Preparing for the sleeve...

Hello! I am preparing to get the sleeve done in a few weeks. I am really nervous! Worried about complications, feeling sick afterwords, recovery time, etc. I am also worried about what foods to eat after.

Replies

  • Liongoddess
    Liongoddess Posts: 107 Member
    Welcome to the board. Please feel free to ask us anything. I think you'll find us a supportive group.
  • rpyle111
    rpyle111 Posts: 1,060 Member
    Welcome aboard!

    What I did when I joined here was to go back and read a few pages of topics to see what these folks are like. My biggest observation was how broad the range of experiences is. Where I started with questions about how the post surgery experience would be, I soon realized that no one could tell me how *my* surgery experience would be, but that it could be any one of a hundred experiences.

    I also added friends as I saw who was active, supportive, etc. and built a friends list with a range of multiple years post surgery. similar timing to mine, etc. It's a great group and we'll help with whatever you need from us!

    Rob
  • weeziebeth
    weeziebeth Posts: 168 Member
    Welcome! I am working through the supervised diet period working up to surgery. This is an amazing group and you will find transparency, encouragement, and wisdom here.
  • JreedyJanelle
    JreedyJanelle Posts: 645 Member
    I was very nervous before surgery, i was afraid of the entire process. I have had several surgeries with complications and I was not expecting this surgery to go well. I did have some pain in hospital, and some wold thoughts about what did I just do. But now almost 4 months out, I am so happy I did this, I follow dr orders and I have no regrets! The surgery was actually the easiest surgery I have had! Good luck to you, follow your Drs orders. Walk walk and walk after surgery!
  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
    Go to your local post op support group meetings. Then you can meet people in all stages of the process. The WLS surgery lifestyle is 70%protein,25%veg-no potato, 5%whole grains. For 6 months to a year you will not experience physical hunger. This will allow you to live on about 1000 calories a day until you achieve maintenance. Within 6 months you will probably be able to eat 98% of the items you eat now. You have to choose to stick to the lifestyle for WLS to work. As my surgeon says "anyone can out eat surgery and 50% of pts do just that". You are probably discovering that surgery is only 10% of the process. 90% is you changing your relationship with food. Obesity isn't about what we eat,it is about why we eat. As obese people when we are bored,tired,happy,sad,angry,broke,celebrating,hired,fired or pissed off....we eat. It is our default response to run to food pleasure to avoid feeling our emotions. Surgery will remove this crutch for about 6 months. You will make the choice to deal with your emotions without turning to food. WLS does nothing to cure head hunger or food addiction. Feel free to look at my diary, it is open. Good luck
  • Welcome. I was nervous pre-op as well. Search YouTube for a channel, I think it's called OneLifetoSleeve or something close to that. That guy really helped me with insights having already gone through the surgery. It helped answer questions I never thought I had. Support groups (in person and here) are great. We all have gone through the same thing you will be going through or will be soon. Feel free to ask anything. Other than a few headaches pre-op, lightheaded when dehydrated, and occasional "lack of sufficient fiber" intake, I haven't had any complications or nausea. Sure, post-op pain sucked bad when in the recovery room but the dilaudid (sp?) helped in my room and the liquid Perc and Tylenol at home made my incisions feel more like a pulled muscle than a puncture wound. Feel free to reach out to ask any specific questions and/or add as a friend. Good luck!