Elisabethsew

I think this thread has run its course.

Post-op day 6 went well. I drove to the grocery store and walked all the isles, packed the stuff, loaded the car, and came home and had a lovely breakfast of tea and soy slender after putting everything away. I must say, looking at all the food in the store did make me crave some favorites but my eye is on getting healthy and healing properly. Because others in the house are not joining me on my liquid diet phase, I spent the afternoon cooking some meals ahead. My preference is to cook a lot, portion it out, and freeze it so there's always something available on days I don't feel like cooking. By the time I was done, I was tired so I caught up on paperwork and now I'm watching some TV. Tomorrow evening, I am going back to work but am easing into it and only working 8 hours. If that goes OK, I'll do my 12.5 hour shift on Thursday. My back is sore and so is the area where the port was but each day is better than the one before. Of course, I can't wait for Saturday... hello full fluids! LOL. The tomato soup is calling.

Protein needs to be taken throughout the day so I guess some people do supplement. I just can't find a Protein powder I can get down so, like Susan, I am resigned to just doing the best I can until I move to full fluids. If you're doing the soft phase, what about mushing a meatball up into some tomato Soup made with skim milk instead of Water? That would definitely boost the protein value.

Susan, The broth was a little strong but MUCH better than Protein supplements. The post-op coordinator for Dr. Aceves said it was OK to use a soy drink I found that tastes good. It's in the grocery store in the health food section in a one quart cardboard box (not refrigerated) called Soy Slender. That would give you 7-8 g protein in 8 ounces and is 70 calories. The chocolate flavor is great.

Dr. Aceves told me that I had to keep drinking constantly throughout the day. It FINALLY got better today. I think all the gas pockets passed which is allowing the fluids to trickle on down. As for calorie count... that's going to stay low while we're on fluids but I've got plenty of fat to live off of. LOL. Congratulations on the 10 pound loss! Keep drinking so you don't end up in the ER for IV hydration.

Susan, the hot tea is working better than cold water for me in an effort to get the fluids in. I went grocery shopping today and found a quart size cardboard box of beef sirloin stock that has 7 g protein in 8 oz. I'm going to try a cup for lunch. I'm also sipping Kelloggs protein lemon water. It's only 5 g protein in a bottle (16 oz) but at least it's something. Hang in there... you get to Celebrate Easter with full fluids! LOL. I get there a day before you and am counting the days.

For the LAST time, good luck with your surgery. You asked questions, you got responses, you didn't agree with the responses, and now you're insulting moderators. This is against the rules. Please review them. Again, you are the one beating a dead horse. We wish you well with your surgery. Adios!

Excellent way to look at it.

Unfortunately, I know I won't be getting in the required protein and I'm trying as hard as I can to stay hydrated. I only got in 20 g today so I'll try for more tomorrow. Have you tried part-skim ricotta cheese for some protein? Once I get to the full fluids, I'll be a lot happier.

I work in NY and they don't use the droperidol anymore... blackboxed by the FDA so I guess they don't want the hassle but it's a great drug. The 8 mg of Zofran does nothing for me.

I worked a 13 hour shift and then had a car take me directly to the airport. On the way there, I took my luggage on the plane with me. Once you get off the plane, the driver is in the baggage area waiting for you and then you go right to the hospital. I traveled alone but the staff are nice and I got work done on my laptop. You'll get a list of American TV stations but I didn't bother with the TV. The process goes quickly and the only difficult part was the LONG trip back home. Because heavy lifting is not allowed (>15 pounds), I checked my luggage on the way home. You'll need to come to terms with the fact that 60% of your stomach is being removed. Some people have a problem with this. I would suggest thinking it through before you actually go through with it.

The anesthesiologost will meet with you and review your past surgeries as well as your spinal anatomy before suggesting which to get. After they got the IV in my wrist in the OR, they pushed a sedative through it and then I was assisted onto my left side. The spinal block lasts for 3 hours. You will also get general anesthesia because of the pressure on the diaphragm when they inflate the abdominal cavity with the CO2 gas. Most people think the surgeon is in charge of the OR but that's not true. It's the anesthesiologist who monitors your vital signs, etc., and controls the operation. I would suggest going with what they suggest. My OR time was 2 hours.

