DownInSocal

For me it has been the last few days. I still have my issues don't get me wrong but I am loving my new body. I promise things will get better! Soon you will be living your new life, lighter, happier, and healthier. If you would have told me I would be this way 3 weeks ago I would have told you to stuff off. I was thirsty and a tad grouchy. I am getting back to normal now.

Welcome! I am so glad you are sipping. It was hard for me to get enoughy liquids so you are doing well. Keep us updated!

I am 5 weeks out. I don't know about the entire glass of Water in one shot but I do know first hand the liquids get better with time. Honestly: I am impressed you can drink a glass of water in five minutes. You ware wayyyy ahead of the game with fluids! The drinking while eating is hard. I admit I take a slight and I mean slight drink of water when eating but I also had a salivary glad removed a year ago so my mouth is dry. It is hard to swallow if I don't take a sip. By sip I mean 1/8 an ounce. I can't eat more than 2-3 ounces so eating is over quickly anyway. I have tried to focus on other things now. I get annoyed sometimes because I have to stop what I am doing to deal with food. What a nice change.

Not from El Paso but welcome!! I have found no disadvantages at 5 weeks. Advantages? I have lost weight and I am not hungery. For the first time in my life I am in complete control of what I eat. That is all I asked for and expected. You will love your sleeve.

They should. Mine was put in while I was asleep. It was not as bad as you would think but not something I want to have in just for the fun of it. Ask your surgeon about the cath and when it will be put in. You can request it to be put in when you are under if he/she uses one.

After you have healed, and according to my doctor's program, you will be eating normal foods 6 months out. You will however be eating a lot less. I was on clears liquids for several weeks, then "full liquids" where everything was pureed and Water down, and now mushies (very soft foods that are blended). Next I will start eating more solid foods. I am no hurry. As far as "feel". Everyone is different. I know that is a frusterating answer. For me I couldn't really tell what was going on with my stomach right out of surgery. I knew something had happened there though. I think the feelings were more where they go through your stomach muscles. I began to slowly get "feeling" back in my stomach over weeks of recovery. Early on it was hard to tell when my stomach had enough of fluids. Now I can catch it earlier so I am not hurting by over doing it. Look out for not getting enough fluids after surgery. You must sip and sip more. I am 5 weeks out and have a water bottle with about a 3rd packet crystal light in it where ever I go. I drink all day. I also live in a hot climate so that makes it harder to keep hyrdated. You will think you can never stay hydrated right out of surgery but it gets better with time. Look out for yourself out of surgery unless you have someone with you that you trust with your life. I have not shared this before on this board but the evening after my surgery the hosptial almost overdosed me on Morphine. It was caught in the knick and I mean knick of time. It was a medical error that I am not upset about just happy I was not ....... well I am glad to be here posting. Sh*t happens. Ask what is going in your IV line. Know your pain medication dosages and ask when they come to give it to you. You are not being a bad patient, you are being a patient who is interested in your care.

Welcome to the board! I am sorry you have to wait so long. That just plain sucks.

You didn't put your date on the calendar! I had no idea. That is great. Give us an update when you feel up to it.

Yes I was walking within a few hours of surgery. I had the velcro leg things also. I needed someone next to me though, just in case and to help me with the IV cart. I got the bad one, kind of like getting a bad cart in the store. I had IV cart envy. The lady in the room with me had a perfect new IV cart. She couldn't even get out of bed she was so sick! And I get the crummy one? ........ Anyway you will be able to walk. Watch the catheter line cus if it gets tugged you will know it.

That is great. And you are just in time too because we have openings for more sleeve sista's here! Be sure to let us know as soon as you find out your date and put it on the calendar.

I didn't get any massages!:cool: My husband there was the best thing for me. He is my best friend and the love of my life. That man is the most awesome human being. I felt safe and loved. Next best thing was my Ipod touch. I watched movies when I couldn't sleep too! I loaded all my comfort movies and watched them.

Check this thread out: http://verticalsleevetalk.com/general-sleeve-surgery-discussion/553-lets-discuss-foamies-sliming.html

Hi Connie! It will be great to have your experience here. Your weight loss is great.

