Super Nurses With Sleeves (Support Group)

[dsmith_rn 186]

I am 10 week out from surgery and I have hit a plateau with my weight lose, Has anyone else had this and what did you do to get going again. I have been walking and riding a stationary bike, but not helping.

EVERYONE has had this, it is a normal part of the process. My stalls have passed on their own, but I have heard others who changed up their exercise routine or added calories to their daily total to break a stall. Call your dietician, who can best guide you through this.

[Aclinks1 6]

Reading some of the posts on here have helped immensely I am a RN who shared my surgery anxiety with a friend and was told my thoughts of dying were over the top and unjustified heartbreaking to say the least now I know I am not the only one to feel that way about wls

I'm pretty sure we all went through some moments of terror as our surgery dates approached. That's very normal (and justified). Any nurse knows that all surgery carries risks, and this is a major surgery, no doubt about it.

It didn't really hit me until after my surgery just how PERMANENT it is. I knew it in my head of course, but as I struggled to get down 1/3 cup of food it really hit me that I can't EVER eat as much as I want of something, ever again, no matter how good it tastes. It was something I had to grieve, and still struggle with sometimes, but most of the time I'm thankful for the restriction and the ensuing weight loss.

All I can tell you is to check out your surgeon thoroughly, and have confidence in his skills. Rest in that, and in the knowledge you will soon be sitting on the loser's bench!

Thanks for the reply I had my surgery 6/12/14 doing well no complications just has from time to time down 19 lbs since them I'm feeling better than I have in years

[debradebra 1]

Debradebra - my feelings exactly! It's kind of like worried about complications if I do it and if I don't- but want a new life like so many in this site- good luck Thursday and keep us posted.

Made it in and out of hospital without complications. At home finding it difficult to get all the Water in, but each day is better.

[chrisrn 11]

Debra Debra thanks for the

Update! Glad you are doing

Ok-!

[jaysweet98 47]

Which Protein Drink are you using for preop and how's the taste?

just seen ur comment, but I'm doing the vanilla Bariatric Advantage I bought from my surgeons office. They have a website too!!!

[MeMaw Nurse 4]

I am so happy I think my plateau is broken, I got on the scales for my weekly weight in and I had lost 4 lb. I did increase my Water intake so that might have helped.

[Weezy59 3]

I have my surgery date set: July 14th. My surgeon will request a full six weeks for FMLA... Told me if after 3 weeks I wanted to go back just let her know... There is absolutely no chance of that happening. My FMLA goes right into a planned vacation. I will be off work for 9 1/2 weeks. I am almost giddy about that. I haven't been off work for anything close to that long since I had my kids:). Nervous but very excited and after reading some of these posts I glad I will have quite awhile to adjust to all the changes I'm about to experience.

Hello Vanessa. My date is July 22nd and I am anxious but scared of complications. The nurse in me says what are you doing! But I want to be a healthy weight!

[Weezy59 3]

Hello all. I am from NW PA and my sleeve date is 7/22. I am scared of complications but feel I am healthy enough to do good. I am a nurse and I am 54. Heart and lungs good. I am walking 2 miles a day preop and trying to only eat 3/4 c food at each meal. No carbs! To get ready. Would love a surgery buddy!

[vanessak8 158]

Hello all. I am from NW PA and my sleeve date is 7/22. I am scared of complications but feel I am healthy enough to do good. I am a nurse and I am 54. Heart and lungs good. I am walking 2 miles a day preop and trying to only eat 3/4 c food at each meal. No carbs! To get ready. Would love a surgery buddy!

Hi Weezy59,

Totally understand the fear of complications. I have had them myself. My surgeon and primary care doctor have been extremely reassuring without being blasé about it. I am also healthy aside from my weight no HTN, Diabetes, OSA etc.. I'm almost 38 so I just keep telling myself that I am going into this in the best possible place for myself. I would love to take this journey with someone who is in a similar place as me. I'll be a week a head so that would be great.

[tabby76 4]

Okay nurse friends, I have some concerns/issues. Being a nurse makes me the worst patient ever, as is usually the case with all medical professionals. I was over Protein Shakes the day after discharge. I am 1 week post op today and since discharge I have had yogurt, scrambled eggs and cheese, a mozzarella stick and a half, watermelon a half a banana with Peanut Butter, Soup and tea. So I always limit the amount that I eat, making sure it's between 4 and 6 oz, and usually cannot tell if I feel full or could have eaten a little more. So I guess my questions are what does it feel like when you have eaten enough and shouldn't take another bite and am I really harming myself by progressing my diet so fast even if I tolerate it? Plus I have no energy, suggestions?

[erinwix 2]

Hey ! I'm an RN , I currently work at a nursing home near Philly . Getting the sleeve on July 7th and I'm both nervous and excited ! I'm on my 3rd day of the pre op liquid diet and I'm not gonna lie I'm starving ! Advice anyone ? Also have some pre op jitters . My goal is to lose 100lbs and a lot of people say with the sleeve they have only lost up to 50. I hope I've made the right choice !

[dsmith_rn 186]

Hey ! I'm an RN , I currently work at a nursing home near Philly . Getting the sleeve on July 7th and I'm both nervous and excited ! I'm on my 3rd day of the pre op liquid diet and I'm not gonna lie I'm starving ! Advice anyone ? Also have some pre op jitters . My goal is to lose 100lbs and a lot of people say with the sleeve they have only lost up to 50. I hope I've made the right choice !

