Newly sleeved - sharing experiences

I seem to be doing really well and am now eating my Italian hubby's bolognaise sauce without a tiny amount of pasta in a puree form (parmesan cheese and all). It's delicious!!! The cauliflower, cheese and ham soup is terrific too and I credit these and yoghurt with my speedy recovery!!!!! Wounds are healing fast and no hair loss (yet). I seem to be losing 1kg a day which is the most shocking part......but as I'm only able to eat 1/4 cup of food at any meal, I guess that's why. I also ordered a Pilates machine which is due to arrive soon, so I can start exercising a little as walking for any significant time is a little too tiring at this stage.

HI Pink Sparkles

Yes Cameron hunt was my anaesthetist and he was just a doll, really lovely bloke. 

I'm so glad I'm not the only one with the pangs, thank God its normal and you're right, the water does help, so perhaps thirst rather than hunger.  And it is hard to tell this early I suppose.

Hi there Mell - you're going great guns, I was able to walk into a shopping centre on my way home from hosp and walk around for quite a bit (had to get some benefibre and lactulose from chemist in shellharbour square) and I managed quite well for 3 days post op.  So you're right on track I reckon Mel - good for you.

I never thought of the drinking custard, good idea and it takes care of the sweet treat thing.  I'm still drinking the yogurt too first thing when I get up (something I'd never considered as a food before) - just the 90 ml valia variety, then I go for my walk..  Then have brekkie when I get back.  I am still on puree foods I guess until I see the surgeon this Tuesday and I might get the go ahead for soft foods.

Having said that I did have scrambled eggs with dill (my absolute fave) this morning with some baked beans. Although the normal serve I would have eaten prior to surgery would have ALSO included 2 slices of toast (excluded of course now) was divided into three and I saved 2 for quick breckies for next couple of mornings.  Eggs and beans - great protein and I made sure to chew them thoroughly before swallowing so by the time they hit me tum tum they were puree (lol)

I am down another 2 kg from scales this morning, so happy about that, its slowed down, but still moving.  If I can lose 2 kg a week I'll be happy.  So from the OMG moment at the GP at 146 ish I've now lost 18 kg - woo hoo sounds good when you put it that way!!!  I am starting to feel the difference in how I am able to get outa the lounge chair (lol) and in some of my clothes, so from that I gather that its coming off from all over - another good sign!

Cheers

Hi Glenice, I'm glad to hear everything has gone well for you   
Did you end up with Cameron Hunt as your anaesthetist? 
I was so happy with him, dr Chau and st george private :)


Oh and the hunger pangs. I got them early on too. I think sometimes it's thirst rather than hunger. Hard to tell early on!

I had my gall bladder and GS done on 8/4/14 - released from hospital less than 48 hours later!!! Still needing panadol all day and endone at night to help me sleep comfortably, but amazingly I'm nowhere near as tired as I thought I'd be and am consuming at least 1 litre of water daily, with Valia drinking yoghurt, beef consome and low fat pouring custard at the top of my list. I managed to walk around a shopping centre in two  x 5 min bursts which was taxing, and sipped slowly on a Boost Juice Strawberry Squeeze low fat smoothie for 30 mins (consumed only about 100mls). Just wanted to see how I compare, post surgery to others........




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I am now 9 days post op and am pretty happy.  Incisions are barely noticeable and healed over and I feel nearly normal.  I am just taking Nexium once a day and have taken no pain relief since leaving the hospital.

I am having a surgeon visit on Monday and the dietitian phoned me yesterday to go through the puree stage I start on Tuesday...  which I cannot wait for!!!  So far, I have lost just under 6kg and I am just starting to walk also.  I understand that the weight loss is going to stabilise very soon and I want to ensure I have secured some good habits and routines for then..

Every day that I wake up I am so happy that I am getting further away from those initial risks, such as a leak.  Statistics show that getting a leak after 14 days post op is down to like 0.4% so I can't wait till then.  

So far, even though I have not started solids, I am feeling pretty good and I go back to work after Easter.  My first goal has already nearly been met!!

Hi Glenice,

Great to hear your doing so well. Pity about the hunger pangs.

My biggest concern is that I get busy at work and forget to eat.  I have had to set meal times in my phone to remind me. Who would have thought.

