CelinaLambeth

My doc told me to lose 40lbs my first three months, then another 40 the following 3 for a total of 80lbs. I was advised to start light weights but to increase my cardio from walking my neighborhood to light jogging and increase from there. Guess how much of that advice I have followed? zero. I barely have the energy to keep up my home. I'd rather not pass out while jogging by a neighbors yard trying to keep up with my doctors expectations. This is your journey and you can travel as slowly as you'd like.

Alabama surgical associates in Huntsville. 10k and because its self pay, you get booked immediately. Dr. Doucette is phenomenal. I wouldn't recommend leaving the country. If there is a restricted flight or COVID lockdown/quarantine, you are stuck in another country. Also, it can be up to a year to get a passport approved. I checked on that myself because my husband had his done in Mexico for 5k. If a new virus wave happens, better be in this country so you can drive home if flights are locked down......

Thank you everyone for helping put me at ease. I saw my doctor yesterday whom said to never do labs right after surgery, they will come back with some alarming numbers. I did not know this when the nurse came by to run labs for a life insurance policy I applied for. He said my liver and kidney function are great and I am in fact in ketosis due to the inability to get a full and balanced meal in. My body is (more or less) in starvation mode and my faint feeling is a side effect of minimal nutrition. He said as soon as I am able to have a full balanced meal, I will then have the carbs and energy required to function better. He told me to hang on and slowly add more carbs in so that my body wont continue to behave like its in shock. I have added lots of fruit and make cranberry/water mixes. I am feeling so much better. I just wished my surgeon would have put this in the discharge paperwork somewhere. I had no idea these side effects were possible post surgery. I was sent home and told I'd feel great......

I have been dizzy to the point of nausea and have had moments where I have to hold onto something to keep from passing out because my vision tunnels. I haven't had the slightest clue what's happening. BP and blood sugar are normal. I had a nurse come to my home recently to draw labs for a life insurance policy I am applying for. The labs showed that I am spilling large amounts of Protein into my urine. Everything that I have read online states that you don't spill protein into your urine from a high protein diet. Not to mention that my protein intake is minimal due to the size of my stomach. I called my sister who has been a nurse for 15 years to talk about the lab results. She told me to go use a urine ketone test strip, we have those on hand because my husband and oldest son are type 1 diabetics. Sure enough, off the charts. Here's the thing, most everyone of the forum is going into or happy they are in active ketosis. I, however am not and feel like its unnecessary. I had gastric bypass to permanently limit Portion Control and my diet will forever be changed. How is that not enough? I do not want to be in ketosis so I am slowly adding healthy carbs to my diet. Anyone out there have bad reactions to ketosis? I feel like I may be the only one with negative reviews on ketogenic but my kidneys are struggling right now. Seeing my primary care first thing tomorrow. I had labs right before my surgery and all was fine. 2 weeks post op and the diet is making me sick.

Thank you all for your honesty. I'm in a bad way, I'm so done with recovery. 15 days post op and I have a huge painful knot under my large incision and side stitch pain on the right. Not sleeping well because of the pulling pain. Doc told me yesterday to exercise more and expects me to lose 40 lbs every 3 months until I am down to 140. I haven't weighed 140 since middle school. I hurt physically and emotionally I am spent. I am so sore, I'd rather not start a rigorous exercise routine right now. Walking 20 mins a day is all I've got. I feel like I am behind everyone else....

I'm 15 days post op and my doctor has advised me to lose 40 lbs my first 3 months, then another 40 the following three months. Here's the catch....I still feel awful. I am recovering very slowly. Walking 20 minutes per day so I am not stagnant but the incision pain keeps me up at night (hard lump and pulling, doc said is normal) and I am not resting well because of it. I do not want to be on pain meds but the soreness makes me sluggish. Anyone else slow to heal? There are so many people whom have jumped straight into their weight loss routine and I am not ready to start mine. Tired of the recovery phase......

2 hours ago, blackcatsandbaddecisions said:

I was by myself the whole time as well- Covid has really made things crazy.

I ran into someone today who’s husband got sleeved in August. She told me his weight loss has stopped-because he has started drinking soda again, and eating snack foods it sounds like. It just really highlighted for me how vital it is to not try to find ways to go back to how I was eating before. This surgery is not a slam dunk, and it requires a huge change in our relationship with food.

It is deeply psychologically rooted in me to comfort eat. My family still does it individually. Death, illness, bad news, good news....all of it comes with tons of food from our grandmother straight to our doors. I have literally had a love affair with food for decades. This is like a divorce. Yes I can still have the foods I love but as a treat and in small amounts on occasion. Not daily contact like a close friend. I cant go back.

20 hours ago, mono stereo said:

I’m on day 6 and still feeling pretty rough. I’m sure it’s because I’ve been consuming so few calories. Yesterday I slept almost all day. I’m really struggling with getting anything other than Water down. My fridge is full of opened Protein Drinks. I say “maybe I’ll try this again later”, but I don’t. I’m grateful to have this thread. It makes me feel a little less alone.

My sleeve was on the 25th. I am right there where you are with the liquids. I am so worried about dehydration. I know you dont want to hear this because you are exhausted but small walks after each serving of Water (drinking until full) will help it go down to make room for more. Keep trying. You are worth it.

