Hi, My name is Melissa. I just had the gastric sleeve done on April 21st. Today is my first full day home from the hospital and I am feeling all kinds of emotions. I feel like the surgery was the easy part and now Im a bit over whelmed with how to keep up with my Protein and how I should eat. I have a lot of indigestion and am trying to eat and drink slowly but I could really use someone to talk to who has gone through this. I also am a single parent of a toddler. My mother is here helping me with her until the 30th but I am on my own after that. Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

Hi Melissa, what worked for me was to read, read, read like a mad woman on this forum. There are so many people who share their experiences, it's almost better than one mentor because your experiences might be quite different from that one person.

Are there local support groups that your surgeon's office runs or that you can find from this forum?

Hi Melissa!

Congratulations on your surgery. Its the first step in regaining back your life!! I had mine done Jan, 2013 and couldn't be happier.

It's great that you have emotional support there for you. It helps to vent. Are you working and when do you go back: I had mine done on a Thursday and was back to work the following Monday. I found it easier to keep busy at work than to sit at home. Wasn't uncomfortable at all.

I'll tell you, the first month I lived off of "Pure Protein" Protein shakes (Cookies n cream, vanilla, chocolate) and chicken broth and, of course, Water.

Feel free to pm me if you have questions or want to chat. I'm happy to listen or weigh in on your concerns! (Pardon the pun)

-Alan

Hi Alan! Thank you so much for replying! Man, it feels so good reading these posts and talking to ppl who are going through what I am going through. Didn't have a great day today. Just a lot of anxiety. Today is my first full day at home. Thank goodness my mom and her husband are here to help me as I am a single parent of a toddler. That's where most of my nerves comes from. She loves to head butt and elbow. I am lucky though as I don't have to go back to work until the 18th. I've just been so concerned because I have been hungry and under my dr's instructions I can be on a soft diet but that seems too much for me right now. My stomach doesn't really tolerate too much yet. I've been thinking about going back to just fluids with my protein drinks. Concerned about loosing my hair! Thanks so much for listening and sorry for the book! .

I would ditto all of the above. Whatever way you can get drink or food in, protein, do it. Don't bat yourself if you can't get 64 ounces and 3 meals a day in. Just do what you can. Slowly it should get better. If by the end of 3 weeks or so it doesn't, that's another story.

Hi Alan! Thank you so much for replying! Man, it feels so good reading these posts and talking to ppl who are going through what I am going through. Didn't have a great day today. Just a lot of anxiety. Today is my first full day at home. Thank goodness my mom and her husband are here to help me as I am a single parent of a toddler. That's where most of my nerves comes from. She loves to head butt and elbow. I am lucky though as I don't have to go back to work until the 18th. I've just been so concerned because I have been hungry and under my dr's instructions I can be on a soft diet but that seems too much for me right now. My stomach doesn't really tolerate too much yet. I've been thinking about going back to just fluids with my protein drinks. Concerned about loosing my hair! Thanks so much for listening and sorry for the book! .

Congrats on taking control of your life. I have surgery on the 30th. I as we'll am a single parent so I feel your pain. I am here if you need to vent as we'll. I thank God for each of you. My name is Nita.

Good Luck tomorrow Nita!!

When you get home, make sure your child(ren) stay AWAY from the tummy! I have a daughter who (used to) love to sucker punch me as a joke. It took a few weeks to end THAT after surgery! I remember being sensitive for 6 weeks or so (and immediately after being sucker punched by my 6 yo!

-Alan

Alan thank you so much. I am so ready to start this journey. I know that this is not going to be easy, but I do realize that anything worth having is worth fighting.