time-4-change

Hi All! Well, I am doing so well with my food and Water, NOW it is time to jump on the Exercise Train! I have 4 weeks until I go on a Girl Friend Getaway to Punta Cana! Four weeks of daily movement...and I don't mean the POTTY kind! I will be reporting in daily so please bear with me! I would love for you all to join me. Please let me know what your favorite activity is. I have been walking but I thing it is time for more! Does anyone know when we can start sit-ups? I am anxious to start back to yoga...not so sure if my tummy can take that yet. Any ideas, much appreciated! Happy Saturday! Barb

You go girl! I went out to dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant last night. Had Beans with salsa...no cheese dip...wanted some but the kids had eaten it all when my beans got there! lol I ate them slowly and they went down easily. I did get full on about 1/2 cup, maybe a bit more. Didn't drink after I started eating. I really miss my Margaritas so I took a tiny taste of my daughter's. It seemed very strong and I didn't even want anymore. Funny, huh? When I do have a drink, I can tell that I'll need to be very careful. Funny how your tastebuds change when you are on liquids only. My favorite thing this week on Thick liquids is my yogurt. Carb Master from Kroger is very tasty and not too sweet. It has 8 g of Protein alone and I have been adding 1.5 scoops ( 20 g of prot) of Bariatric Advantage Unflavored Protein powder to the cup of yogurt. The unflavored powder is perfect fo me. It is light tasting...although it is a bit sweet and vanilla flavored (don't know why they call it Unflavored...not so much!) But I like it! So far, that is my favorite! Just received my shipment of powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury unflavored...will let you know how it goes! Glad to hear that you are doing well! I will be going in to weigh and for Support Group on Tuesday, the 24th. Looking forward to official weigh in! Take care and keep up the good work! I am so proud of us! WE ROCK! Barb

Hey Jax! I am really excited for you. You have been successful with your band and are going for your revision before it starts giving you major trouble. I had my band for 4.5 years and ended up gaining back most of my weight by eating slider foods that I could keep down. I am now in my third week post revision and going strong. This website is the place to be and I am proud to be a part of it! Through the good times and the not so good times, the folks on this site have been very supportive for me and will be there for you, too! All the best! Barb

Hi Jax! I bet you are getting excited! Less than a month away now! You are going to love it! I am so happy to have my band out. The first 2 weeks were rough but I could feel myself getting stronger everyday. Today, I am 15 days out and I kept my 2 year old grandson all day...now that takes energy. We had a great day! The biggest problem I have is getting in my Protein and Water when I am away from home. I ate out twice today and Soup both times, but I know that I didn't get in enough protein. Sure don't want to get dehydrated so I am pushing the water tonight for sure!!! Best of luck as you prepare for your big day! Cheers~ Barb

What a great idea! I am such a mexican freak!! Love Beans and that idea of adding a bit of queso really sounds yummy! Can't wait!!!

Hi Lisa! So Happy to hear that the Meds worked! I'll keep that in mind as I start eating thicker foods. Kinda nice to hear that he gave you a nice SNUG sleeve! I weighed this morning and am down 2 more lbs since last Thursday at the Dr. I wanted more but I have got to learn to be nice to me! I am walking and doing what we've been told to do and I am going to be proud of ever teeny tiny little pound I lose! Let me know if you get on the scales. I have a feeling that you are going to ROCK this weightloss!!! Happy Tuesday! Barb

Good Morning Friends! Today is the beginning of week three and I was happy to have my first cup of yogurt today. I can honestly say that I don't mind the not chewing as much as I mind all the sickly sweet foods. I know you all said that your taste buds changed, but the Carbmaster Yogurt this morning almost gagged me and it was always my yogurt of choice! I weighed this morning in honor of my sleeve-a-versary and was down 2 more pounds...that makes 11 since surgery...stupid me was almost sad because it wasn't more and then I realized that I would have given anything for a 2 lb loss a few months ago! I guess it is all relative! I am going to measure today...assuming this little seamstress can find a tape measure! I think measurements will come in handy when I hit the stalls! Hope you all have a wonderful day! Cheers~ Barb

