Hello All,
I'm ten days post op so thought I would post.
My decision to have surgery was not taken lightly I have yo yo dieted for the past 18 years of my life and each time my set point would get higher and higher. This year after losing 16 kilos last year I ballooned to 108 kilos. This shocked and scared me. I couldn't begin to think about going back on yet another diet. I also knew the yo yo would most likely set me above the 110 mark.
I was very ashamed about having surgery. I didn't want to tell anyone and kept it quiet till almost the night before surgery and then only those a few closest to me we're informed. Not sure why I guess it was many reasons, ashamed about being so over weight, taking such a huge step of surgery, doing the perceived easy way out. I was surprised by how supportive those closest to me were when I did tell them.
Post op was harder than I thought I had a lot of pain, nausea and overall weakness. I also did struggle at first with not being on the liquid only diet. I spent 6 nights in hospital which was longer than normal apparently.
I definately was not prepared for the going home experience though.. Weakness, lack of energy, hormonal hell, emotions, food envy, oral thrush, worse breath of my life, can't stand taste of water, I couldn't even wash my hair due to lack of energy. I felt so depleted and only today am I getting through it. I have stuck to the doctors advice like the bible, 3 optifast a day and plenty of sugar free cordial to get the water down.
Today I lost it at a friend who doesn't believe optifast gives enough nutrients which annoyed me as I'm doing everything to the letter and I didn't need my friends placing doubt in my mind about my nutrition. But it was an over reaction and I apologized for that.
I still have fears. What if I stretch my sleeve? what if I dont lose all the weight I want to lose IE - 43 kilos. What if I regain again? What if I get my hunger back? What if this long term doesn't work?
I know I am waffling but I wanted to put my initial thoughts down on paper even for my own record.
I would love to hear other people's sleeve stories what their initial experience was, how long did they take to get their energy back? How long did they take to lose a similar weight to me? Has anyone stretched or failed at sleeve surgery? How do you deal with others all having their opinion on your diet? how did people go drinking alcohol? Did anyone go back to partying or are my party days over?
I hope all are having a great weekend,
Juliette