HI,

I am having my sleeve done Dec., 12. I am so excited! I want to make sure that I have a smooth trasition coming home from the hospital and over the holidays. What helped you the most the first 4 weeks. What should I so to prepare and have my home ready before surgery. WHat are some things you found invaluable?

Thanks,

Roxy

I have the same surgery date, and the same questions!

A couple of things that REALLY helped me ...

1) boat loads of bottled Water (both cold and room temperature) I found I tolerated room temp much better and at 64oz a day you go through a lot!

2) a few different Protein shake choices - you never know what you will like or tolerate post surgery. I can tell you that as soon as I was able to get my protein in I almost immediately felt my energy levels rise which was good.

3) lots and lots of pillows. At first I was most comfy sleeping on my back propped up on pillows and then I realized that in between walking I had trouble sitting in the same position for too long so I was always re-adjusting and moving around and the pillows helped.

and last but not least ....

... something to keep you busy!!! Day time TV stinks so find a good book, have the internet close by or something you find interesting!

Good Luck!!!!!

I totally recommend having a candle warmer to keep your soup or tea or whatever it is you need to keep warm. I found that warm liquids went down much easier and i recommend having your dr. prescribe the esophogus relaxer stuff and also some anti anxiety meds.. they help with when your too scared to swallow. Its going to be a tough first couple of weeks, don't kid yourselves, but the rewards to having this surgery are amazing and i don't regret it for a second. Just a few things to make the transition to a tiny tummy easier as my surgeon told me this past week "i didnt make your tummy tiny so you could eat.. i made it tiny so that you wouldnt eat".. ha ha! nice! he is awesome and i love him.. he has given me a new life and i'll like to congratulate you on the new beginning of yours

I totally recommend having a candle warmer to keep your soup or tea or whatever it is you need to keep warm. I found that warm liquids went down much easier and i recommend having your dr. prescribe the esophogus relaxer stuff and also some anti anxiety meds.. they help with when your too scared to swallow. Its going to be a tough first couple of weeks, don't kid yourselves, but the rewards to having this surgery are amazing and i don't regret it for a second. Just a few things to make the transition to a tiny tummy easier as my surgeon told me this past week "i didnt make your tummy tiny so you could eat.. i made it tiny so that you wouldnt eat".. ha ha! nice! he is awesome and i love him.. he has given me a new life and i'll like to congratulate you on the new beginning of yours

Thanks MimiMermaid! I use a candle warmer at work for my coffee and tea. I will definately get one for home.

Tahnsk for the well wishes on my journey!

I am 3 months out. These are the things that helped me after surgery:

1. Several kinds of Protein drinks, both sweet (like chocolate and vanilla) and tangy (lemonade, grapefruit) Proti sells these on line. I couldn't stand anything sweet so the lemonade and grapefruit flavors were my salvation.

2. sugar free popcicles. I ate a ton of them. Although they were sweet, because they were so cold, I had to have them.

3. Pillows to prop you up. It was much easier to get up out of bed when I was propped up. Also, a small pillow to "splint" your tummy when you are getting up off of a chair, sofa or out of bed.

4. A heating pad. I had back pain, I'm thinking because of the gas. Heat helped.

5. A thermometer. I had to take my temp several times a day.

8. peroxide...just in case you need it for your incisions...I needed to clean one of mine several times a day

9. Ice chips...only for the first day or two...I was sending family members to Sonic on a regular basis.

10. Gas x melt in your mouth strips. I jury is still out whether or not they actually help with the gas from the surgery. Some say it doesn't help with is type of gas, but others say it was a big help. I used them, but really cannot say that they did help or not. I did walked, walked, walked and then I walked some more, even when I didn't want to.

Hope this helps

Really tiny bowls!!! Ice cream dishes or the little plastic kiddie ones. And only fill them half way... seriously.

Several different Protein shakes and powders, and recipes for the powders. You do not need to just add Water or milk. There are lots of things you can do to to dress them up. Ultimately you just have to find one you like drinking, and you won't know that until after surgery.

Make sure all your laundry is done and there are clean sheets on your bed and your kitchen is clean. I did a major cleaning overhaul before I went under because I knew I wouldn't want to do it for a while.

During the liquid stage, canned Soups tasted absolutely awful to me. They were too salty and left a weird taste in my mouth. I got take-out soups and strained them. It felt wasteful to dump the chicken and veggies or whatever was in it, but it still lasted me several meals usually. My favorites were french onion, avgolemeno, and wonton.

I echo the pillow thing. It's pretty hard to get comfy that first week when your belly is sore, especially if you're a side sleeper like me.

The #1 thing that helped me through all of it though was THIS BOARD. I read as much as I could and pretty much knew what to expect. It seems like everyone has a unique experience but at least you know what's possible, so when you're crying your eyes out for no apparent reason, you know that you're not alone.

I stocked up on soups and I don't know what else. I don't advise it!! What I thought I'd use and enjoy....out the door!! =) What helped me most the first couple of weeks was a heating pad. After that, a nice soft pillow to prop under my tummy at night. (I always sleep on my side) The canned Campbells Soup was 'ok' - I did enjoy the cream of chicken, but enough is enough already!! What was soooo good is tortilla soup from El Fenix, a local Mexican food restaurant. I couldn't have any of the chunkies, but the broth was so good....also, the chicken soup broth at Panera Bread. What a treat!!! I wasn't hungry at all, but I knew I had to eat something. I gave up on Protein shakes and switched to the bullets, they don't taste any better, but they're only 3.5 oz. A couple of sips 3x's a day and you're through and it's over 40 grams of protein. You can always hold your nose like kids do!! LoL Getting to eat a scrambled egg, tuna and cottage cheese was like heaven. I still love to eat even though I still don't have REAL hunger like I did pre-op. Eating is social and it tastes good, I enjoy and savor every bite I take, but I'm in control now!

