happy1957

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Sleeved Dec 28th and down about 20lbs since surgery day, but had lost 5.5 lbs the prior 10 days on liquid diet. Slow loser, but headed down.. Hopefully it doesn't stop .. Congratulations to all of you!

Wow, compared to everyone else, I guess I am a slow loser, I have always been a slow loser, and won't worry unless the scale stops.

You ladies are doing GREAT! I had my sleeve on Dec. 28th, which makes 3 months today. My total weight loss since surgery is about 20 lbs, but with the liquid diet and pre-diet loss I am down about 36. I consider that half way there and am pleased so far. The last couple weeks have been 1 lb a week so I suspect I'm hitting the 3 month stall soon. :-) .I have no fears of really stretching my stomach. I have a sign of fullness before I actually feel it in my tummy. My nose begins sniffling. It's weird, but it's my sign. I also use the same dishes each meal. I Pampered Chef pre-bowl or a small six inch plate depending on the meal. This is a trick my Dr suggested. I'm usually full and happy. My biggest fear is learning to love and eat "slider" foods. The bad things which I have tried like tortilla chips and salsa, popcorn, cake etc. are easy to eat and don't fill you up. So I have that stuff sparingly. Usually one bite or fork full and I leave it alone. I am older, have a less weight to lose compared to so suspect my weight loss will be slower. You are both doing wonderful! keep up the good work and don't get discouraged when the scale doesn't move for awhile.

Good morning... You are losing weight, did you not say you have lost 9 lbs? That is an average of 4.5 lbs a week. I too have to lose a smaller amount of weight. Roughly 70lbs. Yes, 70 lbs is a lot. but, not hundreds. I lost 5.5 on my pre-surgery liquid diet and about 20lbs since my Dec 28, 2011 surgery. It sounds like a little compared to others in here, but, with the initial loss of 11lbs on my own, I am more than half way there. You don't want to lose to fast, it's better for your skin and for how others perceive you (not sick) . I had a 3.5 week stall at about 3 weeks. Now seem to be losing slow at about 1lb a week. I have NEVER lost this much weight in such a short period of time. Just do what you're suppose to and it will come off. I think I'm heading in to a 3 month stall now. I will be patient, if all holds true, this weight loss should be forever. I am so very happy that I had this done, not one minute of regret. In fact it seems like it's just part of who I am. I eat everything I want, never ever nauseous, never vomited and have NEVER had the slimes that others talk about. I do find that some foods sit heavy. I do my best to eat slow and that must be the key for me. I wish you luck, remember, you've nearly lost 10% already that is in a mere two weeks. Congratulations and keep doing what you're doing.

I don't feel the traditional full either. 99% of the time my nose feels weird and I get little sniffles. It's not like a cold or allergy sniffle, but just a little post nasal drip. That's my first sign, if I take just one more bite, I feel pressure of fullness. I've learned to just stop when I get the first sign. I have even told friends that I sound like a cocaine addict at meal time. This may sound like a weird indication, but it's the exact same thing for my sister who was sleeved before me. My Dr told me it's normal in most people, most people just aren't in tune with their body like we are because of the surgery. It's sort of like eating hot soup but less intense. I'd be curious to know if this happens to others. Good luck!!

Sorry to hear of your complication, but that is common risk with any surgery. Had you traveled a great distance to get your surgery? Even flying kills people. I recently saw where a family flew to Florida to Disney, the dad ended up getting a clot from the flight and died in his hotel room. You were smart enough to go get it checked out, so you should be on your road to recovery. The best of luck with your recovery. It'll all be worth it in the end.

I am just two months out, but had a 3.5 week stall at three weeks. I received much encouragement from VST and all the great people here. As was said to me, keep doing everything right and it will come off. I lost 4.5 lbs the next week once the stall broke and have lost some every week since. My doctor told me that losing weight with VSG is like standing on a step and waiting patiently for awhile, then jumping 2 or 3 steps at a time. That's exactly how it has felt for me. Good luck!.

