Please note that I am posting in the "RANT" section and avoid this if you don't want to read my tantrum.

OK so this surgery sucked royally for me. The pre-op diet was challenging to say the least. (Fat chick trying to muster up enough self control to eat only Protein powders for 2 weeks---give me a break) Then I go for surgery day and my heart stopped beating when they inflated my abdomen. Chest compressions, followed by panic resulted in my surgery being canceled....I was fine with that. A week later we try again....(please note that this required an additional week of the pre-op diet---grrrr.....) and once again--heart refused to cooperate. Took some extra hands and enough drugs to kill a horse, but I was sleeved. Because the surgery ran really long and my heart rate was low, I wasn't given anything for pain after surgery. They brought me to the room in so much pain that I was unable to see. (Seems if you are in enough pain your brain will start to shut down--vision goes first.) After the longest 4 hours of my life we finally got the pain under control.....sleep 2 hours.....then they want me up in a chair. OK. I can tough it out now. However every time they moved me I blacked out. It took forever for them to get me into the chair and I was terrified of blacking out--falling--and injuring myself.

Forward a few days--I am out of the hospital and in a lot of pain. Severe sharp shooting pains in my upper chest and left shoulder---plus I can't get fluids down. Back to the hospital I go for tests and fluids. A few days later (9 days post-op) my drain is removed---I pass out and wake up with most of the pain gone. Seems the drain was on a nerve and that was causing the pain.

Now I know that this could all be worse. But for the amount of pain--strike that---agony I experienced during those first two weeks after surgery I should have done my fair share of suffering. It still hurts to eat and drink--but I am managing. I can only get in 500 or so calories a day--at the most. Most days it is more like 300. By this past Friday I had lost 18 pounds. Then, I stopped. Now, 5 days later, I have GAINED 4 pounds back. How is that even freaking possible? I know 3 week stall....water weight....liver replacing glycogen..... menstrual Fluid retention...blaugh blaugh blaugh..... I AM PISSED....and rather disheartened. I told people that I was having the surgery done--now I am the go-to person for all those in my world thinking about WLS......but you know what---I AIN'T YA POSTER CHILD. This whole experience has thus far sucked in a big big way. Maybe I will lose and in a few months be glad that I had it done, but right now I refuse to encourage anyone to do it. What I tell them now is that they need to understand that this is a MAJOR surgery and they need to be prepared for complications. I also tell them they need to go to the support group because I haven't been sleeved long enough to be a good resource. That is the most positive I can muster up. I would really like to tell them that, at this point, I am not real thrilled about my choice and am hanging on and hoping for a change in my point of view.

I'm so sorry you had to endure that...sounds like a miserable time. Scary stuff. Yeah, on top of all of that you are experiencing a stall which really make you question your decision to have the surgery. My stall hit at exactly the same time. Sending you positive energy and well wishes. You will see weight loss soon. All the best.

thank you for sharing your story! i'm so sorry you are having to go through this. i hope everything will turn out for the best for you! bless your heart!

Wow, let me affirm that you have had a really sh***y experience. I do not blame you for being pissed off and feeling very discouraged. I hope that things start to turn around (It sounds like the absolute worst is behind you). You are very strong and courageous and I know that you will do well with this. Feel Better soon!

Sorry to hear what you went through. As far as the weight loss goes, I'm going through the exact same thing. Hang in there.

That is awful! I'm so sorry you had to experience all that! I pray that you get better soon. I hope you start losing weight again soon so that you didnt go through all this for nothing! *Hugs*

wow thanks for sharing your story. i cant imagine what going through that would be like. iwish you good luck and send prayers your way!!! im just curious, did you have a cardiac clearance or a heart echo before surgery? kudos to you for being sooo strong and going in for a 2nd time

wow thanks for sharing your story. i cant imagine what going through that would be like. iwish you good luck and send prayers your way!!! im just curious, did you have a cardiac clearance or a heart echo before surgery? kudos to you for being sooo strong and going in for a 2nd time

I was seen by a cardiologist between surgeries. My heart is in great shape. The reason it stopped was a vagal nerve response from the pressure of the gas used to inflate the abdomen. It happens to women primarily who are in good health otherwise. Normally the heart rate slows and medication is given to speed it up to where it needs to be. In my case, my heart did not slow down, it stopped.

Sending you positive thoughts and energy... really hope things turn around fast for you and that you feel better and better every day... Hugs!

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Ack. I'm really glad to hear that you made it through all that to the other side. Just keep fighting, and I know you hear it on this board time and time again it gets better, and its hard to hear or believe given what your current state is... but it really does. I had buyer's remorese for a really long time, and last week was my turning place. I am now really happy that I went through with it, my minor complications and all.