So true! With the band, the bad stuff just slipped on through and the good stuff made me throw up! Go figure! I love hearing how the sleeve is working for you guys. I can already tell that I will want to make better choices. Today, I tried a sugar free ICE from Rita's. I had had one during the first week and I thought it had given me gas and the "poops", but I was out today and thought..."let's give it another shot...those sugar free ices sure will be good this summer" Well, did I get a rude awakening! The same thing happened and I have been in the bathroom with a rumbling tummy since the last bite! I guess we just have to learn some lessons the hard way! The good news is I now have no plans to eat an ICE sweetened with SPLENDA ever again!!! Cheers~ Barb

Congrats on your new sleeve! I was revised on May 3rd and am doing well, too! I feel good and am getting stronger every day! Best wishes to you as you continue to heal! Cheers~ Barb

Can I say that I just love you guys? :love: You are so wonderfully supportive and I love hearing from folks that have traveled the road that I am on now! I remember how I felt when I first got my Band. That honeymoon period was awesome and I used to pat my port and tell him (yes, it was male) how much I loved him. Of course, we revisionists all know that that period did not last long enough for us and that we had serious issues with our bands or we would have not put our bodies through more surgery. I am happy to report that I'll be 2 weeks out tomorrow and I am feeling stronger everyday. I have started exercising and feel much lighter...not sure how much I weigh as I don't like the scales and am afraid to get on them here at home! But I am feeling great! Working hard to follow the rules and enjoy the lack of hunger that my new little tummy gives me!! Thanks again for all your love and support! You are my inspiration! Happy Monday! Barb

I am in my second week of thin liquids...rapidly approching thick liquids! I bought some cup-a-Soup and thought I'd punch up the Protein by adding some unflavored powder! Yuck! The "unflavored" Protein powder is not really unflavored...It has a slightly sweet, vanilla flavor and is good to add to applesauce, etc. but it is NOT good in soup! Does anybody know of a good truly unflavored protein or even better a really good high protein soup? Thanks...Barb

Hi Mini Me! I'm pretty new here and would love to hear what your "normal" routine is. You have done so well! I am looking for inspirations like you! Thanks so much and keep up the good work! Barb

Hi All! I will be 2 weeks out on Tuesday and will start my thick liquid diet. I'd love to have some suggestions on high Protein, low carb thick liquids. Any ideas??? Thanks! Barb

Hi! I am pretty new here, too, as I am approacing my 2 week sleeve-a-versary. I wish I could guarantee you and me that this would be the answer, but the proof for me is yet to be seen. Your Band story is very similar to mine...I was hungry most of the time and would eat the "wrong" things in order to satisfy my hunger...healthy foods just didn't stay down. So far, I am very happy to have my band out and my tummy trimmed down. Recovering nicely. I am sure that you will receive many replies from this group as they were nothing but warm and helpful to me as I prepared for my revision. As I move through my recovery, I'll keep you posted on how things go. Wish me luck! Cheers~ Barb

Thanks! Will do!

That's what I thought! I have been downing sugar free popsicles, sugar free Jello, Crystal Lite and even had a sugar free Rita's Ice yesterday (looked at the carbs online after I ate it and found out that it was not a good choice!) Even the pre-packaged Protein drinks have artificial sweeteners...I think I am going with broths today. I have already had an unsweetened cup of apple sauce with a tablespoon of Protein powder today and my tummy is feeling some better! Thanks for the reply! Barb

You are my inspiration! You go, Girl! I am one week out and am 5 lbs down! Can't weight to be where you are! Watched the video...thanks for the food ideas! Right now I am on thin liquids...looking forward to String Cheese! How hard is it to do the Vlog? It's a great time for me to get started! Are there tutorials? I'm not too computer savvy! lol Thanks and keep up the good work! Barb

Good Morning Everybody! First, let me thank eveyone for all your Hugs and support after my Mother's Day "poor me" post. I am feeling better mentally and physically and actually got out of the house and ran a few errands yesterday! I do have one question that is a little "stinky". Did any one you suffer from diarrhea after surgery? I was in the bathroom every hour or more yesterday with the poops! Beats me where it was coming from because I sure haven't been eating anything but sugar free this and Sugar Free that! Called the doc to see if it was a normal side effect and the Nurse said "not so much". Other than the fact that it is not much fun to be on the toilet all day...I just don't want to become dehydrated...it's hard enough to get in all the necessary fluids without pooping them out!!! Other than that, I am spending my time planning my ways to stay on track and to make this a truly successful life style change! Yes, the band failed me, but I also fell back into old eating habits when the good food didn't stay down, sweets and other carbs did! I own that and am ready for the new and improved me...thus the name: time-4-change! Hope you all have a great Tuesday! I have been off pain meds for 24 hours and think I might make a quick trip out in the car today! Wish me luck and keep up the good work! All of your tickers are very inspiring! I will update mine when I officially weigh in next week! Hugs to all of you from Sunny Tennessee! Barb