I warned them that me and anesthesia don't agree and told them of the horrible nausea and what drug works best for me. It's no longer used in this country but it is in Mexico and others... droperidol. They gave me that post-op and the nausea went away. I had rigors (uncontrolled shaking) but they used a hot air blower to deal with that issue. It took them 3 sticks to get an IV in my horrible veins. Unfortunately, it developed a phlebitis and Dr. Aceves yanked it the morning after my surgery which left me way behind in fluids and dehydrating. I'm finally getting back to a balance today.

Hi Susan, I'm glad to hear you made it home OK and that all went well with the biopsies. I honestly would not have survived in your room with that cold. LOL. I'm one day ahead of you and feel human today. As for the taste, I am wondering if it has something to do with being in ketosis. You were on liquids and I was on 30 gm of protein a day and had a very high level of ketones. It will be interesting to see if things change when we enter the full fluid phase. Keep healing!

Natalie, Except for having a slip and a lot less weight to lose, your story is nearly exactly the same as mine. I'm so glad you're on the road to health and congratulations on your loss.

It's post-op day 5 and I finally feel good. The jet lag is gone and the awful gas pain that landed in my left shoulder is also history. I decided not to take anything for pain (last pill was Sat night) yesterday or last night (slows peristalsis and I wanted the gas gone) and it worked. LOL. I was able to sleep on my left and right sides as well as my back. The most tender spot is near where the port was removed and where the drain was. In my case, those 2 spots are close. It feels like I did 300 sit-ups but the more I move, the better I feel. I tried 5 different Protein drinks/powders when I was banded and hated them all. This time, I bought 3 different types and just can't get past the awful protein taste. I called the patient coordinator and asked if I could use a soy based drink that has 7 g protein, 1 sugar carb, 3 Fiber carbs, and 70 cal in 8 oz. Normally, this is not allowed until post-op day 11. Thankfully, I got the OK and Soy Slender is now my best friend. LOL. It tastes like chocolate milk. I also purchased Special K protein Water. This product is expensive and only has 5 grams of protein in each bottle (50 cals) but it's a way for me to keep drinking (tastes like a lite lemonade) and get some protein in. The greatest "gift" happened when I decided to bite the bullet and get on the scale... down 7 pounds since Tuesday.

Why is your surgeon requiring you to lose 10 pounds?

Whether or not they admit it, I think a lot (not all) of patients are drawn to advertised prices and swayed by paid and persistent coordinators whose paycheck depends on recruiting patients. The economy is tough and coming up with money for weight loss surgery is a sacrifice. I did a lot of research and chose the best surgeon for me because I wanted it done right the first time and I wanted it done safely. That meant choosing a surgeon with a proven record of success, a surgeon who did not bang out 6-10 surgeries a day, and care in a real hospital with intensive care capability. I got home yesterday and the first word that comes to mind from my experience is "impressive". I have been an RN for a LONG time and my area of expertise is critical care. You can bet I watched and questioned everything and am a very satisfied customer. So, people can elect to go to whatever surgeon they want to. It's just plain rude to slam people who are trying to answer the questions that are asked.

WOW! Now THAT is cause for congratulations! You should be so proud of yourself. Can you imagine what size bathing suit you'll wear?! I'm so happy for you!

Hi Larry, Follow the link below to my post-op thread. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f281/band-out-sleeve-its-done-91314/

A sleeve is a vertical partial gastrectomy. Did you lose all your weight with the band? How much of your stomach was removed and what area? Like WASA, I am confused. Maybe he did do a VSG and is suggesting revising to a DS?

I go to full fluids on Saturday and I already know I want tomato Soup. LOL. THAT really saved me when I was first banded.

Thank you! I had some chicken broth and tea this evening and am quite satisfied. I made "real" dinner for my sister and THAT looked good. LOL. My challenge is to get in the required amount of fluids so I'll work on that tomorrow.

Hi Larry, I started a new thread to share the experiences of the operative and post-operative VSG surgery that can answer your questions. As for your question about opting for the sleeve instead of the band, I say, "GO FOR THE SLEEVE". Thank you for your kind post.

I'm sure you're making the long journey home and you'll need to get to bed early and sleep late so you feel human tomorrow. Keep us posted when you can. Congratualtions on getting that parasite out and a sleeve revision.