I am three weeks today and am now on soft foods. Bye bye blender and hello teeth. Am now up to 14.9kg which I'm thinking will slow down soon.

I also got a lovely $800 cheque back from st George doesn't really make up for what I paid out. I didn't want to wait for the PHI to kick in so I spent the savings.

I have noticed too that certain things taste different. Very odd!

My follow up and dietician appointments are included in the original cost and it helps that I'm only 20 minutes drive from the hospital. Had the first follow up and I'm not eating enough protein even with the opti, I now have to have a musashi everyday too.

I envy you living down in beautiful kiama. So many nice places to go walking.

Keep up the good work.

Jodie

Hi, I had a lovely dietitian who was very ready to help and we did two post op phone consults, which were $45.00 each. I think that was a reasonable fee.

BUT......she didn't give me any more information than I got from this forum.

Maybe your dietitian does the fat/water/muscle percentage thing when you weigh in. I didn't get any of that stuff. I was only ever weighed once and that was by the assessing nurse at my preop surgeons visit.

There was no reason at all why I would ever need to see the dietitian in person.

What happens if you don't use the 5 chronic health visits? Can you use the extra visits for other things like physiotherapy/exercise physiologist?

Hi Everyone

Great to hear you are doing well Vixta99 - it just gets better from here!

Jodie - 13 kg - great news!  Sorry to hear of the new kitchen shade of lentil lol.  I wish we'd met in hospital, I'd have a face to put with the name!

I am now at nearly 3 weeks post sleeve - I have steadied at 10 kg down.  Have switched from normal milk to a 1% fat variety, and am trying to keep sugar and fat consumption to a minimum as instructed by dietician so that fat stores are sourced for energy instead of glycogen stores. I am glad my weight has steadied, I don't want to loose it too quickly, but still want to see some movement so I know I'm on the right track - what a paradox!!!!

I am starting to get hunger pangs back again.  I thought they were gone for good or at least for a very long time.....trust me to get that!! Has anyone else experienced hunger pangs back this early?  I thought part of the point of the surgery was that it removed the hormone receptor that excretes the Grehlin which is what causes the 'hunger' growls. So I'm trying to drown them out with water (excuse the pun lol), and  have also been having an optifast in the evening to both quell hunger pangs, and get a hit of protein.  The optifast, I find, is quite filling.

Can now bend over to pull weeds, just need the weather to clear up so I can actually get out in the garden lol.

Got a refund from my hospital costs of nearly $1000 from St George, so that's GREAT news.  I can see a pair of diamond studs on the horizon methinks.  Perhaps at the 15 kg mark.

Still drinking the 1200 mls of water a day, and have ventured to a glass of wine on a couple of nights, but strangely - it tastes different and I don't enjoy it as much as I used to...but that can only be a good thing!  Sometimes I wonder if I drank wine just so I could wash down the bickies and cheese I inevitably had with it lol.

Wounds all healed well thankfully, still slight bruising around site, but nearly all faded away.

Have an apt to see Surgeon next Tuesday. 

Can anyone tell me if the dietician consultations are mandatory?  Mine wants me to travel to Miranda to see her (I live in Kiama) and when I asked if we could do it over the phone, she said the referral from my GP for some NSW health thing only covers it if its face to face and I guess the sub text is I have to pay if its over the phone.  Does anyone else know anything about that?

I'm following the instructions provided by dietician at the beginning, extensive notes and recipes were provided....I'm just wondering how necessary travelling for an hour and a quarter each way is....

That's about where I am at for moment.

cheers Glenice

I am now 4 days post op and am glad that as each day goes I am feeling better.  I sleep well with an extra pillow and having hits of tiredness but I suppose that is normal when you are on 10% of my usual calories.  

Just taking each day as it comes and loving the scales go down pretty fast for that weight loss drop in the first few weeks.

Hi Glenice,

Wasn't me in the maxi dress but I was pacing the halls in my white robe.

I'm currently down 13kg and am also struggling with the protein.

Had a little blender incident yesterday when I accidentally hit the pulse button and sprayed lentil soup all over the kitchen!

One of the incisions got a bit infected but seems to be on the mend now.

