I had my sleeve done on Tuesday. I am still in a crazy amount of pain. To be expected. What I didn't realize was going to happen was going to be how hard it is to get fluids in. Currently the only thing i can get down is hot Water or hot tea. But even when i take super tiny sips of those they sit at the bottom of my esophagus and gurgle till it goes into my pouch. It's very nauseating and painful. I'm definitely in the regret stage in this surgery Did this happen to you?? Does it get easier?

ChelsiCurrently

First, if you have a sleeve, you don't have a pouch. There truly is a difference.

Second. Yes. Liquids' sucked hard for me for a long time but they are an evil must. I could only tolerate room temperature Gatorade which I diluted 50/50 with Water. Plain water is very hard on many sleeved people. Something about the pH (science science blah blah) something or other.

Third. Yes, it does get easier.

Fourth. Just keep sipping...

They call it a pouch where I'm from. Why wouldn't mine be a pouch?

ChelsiCurrently

Because it's not a pouch. RNYers have pouches. Your stomach was cut into a banana' shaped sleeve.

Pouches can stretch, sleeves, if done properly will relax but will not stretch.

I see. The doctors at Weight Wise call it a pouch so that's what I'm used to calling it.

ChelsiCurrently

It will get better. After the first week, it should get just a tiny bit better daily. Before you know it, you'll be able to get your Water in. But it will always be a challenge -- or, it is for me. I still have problems with plain water at 5 months out, but I can make it work if there are no other options (finally). I add a splash of juice to everything. Lots of lemon, in a pinch. Tepid water is the most difficult thing to deal with. But quantity is no problem now.

Some people have no issues at all at this stage. Everyone's going to be a little bit different. But it gets better, and will very soon!

I see. The doctors at Weight Wise call it a pouch so that's what I'm used to calling it.

ChelsiCurrently

That's weird.

Hope you are on the mend soon!

Just try to be patient with yourself.......expecting too much too fast will certainly lead to regret. Give yourself time to heal. For me the first 6 days were difficult to get in enough Fluid but I just kept at it.....After that 6th day it was like a miracle and everything seemed back to normal. So know that it does get better.....just be a patient patient. :-)

The first week post op is no fun....then things get easier, but truthfully, i didnt feel fully energetic and just normal until around 6 months post op

Concentrate on sipping and walking and if u are like the majority of folks here u will be ok

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I struggled to get fluids in the first week. As in would start sipping at 6am, wouldn't go to bed until midnight and still wouldn't reach 48oz some days. You have a lot of swelling from the trauma of the surgery. Be patient with yourself but do keep sipping. It does get easier - towards the end of that first week, I turned a corner overnight and went from barely getting 44oz in to easily getting in 64oz just from one day to the next. The first week post op sucks for a lot of us, be patient and kind with yourself.

64oz of Fluid for the first week for me was laughable. I was so excited when I got 24oz. Tomorrow, I'm exactly 8 weeks out, and I can guzzle 16 ounces at once at the gym like I used to. EVERYTHING gets better!!! Week 1 sucked. Week 2 I was hungry bc the fluids were going straight through me, sweet wonderful week 3 started purees for me and I've been the happiest little sleever since then!! Baby yourself for the next 2 weeks. It is SO worth it!! I'm down 32 pounds and can't wipe the smile off my face

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Edited September 8, 20169 yr by LowBMISleever

That's awesome @@LowBMISleever I cannot guzzle liquids at all and I'm 10 weeks tommorrow. If I take 5 gulps I'll be chuckin it right back up!!! I'm sure eventually I will be able to but right now I take 3 good gulps like the old days and stop. Wait a few minutes and repeat. I'm still not clearing 64 oz a day without tons of concentration or focus on it. I'm lucky to get through 40 oz. But I agree it gets better. Try not to focus on the negatives. I loved the challenges of figuring my way around the obstacles. You will get the hang of it and things will start to feel normal. Hang in there!!!

It is common to have serious buyer's remorse int he first couple of days. I had a really terrible time getting fluids in too. Some people do, some people don't. It really just depends on swelling and how your body reacts. The good news is, the swelling only lasts a few days to a week or two. So it is temporary and will get much better. My situation with fluids was that every single time I took even the *tiniest* sip, I would experience this whole sequence of events where my esophagus constricted, then I had this gurgling in the back of my throat, then I would usually have to burp. It was a whole production with every single sip.

I did find that marching in place while sipping made it a little easier. And also tried experimenting with different temperatures of liquids. Hot liquids (tea and broth) definitely seemed easier in the very beginning.

It really does get better every single day. Just focus on one minute to the next, getting your fluids and Protein in, walking as much as possible, taking your Vitamins, etc. Taking care of yourself in this first stretch is your full time job. It sucks and it is hard, but you will get through it! And if you need to cry it out, then cry it out. I cried SO MUCH in those early days!

Thank you so much guys! You give me hope!!!

ChelsiCurrently

It definitely gets better. Your new sleeve gets used to getting fluids and figures out what to do with it, and the swelling goes down as it heals. I could only sip about an ounce (sometimes less) to start, and the bubble sensation was way weird. I'd sip sip sip for hours and barely make a dent in my bottle. Every day my tolerance got better. Now at 3 weeks, I can drink fluids normally, though I still have to go a little slow. I can take two full swallows in a row with no problem, but if I don't wait a couple of minutes before taking the next, I'll get really uncomfortable. Soft foods are going down fine, but again I'm having to REALLY slow down.

It gets better, and it gets better pretty quickly. I'm in love with my sleeve. Can't quit gushing over it.

Good luck!!

It definitely gets easier! The first week sucked, quite frankly...the swelling is overwhelming your stomach and just getting enough Fluid to support your body is difficult.

My surgery was 6/21 and other than the restriction I feel when eating, it's like I never had surgery. Hang in there, it does get much, much better! Congratulations on getting your surgery, you're on the loser's bench now