So I'm going for my sleeve feb 26, 2013. I've been prepping and starting to incorporate more protein in my diet. My thought is that will make the pre-op diet easier than just going into it cold turkey. I want to know what is the one thing you wish you knew going into surgery that you didn't?

Not to drink anything after the operation - until I had the leak test. Fortunately my nurse caught me before I took a swallow and said that if I'd had drank anything and had a leak, I'd be in ICU. They said ice chips were fine to eat, it was just any kind of Fluid was dangerous until the leak test.

I had been lurking here on the forum for a few days, and with so many questions being posted daily, there wasn't a anything else that I didn't know about.

The one thing you can't learn here on the board is how long you need for recovery. Some are up and going in a couple of days, others need a week or so before feeling better. Everybody is different.

I probably could have returned to work after 7 days, but it would have been miserable. I was back at work and feeling OK on day 10. But I have a desk job, a more physical job would have required more recover time. So prepare for the worst and expect to be off work for up to 2 weeks.

stay away from the ice chips - they made me SO nauseous and so when I got home I was scared to drink - well it turns out that warm stuff was totally fine but the ice made me feel sick.

Thanks so much! I've been reading up on here and all over the Internet. Also asking everyone I know who has had weight loss surgery of any type. Unfortunately I don't know anyone whose actually had the sleeve just rny or the band. I appreciate all your input!