Regretting it already..(day 1)

[ZombieQueen 33]

So yesterday I was sleeved. I had a rough night, and a tough day. I feel like shit, I don't feel normal anymore. All I feel is pain and staples. To top it off my surgeon kinda freaked on me for not getting in enough liquids and that was totally discouraging. I'm pretty much regretting this decision fully at this point, and I have no one to talk to about this either. I guess maybe my doc doesn't see something great in me that I didn't see before but I do now. This is not for me, and I'm scared about how to live right now. My bestfriend is the liquid pain meds at this moment..an I feel like I could just break down and cry. All I feel is pain inside and out..and I'm scared this could all be for nothing.

[KindaFamiliar 3,867]

G'day @@ZombieQueen

I'm genuinely sorry you're having a rough time of it.

Remember tho, you've just had some serious surgery...

That can leave you all kinds of f****d up!!

All I'll say is that the pain passes...

Yes, it's shitty when it's happening, but when it stops, you'll feel like it was all worth it...

It's kinda a positive thing that the doc freaked out re the fluids...

I mean, once you're back on your feet the fluids and the Protein are THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you'll have to think about for a few weeks..

Yep, it's some sucky s**t...

But when that weight starts to come off, I'm sure you'll see the bright side..

Please, keep us update and if there are any questions you have ask them either in here or flick someone a private message..

There's so much support and knowledge in here...

Take care..

Kinda...

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Sorry you feel so bad, but it's very important you drink. Getting dehydrated will delay your healing and prolong your pain. Here's hoping tomorrow is a bit better.

[magtart 603]

Really? One day and you are already freaked? I think you need to calm down, relax, and follow your post op instructions.

Surgery, no matter what it is, involves discomfort or even pain.

I'm sorry to be blunt, but get a grip. You will feel better soon.

[Michael Hamilton 37]

Hold on, the first week is the hardest. Keeps sipping that Water. Water most important thing right now. Everyday you should feel a little better.

[AvaFern 3,516]

I was freaked out for about two weeks after surgery. I also puked for about the first 48 hours straight. I distinctly remember calling my best friend, one of only three people who know I had the procedure and crying that I had ruined my life. The anesthesia makes you feel weird for awhile, you can't eat anything to feel better either physically or emotionally, and Water tastes bad.

I am 26 months post-op, I have maintained within 5 pounds of my goal weight (in both directions) for the last year and I would go back and do it all over again. The misery in the journey is worth the joy in the destination.

[Babbs 14,680]

Regret is normal in the early stages because we generally feel like crapola. You just had major surgery. Pain and discomfort is to be expected after major surgery.

Just remember this is only temporary. As you heal, things will start to look up. Just keep your eye on the prize and try to remember why you wanted to do this.

[lovingdavid 119]

Take one day at a time but don't give up. Everyone experiences surgery a different way but focus on your goal. You decided to go with the surgery and now take it easy. Yes, some days might be harder but you are capable of doing it.

[ellie123 374]

Girl, what you are feeling is so normal! It's a brave new world. You are probably off your meds and the anaesthesia and pain and doing a number on your mind. There is life...a much better life awaiting you. the pain WILL be more bearable in a few days... On day 1 I could barely have an ice-chip and here I am a week latter doing cream Soups with no problem. Also watch out for that gas! Walk walk walk, to get your Seratonin levels up and to get that gas out. I'm going to include below a post I just posted in another chain...that might help make you see how my first week went and hopefully give you an idea of how much progress you can make in a short while if you set your mind to it!

To My dear Bariatric Pals!

I wanted to thank you all for your support during my jitters in the weeks leading up to the OR. Indeed, it was probably one of the most nerve wracking things I’ve ever done! As I close in on a week post opp tomorrow, I have refrained from posting too much about the experience because I think I needed a little bit of time, first of all to recover enough to be lucid enough to write coherently, but also because I needed to regain some of my emotional footing, as I let the enormity, irriversability and life changing capacity that this surgery has afforded me sink in.

I will post several things on how I prepared emotionally for the surgery and also the things I found helpful on surgery day to help those who are close to the date and need support to make it through, at a latter date. But in this post I wanted to update you all on how I’m doing in a synopsis.

First off…my surgery started at approximately 10:30am and lasted almost 3 hours, because along with the Sleeve, Band removal and Gallbladder removal, they found a hiatal hernia to repare (in short, I got the Blue plate special). Anasthesia was my biggest concern. Coming out of it took a long time…I was in pain and naucious but communicating with my caretakers gave them a chance to stabilize me such that by evening I was somewhat coherent.

At first, I was really tight…even taking down an ice-chip was hard. And ofcourse there was the bloated gas to contend with. Knowing this I was armed with my on Gas Ex strips, forget the baby Simithicone they were giving me, but most importantly, as SOON as I could semi wobble, I started walking the hallways…my 2 hour cycles ran like this…sleep, take pain meds, sip liquid, pee, and walk those hallways as much as I could, and very soon, the gas problem was mitigated. Leaving the worse problem my banged up throat (from intubation) which was so raw and bad he surgeon took a pic of it to show the anesthesiologist! It felt like a layer of skin has literally been sloughed off, and so red and raw. And when I swallow…some skin seems loose like I’m swallowing my throat…yeah…bad).

