What I know now 6 days after getting my sleeve.

1. It is painful - for me the gas isn't an issue - but one of my incision sites does give me a lot of pain.

2. liquid Vicodin is DISGUSTING!!! I need to keep taking it due to my pain - but wow is it gross!!!!

3. Ketosis really is gross!!!! I feel like I have cotton mouth all the time.

4. Head hunger is here! I am craving a hamburger and at the same time if I imagine myself actually eating it, I get nausious.

5. This is quite different than having my gall bladder out. I consider myself a typically pretty tough person and this surgery has knocked me on my ass!!!

6. Mainly my parents - but even my sister - have come around and are being very supportive of my surgery. They even came to visit me at the hospital. I did post a couple months back about them not being supportive.

7. Really can't wait to get my drain out...but surprisingly I don't find it disgusting - only irritating.

8. Speaking of irritating - I am so itchy!!!!! All over my belly and under my boobs. I keep putting lotion on - but the itchiness really sucks!

9. Only had about 1/2 hour of regret the other night when I was really tired.

I realize this is all just rambling - but it feels good to get it out! Can't wait for the pain to go!!!

Just curious! What is ketosis?.. I am 9 days post op and also havebthis bad taste in my mouth, i can brush 1000 times and still there.

I can also relate to the head hunger....would love a slice of pizza in my mouth but.....not swallowingn it, strange !

Good luck to you )

Just curious! What is ketosis?.. I am 9 days post op and also havebthis bad taste in my mouth, i can brush 1000 times and still there.

I can also relate to the head hunger....would love a slice of pizza in my mouth but.....not swallowingn it, strange !

Good luck to you )

Hey fellow 6/20 sleever, sounds like overall you are doing well. Hope your pain is gone soon.

If your itching is generalized try some gentle oil without perfumes like olive oil, instead of lotion. I am only itchy right around the steri strips.... am going to trim the loose endss & get some of the gummy stuff off my skin to see if that helps.

ketosis is when you are burning fat not food - and yes, it does leave an awful taste in your mouth. Mine has tasted like... fake sweetener for weeks.

I'm so glad your family is being supportive. I know what a difference that makes. I love the way you listed all your thoughts/experiences!!! I felt better just reading them LOL They are many of the same things I felt!!! I will be three weeks tomorrow. Each little phase has its challenges but it really does get better. For me there was this "magical" turning point around day 6ish where I made a huge jump in wellness. I know it's different for everyone. Sending you all my best and lots of well wishes that this stinky phase is over soon!!!!!!

Just curious! What is ketosis?.. I am 9 days post op and also havebthis bad taste in my mouth, i can brush 1000 times and still there.

I can also relate to the head hunger....would love a slice of pizza in my mouth but.....not swallowingn it, strange !

Good luck to you )

Your body relies on carbs for energy. In the absence of carbs it will usually burn muscle- but if you follow the high protein/low carb plan then it will have to turn to fat cells- yay! The by product of burning the fat is a substance called ketones- many ketones are used for energy but those that are not are excreted and create that weird fruity breath. Gross as it may make you feel- just know it means you are burning fat- yay!

Oh KPB you just wrote what I was thinking exactly!!! OMG the liquid vicodin made me laugh so hard it hurt!...lol AMEN fellow member!!!

Sorry you are still having a lot of pain. I hope it goes away for you soon. Thank you for posting what it's like.

Your experience was almost exactly like mine! I was a marine Sgt. and also a police officer and think of myself as a tough guy but this surgery knocked me on my ass! I was very surprised by that. It didn't help that I got into a car accident on the way home from the hospital and the seatbelt aggravated my already sore incision sites and it took me longer to heal. I had a big black and blue mark where the seat belt was for weeks. Glad you're doing okay though and it will get better every day!

What I know now 6 days after getting my sleeve.

1. It is painful - for me the gas isn't an issue - but one of my incision sites does give me a lot of pain.

2. Liquid Vicodin is DISGUSTING!!! I need to keep taking it due to my pain - but wow is it gross!!!!

3. Ketosis really is gross!!!! I feel like I have cotton mouth all the time.

4. Head hunger is here! I am craving a hamburger and at the same time if I imagine myself actually eating it, I get nausious.

5. This is quite different than having my gall bladder out. I consider myself a typically pretty tough person and this surgery has knocked me on my ass!!!

