Any regrets?

[Jerseyslved 10]

I'm 5 days post op, can't see how ill make it through 2 full weeks of Clear Liquids only, and for that and other reasons I'm starting to think this was a bad idea. I'm having a hard time seeing through to the other side of this.

[hopingtolose2013 81]

I felt like that for the first four or five days. I didn't have to do two weeks of liquid thank God. I got to add refried Beans. You will make it and it will get better!

[buckeyefan1985 29]

I wish I was in your shoes. I am almost 3 weeks into a 4 week all liquid diet post op. Combine that with an all liquid 2 week pre op diet makes for 6 weeks of all liquid. Once that is finished I have a month of puréed food. I can only dream of actually chewing something. Just be happy you are not me.

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

Try 5 and a half months of not eating at all...That is what happened to me when I was in the hospital due to complications with the sleeve......I am sure if I made it through all that time you can make it through this...It is all mind over matter

[melissa130 135]

Try 5 and a half months of not eating at all...That is what happened to me when I was in the hospital due to complications with the sleeve......I am sure if I made it through all that time you can make it through this...It is all mind over matter

What complication did you have with the sleeve?

[luckysmomma 407]

The first month is pure hell..I won't lie to you. It does get better day by day. Hang in there. Hang tough. I am nearly 6 months out...it is much better. I still regret every doing it, but because of my mind - not complications or anything..regret is normal at the beginning....you will be okay...make yourself drink, do your Protein, and walk...even though you may not want to or feel like it...do it anyway! Most love their sleeve - I am sure you will to in months to come. Good luck!!

[marfar7 1,528]

I too had buyers remorse the first wee my dr spent 30 minutes cutting my lapband out of my stomach, making my recovery harder. My lapband surgery 4 yrs ago was easy peasy compared to this. Now that Im 5 wks out, im so happy I did it. I've only lost 17 lbs, but my bmi staarted at only 28 so im sure Ill lose the last 27 lbs really slowly. The last 10 will probly take forever

I promise this time will pass. I was on liquids (altho it wasn't clear, it was full so I could eat cream soups) for 4 weeks. So happy im now into week 2 of soft foods. Im actually getting full. I stayed hungry for the last 2 wk of liquids. Felt no hunger tha frist 2 wks. Im not 1 of the lucky ones who doesn't feel hunger. And no one can convince me that its acid, not true hunger

Hang in there. Soon ull be eating and be happy u did this...

[Macy6 356]

I am day three of my pre op diet and it is so much easier for me today. I realize you are further out, but I think it will get better. I have been tracking calories and Protein, and I am amazed how little calories my pre op diet is taking in (800 today, and 130 of protein) and yet I am satisfied and taking something in every couple hours.

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

What complication did you have with the sleeve?

I had the surgery and then 5 days later I went septic because of a leak...Returned to the hospital and had surgery right away to clean out the infection...I had a temp of 104 and it would not go down..They induced a coma and I was in it for 19 days...They discovered I had sleep apnea while I was on life support and so they did a trackia ( spelled wrong) When I woke up I had lost all my muscle tone and could not walk, talk or even lift my hands....I had tubes all over my stomach where they were draining the abscesses....

Soon I was moved out of ICU and then I had a stent put in to heal the leak...6 weeks went by and it did not work..So they put another one in on top of the first and I waited another six weeks and it did not work....

Stents are very painful and several times a day they changed the bandages and my skin became raw and broke open....

Next they decided to put clamps in to close the leak....It did not work either. I bled a lot and could hardly swallow for days after that attempt.... At this point they were trying to teach me to walk again and the trackia was healed and so I could talk again...The first time I stood up I thought my back had broken in 2...The pain was horrific. I could not use a bathroom and relied on the nurses to look after that.....

I was basically confined to a bed for 5 months.....Next the surgeon came in and told me they would have to do a combo of the sleeve and bypass.. So that happened next....From there back to ICU and then back to the floor I had been on before for 3 more weeks.....The head nurse took a dislike to me and was very cruel and mean to me..I do not know why!

By this time the rehab was able to get me to the point where I could use a walker and could do several steps, while at the hospital I was so weak and sore and tired I was sure I would never get better.....

