dargar27

WCG, that's great news! Congrats!

Hey everyone, I got my surgery date...August 17. They will call me if they have a cancellation earlier, I want to get it over with!

15 to go until goal? Wow, that's awesome! Congratulations!!

I just weighed in 175 15 more to go it goes so fast! I love it!

Hi Kaiser Peeps,

I'm just checking in to see how everyone is doing! It's been a quiet forum these days, so I'm hoping all is going well. I'm 7 weeks out and down 29 pounds since surgery on June 6th. Very happy about that! I know it's a no no, but I tried ice cream the other night during our bbq with some friends, and oh my gosh was it the WRONG thing to do. Wiped my stomach out. I also had some milk yesterday and it did a similar thing on a smaller scale since I didn't drink too much. I think I've developed some lactose intolerance that they warned me could happen. So far cheese doesn't bother me, and I hope that doesn't change. I love cheese! Anyone else having any weird food issues?

Talk to you all soon!

Darlene

Hi Pen,

I ended up with a kidney infection from the catheter during the surgery. I had intense pain on the left side coupled with fever, back pain, and chills. If you get a fever or chills, get yourself to the hospital asap. I know this will sound weird, but if it's gas from your surgery the nurse told me to do this and it totally helped me. It's weird, but it works. Lay on your bed with your booty up in the air sort of like an infant would sleep, you know? It helps take the pressure and pushes it towards your rear and alleviates some of the pain. I had major gas pains after my 2nd C Section and the nurse was awesome. When did you have your surgery?

Hi all!

I started having pains right under the bottom part of my ribs on the left side of my body 2 nights ago. They come and go but have for the most part, stuck around. It feels like a really bad runner's cramp. It hurts when I breath in or laugh. It hurts to walk, sleep, or lay on my side...or lay on my back for that matter. I called my doctor's office yesterday and they told me that it was just gas and that they get calls almost every day about the same pains from other people. They told me to take my Gas X strips. So, I have been and they are just not helping. I just don't think it is gas because I don't feel it in any other part of my body. Have you had the pain and did it ever go away? What did your doctor say it was? What can I do to not hurt so much? Help!!!

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

Bariatric Advantage chocolate or Caramel chews. I think they taste really good. I haven't tried the lozenges.

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

I've been thinking A LOT about the future, after I have my surgery, and thinking about what that future will really look like after the weight loss and reconstructive surgery and such....

I see myself in a YELLOW POLKADOT BIKINI!!! ( I found and purchased one from Target for the future me!) Holding my baby at the beach and literally just being happy with how I look.. and knowing that everyone else is happy with how I look too.

I have always been comfortable with my body, but other people never have been.... so that's my future... what I'm looking forward to! <3

Not to mention having an ACTUAL baby bump!! LOL At 306 pounds ( as of today -90 pounds baby oh yeah) I have no expectation of ever really SEEING my baby bump. Now that I decided to do the surgery, i can really SEE myself with a baby bump....

Just some inspiration for myself that I thought I would share with you all <3

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!

I'm considering this surgery after researching all the bariatric surgery options. It seems it has the least amount of side effects, a great initial weight loss, and a decent long term weight loss. It all sounds really great, but I need to hear the "dark side" of it all, before I make the decision. I need to know the worst of the worst before I move forward with this plan.

A little about me, I'm 31, 5'10", 280lbs. my BMI is 40. I've just had my second child 4 months ago, and my post-baby weight is the same as my pre-baby weight...which, as it happens, is the weight I've been for the last 6 years. I've always been an athletically built girl...never super skinny...but at my best shape, I was a size 10 and weighed 170. I also didn't have 2 kids, a husband, and a career, so it was a little easier to take care of myself. Weight problems run in the family; my mom and younger sister are both morbidly obese, as are all the women on my mom's side of the family. No one really sticks to a diet or exercise program, they just like to complain and blame their lots in life on their weight. I'd like to break the cycle while I'm still young, and can enjoy an active lifestyle with my family, etc. I feel like the surgery could give me the boost I need to lead a healthy, active, confident lifestyle I so desperately want.

