iegal

WOW, you are almost swimming in that dress already. Amazing results. Keep up the great loss.

Stalls suck. Stick with the plan, you body is pissed off and could be in starvation mode. Think about it - a few weeks ago you were having probabaly 2000 calories a day & 100 gm of carbs. Now, you deprive it. So, it is fighting back thinking you are never going to give it food again. Next you need to remember than this is not a race against other sleevers and how fast they lose in comparison to you. You are unique and will lose if you eat/drink correctly. Have you tried increasing your calories by 100 each day and reducing your carbs by 10 gm a day? Difficult to do, but you might need to take some measures if this stall lasts another week. Good luck and stick to the plan!

I told no one but a select few girlfriends and my DH. My mom was not told until 3 months after surgery which was a hard secret since she only lives a block away. Daughter only found out after she found paperwork in my bedroom. My dad still does not know. Slowly I have told a few trusted family members. Glad I faced my demons on my own and was not scrutinized at every bite I took...or didn't take. At almost two years out - I have no regrets of having VSG surgery. Wishing you the best!

Welcome to VST! Sure you will find a lot of great people offering advice and support here. Hope you get through Options quickly.

I would scroll down and read the thread "Band to Gastric Sleeve revision". There you can get info from people who had the band...failed and now are in line for the sleeve. You can read about their storeis with the band, the frustrations, the second surgery due to failure of band. You are a wise lady to do your research before deciding. I love my sleeve and have no regrets. PS - I went in for a band too and surgeon suggested VSG. So glad he did

Almost everyone I know who has been sleeve experienced some hair loss. Biotin suppliments, Biosilk shampoo...nothing helped. I limited my brushing of hair so I was not yanking on it often. I washed my hair once a week and used dry shampoo (from Walmart) rest of time. Good news is my hair regrew and is just as full as it was before. Hairloss is a small price to pay for the results you can get. Hugs...I know it is difficult.

Caution. I bought a lot before hand and threw away hundreds of dollars in protien shakes, Vitamins and the like. Most of us have taste buds that change after sugery. So plan for just those first few weeks. Don't buy a lifetime supply of protien. There are places that offer sample packages of Protein for a small fee. Next, go to thread "what you will need for surgery" and I think you will see a lot of suggetions from experienced sleevers. What worked for me might not be best for you but here you go. Decaf Peppermint tea to calm my tummy - drink tepid (sensitive to hot & cold) Lipton chicken broth (cause I was so sick of the sweet protein drinks) Barriatric type cuppacino drink with 15gm protien. About $11 bucks for 7 pouches. LOVED them. G2 gatorade/Zero Powerade to keep me hydrated those first few days at home Heating pad for my tummy those first few nights at home. Really it was a PPI that fixed rumbling tummy. A lot of reading material about sleeve from many sources. Google is my friend. A list of why I did surgery - to read when I had a relapse thinking "what did I do?" Wishing you the best of luck and a speedy recovery. I love my sleeve and have no regrets.

Have you Googled "VSG diet plan" or similar words? Many surgeons post their diet plans and offer a variety of suggestions. As for the suggestions for soft fish on previous post - you can go to a local Trader Joes for all of these options.

Welcome to VST and hope you find a lot of great support here. Suggest you scroll down a little and look for the "Band to Gastric Sleeve Revisions" thread. Wishing you the best of luck!

Seems most of lifes social interactions involve food. So - when you go out for those first couple of dates here are some tips. First date - go for coffee/tea Order a Skinny Decaf vanilla Latte (160 calories & 10 gram Protein - order Soy if lactose issues) and go for a walk afterwards. You would be amazed at what you find out about a person in a book store. Second date - go out for appitizers. Tell date you don't drink on worknights (no alcohol) or say you have an early morning next day. You pick the place. Do your research going on the internet to search menus that have protein items you can have like fish, wings or another protien. At PF Changs I eat the chicken in lettuce wraps. NUMMY Date three - By now you should be able to feel comfortable enough to go out and do something. It is summer, so find a local park concert, bikeride, beach walk or go to a farmers market. You pack the Snacks. Remember, dating is about getting to know someone. Eating is just another way to have fun. You will know when it is time to approach the subject of - "hey, I am actively trying to lose weight so where would you like to go to do something together?" Now, get out there and have fun!

No drain, no catheder, no morphine drip or pain pump. I had VSG as an outpatient procedure and slept peacefully in my own bed that night without hospital staff or other patients waking me up often. Yes, I went home with liquid perscription pain meds to take as needed ... which I only took once to get to sleep.. Number of incisions can vary, how surgeon closes incisions - staples or glue is different also. Good luck on this journey to a new you.

The preop diet is torture. Accept that nothing is going to make this part of your weight loss journey any easier. But you are strong with all you have gone through to this point and surgery is so very close. Remember that, okay?. Just like any addict - take one day at a time. Today you will choke down protien drinks. Today you won't consume any anything not allowed on preop diet. Today is your walk towards a new life. Grab this opportunity (with a small price of preop diet) and be happy.

IMO all frozen foods have too many preservatives, salt and carbs for your new lifestyle. Even though you hate cooking - commit to attempting to cook once a week, freezing or storing in your new small meal size portions. A cooked chicken breast (20 min @ 400 degrees) will last me 2 meals minimum even now at almost 2 years out. Throw in 3 breasts with different seasoning in oven. When done, cut into fourths. Freeze for 12 mini meals. Take out as needed - add to greek yogurt for a high Protein chicken salad. Add to Lipton broth for a wet chicken Soup. Sprinkle low fat cheese for a modified chicken quesadilla. Put in a teaspoon of BBQ for a modified pulled chicken taste. YUM. Get a can of tuna or crab or salmon, drain, add greek yogurt & season. Will last you several meals for 3 days due to freshness of meat. Boil 4 eggs. Make egg salad by adding greek yogurt and salt with two eggs. Other two cut in half - put yolks with greek yogurt and season making 4 deviled eggs. Get turkey meat and low fat mozzerlla sticks. Wrap turkey around mozzerella stick for lunch. Now, you have six ingredients to purchase and a weeks worth of meals. Costs less, better for you. Maybe 30 minutes of your time to invest in your health. If you truly hate to cook and would prefer never to cook again - grab a friend to cook for you trading services. Or look up "Dream Dinners" If you did this surgery to be healthy, start now. Time to get new healthy habits.

