meltingaway

You are all full of such good advice and things I haven't thought of. Looks like you are all doing great. That is what I like about this board. We all encourage each other. Good luck to you all and thanks!!

I was wondering how long you have to go without losing pounds until you convince yourself that you are not in a stall but instead have lost as much as you are going to lose? I have not even lost 50% of my weight and have slowed down SO MUCH. I know that I am not getting to excercise like I would because I am a CPA in the middle of tax season and working 12 and 13 hour days. I am very careful with my diet and nutrition and track carbs, calories, and Proteins constantly. Do you think that when (in a couple of weeks) I start exercising more I will start losing again? I am a very positive person and have not thrown in the towel, but probably just a little tired and let down slightly (probably just because of tax season). I just wanted to know all of you sleeve buddies' opinions.

Yes I too would like to know what a five day pouch test is. I have reached a stall but am trying not to get frustrated. The only thing I probably am doing wrong is not exercising enough. I am going to start a zumba dvd soon. (I have it ordered).

I have been trying to push the fluids. It is harder for me now that I am eating more solid foods. I have been getting in plenty of fluids but it is not straight Water. I add things like hot tea (no sugar), crystal light, life water, etc. Does this count as my water intake? Does the 64 oz. goal I am trying to reach daily mean only plain water?

I am not as good of a water drinker as I should be. Also, right now, I have reached a stall on my weight loss. I know that is part of this journey, but was wondering if my drinking habits are helping me stall. Can anyone shed light on this?

What artificial sweetner is safe to eat? I hear all kinds of pros and cons on each one. What do you all think? How much in a day is safe?

Do any of you sleeve buddies get a runny nose when you eat and get full or nearly get full? Every time I sit down to eat I have to have plenty of napkins handy. After eating about 2-3 oz. my nose begins to run. I do not have allergies and have no cold right now. I just started noticing this about a month ago when I started on more solid foods. I have watched this and realize that it is not just coincidental. It happens every meal that I take in 3-4 oz. of solid food.

Let me hear from you if you are the same. And--can anyone explain this? What does my nose have to do to with my sleeve?

My parents gave me a Keurig coffee Maker for Christmas. I used to love all coffees and flavored teas. I haven't drank them much lately and went for about 6 weeks without any caffiene. I have set this machine up and ordered various k-cups and am now drinking this through the day. Coffee in the morning and tea later in the day. It has helped me get my fluids in because I am constantly sipping all day. I don't drink the cups that have sugar in them. I also am using a sugar free lowfat Creamer with some of the coffee and sometimes just skim milk which has Protein in it..

My question is this.....should I be doing this? I really love this new machine and it is so handy for getting my fluids in. But am I doing more harm than good? Just wondering what you think. I think since I am enjoying all of these drinks, I am feeling guilty like I shouldn't be doing this.

I have been so faithful to write in my food log. I count calories, Protein, carbs, and Fluid ounces. However, I am getting extremely tired of this. I have an iphone and was wanting to start doing this on my phone instead. Does anybody have a suggestion for a good app that would do this?

Happy New Year to you all!

Well from all your responses it does appear that this is part of it. Glad to know some others are affected. After rereading my post and your answers, I was thinking that this is alright and I will deal with it. At least we are still losing weight. :-)

I was just wondering if any of you have had this same experience and if you think it is "female" hormones causing it or something about the sleeve. I have times where I sit down to a meal or am in the same room where a meal is being prepared and I get sick from the smell. I was having grilled shrimp which I truly love, and couldn't eat because of the fishy smell. We were at a very nice seafood and steak restaurant so the food should have been apealing. Another time recently I was eating the inside of a taco and had put a little mild hot sauce on it. This smell made me sick as well. Is this normal? I have only been eating solid foods for nearly 2 weeks and have started experiencing this. Therefore, I cannot eat. I haven't gotten sick from the too full feeling because I am scared to get to that point. But I have gotten sick from just the smell of foods. This is weird and was just wanting some of you who are further out than me to tell me if this is normal. Seriously at this rate, I think I will continue losing weight forever because it totally ruins my appetite. I am going through a time which food seems unappealing to me and I have never been like this before. I have always loved food!!

I had my surgery on Monday and went back to work the next Monday. I probably could have gone back on Friday but chose not to. I am a CPA and I sit at my desk most all of the day except to go to the printer, fax machine, etc. I made it fine that first week but was extremely tired each evening. I would collapse at 6 after getting home. I pushed my walking that first fews days after surgery. I would just walk laps around in my house in my housecoat and I think that helped with my recovery. Now my stomach and incisions still hurt some until probalby the third week, but not bad.

I am now towards the end of my sixth week and I am feeling better and better each day and am getting more energy back. In fact I am going to start a more strenuous workout this Monday and do something in addition to just walking.

I think my first week was easier than some because I was in the hospital longer than some. My surgery was 5:30 am on Monday and I went home around 6 pm on Tuesday. I do know that this recovery for me was a little harder than when I had my gall bladder out several years ago.

Well thanks for the responses. I luckily haven't had this feeling lately. I didn't realize that the nerves are the same as a heart attack when you have one of these spasms. Very interesting. How long is it until the swelling goes down? I hope after all of the swelling goes down that I still have enough restriction to get my attention. I so far love my sleeve and am eager to keep losing weight. In about a week, I want to start working out. Right now I am only walking. My doctor said to wait 6 weeks before strenuous workout. I hope I continue to lose weight. I made it through Thanksgiving just fine and know I'll make it through Christmas. Good luck to all of you during the holdiays.