Good day... I stalled at week three also, it lasted for 3.5 weeks. It's disheartening, but everyone here encouraged me to just keep doing all the right things and it would work out. I only weighed myself once a week for the first two weeks of the stall, but the next week and a half I weighed every day. I too would go up 2 lbs, then back down. I was getting depressed, but believe me, it will happen. I ended up losing 4.5 lbs overnight. In just three days actually. Since then, I have lost another 4-5 lbs a week for the past couple weeks. It is like standing on a set of steps, you wait and wait, but then jump three at time to catch up to others. Just keep doing what is right. Your body is just holding on to the solids because of the starvation mode it was in with liquids. Good luck to you.

Stage two in my post op book s liquids only. Although no longer clear like phase one . That includes protein drinks, creamed soups, yogurt, cottage cheese, diluted juice etc. I don't believe that cheese or anything chewable should be eaten in this stage. I was on this stage for two weeks pre and post surgery. I couldn't start mushies until after my two week follow up. I don't think I could have swallowed anything solid like cheese because of the swelling. I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck.

There seems to be an infamous three week stall. I personally just hit it and it lasted 3.5 weeks. Many supporters here had warned me and although you expect it, it makes you doubt if the sleeve is going to work for you. Keep doing what you're suppose to and your body will adapt and before you know, you will start losing. Eat your protein and lots of fluid and you will be rewarded. We all lose at different rates. For me it seemed the stall started when I went from liquids to solids. As if my body was in starvation mode and held on to everything I put in my mouth, once it realizes that you will continue to feed it, it let's go of the choke hold. This was a very depressing time for me, one night I just let it go emotionally on this very site and the next day I had lost. Good luck to you...

I am about 7 weeks out and have become really hungry over this last 2 weeks. I have read enough on here that in most cases you ned an acid reduction pill as many can not tell the difference between hunger and acid reflux. I already take omeprazole in the pm and occasionally will take one in the am. Yesterday was a hunger day, nothing I ate made me feel full until I had a cup of pop corn. I have a sister who is 4 months ahead of me and feels NO hunger at all, but she did say it was several weeks out before she felt that way. That your body has ghrelin stored in your fat cells and as you burn the fat, they resurface. Not sure but many also say if you don't drink enough fluids, same issue, you feel hungry. I hope this passes soon for both of us. Mine is only an occasional day, not everyday. The best of luck to you.

My insurance required the six month diet, but if I went through a "Center of Excellence" bariatric center, they accepted a 3 month diet with a certain amount of nutrition classes. See if your insurance company has that lope hole .The best of luck to you.

I'm not yet three months out, but there hasn't been one thing that I have put in my mouth that I can't tolerate. As you worry about not getting enough variety, I worry about being to able to eat everything. I would say that your problem could be more emotional than physical since it begins when you put it into your mouth. With dense Protein like chicken and beef you are unable to eat as much, but eaten slowly with the 30 minute wait after Water, it still goes down easily and no digestion issues. Do you make sure that it's at least 30 minutes after drinking before you eat and that you are not drinking with meals?

OMG, enjoy it while you can! LOL Keep it at home and it'll be soooooooooooo healthy for you. I'm sorry to say that i have no experience with this, so no words of wisdom. Just have fun, don't make it another source of stress. Think of it as a really nice, long vacation, they all come to an end and become fond memories.

Ok, I need since reviews please.... :-)

My Dr had only done about 35 total. Insurance companies only came on board a couple years ago and we are a little SLOWER here in Maine. My Dr was a plastic surgeon prior to bariactrics, I assumed her stitching line would be perfect and it was. :-) She had lots of experience with gastric bypass and lap bands. I think in all fairness, unless people pay cash, the sleeve just hasn't been covered that long.

I just noticed your weight ticker. You have done marvelous!!!! Congratulations.

