Okay, I had my sleeve done on Wednesday the 15th and I still feel like crap. I had my pre-op tests done on the 13th (full body scan, blood test, and routing checkup with the surgeon) and went into op around 8am that Wednesday. I know the time frame is weird, but considering the fact that the surgeon does 2 to 3 bariatrics surgeries a day (popular guy), I felt pretty comfortable doing it.

I wanna start off by saying, I'm quite amused at the level of "attention" and pre-reqs that is required in the U.S. It is super unnecessary, a sleeve is probably one of the easiest major surgeries that can be performed. I actually felt sad for the people that had to undergo years of testing and check ups and even liver operations just to be able to do it. Don't waste your money and time on that and just find a reputable surgeon abroad who will most likely do it at 1/10th of the cost while being much more experienced with it (I was treated like a client/customer whenever I conuslted a doctor in the U.S. rather than a patient).

Now that I got all the negativity towards the American healthcare system, I want to ask a few things about my current diet. For the most part, most post-op diets are similar but I don't understand how some people go hard on protein during the 1st phase when my diet doesn't involve any protein until the 5th week.

First 14 days is clear liquids, and the nutritionist/surgeon literally just advised me to drink white grape or apple juice (peeled,strained, added water, no added sugars), broth water (no fat, no seasonings, bleh), and herbal drinks (no caffeine). How the heck is my body supposed to stay alive on what I suppose is basically nutrient weak foods? I'm still alive obviously, but I don't see how I won't be turned into a skeletal frame by the end of the 2nd week on this diet? I asked my doc "am I gonna be alive to even enjoy solid foods in a couple of months if I stick to this diet?", to which he replied "don't worry buddy, trust the process".(okay he didn't actually say that, but it was something among the lines of it'll be okay if you stick to it).

I mean I trust the process, but I don't really trust the science behind it. Why do some people have the luxury of being allowed to eat SF Jello, ice pops, protein shakes, puddings, etc. just a few days after surgery when my diet is so harsh? How is not having any protein over 2 weeks a good thing? I had a natural weight loss journey before (300 to 185) and it involved a LOT of protein and little to no carbs/sugar + high fat for muscle building, so this just sounds so alien to me.

Not sure if this helps, but I'm a 28 y/o male, current weight 258 ideal 170. I was prescribed anti-heartburn meds, pain meds, and blood thinners as well as a weekly dose of B-12.

Alright, I think it's time for an update.

I caught a cold on the 28th and it's beating me up.

I haven't been able to leave the house because everything makes me dry heave / gag. I can't drink anything but water and yoghurt now, can't really handle the fruit juice anymore. I developed oral thrush and was prescribed pills and a gel, I can't really do the gel because as soon as it touches my tongue I start dry heaving violently. I started feeling a little better on the 1st but things took a turn the next day.

I felt some pain on the side of my throat and got it checked out, turns out it's tonsillitis. It makes sneezing and coughing a real pain now. On top of that, I developed bronchitis 2 days ago that just keeps getting worse.

I can't sleep much anymore. I'm drinking 1.8L to 2.1L of liquids a day but I still wake up every 45mins to an hour because of how dry my mouth gets.

Has anyone experienced or heard of someone that experienced a bad cold that led to more complications so soon after a sleeve?

Genuinely worried now, been in bed for 5 days. I can walk around the house but I get short of breath pretty fast and start getting nauseous.

My hope is that you’re being knocked about at the moment with the cold, thrush & now tonsillitis not because of the surgery as such but because you’re run down & your immune system is struggling. You’ve had pretty major surgery & aren’t eating much so your body is stressed trying to recover & heal from the surgery & from the reduced caloric intake. It’s natural post surgery to feel run down, tired & have reduced energy. It’s just left you open to catching every bug going & taking longer to recover from them. Well, as I said, that’s what I hope.

Watch the yoghurt with the oral thrush & cold. Dairy tends to produce more phlegm & yoghurt that contains sugar feeds the thrush (look for plain Greek yoghurt). The phlegm is probably adding to your nausea too as it settles on your tummy.

Try some Biotene dry mouth products - mouth wash, mouth spray, etc . to help with the dry mouth.

Can’t you tolerate chicken soup or broth? There’s a reason it was always offered to those who are sick. It’s full of essential nutrients, vitamins & minerals, hydrates, is warming (& low calorie).

Feel better soon.