Camalli26

Hey everyone!
Just got back from the hospital today after receiving my magic sleeve powers on Tuesday 8/28. My only fear going in was that they were going to peep inside and find that my liver was too gigantic and slippery to proceed with the surgery, at which point I would have promptly yanked the IV from my arm and lowered myself onto the nearest corndog in defeat. I stayed very faithful to the food and calorie intake as prescribed by the 2-week pre-op diet to make sure I did all I could do to avert disaster.
What I didn't do apparently was drink at least 64oz of Water during those days to ensure I was properly hydrated for the moment. The surgery went well, but they IV'd the crap out of me afterwards and when I hopped on that scale yesterday I had gained 14 lbs of water since the surgery!
The team didn't seemed bothered by it, though they would have preferred that I were hydrated to begin with. Looking back I think I focused way too much on the weigh-in going into surgery and became paranoid about not shrinking my liver enough that I loss track of the water.
Just thought I'd throw that out there so people can avoid my mistake.
A few other takeaways:
- I was so delirious and distracted after the surgery that I didn't even question when one of the nurses gave me apple juice as a first drink attempt. What resulted was intense and completely avoidable. Nothing like the choke-dump combo to start things off!
- I'm finding that room temperature to hot fluids are the way to go. When I sip something ice cold I feel like my pipes seize up and the drink takes the slow elevator down to Sleeveville.
- That GERD feeling is so real. I just get this vision due to the sounds and the pressure that everything I consume is falling into a natural geyser. I found that rocking myself to force a burp was the only way to survive—reminded me of Charlie and the chocolate Factory and made me wish I had practiced my burping skills in high school. I also had a family member pound my chest and my back at the same time after a hard swallow so I would burp like a baby. It triggered many a cardiac alarm in the hospital, but I didn't care. It was worth the relief.

Every doctor has different plans but this is what my nut gave me. I hope this helps you. Ignore my highlights! And dates that apply to me

Try to calm down. There are other options to get support and help available.
Don't worry about weight loss at this point. Many doctors tell their patients not to weigh the first month because it can be so disheartening. You can't separate out weight loss from Fluid retention and swelling at this point. Work on getting your fluids and Protein, the rest will happen when it wants to. Stressing yourself out won't make it happen any faster.
You should feel no restriction on fluids; they go right through your sleeve. You won't really feel restriction until you get to soft foods. Believe me, you'll know. You won't overdo it on liquids unless they have calories. The 64 oz. is a minimum. If you are comfortable drinking more fluids than that, no problem.
Generally, I would say follow your doctor's plan for foods, but if they haven't given you any guidance - purees are any foods that have the texture of applesauce or smoother. At the puree stage, you can have purees or anything from an earlier stage, like full liquids. So you should be having a combination of smooth Soups (can add unflavored protein powder), Greek yogurts, soft scrambled eggs, soft refried Beans, etc. or, anything that you can put in a blender. (Personally, I couldn't handle the texture of blended meats, but to each, their own.) This website has a recipe section for each stage of diet progression. You can also check out "puree stage foods" on Pinterest. That should give you some ideas, too.
Good luck and I hope this helps!

