Hello November Sleevers!

Please come and introduce yourselves! Scorch picked our name a few weeks ago in another thread. We are the banana BABES, because like she said, " our stomachs will end up looking like a banana".

I will start.

November 16th is my big day! I would have LOVED to have accepted the 7th, but I have tickets to see STING in concert. Don't you love my priorities? (Actually the tickets were expensive, non refundable & my husband would kill me).

So the 16th it is and I couldn't be happier. Before Thanksgiving is probably not ideal, but being sleeved and somewhat recovered by January 1st ,2012 is way more important to me. I can't wait!

Banana Babes :Banane01:

I was sleeved on Nov 30th and I am just checking in. I was in horrible pain, the gas pain that gets under your shoulder and diaphram, until about 2 days ago. Right now I am doing great, I feel like I have done far too many sit-ups but other than that I am okay. I am getting all my fluids down and feeling fine. The worst part of this whole thing is crushing and taking my medicine. BLECKKK it is disgusting. I can't wait to be able to swallow pills normally again.

I was wondering how everyone felt about Gas-X strips. I know I couldn't take them the first day after sugery, but I wonder if I could use them now. I know it would really help, I just don't want to hurt my tummy at all while it's healing.

I know all surgeons are different as far as their post op reccomendations, but I used gasx strips from day 2 on. They help alot, fortunately I did not have any of the shoulder pain. My surgeon also allowed me to swallow meds upon discharge as long as they were smaller than an m&m, I also could only take one every 1/2 hour, so they had to be spaced out. Good luck!

I did not ask, I just took them, i did not have gas pain but i felt blotted, theynare good, plus my doctor told me once they are bad for you so i took them, plus I work where they make them and is mint.

they are not bad for you!

I had my surgery in mexico and I am waiting on my new insurance to kick in so unfortunately for now I got to suck it up with it. I wonder if I can crush and throw it in the soup.

I would go to a local pharmacy and ask the pharmacist if you can crush the medicine AND to give you an over the counter recommendation that could help you if crushing does not work. That is a free consult! Don't suck it up. At the same time I would be emailing your Mexican surgeon. They might help too. OH..a third idea is to post a thread about this on the "Post Op' section. Someone might have an idea for you. No need to suffer every twelve hours. I love your good attitude. Best wishes!

I couldn't find any Gas-X strips so I bought Gas-X softchews instead. I brought them with me to the hospital and just started taking them the day after surgery, about 4-6 times a day, and didn't ask for permission. They're simethicone, which is the same stuff you give babies to help with gas (some people know it as "gripe water"). They're helping me a lot. The dose for adults is "as needed", but not to exceed 500mg in 24 hrs (without a dr approval).

Simethicone causes small gas bubbles to combine together in the gut & stomach so you can burp (or fart :blush5:) more easily. It's not absorbed by the body so its considered pretty safe.

I needed them a lot in the beginning; now I'm only taking them before I lay down for a period of time.

They sale at CVs or Walgreens the pill crusher, it works but still will have the ugly taste.

Katrina here in Nov Sleevers.....

Sleeved 11/22 down 17 pds....no preop weight loss but all is well.

Hi sweety93 (Katrina)! You are doing great! I had no pre-op diet either...THANK GOD! I was a volume eater. No sad face from me. :smile1: Welcome! How are you feeling?

Thank you guys. I finally added to some pudding and can get those dang pills down. Tonight I am having one of those OMG what did I do moments. I tried eating one teaspoon of mashed potatoes (my surgeon said 1-2 wks on liquid diet) and since tomorrow is one week and I am so sick and tired of broth and protein shakes, I figured I would try it. Nope. I am feeling like I am never going to be able to eat food again or even drink normally. It takes me almost 2 hrs to down one protein shake. I am only getting 50 grams a days not 70 Energy I am fine. I been to the parade downtown, walked around the mall, went shopping. So I am moving but the broth, protein, jello, half pudding cup, ice pops rinse and repeat is really getting old. Tell me it gets better because I am regretting the one thing I wanted the most out of life weeks ago

Just checking in after a few days away. How quickly this forum has become such an important part of my day!

Congrats to all the newly sleeved! And yes bellabbr, it does get better. I'm almost a month out and even though I'm still not quite where I should be on getting in enough protein/calories, I can say every week is better than the last. I can see that things will gradually get back to normal (well, a new normal). For the first time in my adult life, I no longer feel like FOOD is in control. And that is Ahhhhh-mazing! What a feeling of freedom! Thanksgiving was a wonderful experience. Everyone in the family thought I was crazy but I was so happy not to be tempted or even be interested in all that BAD food.

Hi all, welcome Katrina..I was sleeve 11/22 as well.. i lost 30 pounds in 4 weeks including the pre op diet.

I have no problems drinking,the problem I get full really quickly, so today was the 1st time i was able to drink 2 protein shakes and my 1st day of work after surgery..one thing I have to say is that I feel like i never had surgery...

I am feeling like I am never going to be able to eat food again or even drink normally.

Argh I had one of those moments last night, and then again tonight as well. I made the mistake of trying to wrestle my wild 2-year-old into PJs tonight and I think I pulled something. As soon as my stomach settles from my protein shake I'm going to cave and take a pain pill (I've been avoiding them for the better part of two days).

I'm getting tired of the merry-go-round of "how long has it been since...?" and getting REALLY tired of the heart racing, nauseous, lightheaded, sweaty feeling. It feels exactly the way that I did when I got so wrapped up in something that I forgot to eat, and then I would go and binge on something to make that feeling go away. Except now I can't eat. Coming to that realization was a true moment of desperation for me.

I keep telling myself that this has to get better. I'm trying to address all the likely suspects (dehydration, protein, electrolytes, my meds, dumping, lactose, calories) and I think I might have narrowed it down to the protein shakes. I think I'm digesting them too fast, so tonight I switched half the powder out for 1/2 c. Greek yogurt. So far so good...

Good night everyone...

bellabbr- I am no expert of course, but think trying to put mashed potatoes in a tummy that was just cut 6 days out is WAY too soon in my opinion. If you want (and your surgeon approves) to go up a step, I would start with thicker soups, or continuing with homemade well seasoned yummy broths. Actually drinking strained french onion soup from Panera was the highlight of my days. You could try the watery Asian soups if you like those. I was able to puree no sugar added canned fruit at your stage as well. All that gives you variety. I ate 2 tablespoons of mashed potatoes on day 18 and it went down great. You will be able to eat real food SOON! So buckle down & pamper yourself with foods that allow your fragile tummy to heal. You can do this!

For the first time in my adult life, I no longer feel like FOOD is in control. And that is Ahhhhh-mazing! What a feeling of freedom! Thanksgiving was a wonderful experience. Everyone in the family thought I was crazy but I was so happy not to be tempted or even be interested in all that BAD food.

OMG how awesome is THIS!!!! LOVE IT!