mandems mom

How fast did you eat it? I'm 8 days out and just had cottage cheese for the first time. I ate about 2 tablespoons in 20 minutes...not because I couldn't have gone faster, but because I'm being very cautious. I'm about to go for my 2nd round since I haven't had any issues. My doctor as well as a lot of others, has me on an acid reducer as a preventative measure. I'm supposed to take it every day for at least 3 months whether or not I have acid. It's kind of frustrating how different doctors post-op instructions can be isn't it??

I had surgery on April 17th, and had the same issue, but once I started drinking apple juice, I was able to go. If you're on clear liquids, you're not really taking in anything substantial that would cause you to go.

You will take in less air with a straw, but you're also not "gulping" the liquid like you do when you drink straight from the glass.

What you all have to remember is that anything in moderation is okay. Don't go into this thinking that you have to deprive yourself of any one thing or you will fail. The other thing to note is that you all ate simple carbs (i.e. white sugar stuff) and those can actually make you retain more water. So you may not have actually gained fat from eating the candy, desserts, etc, but you did add water. Get back on the wagon today, drink extra water, and I'm sure you'll see that fall right off.

I'm an April 17th sleever and things have been pretty uneventful for me. I'm so sorry you had to go through that extra drama with your surgery, but hopefully you're on the road to recovery now. Did they say what caused the bleeding at the staple line? Did you have your surgery local or did you travel for it?

I don't drink regular milk and can only tolerate chocolate milk. Is this safe to have on the full liquid portion of the diet (I start tomorrow). Please let me know your thoughts. I'm already aware of the sugar/carbs concern so just want to know if it's well tolerated. Thank you!

Hi, I went through Belite for surgery with Dr. Rod in Tijuana last week so I can't comment on experience in Juarez but what I can tell is that the Juarez hospital is much nicer and more modern than Tijuana, but that's about the only positive difference. Juarez is NOT safe which is why you're taken straight from the border to the hospital and encouraged not to leave the hospital. Many people on here have had positive experiences with the surgery themselves and no incidences getting to/from the border. I, personally, didn't want the added stress of "what if" when I was already so nervous about the surgery. My husband came with me and enjoyed the fact that he was able to go out and get and walk around. He went to different cafes and restaurants close by and never felt unsafe. But, again, the hospital in Tijuana is dated compared to Juarez, although it is full service and the operating room used the modern equipment. So far my recovery has been as expected. Mild pain, some hunger pangs, and sleepless nights trying to get comfortable. Nothing major to report and I was a band removal with revision to sleeve so your surgery will be easier.

I feel sorry for her. It's the whole bullying concept...she has to put you down to make herself feel better. Poor thing... Clearly the gym isn't working for her! I'm the type that gives back what I get and I don't care who it's from. We're all human beings so either you treat me with respect or you won't get it in return. You're owning your situation, taking charge, and doing something about it and should be really proud of yourself.

Have you reached out to your coordinator, surgeon, or aftercare doctor? The coordinator that I initially used works with Dr. Almanza and she indicated all her patients have access to an aftercare doctor named Dr. Romero.

Since she's overweight as well, you may as well offer her the same kind of "help" she's offering you and point out her flaws. You know, like "Hey, I've noticed your butt is getting bigger." or "Wow, you're starting to get a triple chin"...then follow it up with, "maybe you should join a gym too"!! I don't act nice with people like that, even if they are family!

I had surgery last Sunday and start full liquids tomorrow, but won't be on purees until week 3. I was told that the spasms are normal, but mean that you've over done it and to scale back the amount you're consuming at one time. Maybe take smaller spoonfuls of the food you're eating...your stomach is still really swollen. Good luck!

WOW! I'm surprised that happened to you so far out from surgery. A couple handsful doesn't seem extreme to me when you're almost a year out. Have you had moderate amounts of sweets before and been okay?

From the pictures, the hospital in Juarez does look like a lot nicer than INT in Tijuana which is where I went last weekend to have the surgery with Dr. Rod. The rooms were small and cramped and definitely in need of some upgrades, but it was full service and adequate for my needs. I had band aids on my incisions and drain area and they had me hold cotton for about 10 seconds against the spot where they drew blood to help clot it. They used cotton and surgical/medical tape to help clot the area where the IV was placed in my hand. Other than that, I didn't need band aids anywhere else. I also had full size pillows although the foam mattress on the bed left something to be desired. I would have preferred a nice, new hospital, but was okay going to INT because although the hospital needs some upgrades, the operating room is state of the art so I was able to get over the rest. And my husband loved being able to get out of the hospital and walk around outside and not worry about his safety which was a big plus.