After a nasty Barium swallow on day two I was clearned for liquids and the watered down Apple juice from an ounce cup felt like heaven!

I was release at the end of day 3. Back home I continued to walk. My fitbit registereing 6k steps all week and today I did 10k steps. Now these are veeeery slow put persistent and steady steps throughout the day, and after pain meds, and the only reason I can do this is because in the months leading up, I got a fitbit and worked my way up to about 12k steps, so I highly recommend you start walking now.

I finally was cleared from Clear Liquids to cream Soups today…wooo hooo. First few days I was not as hungry, but now, be it head hunger or what…mama wants some sustainance! And broth ain’t cutting it! The cream of mushroom was devine!

I’m weaning off of Hydrocodine and moving to liquid gel Aleve.

Upon my return home, gained Water weight coming back home from the IV as expected. My stomach feels distended and droopy as expected. And I have 6 incisions to nurse.

The more I drank, the more I started to shed the IV Fluid weight. So keeping hydrated remains key. And now I’m lower than pre-op weight.

I also found a book online. Emotional First Aid Kit Bariatric Surgery Patients to help hone some couping strategies for when I’m back in a world of doenuts.

And that’s where I am folks! Just learning how to live in this Brave new world I’ve been born into. Much like a toddler, taking baby steps, learning what I can and can’t do. It’s still just a week, so I’m looking forward to more healing and the rewards which we all so freverantly seek.

I hope my account is helpful to you.

Sending you peace and love,

Ellie123

[Slim-Shady 79]

Hang in there, it does get better! It's quite difficult to see now, but it does. My sister and I did it together, and we were both frustrated, in pain, and dare I say, feeling a bit of regret the first few days. We were both struggling to get our liquids and Protein in. She felt nauseous, and I was in pain! The liquid pain meds were my best friend as well. I took it like clockwork every four hours, and I didn't have to look at a clock; my body told me when it was time by the pain. We both had to sleep on our sofas for about two weeks. I could go on and on and on.

I said all of this to let you know, what you're feeling is not uncommon. The pain, the week one diet, the all around change in lifestyle can be a lot to take in, but as I said, hang in there. The pain will subside, you will get used to your new lifestyle, and you'll begin to reap the benefits.

Take care, and best wishes on your journey!

[_Kate_ 2,224]

Each day will be better than the day before, hold on to that thought.

You have gone through not only a huge physical event but a psychological one too. I researched this a lot before the surgery and REALLY wanted it and yet I had a wobble on day three, wondering what the hell I had done. It was only a fleeting though but still went through my head. Now nearly 4 months out I know it was the best thing I had ever done and wish I had done it years ago. You may go through a myriad of emotions over the next few weeks and months but its natural and most of us have gone through it.

If you don't have anyone to chat to, come here and vent. We have all been there!!

Congratulations!! Best wishes and hugs.

[Waler 330]

Hang in there. Everyone here has been In the place you are right now, and trust me when I say it gets a lot better really quickly. Follow the instructions you are given, and Fluid intake is very, very important right now. Great things are coming your way soon, you just got to get through this rough spot, you`ll see.

[lili2333 18]

I felt the exact same way! I'm 4 weeks out and feeling amazing now. The first 2 weeks were hard and so so long, but it does get better and you'll feel normal soon.

[livvsmum 2,368]

So yesterday I was sleeved. I had a rough night, and a tough day. I feel like ****, I don't feel normal anymore. All I feel is pain and staples. To top it off my surgeon kinda freaked on me for not getting in enough liquids and that was totally discouraging. I'm pretty much regretting this decision fully at this point, and I have no one to talk to about this either. I guess maybe my doc doesn't see something great in me that I didn't see before but I do now. This is not for me, and I'm scared about how to live right now. My bestfriend is the liquid pain meds at this moment..an I feel like I could just break down and cry. All I feel is pain inside and out..and I'm scared this could all be for nothing.

I think just about everyone has a moment of regret or buyer's remorse in the first few days/weeks after surgery. I remember calling my friend who was sleeved a year before me from the hospital saying "I can't believe you talked me into this! Why didn't you tell me it would be like this." She assured me it would get way better very quickly, and she was right.

The first days/weeks you are going through sugar withdraw, carb withdraw, caffeine withdraw, plus you just had a relatively major surgery which demands that you completely change the way you've eaten probably all of your life. There's a lot of both physical and emotional change all at once. I promise it will get better and you will look back on it and say that you would do it all over again! ((hugs))

[The Candidate 3,215]

You can't judge your future success or failure from how you feel on day one, or perhaps even on the first month. Your body has been in frontline combat and it's dealing with a lot of physical and emotional stress. Nobody enjoys having surgery, but it's an unavoidable part of the process, so you just have to focus on your immediate and long range goals.

The immediate is staying hydrated and building your Protein intake, along with walking and staying on top of your pain meds.

The long range is the weight loss, improved health, and extended years of living. Use the immediate to work towards the long range. It will get better, day by day. I sometimes forget I even had surgery, but I was once where you are now. I have no regrets and would definitely do it all over again! It's worth it, I promise!

Hang in there!