Foxbins

Yes, in the first weeks after surgery I could feel everything I swallowed move down and it ached. The ache went away pretty quick but I could feel liquids move down for a long time after surgery. I still feel it go down if I swallow a big mouthful of Water to this day. Glad you are home and doing well!

You look great! Congratulations!

I would feel sorry for her. Number 1, she knows (just like we know) what she should be eating but can't or doesn't for unknown reasons. Number 2, most nutritionists are skinny and so she probably gets treated poorly by her peers due to her weight. Number 3, if she sees how well her bariatric surgery patients do, she may be inspired to research her own options. I would only drop her if her advice did not seem to be accurate.

I had to wait 3 weeks for an opening that fit my schedule although I recall that there were some openings in the schedule sooner than that. Give Nina a call and ask.

I'm 56--I'm seven months out and getting close to goal--still no hunger. I'm shopping in my closet and wearing some clothes that haven't fit me in 15 years! Sadly, all my jeans are "Mom" jeans and out of date but I'm not buying new ones until I'm at goal.

Have you read the forum here "VSG complications support group?" A number of people have written about leaks and other complications. Maybe start there--and remember, the complication rate with VSG is extremely low. Keep researching!

I was the only surgery on my day, too. Don't worry, there will be other people who had surgery today that you can walk and talk to on Wednesday--tomorrow you will mostly sleep (and pee!) Everything will go by very quickly--you can have a margarita and your Ativan and go off to dreamland tonight (don't forget to set the alarm clock) and you will wake up calm and relaxed tomorrow morning. Hope you had the ribeye tacos for dinner, they were great!

Pack light so that you can lift your bag into the overhead bin or stuff it under the seat in front of you. Some people ask for a wheelchair ride to the gate and pickup at their destination but I felt fine, just tired, and San Diego is a small airport so walking is no big deal. Drink water on the plane, get an aisle seat and walk to the bathroom and back every half hour. I also took the sublingual pain meds before flying but I probably didn't need them. You'll do fine!

I would not add candy, sugar-free or not, as a "regular" part of my food plan. It has empty calories and with a tiny tummy, I want the most bang for my food buck. As a rare treat, or if you come across some special sort you can't get anywhere else, I'd say go for it, but a pecan patty and English toffee? Nope, not me.

I didn't tell my friends and family--I'm not going to tell a waitperson. Besides, if I tip well, s/he probably doesn't really care, especially in a chain restaurant. Now, in a fine restaurant, I might call ahead and indicate that I would only be eating a small amount so the chef won't get crazy if the plate comes back with a lot of food on it, or I might only order an app or a soup.

I take what Oregondaisy takes. The calcium citrate is at 1500 mg for me because I am post-menopausal and at risk for osteoporosis. For younger women, my nutritionist recommends 1000-1200 mg of calcium citrate. I also take iron because I'm low.

Liquids cannot...they just flow like water through a pipe. If you drink too fast, liquids will come up.

My doc said when my incisions were closed (which happened at two weeks)--and not to let the shower water really soak them either--just a quick swipe with the antibacterial soap and a fast rinse. Sorry!

I am wearing size 12 jeans from 1998! I have an afternoon get-together with friends tomorrow and I was looking in my closet for something to wear. The pants (14) I was wearing were a little loose so I thought, "Let's try a 12." I held them up and thought, "Oh, that waistband looks really tiny" but put them on anyway and they fit! Now, I wouldn't want to sit in them and you could see my panty line and the outline of the pockets so they are not suitable for tomorrow, but I pawed around in the closet some more and pulled out these jeans. They fit fine--as a matter of fact, the waist is gapping a little at the back. They are, sadly, Mom jeans and look quite out-of-date but I can fit in them!! Now if I can just find something for tomorrow,,,

Another vote here for the OhYeah! wafer bars. I tried their regular protein bars and they were too dense, the wafers are just right. I hated the Pure protein ones, too dense and weird-tasting. I tried one called Quest in the Apple Pie flavor and it was okay--kind of like a chewy Nutrigrain bar. I don't eat protein bars often, just carry one in my purse for emergencies. I was probably 3 months out before I ate one.

After I reach goal I plan on dropping more 10 lbs or so to give me a little 'bounce" room, so it's for the foreseeable future (at least another six -eight months or so). After I decide to maintain, I may have to tweak a bit to steady the scale, but I cannot see a day when I will eat until my stomach says "I'm full." I ate like that for thirty years and ended up obese.

Measure your food. I am almost eight months out and I don't know how much I can eat because I measure and weigh everything. If I can eat my 1/2 cup of yogurt, great. If not, back into the fridge it goes for a snack later. I don't know if I could eat 1 cup because my portion size is 1/2 cup. I eat 3 oz. of shrimp or scallops and 2.5 oz. of beef. I don't get foamies or vomit or worry about "stretching" my stomach. If I am still hungry I take a walk. If I am still hungry after the walk, I drink some water. If I am still hungry after a walk and water, I have a low-carb snack. Sometimes head hunger masquerades as real hunger and the only way I have found to tell the difference is to wait and not cave in to the first urges.

Britgal, if you qualified then you are in! Lose as much as you can pre-op, because then you are that much closer to goal after surgery. I have seen Kaiser folks with BMIs of 30 or 31 getting their surgery after they complete Options. I self-paid as my BMI was 35 with no co-morbidities and I didn't feel like waiting to get fatter and sicker, but my PCP has been great about post-op followup..

Lolli, I think you need to go talk to someone. Just like food meant something to you other than fuel which caused you to become obese, now it means something to you as you become thin. Food should not have that kind of power over you. You are hurting your body eating so few calories. Until you understand your issues, I encourage you to supplement your tiny meals with a couple protein shakes daily or increase your intake. Your body will use lean muscle for energy and you do not want to end up skinny, weak, and with a damaged heart muscle. You need to address this now--please, before it gets worse.

Not an All-Star, but...I was all dopey from the pain and anti-nausea meds and on IV fluids only. The nurses, of course, are tracking Input/output and I have to pee. I CANNOT find the bedpan, just a male urinal and I was pretty sure I wasn't steady enough to aim well. I looked under the sink and there was a big pink plastic dishpan that I'm sure they used for some kind of cleaning...but I peed in it. The nurse never said a word, but when I went in the bathroom again the bedpan was sittting on top of the toilet.

What Rev said...I lost 17 lbs in 10 days post-op and I was smaller than you. The following month I lost 8...so enjoy the big drop!

I eat between 600-800 calories a day and less than 40 gms of carbs. I keep a food journal. I drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. I take all my vitamins and calcium. I have 17 lbs to goal and I'm not stopping until I reach it. This has been way easier for me than dieting, I ate loads of protein when I was fat because I like it, so it's like I'm eating my favorite foods. I have lost my taste for sweets and can't eat bread (it balls up in my stomach and hurts) but that isn't a bad thing.

My BMI was 35 and I had no post-op nausea, vomiting, or complications. I think post-op is more related to your surgeon's management immediately after and your individual tolerance for pain, how swollen you are, how you manage discomfort, and your overall health going in to surgery in the weeks after surgery. Some people sail on through and others struggle. I haven't noticed it related to BMI.

This is another one of those areas where advice from surgeons differs. I could take pills right after surgery. My multi was too big to swallow so I cut it in half and it went down fine. Not telling you what to do but I've been taking pills since day 4 post-op with no problems.

I cough and laugh the same as before surgery. I wonder if some nerves for those functions were cut in your case--maybe they will grow back with time.