What turned out *better* than you expected?

There are a lot of YouTube videos where people talk about things they wish they had known before having VSG, and those things are usually unwanted. For example, that you gain weight temporarily from all the IV fluids, that drinking water can hurt, etc. However, if you did a lot of research before your surgery, as I did, you may have encountered the opposite situation: you were prepared for unpleasant things that didn't happen. Here are some of mine; I'm curious what other people's are.

• Drinking water was not painful for me. I didn't try to gulp or guzzle it, of course, and I started out just sipping. However, on day 2 I forgot to sip, and realised that I was able to drink normally.* And now, 2-1/2 weeks out, I can even take 2 or 3 gulps of water without any problem. However, I still have to sip other fluids, especially the protein drink.
• I had heard horror stories about how bad the liquid you drink for the swallow test tastes, and I was afraid it would make me vomit. However, the liquid I was given was OK; it had a strong flavour of aniseed. Not something I'd choose to drink, but not unpleasant.
• I had heard that the blood thinner shots would cause a burning sensation. I don't know what they used on me, but it wasn't uncomfortable at all.
• When I woke up after surgery, I wasn't in pain, just very uncomfortable and feeling very sorry for myself.
• I had no gas pain! I mentioned to the surgeon that I was surprised I didn't have any pain from the gas they pump in, and he said "Yeah, we remove all that gas before we close you up."

* Of course, I recommend that you follow your health care team's advice about sipping. I discussed this with my dietician and she said I didn't have to sip if drinking normally didn't hurt. On day 2 she wanted me to stick to the fluid intake limit, but on day 3 she said I could drink more than the recommended amount of water if I wanted to.

I never had issues with restriction for liquid, thank goodness.

Hair loss has never been a problem for me - but I also shaved my head 6 weeks post-op.

I haven't gotten any **** from people about my WLS, at least not to my face, and I haven't lost any friendships due to my weight loss. (Although friendships have changed, but who's to sat that's a causal relationship.)

Ah, that's another good one. All of the friends I told about my surgery, even the skinny ones, were very supportive; not at all judgmental.

What a cool idea for a topic!

I also can drink water almost normally. If I take a big gulp, I do feel like it can get a bit stuck--like pouring liquid into a funnel all at once. But if I sit up straight and raise up my arms, it kinda drains down.

I heard reflux horror stories. So far, nothing like that for me (knock wood!)

No nausea, except for the nausea induced by morphine in the hospital.

As I slowly introduce pureed foods, I have not had any bad reactions. I've only encountered one that seemed to bother by tummy--and even that is minor (cottage cheese on day one...I'll try again now that I'm over a week in). I heard that some people had issues tolerating chicken--but my stomach seems quite happy with it. Eggs, greek yogurt, Icelandic skyr, tomatoes, lentils, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, no sugar added apple sauce, and peanut butter all seem to go down fine, so long as keep to the proper portioning.

No one is really asking me questions or digging. I did not want work people to know, because some are just gossipy not so nice people. If anyone really asks, I just tell them I had a hiatal hernia repair--which is the truth (just not all of it!). I've only lost 26lbs, so I know this may change as the loss gets more dramatic. But for now, I'm happily under the radar.

I'm not having any severe energy dips. I spent 3 days on a mini vacation that involved miles and miles of walking out in the hot sun. While I did have to sit a lot and sip constantly, I didn't totally cag it..which was a nice surprise.

To start, I had no pain really. The surgeon said I might need some help around the house for a couple weeks, but I didn't take the liquid pain medicine he gave me and after the first day home of rest and sleep I was up doing things carefully on my own with very little to no pain.

I have never been sick from eating too much. Well, I guess maybe that's more my doing than the surgery, but not once have I over eaten and then had to throw up because of it. Minus one time, but it wasn't over eating, it was the food. The fish was.. so bad. The taste of it, the smell of it and I LOVE fish, but something was very wrong with that fish. I couldn't keep it down.

No acid reflux issues.

