Full of questions tonight

1. Did any of you have "crunchy" knees prior to surgery that improved after weight loss?

2. Did the doctor send you home with liquid pain meds?

3. How long before you returned to work? I have a desk job that requires more attention than anything else. 

4. What was your most difficult part of recovery?

5. What is your favorite thing about being sleeved? Other than the obvious weight loss ? For instance do you love that you don't feel the need to sit down and eat an entire pizza?? I'm so ready to not feel hungry all the time. 

1. I always had knee issues prior to surgery, I had to do PT a bunch for them over the years.  But I worked hard at walking and then running and a lot of body weight strengthening stuff with yoga and pilates.  It's all made a difference.  My partner told me the other day "I can't remember the last time you complained about your knees hurting!"  And I can't remember it either.  

2. Yup.  Tylenol with codeine for me.  I used it for 3-4 days.  

3. For most people it's two weeks.  

4. Hm.  I'm not sure that anything was especially difficult.  I guess the worst was not being able to sleep on my side or stomach like normal, so I didn't sleep very well and my back got sore.  But that got better in the first 2-3 weeks.  

5. You might still feel hungry with the sleeve.  Lots of people do in the beginning because acid mimics hunger and they need to take a PPI like prilosec or nexium.  But a PPI normally clears hunger right up.  I just love that I'm so much more capable than I've ever been in my life.  My weight doesn't prevent me from doing the things I want to do.  :)

1. I had crunchy knees, both bone on bone, down 123 pounds 13 months later.  Still bone on bone but no more knee pain :)

2. Given liquid hydrocodone-acetaminophen on discharge, only used for 2 days :))

3. Missed 7 days of work, I work as a medical assistant

4. I had a very easy recovery, had to sleep in a recliner for about 7 days.

5.  Favorite thing about being sleeved, the numerous non scale victories, mostly everyone's reaction at seeing me the first time after weight loss.

Good luck on your journey, many thanks to my orthopedic Dr *****fused to replace my 53 year old knees until I lost 100 pounds, followed her advise and got sleeved! Started my journey at 286, now at 163 :)))

How awesome!  Congratulations on how far you've come!  All these responses give me so much to look forward to!

1. I had significant right knee pain before surgery.  I often sat around while my friends went shopping or took a walk.  I leaned on the cart when I went to the grocery store.  To my surprise, after I lost just 20 pounds the pain was almost gone.  I'm now walking around the block and adding more each day.  I had just "tipped the scale" to suffering the pain, putting just a little too much weight on my knee when I got to 289.

2. The doctor prescribed Tylenol with Codeine but I didn't fill it before the surgery because I hoped I wouldn't need it.  I was right.  I never took even a regular Tylenol after surgery.  I had a very easy recovery.

3. I had no difficulty with pain, gas, sleeping, drinking or anything else.

4. I'm only about 6 weeks out.  So far the best things are being able to walk normally and being able to resist buying all those "bad" foods at the store.

Awesome job!  I was just curious of the pain level.  I have had some pretty major surgeries and went home on Tylenol due to my heart condition, but it was never unbearable.  I know everyone tolerates pain differently, but I just don't tolerate pain meds very well!  I am really proud of you for being able to walk through a store and having will power!!!!

1. I too had crunchy knees. Not any more! 

2.  Liquid pain media that I didn't need.  I had. Rey little discomfort after the surgery so I chose not to use the pains mess unless necessary which was hardly at all

3.  I actually took 2 months to recover because I work for a school board but I was on a plane 2 weeks after surgery headed to the east coast of Canada where I spent a week walking around Halifax NS with my 9 year old nephew. He was the perfect companion: fun, enthusiastic about my journey, and always around when I needed to pick something up or tie my shoes! I could have back to work to my desk job after 2-3 weeks

4.  What was difficult. Too much Information but I had An issue with severe constipation in the beginning due to not drinking enough water. Once that was adjusted and I got a perspcription for colace, it has been smooth sailing ever since. 

5.  I love EVERYTHING about being sleeved! How I feel, how I look and all the amazing things I can do now that I am average sized! 

I am down 135 lbs with my surgiversary about two weeks away! Went from a size 24 to a 12-14. I am now the same size as my sister so I have an entire closet of amazing clothes to wear until I settle into my forever after size! It really has been smooth sailing, but getting the last few pounds off has been a struggle, and I am finding myself working hard to keep the bad habits away (snacking, too many carbs etc). Everyday is a work in progress but that is what I signed up for! There will be a time when the hunger comes back but I just stick to my meal plan, track it using my fitness pal and that really helps me stay accountable to myself!

good luck on your journey!

Yes, crunchy knees - gone!

I believe I got liquid pain meds but I hate pain meds and how they make me feel - didn't take them

two weeks -wished I went back part time third week

i had a pulled muscle that hurt for 5 weeks, told it was probably a result of the way I was on the table

Everything - I feel great, feel attractive, love buying clothes, love walking and moving easily, love being satisfied with a small amount of food -

1.  I had pain in my knees, and it was gone after losing about 50 pounds.

2.  No, my program said they never had a patient who had trouble with pills getting stuck, so they had no restriction on taking pills.

3.  I was feeling pretty chipper by 5 days post op, and started working then.  But I have a part time job, and could go home if I was tired.  And I was tired for weeks after surgery.

4.  the hardest part of recovery was getting used to my new tummy.  I needed to be really careful about what I ate, and how much I ate for many months.  It was not fun, but manageable.  I don't think I felt any sense of normalcy in eating until I was 6 to 8 months post op.

5.  The best thing about being sleeved is feeling healthy, being able to move, looking good in clothes, just feeling normal.  By the way, I still wish I could sit down and eat an entire pizza, and I do feel hungry a lot.  There were times during the weight loss process when I didn't feel hungry, but the hunger is back, and the yearning to over-eat is still there.  Thank goodness for the restriction.  It helps keep me on track.

1.  Yes.  Bone on bone.  Not as much pain since the weight loss, but still need replacements.  When I am on my knees during yoga, I really feel it. 

2.I had no pain meds in the hospital, or after surgery.  I had some trouble with waking up after surgery so my surgeon d/c them.  I was able to tolerate the discomfort very well, but I have a fairly high tolerance for pain. 

3. I gave myself 5 weeks.  I could have gone back after 3, but I do a great deal of work out in the field so I didn't want to pu**** I was 57 at the time.  I also wanted to be emotionally ready to return.  Very high stress job.

4. Well my life changed as I knew it.  So wrapping my head around that.  I was ready so it really wasn't that difficult.  

5. My return to health. The honeymoon phrase was great.  I thought I was cured as I had very little hunger.  That does come to an end, but if you have used that time well the next transition will be fine.  My life continues to evolve.  I was just 3 years post op and am doing more right now then I have even in early maintenance.  

Just wanted to add that your relationship with food has to change for long term success.  It will not always be a straight line and sometimes we slip and slide.  As long as you get back up and never give up, your life will change for the better in more ways than you can imagine.