July 2021 Surgery People!

[Mama Des 12]

Wow sounds great! So happy for you! My sleeve was on 07/14 . I haven’t really lost much since surgery date but I think it’s because I cheated on my liquid phase. How’s your pain level? I’ve been a lil disappointed at my self but it seems like I’m always hungry. Do you have any snack tips?

[Tato63 1]

Hi there, how are you eating already at 3 weeks post op? What exactly did you eat? Just curious because I had mine 7/12 and am only on puree foods that's all.

[Monique1123 28]

55 minutes ago, Tato63 said:

Hi there, how are you eating already at 3 weeks post op? What exactly did you eat? Just curious because I had mine 7/12 and am only on puree foods that's all.

Hi! I’m also 3 weeks post op ! I had surgery on July 14th. However , my doctor transitioned me over to soft foods . I never had to go through the puréed stage . To my knowledge though you can have creamier thicker Soups , puréed meats and chili’s , some do Mashed Potato’s if it’s okay with your program. Puréed vegetables , tuna . ETC.

[Lefti 21]

1 hour ago, Tato63 said:

Hi there, how are you eating already at 3 weeks post op? What exactly did you eat? Just curious because I had mine 7/12 and am only on puree foods that's all.

I had surgery the same day as you and was eating soft Proteins (ricotta cheese, eggs, ground turkey) from the first day that I got home from the hospital. It seems different surgeons have different guidelines.

[successboundNP 10]

Hey all of my sleevers! I figured this group has the freshest memory on healing and wanted to ask a question.

I was suppose to be having surgery 8/10 and it was moved three weeks out. I’m freaking out because I start school in two weeks.

For those who have had the sleeve, is it doable to be back in classes three days later?
I go to classes for 8 hours a day and would have to be present three days post op and have two hospital clinicals a week that would start when I’m two weeks post op.

In your experience am I being realistic to continue on with the date given?

Thank you!

[Just Soso 5]

Hi! To very honest everyone is different. I had a tough time. The incision that they remove the stomach from was very tender. It's felt like I was punched in my abdomen several times, making it difficult to talk. You have to do your breathing exercises. It took a week for the pain to subside. I couldn't imagine sitting in class for 3 days a week for 8 hours. You may need time to recover.

Also, don't forget about gas pains and blood clotting.

Gas once you feel the need to release it, let it go.. it's very uncomfortable and painful.

I hope this helps. My surgeon made me feel like I was going to be up and running. It definitely was not the case. Good luck!

[Seija 23]

4 hours ago, successboundNP said:

Hey all of my sleevers! I figured this group has the freshest memory on healing and wanted to ask a question.

I was suppose to be having surgery 8/10 and it was moved three weeks out. I’m freaking out because I start school in two weeks.

For those who have had the sleeve, is it doable to be back in classes three days later?
I go to classes for 8 hours a day and would have to be present three days post op and have two hospital clinicals a week that would start when I’m two weeks post op.

In your experience am I being realistic to continue on with the date given?

Thank you!

I was sleeved 27th July and have had a pretty textbook, easy recovery. Having said that, on day 3 post op I think I would really struggle with a full 8 hour day of studies. It's mostly the gas pain and shoulder pain that made things really uncomfortable and require a lay down every few hours.

It could be done if you are also lucky and your recovery is easy but it will surely be exhausting so you'd probably need a solid nap every day to cope. If at all possible to take the sick days from class, or do it from home and break it up into shorter sessions, I would highly recommend that.

I'm just a little over 1 week post op and would say that your upcoming clinicals in 2 weeks should be no problem (if your recovery is fairly easy, of course). As long as you prepare well with food and are able to stay on top of your Water intake.

[Lefti 21]

6 hours ago, successboundNP said:

On my day 3 post surgery I was very tired. I napped on and off all day. I think my body was still getting rid of anesthesia. By day 4, I was feeling pretty much myself with slight soreness. You will definitely be exhausted by the end of the day.

Hey all of my sleevers! I figured this group has the freshest memory on healing and wanted to ask a question.

I was suppose to be having surgery 8/10 and it was moved three weeks out. I’m freaking out because I start school in two weeks.

For those who have had the sleeve, is it doable to be back in classes three days later?
I go to classes for 8 hours a day and would have to be present three days post op and have two hospital clinicals a week that would start when I’m two weeks post op.

In your experience am I being realistic to continue on with the date given?

Thank you!

[successboundNP 10]

Mine is giving me the exact same expectations so I figured I would ask “real” people. Thanks for your feedback.

[successboundNP 10]

Thanks @seija for your input. I think I’ll keep calling weekly and pray that there is a cancellation! I’m glad to hear that I might be ok for clinical since that one is the hardest for me to get out of.

Best of luck to you (and everyone else). I’m so excited to see what the next couple of months have in store for all of us!

[ShoppGirl 5,072]

6 hours ago, successboundNP said:

Hey all of my sleevers! I figured this group has the freshest memory on healing and wanted to ask a question.

I was suppose to be having surgery 8/10 and it was moved three weeks out. I’m freaking out because I start school in two weeks.

For those who have had the sleeve, is it doable to be back in classes three days later?
I go to classes for 8 hours a day and would have to be present three days post op and have two hospital clinicals a week that would start when I’m two weeks post op.

In your experience am I being realistic to continue on with the date given?

Thank you!

