M2G

Woo hoo! Sounds like you have everything covered. And if you think of something later, your surgeon should always be available to answer questions....remember that is why they make the big $$$$!

Well, I can say that I've only had the brick in the stomach feeling once. I ate 5 (really small) homemade turkey meatballs. I had only intended on eating 4. But I popped one in my mouth straight from the oven. Set about serving my family, then sat down with 4 in front of me, forgetting that I had already eaten one. Well as soon as the last one was in there, I started feeling sweaty, hot, uncomfortable. It lasted about 30 mins then I felt better (and didn't throw up..yay) So from that experience I can tell you that I don't want to feel that again. Everything I eat is basically in about a 2oz portion or less. I generally just get a twinge after eating something that tells me I'm full. I've actually served myself 2oz of something and stopped before finishing because I just feel full. I also will finish my food and not get that twinge, but I have no hunger so there is no reason to eat more. Now is the time to get that portion control established as a habit....at least that is what I'm working on. Also remember you are still in the mushie or soft-solid stage, all of that stuff passes easily through the sleeve. About your stall. I think that is it...just a stall. They suck but they are part of the journey. YOU will keep losing, if you keep doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing. I had a 10 day stall after I was out of surgery for 1 week. And it sucked big time. I've had another almost 2 week stall currently. Everyone loses differently, and you didn't do all of this for nothing. Just keep going, eating your Protein, Water, etc. And if you haven't started exercising, walking is highly recommended early post-op. The best part is that it is free. Hang in there!

I am curious about sleevers who can eat 1000 cals a day. I can't seem to get past 700 and my day usually ends up at 600-700. I am hoping that will change a bit now that I'm 6 weeks out and moving to a diet of 75% Protein and 25% complex carbs. I haven't given the calories much thought because I always hit my protein target and usually am between 70-80 grams of protein a day. My surgeon is quite the stickler on 6 weeks+ out you should be getting all your protein from food and NOT from shakes. I can do it without shakes but usually end up about 60 grams per day without a shake. I guess maybe I should eat more often and add another meal or two to my day?

Woo Hoo! You are just rocking that sleeve!!! GREAT JOB!

Is my BMI too low for the Sleeve? Not from what I have seen on these boards. Maybe too low for insurance to cover without co-morbidities, but I've definitely seen self-pay that is lower. Is the sleeve safe? I think the sleeve is much safer than the band or bypass, based on my own personal research. How many days after surgery will I be up and about? I was up and about within hours of surgery (walking the halls) but I have been an avid exerciser for almost 7 years now, so that might have helped. I spent one night in the hospital and was really truly feeling myself about 1 week post-surgery. Is it possible to lose to much weight? I think there is a post in this very forum about that topic from someone who is struggling with that right now. I would say in the 3 months I've been here, that is the first one I've heard of truly struggling with going too low. I would venture a guess that is is more the exception than the rule. Will I ever be able to eat a 'normal' meal? Well, if you consider a HUGE plate of food normal, then no. But at Thanksgiving I had all my favorites on my plate, even if I only ate 2 bites of each thing. I felt normal and there were several people at the table who did not know I had surgery and no one asked a single thing about what was on my plate (they were too busy digging into their own plate...lol) I will have to self pay and I am thinking of going to Mexico - I work there and speak spanish but I just don't know about the quality? Totally can't answer that one for you. I was sleeved in the states. My wife is afraid that we wont be able to go out to eat anymore? I told her we could go dancing instead but she is worried we wont have 'fun'? Eating out is a bit of different experience than what I had pre-op. In fact the restaurant portions are just out of control enormous. I suggest sharing a meal, or bringing home the leftovers for another meal (or 3 or 4...lol). The leftovers are currently my hardest to deal with. After I've eaten the same food about 3x I'm done with it. And the rest gets thrown in the trash. I do need to get more creative with 'repurposing' the leftovers, but I'm pretty newly sleeved so I have lots of time to learn. I did get some Mexican Gumbo at Qdoba (about 3 weeks ago, black Beans, chicken...no rice, cheese or tortilla strips) and came home and calculated out that it would give me 6 WLS servings. I ate 3 servings in 2 days and measured out 3 more servings and froze them in individual snack size baggies. Then on a cold day, I just take out the pre-measured serving and heat it up. So eating out won't be the same amount of FOOD, but it is still (or can be) FUN. Good luck in your decision. I have not once regretted my sleeve!!! I've never thrown up (hate to do that ... which is what steered me away from the band) felt great after surgery, and continue to have nothing but good things to say about the sleeve.

