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My second week postop was SO much better than the first week. The addition of kefir (liquid yogurt) in my diet really helped to bring my diarrhea under control & everything in the whole world looked much better after that! My surgeon had me on 2 full weeks of clear liquids plus skim milk postop. It was definitely tough to go that long on just clear liquids, even with skim milk & the addition of kefir one week in. I was aware that many other docs do not require 2 weeks on clears, but I just figured this was my karmic payback for having a generous pre-op diet that was not just a bunch of shakes. Even though I had heard this might happen, I was still surprised to find myself never experiencing hunger...either physical or head hunger. A couple of times I was in a restaurant or somewhere else around yummy food, but I was barely tempted. The food looked good, smelled great...and still, I only had a tiny ripple of want, and then I forgot about it. Here's what else surprised me, though...the number of pre-op and post-op sleeve peeps who encouraged me to cheat on, or disregard, my surgeon's instructions! Granted, nobody was encouraging me to eat a cookie or something like that, but several folks encouraged me to have some yogurt, or a protein shake, or pudding. Even though I knew it it probably wouldn't hurt me to give in, I chose to stick to the plan as outlined by my surgeon. Maybe it's a small thing, but it seems to me that developing our self-discipline skills is a big part of this journey. I assume that my surgeon has chosen his post-op guidelines because he believes them to be the best way to ensure a successful start. Part of the information we learn on this & other WLS sites is just how much variation there is among surgeons, and their pre- and post-op plans. We know what other folks are being told by their doctors, and sometimes it might be easy to think, "Well, that person's doctor said it wasn't a problem, so why does my surgeon care? It won't really matter if I just....." I know that suggesting that someone have a yogurt is not the end of the world, but rationalization and justification are twin pathways on the slipperiest of slopes. I don't want to get started down that road. I will be the first to admit that my self-discipline skills can certainly use some work, but I am making the best effort I possible can to be successful on this journey.

Holy **** once I went back to work life got busy. Anyway, I'm one of the lucky ones, I guess; over one week of pre-op diet, first week and second week post-op I lost 30 pounds. Which is amazing and I am still a little flabbergasted. Now, sadly, all that loss has caught up to me in the form of THE STALL. I've been between 235-236 for several days now (like maybe 5), but keeping patient. I did, after all, just lose 30 lbs in three weeks. I've been telling myself I might lose inches instead and reading the forums like crazy for morale, but every time I try on that stubborn pair of size 18 jeans they are still a little too tight. :[ HOWEVER: Work is taking us to Six Flags as a reward for being awesome last year, and I currently have nothing to wear to a theme park, so on my lunch break I dropped in to Lane Bryant to see what I could see in the clearance section. And lo, shining brilliantly on the rack, a pair of size 18 capri... jegging... things... hung in brightest red. And I did take them from the rack, and did carry them into the changing stall on the off chance they might fit. And there in the changing stall I discovered two things. One! My current work pants are a size 22 where I had unfortunately convinced myself they were a size twenty, which makes it retroactively depressing that they were pretty tight for a while. TWO! The capri-jegging-things FIT ME BEAUTIFULLY. aaand since I got them on the clearance rack and found $10 cash in my purse, only $10 came out of my checking account. Stall be damned, I won today :3

