I am 4 days post op from my sleeve surgery this past Thursday and my feelings are mixed. I feel like the whole process happened so fast. One minute I was still waiting for insurance approval and the next my surgery was scheduled for the following week. Not sure I really had time to digest what I was in store for. I spent the 6 weeks prior so focused on getting approved and then only had a week to prepare. Surgery day still feels surreal and then the day and a half in the hospital trying to recover was horrible. I had complications with the morphine and was throwing up and couldn't keep anything down. When they finally released me, I went home to an emotional roller coaster of depression and uncertainty. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to feel normal again, I thought I had ruined my life. The hunger (empty) pains I feel are horrible and nagging and Im not sure how to fill the void with fluids. Protein shakes make me nauseated and I can't stomach them yet. I'm 16.2lbs down from the beginning of my 3 day pre op diet (which started last Monday) and 6lbs down since my actual surgery date. On the positive... The weight loss is awesome!!!

Everyday gets better and soon I will be back to feeling great... Right?

Any words of wisdom and advice would be greatly appreciated. It's a day at a time, I know but sometimes getting to the next hour is hard...

I don't have any words of wisdom since I'm still months out, but I can give you a gentle (((hug)))

I am 4 days post op from my sleeve surgery this past Thursday and my feelings are mixed. I feel like the whole process happened so fast. One minute I was still waiting for insurance approval and the next my surgery was scheduled for the following week. Not sure I really had time to digest what I was in store for. I spent the 6 weeks prior so focused on getting approved and then only had a week to prepare. Surgery day still feels surreal and then the day and a half in the hospital trying to recover was horrible. I had complications with the morphine and was throwing up and couldn't keep anything down. When they finally released me, I went home to an emotional roller coaster of depression and uncertainty. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to feel normal again, I thought I had ruined my life. The hunger (empty) pains I feel are horrible and nagging and Im not sure how to fill the void with fluids. Protein shakes make me nauseated and I can't stomach them yet. I'm 16.2lbs down from the beginning of my 3 day pre op diet (which started last Monday) and 6lbs down since my actual surgery date. On the positive... The weight loss is awesome!!! Everyday gets better and soon I will be back to feeling great... Right? Any words of wisdom and advice would be greatly appreciated. It's a day at a time, I know but sometimes getting to the next hour is hard...

This sounds just like my story. I'll be four weeks tomorrow and yesterday was the first time I felt like going and doing all day. So I guess it eventually gets better. I'm just hoping I can get in the gym this week and exercise for more time. I've just gotten worn out so quickly every time I've been

It gets better... I almost walked out of the hospital the morning of my surgery... I was so scared and unsure. I had the sleeve done on 8/19/13, I'm about 9 mths post- op. I've lost a total of 90 lbs since my journey began at 289. I had several moments of mental breakdowns- "what have I done", I shouldn't have done this, and on and on. The first few weeks are the hardest. I cried a lot and second guessed myself. You just want to chew something, eat something and taste something. I'll be honest I did not drink the protein drinks because I couldn't get them down. I drank a lot of skim milk for protein and a different taste. Use resources to help for recipes and try different drinks Bariactricfoodie.com is a great site with tons of recipes. I promise you it gets better, as you reach each stage puréed, soft foods and than onward you'll feel better. Every time you get weighed and see the pounds melting off you'll feel better, everytime a pair of pants fall down when they just fit a week ago you'll feel better. People will start complementing you on how good you look ( if they haven't already) you'll feel better.

It is truly a new way of life... A better healthier life

It's not always easy, I'm surrounded by junk foods all the time.. I want to eat a big piece of chocolate cake but than I remember how yucky my sleeve will make me feel if I do and it's not worth it.

You'll get there.. Stay strong think positive and each day is a new day

Good luck on your recovery !! I am going up for the sleeve in August and my mind is made up thanks to the support groups I attend every month at my hospital ! I can't wait for the life change lifestyle and experience!

2 of my incisions are still really sore so I'm not sure I'm ready to exercise. Plus I'm still concerned I'm going to get dehydrated because I'm not drinking enough. If I exercise that will make it worse. My post op dr visit is Wednesday so hopefully he can shed a little light for me and give me the ok to add some food to my diet. I bought a nutribullet yesterday to help me with the protein problem. I can't stomach the pre made drinks that are milk based so I figured week 2 I'm allowed yogurt so I will get some protein powder... Mix with yogurt and ice and I'll be able to stomach that better.

I didn't realize what true hunger was until now. I feel like my insides are eating itself.

Don't worry about exercise right now until your cleared and feel good. I used to go out around 9 pm and walk my neighborhood but only a little at a time and increased as I felt better. Just a little walk will help... I walked at night bc it hurt to wear a bra with my incisions lol

Go online.. You can get some great recipes for each stage. A lot of the recipes use yogurt in them to help with protein. My problem was and is I don't like yogurt either ????