Welcome to the losers bench!

If you are in pain, call your surgeon. Really. You will end up in emergency room if you can't drink due to dehydration.Take care of yourself. Oh - stop worry about how much you lost and concern yourself with following your surgeons diet plan and healing. This is not a race to see who loses the weight fastest. You will be a loser.

liquid Protein shake (15 gm protein min) for Breakfast, lunch & dinner. No additives like fruit allowed. Protein Bar (15 gm protein min/low carb) for snack mid morning & mid-day 1 oz. turkey Jerky as a treat at night to chew. Minimum 48 oz of Water daily Decaf herbal tea non flavored up to 3 cups per day Nothing else - no soda (diet or otherwise), no coffee, Did this for two weeks as preop diet. VERY DIFFICULT but worth the amazing results

Woot Woot, you are a star!

Hmmm. Two sides here. You need the practice of dating someone, he deserves honesty that you are not attracted. Like CaliKat's advice. IMO go on the date, keeping it light. Who knows what can happen, right? Maybe you can inspire him (non verbally - just by your enthusiasm for life) to get healthy too. Now, get out there and have a blast. PS - you were always worthy of a date and were always beautiful pre VSG. Just now with the weight off you believe this because you project this beauty..

If you go to the top of this forum and look to the right, you can enter Dr. Patterson name and search for others. I have found two people already - Furby036 and also wolf3749 Good luck!

My picture is not on here - so that is a dead give away that many people do not know that I had VSG surgery. My group of friends in SoCal group - some call me the "secret keeper" I only told my DH and a select few close girlfriends. That is it...for months. My mom did not know for over 3 months and she lives blocks away. She was told after she complimented me on how I was actually keeping the weight off. As I told her of my decision, I thanked her (and her size 4 body) for being a trigger for getting surgery. She told me I should just tape my mouth shut at one point. That was my "this is it" point. Reason for secret- I did not want any negative feedback, stories of "friends of friends" or input. I did my background check on surgeon, checked references, scoured the web and knew what I was getting into (for the most part). I built my support system with those who would love me through the journey plus I had the support here. Still - almost 2 years out not all my family knows. Most of my friends still do not. Do I eat differently at parties? Yes, but that is to maintain my new figure.

What makes a sleeve different than high protien diet? Restriction in volume of food. Sleeve is a permanent surgery that restricts how much food you can eat. While not needing to diet, a sleeve patient will at some point need to still watch what type of foods they eat. I am fortunate and have no intolerances to any foods. Bread, Pasta, eggs, milk, spicy and more...still taste great. Now it took awhile to get here. But a sleever can gain back weight or not lose at much as they hope. Too many calories, usually in liquid form sabatoge us. I am carb sensitive, so I watch how many carbs I eat and try to stay away from slider foods, like chips and candy which sleeve does not restrict as much as Protein. What I mean is I can eat a lot of chips (more than 1 cup) in one sitting. This food "slides" right on through this sleevie wonder of mine. Grazing can also sabatoge a sleever. Diets never worked for me. I could never maintain the weight loss for any length of time. Hence I was a volume eater. Even Atkins did not keep me full. After being SICK AND TIRED of not being the true me, I self paid for sugery here in the USA. No regrets and yes, I still love my sleeve!

Pure Protein shakes can also be purchased at Trader Joes. I was not a fan since they were still too thick for me. Same with MuscleMilk and Premier Protein drinks from costco. Yes, your tastebuds change after surgery for many of us. HUGE change in what I used to consider good - now is yuck. Like hamburgers. During losing stage I could not stand thick drinks so I went to GNC and used clear protien from Isopure. Not great tasting but tolerable at 40gm for a bottle. So I used 1 a day during from month 2-4 to make sure my protien count was always above 60gm. Another one I liked was cappucino protein packets at 15 grams a pack. I added milk/lactose free to up protien count. Really helped when food consumption was just a few bites. Don't buy a lot now. Trust me. I still have cases of protien powder/drinks I never could gag down. Hundreds of dollars wasted. Like the sites that will send you samples (small fee) Also don't be afraid to try something different.

Your mouth feels dry because you are in ketoisis. HORRID bad breath will follow. Good news - you are in a great stage for losing! Try sugar free gatorade or poweraide to keep hydrated. Protein count is second to hydration at this early stage. Just keep sipping. Have you tried clear protien - I used Isopure 40gm Apple Melon at GNC. Buy one bottle only as your taste buds change. Each day will bring new changes. Be patient learning your new sleeve. Hugs.

I threw away my scale before surgery. Chose only to weight myself only at surgeons office or once a week. No more stress about hormonal changes and worrying day to day. I beat the frustration that I see posted often. Might not be for all people, but for this freak out monster - it worked. I stayed motivated and on track.

He is scared. You will change - accept that. So, now sounds like hubby wants reassurance from you. Know you are hot now (hot is not a size) but will be hotter after VSG. I thought I would lose mine speical love after surgery. He didn't find out about my serious change until I went into consult. I was willing to lose him to get me healthy. Agree - you gotta do you.