Hi. I was sleeved on November 1 and this was my first week on soft or pureed foods. I had never experienced the horrible feeling of too full until this week. At both Thanksgiving meals we had, I only had about 3 oz if that much of soft mushy foods and got this bad feeling. I was full but had shooting pain going into my armpits. Sound weird? Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I don't know what a heart attack feels like. This was just kind of scary to me. It lasted for about 30 minutes then subsided.

Hello. My surgeon was Dr. David Kim and I had surgery at Forest Park Medical Center at Dallas, Texas. Dr. Kim is fantastic and made the experience so much better than it could have been. He is very experienced and has an extremely good bedside manner. The hospital was state of the art. I would highly recommend surgeon and hospital to anyone.

Congrats! I am having my surgery at Forest Park Medical Center on December 3rd. How was your experience there?

Hi HollyW,

It was a good experience. I hope you get Nancy as the head nurse. She is so good---very young but good. Everyone there is great. I had to be there at 3:30am on the morning of Nov. 1. I actually rolled in to surgery around 5:30. I was first for the day. I got to my real room after recovery at around 9:30 I believe. The rooms are great---very clean and new. I have been in a different hospital about two years ago for gall bladder and ovarian cyst surgery. The hospitals won't compare. Forest Park Medical Center is fairly small (they are expanding though), but the care you get is I think extraordinary. When you go for your pre-op testing and preadmission, they will give you a fairly thick book to read about gastric sleeve. I have referred to this and nearly worn out the pages. It will answer so many questions that you may have. I think it was written by all the surgeons who by the way own the hospital. I went home the night of the 2nd at around 7:00 pm. They were so nice and wanted to keep me another night because of my nausea I was having from the anesthesia and because my potassium was low. I was ready to go home if they allowed and they gave me extra prescriptions for these problems and I did fine. My husband was with me and he was ready so I felt like I could go home. I know that nowadays, most hospitals shoo you out as quick as they can. Not this one! Another thing they did is just yesterday (14 days out) I got a call from them checking on me and wanting to know if I had any questions.

If you have someone go with you there is a place they can stay. All rooms are private and they have a recliner and a full lenth couch. Usually the ones staying with you will sleep on the couch after the all the cushions are removed and hospital has pillows and blankets. In fact, the room kind of reminded me of a hotel room somewhat.

I wish you all the best and I'm here for you to talk to anytime. We will travel this journey together. Good luck.

Hi, i am vicki and i was banded the same day as you in Buffalo, NY, i had buyers remorse the first week and was starving from the time i woke up in the recovery room, that went away after the first week, i am still on liquids and they are starting to go down alot easier now. I still have an intense fear of a leak and feel like im about to have a nervouse breakdown, wish i were a little further out. like 8 weeks or something, but one day at a time, welcome and you can call on me anytime,...Vicki

Hi Vicki S. How are you doing after two weeks? I am feeling better each day with more energy finally. When you say you were banded, do you mean you weren't sleeved but instead had the lapband done? As far as leaks, I have had two leak tests done since surgery---one in hospital 24 hours afterwards and then at my postop at 10 days out. No leaks!! You are right about one day at a time. Hang in there.

Hi, I am also in Dallas and I am scheduled to have surgery on Thursday in Frisco. I have more than 100 pounds to lose and I am anxious to start this new phase of my life.

I hope you are feeling well and 13 days in getting back to your life. I look forward to reading your posts as you're just ahead of me on this.

Hi PlannerGirl. Good luck on Thursday. Don't get too anxious---I can say it was all worth it to me. I nearly backed out two days before I had mine done and I understand those jitters you may have. Eager to hear from you soon.

Welcome! I had my sleeve done Nov.4th in Pittsburgh, PA. Things are going as expected and the weight is falling off. I am Trying SOOOOOO very hard to get my liquids in etc. but it is hard for me. I never was much of a drinker. Other than that.....I do not have much energy(lack of food I am sure) no real pain just a little discomfort. Took myself to wal-mart yesterday, got one of those electric skooter things they have. It kicked my butt being out for awhile. That is pretty much where I am. I had some "buyers remorse" in the hospital. I had to stay 3 nites 4 days and I had a VERY rough time, but now that I am home, all is well, or as well as can be expected. Hang in there, we are on the loosers side now. We just have to get well now. If you need to talk I am here! Vicki

Hi Vicki. Congratulations on your new sleeve. I have a hard time getting in all of my liquids as well. I just do the best I can and know I haven't yet got dehydrated because I go pee all the time. I am post-op two weeks yesterday am and really now am just getting some of my energy back. I am sorry you had so much trouble in the hospital. I only had to stay one night and was so ready to go home. Glad to meet you on here.

Meltingaway

Hey, I just wanted to introduce myself to the board. I have been reading and know there is lots of support here. This is a place I need to be. I had my vsg on November 1, 2010 and have so many questions. I have about 100 pounds to lose. I had my surgery done in Dallas, TX with Dr. David Kim. I do believe he is the most wonderful doctor I have ever seen. I had my surgery done at Forest Part Medical Center in Dallas. That facility was great. Now I am nearly two weeks post-op and am excited about my journey. Looking forward to learning and sharing with all of you.