Hello from New Zealand

First topic message reminder :

Hi everybody,

Not sure what I am doing as I am not very computer literate. I tried to make the font size bigger and couldn't even manage that!!

I am having my sleeve operation 17th July. I am really nervous. I realise this potentially is either the worst or best decision I have ever made. I am excited one minute and the next minute think that I am absolutely crazy for even thinking about having this operation. I have heaps of questions that I am searching for answers to.

Well I am going to try and send this, lets hope it works.

Feel free to ask any questions

Hi Enfinsusie, I think everyone is told different information. Basically I was allowed to suck only on ice-cubes for 2 days then I was discharged and allowed water only for 1 day. Then I was told to have just fluids for 2 weeks after surgery. Fluids were defined as anything that can be sucked up through a straw. Optifast was suggested as a good option because it has all the nutrients that you need but in liquid form. After 2 weeks I can then introduce other foods.

I did consider 3 different options of surgery. Originally the band was my 1st choice. The Dr would not consider a bypass as I was not enough over weight for this. He said he could not ethically carry out a bypass operation unless I came back 40 or 50 kgs heavier. He did say though that an advantage of the sleeve is that it is the 1st stage of a bypass operation, and that if necessary could be converted easily to a bypass. However every case that he had seen that had the intention of doing the stage 2 bypass at a later stage never needed it. Its hard to make the final decision though I know. I completely went off the banding because so many people are banded then later had the sleeve. I have had to pay for this myself, and could only ever afford to do it once.

Kiwi.

Thankyou, so is yours!!

My question is between the bypass and the sleeve. If i wait one year, i can have the bypass... we lose more rapidly and often don't take weight again. So sometime, i am not sure of what operation to choose.
I choose sleeve because it will be more early, it was supposed to be in july, now they talk about august or septembre... and maybe october.
I think that sleeve is better because we can have all our vitamins but it seems to be more efficent with bypass. So i prefer sleeve but sometime, i am not sure.

Thank you for the answer Hayley, your dog is beautiful.

Its very similar here in West Australia, I cant speak for everyone else though.
I was on liquids for 2 weeks, then on mashed foods for 2 weeks, then slowly started to eat more whole foods.

I am really surprised about what i'm read. I am not sure ifr i understand. Are you on diet liquid after the operation?
Here we take Optifast before the surgery for 2 to 6 weeks, after liquid diet for 4 days and after we can eat masched vegetable, fruit of meals for another 2 weeks and after we begin to eat small pieces.
It's not the same thing? I am so curious

Got the "degas" tablets and they are helping a little. Not sure how many I should be taking. Will ask Dr tomorrow when I see him. Feel like I could take the whole box.

Not sure what you have over there, but everyone here seems to recommend "de-gas".
Chris :afro:

WOW. woke up this morning feeling great. Its amazing every day makes such a difference. I managed with little trouble to have 1/2 an optifast shake. This seems to have stopped the headache/lightheadedness I was feeling. Do I just buy anitgas tablets from a chemist. Any particular ones you recommend? I just can't believe how good I feel.

Kiwi

get some antigas tablets for the wind pain. works a treat
keep up the water intake...not easy I know

kiwi if you find optifast to heavy to start with try the tetra packs of sustegen or upngo or breaka. Lot thinner but a reasonable amount of goddness in them. When you consider it is only for a few days until you can go back to optifast it will not harm :)

applesauce

Apple Juice sounds like a good start. I found the soup recipe, will certainly give that a try too.

In the hospital they gave me clear broth and apple juice. When I came home I pretty much just kept on with juice and flavoured water for a while as I didn't feel like anything else. Then I started on Up & Go's, Hospital Strength Sustagen and Optifast. I also made up the spinach & chicken soup recipe which my surgeon said was good for the first couple of weeks too. It's posted in the recipes section. It wasn't until I started on mushies that I had anything else.

steph :flower:

For me, it was apple juice first and then black coffee and then jelly.
When I went on to nourishing, all I could have was milk for a while.
Don't forget you need to keep up your fluids when you're on Opti.
Chris :afro:

Whats the 1st liquid you introduced after the water. I think I need something with some goodness in it or my energy levels will dwindle quite rapidly. I thought I would try an opti shake tomorrow. What do you think.

I really struggled to get water into me in the beginning too and would have been lucky if I got in as much as you but now it's not a problem although I 'have found I can't drink plain water anymore and have to flavour it with a little grape cordial or I drink the vitamin waters.

steph :flower:

Thanks Steph that is a big help. I worked really hard at sipping water today and only got through about 400 mls. Every sip results in a massive burping/belching session. But like you say it will get easier.
I was given next to no info on post op diet, other than water only for today then fluids for 2 weeks then mushies for another 2 weeks. No indication of quantity at all. I have been reading lots of good info on this forum that is helping heaps.

Kiwi

You'll find that getting all the fluid in to start with is really hard but honestly it does get easier.

steph :flower:

Hi Kiwi,
I thought your surgeon should have given you some info to advise you on your post op diet.
You are basically aiming to drink 100mls per hour but todo this you will generally have to break this up into 30-50ml poritons. Your stomach should empty this volume of lfuid within 30 to 60 minutes so that you can continue to drink 100mls each hour. Over a 15 hour period you should be able to get in 1500mls or 1.5litres which is generally enough to keep the body hydrated and still leaves you with 10 hours sleep time.
You need to get between 40-60 grams of protein a day and this can be acheived using sustagen or optifast. The protein shakes will not only help get protein in but also contributes to 1.5 litres of fluid you need to drink.

Hope this helps,
steph. :flower:

Hi Chris,

Were you told how much fluids you had to have each day. I asked my surgeon on discharge today how much water I had to drink to stay hydrated. He said don't worry about it you are fully hydrated from the drip you have been on, just take in what you can. So I still really don't know how much I need to try and take in.
Kiwi

Hi Kiwi
So glad to hear you're back home and doing well.
I know what you mean about the cuppa - I was hanging out for one, too!
Don't forget that with the Optifast you still have to drink lots of fluids - and if you drink decaf tea, it counts towards the fluids. Otherwise it doesn't.
Best wishes
Chris

Hi Steph,

I am doing ok. Feeling a little down tonight, not sure what set the blues off. Thursday (day of Op) Friday and Saturday I was just allowed to suck on ice cubes. Today I am on water only. Have had a lot of wind pain, pushing up under my diaphragm and pain in my shoulder blade (also wind they tell me) Surgeon said i was a text book case and everything went perfectly. Tomorrow I am allowed to introduce other liquids of my choice. Not sure what to start with. A cup of tea is what I have been hanging out for but I can only take small sips so perhaps optifast would be a better choice.

Hi Kiwi,

Welcome back. You must be doing really well then for them to send you home.

How are you feeling?

steph

Hi everybody. I am back. My surgery went well. I came home this morning. They don't keep you in long do they!

Goodluck with your surgery Kiwi



Cheers Sue

Good luck today Kiwi from a fellow Kiwi (living in oz). :)