Umm wow! I have a feeling you might pay for this big time, which seems to be what you want. I can't even imagine eating trail mix, much less two cups of it. I am not sure what to tell you other than you are human. This is just a set back. If your stomach punishes you take your lumps and remember it when you want to jump into trail mix again. We don't change overnight. Honestly, I think it takes a lot of guts to come here and admit you screwed up. For so many of us our food issues were hidden. We didn't talk about it and some of us ate in hiding. You are brave. (((Huggs)))

You know at 4-5 days I had no idea what I was "feeling" in my stomach. It was all just one big.......mess feeling. Gradually you will start to "feel" it again. I can tell if I really need to eat or drink a shake now. That just came back a week or so ago. I think the fullness right out might be swelling. TMI Alert: Ahh the big bowel question. Well....... I had surgery on August 26th. I had a movement (if you could call it that just a few squirts) on August 31st. Then I had some more squirts on September 4th. Then I got worried when the 16th rolled around and I had done nothing so I emailed me team and they said it was ok to take some Milk of Magnesia. A word to the wise: You DON'T need an "adult" dose. Again, You DO NOT need an adult dose:scared0:. I took 3 oz and it was wayyyyyyyy too much. The 24th rolled around and I had been on full liquids and muchies and felt constipated for the first time so I took 1 oz. It was too much again. If I need it again i will take a half ounce. Talk to your surgeon before taking MoM though. You want to make sure your stomach is clear for it. I would not worry about movements on clears at all. After you start full liquids maybe. If it has been a few weeks yeah I would ask.

Of course every program and doctor is different but: -I have yet to see my surgeon. I saw him twice in the hospital. He does not have the best bedside manner so it does not bother me to not see him. I see a nurse practioner at my follow-ups. There is a "team" I can email or call at anytime for help. -I have never felt drained or tired yet. The first several weeks I had so much energy and could not do much because of no lifting and such. I had insomnia but I have had problems with insomnia many times in my life. -I don't know if I would say the loss is serious. I had sadness after surgery because I felt left out sometimes while my family was eating. I prepped myself and admitted I had a problem with food before surgery though. I knew there were going to be tough times. Yes it is a part of the process. You have to face your food issues head on and be honest with yourself. You will come out so much better on the other side. I promise. -Yes I walk. You have to walk! Walk, walk, and more walking. This will help avoid blood clots. Also sometimes it is the only thing that will relieve gas discomfort or a stuck feeling. -I am only 5 weeks out but yes I had some bat wings going on with my arms. That has since tightened up though. I have some sagginess going on in my stomach right above my.......lady bits. I knew this was going to happen. Better than fat to me. -I have no idea what the role of excerise is in sagging skin. -Your job sounds like a workout! That will be good after surgery. Be sure to discuss your physical job with him/her. -Don't fret about the pre-op diet. I only had to do two days but got to do a "clean out" of my system. That was fun :cool:. I would do anything at the end to have this surgery. You get yourself phsyced up enough you can do anything! -Right after surgery Gatoraide is your friend if you feel run down. I drank the red and green mostly.

I was thinking about you guys the other day Vegas. I was thinking how small your grocery bills must be now. Mine have gone down but I still have two teenagers and a husband to feed. I have had to learn to cook for one less or there is massive leftovers. That has been interesting.

Wow Mac. You actually made me feel better. I thought I was way behind the curve when looking at the "meal" plan. Did you fill up easily on shakes too? Shakes sit in my stomach just like food. No slider calories there. I mean Protein shakes, not milkshakes. I have no idea what a milkshake would do nor do I have the desire to find out. Sweets look sickening to me. This eating all the time is hard too because I was never a grazer or a sweeter. Give me a giant pot of Pasta and I was happy.

I am 5 weeks out and have lost some hair. I actually lost more hair before surgery due to stressing myself out about surgery! Seriously. At least for me right now you can't tell. Only I know because I can see a little more in the brush and in the shower drain. Not to discount your fear......hair loss was/is the least of my worries. I so wanted to be healthy and skinny I could have gone bald for awhile and it would have been fine. I have seen very few posts on boards about severe hair loss.

