BigSue

I have a high-stress desk job where I work 10-hour days. My surgeon recommended taking at least two weeks off,, but I went back after one (11 days, to be precise; I had surgery on a Thursday and took that weekend off, plus the next full week, and then went back the Monday after that). I had a follow-up visit with my surgeon six days after surgery, and he cleared me to return to work. I am working from home most days, but I was in the office my first day back. I felt well enough to go back to work a week earlier, but I wouldn't recommend it because it's practically a full-time job just to track your fluids and protein at first. I felt great the day I went back, and by then, I was able to drink more fluids and didn't need to track by the hour, so I just sipped water at my desk all day and had a protein shake for lunch. I will say that I was not as productive as usual the first couple of weeks back just because I was a bit preoccupied with thinking about the surgery, getting protein and fluids, what to tell people if they noticed I wasn't eating any solid food or that I've lost weight (nobody has noticed either so far), etc. But I'm guessing that no matter how much time I had taken off, I still would have been distracted the first couple of weeks back.

I think the protein goals are unrealistic for the first couple of weeks. Based on what I've seen on this forum, I think most people are unable to meet their protein goals in the beginning. It should get easier, so just do the best you can for now and don't worry too much. The most important thing is to get enough fluids so you don't get dehydrated.

I had a few reasons for not telling anyone about my surgery. I didn't tell my family because I first looked into this surgery about 15 years ago, and my mom played a big role in talking me out of it because she thought it was dangerous and that I was going to die or have horrible complications. This time around, I did my own research and made my own decision and didn't want to give my mom or anyone else a chance to talk me out of it. I have three siblings who have always been thin, so I have a feeling they would be judgmental about it. People who have never struggled with their weight don't understand why it's not that easy for everyone to just eat less and exercise more. I didn't tell anyone at work because I have heard negative comments about weight loss surgery from coworkers. Something that has stuck with me for years is a former coworker who complained about his wife's health insurance costs going up because she worked at a small company and two employees had weight loss surgery in one year. This guy was on his wife's health insurance instead of our company's because it used to cost less, and he complained that it was now more expensive than ours because these two ladies were "too lazy to just go on a diet." I have several current coworkers who are really into diet and fitness to the point that they make me uncomfortable, and although I've never heard any comments from them specifically about weight loss surgery, I have a feeling they would be judgmental. Finally, I am a very private person in general and I am careful about what information I share about my life. I wouldn't tell my coworkers if I were having, say, gallbladder surgery or a hysterectomy, either. People might figure it out on their own if I lose enough weight, but I'm not going out of my way to tell anyone about it.

Congratulations! I love seeing success stories like yours. I hope to have one of my own someday, but for now, I have to live vicariously through people like you. 🙂

Congratulations! My surgeon said that people who lose a lot of weight before their surgery tend to be very successful after surgery, so it looks like you are on track. The time between now and your surgery will fly by and it will be surgery day before you know it.

What kinds of things are you eating? When I started the pureed food stage, I was eating 2 ounces at a time, consisting of triple zero yogurt + protein powder, sugar-free pudding + protein powder, pureed refried beans + protein powder, unsweetened applesauce + protein powder, or cottage cheese. I have been eating three "meals" per day plus liquids (protein drinks, sugar-free popsicles, sugar-free Jello, protein soups, etc.) in between. Are you tracking what you eat? I track everything in MyFitnessPal and I average around 400 calories per day. I don't really feel full when I eat, but I don't feel hungry, either (haven't felt hungry since the surgery). I just measure out 2 ounces and eat it, and don't feel much different before and after the meal. I'm 5 weeks out and on the "soft food" stage, but I'm still mostly eating pureed foods and ricotta bake (definitely the best thing I've eaten since surgery and now my go-to dinner; I split the recipe into 8 portions and that's dinner for over a week). I just recently started adding half an ounce of canned chicken to my refried beans and ricotta bake meals.