BUT, I'm concerned about the post-op world I'll live in. Here are some questions I have:

1. since you can't eat much, is your energy really low? I have to take care of 2 kids, so low energy is not too appealing

2. will you ALWAYS only be able to eat small amounts? Or, will your stomach stretch back to normal size eventually?

3. once you get past the first few weeks of liquid and soft foods, what dietary restrictions are there in your normal, day-to-day life?

4. I've heard you can throw up if you eat too much, what other physical side-effects can I expect post-op?

5. any regrets???

Thanks in advance for all your feedback. Some days I think this is the best idea ever, and other days, I think I'm crazy to consider it... just looking for answers either way at this point.

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

When were you able to eat a scrambled egg?

My instructions say pureed scrambled eggs starting the 5th week! And what the heck is a pureed egg? LOL Yuck

Just curious....

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

I am just 1 day post-op, so it's nice to hear that it will get better. I am up 7 lbs from surgery date, feel bloated and stomach swollen feeling on left side. I was told to start my Vitamins from day 1 so I will try today, plus I start Isopure today too. I was told first 3 days clear liquids, then full liquids starting day 4-14.

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.

Just looking for comparison

After eating, when are you hungry again? I'm talking belly growling, feeling like you need to eat something, not just the "I want to eat b/c I'm bored"

I'm finding I eat about 250cal for Breakfast, then 2 hours later my belly is growling. I try to make it wait another hour and then eat about 100 calories. About 2 hours later I'll eat lunch which is about 300 calories. About 2 hours again, I'm hungry. It's now about 3:30 and I have to wait until 4-ish for dinner. I eat another 300-ish calories and then at 7, I'm hungry again. I'll have a snacking throughout 7-10p of about 200 calories. I then walk a mile and burn about 300 calories. I might or might not eat a few slices of cucumbers or a slice of cheese right before bed.

I'm just wondering if anybody else finds themselves hungry frequently. It's nothing like the ravenous hunger I had before surgery, but it's a gnawing that feels like it could turn ugly.

I completely understand! I lost 15 pounds my first week, and hardly lost anything in week 2, nothing in week 3. Then, all of a sudden in week 4 I started losing again. Then TOM hit and I'm stalled again...lol Don't freak out, do what Chef and the rest say and you'll be fine. Protein, Protein, sip, sip

I started the 10 day sugar free liquid diet on June 6, I lost 10 lbs in those 10 days, surgery was June 16-since then I have lost a total of 26 pounds. keep in mind 10 of those was before surgery. I am on solid foods-typical day is 1/4 cup egg beaters with cheese, lunch is about 1 to 2 ounces of tuna, fish, or chicken. If I add anything I add greek yogurt, pickles or sugar free spagetti sauce and fat free cheese to the chicken.Supper is usually one of the things mentioned above with a vegtable or black Beans with a small amount of baked potatoe and cheese. I am sipping all day but have not gotten in more than 2 bottles of 16 oz. Water. I know I am not getting enough protein because I honestly can't get more than 3 ounces in during each meal. I am walking an hour at least 4 times per week.

The scale hasn't move in a week and a half. I am so very discouraged-Every diet I have ever tried I have lost about 20 and then it stops. Please tell me I didn't have half of my stomach removed for 16 pounds.

The discouragemnet is making it hard for me to continue with the foods I have been eating, nothing tastes good and I really don't want anything. If I knew it was working I would be fine---

Suggestions?? Thank you for reading the long post

I'm having that issue too right now. I had some chips on the 4th of July and they were the most delicious things in the world to me. I've been struggling to stay away from them ever since!! I have been on a major salt kick lately. really have to be careful and eat my Protein first so I fill myself up or i will get myself in trouble. I'm only 5 weeks out but I haven't had any food issues and can eat pretty much anything. I almost wish things made me sick but I do understand it's about using the sleeve correctly and re-learning how to eat properly and healthy.

