lisafrommassachusetts

Such good news! Thanks for sharing, and hope you have lots of easier days ahead.

1 hour ago, AngieBear said:

I would love to add that it’s important to keep in mind that your stomach is healing right now. Even though you can’t see it, and on the surface you just have a few small cuts. But inside that major organ was sliced apart, the majority of it removed, and then stitched/stapled back together again. And now it’s expected to still function, when it’s tender and healing. But, like any wound, as it heals it will get less tender and it will be less of a battle to drink and eat.

Framing it this way in my mind really helped me early out when things were especially tough.

Everyone should get a copy of this with our discharge paperwork.

5 minutes ago, divag822 said:

I went to a food dr appt the other day and Walmart to pick up a few things and it wipes me out. That false sense of well being took over but I had to remember I just had major surgery and my body is still healing. I too want to go to church tomorrow but think I will error in the side of caution and not push it. Good luck!

How are you doing otherwise? You're a week ahead of me, you had it 2/3? Are you on soft foods yet? How was getting through liquids only?

11 minutes ago, Puffy-no-more said:

@lisafrommassachusetts pre-op is going good. The first few days were definitely a mental struggle but I feel really good now.
I will definitely remember to make hydration top priority then. That’s a lot of walking! You are doing great. Do you feel like you could be out in public at this point? The store or whatever? I’m scheduled for Wednesday and was wondering about Sunday morning services. I feel like it might be a stretch but just don’t know.

The problem for me is drinking AMD now adding in Protein and walking are taking up all of my time lol. If you can sip fluids in your church it might be good to get out of the dang house

1 minute ago, jaymmee said:

Surgery was a success! Just recovering in the hospital now. They brought me Breakfast. All liquids. So hard to eat. Ugh any movement I hurt. I feel the gas pains traveling in abdomen area it hurts. But otherwise I’m doing great!!

Hooray! Let the healing commence

Just now, Puffy-no-more said:

It’s good to hear you are feeling better. And it’s good to hear the drinking gets easier. I was wondering how long it would be such a struggle to get fluids down. So would you say it took about 5 days to really get to feeling good?

Yesterday I felt pretty good; I did not even need Tylenol and I got the 64 oz of Fluid in. I walked over 6000 steps, which is almost 3 miles for me (shorter stride). At the risk of stating the obvious, dehydration is pretty bad. Once they told me to stop worrying about the Protein and concentrate on the fluids I started to feel better. It was really Thursday (3rd day post op) that was bad. Also, yesterday they told me to start taking Miralax; and, again with the TMI but it is relevant, today I finally had a BM. I am pretty sure that has helped, too. Also, once I got fully hydrated my stomach stopped feeling "hungry". Not sure if it was coincidental, since they say it takes a few days before the hunger hormones dissipate.

All in all I have had a pretty easy go of it, and I know that. Also I think the minimally invasive techniques have improved so much that even though losing 80% of your stomach is still a major shock to your system, your body is in a better place to heal.

Hang in there! It certainly did not live up to my worst imaginings. How is pre-op eating going?

1 minute ago, Caela88 said:

Has my surgery on 2/13. They say left shoulder pain is a sign of a leak. I am having shoulder pain but I feel like it's more gas than anything. My only symptoms are abdominal pain and shoulder pain (in both shoulders). Should I be concerned? I have reached out to my doctors office.

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So sorry you are experiencing this! Could certainly be gas pain, but good thing you reached out. I am sure your surgeon's office told you if the pain gets intense or you have changes in your ability to breath call 911. For me the walking helped with the gas immensely.

5th day post op and I am feeling so much better. Hydrating really made the difference, and today I can actually take normal size swallows, so it is not taking forever to get one cup of Fluid in me.

How is everyone else doing out there in February surgery land? I know we had a couple of people scheduled for 2/14.

Hope today is a bit easier for you! One day closer to eating egg whites! Hooray!

Lots of truth in there, @GreenTealael!

54 minutes ago, rosey1115 said:

@lisafrommassachusetts I’m still leading this app lol also any help in getting through this phase?

