Sleevie WonderLand

For me, the hardest part about this surgery is having to come face to face with my lifelong addiction to eating for no reason. With the sleeve you can't just eat for the heck of it; you surely can't over eat or drink just because something tastes good. You're forced to pay attention to how you eat, what you eat, and how much you're eating. To be honest, I really resented getting sleeved at first. I was pissed that I had to follow the sleeve rules. But when I came to my senses and realized that the only way I would ever lose this weight and become successful is thru this restrictive procedure, I conceded. The weight is coming off slowly but surely and me and my sleeve are becoming the best of friends. Wishing you a successful surgery, pleasant hospital stay, and speedy recovery. Remember, no matter how hard or bad it seems at first, it does get better with time.

Are you on an acid reducer like omeperazole, prilosec, or nexium? I noticed that I get very nauseated and "gassy"when I forget to take it. Fight with your doctor to prescribe liquid meds if possible. Hang in there, it really does get better.

I had a hard time with the shakes until I found nectar Syntrax chocolate Truffle. I ordered a sample pack of shakes from mybariatricpantry.com and when I tasted the chocolate truffle and the strawberry mousse, I put in an order right away! For me they were the best Protein shakes I had ever tasted. I made my shakes with skim milk, and at times added in some ice and low fat cool whip just to get a thicker, more frozen yogurt type consistency so I could eat it with a spoon. There is also unjury.com where you can get chicken broth that is loaded with protein. It might be a good idea to invest in it as you may also use it after surgery. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Take pictures of your self in your old baggy clothes and take some in the new "tighter" ones. Compare them. It may help you see how FABULOUS the new you is! I only hope I can take my own advice if and when the baggy clothes syndrome hits me...

I was feelin a little guilty a while ago, but now I dont! Thanks Indymom!

I was hoping to have the surgery in Mexico as well, but when it came down to it, I just couldnt afford it, so I opted to jump through the hoops required of my insurance company. However, I would be very weary and careful of having the surgery done internationally especially since you cant find any one with a testimony or two about surgery in Costa Rica or DR. Good luck to you! I hope that you find a safe and trustworthy place to get sleeved. I was recently sleeved and feel like its the best thing Ive ever done for Me!

Just wanted to share an article on foods that have more Protein in them than a beef hamburger, as per Yahoo! I guess most of the stuff is obvious, but I was really surprised to read about pumpkin seeds being a good protein source. Enjoy! http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/8-veggies-nuts-and-grains-with-more-protein-than-a-burger-2596005/#photoViewer=5

Reading your post and seeing your pictures gave me the baby bug again, but then I snapped out of it! God bless you and your family! She's beautiful, you're beautiful, and hubby aint too shabby either! Enjoy this time, it goes by like the wink of an eye!

Just keep in mind that you have to take everything in in smaller and slower quantities. It helped me to use a baby spoon to feed myself liquids in the beginning. I also used the little medicine cups, I asked for a bunch of them in the hospital. Helps you to pace yourself. It really does get better over time. Remain positive and keep reminding yourself of the rewards in the end - health, less weight, and a new lease on life! Oh yeah, I found that my sleeve loves when I drink warm liquids much better than cold ones!

Awesome! Thanx!

I started my Journey on June 24, 2011 at an info seminar. My insurance co didn't require a 6 month supervised diet like many other people have to go through, so I began to make all the appointments necessary for EKG, gallbladder sonogram, endoscopy, sleep apnea, cardiologist clearance, etc. I was sleeved on October 18th, so my process took a little over 3 months from start to finish. Not bad, even though it felt like it took longer than that! Good luck, I hope you decide to do it....its one of the best decisions I've ever made for ME. Everything I do on a daily basis is for everyone else in my life - my boss, my hubby, my kids...this sleeve was all about ME, and I only wish I had researched it years ago!

I've used almond milk to make my shakes, just to try and find a different flavor to see if it would be more appetizing. Not!

I'm still feeling pain and discomfort in my incision site (the main one) and am flabbergasted when I read posts from people who are newly sleeved mentioning that they're already up and walking for exercise. I was able to walk slow laps in the hospital, but I find that I cant remain on my feet for more than 5 to 7 minutes at a time because its painful. When did you start your walking regimen? I guess I'm just a slower healer than some...

www.sleeveguide.com/new-post-op.html I was hoping to find some more suggestions for my liquid diet, because frankly I'm dying of boredom with this Soup and Jello crap, so I googled "what to eat after VSG" and this link came up. At the end of the article (which had great info for pre-op candidates too) there were two links for some resources guides which I thought were pretty good, and I wanted to share them with my VSG family. dietguidevged42006feb.pdf dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.pdf

I'm still not tolerating ANY Protein Shakes or "unflavored" (that's bull in my opinion) Protein powders. I keep attempting to use them, and always come very close to puking when I do. I've been graduated to the mushy/pureed stage and have enjoyed some soft scrambled eggs, and some cottage cheese (that was kinda hard). I am going to the supermarket after work and plan to pick up some creamed spinach, black Beans, broth, and various Soups that I can put in my blender. Anyone have any other high protein mushy food staples I should invest in? I'm sure this isn't the first time someone's requested this info, it was just easier to ask you guys for it again versus sifting through the site while at work. :-) Help a sleeved sista out!

OMG...chicken chili....I'm drooling and excited!

WHAT? I can have creamed spinach? Woo Hoo...this mushy food stage aint so bad after all!

I so agree with what theshwa said. I didn't cry every night, but I did have a breakdown when I got home from the hospital. I was really angry that I decided to do this and got even more angry when I realized that there was no turning back. You are doing the right thing - looking for help and support through this rough time. As cliche as it sounds, it WILL get better and THERE IS light at the end of the tunnel. I'm sorry that you're experiencing pain - your doctor's office should be willing to prescribe some liquid medication that will be easier for you to ingest. Hang in there, Please!