Seija

Checking in

Surgery Status: ~4 weeks Post Op VSG (July 27th)

Phase: week 2 soft food (tomorrow I am able to start regular food)

Highest known weight: 241

Surgery weight: 229

Current Weight: 211

NSV: Some of my office slacks are fitting better, and even a bit too loose in some areas. I can also see a big difference in my face, especially when comparing photos side by side.

I have been stalled on 96kg / 211lbs for almost a week now, but I am not too bothered since I fully expected this based on others' experiences. The hardest part for me has been the morning nausea and some lightheadedness. Otherwise, I keep on keeping on.

This is a much needed post here!! I only wish I saw it earlier when I was freaking out and having cold feet 😅 Congratulations on your success and best wishes to both you and your wife.

14 hours ago, Clipped2021 said:

Hello everyone!

Im new to the site and I am excited to chat with others who have had gastric sleeve surgery. My surgery was July. 29 and it went well. I am struggling with meeting my Water and Protein requirements. I feel there isn’t enough hours in a day to consume everything required. I’m up and moving around well with minimal pain. I struggle with cramping every time I drink which is the main reason why I don’t meet my Water or Protein requirements. Any tips or advice ( tricks to the trade) I would greatly appreciate it.

I had mine a few days before you and also struggle with hitting protein and water goals in the day. Seems impossible! Have you tried having broth or warm tea / warm water with lemon for hydration? That went down easier for me than cold water during the cramping stomach days.

2 hours ago, Sue swapping over said:

Huge huge thank you for this, it has really helped, so glad you are doing well xx

No problem at all and thanks!

I think my experience was quite average. You can also have a look at the July 2021 thread for some more surgery stories. Some have had more challenges than others but overall it seems to be a very safe and tolerable experience 😊 It definitely eased my mind to read everyone's experiences here as well.

42 minutes ago, Sue swapping over said:

Hi all

im booked in for 19 aug, I see a lot of you have had surgery this month, but don’t see any updates on how it is , is it that bad that no one is writing about it, I’m super worried x

Hi! I had my surgery late July (27th) so I'm 10 days post op. This is how things went for me:

Day of surgery

The surgery took 1.5 hours, and I spent an additional 1 hour in the recovery room. I was only nauseous immediately after waking up but it went away quickly. When I got back to my room, I slept for a while. After about an hour I was able to get up and walk around, use the bathroom, and drink Water. This made me a bit dizzy and nauseous and I felt weak. I tried to walk around every hour or so but all I really wanted to do was sleep. Most of the pain was in my back and chest. Pain level was 7/10 so they gave me more painkillers for the night. I slept on and off throughout the night, waking several times to use the bathroom, have a walk around my room and a few sips of water.

These were definitely the hardest hours of the entire recovery. It took quite a bit of concentration and strength to get myself out of bed each time. I never experienced any nausea or vomiting, just some dizziness when walking or standing up for more than 5 minutes.

1 day post op

The next morning I felt much better, pain level 5/10. Was able to drink a lot more, walk around the entire ward, have a shower and take 2 pills orally (1 for stomach, 1 for pain). Most of the pain was more of an aching in my back and upper chest, and an extremely sore abdomen. My husband said the color in my skin was back to normal and I was generally in good spirits.

I was discharged at 11am and when we got home (to our hotel) is when the shoulder pain and gas pain started to kick in. I noticed that it helped a lot to drink hot peppermint tea and broth, as well as to lie down flat on the bed. Once I would get up and walk around some more, though, the shoulder pain would come back. I walked around as much as I could because I had read that, although painful, it's the quickest way to get the gasses out and recover.

That afternoon I also had my first meal: about 2 tbsp of babyfood puree. Went down fine. It was also the first time that evening that I noticed my belly rumbling a lot and making noise. Slept through the night without waking up just fine.

2 days post op

Pain level was just a 2 or 3 this morning with some gas and shoulder aching. I spent the day taking small walks, napping and alternating ice water with hot broth and tea, and had about 100g of babyfood puree throughout the day.

3 days post op

No real pain on this day, just soreness in the abdomen and some dull ache in the shoulder every once in a while. I had some Greek Yoghurt in addition to the babyfood and that went down well. Could feel a lot of rumbling happening in my belly. Also had my first BM!

4-5 days post op

This is when I finally started to feel some hunger. But after having just 2 or 3 teaspoons of yogurt or puree, my stomach felt very full and this would last for 3-4 hours during which I could focus on getting my water in.

I comfortably traveled home (1.5 hr flight + 1 hr train) on day 5.

Present (10 days post op)

No pain or discomfort, just some soreness around my incisions that I notice a few times a day. Energy levels are fine unless I try to do something physically demanding - then I get wiped out very quickly and need a nap or a rest.

I am continuing to take omeprazole every morning and have 1 more day of blood thinner injections left. Eating around 50g of puree food, 5-6x a day.

Highest weight: 241 lbs

Surgery date weight: 228 lbs

Today's weight: 216 lbs

4 hours ago, successboundNP said:

Hey all of my sleevers! I figured this group has the freshest memory on healing and wanted to ask a question.