You have to watch WHAT your are eating. I could eat tons of popcorn or chips if I wanted. If I eat Protein, like chicken, I can only eat a little. I always eat my protein first. Also, with carbs, they really do create a cycle of cravings. When I keep my carbs in check (around 70 for me), I don't have many cravings. The second I start eating junk, I want more. I try to eat fruit if I want something sweet, because they don't cause me to want junk food. Around my TOM, I seem to be able to eat more and I have more "head hunger." When I work out hard, I seem to want to eat more. You just have to follow the rules when you are in the losing phase. The rules really do work: protein first, Water, and exercise. I have to remind myself of this too! I am trying to get back into the groove of things after going on vacation. You CAN do it though!!!

I love those meatballs. They are an easy as bfast, lunch, or dinner. I can eat three and I'm stuffed...no room for any junk

The Foster Farms Meatballs are sold in the frozen food section of the store. Like maybe witht the other meatballs or bags of frozen meat. Probably frozen meatballs. They have italian and homestyle. The homestyle is better I think.

YUMMY!! 3 of them have like 16g of Protein and 2 1/2 is all I can hold at once.You will love them. Get some!!

kelly

The Foster Farms Meatballs are sold in the frozen food section of the store. Like maybe witht the other meatballs or bags of frozen meat. Probably frozen meatballs. They have italian and homestyle. The homestyle is better I think.

YUMMY!! 3 of them have like 16g of Protein and 2 1/2 is all I can hold at once.You will love them. Get some!!

kelly

Hi there,

I'm almost 6 weeks out and I've also felt the need to cheat. I don't really think of it as cheating, however, since I really can't eat very much at a time. I bought a box of those mini ice cream cone things, and they are 120 calories and perfect as a cheat. My kids love them, and as long as I'm good on calories and carbs for the day, I have been allowing myself to have one at night. Some nights I have one and some nights I'm just too full from dinner, which is great! I love the sleeve and definitely appreciate the restriction it gives me.

Congrats on your weightloss! Keep up the good work I was too thinking of doing this giving myself one day of week to cheat because I think I wouldn't feel so deprived of food. I don't know what do others think of cheating one day a week? Is it a good idea?

Wine Country, that's awesome!

A little update here...I went to bariatric lifestyles class last night at Richmond and I loved it. Then today I had my surgeon appointment with Dr. Im. I weighed in at 293lbs, so 27 lost!! I posted more details on my youtube video today but bottom line, I am at my goal weight!! I am seeing the psychologist tomorrow and if the case manager is available I will get my surgery date! Likely 1-1.5 months out but definitely before September. YIPEE!!!! Worst case scenario I wait to talk to the case manager but in any event, I'm READY! SOOOO excited!! I've done all the lab work and EKG and it's a huge relief. And happened SO fast! I just went to orientation on 6/14.

Hi Babysista,

Sorry to hear about your infection. Hope you feel better soon

Hello All,

Just a little update on me. I notice that last Thursday that my belly button was sore and draining more than usual. I thought maybe it was because I wore jeans and maybe the button on my jeans irritated my incision. I wore loose dresses all week hoping that everything would start feeling better. All it did was get worse. My incision was draining so much it scared it me. My belly got really swollen and red that I could barely walk. Monday I called to the Bariatric clinic but for some reason the nurse over there sent me to my PCP. She wasnt there so I ended up going to injury clinic. Basically he gave me antibiotic and told me to call the Bariatric clinic. Dr Alami heard that I called and about my issue. He had them set me up to see him yesterday morning. In a nut shell my incision got infected and he had to open the wound back up to drain it. I had to go back this morning so he could show sisters how to pack my incision 2 to 3 times a day. He took me off for another 2 weeks and I got back to see him on the 26th.