You said you weren’t happy that your wife went forward with this from the beginning. Is it possible that you are unconsciously looking for physical changes in your wife to support that feeling? Maybe even a “I-told-you-so” feeling because you’re not happy with her appearance now or maybe because she proceeded with her surgery despite your feelings?
I’ve come to accept what she has done… I don’t think you’ve accepted it at all. Why were you opposed to her decision to have this done in the first place? Is there something deep inside of you that resents her for having this surgery even though you were opposed to it? (I don’t know you, but some men have a problem with women making their own decisions, including decisions about their own bodies.)
She used to be… she is now… she is starting to look… She also looks like…. These sound like mourning words. You’re in mourning for the body your wife used to have.
I’m starting to worry… Starting? No, you're in full-blown worry mode, except it’s not really worry. I still think it’s mourning for what was.
I’m afraid I’ve lost my wife… Afraid? No, in your mind you’ve lost her. But have you lost her? Really? Your wife is happy. And the doctor’s office doesn’t seem worried.
His office pretty much ignores my concerns… Are you sure that they’re just disagreeing with you and not ignoring you?
This surgery killed my aunt…. WLS is not a murderer with a sawed-off shotgun. Your aunt had a rare and unfortunate complication. I hope you didn’t bring up your aunt's complication as one of the reasons for not wanting your wife to have her surgery. Or did you?
If I come across as terse, it’s only because men tend to understand things better when those things are presented bluntly or in black and white.
Lastly, it’s only been 10 months. Your wife's body is still trying to find a happy balance.
Has your sex life changed? Is that something you’re also unhappy about? (My husband has always enjoyed my big, soft body.)
Please do not interpret anything I’ve said above as lecturing or patronizing because that is not my intent. This is just my take on things from a woman's point of view. Not every woman's point of view. Just mine. We're not all the same, you know.
You sound like a loving and caring husband. No one here wants you to be unhappy, including me. Your wife, I’m sure, doesn’t want you to be unhappy. But guess what? It’s okay to be unhappy sometimes, except you need to figure out if your unhappiness and fears about your wife’s new body are rational or irrational. If they are irrational fears, and you still can’t come to terms with it all, maybe a therapist might help. Maybe joint therapy. And there is, of course, absolutely no shame in that. None.

Off 3 diabetes medications.
Knees don't hurt as bad.
Wrapping a regular sized towel completely around me.
Fitting in a plane seat
Disney World
Size 12 clothing down from 26
Zipping regular calf boots. I've probably bought 6 pair this winter. I'm waiting on over the knee boots from Macy's now.
My 5 year old can put her arms around me.
Not using the elevator at work.


HW 330
SW 292
CW 185
GW below 200

Sometimes NSV are the best victories! I've had quite a few in the last year but here are some:
I can fit comfortably in the chairs in our conference room at work, the arms used to dig into my legs and hips so bad.
I can shop in straight size stores only now, no more bouncing between plus and straight
I need new wedding rings, my fingers have gone down so much I can't even have my rings resized!! Yay new wedding set!!
Calf boots, I can wear them all. I also went down a shoe size so I need all new shoes on top of a new wardrobe.
I can see my feet again when I look down instead of just my belly, also my boobs are bigger than my belly again, thank god.
I can do 40-60 minutes on the Elliptical and not need a break. The first time I got on I couldn't even do 5 minutes.
I'm smaller than my husband for the first time ever.
I can cross my legs comfortably and love doing it.

I had surgery on 11/29 and I’m trying to not focus too much on the numbers on the scale or on my clothes.
My non scale victories since 11/29
Had to have a spacer put on my wedding ring
I’m wearing a coat I haven’t worn in 2 yrs
I got rid of my pre-surgery work uniforms
I’ve cleaned my closet twice already
What are your non scale victories?!

i have a high tolerance for pain so I was up and walking around after surgery, I'm extremely independent and could of done it alone ( my m0m was here and didn't need her) I just iced the incisions when they were uncomfortable. I pretty much slept a lot and watched movies. oh and walking 10 mins 3 x a day

I found that I like the powdered Protein Shake mix MUCH better than the ready to drink kind. I used Syntrax Nectars, mixed with unsweetened vanilla almond milk (I like the Almond Breeze or Walmart/store brands better than Silk). I know it'll take time to order it, but you are probably looking at 4 weeks of liquid diet (2 pre-op, 2 post-op) so you will need to find something you like- or at least don't actively hate. I bought a shaker bottle at Walmart, the kind with the metal-coil ball in the bottom, and everything mixes pretty well.
For a savory option, I made my own chicken and beef broth. Roast the beef bones on 375 for about an hour, then simmer them in bouillon broth (I got mine at the Dollar Tree) with onion, garlic, carrot (can't remember if I used celery or not). Drain out all the solids and keep the broth (you'll probably need to remove the fat layer after the first chilling). You make the chicken the same way, except I used the carcass from a grocery store rotisserie chicken (I always freeze the carcasses when we are finished with the chicken- but you could buy one, pick the meat and freeze it- some day in the not-too-distant future you'll be able to use it in Soup, stew, chicken salad, etc.)