By this time I had only one more job to do..I needed to be able to walk up 2 flights of stairs and walk down.....In rehab they taught me to do that..it took 3 weeks...

When I was in the coma I got an ulcer on my butt and that has been with me up until this day..A nurse comes and changes the dressing daily......I lost all my hair and did not know how bad it was until I got home...

My pick lines kept clogging and I had to have them changed 3 times while in the hospital.....I was fed through IV and got addicted to the pain meds which they brought in a detox doc to help me deal with that...oh what fun that was......

I finally left the hospital and was extremely ill at home for several months..But I believe that coming home actually sped up the healing process. I had a sitter for almost 3 months and I hated that because I could not walk far enough to get myself a glass of water.....

10 months out I am still healing...10 surgeries later..I am still here.....Would I do it all over again...In a flash!!!!!! Even with all the trouble I went through I feel like a new person now....I was headed for death before the surgery and almost died during. But now I am a different person...I am active and can do things like cross my legs.. and I even drive my own car now.......

This is just an overview of the experience I faced...A lot more happened but that would take a book to write....

[Mrs.FullerRN 189]

I had the surgery and then 5 days later I went septic because of a leak...Returned to the hospital and had surgery right away to clean out the infection...I had a temp of 104 and it would not go down..They induced a coma and I was in it for 19 days...They discovered I had sleep apnea while I was on life support and so they did a trackia ( spelled wrong) When I woke up I had lost all my muscle tone and could not walk' date=' talk or even lift my hands....I had tubes all over my stomach where they were draining the abscesses....

Soon I was moved out of ICU and then I had a stent put in to heal the leak...6 weeks went by and it did not work..So they put another one in on top of the first and I waited another six weeks and it did not work....

Stents are very painful and several times a day they changed the bandages and my skin became raw and broke open....

Next they decided to put clamps in to close the leak....It did not work either. I bled a lot and could hardly swallow for days after that attempt.... At this point they were trying to teach me to walk again and the trackia was healed and so I could talk again...The first time I stood up I thought my back had broken in 2...The pain was horrific. I could not use a bathroom and relied on the nurses to look after that.....

I was basically confined to a bed for 5 months.....Next the surgeon came in and told me they would have to do a combo of the sleeve and bypass.. So that happened next....From there back to ICU and then back to the floor I had been on before for 3 more weeks.....The head nurse took a dislike to me and was very cruel and mean to me..I do not know why!

By this time the rehab was able to get me to the point where I could use a walker and could do several steps, while at the hospital I was so weak and sore and tired I was sure I would never get better.....

By this time I had only one more job to do..I needed to be able to walk up 2 flights of stairs and walk down.....In rehab they taught me to do that..it took 3 weeks...

When I was in the coma I got an ulcer on my butt and that has been with me up until this day..A nurse comes and changes the dressing daily......I lost all my hair and did not know how bad it was until I got home...

My pick lines kept clogging and I had to have them changed 3 times while in the hospital.....I was fed through IV and got addicted to the pain meds which they brought in a detox doc to help me deal with that...oh what fun that was......

I finally left the hospital and was extremely ill at home for several months..But I believe that coming home actually sped up the healing process. I had a sitter for almost 3 months and I hated that because I could not walk far enough to get myself a glass of water.....

10 months out I am still healing...10 surgeries later..I am still here.....Would I do it all over again...In a flash!!!!!! Even with all the trouble I went through I feel like a new person now....I was headed for death before the surgery and almost died during. But now I am a different person...I am active and can do things like cross my legs.. and I even drive my own car now.......

This is just an overview of the experience I faced...A lot more happened but that would take a book to write.... [/quote']

Wow! Even after all that u would still do it again? That's encouraging

[Greeknugget 56]

Incredible story RJ's/beginning. thanks for sharing! It's great to hear it was worth it all!

[johnnygogo 19]

Hang in there... you will realize that you just don't need food - the first few weeks on liguids and softs I was consuming less than 200 calories a day and just amazed that I wasn't falling apart. the journey has minor bumps with the first few weeks being a challenge but it is so worth it ... you will look back and laugh at this post in a few weeks. my only regret was not doing this ten years ago!

[Jerseyslved 10]

thank you all for the dose of perspective and reassurance. I'm sorry for everything you went through and am glad you are on the upswing.