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I know this might sound ridiculous or like I am just trying to weasle my way out of exercising.   I had vsg surgery 6 weeks ago.   I have been fairly active, with walking, went on a trip down the east coast visiting some towns and a lot of beaches where I swam, jumped around in the waves, swam more, went on long nature walks/hikes, and was for the most part on my feet from the moment I woke until night time.    The thing is that I have not done any formal exercise, a routine or anything that would be thought of as a work out.     I have never been a particularly active person, though there was a period of a year when I went to the ymca at least 4 times per week and primarily did the treadmill and some stair mastering. I tolerated it, never loved it.   I never got to the point where I could actually run on the tread mill like most of the other people there.     I am a clumsy person and just avoid phsyical activity requiring any real motor coordination.    Also years of being overweight and obese has taken a toll on my my knees and to a lesser extent my ankles, really just the ankle that I broke a fews years ago.  I was actually running to catch a child running for the road and fell as I grabbed her.  Snap/pop went the ankle.  I don't even know how I fell in such a way to end up in cast, but I did.    I also fell once just walking down a hallway and did serious damage to my neck, with some lingering pain, years later.   Like I said, I am not coordinated.  I cannot aim a ball or catch a ball for anything.   I am the worst dancer ever.  My sense of balance stinks.    Well, I think that walking and being more active that I used to be just is not going to cut it for my fitness needs.   I keep telling myself that I will have to go to the local athletic center or a nearby gym.    I cannot make myself do it.   I have gone as far as getting there but cannot make myself walk in.   I am actually scared of going in.    I am scared of trying to do any more challenging exercises at home as well.   I work really hard in every other aspect of my life and nobody would ever call me lazy or someone controlled by fear, but I cannot get through this.   I cannot actually imagine myself doing new phsyical activity.   I am scared of getting hurt.    I do have some limitations from my neck, but should be able to work around them.   I just cannot get over the fear.   After my neck injury I was disabled for a time, could not work or care for my child.   Then I was very limited physically even once I was able to work again.  Intellectually, I know I am able to physically take part in a work out of physical activity, but of course intellect and fears and feelings are different things.    I guess I should ask a specific question, but cannot really narrow it down.  Just wondering if anyone has ever dealt with something similar and how did you get past it?   Thanks for taking the time to read this.    

Hi everyone.    I was really cool quitting soda prior to surgery.  I was not a heavy duty soda drinker, just a diet ginger ale a few times a week.   Well, I have found that the thing that seems to best settle my stomach from wretched heart burn and other stomach upset is slightly flat, but not totally flat ginger ale on ice, here at six weeks post op.    I have caved in and had some.    It seems to work way better that tums for me.   Some how the acid blockers and reducers have had limited success.    Will such a small amount of diet ginger ale do harm to my new small stomach.   I have no more that a ounce or two in a day and not every day.   Thanks!!! Also, any other suggestions for reducing that god awful heart burn....

Good morning everyone!   I had my VSG 20 days ago.  I feel good!    I feel proud of myself for having made the decision to do this and for having done the first part.   My recovery has gone pretty well.   The day of surgery was not great and a few days following felt, well the way a person would feel after surgery.  I was anticipating more pain, more difficulty than I have had.   I have been tired.    I recently started having really unpleasant heart burn and have to remember to take something each day as a preventative measure.     I am not really hungry.   I have lost 26 pounds since my pre op weight.   I am not sure exactly because I had not looked at my weight after hitting 246.   I just knew I had to do something at that point.   I may have gone higher, but I will just call 246 my high weight.   As of this morning, I weighed myself at 219.   I wasn't wearing glasses, so I am calling it 220 to be on the safe side.   I have lost 26 pounds!!! That is major.   I feel lighter.   My feet don't feel sore, my hips and back don't hurt!   My clothes that did not fit, now fit.    I have to admit that I worry at times because I read the numbers that other people post and it seems like everyone else is losing at a more rapid rate than I have since surgery.  I know, I know...don't compare.   I know, I know...26 pounds in just about 6 weeks is awesome.    I should be feeling good as long as the scale is moving in the right direction..I keep telling myself.  

I have been doing more things.  I avoided physical tasks for a couple of weeks because every time I tried to do things, housework, yardwork, etc, I ended up having a throbbing, stabbing, burning pain in my abdomen.    This was hard, because I really felt so good when I was resting and taking it easy, so I would decide, I am fine, I can do xyz task...then I would learn my limits.   I can now do more and I am glad!  No pain, but I feel kind of worn out after doing one thing.   I still feel really good about my recovery.   I have to remind myself that I just had this surgery 20 days ago, whenever I get down on myself for feeling physically worn out.  I have to be realistic with my planning.     

I have had some recent challenges.  I think they are pretty run of the mill.   For the first time in my life, I have been constipated.   This has never been an issue.   I apologize if this is too much information.  I went 5 days without going.    I did feel uncomfortable after day 3.   Pooping is not something I have ever really thought much about, until I was not doing it.    I finally had some relief.  I am still having issues, but feel reassured that I will eventually go again.   When the urge happens I better just drop everyting and run to the bathroom, even if it's inconvenient.   My first time I had constipation was when  I shopping at a large store with a nasty bathroom.  I felt like I could just wait until I got home.  Then the urge was just gone and did not return for a long time.   I wonder why that is.  I know my system was digesting .   What are good things to eat and, or take to help to resolve this issue?    In the big picture, constipation is not such a big deal though.    

I have recently started having very uncomfortable heart burn.  Yuck.   I  have to remember to take something as a preventative measure.  Yes, heartburn is not pleasant, but still, not such as big deal.    

I am having terrible horrible insomnia.  This feels like a bigger deal. I am able to fall asleep, but don't stay asleep.  I am getting on average, 3 hours and 30 minutes to 4 hours of sleep per night.  This is making me exhausted, impacting my short term memory, concentration and most significantly my mood and generaly sense of sanity.   

I am following all the conventional wisdom for good sleep.     I had totally quit caffine since before surgery.   I have now been having a small cup in the morning because the lack of sleep is impacting my ability to be alert.   I am limiting myself to about half of a cup, in the morning only.  I have no pain or surgical discomfort, so that is not the root of this problem.    I wonder if this is coming about as the result of all of the changes that are likely going on with me due to the change in diet.    

I am going to lose my mind if I don't resolve sleep issues.    

My doctor has not responded to any of my messages, the office has not responded to any of the messages left by my pharmacy.  I don't like adding any over the counter medications without at least running it by the doctor, but I had to.    Some generic over the counter sleep aid, did not help at all.    Melatonin alone did not help.   Tylonel night time formula helped a little.   Melatonin plus the tylonel night time formula has helped, though not entirely.   I don't want to have to take this for the long term.  Does anyone have any suggestions or insights regarding insomnia soon after VSG?

I have been getting exercise through walking.  I may start going to a gym soon.    

This is my update 20 days out.

Hi everyone,

I am having surgery on Monday June 20th.   I can think of nothing else.   I wonder just how I will get through this week at work.  I am  anxious, preoccupied, and in a state as a result of preop dieting.  I am not totally off of caffine, but have cut way down.  I had half a cup of regular with half oa cup of decaf today.   I am lethargic and restless at the same time.    Well i hope I can get through the week without too much losing my mind..