Good morning everyone! I'll try not to write a novel but my sleeve experience was difficult to say the least. I don't travel well so the flights to the hospital (our self pay facility was in another state) was stressful to begin with. That was nothing compared to the crap that was about to happen. We get a call from the surgeon the night before telling us that he hospital he has a contract with, will not allow elective surgery patients to stay overnight. They wanted their beds free and available for COVID patients. Mind you part of our self pay package included overnight care, My surgeon was embarrassed and livid to tell me that I would be doing my surgery as out patient and recovering in my hotel by the afternoon. My hotel? Like....no nurse care and its unsterile? Sure! Why not! I decided to be a champ and express empathy toward his obvious embarrassment. It gets worse though. 5:30 am after Uber drops us off, the hospital tells my husband (who was previously told as my care aide, he could accompany me inside) he is not allowed in the building. The lobby is empty, so it wasn't a numbers issue. Mind you, its 50 some odd degrees and raining. We explained that we are out of state and he cant "go sit in the car" as suggested. No go. So, he walked to a nearby store, bought a backpack and started touring the city, alone and picking up gifts for me. Such a sweetheart. After checking in and going through pre op alone, I was ready for surgery. The nurse told me that he had something to relax me but wanted me to "get on the other table".....ok. So there I am in the surgical suite.....being strapped down fully awake as they talk about tourism in my hometown. First my legs, then my right followed by my left arm. I started to panic but just let the tears run down quietly. I saw my husband when I woke up but the nausea was so bad, I opted to go back to sleep. Two more nausea meds and a suppository later (yes a nurse gave me one, I could have died) I was finally able to sit up and walk. Recovery in the hotel was awful. Getting out of bed came with sharp pain, tears and screams. I made it though....Went home two days after surgery and I am 6 days post op and feeling so much better. No bowel movement but I am so very thankful to be home.

Good morning everyone! I am on day 5 of my 12 day liquid diet. I feel great (physically) and had no idea how I would be emotionally. I am hungry and pissed. I have literally asked my spouse and children if their food taste as good as it smells...while I stare at them. I'm turning into a weirdo. Lastly, I don't fart in front of my husband. Night toots don't count and he picks on me about those! However, I am panicking about the gas and stomach pressure on the plane flying home the day after surgery. My surgery is on the 25th. This is hard.

1 hour ago, EdBray said:

My sleeve surgery is scheduled for the end of January. I understand the importance of a high Protein / low carb diet after the surgery. Are there any foods that I wont be able to ever eat again (bread, ice cream, etc.)? I am confident I can handle the high Protein / low carb diet but would like to understand if there is anything that I need to give up forever.

If I can eat bread, ice cream, etc. to some extent, will I have to be very careful given the risk of them making me sick?

Thank you in advance for your response!

My husband had his sleeve 6 years ago. He eats whatever he likes but heres the catch. its all about how much. So you are craving ice cream, eat an ice cream sandwich and let that be it. Dont buy an entire tub. Want bread, have a slice and not with every meal. If you deprive yourself you will fail (emotionally) and burn out. My husband said your craving for those things goes away but if you must indulge, then do it responsibly. It wont make you sick, just try very hard not to restretch your stomach. His mother has the sleeve, did not control portion sizes and restretched her stomach leading to obesity again. Just be careful love, youll do great. I understand how you feel. I have had a love affair with bread and sweets for decades.

22 minutes ago, Light&Love said:

Ran out of the OR room!
Hi everyone! I’m new here. My sleeve date was 11/6/20 however I’m not sleeved. I was/am excited, terrified, anxious, nervous... now I’m stuck. Here’s what happened.. I showed up at 5:30am I was taken back , given an IV in my hand and a shot in my stomach... then the nurse put an extra something something in my IV.. I was told it was Ritalin. Well after 10 mins I began feeling 🥵 hot, suffocated, itchy, and terrified! I began looking around to see if it was only me and as everyone else looked fine I quickly realized it was something they gave me. I called the nurse over to me and politely asked her to remove the IV I was leaving. I was calm on the outside but freaking out on the inside!! I couldn’t tell them what I was feeling I just wanted to 🏃🏽‍♀️ run!! I needed fresh air and fast!! Whatever they gave me magnified my fears 1000% !
But now I’m at a loss 🤦🏽‍♀️ and a little depressed about the entire ordeal. I don’t what to do now. Has this happened to anyone? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Are you sure it wasnt Phenergan? and you misheard it? Ritalin before surgery will wake you from anesthesia and is illegal. You would have a malpractice lawsuit. Try again and let the staff know what happened last time.

57 minutes ago, Cindydt said:

Hi and welcome. I had surgery 5 days ago and I’ll be honest, these first days have been rough. I definitely have pain and vomiting. And terrible nausea from the gases they pump into you during surgery. My medical team say this is totally normal and by day 10-14 all of this should pass but I wish I had been more prepared for this part beforehand. I don’t tell you this to scare you just to let you know it is major surgery and the recovery is substantial. But in the positive side I’m already down 10 pounds! I do think once this initial period of recovery has passed it will be smooth sailing.

Flying is scary right now! But keep your mask on and maybe wear gloves. I know you will be fine. Best of luck!

Thank you so very much for the warm welcome and advice. Im hoping the gas pain wont be amplified from the flight...ugh. Worrying wont help me but if I dont prepare myself emotionally, my anxiety will be out of control.

Hello everyone! I have been reading posts for a few weeks and finally got up the courage to join...for support. I will be getting my sleeve on November 25th and discharged Thanksgiving day, then flying home Friday the 27th. I am self pay at Alabama Surgical associates in Huntsville Alabama. Flying from coastal Ga. I have no underlying health conditions but when I walk/jog the my weight causes severe ankle pain and swelling (Tenosynovitis). I need help to get the weight off because exercise is causing pain. I am honestly more worried about the airplane than the surgery....until I go into surgery. Then I am sure Ill be terrified. I don't do pain. I vomited during child birth.....