Hi there,

Wow, I'm in the post-op section....what a long journey. Surgery went well. The first night my heart rate dropped really low - 39, so they decided to keep me another night. Came home and been resting a lot. If I get too active, like cleaning up the kitchen, I get winded and tired. I did start walking last night, just for 5 minutes or so.

I've read lots and lots of your entries. Gotten some good advice. What I'm struggling with the most is not being able to get down the Protein drinks. I had no problem on my pre-op diet. So, I am adding Protein powder to applesauce, but can only get about 3 Tbs down at any sitting. That takes over 20 minutes. I am sipping Water all day. Haven't had a BM since the Friday before surgery, so still feel bloated. Gas x strips help. Finally got an ok from the Drs office to take MoM, so far nada. But, I'm remaining hopeful.

Other issue is depression. I was of my meds for 2 days while in the hospital. Came home and really realized my relationship with food is forever changed. Which is for the good, but still a loss. Loss of comfort, loss of my stomach. Once the meds kicked back in my mood lifted a bit.

The other thing is seeing the foods I used to like and not eating them. Sometimes not even wanting them. Sometimes wanting them but knowing if I tried, I'd get sick. Sometimes feeling left out. Sometimes forcing myself even to get in 300 calories/day. I know with time it'll get better. This is only day 6.

Just trying to keep my eye on the prize... a healthier me to enjoy being active with my family more, able to socialize in food settings again, but be able to focus on the converstation, not the food. More energy, looking better, feeling better.

Thanks for listening...your turn

Melinda

Sleeved: 8/16/10

HW - 333

pre-op weight - 323

surgery weight - 309

Dr Lynch

Hi Melinda. As you can see from my posts, I'm right where you are. Hang in there.

Applesauce on day 6? WoW! My doc's plan is 10 days Clear liquids, 10 full liquid, then onto 10 days of mushy foods.

There is alot of varying degrees of the post op diet from what I'm reading on this board.

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Are you allowed to have milk yet? Protein shakes are a lot better with milk. I also really struggled with protein in the first 10 days, but now that I can have milk (or, in my case, Lactantia, as I'm apparently lactose intolerant now :thumbup1:) and drinking yogurt, 50 grams a day is not a problem. I think once I'm onto soft foods and can have soft-boiled eggs, egg whites, and soft fish, I should be able to get 70-80 grams. The biggest hurdle for me right now is taste-fatigue. There's only so many strawberry-banana and chocolate protein shakes you can have day after day several times a day.

Melinda,

Thanks for sharing. I am waiting on my date and reading everything I can. Thanks for being candid about your experience post op and congratulations on "keeping your eye on the prize". I am starting this journey at about the same weight you started at and I too am wanting to feel better, move better and enjoy life to the fullest! Hang in there and stay focused. Maybe take up reading a good book or quilting or something to occupy your time instead of eating. That's my plan - if I ever get my date!! Have done all pre-op stuff, just waiting for psychologist to get information to surgeon and it is taking forever!

I was sleeved on the 16th as well. 2nd day was rough because I had a bad gas bubble and vomiting. I almost did not get to go home. I am getting alot of fluids down and broth. Protein shakes are so nasty to me and I really liked them on my pre op. I am trying really hard to get them down. I went and got protein shots that are only 3 oz and gag those down just to get the protein in. I know this will get better. I don't really have any other problems except for the gas which is slowly going away. I can say very happily I am down 28 lbs since Aug 9 when I went on my pre op diet. (19 from pre op and 9 since surgery)

Good Luck!!!!

My surgery (7/14/10) and recovery were fine, but I'm not losing as fast as I want to. The scale keeps going up and down in the same 3 lb range. I'm hanging in there. There is no way that I can eat 1,000 cals a day or less and NOT lose weight. It just doesn't seem scientifically possible. I'm guessing that water weight is part of the equation. I've only lost 17 pounds after surgery.

Hi, Melinda! Welcome to the losers' bench!

I'm just over five months out and life is good! Like you, I had a terrible time with Protein drinks at the beginning. I finally gave up on the powdered shakes altogether and now I drink the Premier Nutrition ready-to-drink chocolate protein shakes. I get them at costco but you can also buy them online here: Premier Nutrition - Diet, organic, and low carb, Protein Bars, protein powders, protein supplements and health supplements and here: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Premier-Protein-Shakes-18-11oz-shakes/dp/B001O213RM/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1282520693&sr=8-3-fkmr1]Amazon.com: Premier Protein - High Protein Ready To Drink Shakes, 18-11oz shakes: Health &…[/ame]. I have one for Breakfast every morning and at 30 grams of protein in 180 calories, it gives me a good jumpstart on my protein fo the day.

I'm a lightweight and I've been a very slow loser, but I'm more than halfway to my goal, and less than 6 pounds from a "normal" BMI, so I'm happy with my progress even though it hasn't been as fast as I'd hoped. I have really challenged myself to NOT make myself miserable every time the scale slows down or stops, and for the most part it's worked out well for me.

One thing that has just been wonderful is that almost all of my compulsive eating urges are gone. I still have "head hunger," but the reality is that I just plain cannot eat like I used to, so binging like I used to is out of the question. And I am constantly -- like, every. single. meal. -- amazed at how little I eat and how satisfied I am with that little bit. It feels so good to be a light eater instead of the volume eater I had been all my life!

I only started doing much exercise a month or so ago, and I've really been enjoying it. I work with a trainer at the gym twice a week, and take a dance class twice a week, and try to get in a good long walk at least once or twice a week. It feels great to be getting stronger! And the exercise seems to have jump-started my weight loss some, too.

Hang in there and know that it will get easier every week from now on!

So, I'm post-op day 6. The gas has been exhausting. The lack of regular sleep has me exhausted. I can't get more than an hour or 2 in a given position, and cannot lie down fully, because of the gas bubbles.

I occasionally (when lying on my left side) get a ripping burning pain to the left of my belly button that makes me need to get up right away. I am like a miserable zombie. I have lost 5 lbs since the surgery, but it feels like 10 lbs of life-force.

I had some definate "buyer's remorse" yesterday, and couldn't even give in to crying, because it's too hard to get liquid in to let it go in tears.

My husband has been very supportive, but he's worn out with not having enough time to decompress himself (encouraged him to go to the movies this morning, and he's at the gym now).

I went to the ER yesterday, because I have a gradually spreading patch of redness on my belly that is unassociated with the incisions. It started like a weird bee sting post-op and is red, puffy, and itchy as all hell. They gave me hydrocortisone cream and a heavy antibiotic (that is really fun to swallow crushed twice a day, and is supposed to be taken with a lot of fluids- HA!). The red patch is just getting gradually bigger. Great.

So, I see my doc tomorrow and am counting the minutes. I'm wondering if I need to go back in-patient to receive IV antibiotics and hydration so I can beat this infection/reaction I'm having. Being a nurse is both a help, and a hinderance.

Bottom line, I'm bummed. Isolated. Hurting. I know that most of this is 'normal,' but I still feel like I've irreversably mutilated myself because I'm too weak-willed to get my ass to the gym and eat better.

Thanks for listening.