Have been walking heaps and bought a fitbit to help me track everything which helps.

Keep up the good work.

Jodie

Hi Jodie

Yes still going well.  Have lost 10 kg, walking every day, still eating puree though, stole some of hubby's scrambled eggs this morning - they smelled soooo good.  Just a mouthful yum.

Wow onto soft food already, I thought that didn't come till week 4 or so.  Good luck!  I'm guessing by week 4 we're all over the puree food.  How are you feeling?  how much have you lost? are you back at work yet?

Did you see my message - were you the lady in the maxi black dress walking with your iv?

I've tried to use my blender, the free standing one only once and it didn't do the job I wanted, so I've only used my stick blender since and it does the job just fine and less washing up lol.

I have off work until after Easter, so plenty of time to rest and recuperate.  I want to get into the garden and pull weeds, but at moment, it is still a little uncomfortable to bend over for any length of time as you have to do weeding....so will have to wait to do that a bit longer.

Wounds healing nicely.

I think the hardest part of the puree diet is trying to get enough protein into what you eat when you only have half a cup full per meal. 

Great to hear from you cheers Glenice

Hi Glenice 

Just checking in to see how you are going?

Hope all is well, I have my post-op appointment with Dr J on Tuesday hoping I will progress to soft foods. I am having a love hate relationship with my blender.

Jodie

Great to have your story here Glenice & great to hear things are going so well.

April & Gingerchicken - don't panic, remember you've done your homework, consulted the necessary specialists, & made a rational choice.  

Of course, I did the same - and then had massive anxiety just before I went into hospital lol. The 48 hrs pre-op I was so scared. But that's a totally normal reaction :) Here I am now, not even 2 weeks post-op, and all is going really well. I'm glad I held my nerve & went through with it. A relative who had this op last August has lost 27 kg so far & is enjoying her life so much more.

Now that I am finally on purées it's all making sense - I am finding small nutritious meals both filling & satisfying, for the first time ever! Also had 3 little squares of dark choc tonight (first time had choc in over 4 weeks), semi-melted via microwave, & really enjoyed it. But for the first time ever, didn't feel the compulsion to eat the whole block! I think not having to feel like you're on a 'deprivation diet' removes a lot of the drivers to bingeing. Food is not the problem - excess consumption is the problem! And the sleeve is a brilliant tool to help avoid that excess consumption. I'm feeling like a healthful change in eating habits is achievable, for the first time ever :)

Best of luck with it.

 

Hi gleince thank you so much for sharing your Story I'm going in for surgery tomorrow and am feeling a bit nervous reading this has made me feel a bit better. I'm not a fan of needles or pain and am really worried about these the most. It's been really good reading this thank you

Thanks Glenice and teye58,

What kind and thoughtful words. I think I will come back to this post every time I'm feeling that little twinge of doubt and reread them.

Yes, as far as sag goes..... I know I'm going to have it. Unfortunately I think in my case, you can't fight genetics! I'm only 33 and already have some ripper tuckshoppies! I'm not sure how much they'll tighten up. I never wear singlets.... And fear that I never will. Bate ins aren't my thing either ;) 

Hmmmm Dixie cups....what a fave past time.... Perfect size for post sleeves I imagine.

Hope your doing well glenice.

Ginger

Lol GF, rewards sound perfect.
You're right about the slower loss, I'm worried skin sag might be worse than Tuckshop arms!!!
What from what I have read it would seem we all have the same fears at about the same time during this 'adventure' but your advice is sage Glenice, 'don't second guess ' !! 
And on the other side, there is relief and positive feelings for a right decision. It's just good to see that relief when updates in these posts are made!!

Ginger, I'm glad its helpful.  I am sure you will be fine. 

I also thought I might bail, particularly since I had not been in hospital in 30 years let alone for such a life changing surgery.  And with age comes the wisdom that there are soo many things that can go wrong.  However, the complications with this surgery are extremely low and they do now have it down to a fine art - the staff are all over everything for you, support is incredibly good which may not have been the case 5 years ago.  Managing this surgery has come a long way, and they've ironed out 99% of the kinks.  What's left are probably individual patient reactions, that cannot be predicted.

