DownInSocal

Are you home yet? How are you doing?

I am 4 weeks out and can't imagine returning to eating large amounts. I also panicked before surgery thinking "How can I do this surgery and deal with liquids the first several weeks when I can?t do it now?" and ?How can I live on restricted food for the rest of my life? Can I survive?? Trust me after surgery you won't want it. Your brain is driven by your hunger hormones and when that is gone it is easier to deal with a smaller diet. I still have ?head? hunger sometimes but it does not drive me like it did before. I can ignore it. Two bites is ok because I am full. My brain shuts off the desire to eat and I am done. I can?t believe the amount of food I see people consume. Some times it makes my stomach upset now. As far as chicken goes my tastes have changed. I don?t want anything sweet or fatty. I need protein and that is what drives my desires.

I am 4 weeks out and not hungry. I have some "head" hunger but it so much easier to ignore. I never was a sweets person but they really look bad to me now. I can't waste my precious stomach space on a piece of cake, I need it for protein. Trust me I doubt you will need any pills after surgery.

I think a lot of it is just plain stress. We have made major changes in our lives. For me, as much as I never liked to admit it, food was a crutch from a bad day. A nice heaping serving of Pasta or tons of mexican food after a bad day was my fav thing. I will over share too. I just had my first period since surgery. Cramps were better but I was much heavier than I was used to. I had a few clothing accidents so might want to be careful so it doesn't catch you off guard. It did come right on time though.

I had some head hunger issues when I came home from the hospital because I missed being with my family. That went away though. Just give it time. I have still not felt hunger. I *think* I am hungry when my stomach feels empty, like something going down would hit the bottom and bounce off or I start shaking. I need to set an alarm to drink (my eating right now) too because I forget and I am not getting the Protein I need still. This is my dream. I always wanted to not be hungry. I knew I could control my weight if I wasn't hungry all the time.

My surgeon does it through one incision. It is 1.25 inches (I just measured it) and it is 6 inches down from the bottom of my left breast, start measuring right where the underwire sits straight down from the nipple. That is where the left side starts and it goes to the right 1.25 inches. It has healed well and I doubt you will be able to see it in a year. I have pics from the first day and I will take some tonight and post. I didn't have any drains.

Nice! Congrats!

I too noticed my dog was wadling when she walked. She is over 70 lbs so I couldn't pick her up to hold her and weigh her so I don't know how much she gained but I think about 5-8 lbs. She is on a diet now too and has lost at least 5 lbs I bet. Her tummy doesnt sway back and forth when she walks with me.

Shanda I was a train wreck looking for a place to happen. Now that I can have some soft pureed foods I am better. It is normal and I promise it will get better with time. I was just like you. I cried easily over stupid stuff or nothing at all. I am happy with my surgery but would cry over it. You are normal girl!

I had a sealant over my suture line. No outside staples, sutures or drainage tubes for me.

I don't think you are stupid at all, honestly. We are learning to live with a redesigned organ. I am only 4 weeks out but feel your symptoms are from your food choices. Try an all Protein meal, like pureed meat. Does it happen when you eat an only protein meal? I also think you should be measuring. Our eyes are not good at measuring portions or we wouldn't have needed surgery.

This whole thing just sucks. I am so sorry this happened to you.

Nice post. You got star treatment and it seems like you are doing good. I am happy for you!

Honestly where is the word "free" coming in? Making it so people can buy policies at a group rate instead of individual rate is not free. The average individual low deducible (under $500) plan in California is $450 a month for a 35 year old woman. Add in a whole family (that is Primay holder plus spouse and children) and the cost jumps to $955. The people sitting in basements getting high already qualify and are using Medical. Trust me you are paying for them already and nothing will change under this plan except if we don't do something those who DO work and DO pay their bills can BUY insurance at a more reasonable rate. It is the people who are making $10 an hour that can NOT afford to buy insurance. Who can afford $955 a month except the people who make decent wages and already get insurance through their jobs? I do understand about the "sense of entitlement" but some of us wonder why some have so much "sense of privilage". Some are willing to let others die of cancer because they worked a low paying job cleaning toilets and could not afford insurance that was more than their monthly income. Like somehow allowing people to buy insurance at a lower rate is going to take away from the priviliged ones care. I don't want you to have to make sure I can get mine. That is kind of scary thinking and it seems to be prevelant in the reform debate out there.

If taxes are raised to cover all individuals is that so bad? In my opinion no. Where do you draw the line on who deserves care and who does not? The person flipping the burger that feeds the CEO does not deserve even basic health care? Part of the problem is people need to be responsible. They should start budgeting for health insurance like they do car insurance. But lets face it health insurance is a million times more expensive than car insurance. I believe many people would buy health insurance if it was cheaper than $500 for a crappy policy. Anyone who thinks you can get health insurance for $200 a month is living in a dream world. I am not talking $10,000 deductible plans as health insurance either. That is just crazy when some people make less than $10,000 a year!

