PdxMan

I'm 13 years out. Yes, you can drink while eating, but I chose not to as I want to have that full feeling longer. I know that if I am feeling too full, because I ate something that expands in my stomach like breads/rice/pasta, I can take a few sips and I get relief. That is because, as mentioned, having a liquidy slurry of partially digested food will alert the pyloric valve to open sooner to pass to the intestines. The negative part to this is if you do drink while eating, you will be able to consume more food/calories, which I have discovered my body doesn't really need. It was a new habit, but once you get into the groove of things, you will soon discover you don't need it. There is an old video out on YouTube which gives a great example of what happens when you have applesauce in a funnel, then add a little water. The applesauce loosens up and goes right through the funnel. I believe this to be true for me. Search for WLS - No Drinking With Meals! He didn't have VSG, but as I mentioned, I found this to be true for me.

As Arabesque mentioned, you will experience many stalls on this journey. They are normal and if you just keep with the plan, weight loss will resume. It can be discouraging, for sure, but Arabesque is wise.

You need more carbs. I know, funny thing to think about when your team has told you to limit your carbs, but, my guess is you have limited them too much. Gradually increase until the shaky/weak feeling passes. Don't worry, you will still lose weight. My go to was cooked, mashed carrots. I know, I know ... but it worked for me.

I couldn't agree more. There is a reason you continue to do this to yourself. I saw a therapist my first 2 years post surgery as I knew my food addiction ran deep in me. I needed help discovering what I was trying to solve by over-eating. But that is my story. You need to discover yours.

My stats on the side say it all. I posted those numbers 8 years ago and they are still true today. As bhrobins says, stick to the program. It works.

Have you spoke with your surgeon's team? Every person is different, of course, but I wasn't able to eat beans until after 3 or 4 months. Tuna was about 3 months. Beef was at least 6 months out. I still don't eat rice and I'm 9 years out. Your eating plan sounds way too aggressive for me, but as I mentioned, everybody is different. If I was trying to eat those things 1 month out, I would have been in a lot of pain, too. Talk to your team and find out where you should be at.

I will identify myself and tell my story if I feel it may be of service to someone else. I have been in circles where the topic comes up. As I am sure many of use has experienced, there is a lot of misinformation out there. I am more than happy to straighten them out! HA! But also when I am around someone who I know is struggling with their weight, I may casually mention something like, "Oh, I started [fill in the blank] ever since I had WLS", and I leave it right there. If they want to inquire about it more, I am happy to share my experience, but otherwise, I drop it as I know for myself, I would have been pissed if someone told me I needed WLS. Now, on a personal basis, yes, I still identify myself as being a WLS patient. It is hard not to when I am at a wedding reception buffet. There are 10 great things that I would love to sample, but I know I have limited real estate in there. It's like, "Oh, man, that thai meatball was incredible ... I'd love to have just one more", but I know I can't if I also want to sample other things. I don't regret having WLS, but it is hard not to ignore the reality. I'm glad I have the sleeve as if I didn't, I would be eating large quantities of everything. WLS helps me be mindful and I don't want to forget that.

I've written a lot about this over the years. I believe the "stretch" is more a function of a person's ability to "eat around" the sleeve. When eating by the guidelines given us at the beginning, my restriction is the same as it was a year out. But if I am eating slider foods, sure, I can eat a larger quantity. If I am sipping water with my meal, sure, I can eat a larger quantity. If I graze throughout the day, sure, I can eat a larger quantity. Rather than blame myself and my need to fill my soul with food, I can just blame it on the sleeve "stretching". Now, I'm sure this does not cover 100% of the folks out there. I am sure there were surgeons who left too much fundus and their stomachs are able to distend larger than the "average" sleever, but I am guessing they are in the minority. But one this I am confident about is if they go back to the original guidelines, they will lose anything they have gained. I am confident about this as it has been true for me. I have slipped into old habits of using food as a crutch and ate around my sleeve. I gained 20 pounds over a couple years. I'm not not cured of my food issues. But I simply returned to the old guidelines and 6 months later, I had dropped that 20 pounds. This only works if you work it. We cannot forget nor ignore this, lest we suffer the consequences.

07/08/2011. Just turned 6 years. Maintaining at goal weight. Loving it.

Ah, thanks. Never heard of that. Heard of a leak test, but not swallow test.

Thx, but seriously, what is a live swallow test?

Sorry, I don't even know what a "live swallow test" is. Success? Failure? @@Babbs?

Ladies, HERE is your roadmap, though not sure how you are going to get your ovaries to descend.

I take NSAIDS all the time. Well, not ALL the time, but I rototill gardens and yards on the side and will take them as my hands and joints tend to swell pretty good after a full day. From what I understand, Sleeve patients shouldn't take them for the first 6 months post-op as the swelling actually helps keep the stitching sealed until proper healing occurs. Reduce the swelling too soon, and a leak may present itself. At least, that is how my Dr explained it to me. Over a week, I will take no less than 4 to 5K mg. Never been an issue, but as LSL points out, consult your team. Been sleeved almost five years and am maintaining at goal.