WOW! You look amazing!!!! You are doing such a fantastic job...woo hoo! Um, I don't know how to say this delicately, but you wear your weight well. You are only 8 lbs less than what I weigh and OMG, there is NO WAY I would be fitting into a size L anything at this point and my neck is totally not that skinny! I would have guessed that you weigh MUCH less than your ticker says....lol. Congrats on that dress...what a great feeling!!!

-36 lbs is AWESOME!!!! You are doing great! And I agree with you on the zero food issues....yay! I've been laughing (inside...not openly) at all the nutrition classes and support groups that I have been to, when everything is geared towards the Band or Bypass and they go over the "chew chew chew" rule, and "sugar = dumping" and I'm like okay, tell me again why I should not get the sleeve? Duh, it's a no brainer when you look at the sleeve compared to other WLS. Glad you are doing so well!!!:thumb:

Congrats on your date! The nervous stuff...pretty normal, but still not fun.

DJ, I'm sure it will come off soon! Like others said it is probably sodium/water retention. FJM - OMG, I think I should try this. I have yet to break over the number 800 (cals per day) and I'm 5+ weeks out. I should try it and see what happens!

This was also my experience. It was the worst part of surgery IMO (not the pain, which for me wasn't bad at all, or the stitches, which were glued shut) but the drain. I had it for 6 days and thought I would be SO happy to have it removed, when in reality, I felt worse after it was gone, spiked a fever and ended up taking 2 pain pills later that night (which I had been off of since day 3.) So yeah it was the worst part for me. Ask your surgeon, not everyone uses them and some take them out before you leave the hospital. The only thing that I liked about the drain was knowing that I didn't have internal bleeding and that it was getting some extra "gunk" out of my insides post-sugery.

Congratulations! That is wonderful loss, what a great start! Thanks for the inspiration.

I KNOW how frustrating that is. I am already thinking I will be a slow loser (all of my weight on my ticker is since surgery) and I'm thinking that if I've lost -26lbs in almost 6 weeks it will probably only get slower from here. But you know what. It is one foot in front of the other, day by day. There is no finish line...I'm not saying don't have goals...but this is for life. I think the hardest thing to do is do everything "right" and NOT see the results on the scale. It plays mind games with us. Frustrates the heck out of us. But you have the most amazing tool in your corner. I am so thankful for the sleeve because in a "normal" diet, this would be the point that I would give up, give into the cravings and start putting the weight back on. I know the scale is going to drop for you soon. Hang in there, and know that this is for the long haul. Every pound makes a difference and keep doing what you know is right and eventually it will drop again!

That is good that you checked things out. The way something is 'advertised' on the box can be very tricky when it comes to the actual nutritional label. Even stuff we don't necessarily think about unless you are in the habit of measuring (like Cereal, who actually <pre WLS> eats 1/2 cup of cereal...yet that is what the nutritional label of some cereal is based on!) I went and bought a bunch of sugar-free popsicles pre-surgery, and in the last 5+ weeks since surgery I've eaten about 4. lol. Go figure. Ice cream was always my kryptonite, and popsicles just don't fit the bill.

She had a leak...I think the post is on the Tell Your Story??? Filica, I hope you get out soon and I hope everything is going ok!

Bookmarked it! Will play later... thanks for posting!

