dargar27

Two weeks of a liquid diet? I didn'treally have to have a complete liquid diet except for the one day I was in the hospital, then they immediately put me on soft foods, such as jello, pudding, soups, yogurts, and shakes. Is that what you're considering the liquid part? If so, it really wasn't too bad because you aren't really hungry anyway. Although, after a couple of weeks, I was ecstatic to finally get to eat a scrambled egg!! Good luck with your surgery, and remember to walk, walk, walk!

I was a little freaked out about it too, but it honestly does grow back. I started losing hair about a month after surgery...a lot of hair. I have a lot to begin with, but it was still a little freaky. I took my vitamins, ate way more protein than I had too, but still my body went into a kind of shock after the surgery. The hair loss lasted about 2 months, a lot at first, then slowed down, and started growing back after a couple of months. No bald spots or anything, just a thinning.

That happened to me, and my doctor made me go back to liquids, soups, and soft foods for a few more days. Take it slow, and check with your nut

My best advice is for your spouse to join you in your meetings, groups etc., and to read the postings on here. If he can attend some of the nutrition classes, or the meeting with your surgeon, he'll better understand what you're going through, or about to go through. Best of luck to you!!

I'm in a similar boat. I lost 55 pounds, then started eating crap around Halloween time and haven't lost a single pound since halloween. Since the beginning of the year, I decided I'm getting back on the boat. I started working out again, and eating Protein first and staying away from the junk. I ended up having to go through the whole sugar withdrawal thing again which sucked, but I'm mostly through it and back on track. I'll support you and we'll make it through!!

Best of luck to you! You're doing awesome, keep up the hard work! I too have been able to eat whatever I want, and have had to be super careful or I can really over eat....but only the sliders and foods I really shouldn't be eating...lol When I eat Protein, I fill up very quickly, and can only eat about 4 or 5 oz at a time at the most, so that is what I try to concentrate on. It's funny though because I also have been craving sweets and I never did before. I have always craved the more savory stuff like pizza, etc., but lately it's been suger. Weird. Go back to the basics, and you might even try tracking your calories, protein, carbs, etc. on a site like www.myfitnesspal.com. I started using this when my weight began to slow down and it's awesome!! I"m on there as dargar27 and would love to befriend you on it if you would like some support. I'm currently 4 months out since surgery. Good luck!!

Ohmygosh, that's awful that they wouldn't give you more pain meds! I have to say my doctors and nurses were great with pain control. As soon as I opened my eyes they asked me if I needed anything. Definitely yes....lol They set me up with the "button" I could push when I needed it, and then I would blissfully surrender to sleep for that first day and a half. After that, I no longer needed the pain meds very much, and just walked the halls until they released me later the second day. I do remember the shoulder pain too, and had a similar thing when I had my C Sections...it hurt but passed within a few days.

Hi, Turkey meatballs are good and can be heated up quickly. Two usually fill me up. Jimmy Dean sausages, eggs. I will often boil up a bunch of eggs and make deviled eggs to take with me to work and as a snack in the evenings if I get hungry. Turkey bologna, salami, shrimp (very easy to just boil and take with you for lunch), and sometimes just whole wheat toast with Peanut Butter. Oh, and I've taken to buying grilled chicken in freezer section to put on top of my caesar salad which is also very easy to make and take with me to work. Hope this helps!!

Are you sure you aren't 5'8" and 265? lol Okay, I'm kidding...a little

I'm on the road a lot for my job, and Starbucks has a Cafe Misto that I love. I do decaf and it's really nice to have the hot drink and still get the taste and feel of drinking coffee. My nut basically said no more caffeine ever, but I've had many days where I've done 1/2 caff and I'm fine. I'm 3 months out

Hi Amanda, I had my surgery only 3 months ago, and also am totally freaked about regaining my weight. I'd much rather be healthy, however, than not, so I try to be careful with what I eat and usually consume around 1100 calories in a day plus exercise. It sounds like you have gotten a little off track, and just need to get back to the basics of nutrition. It also sounds like you have an eating disorder that maybe you can't handle alone. Please talk with your doctor about some support groups, find a good nutritionist, and get yourself back in the game. Being too fat is unhealthy, but so is being too thin. You need your calories for energy and health. I hope you can work this out, but don't be afraid to ask for help. You may need to see a psychologist for a consult, and may need a little help getting through this. I hope you are okay!

LOL Kelly, I will have the same issue in December when I see my mom for the first time since the surgery...she's mostly going to wonder why I won't eat more, and will try to force food on me...lol

I'm not sure if I'm the right person to respond to this because I still haven't told my own mother...lol I know she won't understand since she's never been overweight and tends to have problems understanding anything that is happening in the real world anyway...lol. It's funny too because I remember her always being on a diet when I was growing up. she was always doing the latest diet craze and wrapping herself in plastic wrap or something crazy, but she was never over weight! She never, ever noticed that I was fat though, and ignored my requests for her to help me lose weight. Her answer was to tell me I was fine and to eat....no such thing as fat free in our house! I just learned to filter what I told her since having her not understand was worse to me than having her not involved at all. Just my two cents I hope your mom is different and can come around once she understands your side of it. Try to explain that this wasn't a hasty decision, that you've done your research, are aware of the side effects, and that even with the possible side effects, you're willing to risk them in order to live a happier (yes it's okay to admit that being thinner will make you happier) and healthier lifestyle. However, if she doesn't understand after that, or is still against the surgery, agree to disagree and then think about just letting it go. She's your mom, she loves you, and if she can't understand, you can't change that and it will just continue to frustrate you. She will eventually see you losing weight, and notice how much happier and healthier you are Good luck!!