Check out this tutorial http://verticalsleevetalk.com/vertical-sleeve-talk-forum-assistance-suggestions/267-vst-tickerfactory-ticker-tutorial-pictures.html

Welcome Lisa. I am only 5 weeks out and thought at first I was going to get the band. Then I read about the problems. I kept reading. I hung out at the lband forum and saw just how many problems some people were having. I started looking at the sleeve. It took a little while for me to make my mind up but I am so glad I decided on the sleeve. I have never once regretted it or wished I had got the band. It is not like my recovery has all been roses and daisies but for having a portion of your stomach removed it actually has been really easy when looked at in context. My only troubles now are getting enough Protein and calories but at 5 weeks out that is normal. The old timers around here keep me motivated and tell me I am normal. For the first time in my life I am in full control of my eating. What a great feeling. I would be concerned about getting the band if you travel a lot. I have heard airplane travel and the band = not so good. Maybe a previous bandster that converted can talk more about that part. I stayed in the hospital for 2 nights and 3 days. I needed to stay overnight. Going home the same day would have been impossible in my opinion. I could not swallow anything (per doctors orders) and needed pain meds by a pain pump or shot through I.V. The next day I could have gone home but to be honest the hospital bed that moves up and down was nice and I needed to have an I.V. to keep me hydrated because I could only drink about 1/8 to 1/4 of an ounce at a time.

I had so many food funerals it was stupid. You are going to be ok I promise and I feel this behavior is your food addict trying to get in one last hoorah before it knows the unlimited party it has been enjoying is over. You won't be taking orders from the addict anymore and you will be loving it. I would suggest honestly tring to stop when you feel full right now. It is hard but chew slower and enjoy the food. Don't be so hard on yourself. Walk a lot so you don't gain too much weight that you will have to lose after surgery and every pound increases your risk for complications. You want to be a around to be a mom!

at 4 days post op trying to get 48 oz was impossible for me. I feel you are normal. It is easy to say "oh just forget it I don't want to drink anyway" but you have to. Keep sipping, you are doing fantastic at 18 oz honestly. I was not getting that much I don't think until 6 days maybe? You have great willpower! Don't worry so much about Protein. It is so drilled in our heads but everyone else is right concentrate on staying hydrated and make sure you are peeing. Are you waking up with a dry mouth?

Thanks Susan. The nutritionist did give me a meal plan. It has menus for up to 6 months out. It is just wayyyy too much food. I obviously could eat less and I am, and pureeing. I have a 32F but I can only eat 1.5 to 2 oz in an hour. I am then full for 4-5 hours. Even drinking sometimes is hard but sometimes it is fine after an hour. I just can't take in as much as the menu says for today: Breakfast: 1/2 cup low fat or fat free cottage cheese with blended peaches (forget the peaches, I can sqeeze down 4 oz of blended cottage cheese Snack: 8 oz skim or fat free milk (are you kidding me? I can't drink 8 oz of anything but Water in an hour, if I take too long it is lunch time!) Lunch: 4 oz tuna with 2 tbl avacado (drop the avacado, doubt I could eat all that tuna after so much milk) Snack: (More Snacks?:thumbdown:) Protein suppliment shake made with 8 oz skim or fat free milk. (There goes dinner) Dinner: 4 oz Grilled talapia with mashed califlower (forget the califlower, I could eat maybe 2 oz if I actually finished the Protein Shake earlier) Vitamin time: My liquid nasty multi vitamin is 2 oz. There goes 2 oz of stomach space. Sometime in the morning I take my 2 oz of liquid Calcium. There goes 2 more ounces of stomach space. Somewhere in there I am supposed to be getting what 38 oz or so of water? What I am really doing today (most likely): Starbucks Vivano with an extra scoop of protein (This will hold me the whole day I think. It is the first time since surgery I have had one) It has taken me 3 hours to drink almost all of it, I have been alternating with water though and I am full) I have some leftover blended ham and swiss cheese from dinner last night, about 2 - 2.5 ounces. I will eat that about 1 and drink water after. I will drink a shake at about 3-4. I doubt I will finish it maybe 3/4 if I am good in 1.5 hours. Try dinner at 7 and nasty, horse hay tasting vitamins:thumbdown:. Maybe some blended chicken and cheddar, about 3 oz over an hour. You can see I am trying to get more calories. We will see how it goes. I have a therapy appointment on Monday because I do reconginize this is not "healthy" or "normal" thinking. I think I am begining the 3 week stall at 5 weeks because the scale has not moved in days also. That is adding to my anxiety and food issues.