HOW DO YOU COPE POST OP?

[deftonestiffany 17]

hi guys!

some questions for all you sleeved!

1) Can you chug Water like you once were able to?

2) following weeks post op, and the energy level is extremely low...what helped you gain it back? especially during liquid diet phase?

3) how long until you felt "normal" again?

4) any anxiety attacks??

these are things I ask today. there might be more tomorrow

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

Lets see here

1) almost 2 years out and can drink more at a time but cannot chug still. It hurts like hello!

2) Time and tender loving care will help you gain your strength back. Don't be in such a rush and take the time you need to heal. You will have major surgery!

3) Never. Everything has changed for me and about me. I am not the person I was when I had WLS.

4)I suffer from extreme depression and high anxiety. For some this does go away..For me nope! Dealing one day at a time!

It all depends on you and how your body reacts to things. We are all different. And we react different to changes and stress and even good things. you will be okay...Just keep asking questions and researching your choices.

[TheCurvyJones 721]

1) Can you chug Water like you once were able to?

Nope. I can drink a few swallows, like three, before my stomach starts to hurt. I don't know many people that can chug.

2) following weeks post op, and the energy level is extremely low...what helped you gain it back? especially during liquid diet phase?

Get LOTS of rest and keep your cals up. liquid diet doesn't mean you only get Water and air. Keep your calories at an acceptable level with Soups, Protein shakes, etc. Remember your Vitamins, especially your B Vitamins, they're great for energy. Stay hydrated-- post OP this is more important than anything until you're on solids. Also low energy post op is common... you are still recovering, plus losing weight RAPIDLY. It takes a lot out of you. Get lots of rest, go to bed, early, nap if you need to.

3) how long until you felt "normal" again?

I think it was about 12 weeks or so before I started to feel 'normal'... but normal is relative! I am almost 2 years out and I might LOOK normal but feeling normal... well I kind of never want to. I don't want my brain to get in the mode that I am normal because I am not. I am surgically modified for a purpose and it has to be top of mind. But regarding energy and what not... around week 12 I started walking and I was feeling pretty good.

4) any anxiety attacks??

Nope. I am not anxiety prone, however. I was TERRIFIED to go under for my surgery but I had the best Bestie that ever was holding my hand.

[par1959 470]

1) Can you chug Water like you once were able to? I could drink Water without an issue from the moment I got out of surgery. It was the first thing the nurses had me do. At the time I was so excited everything worked:) So yes you will be able to chug water, but it wont be exactly like you use to, but very close. I also find real cold water goes down a bit harder.

2) following weeks post op, and the energy level is extremely low...what helped you gain it back? especially during liquid diet phase? Energy is a difficult question to answer. It took me about 1 week before I felt comfortable driving because of low energy. I am now 5 months out and still feel my energy level improving. Water intake is huge for me to have energy.

3) how long until you felt "normal" again? Normal another good question. At 5 months out I keep asking myself do I feel normal. I was back at work in 5 days. I feel more normal as the time passes. Face it this surgery does major things to your chemestery. In the first month I had gout associated with weight loss. I also had low blood sugar issues that I learned to control. The mental part is probably the toughest thing to get use to. Again, water for me is the secret to feeling normal. Many of your old habits will never feel normal again. It takes a while to get use to that. You might also find you need naps daily, but that has seemed to pass for me. Being cold all the time is another non normal thing I have to deal with. But at 100 lbs down , I can live with it.

4) any anxiety attacks?? I have dealt with anxiety for many years. I can honestly say I no longer take any anxiety medication. It was daily for me before the surgery. The closest thing to anxiety I have experience has been low blood sugar. The first attack felt like anxiety, but during this episode I reasoned that it was low blood sugar and took a drink of fruit juice. Within minutes I was feeling much better. I make sure to eat 2 peices of fresh fruit daily. Seems to keep my blood sugar in the green. I guarentee you will have second thoughts after surgery which could bring on anxiety, but these are short lived events and the weight loss will more than make up for it. You will feel like super man or super women couple of months out. Its like being 20 all over again.

[Elode 8,093]

Question! If you can't drink a lot of Water fast how do you Cool down after a hard workout? I've been wondering about this. I know when I workout really hard I suck down the water. So when your hot and burning up thirsty you have to still sip the water? Just curious about how that works with working out ?

[TheCurvyJones 721]

You can sip, very quickly. You will not be able to gulp down swallow after swallow after swallow. As time goes on, you will realize your true sleeve capacity because you won't be swollen. I work out five days a week. Cooling down hasn't been a problem.