Chef- I hope you are feeling better.

Heather-You day is coming near. Are you excited? Next week is you new birthday, right?

I hope everyone else is doing great. Oh, I have lost 16lbs so far.

Hey Tamz,

I was sleeved on 6-6 so we are really close. I have found that I can eat a lot more food than a lot of other people can too. I've been on solids for a couple of weeks now, but I can eat a good 4 ounces of food, and often I will need to eat again in a couple of hours because I get hungry again. I probably average 800 - 1000 calories in a day! At first it freaked me out, but I'm still losing, so I must be doing okay. An example of Breakfast for me is 1/2 slice of sour dough toast with butter and a piece of turkey bologna or something like that. lunch was about 1/2 cup of egg custard, and two hours later i had three pieces of sliced colby cheese. I then drank 1/4 of a Protein shake on the way home for some extra Protein since I still struggle getting it all in. For some reason I've been on a toast kick and seem to crave that piece of sourdough every morning...It's so delicious to me I just can't help myself....lol

I officially start solid foods tomorrow.. **YYAAAYYY** .. the last week or so i have been doing soft foods.. cheese, hummus, yogurt, cream cheese/turkey.. that sorta thing. I think I am eating too much. I have not had any issues with the weight loss really other than the famous 3-4th week stall .. but I can eat more than 1/4 cup! Example..dinner was a spoon of Hummus, 1 melba toast, and 1 colby jack cheese stick. That seems like A WHOLE FREAKIN LOT!

Dont get me wrong.. I am not hungry after all this.. I am full and I know that Im full because I get the burp.. so I know Im done. It just seems like too much :/

Does anyone else experience being full.. maybe not even quite "full" but satisfied.. then in 2 hrs you feel like you could eat again?

Insight please

P.S. I can start working out next week! SUPER HAPPY!!!

Chef,

I love spinach and mushrooms together, and green onions...do I get the same health benefit with the green ones? Also, you can probably omit the margarine in the recipe. I used only about a teaspoon and it was fine I'm glad you're feeling better! Oh, and since you're only a week behind me, um, you might want to invest in some benefiber soon....be pro-active there...lol I'm going to make your lasagna today too. Thanks for the recipe I'm back on the road for work this week, so now comes the hard part. I need to pack a lunch that will keep all day and doesn't need to be heated up. Probably basic lunch meat, fruit cup, and cheese, but that should be fine. I can't wait until I'm released to eat salad. What I wouldn't give right now for a salad with chicken on top!

I'm glad you're feeling better and the dizziness has decreased. Is it completely gone now? That must have been a little scary for you and your wife to go through. Did she have similar issues with the bypass surgery? Oh, and what is SF frozen yogurt? What does the SF stand for?

That recipe looks good-

however, I would replace margarine with a healthier oil...

I do like the added spinach and onion.

If you like mushrooms- as well-

not for any other reason than-

It is a known fact, I can get you links...

cooked onion, spinach and mushrooms, together are in fact a very high anti cancer food combo.

a lil update on my spinning world-

went to the local WLS meeting, was dizzy during my introduction, however it went away,

came home and ate some cottage cheese with salsa...

fell asleep for 3 hours...

awoke and was feeling GreaT!

figured out I was lacking Water, started drinking...

my wife came home- we went out for dinner- I tried a meatball with lots of sauce-

three bites... done.

later I had 2 oz. of SF frozen yogurt.

I am hoping tomorrow my stamina improves. I will be staying on the soft foods longer...

hoping the dizziness has gone...

Hey Everyone,

I got this recipe from someone on another forum, but I tried it and it was delicious! I'm going to add spinach and onion next time and see how it goes

1 1/2 cups ham (cubed or shredded)

6 oz plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup crushed crackers (saltines/Ritz)

1/4 cup shredded cheese

2 tablespoons margarine

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion (I used onion flakes)

6 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8x8 pan.