You guys who are saying you've cheated are too hard on yourselves. I think that as long as you're beyond your healing stage, a few pieces of candy isn't going to hurt. We all know that complete deprivation of certain foods only leads to sabotage so I don't see anything wrong with allowing yourself to indulge a LITTLE, especially during the holidays. So what if you had a couple pieces of candy today. Walk a few extra minutes or eliminate something else from what you're eating for lunch or dinner to help compensate if that makes you feel better. It's not the end of the world as long as you don't go overboard (i.e. make a daily habit of it). My surgery was only a few weeks ago, so I can't partake today, but that doesn't mean that I'm not saving up a few little sweet treats to savor when the time comes! The difference is that it will be 2 or 3 pieces and not a whole bag!!!! Happy Easter everyone!!

I think I figured it out and boy do I feel dumb!! I think it's been the waistband on the pants I've been wearing. Although they're elastic, they do cut in to that area of my stomach when I sit. When I was feeding my daughter I was in real pain and moved my waistband to underneath all my fat and felt instant relief!

You're not alone! For me, my freak out came the day of because I didn't have a lot of time to freak out before surgery. I literally changed my date on a Wednesday and had my surgery the Sunday right after. In between those few days, I had to prepare and plan everything for my baby girl's baptism which was on Saturday (yes the day before my surgery). But I can tell you that Saturday night, I spent my time writing a living will and a list of log in IDs and passwords for my husband since I pay most of our bills online as well as documenting every bit of my children's routines...I wanted everyone to be prepared if the worst did happen. The morning of surgery, I was an absolute wreck...I have never cried so much in my life. My husband came to Mexico with me for the surgery, but it was the worst feeling ever to leave my children behind. My 2nd freak out happened at the hospital when the transportation guy stole my husband for lunch and he wasn't back in time when they wanted to wheel me into surgery. I begged them to wait until he got back....there was just no way I could do that without giving one last hug and kiss in case it really was the last. Nerves and fears are definitely normal, but I'm also sure that you'll come out of surgery wondering what all the fuss was about. Good luck to you!!

I'm 6 days out and have really strong hunger pangs too...nothing craving wise yet, but man it's hard to not want to put something more substantial in my mouth. I think that may be residual feelings from pre-op and the body still needs time to adjust to us being in starvation mode for more than a day or two. Good luck! I can't wait until I'm on full liquids next week and I can incorporate milk, cottage cheese, and pudding...it's going to feel like HEAVEN!

Everybody makes mistakes. Stop beating yourself up about it and get back on the wagon. If you fall victim to the defeatist attitude, you'll just set yourself up for more failure. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

Check out eggface's website...she's a previous weight loss surgery patient and has really great recipes on her site. People on this board rave about her all the time. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

Is there any way to avoid having gallbladder issues with the sleeve??

I was told to wait 10 days to lift my baby (18 pounds) and no lifting weights or abdominal exercises for 1 month. He also wanted me to walk for an hour every day, but I'm only getting in about 100 calories a day (6 days post-op) and walk as much as I have energy for, but it's nowhere near to an hour.

Haven't had a movement since before surgery and wondering if this is normal while on clears or if I should add a fiber supplement? I don't feel constipated, but also never hvae the urge to go. Sorry if TMI!

I am not big-boned (think I'm considered small boned) but feel that 165 would be the absolute lowest I would go even though that keeps me in the "overweight" category for my 5'8 height. About 2 years ago, I got down to 190 with my lap band and I kept saying I still had another 25-30 pounds to go. Surprisingly, my friends and family felt that I already looking skinny and would look skeletal if I lost that much more. That might have been because they were used to me at 300+, but I don't want to look like I'm starving. I want to look and be healthy.

Parallel to my bellybutton on the left side is a sharp pain which I'm assuming is from my stomach. The pain is semi-constant so it's not like it occurs only during fluid intake or activity, etc. Does everyone experience this or is this something I should be worried about and see a doctor about? Thank you!