I was suppose to be having surgery 8/10 and it was moved three weeks out. I’m freaking out because I start school in two weeks.

For those who have had the sleeve, is it doable to be back in classes three days later?
I go to classes for 8 hours a day and would have to be present three days post op and have two hospital clinicals a week that would start when I’m two weeks post op.

In your experience am I being realistic to continue on with the date given?

Thank you!

I was sleeved 27th July and have had a pretty textbook, easy recovery. Having said that, on day 3 post op I think I would really struggle with a full 8 hour day of studies. It's mostly the gas pain and shoulder pain that made things really uncomfortable and require a lay down every few hours.

It could be done if you are also lucky and your recovery is easy but it will surely be exhausting so you'd probably need a solid nap every day to cope. If at all possible to take the sick days from class, or do it from home and break it up into shorter sessions, I would highly recommend that.

I'm just a little over 1 week post op and would say that your upcoming clinicals in 2 weeks should be no problem (if your recovery is fairly easy, of course). As long as you prepare well with food and are able to stay on top of your Water intake.

I am just shy of a week post op sleeve and everything has gone really well. Drinking 1-1.2L Water daily and eating babyfood/yoghurt/cottage cheese since the day after surgery without any nausea or vomiting at all. I was also nervous about taking pills the very next morning after surgery but they went down just fine. My preop diet energy was wayyyyy lower than now.

It's still early days for me so I have no idea if it will always be this smooth sailing (physiologically speaking) and I find myself still having anxiety about future issues, definitely in large part stemming from the posts on this forum. But at the end of the day, like @Officially Not Fatty Matty pointed out, I imagine that there is a disparity in problematic/ advice posts because there is more value in that in terms of getting help and support in the community.

I wish you all the best with your surgery and my tip is to write a list of your Why's and goals to refer to when you feel the doubt and anxiety kicking in to help keep the right perspective. If you've worked towards the surgery for so long, you obviously know it is right for you, and the anxiety - though totally normal - is probably just nerves about uncertainty and the unknown.

On 7/30/2021 at 6:56 PM, Ceja said:

I’m Aug 4😬😬😬 anyone here have to fly home after surgery? I will be flying 3 days after surgery. It’s a 4 hr flight and I’m nervous getting myself through the airport and on the plane when I probably won’t feel well

Yes, I am flying home today (day 5 after surgery). I booked a bunch of extra days (my bariatric team recommended just 2 nights after surgery) because I was scared of flying while unwell. But honestly I could have comfortably flown on day 3 or even 2.

Right after surgery and on the first day after surgery I was freaking out about how terrible I felt and I couldn't imagine I would recover well enough to travel within a week, but it really does improve exponentially everyday.

Having said that, I had a pretty textbook surgery, no complications, and Water + babyfood was going down without issue for me on the very next day after surgery. My biggest struggle was the gas pain and shoulder pain (from the gas) and overwhelming tiredness.

It is good to let your surgeon know you are traveling so soon so they could provide you with compression stockings, anticoagulant injections, or stronger pain killers just in case.

1 hour ago, CapsFan said:

Hi, everyone! I am a little late to the party, but I just had surgery on Tuesday, July 27, and I’m excited to have found a group of people who are on the same timeline as me.

It’s 4:07am, so obviously I’m not sleeping through the night yet, but I feel pretty good overall. I have had some big feelings, though, of being very worried that I’m going to be miserable about this choice I made, even though prior to surgery I was so positive and upbeat about it. Anyone else having that mental struggle?

I also had mine the 27th! And have struggled with small panic attacks the night before and morning of surgery as well as immediately after when I realized oh my God what have I done, I just had my completely normal healthy stomach removed... And I have had feelings of regret often, especially when waking up in pain. But my bariatric team prepared me for these feelings and said it is to be expected and very normal to feel that way. They had me write a list of all the things I look forward to, my goals, and why I am doing this operation in the first place. Consulting that list when I feel bad really really helps and snaps me out of that dark place!

So maybe you can share with us what are the top 3 things you look forward to most?

Mine are:

1. to be able to hike and run and kayak and do all the outdoorsy things I have been or felt too fat to do

2. to buy clothes I actually like, not just what fits or is "slimming"

3. to be healthy for my loved ones

58 minutes ago, eholmes89 said:

Hi Billy!

Congratulations on your surgery, this is the start of your new life… 👍🏻😊

All those questions are very valid and normal to be asking. I am 2 weeks post op.

1. Yes, this is normal. Your stomach is very swollen and tender. I struggled to sit up from laying down and needed some help to begin with. My incisions are still delicate to touch and felt like they pulled when I moved. I found a hot water bottle helped sometimes. But this will get better with time.

2. I didn’t pass stools until the 10th day after surgery. Also in terms of gas I think it was 8-9 days post surgery. My dietician told me as long as I wasn’t experiencing symptoms on constipation this was normal as my body adjusts to the lack of food. If your feeling like you need to ‘go’ and it’s painful speak to your nurse.

