3 weeks out and chest pain update (long)

Hi Guys-

Well i was 3 weeks out yesterday but i wanted to wait and find out what my dr said about my chest pain before i posted. He diagnosed me with costochondritis. Inflammation of the cartilage of the chest.

He said my heart and lungs sound great, my BP and pulse were awesome and when he pressed on the cartilage areas it was definitely uncomfortable! Luckily the treatment is low dose of NSAIDS, deep breathing and heat:) I can do that! Im actually already feeling much better.

Ok on to the 3 week update. These 3 weeks have been incredible. Ive lost 24lbs in those weeks plus my 21 before surgery means im down 45lbs! AMAZING.

Healing went well. 5 of my 7 incisions just look like little scratches. Thankfully i didnt have drains and my incisions never oozed. I had clear bandages over folded 4x4 and steri strips for a week then those came off and it was just the steri strips until they peeled off about a weeks or so later. Ive slept in bed from the beginning with pillows piled under me to sleep on my back the first week and ive been sleeping on my sides since the beginning of the 2nd week (with a pillow under me:)

Water has been OK i sip constantly and at the beginning i would stay up late to finish my 64oz  but since ive added a straw i find i drink a bit more at a time and have no problems now getting in 64+oz. Ive not notice any increase of gas with a straw so im keeping it:)

On the subject of gas....I fart and poop a good bit. Somedays more than others. It does smell sometimes but i will say it doesnt smell worse then pre DS poo just different. Hubs said if Chuck Norris's fists had a smell it would be my butt:) haha

Im slowly working on getting my vitamins in and i drink 2 protein shakes a day right now. I would like to get up to 3 drinks but i find i run out of time!

Food intake hasnt been an issue with me either. Well, besides lactose. The only thing i find that i can have with "milk" in it is cheese, cream, butter and greek yogurt (the best stuff, really:). Everything else upsets my belly but i was lactose sensitive before surgery and dont like most things milk based anyways.

Full Fat food is DELICIOUS. Ive never had the lenience to eat full fat anything! I use to dislike cheese because i always ate low fat. Full fat cheese is soo good, cant get enough of it! those lil babybel cheeses...oh my are they good! Butter, yum. Ive never even had cream until a week ago and i will tell ya it makes EVERYTHING better!

Im on soft foods right now! YAY! i didnt ever think i would make it but i did!! Im eating 1 egg omelets scrambled with cream, diced ham and cheese topped with plain greek yogurt and fried in a pan with REAL BUTTER! Tuna fish or sardines in olive oil mixed with a little mayo. Roll ups with sliced herbed turkey and havarti dill with cream cheese spread between the layers and avocado. I do the same with salmon, cream cheese and avocado (i call these Jen's Sushi rolls:)  I also made spinach dip using greek yogurt instead of sour cream and i roll it up with high quality deli meats or mix it with the tuna or sardines instead of plain mayo. Im making meatball tonite and pulled pork this weekend:) It actually Fun trying new thing and coming up with new menus.

Eating does take me awhile but cold/warm food doesnt bother me as i had to eat this way with the dreaded lapband, at least now the food goes down comfortable like it should and not heart attack painful like with the band!

Hope this LOOONG report helps any newbies or pre ops feel better about there choice. I never liked the idea of the RNY and im so happy to have found the DS!!! I certainly heart my DS!

Good report. I'm glad you got sorted out. Nice progress so far, so keep up the good work.

--gina

Thanks Gina:) I feel like a butterfly coming out of her cocoon! Once these wings dry, you better watch out!!!

 My goodness, you're eating like a real champ!  I'm glad the chest pain was an easy fix.

Thanks Valerie! Im glad the chest thing was an easy fix too! Boy i was so worried they would have to stick a huge needle in my an take fluid out (if it was pleurisy)

I did forget to mention all my meal are small. 2-3oz and i eat for 45mins, sometimes more...i dont want newbies thinking of the normal (or super size portions:) Between 3 meals, a snack, 2 protein drinks, 64oz of water and vitamins im glad i took 6 weeks off to get on schedule! haha

It really is a full time job!

Love your new atavar btw:)

Glad you got an answer, you are doing very well, I hope to be joining you as a new post op soon... fingers crossed I will be switched on December 20th.

I cannot wait to get the band out, and along with it all of the sense of dissapointment shame and regret.....

Keep up your good work and heal soon.

Thank Sara. Once that band is out you wont ever think about it again unless it is to encourage a DS preop or discourage a band preop with your nightmare story with the band. Like most of us "bandsters" i struggled EVERYDAY with pain, being stuck and sometimes sliming.

The most embarrassing band moment of my life with the band was on the way to GA to get the DS. I had a little snack in the car so we would save money and i would stay on diet. The snack went down fine but 2 mins later i started having the "heart attack" pressure of being stuck. Hubs quickly gulped down his drink so i could slime IN FRONT OF HIM and i continued doing that for over 30mins. That had never happened to me before. I knew i was doing the right thing getting the DS but that was really THE FINAL STRAW. Keep in mind i had a completely unfilled band!

I will be here rooting you on come the 20th! You will be so happy after that band is out!

I'm so jealous. I'm in the 'food nauseates me big time and protein shakes suck' phase of this DS. I could do better with fluids too. Right now turkey bacon is pretty much the only thing that doesn't turn my stomach and I don't want to get sick of that too. I've had such a migraine today that I finally called the surgeon and asked what was safe to take so early out, He said Tylenol (does nothing) or ibuprofen. I took some ibuprofen but I need Excedrin. I'm afraid to take it. What to do...

I ate a diiferent kind of greek yogurt tonite and thats throwing me for a loop...wont do that again! Some of my problem is im so hungry! My NUT (i know dont trust your NUT but i had a small hope!) told me i wouldnt be hungry for a year! LIAR!
 
I have a snack at 5am, i wake up at 9/10 shakey needing food...thats not head hunger! If i dont eat every 2-3 hrs i get a nawing in stomach that i know well from starving diets of the past:)

I get nauseous if i dont eat or if i get nausea i always think food will help and eat! haha

I hope this passes soon for you, im waiting my turn. I know the other shoe will drop soon!

I saw this update earlier.  I had been watching for one.

Great news!