Well, tomorrow is a month out for me. I had a really rough start. The first two weeks were just me getting sick, the third week has been a gradual improvement. And now I feel like I am finally on my way. In hindsight there are a few things that were very specific to me that I wish I had known, and I appreciate all of you for educating me:

During those first few weeks I felt more like a patient still, not someone who was headed in the direction of life change. I felt almost guilty considering my weight loss as an accomplishment, because I was throwing up all the time, not hydrated, and getting 200 calories a day max. It felt like saying thanks for a compliment after getting the flu.

I think even if you are worried that you are naggy or annoying to them you need to call or email your surgeon anytime you feel unsure of what is happening. This is a risky time period and most medical offices are happier to answer questions, then deal with complications.

I wish that I would have started exercising immediately. I know that I didn't feel well and wasn't super hydrated, but the mind set of knowing that you are moving just for the sake of your health does a lot for you mentally. I wish that even on the roughest days I would have atleast walked around the block once.

Don't be ashamed about what this does to you emotionally. And parts of it can be a rollercoaster ride. The day that I finally came home I spent eight hours of that day pacing my hallway and took 5 hot showers in the hopes that they would relax me. I was incredibly anxious in a way I had never experienced. I was super blessed that my PCP called in an anti anxiety for me. I only had to take it three times, but in hindsight and after doing a little homework I realized: I had been having my period, was on super high doses of reglan which are known to cause severe anxiety, and still had anisthesia medication in my body.

Do your best to follow all the guidelines of your surgeon and to take care of yourself, but use this board as a support, not as a means to compare your progress to others. I was so frustrated that when others were starting to work out hard core I was getting out of bed for work, then coming home, putting my jammies on and falling asleep again. I had to realize that our bodies all cope with trauma differently and it wasn't a character weakness on my part that my body needed more to recover.

And today I can finally say what I have read others say, I am feeling good. I am still learning so much. I have to measure my food because I am horrible at eyeballing it, I have to set timers so I remember to drink enough fluids. And as I track my nutrition I have realized that I am far better nourished at 600-800 calories I day then I was with my daily Wendy's fix.

Thanks to all of you for answering my millions of questions and for dealing with all of my frustrations. Your support has been invaluable!

Edited April 21, 201016 yr by wannalise
Error in explanation

If you know that you are prone to nausea/vomiting after surgery, talk to the anesthesiologist ahead of time. I asked them to give me everything possible to keep me from vomiting, and he said they would "throw the kitchen sink" at me. It worked, I was nauseous--but I just asked for meds and didn't vomit once. I had prescriptions from my surgeon ahead of time for Zophran and Phenergan suppositories. I only needed the Phenergan one time after I came home, but I took the Zophran at bedtime for almost a month because if I didn't, I would wake up nauseated. After the 1st couple weeks, I was only taking 1/2 tab, then down to 1/4, now not at all.

Good to know. I used to have the proverbial "stomach of iron" but the last couple of years I seem to be throwing up at the slightest provocation. It does seem unfair that the more I vomit, the FATTER I get...

I'm sure I can put up with this for a month. But sure wish it were more like a week. Today (had the surgery on Wed) I am a little better. I can see where if I get a little better each day, before too long it will all be doable. I actually got about 1/4 c of chicken broth down, a tiny spoonful at a time. I think that's pretty darned good. Everything tastes lousy and smells lousy and I'd rather be having something else, but I wouldn't dream of veering away from the plan they gave me. I just can't get everything down that they have on the list. But maybe in a few days it will be better. You all give me hope.

Don't fell bad. Nobody gets down everything the give you. I could only eat the jello and a few tablespoons of broth. oh and sipped water. But, I wasn't hungry either.

Sugar free popsicles were really my pal. I really was not convinced things were going to improve, but they will. A lot!

I like those okay but right now I can't take in anything that is cold. Sharp shooting pains ensue after so much as a tiny sip or bite of anything icy. I guess this will change?

I am so glad to hear that things will improve. I was wondering if this shooting pain thing is what keeps you on the straight and narrow and causes you to lose weight over the long haul.

Pain at least for me has not remained. There is definite discomfort if things go down wrong, but it isn't what makes my choices. That sounds different than I mean, I am not saying I have had some HUGE emotional change yet, I haven't. But, those times when I need to be done eating aren't generally painful anymore. I've started to be able to catch my cues a little quicker and avoid that much discomfort, just a little bit of tightness sometimes. And for me this change has only happened in the last week.

Go easy on yourself though. Your stomach will have internal swelling for atleast a couple more weeks. Sometimes putting stuff in there is unpleasant. Loads of people (my surgeon included) really encourage you to try a hot/warm herbal tea in the morning. I don't know what your immediate post op diet is, but I had to kind of chill out about calories and carbs (and I did not want to) in order to stay hydrated. I had to do a few gatorades the first couple weeks, and then Protein shakes made w/water always went down easier for me.

A lot of people also say that they take in fluids better at room temp instead of cold.

Wow!!! I have been rambling, I guess the jist is this. You will need to do some trial and error (within the guidelines you've been given) and make friends with your sleeve. Figure out what does and doesn't work for your body. Good luck!

The shooting pains have ceased. It was undoubtedly just too soon after surgery to do icy liquids. I had a popcicle last night, very very slowly and it went down just fine. My daugher made me some chamomile tea - no caffiene - and it was soothing and nice.