My stomach gurgled and I couldn't drink much of anything on the first day. Sounds normal to me!!! Congrats.

WOW. Honestly you were a very pretty woman before surgery. A head turner. Now you are stunning. I can't wait to see pics of you guys back together! I have never seen you whine about your problems. You are such a good military wife. You troop on alone. Military wives are strong. You are a good example. I agree. Ditch the bracelet.

Why will they only pay 50%? Some of these plans are down right criminal.

I don't want my taxes paying for any healthcare (beyond emergency life saving measures) for anyone who is here illegally. Period. I tend to be a different Lib when it comes to immigration. Maybe it comes from living on a border town. Illegal immigration scares me. Legal immigration does not. Illegal immigration side steps our health checks, our criminal checks, our checks to make sure they will be productive in society (not mooch off of welfare, social security, and Medicare). I can’t even imagine how many TB positive and violent criminals flood across our borders on a daily basis.

I cautiously stick my head up and ask: Anyone want to talk about Healthcare? I will be forthright. I lived for years with no insurance. I have had insurance I didn?t pay for through work. I have paid out the nose through work for insurance. I have bought insurance on my own. Now I am considered by U.S. standards to be cream of the crop if you will, I have dual coverage. I am married to a retired Navy man and I have coverage through my job. No matter where I go I pay nothing for my health care or medications. Through my husband I will now have healthcare for life. I understand what a gift his 21 years of service has given me. I watched a Michael Moore movie years and years ago (not Sicko, I refuse to see anything that promotes Cuban anything). He was asking some young Canadians why everyone should get healthcare and they simply said ?Because they are human beings?. A light went off in my head. I believe healthcare is a right in a prosperous nation such as ours. We are talking about fellow human beings here. It pains me to read the boards and see people struggling to get surgery when they want to get healthy but are blocked at every turn due to our current disaster of a system. I admit I am middle liberal and registered Democrat. I would love to have a civil discussion. Everyone be nice please. We are all in the same boat here. We want the best for our country. (Canadians, Aussies, Brits all welcome!) Ready????. Go! "The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." ? President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Ohh I thought of a name: BaldricksCorner.com

I have read a lot of strange stuff on weight loss boards. Laying claim to things just in case a family member dies during a surgery is one of the most shocking things I have read. This may not be the right time but in the future I would encourage you to stand up for yourself. I know I became more passive the more weight I gained. I stayed in an abusive relationship because I thought no one would want me. Next time someone does something so shocking and rude tell them to F off. They are not your friend. There is no excuse for this even if you were talking about your risks and fears of surgery. We are all educated adults here. We know you are a high risk patient. They know too. This is not a garage sale. This is your life. I know you are going to come through fine. I love the thought of a website! I am no good with web names though. We all can't wait to see before and after pics! Humm. At your size I think 1400 to 1800 calories to start is good. I don't know what your daily caloric intake is now but you don't want to drop too fast. Your journey is going to be a little different than the rest of us. Most of us were restricted to 800 to 1000 calories pre op or just Clear liquids but my uneducated guess is your weight makes going slower a better option. You will feel hungry until your pancreas gets used to having to put out less insulin. You can do it. I am 21 days out and not thrown up yet but (and two big buts) I have taken Zofran the minute I felt any nausa and I am still on clears. I have not "tested" my new tummy yet. I am honestly so scared of a leak I would do almost anything not to throw up. I would continue to own your problems with food. I had to own mine. Yes it is an addiction and yes I have to work everyday to overcome it. I alone am responsible for what goes in my mouth. I think your care in the U.S. is going to be great! Cleveland Clinic is good medicine. Nothing substandard there. Hey how are you getting to Cleveland?

Me protein and liquids. What a mess. I can't get enough of either. I am in the same boat as you. Sometimes it feels like it is sinking and I am not bailing fast enough. I LOVE Chike Nutrition shakes. They have a special sample pack: Chike Nutrition - Best Tasting Meal Replacement Shake. Guaranteed. Pour, Shake, Drink & Go! It has saved my but. It has less protein but is not as filling so you can drink more and tastes great. I like the banana. I make a half a packet at a time. It takes me half hour to drink it.

I am clears but my last "movement" was September 5th. I am going to take some MOM tonight and see what happens. I can't imagine eating real food and going that long.

I had sleep issues before surgery but it was real bad the first two weeks after surgery. I had so much energy but could not do what I wanted (like rearrange the attic, yard work). I still have more energy but I am sleeping so much better now it is great.