Why, oh why - please tell me...Why am I in the most danger when I've had a victory??? So we all know that exercise is the bane of my existence. But I've managed to work out at least 3 days a week for a month now. So this week, I'm bumping it up to 5 days a week. Grrrr. So I haul it out of bed this morning with the intention of doing something different at the gym. Everyone says you shouldn't get stuck doing one exercise routine - you should mix it up. I was therefore going to do a bike instead of the elliptical and weights. Started out fine - but the seat KILLED my butt (and not in the good 'oh I'm feeling the burn' way - more like the 'OMG I'm being sawed in half' way) !!! So I switched to one of the bikes where you are more seated with your legs horizontal instead of vertical. Didn't like that either because everytime I pedaled, I smooshed my stomach (which is still considerable) into my boobs, which are even more considerable. All of this and I only burned half the calories I burn on the elliptical. Had to leave the gym earlier than usual because I had an early morning at work. Managed to actually eat a good, protein breakfast and get to the stupid meeting on time (HUGE for me). Only to find out the meeting was canceled!!! However, we were having a drug rep coming later - with breakfast! So now - I've already eaten and they bring in tons of food (breakfast pastries, naturally) to leave in the break room, 3 steps from my office. Before vacation, about a month ago, I bought a new linen outfit. Fit perfectly. I haven't gotten around to wearing it until today because it's linen and requires ironing - which I only do about once a year. So I put it on - pants are too big!! :-) YAY me! I've mentioned that I was getting pissy because the scale wasn't moving, which usually triggers a binge for me. So I'm not allowed to get on the scale until the end of the month. The idea is to get used to doing the healthy thing because it's healthy, rather than being motivated by a number on the scale. So having a NSV like my brand new outfit being too big already is big for me! SO - someone please tell me WHY I'm seriously in danger of having a really, really bad - out of control eating - kind of a day! Why must everything trigger a binge for me??? If doing the right thing and not having a payoff makes me want to eat - why does doing the right thing and having a payoff make me want to eat?!?! Getting up for an extra workout - victory Healthy, protein breakfast - victory On time for early meeting - victory New clothes too big - victory I just have that unbelievable urge to eat everything I can find. I am my own worst enemy! Ready to turn around, go home, and climb in bed to hide until it's over!!! Shelly

Yogurt is deceiving sometimes... be careful with sugars and carbs in yogurts. I only eat Dannon light and Fit yogurts or Carb Masters from Kroger. I have never had the dumping syndrome and am almost 4 months out. I like the sugar free fudgecicles too but only eat 1 a day at most. Another thing... I don't weigh at home at all. I wait to see the numbers at my Dr. visits. I have read so many that were discouraged due to increases or stalls. I won't weigh again till August. If I go through a stall, I won't even know it! LOL .............. Hang in there... each day gets easier and the journey is amazing!

call your doc as often as you have an inkling to! it's their job!

I do not have a long post-op diet plan. I quit smoking 3 weeks ago and have gained 10lbs. God knows how fast we can all put weight on, and I have just been eating with abandon. You are also not the only ones to avoid family gatherings and cameras. I always dread them - but I push myself to go because the bottom line is they are my family. Make sure you go to see them in December. Your family loves you and wants to see you and your daughter no matter what you weigh!!

I received a call from my doctor ten mins ago. I asked her if everything I am experiencing was normal, She said if I am not tolerating my fluids and they come back up I need to go to the er. I will see how today goes. I know last was rough. I felt dizzy and hungry. I felt like I had not eaten enough or drank enough water. I did a skin test for dehydration. (You go to the middle of your arm and you take your index finger and thumb and pull a chuck of skin up. if it goes back down you are fine. if it stays in that pinched position you need to seek help). I forgot to ask my doctor if my band was pre-filled. she informed me that if I had any other questions or concerns to call them. I just don't want to become a pain in the butt, but this is my health and life so maybe I should keep asking. They have a support group but it is not nearly anything like this site. Today is my first day of work. I start at 3pm. I am low on energy and I won't be able to rely on my energy drinks and no vitamins. I just have to get through four days before I can move on to the mushy foods. I hope I can tolerate eggs and oatmeal. I don't understand how I can't have grits but I can eat oatmeal. They said it's because grits are sliders. I guess I am going to try to drink some soup and see how I feel because my stomach is starting to talk. lol I hope you all have a great day.

I feel the same way as you do. The only one's who know are my 2 kids, my "sleeve sistas", my personal trainer and my wls surgeon (of course). I've always been a private person about my life and it's just no body's business!!

I have three comments on this. 1. This is the BEST blog entry I've read on this site. Ever. 2. You should be published. Send it to SHAPE or other health and fitness magazines. 3. Whoever wrote this SHOULD be a mother. Foster. Adopt. Hire a surrogate. Whatever it takes, make a child blessed, because they get to call you Mommy.