Texarkolina

I used precious little of all the stuff I packed. I had dry mouth so bad after surgery and I was grateful to have my own toothbrush and brand of toothpaste. I also picked up some bioten spray and mouthwash at the drugstore. It is designed to help with dry mouth and was a lifesaver for me. The chapstick helped, too. I didn't need anything to occupy my time as I was sleeping or walking the whole time. Good Luck!

I used it for 3 weeks after surgery. I also used it for 7 months twice a day during pregnancy. Some tips that I learned the hard way.....wait until the alcohol is completely dry.....insert needle quickly (less pain)......push plunger in very very very very slowly (decreases bruising), and do not rub the site at all. It was really no big deal for me, but if takes a little bit to get used to injecting yourself. Good luck!

I am a little over 3 weeks (sleeved July 30) and I can relate. It is harder than I thought to get solids down, and I miss being able to gulp water. I feel a little better each day and am learning to go very slow with eating. I am also in a stall, which makes it easier to regret. No answers for you...just wanted to tell you that you are not alone.

I have struggled myself, so although your experience is yours alone I do have an idea what you are going through. I had a hard time watching the kids have babies as I struggled to carry one to term. It seems like a punishment almost--like you don't deserve babies if you are too big but every other bad thing you could do is ok. I am sorry for your struggle and your loss. It takes quite a woman to continue to try...and know that she may have to pack a lifetime of love for her child into a few short months and that she may never be able to hold her baby. May God bless you and comfort you through your struggle.

If your drain is out contact your doctor. You may need a swallow study or something to rule out a leak. I hope it is nothing serious, but better safe than sorry.

I was seen by a cardiologist between surgeries. My heart is in great shape. The reason it stopped was a vagal nerve response from the pressure of the gas used to inflate the abdomen. It happens to women primarily who are in good health otherwise. Normally the heart rate slows and medication is given to speed it up to where it needs to be. In my case, my heart did not slow down, it stopped.

You should call your doctor---there is no way you can tell if it is gas or a leak. Most of the time the gas is gone by 9 days out. Question---has your drain been removed? I know most have by this point, but mine was still in at 9 days out and was the source of a ton of left shoulder pain for me.

Please note that I am posting in the "RANT" section and avoid this if you don't want to read my tantrum. OK so this surgery sucked royally for me. The pre-op diet was challenging to say the least. (Fat chick trying to muster up enough self control to eat only Protein powders for 2 weeks---give me a break) Then I go for surgery day and my heart stopped beating when they inflated my abdomen. Chest compressions, followed by panic resulted in my surgery being canceled....I was fine with that. A week later we try again....(please note that this required an additional week of the pre-op diet---grrrr.....) and once again--heart refused to cooperate. Took some extra hands and enough drugs to kill a horse, but I was sleeved. Because the surgery ran really long and my heart rate was low, I wasn't given anything for pain after surgery. They brought me to the room in so much pain that I was unable to see. (Seems if you are in enough pain your brain will start to shut down--vision goes first.) After the longest 4 hours of my life we finally got the pain under control.....sleep 2 hours.....then they want me up in a chair. OK. I can tough it out now. However every time they moved me I blacked out. It took forever for them to get me into the chair and I was terrified of blacking out--falling--and injuring myself. Forward a few days--I am out of the hospital and in a lot of pain. Severe sharp shooting pains in my upper chest and left shoulder---plus I can't get fluids down. Back to the hospital I go for tests and fluids. A few days later (9 days post-op) my drain is removed---I pass out and wake up with most of the pain gone. Seems the drain was on a nerve and that was causing the pain. Now I know that this could all be worse. But for the amount of pain--strike that---agony I experienced during those first two weeks after surgery I should have done my fair share of suffering. It still hurts to eat and drink--but I am managing. I can only get in 500 or so calories a day--at the most. Most days it is more like 300. By this past Friday I had lost 18 pounds. Then, I stopped. Now, 5 days later, I have GAINED 4 pounds back. How is that even freaking possible? I know 3 week stall....water weight....liver replacing glycogen..... menstrual Fluid retention...blaugh blaugh blaugh..... I AM PISSED....and rather disheartened. I told people that I was having the surgery done--now I am the go-to person for all those in my world thinking about WLS......but you know what---I AIN'T YA POSTER CHILD. This whole experience has thus far sucked in a big big way. Maybe I will lose and in a few months be glad that I had it done, but right now I refuse to encourage anyone to do it. What I tell them now is that they need to understand that this is a MAJOR surgery and they need to be prepared for complications. I also tell them they need to go to the support group because I haven't been sleeved long enough to be a good resource. That is the most positive I can muster up. I would really like to tell them that, at this point, I am not real thrilled about my choice and am hanging on and hoping for a change in my point of view.

I was able to get down egg drop soup very easily. Greek yogurt has helped me with the protein. I am 3 weeks out and never want to see another popsicle again.

There is a "what to take" topic on the pre-op forum that lists a bunch of stuff. I took a bunch of crap and used 1. My toothbrush and my brand of toothpaste (even though the hospital provides one I was so glad to have my own) 2. Bioten spray. It is an over-the-counter spray that helps with dry mouth. They have a mouthwash and toothpaste as well. I was so very very grateful to have these as dry mouth made me miserable. 3. Easy to slip on slippers. That was it. Of course no one goes anywhere without a cell phone and charger, but the bag I so carefully packed according to the very long list on the pre-op forum just sat there unopened. The hospital provided everything I needed, and I was sleeping or walking most of the time so I didn't need any entertainment. Good Luck!

I was planning on 2 but had complications and took off 3. I go back to work tomorrow and I feel ready. I probably could have made it with just 2 weeks out, but I am really glad I took the 3rd one off.

I know how you feel---I could tell a change in my daughter the first day I started to feel better--so did she. I would advise family/friends help--perhaps taking the kids for the afternoon a little. You need rest. If that is not possible--just hang in there--it gets better.

My surgeon says it is fine to drink up until you start to eat. That is his rule for everyone post-sleeve. He still recommends no drinking with food and for 30 minutes after. It is hard to manage it all. Remember your priorities--1. Water (hydrate) 2. Meds/vitamins 3. Protein 4. Everything else.......and least that is what I was taught. Sometimes you can combine the hydrate and protein with a protein shake, but always make sure you get your fluids in even if it means you don't get everything else in.

I hate it when that happens--hope you are feeling better.

Pre-op diet sucks and is hard for everyone. Do not get down on yourself about it. You will be absolutely fine. I was never asked about the diet after I started it and most people are not. I worried myself to death and cheated way more than that and it was ok. I still lost weight, which was the goal. Stay strong--help (your sleeve) is on the way! If it helps you any, it is so much easier after the sleeve.