I drink better out of a straw than anything else. They said it would be the opposite. I don't know who they have that manages to gulp air through a straw. Your lips are closed around it...

Didn't think about it before, but I'm no longer worried about dying in my sleep every night before I go to bed.

The heat does not bother me. In fact, I love it.

Yes! What is with that straw thing!? I drink from a cup or bottle and I get in air. I was at the pool a couple of days ago and found myself drinking water through a straw (just didn't think about it) and no issues sucking in air-- and in fact, did a better job controlling how much I sipped. Maybe it's people sipping to like, an near-empty cup? I think I might invest in one of those re=usable metal straws to take around with me, because frankly I believe that I do better with straws.

All of the following were much better than I had expected: I didn't really have pain after the first day, I was just uncomfortable. I also thankfully had no nausea. And going through the drinking and eating transition was easier than I expected - nothing really bothered me. The only time I had a problem was when I once ate more than the measured amount, and a couple of times well after surgery when I had something too dry.

This really is a great subject Wombat!

Let's see...

• I had no gas pains. I was really expecting them after hearing about how many people had horrible ones. I was up doing laps around the floor as soon as they said I could get up, so I'm not sure if that was it or if my surgeon just sucked it all out.
• I had no nausea at all. I was also wearing an anti-nausea patch behind my ear for 3 days.
• I loved those compression thingies they put on your legs. But they were a pain to unhook when I went for a lap so I got rid of them as soon as they'd let me.
• I'm realllly talkative post-anesthesia! I was in recovery for 3 hours because they were waiting for my bed to open and get all cleaned up. I talked both ears off my recovery nurse, Diego. And I was chewing crushed ice almost nonstop (between my chattering). Diego was so sweet and patient, and even sent me a "get well" card that I got a couple days after I got home. He probably appreciated chatter much more than puking. HAHA
• The blood thinner shot didn't bother me at all.
• Drinking water wasn't painful for me at all...except a couple times when I took several big gulps at a time. I don't do that anymore!
• The broth at the hospital is gross. But my nurse warned me about that.
• I was 10 POUNDS heavier when I got home than I was just before surgery. Really shocked me. After a couple days I had my husband just hide my scale because I was really getting frustrated. He hasn't given it back to me. I'll know my weight when I go to my one-month appointment on the 11th.
• Sleeping in my bed was fine, but rolling over and getting up was rough for a couple days.
• I've got enough biotene and Gas-X to last me several lifetimes. Never needed either.
• I over-packed. I didn't need slippers, robe, makeup (HA!), etc. I wore a caftan in and out, and I brought my own nightgown which I wore to do laps in. It almost looks like a dress, so I didn't look like I was doing laps in my lingerie.

I'm sure I can think of more, but that's what really stands out. I know some people have really challenging post-surgery experiences, but I was very fortunate to have breezed right through it.

Yes! I know some people dislike them, but I loved the boots they put on my legs that would periodically give my legs gentle little hugs while whispering "woosh woosh". They relaxed me and sent me right off to sleep.

I got the Biotene on a buy one get one free special. It might have been handy for the first 24 hours, but I left it up on the ward instead of bringing it down with me to surgery. I ended up giving both bottles to the dietician, who said they would be very handy for her elderly patients.

What a lovely question.

• No surgical pain or gas pain post surgery
• No unpleasant medical experiences during 5 day hospital stay
• No hunger pains the last 9 months
• No desire for sweets or anything particularly "bad" but have not avoided anything unless I just don't find it worth the time
• Friends have been supportive and encouraging (although apparently every waiter/waitress in the world is trained to ask you a million times if you want something to drink) I didn't drink with meals prior to surgery
• I've been able to accumulate a lot of take out containers :)
• Husband has been so very kind (okay, not new just he's great all the time)
• All my labs are "normal", which is not a word people say about me very often -ever
• Taking 4 meds plus vitamins is way better than 17 meds a day
• NO angina since 5 days post op (without medication)
• Wigs look better than they used to