Yes it is tough! But a small part of me was grateful for it. It helped me distinguish between physical hunger and head hunger. I started to learn to ignore head hunger “YOURE NOT IN CHARGE ANYMORE!”

I’m a big fan of premier. I’m sticking with it even postop, there is a good variety of flavors and I like them all.

The liquid diet wasn't fun. I did lose 18 pounds in 12 days on mine though - so that was exciting.
My surgeon told me I could mix fruit in my shake as long as I blended it thoroughly. I didn't want to overdo it, so I put a 1/2 of a small banana in my shake, and added a cup of ice.
The banana helped, but the ice really helped. I turned a liquid Premier Protein shake of 11 ounces into a huge frothy 32 ounce shake that actually filled me up. The banana added maybe 35 calories. The ice - none.
A couple of days I did the ice only. So I'd have a super thick 32 ounce shake that was way more filling that the 11 ounce premier Protein Shake.
That definitely worked for me.

My two week pre-op consisted of 4 Premier Protein shakes a day space out every 2.5-3 hours and either low sodium broth (Blood Pressure problems) or Tomato Soup for dinner. Like another poster said mind tricks the warm dinner helped me get through the Protein Shakes in the morning and drinking them every 2.5 hours kept my stomach satisfied most of the day. I didn't per say feel hungry during my pre op but more so unsatisfied with the same thing every day for two weeks straight. But sticking to it and all taht was around 950 calories/day I dropped 27 lbs in the two weeks before surgery. So it really does work and my surgeon said my liver looked marvelous on day of surgery. I wold try the Premier Protein you can get them at Walmart, Sams and costco and it comes out more milky that watery (be careful with the caramel one it has come seriously strong flavor). Personal favorites are Bananas and cream, chocolate, and if you can find it Cookies and Cream is awesome. Hope this helps just stick to it its worth it to see those numbers on the scale go down.

During my preop I stuck primarily to the Premier Protein pre-mixed shakes. But I also had to travel so, I went to the BP store and bought some Soup mixes to mix into canned broths and / or strained homemade bone broths. This helped and kept me full during that two-week period. Having homemade soup broth really helped with the hunger because it wasn't just drinking, I could use a bowl and spoon (mind tricks).
I also bought some of the sampler packs for different protein flavors at the BP store. Although personally I was really missing coffee / caffeine.. and found the Cappuccino / mocha flavors to be my favorite to a caffeine free (mind trick) coffee.
I mix everything at home with Almond Milk but for added protein, I am planning on trying the fairlife milk brands.
Good luck on your journey.

It sure does suck! But as much as it sucks, just follow the guidelines you've been given. If you REALLY have that much of a problem with what your team has suggested, call and talk to them. They can and usually will make adjustments if you are having a hard time, the logic is that they would rather modify your diet rather than have you go off it all together because you are having issues.

Stick with it as much as you can, because as much as it sucks, it really does prep you for starting over post-op.

Stay strong, Stay in contact with your team and Good luck!

I just stuck to using the mix in skim milk. Wasn't pleasant, but it got me through. Pre-op, I tended to pound them. Drain the whole thing in 2-3 quaffs, then be about my business. First 2-3 days were the worst. Light-headed, lack of energy. It got better after that as my body adjusted to the lack of calories and sugar.

