at 383 (?), down from a high weight of 410 a couple months before. 6 months and 1 year progress pic. Down from a size 40/5x to a 16-18/XL.

This is really insightful. If you don't mind me asking, was the switch from food to nutrition something that you thought about or something that naturally happened after the sleeve?

So I’ve been having trouble seeing the difference .... but others see it so my friend had me do a side by side.  .
I see some improvement. I know I’m loosing inches because my shorts are falling down
Melissa
HW. 285
Sw. 265. Sleeved 4/26/2018
CW 252
Gw 150ish
5’5”

Even with my 130 + pounds of weight-loss, I weigh more than my younger sibling. I get frustrated by scale numbers some days tbh. Even though I workout and stay very active and have maintained a pretty good diet focusing more on toning and gaining muscles still I get secretly bummed. Since surgery, I have overhauled my lifestyle.
Last weekend my sister was showing me some clothes she bought and just for fun I started trying them on. To my surprise everything was big on me. I was secretly ecstatic. Because I’m gaining muscles and losing inches so that means my workouts showing results. I want to be as fit as I possibly can be. I do eat more carbs like whole grains, Brown rice and quinoa now but I keep away from simple carbs because of my fitness goals. Moral of story the numbers on scale is not everything.

Unfortunately there are those with mental illness that stay dependent and leech the ones around them because they just don’t try to help themselves and use the illness as an excuse. This is often the hardest on those closest to them. NAMI. https://www.nami.org/find-support/nami-programs/nami-family-support-group. Is a great support for family. You are going to have to set some boundaries , especially at this part of your journey. Maybe they can help you with suggestions for your situation.

Melissa ( btw I’m a mental health inpatient nurse)

Maybe try writing down your “bariatric schedule”. This could include Water, Vitamins, food, the amount of time you are supposed to take for each thing i.e. 30 minutes for shake etc. then write down the consequences of not following the program, such as dehydration, infections, slower healing, and exhaustion. When he confronts you with demands during your recovery time, you can just show him the list. Maybe post it on the fridge. Sometimes writing something down helps others understand what you need just in case you have not expressed verbally what you need.

This is the reason that the -dirty little secret- of WLS is relationship breakups.
You are in a very different place now than you were before and it happened very fast and offered little to no time for adjustment for either of you.
You cant and don't want to go back to the place you were before so he will have to decide if he is willing to join you in the journey you have started or you will eventually go on with your lives but without each other.
If you give in and go back to the way it was before you will blame him and it will drive you apart. So really it does depend on him. He will adjust or dig in his heels and you will either change back and hate him for doing that to you or you will continue on this journey without him.
It sucks it really does. You can support him all you can but you have to draw the line at giving up your own health and happiness.
Try to find a local support grp and go to a few meetings.
good luck

Love this!

You're so right! So many times I've fallen off the band wagon because I haven't been organised enough to have healthy options handy.

I also use myfitnesspal app and I love it. 1 year out, goal met

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app