HI,

I am having my sleeve done Dec., 12. I am so excited! I want to make sure that I have a smooth trasition coming home from the hospital and over the holidays. What helped you the most the first 4 weeks. What should I so to prepare and have my home ready before surgery. WHat are some things you found invaluable?

Thanks,

Roxy

I forgot about the small plates. I STILL eat off the salad plate and I also use a seafood fork a good deal of the time. My husband uses the salad plate too a lot of the time. It's all a mind game, but it's good!!

Really tiny bowls!!! Ice cream dishes or the little plastic kiddie ones. And only fill them half way... seriously.

Several different Protein shakes and powders, and recipes for the powders. You do not need to just add Water or milk. There are lots of things you can do to to dress them up. Ultimately you just have to find one you like drinking, and you won't know that until after surgery.

Make sure all your laundry is done and there are clean sheets on your bed and your kitchen is clean. I did a major cleaning overhaul before I went under because I knew I wouldn't want to do it for a while.

During the liquid stage, canned soups tasted absolutely awful to me. They were too salty and left a weird taste in my mouth. I got take-out soups and strained them. It felt wasteful to dump the chicken and veggies or whatever was in it, but it still lasted me several meals usually. My favorites were french onion, avgolemeno, and wonton.

I echo the pillow thing. It's pretty hard to get comfy that first week when your belly is sore, especially if you're a side sleeper like me.

The #1 thing that helped me through all of it though was THIS BOARD. I read as much as I could and pretty much knew what to expect. It seems like everyone has a unique experience but at least you know what's possible, so when you're crying your eyes out for no apparent reason, you know that you're not alone.

I bought tiny bowls at Goodwill, and some small salad plates to eat from. Since the price was the same, I bought some really pretty china plates. I also used baby spoons and bought cocktail forks for my food. I didn't eat any of the baby food I bought, although it was nice knowing that it was there if I was desperate. I'm glad I only bought six jars...and I'll be giving it to a cousin who has toddlers.

I WISH that I'd bought a measuring spoon that does mL's because that's how my medicine (Loritab liquid) was measured. Since I didn't have that, and couldn't do the conversion from mLs to Tablespoons, I didn't get pain meds the one night I could have really used it. I haven't even opened the bottle.

Other helps, cups with measurements on them so I can keep track of how much Water I'm drinking. A garbage can close to where I normally sit. Lots of SF Jello and pops, more for the cold sensation than the taste. Instant mashed potatoes were a Godsend! I mixed them into soup broth and other liquids during my mushy stage. Oh, and I loved potted meat with my eggs for a few days during that stage as well. Canned beef stew also tasted really good during mushies. I'll confess I didn't put it in the blender, but I did chew it really well. That satisfied my craving for veggies and beef easily. One can lasted me for 5 days or so.

My advice...a blender....it was my savor...I couldn't get the protein shakes down so I blended the beneprotein tasteless protein in my cream soups. egg drop soup worked good for me and had good protein. It was hard for me to get in and out of bed the first week so try to get all your medicine on the night stand...plus keep water close by. A definite on the pillow to hold when you cough, sneeze or laugh. And definitely make sure all your cleaning is done unless u have help. Good luck!

I got little 3 oz condiment bowls at Walmart, as well as a set of 4 glass bowls with lids from Walmart too. They are great to use to measure and/or eat out of. Popsicles, egg flower soup pkgs, and I couldn't do any kind of protein drinks except the Atkins Ready to drink vanilla flavor. They were more bland than the chocolate ones and not as "protein" tasting as the ones that had more protein or came in the mixes. Even tho I was a chocolate person pre-op, post-op, I preferred the more plain taste of vanilla early out especially. I agree with the other person on using this forum for support, seeing others were going through the same thing did/does help me so much. Good luck!

I don't knwo if you have a family or not, but having some meals made ahead for them a freezing them helped alot. That way you don't have to worry if Dad feeds the kids frozen pizza or take out for 3 days while your in the hospital. I had my sister come over the week before surgery and help me clean the living daylights out of my house-nothing worse than laying on your couch not being able to do anything and staring at the cobwebs in the far left corner of your living room!!

While I was in the hospital I would have killed for a heating pad, they just kept reheating a wet towel in a bag in the microwave. It didn't seem the same at all. I had really bad pains in my neck and shoulder from the gas trapped in my belly. I had to stay an extra day in the hospital, so make sure that you pack enough socks and undies for a couple extra days just in case!

I am 12 days out right now, and I can pretty much do whatever I want around the house. My husband still doesn't let me lift the laundry baskets or bend over and pick up the kids toys, which is kinda nice! Let yourself be a "baby" for a couple weeks, it's not like we don't all deserve it! I'm going to start making some blankets and a couple of scarves for Christmas, so if you have a hobby like that you can stock up on some stuff that you can do to pass the time.

Good luck with your surgery!!