Hi Sleeve Family
I'm fairly new on here - but so happy to be here in a community that I can share with and learn from.
My surgery is scheduled for 9/27 - in two weeks! I'm excited, nervous and a little scared. I started my 14 days liquid diet yesterday and it was ROUGH. My mind is playing tricks on me - that I'm HUNGRY the entire day. It's crazy, because I could go an entire day and not feel hungry until late in the evening - but yesterday morning I woke up - I actually smelled food cooking in my house (my hubby can't cook to save his life - so it was all in my mind) lol.
Anyone has any recommendation for high Protein Shakes? I bought the one from my surgeon's office and it's like drinking diluted milk Water. Just to drink 6oz of it, took me about 10mins, because I felt like I was going to throw up. I use to drink Glucerna Hunger Smart as part of my pre-diabetes 2 plan and those are yummy - but I can't drink those now - because of the high carb and fat content and getting my liver down/clean. My surgeon and nutritionist had Premier Protein, Slim Fast High Protein and Premier Protein Clear as alternatives. Anyone here tried any of these in their pre-op liquid diet regime?
Thanks in advance for your feedback/guidance.

Hi Sleeve Family
I'm fairly new on here - but so happy to be here in a community that I can share with and learn from.
My surgery is scheduled for 9/27 - in two weeks! I'm excited, nervous and a little scared. I started my 14 days liquid diet yesterday and it was ROUGH. My mind is playing tricks on me - that I'm HUNGRY the entire day. It's crazy, because I could go an entire day and not feel hungry until late in the evening - but yesterday morning I woke up - I actually smelled food cooking in my house (my hubby can't cook to save his life - so it was all in my mind) lol.
Anyone has any recommendation for high Protein Shakes? I bought the one from my surgeon's office and it's like drinking diluted milk Water. Just to drink 6oz of it, took me about 10mins, because I felt like I was going to throw up. I use to drink Glucerna Hunger Smart as part of my pre-diabetes 2 plan and those are yummy - but I can't drink those now - because of the high carb and fat content and getting my liver down/clean. My surgeon and nutritionist had Premier Protein, Slim Fast High Protein and Premier Protein Clear as alternatives. Anyone here tried any of these in their pre-op liquid diet regime?
Thanks in advance for your feedback/guidance.

Hi Sleeve Family
I'm fairly new on here - but so happy to be here in a community that I can share with and learn from.
My surgery is scheduled for 9/27 - in two weeks! I'm excited, nervous and a little scared. I started my 14 days liquid diet yesterday and it was ROUGH. My mind is playing tricks on me - that I'm HUNGRY the entire day. It's crazy, because I could go an entire day and not feel hungry until late in the evening - but yesterday morning I woke up - I actually smelled food cooking in my house (my hubby can't cook to save his life - so it was all in my mind) lol.
Anyone has any recommendation for high Protein Shakes? I bought the one from my surgeon's office and it's like drinking diluted milk Water. Just to drink 6oz of it, took me about 10mins, because I felt like I was going to throw up. I use to drink Glucerna Hunger Smart as part of my pre-diabetes 2 plan and those are yummy - but I can't drink those now - because of the high carb and fat content and getting my liver down/clean. My surgeon and nutritionist had Premier Protein, Slim Fast High Protein and Premier Protein Clear as alternatives. Anyone here tried any of these in their pre-op liquid diet regime?
Thanks in advance for your feedback/guidance.

Post op/op details.
Still in hospital. Leak test scheduled for the AM. Gas pain and pressure is no joke! The feeling of needing to burp but not being able
To is annoying. Have walked some and peed some. More details re: intake and actual day of to come. Thanks everyone for your support! I’ll post every retrying on this thread for myself and others. Nothing has been a major surprise thus far due to the generosity of those willing to share on these forums. Dry lips, dry mouth, swollen throat. It’s all real but easier to handle bc I’ve been informed by y’all!

Like @Matt Z said, I also tell everyone. I own it, I don't care what people think, I guess I'm proud of my decision. But I don't you have to say anything, but I'm sure people will ask, maybe repeatedly. Today was a coworkers birthday and they had cake, most know I had surgery but I had to decline probably five times, I may have had some, but I didn't have lunch yet and I was hungry and I'm not wasting calories and space on cake. The ones who knew sort of just gave the others the drop it face.
it's up to you, but I own it.