Melt the margarine in a large bowl. Add the ham, yogurt, crackers, cheese and onion. Stir. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then stir into the first mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until center is firm. Let stand before serving. 9 servings.

Neil,

I'm so glad you didn't have to do the upper G.I. again...it makes me woozy to think about drinking that god awful stuff and then laying down on the moving machine...ugh, I need to lie down now....lol I agree with you about SSF. They are really great and very responsive! When I did my second upper G.I., Dr. Alami came down and watched me do it, watched the computer, then looked at the results afterwards. It was very cool that he came down there as he could easily have left it up to the on call doctor that does those.

Hi-

S&D- Yep! we almost met??

that Dr. Alami is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He took me to EKG immediately.

thankfully all is well with beater muscle... not so much with the stomach...

dargar- he almost made me do another Upper GI, TG! he second thought that... I was kinda scared today, after yesterdays adventure...

I am still amazed w/ SSF every one there has been exceptional...

Feel better Baby!

Glad to hear they found out what was going on. You will feel better in no time.

I wasnt feeling well today. Actually the worse I've felt since surgery. I feel weak and my stomach is soooooo sore. My incision on the belly button is bothering me. I think its from the button from my pants. My incision stays moist and my stomach is swollen. I had the chills today but I dont know if its from the cold or my surgery. I will give it a couple of days before I call the Dr.

Neil,

that happened to me in week 2. Dr. Alami told me my stomach was swollen, although I was having pain whenever I ate, and had to do another upper G.I. It sucked, but luckily it calmed down within a week or so. Hopefully yours will as well. Good luck!

Hi-

I'm back...

it was a good trip to SF.

I found out my stomach is swollen and not allowing food down,

so as they let me advance to stage III it was getting pluged and it can only go two ways... the easiest is up and out....

the reason I get so dizzy- is not eating, basically mal-nourished.

I am back on liquids and off work until july 28.

I am to give my stomach a chance to rest and then a week before my return start up again and see.

Dr. says- it could be longer....

I've had that happen a lot recently as well. I'm 4 weeks out and have lost 24 pounds since surgery, and people have noticed. I just tell them bluntly that I've had weight loss surgery when they ask me about it (don't want them to think I'm dying or anything...lol) At a unit lunch recently, I ordered guacamole for lunch because it was the only thing I knew I could eat. It was totally fine because everyone knew about the surgery, and for the most part people have been receptive, have asked lots of questions, and have been supportive. Good luck! I hope your co workers are respectful and supportive of you as well

Hey all,

I'm about a month out and down about 30 pounds (heck yes!) I'm healing well and all thar jazz but . . . I'm a law clerk and the attorneys like to take us out to lunch regularly and I just don't know what to say! I absolutely do not mind people knowing but divulging personal details is definitely frowned on. Today they asked me if something was wrong with my food . . . I just said I was really full but having only eaten 3 bites it was pretty obvious that something was up. And suggestions??

Hey Tanya,

It sounds like you're doing great on the pre op diet! SSF was a little different and didn't require us to have a food journal. They recommended it, but it wasn't mandatory and they never asked to see it. I'm really bad at that, so it was a good thing for me. Did they give you a specific number that you need to lose before surgery?

I'm really happy to hear that there are some who did not have vomiting. I have fought it at all costs for as long as I can remember and can't even remember the last time it happened to me. I'm a wimp. I'm getting pretty excited. I have my Lifestyles class at Richmond next Wednesday and then next Thursday I have my first appointment with Dr. Im. I have no idea how my progress on the pre-op diet is going. My husband has hijacked my scale and I have no clue where it is. So next Thursday will be a surprise to me. I wonder if they will have a scale at the Lifestyle class? Also, I am writing down everything I eat in my food journal, do they check it? Because today I didn't totally follow the pre-op plan, I went low carb today but still followed the diet minus the carbs. Am I going to get in trouble for that? I really liked it and might do it for a couple more days, to trick my body up.

Tanya