My advice is to call your Nutritionist. They have great suggestions on how to get over the bumps we encounter, including hunger. Let us know what he/she says!

[dsmith_rn 186]

Okay nurse friends, I have some concerns/issues. Being a nurse makes me the worst patient ever, as is usually the case with all medical professionals. I was over Protein Shakes the day after discharge. I am 1 week post op today and since discharge I have had yogurt, scrambled eggs and cheese, a mozzarella stick and a half, watermelon a half a banana with Peanut Butter, Soup and tea. So I always limit the amount that I eat, making sure it's between 4 and 6 oz, and usually cannot tell if I feel full or could have eaten a little more. So I guess my questions are what does it feel like when you have eaten enough and shouldn't take another bite and am I really harming myself by progressing my diet so fast even if I tolerate it? Plus I have no energy, suggestions?

OK you had several questions there, I will attempt to address them all. First of all, FOLLOW YOUR SURGEON'S INSTRUCTIONS! Each surgeon is a little different and their techniques are even a little different, so since THEY know exactly what they did inside you, it's critical to follow their instructions.

YES you can harm yourself by advancing your diet so fast. Because of the acid content of the stomach, it takes a LONG time to heal. If you eat the wrong thing it could further hamper your healing. And can you imagine if you got a strawberry seed or a tiny chunk of a nut or something caught in your new suture line??? Please, let your stomach heal!

I'd lay off the eggs if I were you. It is one of the more difficult foods to tolerate. I tolerated them initially when they were allowed for me, but then I had a problem after eating a boiled egg that landed me in the hospital for 2 days and on disability for 3 additional weeks. I'm not going to touch eggs again until at LEAST 3 months post-op now. Patience is the key. I WILL be able to eat eggs again, just not right now.

You should NOT be eating watermelon, especially not right now, but probably not EVER. Why? Because it has practically NO nutrients in it. At this point in your recovery, 90% of what you eat should be Protein. For you, mostly protein shakes right now (If you don't like yours, private message me and I'll give you resources for some fantastic Protein Shake recipes!). When you start eating soft foods, continue to concentrate on protein. At 2 months out, I eat protein and then a few bites of fruit or veggie IF I HAVE ROOM LEFT in my sleeve. There is so little room in there that I MUST concentrate on getting that protein in! No empty calories!

What happens if you fill up on bananas and watermelon and low-protein Soups instead of your protein sources? Your body will start DIGESTING YOUR MUSCLES for a protein source, you will increase the Hair loss that is coming, and you will have very low energy! You will also have low energy if you are not getting your recommended Fluid intake (dehydration).

As far as knowing when you are full you have to figure that out for yourself, and it takes a few weeks. Everyone is a little different, and you will learn to understand the new cues your tummy sends you. Hunger feels different. Full feels different. You get rumblings and weird noises and sensations and lots of burps from your sleeve. For some people, they know they are full when they hiccup, or burp, or get shoulder pain, or a runny nose or sneezing, etc. I get none of those, although sometimes I will get a burp I mostly just had to learn the very subtle feeling in my sleeve that tells me to stop. If you take a bite or two more than you should, you will feel miserable for hours and not want to do it again.

Please, I urge you not to push your sleeve right now. It WILL delay your healing and increase your risk of complications. Just be patient. I know the liquid phase is very hard, but it's also very temporary and when you look back on it later it will seem like no time at all, and very worth it not to delay your recovery and avoid complications.

For right now your job is to stay hydrated and try to get in enough protein. That's it. If you start breaking the rules now, how are you going to keep to the path in the long-term to keep the weight off? Trust the process and your surgeon, he knows what works. Don't sabotage yourself. Keep to the rules and watch yourself get skinny.

BIG HUGS,

[tabby76 4]

Diann- you are totally right. I read a few more blogs on other pages and let's just say it has scared me enough to go back to my Protein Shakes and Water and pray that I haven't screwed anything up by doing what I have. I have a piece of the stomach that I had and if I screw it up, I'm screwed. Thanks for the advice. I will stick with my Protein shakes and not push any limits for my health.

[CrazyJaney 775]

Okay nurse friends, I have some concerns/issues. Being a nurse makes me the worst patient ever, as is usually the case with all medical professionals. I was over Protein Shakes the day after discharge. I am 1 week post op today and since discharge I have had yogurt, scrambled eggs and cheese, a mozzarella stick and a half, watermelon a half a banana with Peanut Butter, Soup and tea. So I always limit the amount that I eat, making sure it's between 4 and 6 oz, and usually cannot tell if I feel full or could have eaten a little more. So I guess my questions are what does it feel like when you have eaten enough and shouldn't take another bite and am I really harming myself by progressing my diet so fast even if I tolerate it? Plus I have no energy, suggestions?

Stick to your surgeons guidelines. There is really no way to safely avoid liquids and purée/softs in the early days. Nor the fatigue. It does all pass and in the rear view, it seems like forever ago (it was only March). We do make bad patients but try to be patient. The first month sorta sucks. But it gets so much better!!!! 75 down (47 since surgery in March). I can eat small amounts of anything now. But 6-8 ounces of anything other than liquid in the first week is a lot. I can barely eat a whole egg now at 3+ mo post. I tolerate eggs very well though. Yogurt, soup, purée Beans are all good. Chose Protein first and don't expect to be anywhere near goal yet. Good luck!