I'm only one day further out than you! But I will tell you today was a LOT better. The doctor's office told me to forget about the Protein for now and just concentrate on getting the Clear Liquids in. I can't stand the taste of artificial sweeteners, so crystal light does not work for me, and the Water gets pretty old. I have found some success rotating water, herbal tea with a little stevia, sugar free pops, and chicken Bone Broth. I also feel less hungry (or whatever that feeling in my stomach is), maybe because I am better hydrated, and maybe because when they cut out most of my stomach you stop producing the hunger hormone. Who knows. However, I did want to rip my husbands plate away when he made himself some toast....

I had heard about this phenomenon, so I am waiting until my follow up appointment with the nutritionist 11 days after the surgery. This post op is hard enough without seeing the scale go UP!

1 hour ago, rosey1115 said:

Hello. My surgery was 2/11 and I’ve been feeling so down since. Any advice? I feel like I made the wrong decision even though I know made the right one for my future.

@Rosey115, I had my surgery (sleeve) on 2/10. I will tell you yesterday was the worst day I had since the surgery, and my friend who is a recovery room nurse said that is not uncommon.

However, if you are feeling pervasively sad, and it sounds like you are, I would hope you reach out to your surgeon's office for someone to talk to. Are you mourning food? Are you struggling with the all liquid diet (I can't imagine anyone doesn't struggle with this). Are you in a lot of physical pain? Do you not have support at home, either through family or friends? Are you having intrusive thoughts about things you used to enjoy, and are now worried you won't? I think that some or all of those thoughts are probably very, very common and normal, but if you are that down, you should get someone to talk to. This recovery is no joke, so you don't need it to be any harder.

If you are having thoughts of hopelessness, or hurting yourself, PLEASE reach out. At the risk of being intrusive, but I'll take intrusive, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is: 1-800-273-8255.

You've made a decision that is life affirming and there are great and wonderful things ahead. Our lives will be more than sip, sip, sip, walk, walk, sip....Hang in there.

1 hour ago, APG said:

Hello so i had my gastric bypass surgery on 2/5/2020 and today 2/14/2020 i ate Soup with noodles. I only had 3 bites but i am terrified. I dont know why i did it i know i shouldnt have and im scared of what will happen. I dont want my stomach to leak and i dont want to get sick. My tummy feels fine-ish ive been having a numb feeling on it but besides that i dont know what to do. I am super ashamed and scared.

I had my sleeve on 2/10 so I empathize with how hard this post op diet is. It sounds like you are really concerned, so maybe reach out to your surgeon's office and see if there are any signs you should be on the look out for. You will feel better and be able to put this behind you. Don't keep beating yourself up!

1 hour ago, Puffy-no-more said:

Hey everyone I have a question. Probably TMI so I apologize in advance. I’m on day 6 of my 10 day pre-op diet. It’s not liquids only like others. I can have a certain amount of fruit, yogurt and sandwich meat per day for each meal. I can also have unlimited amounts of foods like pickles, celery, cucumbers and so on. But y’all, I have had straight diarrhea for the past several days. Did anyone else experience this? I don’t feel sick to my stomach but I have diarrhea several times a day. Just wondering if this is a normal thing.

Oh no! I am guessing it is the change in diet, as others said, but I would let your surgeon know. You don't want to dehydrate.

3 hours ago, MorganF said:

Got final approval and surgery scheduled!! Thursday 2/27!

Great news! That is going to fly by. Good luck with your pre-op diet and of course the operation, as well.

17 minutes ago, jaymmee said:

I’m here in the hospital in pre-op just waiting for them to come take me to surgery. I’m all ready to go. I have excited nervousness going on. I’m not scared at all. I’ll post as I’m able!

Good for you! You've got this!

18 hours ago, AngieBear said:

Thank you! My students have a great attitude. They comment a lot on my clothing (as I do on theirs, because dang they are a fashionable lot!).

As far as weight, they don't really mention it unless I do, and they are interested in the process. Students are one demographic that don't treat me any differently than when I was closer to 300 lbs. Men my age and older are much nicer to me now, which was pretty irritating that it was such a drastic difference. I was still deserving of respect and kindness prior to weight loss.

When we talk about it, my students are always interested in the social aspects like that, etc. I've been pretty open. One of my dreams is that young people won't spend as many years and as much bandwidth fussing over weight and body image, you know? One of our current crafty collabs is with a group on coming to love themselves as they are. With that in mind, my students never say "wow you look great!" because they are VERY adamant that I looked great before. I love and respect them for that. And they aren't wrong. But damn is it easier to go through the world as a smaller person. For so many reasons.

