Hi....

Hello everyone. Things are getting better, but I am still asking myself what have I done. I am not hungry, but I am having trouble with regular water. Every time I take a sip, I have to burp afterwards. I don't want to over do it on the fluids. I am so scared of getting sick, and considering I am still sore, that would be miserable. I am so ready to move onto stage 2 foods and will find out if I can do so tomorrow. I haven't gotten sick, dumped, or anything else. Having Nanny Nature come to visit me the DAY I got home did NOT help matters any. I do not have head hunger. I do not think that I am hungry, and I for sure know when I am full. I can make a cup of jello (like the ones the pudding comes in) last about 5 "meals". I will have to admit though that I have never wanted a corn dog so bad in my life. That has got to be the only thing that I miss so far. Well, the soda, too, but I can't have that so I can't miss that, I'm not allowed to. I have had such a hard time with the healing. I do not know if this is how I am supposed to be feeling. I feel so full, like I have a rock in my upper abdomen. I am not having sharp painful pains like I did when I was in the hospital. I am just uncomfortable. I have the usual 6 "port holes" in my stomach, and only 3 of them are sore. The ones that hurt the most are right under my breasts, and they rest on the incisions. What is so odd about it is those 3 look the best. It looks like I have just scratched myself. The lower 3 are worse looking, but no bruising. I am just hoping for the time that all of you speak about. The time that it does get better. One positive thing in all of my griping is I have already lost 14 pounds. I guess the scale is what is helping me realize that I have not made a horrible decision. I know people say not to obsess about the scale, but I can't help it right now. I am hoping all goes well at my appt. tomorrow. I hope his scale shows the same results as mine. I hope he tells me that I am right on track with everything. I will post again tomorrow, hopefully with a lot less griping.....

lol Kat im not laughing at you but at the fact that you sound like all of us post ops right after surgery. I think the soreness you speak of that feels like a rock. is your new little pouch. it is sore and hasnt healed yet . The drinking and having to burb is pretty normal I couldnt stand the taste and smell of water so i have to use Crystal lite peace tea. that is the only one that i can stand. Still to this day. I promise you it will get better. you will wake up one morning soon and say oh wow i feel good. That is when you know you are healing and then it all changes after that. Jan

Hi Kat, Praying for you. I know it's tough those first couple of weeks...then it starts getting better. By the time two months goes by, you'll be getting energy back, looking better and feeling good in general. Hang in there. Tracey

Kat your going throught pretty much what we've all been through as post ops. Im just over 3 weeks out now and can't believe how good I feel. My lil "buttons" I call them on my belly are all healed, they iche tho lol My pounch no longer feels like a rock lol When I eat stage 2 stuff like cottage cheese I eat it slow and after a few bites its funny Im already full. Hang in there Kat, it's gonna get better real quick. It was like I woke up one day and said WOWZERS LoL. Bless ya, Andrew

I also am almost 3 weeks out, but not feeling quite as peppy as Andrew. I am noticing my clothes are looser though, and after almost a week of losing nothing I have started losing weight again. I too obsess with the scale. I know I shouldn't but I do. I had to wait 2 full weeks before starting on semi-soft solids. I don't have problems drinking water but I do have to burp alot and that does still hurt. I think a lot of the "pain" will go away once your drain is removed. Like Andrew said, my belly itches all over. It is insane, but I know it is healing all the brusies are gone and most of the incision sites are completely healed. I am still in the stage of wondering why did I do this to myself, but when I take a blood test and the result is perfectly normal, and I realize I haven't had ANY diabetes medicine since the last shot of insulin on 11/19/06....I KNOW why I did it. I am looking for the big boost of energy, I haven't gotten mine yet, but hopefully as each day goes by, I will get to that point. You are right on track, keep doing what you are doing, and for the record, I ate something last night I shouldn't have and dumped. NOW I UNDERSTAND...but I needed that unfortunately to make my head realize what my body already knows. I wouldn't wi**** on anyone, and I won't do anything like that again I can tell ya. Best of luck Barb

Hi Barb. Stay off of that scale, it really isn't your friend! I found that I have stalls that last over 10 days (that is depressing when stepping on the scale) but will loose inches in that time. I would be bumming all of the time if I weighed more than once a week. The good thing is that after a stall, I loose up to 8 pounds. I guess it averages out. Glad you are doing ok. I promise, it does get better. I am 4 months out and feel better than I have all of my adult life. No more CPAP, none of the 3 diabetes meds, no blood pressure meds, no more Celebrex for joint pain. Looking better is just an added bonus; the health issues were my number one reasons for doing it. When you back to the doctor at your 3 month visit and get your blood labs and weight, you will know why you did this. Right now, just hang in there, keep doing the right things and take care of yourself. ~Diana~

Kat, I'm glad you said things were getting better. The first 2 or 3 weeks were the first for me. Even though I did really well, with no complications....I was like you.....I just didn't think I could wait until I could advance to Stage 2....but I did. It won't be long till the Stage 1 is a memory and you will have moved on. Just hang in there this time will pass quicker than you think. I can't believe that I'm 2 1/2 years out......It has pasted sooo fast. As far as you weighing everyday.....in my opinion, (for what it's worth)....there is nothing wrong with weighing everyday. I have weighed everyday since surgery and have kept a chart of it everyday. I am so glad I did that. As I was going down....I could look back over my chart and see where I had been like a month ago....then 6 months ago, then 1 year ago...etc. It is neat to look back and see the progress written down in black and white. I wish I had took more pictures as I went down too. I attended a Barbara Thompson seminar in Springfield once and she said that she weighed every day too. So some people will tell you not to weigh everyday and some people will tell you to go ahead......do what is right for you. And Woo Hoo on the 14 pounds already! Take care, Glenna

Hi its Gretta I was just wondering how much weight you have lost you look skinny in your picture Gretta

Thanks Gretta, I have lost 172 pounds. Glenna

Wow Glenna good for you!!!!!!!!!!