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Having a Gastric Sleeve IS EXHAUSTING!



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me too....5 days postop. i've been sipping this Protein shake for 2 hours....i made Decaf iced tea with sweet-n-low and that's not so bad. Soups are not too bad either. i am down 10 pounds since wednesday. still a little nauseous and sore in the abdomen. looking forward to the next phase.

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Yes, that's true!

Wait - it gets better! When you start introducing foods. Stop drinking 15-30 minutes before you start eating (follow your doctor's rules), take minutes to eat 3/4 of a scrambled egg, wait 30 minutes after eating (again, follow your doctor's rules), then start sipping again! Then you have to start thinking about your next meal!

But, it does get better - it can be overwhelming when you're new and into the first few months. I'm 10 months post op now and it's my new normal.

Hang in there - it will get better! Congrats on making the decision to change your life!

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For me, Eating and drinking were an unwelcome chore for 3-4 months. I just wanted to go through the day without having to ingest anything. After that, it's like a switch was flipped, I felt "normal", my appetite returned and I could finally enjoy food again. Hang in there. You just had MAJOR surgery and you need to. give yourself time to heal. It all gets better with time.

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Hi Im 2 weeks post and I am exhausted every day too. I take Vitamins and B12 but nothing compares to a cop of java! oh well this too shall pass, Ive also lost 25lbs so far so Im not complaining!

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It does get better!! I am 4.5 months post op and I play softball now and I actually can sprint!! it was amazing!! I am down 88lbs so far and I have SOOO much more energy and my knee doesn't hurt anymore! this was the best decision but I had a REALLY hard time in the hospital and just out of it, I couldn't stop throwing up at the hospital they had me WAY over medicated. Felt good to get home and get things figured out on my own. Keep at it!! it all gets better as you go!

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OMG....88 pounds in 4.5 months???? that would be a dream come true for me. i did alot of vomiting after the surgery as well...the Protein shakes are just not appealing at all. i think at week 1, i move on to pureed food. it's okay tho....not feeling hungry for anything is a blessing. hope i am as successful as you all are. i have only heard positive feedback from people that have had this procedure done. they wouldn't go back for nothing. excited for my future! :)

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I agree first month was exhausting drinking an getting my meds in! I had no throwing up but I had the esophagus spasms they were awful. I hardly left the house the first few wks..but when I had my first wk postop visit I was ecstatic! I knew I made the right decision for me! I'm 9 wks out an 60 down! I would totally do it again. I still eat but I'm very selective Protein always first..limit carbs to less then 40 daily..protein between 60to 70 ...no processed sugar, breads of any kind, potatoes, rice..etc...still working on my energy but I do take thyroid just redone bw last wk my Iron was bit on low side so added it daily..Hang in there newbies! !I really started changing after 3rd wk...things became routine. ..good behavior. Everyone's different. .some start new things right after some take some adjustments with time...Its a process! Stick to your protocol. ..it works!! Gets soooo much better! :)

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I'm two and a half weeks post op and I definitely agree, it's like a full time job! The crazy part is remembering to drink in the first place, I know it sounds silly but sometimes I forget. Best of lick to you

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It does get better!! I am 4.5 months post op and I play softball now and I actually can sprint!! it was amazing!! I am down 88lbs so far and I have SOOO much more energy and my knee doesn't hurt anymore! this was the best decision but I had a REALLY hard time in the hospital and just out of it, I couldn't stop throwing up at the hospital they had me WAY over medicated. Felt good to get home and get things figured out on my own. Keep at it!! it all gets better as you go!

Wow!!! What a great job!! I hope I have lost 88 lbs when I'm 4.5 months post op. I'm 8 days pre op now!

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it certainly is very exciting!! I love that I can go to ANY Store pick a shirt up and say yup I like it, I am buying it and I am TOTALLY NOT TRYING IT ON!! ha ha!! drives my mom nuts as she has to try on EVERYTHING :) this was the best decision I have ever made! (Besides marrying my husband and having my beautiful children of course :))

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I'm at the point where I no longer sip my Water. I take a pretty normal sized drink of it. So after a few months it does get easier. You'll feel more like a normal human being rather than this freak with a water bottle attached to you. I find I can actually drink my entire 25 oz bottle during a workout if I am working super hard. But I can knock back 12 oz in significantly less than an hour. So fear not, soon the sipping will ease into drinking a normal sized drink.

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I don't mind the sip-sip part, as long as I flavor my Water with something. But now I'm in the 2nd week post op, and can add full liquids/creamed Soups.

My hard part is that most every Protein drink is chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, so tired of them!! I have the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chicken flavor Protein powder, and this helps (tastes like chicken soup) a little, but getting bored with it too. Does anyone have any suggestions for different flavors, more savory than sweet? I can't use artificial sweeteners as they trigger my Migraines. I do try to use the unflavored Protein packets in Soups, but would still like input.

Also, any suggestions to get past the fact I want to chew, and not just sip all the time? I did do "thinned" down instant mashed potatoes, and they helped, but still have the need to chew.

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I am finally at the point where plain Water tastes better to me (and goes down faster) than Mio- and other flavored water.

Good. I was tired of all those "tastes." Just plain Water is a relief. And it's surely healthier than all those additives.

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I had a terrible time until month 3. It finally fell into place. The process was exactly like a full time job. That and I was sick to my stomach for 3 months. I didn't want anything. One day it just all clicked out of the blue and now I'm doing what I should. Frustrating was a utter understatement. I may slap the person who says this was the easy way out.

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    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
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      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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