So thanks for all the tips. You sound great and I look forward to being at your stage of recovery in the journey to wellness and being slim, trim, and fabulous! (You sure look cute in your photo!)

I'm glad today was better! I need to buck up and do tea, I really have never enjoyed it, but I think it would make my tummy happier in the AM.

I just realized I was supposed to have 3 Protein shakes today and I haven't been able to get one down. It's all about the protein. I sure don't want to lose my hair, but it's hard to get the stuff down. I think I'll just keep it by my chair and try to take little teaspoonsful off and on.

Good luck with the tea. I've never been a tea drinker either. It is one drink though that I can do with a tiny bit of sweetner and it tastes fine. I'm just awful about artificial sweetners. I'd usually rather just not have anything than eat something with sweetners and fake flavorings. Hope this doesn't keep me from losing like I should.

And btw, my doctor's instructions do say that something a little warm in the morning is soothing. Good luck!

Congrats! Our surgeries were very close to the same date. I had mine on 3/24/10. I have a similar story to you in that my body was so weak those first few weeks that all I wanted to do is stay in bed. This week I started taking a Zumba class. It's pretty hard but also fun. I have a lot more energy than I had a couple weeks ago. The weight is not coming off as fast as I have seen others come off. I have lost about 21 pounds post surgery and 20 pounds pre-op. My weight has stayed the same for the last week and a half. I'm not eating much and I'm exercising so this is puzzling to me. Only thing I can think of is that I don't eat enough which is really hard to do and I haven't been getting enough fluids in. I will try to drink more next week to see if I can get the scale moving again. I have gone down a size in pants and tops so maybe I am just losing inches for now which is fine with me. Best of luck to you and keep me posted on your progress and I will you as well! :thumbup:

I just realized I was supposed to have 3 Protein shakes today and I haven't been able to get one down. It's all about the protein. I sure don't want to lose my hair, but it's hard to get the stuff down. I think I'll just keep it by my chair and try to take little teaspoonsful off and on.

Good luck with the tea. I've never been a tea drinker either. It is one drink though that I can do with a tiny bit of sweetner and it tastes fine. I'm just awful about artificial sweetners. I'd usually rather just not have anything than eat something with sweetners and fake flavorings. Hope this doesn't keep me from losing like I should.

And btw, my doctor's instructions do say that something a little warm in the morning is soothing. Good luck!

BJean,

You are "fresh out of surgery" so don't expect yourself to be able to drink three Protein Shakes a day! The first week or two, the most important thing is not protein, it is Fluid. If you don't drink enough clear fluids and you get dehydrated, you will end up back in the hospital. Dehydration also puts you at risk for a blood clot. So just sip sip sip clear clear fluids, and I agree that warm decaffinated tea is a great choice. I also used clear broth, and warm Sobe lifewater (its a Vitamin water) which has no sugar in it, and has multiple flavors to choose from. Target often has it on sale. Sam's also has a zero calorie vitamin Water that tastes pretty good. I did not like anything sweet at first, so the apple flavor Sobe lifewater was best tolerated for me...but everyone is different.

Follow your surgeon's advice...mine was Dr Aceves and he limits patients to clear fluids the first week to 10 days, then full liquids for the next week to 10 days (protein shakes are full liquids). Then mushy foods for a week to 10 days. Best to not put anything solid in the tummy until the suture line is more healed and the swelling has gone down, and this takes about a month. Advancing too fast can cause a leak during this vulnerable period.

I felt so weak until I was able to advance to mushies, that I just walked in the house, and napped often. That's pretty normal...don't try to start an exercise regimen while you are so exhausted, and while you are still trying to get in enough fluids to avoid dehydration. Exercise will further deplete your fluids.

You'll do great...be patient with yourself...things will get easier once you are past that first month.

Congratulations on starting your new life!

cajun that sounds exactly like what I'm going through right now....all I do is walk around the house or up and down the driveway and I nap often. I'm pretty tired.

I simply cannot do broth. Just hearing that word makes me want to hurl. I was so happy that I could start having Protein shakes today..but I can only get about 2oz in at a time.

I did have a cup of decaf coffee this morning with non-dairy creamer and splenda and OMG it was the best thing I've ever had in my life I think! lol

Other than that I'm trying to just sip Water throughout the day.

Hey Cajun, great advice! Thanks. I had totally forgotten about the dehydration. I keep "Smart Water" with me all the time and I'm sure getting tired of sipping. But that's what I read most consistently with people who've already gone through this.

It is intersting how different our doctors work this thing. By day 8 I'm supposed to be able to have a scrambled egg. I have visions of a poached egg. Funny, eh? I'd be pretty depressed if my doc also made me stay on Clear Liquids that long. I have had strained cream of chicken Soup earlier today and tonight I get strained cream of mushroom. It's amazing how good something like that tastes. I'm allowed a cup but I'm lucky to get a fourth of a cup down. But it seems very soothing to my innerds. (silly word)

Today I am actually beginning to feel a little better. Not so sore and I can envision how this is going to play out. It hasn't been a week yet and I couldn't stand it and weighed today. I'm down 10 lbs. Oops. That might be too much too fast and indicate that what you've said is true - dehydration. Don't want that. Gonna fixate more on the liquids whether I like them or not.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post. I sure wish I had a friend going through this right beside me. But with this website, I feel like I do have some friends and it really helps!!

Hi goodlife!!

You are so lucky that you can have an egg and creamed soups! I would kill to be able to have those things! :frown1:

One of these days I'll be able to have that...sigh. LOL