Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Things I didn't expect my first month post-op



Recommended Posts

Hey guys, I'm only one week out, but I would love to hear from some of you "seasoned sleevers" about things you didn't expect during the first month post-op gastric sleeve? I have already experienced sole unexpected things myself, like not being able to swallow my crushed pain meds, and ending up back in the hospital the day after my release. I think if you guys shared some of your experiences with us, we can be better equipped to handle these situations as they occur. Please share with us...the good, the bad and the ugly lol! Thanks guys ????????????✌????️❤️

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What I didn't expect:

How hard it would be to drink plain Water.

How little pain I actually experienced.

And

How fast the time went by.

I am sure there are more things, but this is what I remember off the top of my head.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for making this post! I really want to know every detail of what I should expect before and after surgery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was quite surprised by:

- the intensity of the gas pain

- my entusiastic reaction to pureed chicken after drinking nothing but liquids

- my new obsession (weighing myself in the morning, without clothes, with clothes, before pee, after pee, at my friend's house, after a nap, in the middle of the night, with my hair up, with my hair down, on the bathroom floor, in my bedroom, 3 times in a row, 4 times in case the previous 3 were wrong etc.)

- the feeling of not being hungry (yes I know it's normal, and I did not it would happen, but the feeling is still new)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank u so much, I'm loving this already. The part about the scale was hilarious because I've done this already too. The gas pain has subsided for me but I still haven't had a BM yet almost a week post-op. Not feeling hungry is one for me too, although I've had a few moments where I felt the urge to consume something. Although I haven't experienced the issue with Water, I've been drinking cold ice water non-stop. But I love hearing others' experiences. Please, carry on ????????????????????????????

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was surprised by:

how annoying "sip sip sip" was .... UGH ... I wanted to DRINK not sip !

how painful the gas was ... when it reached my left shoulder ... I wanted someone to shoot me!

how weak I would be ... just taking a shower made me sleep for 3 hours afterward ....

how certain foods would actually smell horrible! My mom made a bowl of Cheerios ... WOW they stunk!!!!! I had to go into the bedroom and shut the door .... bleech!

how sugar free popsicles tasted like they were drowned in sugar .... I still have the box in the freezer ... and I refuse to eat them ... yuck.

how not being able to take Midol anymore really really sucks.

BUT ...

the thing I wasn't expecting ... ( or maybe I secretly was )

was just how wonderful losing weight ... and KNOWING I cannot gain this much ever again .... just how great this feels !!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh I forgot one!

I guess it may be TMI for some, but after reading all the threds about irregular/ disappearing/never ending periods, I was so surprised to get one on time.

Immidiately there was a new surprise: it sucks not being able to take ibuprofen. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm only one week but so far this week I have been surprised by

how thirsty I feel. Sip sip sip is not quenching my thirst. I want to gulp so bad

how little pain I had in the hospital. I felt surprisingly good

how much I miss my bed. I've had to sleep at a 45 degree angle so that means sleeping in the recliner in the living room

how tired I feel

but I know it will get better!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, smells set me off as soon as I got home! And I'm glad you mentioned how tired you are after simple tasks, because I feel the same way. Taking my daughter to school in the morning sets me back hours. I guess I have more of these than I expected! ????

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh I forgot one!

I guess it may be TMI for some, but after reading all the threds about irregular/ disappearing/never ending periods, I was so surprised to get one on time.

Immidiately there was a new surprise: it sucks not being able to take ibuprofen. :)

I don't think there is such a thing as TMI when it comes to this. The more information we can share the better. This particular information doesn't apply to me, but it helps other people.

Edited by Radar

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I loved reading some of these. I am also the same about drinking Water. I want to gulp a whole glass, but slow and steady wins the race. I am surprised by my willpower to not eat things some times. Though there are times when I slip up, I try to really think about what I am consuming. I am shocked that I was able to cut out caffeine. They didn't tell me I had to, I chose to give it up, and you know what? I have more energy now than when I was drinking tons of coffee and soda!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wait a minute!!! We have to cut out caffeine?!? That's a deal breaker! I have no problem giving up soda or other stuff, although giving up beer makes me sad.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My doctor says no caffeine for 6 months after the surgery, but I think the 'caffeine policies' vary as much as the diet recommendations. :)

Apparently caffeine can decrease absorption of some Vitamins. It can also irritate the sleeve in the healing period.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I didn't expect to feel so good after. I thought I would feel tired and run down for weeks.

I didn't expect fixing dinner for my family would make me so irritable (was on full liquids for 3 weeks post-op).

I didn't expect the first stall to come so fast or last so long. One week post-op and lasted 2 weeks. But I made it through.

I didn't expect have a love-hate relationship with the scales. Some days I love it, other days I want to take a sledge hammer to it.

I didn't expect to look back and see how quickly it really did pass. At the time it felt like it would drag on forever and things would never be normal again.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×