I am 6 weeks out and have been able to drink normally for nearly half that time. I don't even think about. I can't remember ever chugging prior to my surgery, but I have no problem picking up a water bottle and drink what I want. I always liked the 24oz Poland Spring water with the sippy end, but hate that now. I prefer a regular screw off cap where I can control the flow of the water.

Congratulations!! I am sincerely excited for you. I too went through the insurance battle and didn't get approved until my last appeal, it was 11 months from start to finish. It's been a fairly easy ride since. I was approved and 12 days later had my surgery which fortunately has been a text book perfect recovery. I feel your overwhelming excitement. Again, Congratulations.

I lost 8.5 lbs. Not a huge amount, but a good percentage. I then only lost 4.5 over the next 4 weeks, stalled out for about 3 1/2 of that. I feel smaller, clothes fit looser, but unfortunately I did not measure myself. Start there, I think inches is important for your self esteem when the scale doesn't move. Thanks to everyone here on VST, I was able to be emotional about my stall and received much support. Good luck to you.

I'm happy for you LIssa, I wish at times my first husband could have understood that I had needs. He wasn't a bad man, but was needy and God forbid I needed a shoulder. I think we often have to mature a lot before we can truly communicate. At times the other person isn't willing to participate. Hopefully your husbands sobriety will be the key that unlocks new doors for both of you. It looks like you BOTH are on paths to a healthier life which will keep you in a healthier and happy relationship.

First I am not a marriage counselor, just a little wisdom from being an old woman. Wow, I have seen and heard about this at support groups and actually have a friend post bypass that is dealing with the same issues. Your husband is apparently insecure about your weight loss and I have dealt with that in the past when losing weight, although it was a different husband.:-) I think in your case your entire lifestyle has changed. It's like starting all over again. When two people live apart they become real independent individuals. You are not only more confident and looking great, but now you're treading on his territory. You both have to become partners again. Although you felt like you were partners in mind and really shared the others input in most cases, you were individuals in eating, sleeping, playing, watching tv etc. You are in his "space". That is new. I know you probably love each other and the situation you had prior worked and you learned to be without one another, but as happy as he was to have you come home for a visit, he knew you would be leaving again. I bet he gets angry because while you want to go shopping or do something together, he wants to sit around in his underwear watching the ball game (maybe not literally ) He had that freedom for a long time. Not having to answer to anyone for the most part. Your relationship was like an affair, all fun and not a lot of responsibility to the other. He learned to fend for himself, not really needing you for day to day living. He had learned to fill his time without you, probably not with another woman, but with precious private time and space. My opinion is that you need to start dating. You need to give him more space. We all know that counseling would be your best bet, but for now he is against that. Maybe living separately in the same house until he is used to you being around even if it's sleeping arrangements. I bet you feel like a stranger in your own home. You should share this with your children. They are grown individuals and you're not saying that you want to leave their dad, but you have to get over the "newness" of being a "in the house wife" again. Your children are your support. Plus you have to get used to him being around too. I'm sure you may have some sensitivities. Will he walk with you? Go to the gym? Maybe you can find a once a week activity that you both love and can share. Dancing? Make a date night, play a game. Make him write down 25 things on individual pieces of paper that he would like you to do for him or that would please him. It can be making his favorite desert, go bowling, go for an ice cream, washing his vehicle, drawing a bath, going to the movies etc. You do the same. Put them in individual jars and once a week on a particular day you both pick one from the others jar, not showing each other and sometime during the next week, you both fulfill what is written on the paper. I personally like leave a rose on my car seat while I'm working, and cooking dinner for me. :-) I sincerely wish you the best.I believe if there is still love there, you can fall back into it.

Any type of sharp pain is not normal. You could have referred pain from the left. I had no pain at all with the exception of the pinching feeling from the small incisions. It's always best to call your Dr. Unusual sharp pains can be a sign of a leak.