It’s so hard to say how your recovery will be that early out because you could still have gas pains which are terribly painful yet like real gas they resolve almost immediately once the air is gone. I didn’t have any gas pains at all after surgery. I don’t think my dr pumped any air inside me. Not sure if it’s because I was smaller BMI and my liver looked good so he had enough room to do what he needed or he just doesn’t use it. Anyways, I felt like I did about 1000 crunches after surgery so I needed the bed rails to pull myself from lying or seated position to standing but that was the only “pain” I felt. Otherwise I was pretty sleepy but I was off pain rx right away and just on Tylenol at hospital then nothing at home. Those meds make you tired though so if you do need them you may be Even more tired. Long story short, even In the best case scenario you are looking at fighting uphill through a very long day. But, I’m sure you have worked through a headache or a cold before so whether you can handle it is another story. Worst case, you just CAN’t do it, what happens then? Only you know. You could ask your dr if he uses the air. That seems to be the number one complaint and like I said I had none.

Edited August 5, 2021 by ShoppGirl

[FutureSkyDiver 76]

6 hours ago, successboundNP said:

Hey all of my sleevers! I figured this group has the freshest memory on healing and wanted to ask a question.

I was suppose to be having surgery 8/10 and it was moved three weeks out. I’m freaking out because I start school in two weeks.

For those who have had the sleeve, is it doable to be back in classes three days later?
I go to classes for 8 hours a day and would have to be present three days post op and have two hospital clinicals a week that would start when I’m two weeks post op.

In your experience am I being realistic to continue on with the date given?

Thank you!

Three days out there is absolutely no way I would have been able to sit in a typical university chair/desk for 8 hours and gain anything meaningful from the classes I was attending. Set aside the pain that you may or may not be in at that point--everyone is different and while I was still experiencing a good deal of pain at three days post op, not everyone does. Honestly, my biggest issue was that I could not sit upright completely without a dull aching pain in/around the large incision where she removed my stomach. I had to be slightly reclined at all times to keep that pain away. Three days post op your ONLY concern should be getting in enough liquids to not dehydrate. For me, this required me to set a timer and take a TINY sip of Water every five minutes from a 30ml cup I refilled every 15 minutes. Can you concentrate on the material being presented if you are constantly checking a clock to see if you should be drinking? Can you not be a distraction to your fellow students while doing this?

There may also be a lot of things you aren't considering involved in attending classes. How far is the walk from the parking lot? Can you walk that distance post-op? I am a triathlete who regularly ran 10+ miles at a time pre-op. Three days post-op I could walk to the end of my 200ft driveway and back before I felt like I needed a rest.

Are there stairs to get to your classroom, or inside the classroom itself? Can you navigate stairs three days-post op? Maybe...I struggled.

How heavy are the materials you need to bring to class plus the bag you carry them in? If you have to bring books and a laptop to class, you may be WAY over your 5-10lb lifting weight. You mentioned in-hospital practicals too, which I assume means lifting or moving patients and equipment. I was given a 5-10lb weight lifting limit for 6 weeks. I'm a university professor and I know that many of the books I use for my research and teaching weigh more than that. I have had to ask my wife to bring them to me and put them in my lap.

How many breaks do you get throughout the day? I was exhausted for the first two weeks, requiring at least two, and sometimes three 45min-hour naps a day, on top of sleeping 12 hours a day. This is pretty normal, given that your body has just been through a huge trauma and is healing itself. If you aren't getting proper rest, your healing will be slowed and honestly, how much good are you getting out of the classes you are attending if you are exhausted and/or falling asleep during class? If you are at the stage of treating patients (again, I assume based on in-hospital practicals), you can make critical mistakes if you are that tired. Critical mistakes can kill people.

I will also add, as a university professor who has seen so many students get sick/have surgery/miss a lot of class for one reason or another, those students RARELY do as well as the other students in the class, no matter how hard they try or how many accommodations are made in terms of assignment or exam extensions, make up exams, etc. There is a considerable body of educational literature that suggests there is simply something about doing things at the same time as the rest of your class that makes students perform better. I see it time and time again--those who take make up exams do not perform as well as they otherwise would have done.

I wish you the best of luck with your surgery and the difficult decision you have to make. Personally, I would not do it mid-semester, even as a faculty member.

[Better look again! 10]

Good morning 😃 just had my vsg on 08-03-2021 came home on the 04th.. doing really better than I thought but you will need rest, and quiet time, passing gas time, sleeping.. but no incision pain Thank God! But gas pain was a !!!!!!! In the chest and stomach.. but otherwise I feel great I’m 65 yrs young.. you be find….

[Just Soso 5]

7 hours ago, Just Soso said:

Hi! To be very honest, everyone is different. I had a tough time. The incision that they remove the stomach from was very painful. It felt like I was punched in my abdomen several times, making it difficult to talk and breathe. You have to do your breathing exercises. It took a week for the pain to subside. I couldn't imagine sitting in class for 3 days a week for 8 hours. You may need time to recover.

Also, don't forget about gas pains and blood clotting.

As far as gas, once you feel the need to release it, let it go.. It's very uncomfortable and painful.

I hope this helps. My surgeon made me feel like I was going to be up and running. It definitely was not the case. Good luck!

[Clipped2021 2]

Hello everyone!

Im new to the site and I am excited to chat with others who have had gastric sleeve surgery. My surgery was July. 29 and it went well. I am struggling with meeting my Water and Protein requirements. I feel there isn’t enough hours in a day to consume everything required. I’m up and moving around well with minimal pain. I struggle with cramping every time I drink which is the main reason why I don’t meet my water or protein requirements. Any tips or advice ( tricks to the trade) I would greatly appreciate it.