Welcome! I have chosen not to tell anyone in my life (aside from medical professionals) about my surgery, so it's nice to have somewhere to discuss something that is a big part of my life right now. FYI, in case you don't know how to update your stats, you can click on your username at the top of the screen, then select "My Surgery" under Settings. The info on the "Surgery Information" and "Progress" screens is nice to be able to see when you post (but of course it's all optional and you don't have to enter anything you don't want to share).

I was really tested today... My boss bought lunch for the whole department to celebrate a successful project for my team. I don't want anyone at work to know I had WLS, so I couldn't tell him that I didn't want any of what is usually my favorite meal. He got individually packed meals since that's the company's policy during the pandemic. I figured I'd just be "busy" during lunch and not take a meal and no one would notice since he got extras anyway, but my boss personally brought my meal -- which did not include anything I can eat at this point -- to my desk. So not only did I not get to partake in the celebratory meal, and had to watch my coworkers enjoy food I love but can't eat, but I had to sit next to the delicious-smelling food and stress out about what to do with it (all while contemplating what exactly would happen if I just gave in and ate it anyway). I couldn't bring myself to throw it in the trash, so I brought it to another team's office and told them we had an extra one (hope that didn't arouse too much suspicion; their boss was there and is friends with my boss). My boss wanted to do something nice for my team, but it was just sad and stressful for me. It's such a stupid little first-world problem but it ruined my day.🙁

I had very little pain after surgery, other than gas pain, which isn't really alleviated by pain meds. I was sent home with a prescription for Vicodin, but I didn't need it. I didn't even need to take Tylenol. They did say that they recommend minimizing the amount of pain medication you take because it can cause constipation, but they also said if you are in a lot of pain, you should take it and not let your pain get out of control.

I have a feeling that a lot of fat people have relationships in which we give and give while others take advantage. I know I have experienced that a lot in my life, and I think it is because I have been made to feel defective, less worthy than others, because of my weight, and that I somehow need to make up for that in other ways. I foolishly think that people will like me in spite of my weight if I constantly bend over backward for them, only to eventually realize that they only like taking from me and they don't actually like me as a person. In defense of the friends you lost because they didn't want to hear about your weight loss, eating, or going to the gym, I kind of understand, especially as a larger person, because that kind of discussion often leads to body shaming, so it makes me uncomfortable when those conversations happen around me. I feel that these topics are very personal and not things I want to discuss in certain settings (especially work). Since I don't like to discuss these things, I would start to feel like I don't have much in common with someone who talks about these subjects all the time. That doesn't mean it's about you, personally, and I hope you can forgive those who want to avoid those subjects that can be emotionally fraught or just not things that are important in their lives.

This is very common because of all the IV fluids you get in the hospital. I came home from surgery 5 pounds heavier than when I left, but those 5 pounds came off within two days.

So sorry your coworkers are being jerks. It was completely out of line for them to go to your director about their "concerns" about your surgery, and even worse if your director didn't tell them in no uncertain terms that your health and medical treatments are none of their business. If anyone has the nerve to say anything like that again, you are completely within your rights to say, "My medical decisions are not up for debate. Thanks for understanding!" I don't blame you for being disappointed. It sounds like you are surrounded by people who are happy to take advantage of your kindness but unwilling to give even a little to you. Crap like this is one of the many reasons I have not told anyone, not even my family, and certainly not my coworkers, about my surgery. I just said I was going on vacation.

For me, that 1/2 ounce every 3-4 minutes only applied for the first couple of weeks. After that, I was able to drink larger amounts, so I don't need to sip constantly. I still can't chug a whole bottle of water in 5 minutes, but it's no problem for me to drink 6-8 ounces in 15 minutes. How many inspections do you typically do in a day? If you are doing four 2-hour inspections and can't drink any water during the inspections, it will probably be a problem. But if you'll only be restricted in drinking water for a total of four hours in the day, you can probably get enough if you make sure you drink as much as possible the rest of the day. Is it possible for you to take a break every hour during the longer inspections? I have to imagine there are times you need to excuse yourself to use the restroom during these inspections, right? And I would hope nobody has a problem with it, so I doubt they would have a problem with you taking a water break. How open are you about the surgery? If you don't mind telling people, you could ask your boss if it will be ok to take water breaks during the inspections. Or see if your boss is willing to assign you to shorter inspections for a few weeks. You could tell people at the inspections that you just had surgery and you're under doctor's orders to take a water break, and I bet they'll understand.

