Smanky

I think the above is key. I worked 10 years in hospitality, most of it in the kitchen as a cook, and have done film catering where it was a bingo card of dietary requirements and it's not difficult to feed people. Yes, it's can be a pain in the arse and some kitchens are vocal about that, but that's the job. With bariatric requirements in a hospital, it's definitely not asking too much. It's just down to planning and having some meals that are easy to alter. I sometimes wish I could march into the local public hospital kitchen and sort out their "difficult" or "annoying" dietary offerings. But then I remember how I never want to work in hospitality again...

Thank god for your Super Awesome Nurse! While my WLS hospital experience was fine (I suspect because they were a private hospital), my two previous surgeries were a different story. For some reason, even in 2015, "vegan" seems utterly beyond public hospital kitchens. The worst was my knee surgery stay (5 days), where they just... didn't feed me. And I was only vegetarian at the time, the easy option. If it wasn't for my partner and friends bringing me in food to eat, they'd have just let me starve. With my 2015 gallbladder op, they managed to find a small soy milk for me, then just shrugged. Luckily, that stay was only overnight. So brava getting the right stuff thanks to the nurse AND getting a takeaway stash! But ugh... sorry you're having such a rough time with the cellulitis. That was a rude-ass spider.

Sleeve_me_alone covered it all brilliantly, and I agree that these are questions you need to write down and take to your next appointment. Only thing I want to add is I'm an ex-smoker (2 and a half years quit), and my surgeon warned me that smoking again, or even passive smoking, runs a massive risk of developing ulcers in my new pouch and joins. Not that I had ever intended to smoke again given how LONG it took me to be free of the damn stuff, but the fear of that complication will ensure I run a mile.

Oh god, that sucks. Hope it clears up quick!

Thats amazing, congrats! I'm with you on the constipation/bowel issues. I'm on prescribed laxatives and am taking soluble fibre in all shakes and protein water, and while I'm not constipated per say, every second day my bowels ache and the flatulence is relentless, all for eventually passing bugger-all. Really hoping this side of things resolves! Nice work on the running, too! I'm really looking forward to getting back into running and the gym. The gym was my happy place and it will be again.

Ugh. Your poor thing, that sucks. I have reactive skin and will welt up with some adhesives, so I know how that feels.

Yeah, rude personal questions like that will get a dismissive "I've lost the weight I've lost next subject" with a tight-smile-that-doesn't-reach-my-eyes from me.

Congrats! You're so close! And yep, excited/nervous/scared is the standard trifecta of feelings leading up to surgery day. It's quite the whirlwind! Have you started your pre-op diet?

One week out and I'm still not past it - this is the itchiest post-anything I've ever felt. I'm glad you've escaped it!

Yep, that is post-op recovery described to a "T"!

Yes! A texture thing perhaps. The idea of chewing solid food is just... Nooooooo! I can hear my stomach pouch warning me off. I'm a good cook, so I'm looking forward to hitting the kitchen again and whipping up soups and blended stews for the puree stage, but anything more solid than that is a big NOPE.

Five days post-op, so thought I'd update. My swelling/water retention has gone and my weight's now starting to drop. I never knew my starting weight before the pre-op diet. A year ago, I was 125kg, and I KNOW I had gained a lot more in the last 12 months and am pretty sure I was at least 130kg. My hospital admission weight was 127kg, then when I got home, the water retention and swelling had added 2kg! The scales this morning are 125kg. So It's a nice feeling to be losing at last! The slow steady march begins! My pain is a lot better, though I'm still taking my opioids as I'm still quite sore. My wounds are healing well. When I'm in bed I have to have a pillow clutched to me abdomen as protection from a certain giant Siberian cat that loves to jump onto me. So far so good, I've managed to steer him away without denying him cuddles. I still have zero appetite, zero hunger, and would honestly be happy to just drink water all day if I didn't have protein goals to hit. It's slow going, but am getting shakes and protein water down no problem. Everything my partner is cooking for himself SMELLS great - even porridge. "It's gruel, Oliver!" He said, but I can't help what my nose likes! That said, I don't want to eat any of it. It's an odd thing! I've become very sick of sweet things though. The protein water tasted nice to start with, but I've quickly become very tired of the sweetness, and even the flavoured protein shakes are borderline too much. Walking every day, energy levels are good.