I have some recipes if you need

I ate a lot of sugar free Popsicles, sugar free Jell-o, and soup broth

Unfortunately, yogurt is the one thing I've had a negative reaction to so far. But there are a ton of recipes available out there for every stage, and it helps immensely to have choices. When you're limited to Protein shakes (I was for the first few days until I ordered a bunch of different things on mybariatricpantry) it is almost an effort to drink your protein. I lived on juice, gatorade and Water for a few days. It really gets better once you find a protein source that you can tolerate (hooray for Chike and Syntrax. Loads of flavors that really helped me). Walking and mild exercise are so much easier once you start getting some protein in.

I was in miserable pain for the first...six days? It was hard to walk even part of a block, let alone the whole block. I wasn't sleeping well because I've never been a back sleeper either, so the first week I was pretty miserable (never enough that I regretted the decision, mind.) Coming to the forums here, plus a few other friends who have had the surgery and gave some pretty decent advice during that time kept me going and kept me positive. I think it was Day 7 that something just clicked. The pain was less. I was able to walk. And the more I walked, the better I felt. Prior to that, it was a lot of distracting myself so I didn't think about the physical discomfort. Reading, watching some of the shows my bf recorded while I was in the hospital...it helps if you focus on something else.

Believe me... It's worth it. I experience no complications like you, so I can't relate to you in that way BUT everyone can understand what emotional pull this causes and unfortunately that doesn't change much... Because u will have your good moments and your bad. I'm almost 6 months post op and I'm down 60 lbs exactly. You must learn to be patient as you will experience moments like " I've gained 2 lbs?! HOW?! Or " this isn't working! Everyone is loosing faster than me!! I went through ALL THIS and it's not working." But then next week u will lose 10 lbs like that. So yes, it does work. It would be impossible for it not to work.. Just physically impossible.

Keep your head up. The beginning sucks so much... And we should all expect the worst going through this. Not once should we ever think this would be a pain free experience. Bc honestly, you get what you want with hard work. The people u read out there saying " I had no pain and no side effects I'm perfect blah blah shit" are lying.

But, there is a bright side. As for me, the only thing I can't tolerate is TOO MUCH sweets and milk. I can still eat whatever I want and still lose the weight. Yes I'm sure if I worked out everyday and ate perfect I would probably be down way more than just 60 lbs... But no one is perfect and we will screw up. I still love food and I know that won't change. I'm so happy with 60 lbs even if I don't lose anymore bc I know I wouldn't have done it by myself. Like come on... If we could we would not have done this surgery. I feel amazing and that's all I wanted. Was so just feel good... And I can honestly say I do.

Good luck, and stay positive my friend.

-Ashley

Thank you ashlynn7410. All I hear is how everyone is dieting this way and dieting that way. If dieting didn't work for us before then how can you expect us to diet the rest of our lives?!?! Isn't that the point? I want to live within my means. Enjoy life, friends and food the way everyone else does. I don't want to live on a diet for the rest if my life. I'm really struggling with hunger right now. I can not wait to be able to add something of substance... Ugh!

Thank you ashlynn7410. All I hear is how everyone is dieting this way and dieting that way. If dieting didn't work for us before then how can you expect us to diet the rest of our lives?!?! Isn't that the point? I want to live within my means. Enjoy life, friends and food the way everyone else does. I don't want to live on a diet for the rest if my life. I'm really struggling with hunger right now. I can not wait to be able to add something of substance... Ugh!

I second that I'm 5 days out and wanting something besides jell-o and Popsicles

I second that I'm 5 days out and wanting something besides jell-o and Popsicles

I am 7 days out and don't like the stuff I use to back then. I called myself being the sugar free everything before surgery and I loved it but now, it taste like crap. The jello sucks along with pudding and I never really liked milked. The clear liquid soups and broths are working my nerves. I have eaten so many Popsicles my tongue became raw.. OUCH!! I'm having these hunger mind pains as I call it. Every time I pass by something I want it. But then I think to myself how in the world r u going to eat that when u can't get the protein or the required amount of water down a day. I started working out because I did the worst possible then anyone can do and that's to buy a new scale and wait myself every time I go to the bathroom. Right now I'm a emotional roller coaster. One min I'm okay the next I want to break down and cry. Since surgery on thr 20 May I have only lost 8 lbs. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not getting enough intake or what. Someone please help me. Right now I have a wonderful support at home but I'm like if u haven't been through what I'm going through u can't speak on it. I love them and I know they are trying their best but I really need someone who is going through it to help me.