One thing I wish I had known/owned before surgery??!!
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I, too, had a hiatal hernia repaired at the time of my surgery and fluids didn't go down easily until the end of the 2nd week. The first week was horrendous b/c I would get esophageal spasming from the hernia repair. But after the first week or 2, fluids went down very easily for me and they still do.
As far as hunger, I am able to tell the difference between head hunger (i.e. boredom, cravings, etc.) and true hunger (stomach growling, feeling a void in there, etc.). I don't feel hunger even CLOSE to the way I used to feel it. But I feel it.0 -
I have just one more week until surgery! I had to come back and read all the advice again.0
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I had a really bad bout of depression/regret about 6 weeks after surgery. I was tired of eating bland, pureed food . . . wasn't seeing the weight come off as fast as I hoped (thanks to the 3-week stall!!) and cried a LOT about what I had done to myself. Everyone I talked to said to just breathe through it, keep following the plan and (a) the weight would start to come off again and (b) I would feel "normal" soon. Well, they were right!! At 15 months out, if you looked at my plate of food at dinner, you wouldn't necessarily think or know I had surgery . I can now eat all the things I liked before surgery (in moderation, of course); I can enjoy a beer or glass of wine periodically; and I eat "NORMAL." A 4-oz portion of protein with a 1-oz portion of carbs and 2-3 ozs of veggies or salad is completely appropriate . . . and I don't feel like I'm restricting myself.
Sure, I've had some backsliding occur (like when I got home from work at 8 pm one night last week and ordered a pizza!) but people who've never struggled with weight issues also have those same periods of bad choices.
If you feel regret within the first 2 months of surgery, just remember this post!!
I think most of us went through something similar post-op. 0 -
Really good point about the depression / regret. Many of us go through this! Of course a large part of this is the shock to your body - surgery, huge dietary changes, etc. Part of it is the anesthesia after-effects (I was told it takes 2-3 weeks before it's all out of your system), part of this is hormonal - a lot of hormones are stored in your fat cells, and particularly during the the first few weeks of rapid weight loss, all of that goes coursing through your system. Just knowing that made it easier to deal with the "weepies", and to reassure my husband who was worried about me.
One of my best buys post-op was an electric mug warmer. When it takes you 20 minutes to get down 2 ounces of soup, it goes cold LONG before you're finished. I still use mine most of time time to keep my morning hot protein cocoa hot.
And I think this was already mentioned, but, expect a stall in your weight loss at about the 3rd week. It's so common, and so many people freak out about it, but it's completely normal! Don't panic!0 -
thank you all so much for this info! i am future sleever my self and all this info really helped! most i had not heard before.0
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I am 5 months post op, and I too experienced some of these emotional issues, and in all the pre-op classes and support group sessions I attended, this was not really addressed. Therefore, I kinda felt like I was losing my mind for just a little bit, and also became very discouraged when i stalled out. My team was very supportive through it all, but if I had been prepared for it, it would have been a lot less stressful.Really good point about the depression / regret. Many of us go through this! Of course a large part of this is the shock to your body - surgery, huge dietary changes, etc. Part of it is the anesthesia after-effects (I was told it takes 2-3 weeks before it's all out of your system), part of this is hormonal - a lot of hormones are stored in your fat cells, and particularly during the the first few weeks of rapid weight loss, all of that goes coursing through your system. Just knowing that made it easier to deal with the "weepies", and to reassure my husband who was worried about me.
One of my best buys post-op was an electric mug warmer. When it takes you 20 minutes to get down 2 ounces of soup, it goes cold LONG before you're finished. I still use mine most of time time to keep my morning hot protein cocoa hot.
And I think this was already mentioned, but, expect a stall in your weight loss at about the 3rd week. It's so common, and so many people freak out about it, but it's completely normal! Don't panic!0 -
One thing I would stress to pre-ops/post-ops....take advantage of every tool and opportunity offered to you! Support groups may seem like nothing more than an inconvenience, but that time of being together and sharing concerns can be invaluable. Often just finding out that what you are going through or having issues with is shared, can be a comfort.0
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A couple of things to keep in mind. Everybody is different, everybody loses weight at different rate. Do not weigh yourself every day, do not compare yourself to others. You will drive yourself batty if you do. Build a good support team. Know your nutritionist well. Mine has access to my MFP account and leaves notes for me. Loop in your PCP and any other Drs you have. Make sure that they are on board and you all have a plan for after care.
Get yourself in the best possible physical shape. It really will help with your recovery. Some people that have complications, simply because they are in really bad shape physically. If you can walk a mile without getting winded or having to stop and rest, that's a good thing.
Lastly, relax and have patience. The surgery is not a magic bullet. It will not take your weight away overnight. You have to reconcile your relationship with food. You will have to make some life altering choices. You will be miserable for a while but it gets better. If you have a plan for recovery, and stick to that plan, get the necessary support along the way, your chances for a successful out come is pretty good. Good luck to you.0 -
I spent 15 months waiting for my surgery, and I was all over the support boards and groups. In the end, the ONE THING I wish someone had INSISTED I have, was a heating pad. I just earlier this week made a new page on my blog just for this topic. Feel free to check it out.
http://mwrarr.wordpress.com/recovery-911/0