I did have a couple of students concerned that I wasn't eating enough. We try to keep an eye on each other's stress levels and self-care. It was sweet of them, and my body image was WAY off, I admit. That conversation is one of the reasons I'm really pretty okay with staying at this weight rather than continuing to try to lose. My husband likes me curvy anyway. And TBH - I like me curvy! I will get this tummy skin/flab dealt with, but otherwise I'm tickled with where I'm at.

You have very lucky students! And you have packed a lot of wisdom into this post. Thank you.

35 minutes ago, Likklelime said:

How are you doing today, Lisa?

Thank you so much for checking on me! I am better today. Yesterday was long, and I felt awful from the dehydration. I certainly had a few "Oh my god, what have I done to myself?" moments, but I feel much better today. I really have no pain. Once I was finally hydrated, the nausea got much better. I'm going to try to get a little more Protein in today. Someone on here said this was going to be a roller coaster ride, and I've just experienced my first big dip, I guess. I know there are people out there who consider this "an easy way out"; boy, if they only knew.

Thanks again.

Good luck to everyone having valentine's day surgery today!!!

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Hi everyone. I’ve been lurking on this forum for a couple of months and figured better late than never to actually join and post. I’m getting sleeved tomorrow!
Im so tired right now after the week of liquid diet but can’t go to sleep until I chug 2 bottles of “ensure pre surgery” at midnight. [emoji37]
thanks to all the February people that have posted. Makes me feel so much less alone!

I'm so sorry you are having these issues. My husband and my son struggle with periodic insomnia that has not responded to any particular approach; We live in Mass which has both medical and now recreational marijuana available, but it did not work for either of them. Maybe try to mix some PB powder into your Protein Shake? I've heard that can help with rest. Also, my son actually feels using a weighted blanket has helped him.

If you are gaining weight because of the prescription meds, maybe having some documentation of that side effect from the prescribing doctor and/or the nutritionist will bolster your likelihood of a successful appeal if it does impact your eligibility?

Also, if your sleep issues relate to sleep apnea, losing weight has been pretty well vetted as a preferred treatment.

Good luck!

42 minutes ago, LDanielle said:

Hello everyone

I had my bypass Monday now im either woefully hungry or can't easy at all. I can't drink much anymore and the Protein Water is disgusting. I can't even do the broth without retching... any food suggestions up hey me out of this rut? Please

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I had my sleeve on Monday, and I really hear you. I messaged with the hospital nutritionist today and was told to stop trying to get the Protein Drinks in and just concentrate on hydrating liquids because I was showing signs of dehydration, i.e. headache and urine darker than normal. She also said the nausea may abate a bit once I get hydrated, and that regardless for most people it abates over the next few days.

I am genuinely hungry now. Even though the thoughts of eating anything makes me slightly sick.

The Protein Water is disgusting. Here is what I have gotten in today:

24 oz. of water

1 sugar free popsicle (2 oz. of liquid)

1/2 serving of Swanson chicken Bone Broth (4 oz) (also about 4.5 g of protein).

Ginger Tea with a 1/2 tsp of Stevia (8 oz.)

I also had a c. of Iconic chocolate Truffle Protein Drink heated up and drank it as hot chocolate. I can tolerate the Iconic better since it uses Stevia and Monk fruit juice instead of the aspartane or sucralose.

The headache is gone, so even though I have not hit the mark for Clear Liquids I think I may be rehydrated. But my total calories today are 66! No wonder I'm hungry! How the heck do we get through the next 6 days of this?

Wow! You look amazing. I bet there have been many, many positive changes, not just smaller pants!

So after having a really pretty easy couple of days, today I started to feel worse. I had a pounding headache, my urine is darker than I want, and I was dry heaving and/or vomiting if I tried to get any Protein Shake in. I am also having a really hard time getting the darn Tylenol down. I finally contacted the nutritionists at B & W (where I had the surgery done) and asked if I was dehydrating. She feels I am in early dehydration, and wants me to give up trying to get the Protein in right now and just concentrate on getting the fluids in. It is a relief not to have to face choking down the Protein Shakes right now, and I am very glad I reached out, because I was feeling really off. She said I may find the nausea lessening by getting hydrated, and that regardless for most people it passes. So I am sipping away, and walking around my house at least once an hour. Or, as we say, living the dream.