I had my gallbladder out in 2015 after a terrible gallstone attack that sent me to Emergency. The gallbladder removal was honestly almost painless post-op. It was done laparoscopically by the same surgeon who did my WLS, and I was in hospital overnight. The discomfort was mild and the only time it peaked was when I was jostled - like when in a car going over a bump. I was given the all clear to travel interstate a couple of weeks after (as it was near Christmas), and the bumping from the plane landing hurt, but that was it. It's an absolute breeze compared to my bypass, which has been very sore post op. The bypass left me feeling like I'd been hit by a truck, and five days out, I still feel like I've taken several hard punches to the gut. The incisions from the gallbladder removal were also much smaller! No more than a centimetre, versus over an inch with the bypass incisions. I've had 3 surgeries, and in order of pain levels, they're: 1(most pain) - Bypass 2(still painful) - knee reconstruction ACL 3(barely any pain) - gallbladder removal. EDIT: It's worth noting that I also had a hiatal hernia repair with my bypass, which has made my post-op pain greater!

Excellent call. Thanks!

Oh no! Extra bonus annoyance! At least you can pop some lotion on your legs? But yeah, I honestly prefer the pain to the itch. If this was a tattoo I'd be slapping the crap out of it, but not an option for a poor in-the-wars abdomen!

I should have been expecting it, but I was way more focused on the post-surgery pain, but my wounds are now in full healing-itch phase and it's ... special. Given that I can't scratch OR gently slap the sites, I've taken an antihistamine and am trying to grin and bear it. And distract myself. Any tips? Or is this what I suspect it is - a "ride it out" part of the process. It'll be gone in a few days, I know, but if there's a trick to curbing it a little, I'm all ears!

I'd be grabbing unflavoured protein powder and mixing it with your choice of milks/water, then adding powdered coffee or powdered matcha for flavour. I'm finding my sweet taste buds are oversensitive post op too. The Raw Slim and Tone chocolate flavour was bittersweet pre-surgery, but post it's just sweet enough. The other brand I used for pre op that was a sweet salted caramel would be way too sweet for me now. I get a bit queasy thinking about it.

My pre-op was 3 VLCD protein shakes a day, and I had to have 2 cups of low carb/non starchy vegetables, which could be prepared as salad, soup, stir fry (soy sauce was allowed), or a stew. I made a huge pot of vegetable stew that got me through. All spices and herbs were allowed, so I was free to make it tasty. It was meant to be an Opti-fast pre op diet, but I can't have Opti-fast so this was my dietician's vegan workaround.

Thanks Summerseeker! I suspect my weight loss won't begin until the swelling and water retention goes down, as I weigh more that I did at the pre-op check despite only drinking water. So once things settle down, the weight should start to shift.

It amazes me how quickly some of you sleeve folks go home. I didn't even go home that fast after my gallbladder removal, which barely hurt at all post-op.

Oh and forgot to add: only very slight shoulder pain from the gas. It was gone by day 2. The entire surgery team was excellent.

Just got home, and thought I'd write my experience in before I knock myself out with more painkillers. Post op recovery was intense, but once they administered sufficient painkillers, I wasn't too bad. But this surgery is quite painful and the laparoscopic incisions look and feel like stab wounds so they're pretty tender. When my surgeon got in there, he discovered a large hiatal hernia I had no idea I had! He repaired it, so I pretty much had two surgeries for the price of one. The hernia explains the GORD, so with it fixed and the antireflux hitch stitch, I shouldn't be troubled by it long term. But I have extra abdominal tenderness from the repair as well as the Omega Loop. The bypass went well, and I've had no trouble sipping water to get my fluids in. Absolutely ZERO interest in food of any description, no hunger, I just have to automatically sip throughout the day. I can walk short distances. I'm still very much needing to crawl into bed.

Thanks VB! Gonna have to get them to tape over my philtrum, it's not coming out without pliers. ? I'll be in hospital for a couple of days, so see you lovelies on the flipside! xxx

Less than 24 hours now. Hospital called and I have my admission time for tomorrow morning, have my fasting instructions. Almost chocks-away and I'm feeling quite zen now. Only I can't get my bloody philtrum piercing out! Got my labret out with help from my partner but my philtrum is just not having it. Anyone with mouth piercings got any tips? I've tried biting the back, gripping the back with paper towel, but neither of us can get purchase and the ball is small.

I had my "last hurrahs" leading up to my pre-op diet. What I'm going to be doing before I begin my nil-by-mouth is enjoy guzzling water, because I know I won't be able to do that again. Just that sensation of downing a large glass in one go. Adieu, ol' guzzle!