You should rely on the logical and objective decisions you made initially to start on this path and know they were made with the cost benefit weighed in, and you made the right decision for you with all the information at that time.  Don't second guess yourself.

Teye58 - getting your coffee hit will be the easiest part of the post-op journey! 
Cheers Glenice

Hi Glenice, loved reading your experience, can't believe you are out and about having coffee, I'm very pleased about that, was worried about my coffee hit! You sound great and healing well, looking forward to hearing lots more!

Hi Glenice,

I just wanted to say how helpful your post is. I am quite fearful about the surgery and your thoughtful and logical account is so great to read. I can only hope I have a run like yours. I have visions of me bailing out at the last minute, dressed up in my surgery gown and crying in the hallway.
Thank you for helping ease some of my fears.

Ginger

Hi Jodie

I reckon I did see you - you wouldn't be blond (does blonde have an e or not?  I never know)  and wore a black maxi dress by any chance??

If that was you, you were still walking with your IV, but dressed and looking pretty well. Love to keep in touch. you seem to be doing wonderfully well - 5 kg post surgery already.  Well done you. Unfortunately my scales at home wont weigh me yet, their max is 135 and I weighed in at hosp on admission at 139, but it wont be long before I can see it slipping away....yippeeeeeeeeeee

Went out for lunch for first time today with hubby to our usual place in Kiama.  He had his usual grilled barramundi and they asked me if I was having my usual (breakfast - eggs benedict, lunch - chicken and bacon bruschetta), I had to say I wasn't feeling well and would have just a little Dixie cup of icecream and a small cappuccino. They didn't have soup or anything else suitable on the menu unfortunately.  But worked well and they didn't suspect!!  The icecream was divine and the half a coffee I drank made me feel soooo normal.

Anyway - do keep in touch Jodie, love to share our journies.  I'll PM you my home email.

Hi Glenice

You are so upbeat it's wonderful to hear. 

I had my surgery at St George Private on 20.3.2014 and was also in ward 2 south. I probably saw you walking the halls.

Would love to keep up with how you a progressing.

Jodie

Hi Everyone

I've had so much great information from this site, here's my turn to give back. Am 5 days post-sleeve and doing really well.  Here's my experience and info for anyone heading into surgery.

Was done at St George Private Hospital Sydney, which is apparently the centre of excellence for Sleeve gastrectomy in Australia, something I didn't know before admission.  Dr Chau (Miranda) was my surgeon and he was excellent.  He doesn't allow anyone to go home 'early' no matter how well they're feeling.  He is super cautious and you leave with his mobile phone number for ANY issues you might have.  Cant complain about that service.  I stayed 3 nights and was discharged Tuesday 25 March.  Ward 2 South at St George specialises in bariatric surgery and the staff are great.  Would recommend anyone unsure about where to go for their surgery, to consider St George.

I used my super to pay.  I naively thought the total amount of the surgery would be the total amount they take out of your super - not so - the surgery/hospital/anaesthetists etc cost $18250 and the total including fees and charges that was taken from my super was in excess of $23,000.  So be aware they charge you to get it out.  I now have to readjust my salary sac to super AGAIN with this news.  Although having said that I should have all that money paid back in just on 5 years.

I live at Kiama and drove myself up on day of surgery, parked the car in security parking at $34 a day and my husband came up on the train to drive me home.  Cost of parking for the duration $125.  Well worth it.  Much cheaper than staying in a hotel the night before and taxiing to the hospital if distance is an issue.  Both of us are wary of driving in Sydney but we both managed well.

Pre-op they ask you to wash yourself and your hair at home with an antibacterial soap or wash, so don't bother having a shower or washing your hair, wait until the morning of or the night before and use the anti-bacterial.

They will let you wear your own undies to surgery and the gowns they give you have press studs down the sides for easy access and they DO fit.  They put support stockings on your lower legs and wrap your lower legs in wired/aired sleeves that keep your leg muscles moving during surgery to prevent DVT.  They give you a jab in the thigh pre-op for the same thing.  I think the pre-op relaxing meds are delivered the same way, but I don't remember a separate jab.  Just know they left the pre-op meds till all the other stuff was done and by the time I was down in the holding area of theatre, they still were not kicking in.  The anaesthetist used a machine the name of which escapes me, to locate a vein in my hand for my IV which prevented the whole 'digging for oil' type scenario where they're trying to find veins in chubby hands lol.   And after I was asleep they used a vein in the inner of my wrist for the anaesthetic.. I think, as they'd removed that when I was waking up and was still holding a press on it as it was still bleeding.