Thanks so much for the HUGS! I can feel then here in TN!!! I actually feel much better now than I did this morning. I think I just hit the 5 day out Blues! Thanks to everyone for your wonderful words of encouragement! Having this forum is a true Blessing...my family and friends...the ones who know about the surgery, try to understand...but I know it is hard for them because unless you have walked this path you just don't get it! Thanks again! Have a great week and I am sure we will be seeing a lot of each other on this site! Cheers to us ALL! Barb

It's Lisa, Right? I asked about you when I first came out of surgery! Man,do we have things to talk about! Dr. Spaw and Rebekah were wonderful, as usual, but the in-patient care at Baptist left a lot to be desired! I am so happy that were have started on this JOURNEY together! WE are going to be known as the HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL SLEEVE SISTERS!!! I go in to see the Doc on Thursday, May 19. You are not going to believe this but out DAY of Surgery Weights were exactly the same!!! It will be interesting to see the scales say on our 2 week visits! As far as recovery goes, I think we are both right on track. I had my fatty tumor removed as planned and it is much more painful than the Sleeve. He cut a 6 or more inch incision from my right side to my backbone. Came home with a drain for that but not for the sleeve! Go figure! I feel better now than I did this morning, for sure. I'll continue to keep pushing the fluids and rest before I need to! Talk to you soon! Barb

Thanks for that! I needed it!

Hi All! Just checking in and asking for a pat on the back. I woke up today a bit depressed...not so much sad...just would like to cry! I had my surgery on May 3, so I only 5 days out and feel like I am doing well. I think I am just scared and as one of you say feeling the "WTF did I do to myself". I am bored and have loads of things to do around here, but I don't feel like doing them. I know that this will pass but I need a hug! Thanks and Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! Barb

Hi All! Thanks so much for your words of encouragement! I am feeling good today! Had a "gusher" where the drain had been, so I called my Dr he said not to worry, just to use a washcloth or something similar to catch the drainage. I have been taking the meds that were prescribed for stomach spasms...decided better safe than sorry also taking an occational pain pill. I really do feel good. Just a little stiff when I get up from sitting lying down. This is one time that I am wishing the time away as I am looking forward to these 2 weeks being behind me. I think it makes it easier having gone through the band surgery. I realize that it does take time and that you have to pamper yourself with plenty of fluids and rest. The best is yet to come! I am so happy to have found you all! It is great to have a group of like minded folks to share the journey! Thanks again! Nap time ZZZZzzzzzzz Barb

Thanks for the words of encouragement! My Dr. and Nutritionist had said to keep the liquids up and to sip, sip, sip! I, also, saw on the post op diet that Protein shakes were suggested in the first 2 weeka out. I drank about 2 oz and my tummy started rumbling so I am back to Water, etc. and sugar free popsicles. I am very excited. Actually feel quite good. Glad to be home, for sure! Barb

Hi All! Got home from 3 days and nights in the hospital this morning after undergoing a band to sleeve revision on Tuesday. I had some pretty adverse reactions to the pain meds...I'd have been better off sticking with Tylenol!! Anyway, I have done well...no nausea while in the hospital and am still sip, sip, sipping. Am going to try my first post surgery Protein shake for dinner. A few questions: 1) Did anyone come home with a drain? I had one on my stomach side that was removed this morning. Had a fatty tumor (lypoma) removed Tuesday, too. It ended up being quite an ordeal and I still have a tube in it. I knew it was big, but it ended up the size of a small loaf of bread and was sending fingers down to the major muscles! Wow! 2) When did you guys start drinking shakes? 3) On returning home did you go straight to 60 grams of protein per day? 4) All suggestions are welcome! So happy to join the Sleeve Society! Cheers~ Barb