Hi there, I'm 3 months out, and can easily eat 1200 calories per day. I've always been able to eat more than the average bear since the surgery, so I really have to be careful to eat my Protein first so it fills me up

Trust me, you'll definitely know when you've eaten too much. I am 11 weeks out and I made this mistake...once. It only took once...lol I was eating lunch with a co-worker, was chatting and wasn't paying attention to how much i was eating, and all of a sudden the last bite got to me....after an hour of suffering, up it came. I hope I never make that mistake again! Now I eat slower, I pay attention, I put on my plate only what I think my sleeve will hold, and I stop eating for a few minutes about 1/2 way through just to make sure I am okay. I'm like Tiffykins, however, and when it comes to chips, crackers, etc., I can easily chow down! I can also eat bread products and although I can't eat very much, they don't bother me at all. I do my best to stick with Protein first and have embraced salads with grilled chicken on top....caesar salads rock right now for me I have definitely eaten things I shouldn't have, such as ice creams, Cookies, cake, etc. These things have been very small, very seldom, and as treats. I know I shouldn't eat them, and usually don't, but part of the reason I wanted the sleeve was so I wouldn't be restricted as much with what I could eat. I have young children, and I know that I will have a slice of birthday cake on special occasions, and I will eat the occasional dessert....just very small portions, and not often. You'll be great, just don't beat yourself up. Stick with your meal plan, eat healthy foods and protein, and the weight will come off. Good luck

Sounds like you are doing great! Two pounds a week is good, healthy weight loss. I keep wishing it would go faster too, but my head knows two pounds per week is awesome.

Hi, I lost 15 pounds my first week, then nothing for a good week and a half. I started losing again around week 3 1/2 and have been pretty steady at around 2 pounds per week ish. I also consume around 800 - 1000 calories per day. Hope this helps!

I had forgotten about Milk Of M. I used it the first week, and it was awesome!

I had a similar issue but I'm 8 weeks out and don't have that problem anymore Buy some benefiber and add it to your Soups or your drinks, and try to get all your Water in. It'll get better!

I also get the caramel chews...they are delicious. I just ordered the chocolate but haven't tried them yet. You need to eat 4 per day in order to get all your calcium, but I eat them on my way home from work each night during my 45 min drive home

That's awesome! By the time you're allowed to get prego, you'll probably have lost all your weight....go for it!

Hi there, I'm only 6 weeks out, and doing great. I've lost 24 pounds since surgery, and 15 pounds pre op. I'm still in Phase III of my post op diet, but so far nothing has bothered me. I should be released to phase IV this week, which means I'll be able to eat harder stuff like nuts, salads, etc. I also have 2 small children, and was worried about my energy levels. My husband helped out a lot at first, thankfully. I was pretty low energy for the first few weeks, although nothing too atrocious, and week 5 was really when I felt my energy return, but mostly because I can eat a little more and my body has recovered more from the surgery itself. I've basically had to learn a new way of eating, such as how much I can eat, what I should eat, what i CAN eat, etc. As far as your stomach stretching back to its normal size, the surgeon leaves the smaller, muscle part of the stomach so although it will stretch a little, it's unlikely to stretch too much. You will always have to watch your calories though or you will not lose. It's so much easier now though because I can seriously only eat about 1/2 cup of food at a time. It's an awesome tool, but also a huge commitment to eating right. Also, it's a big learning curve, and some people really struggle at first. I've been really lucky in that I can eat what I want, just smaller portions, and of course I go fat free or sugar free when I can. Most of my focus is getting in the Protein and liquids. I have not been sick or thrown up, but I have definitely felt the restriction of my sleeve when I've eaten too much! My best suggestion is really to attend some support groups if you can, and talk to other people who are post op. This website is awesome as far as information. You get the good, the bad, the ugly, and the great. Keep reading, ask questions, talk to people who are going through the same phase as you as well as people who are further out post op. I had my surgery through Kaiser and they had a mandatory orientation class. It was great. It provided a nice over view, although the best info I got was really from the message boards and from other sleevers who were post op. Good luck with your decision!

HI, I was able to eat eggs any style by week 3, and I started off with a deviled egg....basically ate the middle and left the white part at first. Now I'm 6 weeks out and can eat one half of a deviled egg with the white too. Um, I'm not too sure about the pureed scrambled egg...ew....lol I can eat about 1/2 of a scrambled egg with cheese at this point

Hi My, The first couple of days are tough, but concentrate on getting your fluids in. Everything else will come, don't worry. I remember when I started taking Calcium. I bought these delicious little chewy things from bariatricadvantage.com but they filled me up and then I couldn't eat! So now I eat them on the 45 minute drive home from work. They are like a little candy style snack...and I get my calcium in for the day...lol

Hey Tnt, I'm pretty much hungry every 2-3 hours throughout the day and it drives me nuts! I was hoping I would be one of the lucky ones who doesn't experience hunger, but nope! I have found that I seriously need to watch my calorie intake or I will over eat. I am able to eat way more than most people at only 5 1/2 weeks out and it freaks me out.