The patient directed pain relief, something starting with F also causes nausea which I think is the only chink in the armour - why use something they KNOW (and all the nurses commented that it did) causes nausea when you have a very sore tummy.  But the nausea only kicked in as I was feeling better funnily enough.  Whilst I was immediately post-op and needing the relief it did its job without problems.

I remember feeling the growling of gastric juices in those first 36 hours post-op and was concerned, thinking - aren't I supposed to NOT feel hungry.  But that's all it was, gastric juices re-adjusting, and of course with no food to deal with in quite a while, they can make you feel that 'hunger' feeling.  Then I was given a gastric settler that prevents reflux that has been mentioned elsewhere on this site and all was well.

I had no problems sipping water and keeping up my quota.  It never felt heavy to me so I've been lucky.

The WIND pain though is a real problem.  They blow you up so they can manoeuvre inside you, but unhappily, they do not then 'suck it out' after they're done.  They sew you up leaving it all in there grrrrrr - I really should have a word to the surgeon about doing the vacuum cleaner thing.  As the wind pain is really the REAL pain and its BAD. They tell you to walk, to encourage gas to pass - that didn't work for me - I only burped which they'd never heard of and the walking seemed to make the gas pain worse for me.  I didn't, however, get the typical shoulder pain that everyone talked about.  So wins and losses lol.  If you do end up throwing up - it will be black (old blood) and green (bile) both normal and nothing to worry about.... except it would be nice not to put your new tummy through that!!!

I also found the mattresses on the beds a tad thin for overweight patients.  I ended up with a sore bum and shoulder blades from laying on my back.  I couldn't lay on my side because the mattress was just not thick enough and My hip bone was aching within minutes, and initially side of tummy laying wasn't that comfy anyway, but near the end I could and found the mattress a nightmare.

A physio will come around and take you for a walk around the ward and up some stairs on day 2 post-op and give you a little think to suck into that pulls little balls up to ensure you're breathing deeply, they ask you to do 2 lots of 5 suck breaths every hour to prevent pneumonia. IT can make you light headed if you're too diligent.

I did my first post-op NO 2 on morning of day 2 and be warned folks its liquid, green black and awful.  However it gets a tick in 'that' box for you - so all good.  The 5 days on fluids goes really quickly and my first cappuccino on the way home (real coffee real milk) was deliriously delicious even though I only drank half of it.

Would suggest before heading off for surgery have a clear soup either from a can or home made ready to go for consumption on your first day back home.  Last thing you want to do when you first get home is worry about what there is that's fluid enough for you to eat.  I made that mistake.  I also found the drinkable yoghurts really easy and helpful as a fluid/meal alternative and the bonus is they're great for your gut and some have great protein counts.

I have now made my famous pumpkin soup, purreed it and i'm going to use it as a vehicle into which to puree the protein I need at each meal.  I am also making a small version of a favourite family beef casserole, and once the meet is falling to pieces, will blend most of it (leave some for poor hubby) and use it for meals...yum yum.

I left hospital with a months supply of the gastric settler that I have to take once a day and a supply of long release pain relief that I take every 12 hours and it works REALLY well.  If you get a peak of pain, just a Panadol or two in addition and you're soon on cloud nine.  I also have a bottle of water on the bed side table that is additional to the litre or so during the day we have to consume, for little sips during the night to stay hydrated.

I am taking two shortish walks a day (15 - 30 mins each) at moment and am about to go for one now.

Don't forget to follow-up for receipts if you pay over the phone for your surgeon or anaesthetist and then take them to Medicare for whatever refund you can get.  Better in your pocket than theirs.

That about covers it for the moment.  I hope any of the above is of use for new comers wanting to know what happens to you.  I would also recommend viewing the online video of the procedure and having your hubby or partner see it too so they KNOW exactly what has taken place and they can be commensurately sympathetic lol.

All the best Glenice