HELP scared

[u7mg0 1]

I am scheduled for ESG next week. i was excited until now. i am so nervous. not so much of the procedure, but the aftermath.

i am 56 yo male. need to loose 40 lbs

is it so painful after the procedure? i hope they give pain meds. although i don't like taking them

i read that many have hard time drinking Water or shakes. when do you get so eat soft foods?

i keep wondering if i should do it the old fashioned way and not be a quitter to take this route.

do you ever eat more than a few bites ever again?

[Hop_Scotch 1,625]

I originally had an ESG, it wasn't painful as such but I did have rolling stomach cramps, you can get over the counter medication for that (buscopan).

You need time to allow the suture / anchor sites to heal, so I would think most doctors would give you at least a week or two of fluids (shakes), I did see one plan when someone had to do shakes for about eight weeks. It really does depend on your doctor's guidelines (I would have thought you would have been provided with guidelines by now).

I am not sure why you think having a weight loss procedure makes you (or anyone else) a quitter. I imagine you have had many attempts at losing weight and haven't been successful? If this helps you lose the weight and maintain the lost, that's a good thing.

ESG is a lot different than the surgical options, the reduction in stomach size is not as great as those options, you mostly certainly eat more than a few bites at a time (as is the case with the surgical options once healed from those procedures).

This is from an Australian perspective but you may find it useful https://bmiclinic.com.au/endoscopic-sleeve-gastroplasty-faq/

[SuziDavis 544]

This is info your surgeon and staff should have given you. Did they not go over a meal plan/schedule???

[Arabesque 6,471]

You’ll only need to take the strong pain meds for a few days - I took my last one on day 4 but probably didn’t need it. Some find over the counter enough in a couple of days. We all handle pain differently.

The shakes can taste disgusting after the surgery because our taste buds can temporarily change. Have a couple of different brands & flavours on hand. I forced myself to have a shake in the morning (doubled the Water to dilute the flavour) & then had diluted Soups (broths, consommés) the rest of the day. Ask your dietican for other Protein rich fluids you can try. It’s really only for a short time.

Water can be sort of hard to swallow - heavy. Try drinking other liquids as well. I drank green tea, thinned yoghurt drinks, electrolyte drinks as well as the diluted shakes & soups.. Warm drinks are often easier to drink - more soothing.

As the months pass you will be able & encouraged to eat more. I was advised to start with 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purées slowly increasing to about a cup at goal (at 6 months for me). Check with your surgeon & dietician for their recommendations for portion size, maybe calories & any other nutrient goals like protein. Yours will be different to mine simply because you’re male. Same with when you progress through the restricted return to eating stages to support your healing. I was on 2 weeks cycles: liquids, purées, soft before solid which is pretty common.

Having the surgery is not being a quitter. The truth is you will still be doing the work & it is hard work. You can’t rely on the surgery alone to be successful. People can & do eat around their surgery. The loss of appetite & hunger don’t last & some don’t lose them at all. I worked harder after my surgery than on any other diet simply because I wanted this to work & be as permanent as possible. The head work, understanding why you eat, your cravings, habits, etc. is probably the hardest aspect. I also did a lot of reading to work out a way of eating (not a diet - they’re temporary) that worked for me & could be sustainable. This was a huge difference. I could always lose weight (until the last gain I had) but I could also put it all back on again because I went straight back to what I did before. I was a quitter then because I didn’t stick to any exercise plan or change of eating style. I still watch my portions, monitor my protein & Fluid intake, randomly check my calorie intake, & carefully read the nutrition panel on the few food stuffs I buy - I tend to cook most of my own food from scratch.

All the best whatever you choose to do.

[The Greater Fool 1,950]

On 1/31/2023 at 1:26 PM, u7mg0 said:

I am scheduled for ESG next week. i was excited until now. i am so nervous. not so much of the procedure, but the aftermath.

i am 56 yo male. need to loose 40 lbs

is it so painful after the procedure? i hope they give pain meds. although i don't like taking them

i read that many have hard time drinking Water or shakes. when do you get so eat soft foods?

i keep wondering if i should do it the old fashioned way and not be a quitter to take this route.

do you ever eat more than a few bites ever again?

I am also a guy. I was about 43 when I had surgery, about 64 now. I needed to lose a few more pounds than you, but it's not a competition. I'm honestly shocked that you are allowed surgery with 40 pounds to lose. Generally it's a minimum of 100 (give or take) pounds to qualify for surgery. I'm not sure if your lucky or un, but I guess time will tell.

The current paradigm is 2 weeks of liquid diet pre-op, then 2 to 6 weeks post-op, then about 2 to 6 weeks of puree, then on to solid foods. Difficulty at any of the steps is very individual, but you will find a way to manage it. My plan was 6 weeks of pureed from day of surgery. I never had to do a liquid diet.

Not being a quitter are fighten' words around here. You are apparently at 40 excess pounds. If this is the worst case situation then if you think you can lose weight via diet and exercise it may be worthwhile for you to try. Surgery is a harsh solution. If you are down to 40 pounds overweight after having been 100 or more overweight then surgery may be your best long term solution. You know your situation better than us.

Most people do manage to eat what would be considered a normal meal size after a few months. Your current view of 'normal' may not measure up. Further, most post-ops can eat just about anything eventually, which can bring with it the hazard of falling into old habits that caused you to gain weight in the first place. With a little bit of restraint most people will be fine.

Personally, since you asked, I eat more than a few bites more often than not. My typical meal size is still 4oz Protein, 1 or so ounces of veggies. I can finish this meal 4 of 7 times, the other times my stomach says to take a break. I enjoy good food.

You must have considered all these things previously. Just review why you made your decision in the first place and you will be solid.

Good luck,

Tek

Edited February 2, 2023 by The Greater Fool

[nikki86 0]

It was not bad at all. I actually cried i was so scared lol