Newly Sleeved Looking for Friends/Support!

Hi folks!  I'm Karen, 41 living in PA.  Just got sleeved 5 days ago.  I originally went in for RNY in January and had a surgical error that prohibited be from getting the surgery.  Did get a nice incision and a 4 week recovery.  Waited a few months, switched to the sleeve and doing good for just a few days out.   Off pain meds since I left the hospital.  Working to get all of my fluids and protein in (it is really hard!)  I feel like I am in a good place. 

Any strategies to get the protein and liquid in?

Looking to get support and give support.  Please friend me if you are interested.

Thanks!

Hey Karen.  I haven't had surgery yet (just got insurance approval for the sleeve).  I've been reading around on the various forums.  Glad to read that you got through the surgery and doing well on this long journey.  I'm not sure about any tried and true ways to get protein and liquid in but do you do shaved ice...being cold may not be of use as you may need room temp. water but some people like to crunch on ice so thought that might be of use.  I'm guessing you are on the liquid portion of post op diet?  Are you doing the protein shakes? 

I've found as time as gone on, I am now able to get more fluids in (YAHOO!)  During the liquid phase, I did 2 protein shakes a day (great way to get protein in), and soups, popsicles ect.  I'm on pureed now...so many more options!

When are you getting your sleeve?  Are you getting excited/nervous?

I'm not too far behind you Karen! My name is Michelle, I'm 42 and live in Michigan. My surgery is scheduled for TOMORROW! Feels so strange to finally be here. I really don't know whether to be scared, nervous, or excited! Oh well, I've only got five hours until we leave for the hospital! Any advice for post-op will greatly be appreciated!

Hope ur doing well still!!!

How are you doing?  The beginning is very hard....sip, sip, sip. I found sugar free popsicles to be super helpful.   Are you recovering ok from surgery? 

Recovering great!  This beginning is hard.  I can now drink a cup of water within an hour.  My difficulties is all the liquids!  I'm tired of liquids!!!  The popsicles are my favorite...funny considering I hated all things sugar free before!  I would just love some soup at least or some pureed fruit!  UGH...six more days to go.  Taking the kids on a day trip on Friday, of course will be packing protein and liquids but I'm expecting it will be interesting to say the least.  If it goes half way decently, I plan to spend a few nights at my parents just to "get away"...hope the days will go faster and hope that the liquid diet will be better somewhere else!  In stopping complaining, the good side is that I've lost 25 pounds thus far between the pre op diet and the eight days since surgery!  YAY! 

Can't you have soup? Sometimes I was desperate for something savory and warm chicken broth made such a nice change! If you can have shakes, can't you have a nice cream soup or kefir?

No can't have any soups yet...two more days to go on that! Broth yes but with only two flavors it sucks! . Right now its strictly a clear liquid diet with protein. On Tuesday I move to my stage four which is anything you can purée to a consistency no thicker than pudding! I'm already trying to get quite creative! And I've never been a soup person so it will probably be fun to try new ones. I was just looking online for gazpacho recipes...yum!

Hello Karen, I was sleeved 6/10 so am about 2 wks behind you, but it sounds like we're on a similar learning curve.  I'm using myfitnesspal.com to track meals; and at the end of the day, I have whatever size protein shake it takes to meet my protein goal.  (The goal the program created didn't match mine; but it still lists a total for comparison).   Suspect I'm going to drink shakes for life, but now that its not mandatory, it'll be okay.  

Was sooo sick of liquid diets.  I'm allergic to dairy and found a great egg-based shake -- but every day gets old fast.  A feast was having warm savory chicken broth and solid-seeming jello.  Some of my happiest moments were when the nurse said I could swallow medicine without crushing it first (heart meds taste unbelievably nasty) and when Dr. Khalil (yay Dr Khalil) said I could introduce pureed foods.  

Took me a couple days to get anything down too.  Still hard, take it as a good sign that my stomach is not stretching.  Want it to stay that way.  Serve meals in a custard cup and try to stop at the first indication to.  A couple times I spit out what was in my mouth because what had hit my stomach a moment before warned me it wasn't happy. Haven't thrown up yet, but prepared a couple times...

Water is still hard for me even tho its always been my favorite drink.  Used to drink with meals, so that trigger isn't available anymore.  Am trying to remember to interrupt myself all day to keep sipping - not easy.

What food level are you on now?  Have you needed to cope with other stresses, like family or work?  I'm concerned about going back to work full-time. This takes so much time to learn and pay attention to goals - it's nowhere near automatic yet.

Best wishes,

Paula