Just passed my third leak test with flying colors. Will be home by tomorrow night. Feeling good. Will write more later.

Thanks Cajun for the recap. I am glad you're home and doing so well!

Congratulations Cajun! I'm so glad things went well. I too had my hiatal hernia repaired during my sleeve procedure and was relieved to know that it was repaired. Thank you so much for detailing your experience. It is so helpful to know what other people are going through and how they are handling it. Like many other "sleevers" your attitude is great and that really helps me put things inside my busy head into perspective at times. I'll be looking out for all your posts. BTW I was 232, after pre op diet 215 and now I'm 208.

Thanks Lan2k,

Wow, you are losing the pounds! Congrats!

I am looking forward to that!

Cathryn

I'm so glad to hear that your surgery went so well. It makes me feel a little less nervous about it all. Looking forward to hearing all about your progress.

Ky Hen,

I hope that you will do fine too. I only wish I could have been there with y'all because I can tell you are going to have a ball with the gang all together. I had several others there during my stay as well and will continue to keep in touch with a couple of them who have common interests. Really nice people. We helped each other out...shared computers to get email, and I shared my heating pad...it was helpful the first few days.

It's still summertime hot there and sometimes during the day it got warm in my room so ask for a fan if you need one. Also take a pair of summer PJs as well as a pair for when the AC is on and it gets cold. It varies. If I got hot I seemed to get a bit nauseated so try to keep cool.

It's a private hospital with very nice decor.

Cajun

Congrat Catherine!

It was great to see all the details of your trip and surgery.

I sent an e-mail to the Dr.'s office where I was referred in Nova Scotia (I live in Prince Edward Island) to see if they have any idea of time frames. On OH I have read people talking about 5 - 7 years......

Everytime I see a successful, happy returnee who self paid it makes me think....maybe....

Keep up the good work and take care,

Nancy

Glad to hear you are doing well!

Congrats Cajun. Glad everything went well (we knew it would) and the fun begins in about 3 weeks when you get to eat mushies and you see the scale moving down on a regular basis.

Hey VegasAngel, I was sleeved on 9/15...My surgeon told me I could start on "full liquids" by Tuesday, 9/29 or Wed, 9/30. I'm counting the seconds till Tuesday because I'm sooooooooooooo hungry and weak. Do you think the 2 week mark is too soon? I hope not. I don't think I can make it another week on clears. I need Protein and am having trouble with the whey etc. :mad:

Thanks Cajun! I wish you could have been with us too. But you already have yours over with and are on your way. Thank you for the tips on the weather. It has been really humid and nasty here the last few days.

Hey VegasAngel, I was sleeved on 9/15...My surgeon told me I could start on "full liquids" by Tuesday, 9/29 or Wed, 9/30. I'm counting the seconds till Tuesday because I'm sooooooooooooo hungry and weak. Do you think the 2 week mark is too soon? I hope not. I don't think I can make it another week on clears. I need Protein and am having trouble with the whey etc. :mad:

Dr. Aceves had me do Clear liquids for 10 days; full liquids (tomato Soup, Protein shakes with milk (very thin); oatmeal (thinned), SF pudding, etc. for 10 days, then mushies for 10 days, then soft solids ... because of the issue I have with a spasming esophogus, he had me stay on mushies even longer.

So I think you'll be fine to start on full liquids next week - probably now actually -- 10 days on clears for me started the day after my surgery. If you had your surgery on 9/15, then 9/16 + 10 is 9/26. You'll feel better once you're on full liquids.

The good, the bad, and the ugly...here's some ugly:

Had a rough night last night. I started testing out some Isopure clear when I got home from my trip, but diluted it with Water because it tasted so strong. After almost a week of no Protein I thought it was a good idea. That's what I get for thinking! After I went to bed, my new little sleeve had a fit! It woke me up two hours later, returning the nasty stuff that I had fed it! It was the worst feeling...I coughed and gagged on the stuff for a while, and took a vow against isopure for a while!!! Back to plain old Vitamin water once my sleeve has a rest for a few hours! Gotta keep it happy!