Wow, I didn't get yogurt until a week out! Looks like you're doing great. I'm sure they're pumping you full of IV fluids, which will help make up for lower fluid intake the first few days. Welcome to the other side!

Welcome! Looks like you're doing great. I agree about this crazy time actually turning out to be a good time to get WLS. I feel guilty for saying it because I know this pandemic has caused a lot of pain and suffering for many people, but has made things easier for WLS. I haven't told anyone at work and I don't plan to, and it sure helps in terms of privacy that my team is working from home most of the time and even when we're in the office, we're not allowed to eat together.

I was able to take it right away after surgery. They actually gave it to me while I was in the hospital.

I take Synthroid and it is a tiny little pill. I have had no issues taking it normally.

I hope you get some good answers because I was going to ask about this, too! I am 5 weeks out now, so in one more week I will not be limited to soft foods. I live in a "food desert" where it's hard for me to get fresh produce because I don't live near any grocery stores, so I've been looking at meal delivery services. I haven't used them before because I felt they were too expensive, but now that I'm eating about 1/3 of a meal, a meal kit will stretch much further. I've been looking at HungryRoot, but I've seen some other healthy meal delivery services that look good.

I think that's a reasonable plan. I had surgery on July 16 and went back to work July 27. I could have gone back July 20 if I really had to, but it wouldn't have been a great idea just because it takes a lot of effort to get enough fluids and protein that first week, so it's best to take it easy and focus on that. Now, I have a desk job, so it may be a little different for you as a student. For example, how far do you have to go to get between classes? You might not be up to brisk walks across campus. And do you have decent seating in your classes, or do you have those horrible one-piece desk-chairs that are difficult for some of us to squeeze into? You're not going to want to squeeze yourself into anything right after surgery while your incisions are still healing. Also keep in mind that everybody's recovery is different. Some people don't even spend a full day in the hospital while others have to stay several days. It's unlikely, but possible, that you could have complications that put you out of commission for weeks. Or you could have a difficult recovery and not feel well enough to go to class that soon. More than likely, you'll be fine by the 21st, but think about what you'll do if you're not.

@Sammi_Katt Where did you find sugar free liquid Tylenol? I looked for it but couldn't find it anywhere. Every brand of liquid acetaminophen I could find contains high fructose corn syrup.

There were no visitors allowed when I had my surgery, but I wouldn't have had any visitors anyway, so it didn't make a difference to me. You can always call or Facetime your family/friends from the hospital. Just bring something to do or read to pass the time while you sip fluids (which demands more of your time and attention than you would think) and you'll be back home with your family before you know it.

I feel the same way! At my current weight, I would never leave my house in leggings because I feel like they leave too little to the imagination. I wear dark wash, bootcut jeans 99% of the time that I am in public. I hope that I lose enough weight that I can wear leggings in public someday.

16.5 pounds in less than 2 weeks is pretty good if you ask me, especially for someone with your BMI (since you don't have as much to lose as most of us, you should expect your weight loss to be a bit slower). To put it in perspective, my surgery was 3 weeks before yours and I have only lost 16 pounds so far -- and my surgery weight was 60 pounds heavier than yours. I hit the 3-week stall right on schedule and only today lost 0.8 pounds after 6 consecutive days at the same weight.

Congrats! The time will fly by and surgery day will be here before you know it.

Yes, my doctor only said no drinking during or for 30 minutes after eating, no restrictions before. But just to be safe, I don't drink anything for 30 minutes before eating, either.