Things you wish you had known before WLS

[jodi2727 17]

Hey all! I'm getting sleeved on 9/24. I'm just wondering what are some things you've learned from your experience that you WISHED you had known before the surgery? Or things you were surprised by after the surgery? Thanks in advance! So excited to *hopefully* be part of the sleeve success stories! CW: 396

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[catlady2012 73]

My two greatest surprises were how nauseated I was the first week and how much the surgery did NOT hurt, just achy.

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[Crulezim 10]

I wish I'd known more about the loose skin after weight loss. Not that it would have changed my mind; I would definitely still have had the sleeve, but I wish I'd been a bit more prepared. You can research this on the Internet.

[reeniemay 64]

How easy it's been, I wish I would've done it 10 years ago

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[CLN.BK 165]

I'm newly sleeved, so my answer is a short-term one. I knew I'd be tired after surgery, but I'm surprised by how much I am tired. I have spurts of energy throughout the day, but I have to take a 2-3 hour nap every afternoon. I'm nervous about returning to work because of it.

[Rokumok4 53]

How much it will hurt to move. I'm 4 days post op.

Note to self: I don't have to take this day all at once but rather one step, one breath and one moment at a time. I am only one person.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I wish I'd known how mobile I was going to be right after surgery. I was sleeved on a Wednesday, home on Thursday, driving on Friday.

There was absolutely NO NEED to stock up on anything. All I really needed was a big bottle of Gatorade, a couple of proteen (sic) drinkks (NOT A CASE!!! Your tastes might change!), and some chicken brothh (sic).

I wasted SO MUCH money on fancy teas, cases of proteen (sic) drinks, powdered proteen that made me gag, carnation instant breakfasst, 17 million kinds of bars, a mega box of SF Popsicles (blurp!!), etc. I shopped with a fat brain and came home with a tummy that could barely get down a dixie cup full of Water.

Edit to add: All typos are on purpose. Dang site keeps hyperlinking my words.

[slvarltx 332]

How much I can eat 15 months out! Sometimes i wonder if i was sleeved at all....perception changes on whats a lot of food though...i was ready for some junk food in saturday..,had 4 crunchy tacos and was really full...that used to be 12 tacos

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[ChaCha77 74]

I wish I knew how hard it would be to drink enough. Sipping is SO hard. You should definitely practice sipping and chewing really well before surgery, because those are really hard to get used to.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

Like @@LipstickLady I was sleeved on a Wed and driving on Friday. I stocked up because I live alone and I was thinking worse case scenerio, I will have all this stuff. What a waste of money. I still have some powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury sample powder packets on the shelf. I thew almost everything else out a few months ago. Stocking up pre-op was a complete waste of time and money.

I don't have to go to the gym to lose weight. There are other ways to be active and lose weight that don't require a gym membership.

I wouldn't feel like a weight loss patient for long. The first 3 months I definitely felt like a WLS patient, but after 6 months, not so much and at one year, not at all. I feel like a normal person with less capacity. I don't even really feel like I have less capacity but that I eat like a normal health conscious person, not a glutton.

[Candygyrl 637]

I hate to say that I knew everything but I did. My team-- well we spent a good 9 months together before my surgery and from day one they spoon fed me lots of information related to surgery and it was reinforced over and over and over again. So far there is nothing that I've experienced that I didn't "know" about already. PLUS I did my homework. I talked to others that had it, I watched the surgery I don't know how many times, I followed patients on social media through their journey, I watched numerous Things I wish I knew before Gastric Sleeve surgery videos... if yall don't know... I love CLUSIE she's on You Tube and she brings a very relatable, realistic, NON Holier than thou perspective to WLS.

[Babbs 14,680]

I don't have to go to the gym to lose weight. There are other ways to be active and lose weight that don't require a gym membership.

I wouldn't feel like a weight loss patient for long. The first 3 months I definitely felt like a WLS patient, but after 6 months, not so much and at one year, not at all. I feel like a normal person with less capacity. I don't even really feel like I have less capacity but that I eat like a normal health conscious person, not a glutton.

All of that. Although I personally go to the gym, because knowing I'm paying for it every month holds me accountable and forces me to go. That works for ME. I know I could find something else active I love to do and that would just as well

And also, how damn GOOD I would feel eating healthier and moving more! It's not just cliche to say it! You really do feel better physically and mentally!

[Genr2d2 21]

I wish I hadn't thought that ALL laparoscopic surgeries were the same. I thought, "I had my all bladder removed after I had given birth 10 days before, was sent home within 24 hrs to nurse and carry a baby. I've got this!" Boy, was I wrong! I wish I'd known I was going to feel horrible the first 36 hours, and that vomiting was going to happen, for me, every couple of hours. I wish I'd known that by day three in hospital that I would be feeling SO much better-it would have given me hope that I just needed to see it through and not doubt my decision, which I do not, today. And I wish I had known that I was should have been more careful with bending, stretching, lifting and maybe then I wouldn't have pulled an abdominal muscle yesterday.

Don't let my experience scare you! As you can see from the above posts, everyone experiences are totally different. Ask questions! Get answers. Keep asking until you're satisfied. Best wishes.

[dede_mont 105]

I was pretty informed with all the information that my B team and the internet had to offer me. I also talked with family and friends who have had the sleeve, so i knew what to expect but I was still thrown by how awful things tasted and how hard it has been to stay hydrated. Anything over ice, blended with ice or frozen has been my saving grace the last week or two. Now i can take larger swallows and my taste are changing again so finally getting my intakes up to pare.

I had my sleeve done July 14th when it was in the 110+ here in Las Vegas so gulping by mistake was almost my undoing.

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[My1way 20]

At almost one year out, my surprises are in stages. First stage in the hospital I was surprised at how normal I felt. It didn't hurt. Second stage 1st week home. I was lost! Everything was wrong! I couldn't stand the liquids! I hated Water, I despised the clear liquid Proteins, I couldn't tolerate the liquid medications, I didn't want to move! Third stage Being home and I must get something that I like to eat. I hated Protein drinks of all kinds! I hated liquid vitamins! I had cases of stuff I knew I would never use, I had slimy's all the time! You will know what that is, believe me! It is when you try to swallow something that doesn't want to go down - even liquid. I tried to swallow pills to keep from taking liquid meds, but it got stuck. I had to force myself to vomit it out.I went to the hospital emergency once because I could not stop the nausea, I thought I couldn't breath, I was afraid I was having a heart attack (I wasn't) Forth stage is it going to be okay? Starting to find things that taste okay and swallowing isn't that bad. I found I liked some baby food! Bananas and jars of meat. I could eat a couple of spoons of refried Beans and salsa. A couple of sips of soda (don't tell anyone) felt so good on my poor tummy. My hair was falling out, but I knew that wasn't permanent. I stopped worrying about Water when I found Chai Tea. I found mixing flavors of Protein Drinks actually made them better (I use powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chocolate and vanilla and Click Coffee) Mix chocolate and vanilla, mix vanilla and coffee, mix coffee and chocolate 1/2 and 1/2. Try half water and half milk, try adding a spoon of Truvia.

Now I can go to a restaurant and not get worried; what should I order, I know I can't eat it all. I order appetizers. They are the best anyway and if I don't eat it all, they are meant to be shared. I cook for my husband, whatever he likes and I will either eat a few spoons or I will drink a coffee mix Protein frappachino from my own blender! which I love!

Surprises? I am surprised how good I feel, but it took a LONG time before I could say that!