Also had noticed my legs and feet were swollen after the return flight home, and had gained some pounds of water weight. I had cut my BP pills in half before leaving for Mexicali because I was having occasional dizzy spells when I stood up, and my BP readings were normalized, I suspected it was dropping because I had lost 17 lbs :patriot: Then I totally stopped taking it while in Mexicali because my BP had dropped WAY lower than normal, probably due to all the post-op medications. But I checked it this morning and it is back up at borderline high, :patriot: so I restarted on the 1/2 dose. Am already getting rid of some Fluid from my legs and feel better. I have an appt. with my internist next week (she's been in Europe so I've been "self-doctoring) to be sure everything is looking OK. I think she will be surprised at the wt. loss already.

Am also having LOTS of gas at both ends now...so I "hit the chewable GASX" and took a nap late this morning, finally feel a bit better ...probably will be seeing (beware TMI) some peacock poop soon.

Two steps forward, one step back. Oh well!

Cajun, glad to hear the surgery went well and you had a good experience. As for Isopure, I couldn't tolerate it or any of the protein drinks. You really need to go slow and learn what your body is going to like and what it isn't. The gas isn't fun, do lots of walking, that is the best way to get rid of it.

Susan,

If you could not tolerate ANY Protein drinks, what did you have for protein during the clear and full liquids phases?

Thanks for your input.

Cajun, glad to hear the surgery went well and you had a good experience. As for Isopure, I couldn't tolerate it or any of the Protein Drinks. You really need to go slow and learn what your body is going to like and what it isn't. The gas isn't fun, do lots of walking, that is the best way to get rid of it.

I gave up worring about protein for the first week. It was difficult to drink anything much less protein that didn't taste so good. I just focussed on getting at least 48 oz of fluid in- it has gotten easier every day. Tomorrow I start on full liquids so I can have my protein shakes with skim milk and my yogurt!! wooo hoooo!!!!

The good, the bad, and the ugly...here's some ugly:

Had a rough night last night. I started testing out some Isopure clear when I got home from my trip, but diluted it with Water because it tasted so strong. After almost a week of no Protein I thought it was a good idea. That's what I get for thinking! After I went to bed, my new little sleeve had a fit! It woke me up two hours later, returning the nasty stuff that I had fed it! It was the worst feeling...I coughed and gagged on the stuff for a while, and took a vow against isopure for a while!!! Back to plain old Vitamin water once my sleeve has a rest for a few hours! Gotta keep it happy!

Also had noticed my legs and feet were swollen after the return flight home, and had gained some pounds of water weight. I had cut my BP pills in half before leaving for Mexicali because I was having occasional dizzy spells when I stood up, and my BP readings were normalized, I suspected it was dropping because I had lost 17 lbs :patriot: Then I totally stopped taking it while in Mexicali because my BP had dropped WAY lower than normal, probably due to all the post-op medications. But I checked it this morning and it is back up at borderline high, :patriot: so I restarted on the 1/2 dose. Am already getting rid of some Fluid from my legs and feel better. I have an appt. with my internist next week (she's been in Europe so I've been "self-doctoring) to be sure everything is looking OK. I think she will be surprised at the wt. loss already.

Am also having LOTS of gas at both ends now...so I "hit the chewable GASX" and took a nap late this morning, finally feel a bit better ...probably will be seeing (beware TMI) some peacock poop soon.

Two steps forward, one step back. Oh well!

I'm at the peacock poop stage :patriot:, but I take it as a good sign that my plumbing is working? As for the protein, I went against my strongest convictions against injesting anything with "splenda" or artificial sweetener ingredients especially with my new and tender stomach and tried Isopure (since I too worry for protein), and... it is wrapped up and ready to go back to the Vitamin Shop from where it came. I would not dare even wet my lips with the stuff again. I was granted the OK to have very thin whey shakes with skim or 1% milk. Even that has lost its appeal post surgery. I actually enjoyed the shakes pre op but I am able to tolerate a couple of ounces at a time now so at least that's a little protein. I am very hungry all the time but I think that has to be quite normal since this clear liquid stage is an extreme fast. I am surviving on Motts clear apple juice with ice, Vitamin Water, (yellow goes down best), and chicken, and Beef Boulion. Wow this will be a tedious process and I am looking forward to being able to at least feel some sort of satiation eventually with food, soft, mushies...etc. All of this is actually training me to appreciate every morsel, believe me I will never abuse the privilege of readily having food in abundance again. I hope your faring better and thanks for sharing your experience.