Hi all! I had my vertical sleeve gastrectomy on Dec. 5, 2011 by Dr. Mitchell Roslin at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. I attended all the seminars and appointments required of me before having the surgery. I'm a 5' 4" female weighing 241 pre op. I thought I had asked all questions prior to the surgery but I guess not. I feel like I wasn't fully informed about all the unpleasant things I'd have to endure post op. I was totally reassured that I'd be back to work in a week, two weeks tops, by the surgeon! Needless to say, I am 4 weeks post op and still not back to work. I'm due back at work on Jan. 3 and I don't feel ready to go back. I'm feeling miserable! I've been nauseous, dizzy, weak, and depressed. All I wanna do is stay in bed because if I get up and walk around I'm feeling dizzy. I hate this feeling!

I'm having trouble keeping foods down! I can only eat very small amounts of food and I don't think I'm getting enough Protein. Since I don't seem to be getting enough protein, I'm feeling very nauseous, dizzy, and week.

I called my surgeon and he told me to sip hot tea with honey all day and to eat a scoop of Peanut Butter every 2-3 hrs. That's great if the tea and peanut butter wouldn't make me nauseous! I don't know what to do since this is a holiday weekend and the Dr. nor his office will be available until Jan. 3 when I'm supposed to go back to work! Help!

I am soo glad you are feeling better, I haven't had the nausea, so i feel lucky. Good luck with going back to work tomorrow.

I am late to the topic for you Lola but, you received great advice. Good to hear you are feeling better. Just please listen to your body and don't be afraid to call your doctor. This is serious and they get paid accordingly.

Take care of you and good luck on this journey.

Hope you have a good day at work. I really hope things go okay, take care.

So glad to hear it, good luck at work.

Hi-

Are you on an acid reducer? I was sent home with omeprazole and was directed to take it daily for 6 months. It saved me! If you aren't on one, you should start.

I had profound exhaution for up to 8 weeks after surgery. I went back to work and could barely hold my head up. it is very depressing, but it will get better. I had a terrible time with eating and drinking for that period of time. I knew I was short on liquids and calories so I started sipping regular gatorade as much as I could.

Worthy to note: If you have nausea with everything you try to consume, you may have a complication. Take your temp as well - a fever would be an indicator too.

I know that I tried every possible drink in the world to get through those weeks. I couldn't do the protien drinks so I started experimenting with milk, gatorade, whatever I could think of. One day something would go down fine and the next day it wouldn't. Just keep trying and keep sipping - you need everything you can get down right now.

I was also cleared for full liquids and mushies a little sooner because of my lack of liquids. Is started drinking liquid yogurt and eating cottage cheese (chewed to nothing) and whipped sweet potatoes with salt.

I tried baby food too. Seriously, I tried everything under the sun just to get a few calories in and lift my energy level. Remember you are in this for the long haul - you can't undo the surgery. Now you have to focus on getting better and staying healthy. At the 9 month mark, I absolutely love my sleeve. My energy didn't come back 100% until 4-5 months out.

Hang in there!

wow.. you sound like me!!!!

im 2 weeks post op. cant do shakes. they REPULSE ME!!!! my energy is soooooooo low. i feel very weak, drained & out of it.

i am trying to get Protein in through food but goodness, its hard.

wow.. 100% of ur energy didnt return til 4-5months out? thats TERRIFYING!!!

when did you feel "normal"?

Hi-

Are you on an acid reducer? I was sent home with omeprazole and was directed to take it daily for 6 months. It saved me! If you aren't on one, you should start.

I had profound exhaution for up to 8 weeks after surgery. I went back to work and could barely hold my head up. it is very depressing, but it will get better. I had a terrible time with eating and drinking for that period of time. I knew I was short on liquids and calories so I started sipping regular gatorade as much as I could.

Worthy to note: If you have nausea with everything you try to consume, you may have a complication. Take your temp as well - a fever would be an indicator too.

I know that I tried every possible drink in the world to get through those weeks. I couldn't do the protien drinks so I started experimenting with milk, gatorade, whatever I could think of. One day something would go down fine and the next day it wouldn't. Just keep trying and keep sipping - you need everything you can get down right now.

I was also cleared for full liquids and mushies a little sooner because of my lack of liquids. Is started drinking liquid yogurt and eating cottage cheese (chewed to nothing) and whipped sweet potatoes with salt.

I tried baby food too. Seriously, I tried everything under the sun just to get a few calories in and lift my energy level. Remember you are in this for the long haul - you can't undo the surgery. Now you have to focus on getting better and staying healthy. At the 9 month mark, I absolutely love my sleeve. My energy didn't come back 100% until 4-5 months out.

Hang in there!

I thought the drinks were repulsive too, but for goodness sakes, sometimes you just have to take your medicine! At least until your stomach is healed and you can get your protein from real food... If your not throwing up from the drinks, then I say, drink them! They will help you heal and not loose muscle, and get strong and get in part of your fluid too. Its only a couple of months, then you never have to look at them again. I actually got to like some of them after a while... and they do make it so much easier to get in your protein. At 11 months out I use drinks a couple of times a week to get in a low carb and high protein low calorie meal when I don't have much time, or just need something really on track in the middle of the day. They can be your friend, and when your taste buds get a little back to normal, the right ones are not half bad.

they dont make me throw up cuz i dont put them near my lips but just thinking of them make me dry heaveso i never want to try it. just cant. some ppl are different. my stomach is completely weak. everything turns it. i didnt know it would be this bad til i started my preop diet. i was able to do it in the past but i guess i got so sick of them then that now i just cant anymore.

I thought the drinks were repulsive too, but for goodness sakes, sometimes you just have to take your medicine! At least until your stomach is healed and you can get your protein from real food... If your not throwing up from the drinks, then I say, drink them! They will help you heal and not loose muscle, and get strong and get in part of your fluid too. Its only a couple of months, then you never have to look at them again. I actually got to like some of them after a while... and they do make it so much easier to get in your protein. At 11 months out I use drinks a couple of times a week to get in a low carb and high protein low calorie meal when I don't have much time, or just need something really on track in the middle of the day. They can be your friend, and when your taste buds get a little back to normal, the right ones are not half bad.

I did that with red wine years ago... couldn't drink it for about 10 years after...