3. I didn’t personally experience this. But I’m guessing it’s to do with the gas. Keep moving as much as you can without straining yourself. Failing that call your nurse for more advice.

4. This is normal. Your stomach is swollen and adapting to the stitches and size. I really struggled with Water to start, I moved onto sugar free juice this helped settle my tummy more. Sometimes sleevers do struggle with Water only, warm tea can also help. I also get stomach spasm everytime i sneeze!!

5.Hiccups for me is a sign my stomach is full. It will get full very quickly in the first few days. I also struggled to burp sometimes with feelings of a ball in my chest. I used Infacol and Gaviscon to help With this. It does go away over time.. just remember to keep sipping slowly on avoid dehydration.

If you have anymore questions the bunch of people on here are really helpful and they will answer as best they can to make you feel better ❤️‍🩹

1 hour ago, BillyHalleck said:

Hi all,

VSG completed on Monday 7/26, Wondering if you all could help me figure out what pain levels and challenges are normal. I am finding:

1. Very hard to sit up from bed, or stand from chair - feels like my entire stomach is "dropping" and causes pain at incisions

2. No bowel movements since pre-surgery. Feel full of gas. Difficult to pass gas.

3. Swollen/stiff neck

4. Painful stomach spasms: both randomly and every time I drink anything (even small sips).

5. Gurgling and painful hiccups but not gas expulsion or belching.

Is this all normal? Thanks all!

Had surgery 27th 14:00 and I am experiencing all those things + serious right shoulder pain. That is actually the worst thing for me now. It is so sharp and makes it difficult to do anything. But I do think it is normal and can't wait to feel better.

Thanks for the reassuring reply ❤️ @eholmes89

Every encouraging reply helps right now.

On 6/3/2021 at 10:56 PM, Sammys_VSG_Evolution said:

My psych and dietician are on the 15th of June, so I'm mentally preparing for that. My surgeon said I will be on minimum 3 weeks of the pre surgery diet. So I'm keeping an eye out for sales of the shakes.< br>I also have to have a blood test sometime this month to double check all my levels as my Iron was a little low so they wanted to make sure I didn't have to have an infusion of that first.
Trying to not psych myself out too much but I also love information so I've been reading and watching so much stuff about pre and post op as it gets closer and closer.

Sent from my SM-G986B using BariatricPal mobile app

I know what you mean about the tricky balance between loving to do heavy research but trying not to psych yourself out too much. I am the same way! Have scoured every platform online for as much info as I can find, and even watched the full length VSG procedure on YouTube 🙈 I actually added "Will you use reinforced stitching over the stapled sleeve?" to my list of questions to the surgeon before I realised that I need to pull back and chill out 😅

I think it's so interesting that most of our concerns and prep revolve around What will I eat? and When will I be able to eat normal stuff again? as our primary concern 😅 That is definitely the first place my mind went when I was learning about the process, too. I think it is so telling of the fact that we are indeed food addicts and food takes up so much space in our life.

I have been preparing by taste-testing Protein Drinks (hate em all so far 🙈), organising my schedule to avoid any big commitments right after surgery, and doing all the research I can by reading, finding IG accounts to follow, watching YouTube videos, etc. I am trying to learn from other people's experiences as much as possible for tips, tricks, how to do the right things and how to avoid the pitfalls.

I have also been looking into doing some kind of workbook or something for developing new coping strategies since food won't be there for me anymore. Struggling to find anything for bariatric patients specifically, just general ones on anxiety, depression, etc... But will let you all know if I do find something useful!

@motherofboys Sorry to hear that! It might be a good idea to find a Protein Shake with the closest nutritional content to the one your program insists on but with better taste -- and have that as a back up? I have heard advice from others that it is a good idea to get 1 of each brand and do a protein-tasting session! I plan to do that soon.

It sounds like you are getting well prepared, though! 💪 Keep us updated

I am pre-op but have been actively working on coping skills. food will always be the preferred way so it takes a lot of intention for me to choose another coping strategy instead.

Walking is the most effective for me but it can take some power of will to get myself out the door some days, especially if the weather isn't nice. Some "easier" back ups I have are:

• Listen/watch ASMR videos
• True crime podcasts while doing some tidying / laundry folding
• Some pampering (give myself a pedicure/manicure, hair mask, face mask, etc)

If the stressor is something that I am really struggling with and want to vent, I journal on my private Tumblr page.

I have my VSG booked for 27th July -- impatiently counting down the days 📆🤩 Meanwhile I am doing all the research I can on how to best prepare myself mentally for this huge change.

What is everyone else up to in these exciting weeks before? @MoreThanWords @Steveo2ray @CzarinaQ @motherofboys @LizzLosingIt @Sammys_VSG_Evolution @laurenantics @Karriekuddles

On 3/17/2021 at 4:57 PM, fransmom said:

Anyone out there in the same place? Have some regain, about 20 lbs, and struggling to get it off. Feel like my pouch is stretched. Any help/suggestions are appreciated.

@fransmom Check out Dr. Duc Vuong's YouTube series "real talk". He has some great videos and resources on weight regain post surgery. I wish you the best of luck and believe that you can get back on track!