Postop Day #5

 I'll share how difficult the first 8 weeks were for me. Not everyone has a smooth, easy recovery.

I used a patch for nausea for the first six weeks. That caused me terrible mouth sores from dry mouth. I have a condition called lichen planus and when it flares, it is like having open ulcers all through my mouth. When I stopped the patch, nausea took over and I could keep nothing down. The nurse said most people get over the nausea by week 6. That didn't happen for me. She finally told me to take Powerade0, because I was dehydrated. If I couldn't keep that down for 2 days, I would have to go to the clinic for help (it's a tough 100 mile round trip) and I really didn't want to go. She told me to stop protein drinks, vitamins, everything. It was such a relief. I finally kept down the liquid. It took me over 8 weeks, but suddenly the nausea let up and I wanted to eat. I could keep down cottage cheese. 

I still have trouble with meat after 3 months. I add finely chopped cooked chicken to soup and that is a main course. I have cottage cheese or yoghurt with a tiny bit of fruit every day for breakfast. I finally found plain Beneprotein mixed with milk for my protein. 

I know I don't get enough variety, but I have been losing steadily and feeling better. I try something like 2 oz. of meat and 2 T. of veggies and I feel miserable. Soup is a savior, because almost any restaurant of any kind will have some. I eat about 1/2 cup and take home the rest.

I hope I don't have to rely on protein powder forever, but it is the only way I can get my numbers in now.

This is a long post, but I don't want you to feel alone. This is a tough surgery, no matter how wonderful the results. I no longer am diabetic and in the darkest hour (with my head in a toilet) I reminded myself why I did this. Whining is permitted here. Listening is what we do here. Every journey is different, but the destination is the same: better health, better life.

I saw my brother go through his surgery and he was miserable for the first few weeks. He didn't do anything but lay in his recliner and try to sleep through his misery.

There is no telling how our bodies are going to react to this. Whine away. It helps!

OH! Please, BBMaker, please vent your feelings.  Each of us is different, and our bodies and minds and emotions react differently too.  You had to travel to Mexico and back.  That's taxing on the body. 

Part of my easy recovery has been the liberal use of good drugs and GasX melt in your mouth strips, a heating pad, and homemade super broth. And honestly, I'm hunched over like Quasimodo today, and can barely get anything down, and I'm missing my 5 mg of Oxyc every 4 hours.  

Sending you healing energy created by the swinging of labradoodles and geckos.
tracey, your VSG twin sista

The body and brain do a wonderful job of letting us forget difficult times.  I would tell you my surgery was easy, but then when I think about it, I remember the horrible days and nights in the hospital, even with good drugs.  Since then I have improved steadily and so I tend to not think about those hard days.  You will get better.  It may take a while, but it will happen.  And when you get a month or two away, it doesn't seem so bad.  It's kind of like the days/weeks we spend on a liquid diet or with pureed food.  Seems like forever before we can REALLY eat, but once there, it wasn't so bad after all. 

Whine when you need to, we have all been there.