Well, first of all, the amount you lose in xxxx number of days is all relative. I think you are doing FANTASTIC!!! As far as the pain after a 1/4 of a cup...I don't know what to say. I generally eat 2oz per meal (give or take) and I do not normally experience pain. One time, however, I had too many turkey meatballs and did experience pain. I didn't throw up but felt hot, sweaty and my chest was in pain, and it took about 30 mins. to pass. Have you tried LESS than 1/4 of a cup and do you still experience pain with a smaller amount? If you don't maybe for you, right now, 1/4 cup is too much. Hard to say. I would def. talk to your dr. if you are having pain after every meal. You are still very newly sleeved, so any concerns should def. be brought up!

You look stunning!

I had little amounts of ham, and turkey (gotta get my protein) and literally a bite of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn stuffing, Beans and the tiniest sliver of pie. Perfect! I didn't weigh this am, because of all the sales, I was up and out at 5:30. I will weigh later.

Okay, I have a ton of sizes in my own closet! Ever since I started dieting in my 20's I've been a yo-yo dieter. So I have plenty saved over the years in different sizes. Once I hit size 14 though, it will be time to shop since I hardly have any left in that size. I plan on doing all the cheatp stores and thrift stores too!

My personal liquid diet lasted 9 days. All liquid, no pureed food, nothing remotely solid. Then after 9 days I moved to mushies and my mushie list only had 5 things on it. Cottage cheese, refried Beans, egg beaters, greek yogurt and SF pudding. Then at 3 weeks I moved to more solid, but still very soft Protein and can puree things as needed. I won't go full solids until 6 weeks. That was my surgeon's plan. Your surgeon may have a different plan, and if you have questions ASK them, it's why you paid $$$$ to have this surgery so you can have support along the way too!

Oh the drain is the worst part about having surgery (at least IMO). I had mine on the right side and had it for 6 days following surgery. The day I got it out, I spiked a fever and felt miserable (I was so happy to have it gone though!) I took 2 pain pills that night and felt better the next day. That incision didn't get any stitches or closure so it is the slowest incision of mine to heal.

Welcome! My mom also was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago and while she doesn't weigh as much as me (and she is much shorter too) I've seen her weight battles all her life. I was not diabetic and am hoping to reverse a family trend towards it. The sleeve is truly the best weight-loss tool I have ever used!

Well, for me head hunger is all I ever have anymore. I don't ever *feel* hungry, so I have to sort of watch the clock. I also keep track of my workouts and what I'm eating here: http://caloriecount.about.com/ You should always focus on Protein...protein, protein, protein. That will help with any light-headed-ness, etc. While on liquids, Protein drinks are your best friend. As for rollerderby, and playing for 3 hours, I am guessing that your dr. told you to give it up for at least 6 weeks (or longer!) I don't know much about rollerderby but it sounds pretty physically demanding. My surgeon's rules are no workouts until you passed 6 weeks. Walking is the best acceptable workout for post-surgery until you pass the 6 week mark. I think you will just have to pre-plan your meal before (I don't know if you get a time out where you can have some protein, but that is what I would do, bring a cheese stick, or a Protein Bar, shake, something with protein to keep you going during those 3 hours.) 6 weeks is also when my surgeon gives the green light for all types of food, but still doing protein first. At 6 weeks it is 75% protein and 25% complex carbs per meal. Most people follow a high-protein, low-carb diet to help them lose the weight.

I'm only 1 month post-op and would go back and do it all again! Best decision I have ever made for myself. My hubby is having it too (hoping for a Dec. date) and he has hypertension and asthma (plus a slew of allergies) and we are both looking forward to adding years back on to our lives once we shed the label of obesity. Definitely it is scary going under, but I had 100% faith in my well-chosen surgeon and knew that I was going to have to work to make this work for me. Good luck on the diet...you can DO this!

I am so sorry you are going through this. I will be thinking of you and sending you positive health vibes. I'm so glad they caught it and you are getting the proper treatment you need. Hugs!