6. Mainly my parents - but even my sister - have come around and are being very supportive of my surgery. They even came to visit me at the hospital. I did post a couple months back about them not being supportive.

7. Really can't wait to get my drain out...but surprisingly I don't find it disgusting - only irritating.

8. Speaking of irritating - I am so itchy!!!!! All over my belly and under my boobs. I keep putting lotion on - but the itchiness really sucks!

9. Only had about 1/2 hour of regret the other night when I was really tired.

I realize this is all just rambling - but it feels good to get it out! Can't wait for the pain to go!!!

Ahhh, "ketosis breath." It will get better but as long as you're actively in ketosis it probably won't ever truly go away. That probably sounds really weird, but parsley can sometimes help. I know you can't eat it, but chewing it & swishing it around your mouth is what matters -- not whether or not you swallow it. When you can increase your Water intake, that should help too.

I have a high pain tolerance and wonder what the VSG post-op experience would be like. I had virtually no pain with my AGB except for the day or two before I realized that supporting my stomach/pannus when I walked made a world of difference. GB removal was more painful initially - as in, I was in pain when I woke up, but wasn't with my AGB. GB removal was overall easier healing (didn't have my port/port incision to deal with). Before that it was just hanging and (I suspect) pulling on my suture areas. I literally cupped my arm under my pannus and supported the weight that way, and it was like night & day. Is your pain constant, or only during certain movements? Where areyou feeling it the most? (incisions, internal, etc.) Maybe we can help.

I had itchiness due mostly to an allergc reaction to the dressings. Hint: don't try "solarcane" or other topical anesthetic sprays thinking it will help, it WILL NOT. I got some relief with Benadryl cream.

Oh I was there girl... No lie.

Drink as much liquid as you can. I had to use SF pops because drinking Water hurt so bad. The cotton mouth will go away.

The JP drain hurt like hell coming out. I was shocked how big the tubing is!!! GROSS! My big incision hurt, and still does - 3 weeks out. But it is healing. I have to be careful how I move or what side I sleep on. Otherwise, things get better!!!

:cheers2:

You might want to check with your Dr. to make sure the itchiness is not an allergic reaction to any meds you might be taking (possibly the liquid vicodin?) Allergic reactions tend to start on the torso.

Good luck!

KPB-Today is my 6th day post op. I consider myself to be strong and a trooper. I have done great so far but today I feel like I have just had it! I still need to drink the liquid death too and I hate it. I think it is ruining my taste buds. I am swallowing my ppi which is small just fine so I am thinking of calling surgeon and asking for something small in pill form. I can agree with everything you wrote with one addition and this may be TMI BUT--I have diahrea which I expected but my whole abdomen hurts so bad that I can not twist enough to wipe as well as I would like so now my butt is really irritated. I am a clean freak so it is really bothering me! Just generally irritated today which is not really like me! UGH!!!!

Still happy to be sleeved I must say!

The pain is only when I move certain ways like getting up from the chair funny or getting out of bed in the am. Also if I have my pain meds then I'm fine. Today I actually feel pretty good. And it's my first day of full liquids! I never knew V-8 could taste so good!

Ahhh, "ketosis breath." It will get better but as long as you're actively in ketosis it probably won't ever truly go away. That probably sounds really weird, but parsley can sometimes help. I know you can't eat it, but chewing it & swishing it around your mouth is what matters -- not whether or not you swallow it. When you can increase your Water intake, that should help too.

I have a high pain tolerance and wonder what the VSG post-op experience would be like. I had virtually no pain with my AGB except for the day or two before I realized that supporting my stomach/pannus when I walked made a world of difference. GB removal was more painful initially - as in, I was in pain when I woke up, but wasn't with my AGB. GB removal was overall easier healing (didn't have my port/port incision to deal with). Before that it was just hanging and (I suspect) pulling on my suture areas. I literally cupped my arm under my pannus and supported the weight that way, and it was like night & day. Is your pain constant, or only during certain movements? Where areyou feeling it the most? (incisions, internal, etc.) Maybe we can help.

I had itchiness due mostly to an allergc reaction to the dressings. Hint: don't try "solarcane" or other topical anesthetic sprays thinking it will help, it WILL NOT. I got some relief with Benadryl cream.

Your itchiness is probably because you were shaved as part of the pre-surgery prep. I also itched until I figured out that the little hairs were trying to grow back--plus, whatever antibacterial solution they swabbed over my stomach/belly area was irritating. I washed it off really well and most of the itchiness went away.