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I am one of those people who will read everything there is to read about something that I am going to be doing to myself. I want to know every detail of what I will be going through. Thats just the way I am. So when I found this site I was like yayyy and read until I went into overload. I will say it prepared me for a lot of what I should expect and then some, but not what I actually went through.

I am not writing this to scare anyone but just to be informative. My husband told me that if I had read what I went through I wouldnt have been so scared.

April 27th at 7:00 am scheduled for surgery. Got to the hospital and checked in by 5:00 am. Everything is going according to schedule and am excited to be there because I know that this is the first step to making my life better for me and my family. The last thing I remember is giving my hubby and son a kiss and telling them I love them and I'll see them in a couple of hours. Fast forward to recovery, pain, pain, pain, they move me over to another bed and that is more pain. I was expecting this because I have had other surgeries in the past. Everyone is calling my name to make sure I am coherent and I keep thinking I'm going to hurl on these people if they are not careful, and hurl I did. But what I hurled was blood. Apparently there was some internal bleeding in my stomach and what built up had to come up along with a giant clot that they saved for the surgeon to see. Scared the bejeezus out of me because I hadn't read where anyone had gone through that! So they monitored me through out the day and I kept spitting up blood and unfortunately both my husband and son saw it at one point too. Wish they didn't have to see that but what are you going to do. That eveneing they let me have some ice chips and OMG what a god send, ice never felt or tasted so good. Through out the second day, I was still spitting up blood just not as much as day one, which the doc said was a very good sign. He said he has seen this happen before and everything will be fine. Then as they are monitoring me, they realize my oxegen levels are really low and put me on oxegen. Ok, tube up the nose and breathe in breathe out. On Clear liquids and had broth, Jello and ice pops to eat. They decide they want a chest xray done to make sure all is good there, and low and behold I have the begining of pnemonia. So they treat me for that as well. Day three, I am much, much better, keeping the liquids down nicely, and they put me on a full diet, broth, Breakfast Protein drinik and a clear flavored drink as well. No more blood, yayy, I want to go home now thank you very much. Day four, the doc tells me everythinhg is progressing nicely and says he could send me home but he is not going to because he wants to monitor my blood work for another day. Fine, I'll stay another day. Day five and I can come home. I feel really good except for the achy breaky feeling of being kicked good and hard but that will pass. I am doing the liquids pretty good so far but I know I'm not getting in the protein that I need and have to work on that. They already dicontinued me taking 3 meds twice a day and that is the reason I wanted to do this. In the end, I feel good, and I know I'll be fine because my body is telling me so. It is also telling me when I put too much liquid in as well, weird feeling too but I am getting used to that too. I don't regret the decision at all, even with the complications. I know in the end this is what needed to be done. So thank you all for your support and advise here. I will keep everyone updated and unundated with questions and observations as they happen. :)

Raine

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Wow, thank you for sharing your story. Every now and then a complication creeps up that I hadn't really considered, and I thank you and everyone here for sharing. I want to go into this with my eyes wide open. I hope you get better soon!

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Wow! So sorry to hear about your rough journey. I have not read anyone else having that exact same experience. Rest assured that your story will help someone else someday.

It sounds like you are recovering well and the coughing blood has stopped. I agree, that would be terrifying.

Hope your recovery from here on out is uneventful! Do your best to keep up with the fluids.

Take care,

Lara

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Thanks, I am feeling a lot better and am amazed at the difference a couple of days could make. One thing I forgot to mention was that because of the blood I lost they had to give me two bags over a couple of days because I was becoming anemic. Everything works out in the end :) Having my hubby and son there with me constantly helped me feel a lot better too.

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Raine-- I'm so glad you're on the road to recovery! I was sleeved the day before you and had dry heaves with dried up blood that was a bit scary. Keep up the good work on the road to recovery!!

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Thanks! You too! I am feeling so much better now too. Keeping all the liquids down and going to try some Soup today to see how that goes. Haven't had dry heaves, been sick to my stomach or even a little gas pain. I guess since I went through all that the first two days someone said enough is enough. Seven more days and I can start on mushies. Yayyyy!!!

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Wow- I would've freaked if i coughed up blood! Definitely have never read about that before. I'm glad everything worked out for you and you made it through those hurdles and are doing fine. Good luck to you as you continue on- let the weight loss journey begin!:D

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Wow... I'm sorry you had such a horrible surgery experience but it's all downhill from here... I'm glad you are feeling much better and hopefully you will continue to heal without any more problems.... Welcome to the losers bench! :cheer2:

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Thanks all! I am doing great so far. Still not enough Protein but I am staying hydrated so that is good. I haven't been sick at all except when trying to take my pills. But hubby got that figured out for me, Jello shots! hahaha The losers bench is a comfy place to be, let me tell ya!

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I know that had to be scary, so glad you're recovering nicely now. I loved the Jello shots idea, i hope i remember to do that if i have probs with meds. Congrats on being sleeved!!

Kelly

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Thanks everyone, I am on day 9 and doing great! Haven't had any real issues since the hospital other than some pain in my left side. Called the docs office the said it was gas but took some gasx and a heating pad and that didnt work. Took some of the liquid pain killer and worked like a charm so I think its muscular like aother post I read on here. Pain killers do not work on gas LOL

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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