PdxMan

I have had this issue as well. Thought I was going to pop a blood vessle for sure. I eat prunes daily. Love them. Keep things moving. Of course, Water consumption. I don't even count the liquids from the Protein shakes as I figure the protein kinda cancels it out. Even doing this, though, I have run into problems. That is when I reach out to MOM (Milk of Magnesia). That has worked for me.

Sure thing. I just got to thinking, though. Be careful of the xxx with rice or the xxx and noodles. They may be a little tougher to digest at first and may be your go-to at the end of this phase. They say rice and Pasta expand in your stomach and at this point, those items are not the most important thing to be going in there given our restriction. Don't worry if you can only get a couple spoonfuls in. That is normal. Just take your time. Don't push yourself. It took me half an hour to eat 1/3 of a cup. One spoonful ... swallow ... wait a minute ... evaluate how that felt ... repeat. Do not drink other liquids while eating. You'll do great.

I was a big fan of ham and lentil Soup. I then pureed it with my hand mixer. Lots of Protein and bold flavor. I would say grab any soup you like and puree it. Just make sure it has protein and carbs (veggies) in it.

No, I don't think you will have to do this for the rest of your life. This is just until you can get into the full swing of things and back to a diet of 'normal' foods. But this will be different for each person. I am very active and will most likely use Protein drinks for workouts and Meal Replacements, but that will be by my choice, not because I cannot get what I need through regular foods. A quick google search in Saskatoon for health food stores turned up quite a few: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Saskatoon+health+food+store

I weigh once a month around the 20th. That was the day I had read a post from someone who was complaining because they weighed themselves in the morning and then again that afternoon and had gained 0.3 pounds (that's zero point three) and was SOOOOO UPSET!! I was thinking how ridiculous that was and vowed to not make myself that crazy. I think that is the only place weighing often can lead you. I weigh myself each month and I weigh less each time. I don't have to beat myself up for that 0.3 pound gain. AHHH!!

I hit 4 or 5 of my favorite restaurants one last time starting about two weeks before my two week pre-op diet. It was good for me to do.

I would just pick up a few and not stock up. What works for one person will not work for the other. I can assure you. It wasn't a vomit type reaction for me. Some things can taste terrible and not induce vomiting. At least for me. The Protein shakes I loved pre-surgery tasted awful post, so you are just going to have to see what works for you when you get on the other side. Don't worry. You will be mobile and able to go to the store and carry on life as normal. You can do this.

I was instructed to only take it once a week, under the tongue. I believe that is where most people start and then it is adjusted if needed as your tests dictate. Confirm how often you were supposed to start at.

I took a box knife to my belts and used a screwdriver and hammer to put in new holes. I've had to do this twice and need to do it again. There's an NSV for ya!

What do your meals consist of? Do you drink liquids with your meal? Are you eating Proteins first? What are your Snacks and when do you eat them? Give us some detail.

I see you are in the Gym Rats group, so for me, getting back to the gym has always motivated me in focusing on what I need to do.

I see there is a Goodwill over in Bryan, not too far from Franklin. It would be worth the trip. Like other posters, I have raided Goodwill as well. Spent $40 and got a couple pairs of jeans, dress slacks and some shirts. Each day they have 50% off a colored tag, so look for those for extra savings. Until I get to my "final" weight, I don't want the expense of replacing my wardrobe, but at the same time, I can't wear my size 40s and XXL shirts and sweaters, either. It makes me feel great when I go out in size 34 jeans and a M or L shirt and I know my wife likes it to. (which also benefits me, greatly) For $40, I have some clothes that look nice, fit well and make me feel great about what this is all about.

Search the forum on Ketosis. You can manage it.

I'm going to jump back on my soapbox here for a second since I am on a rant. Actually, I think there is a rant section on the forum. I'll go post there. You all have a great day and congratulations to all who have embraced their sleeve and are honestly trying to make it work.

Wow! Size small. Nice. Congratulations. I know what you mean about hor dourves. When I go to costco, I don't call it shopping ... it's dinner! Crazy. Yes, I used to stress so much about my weight. I wasn't happy. So, I decided to take what I would call drastic steps ... have 85% of my stomach removed. I did this so I could take control back and not stress out so much about what I was eating. Now, I have a few rules that I have to follow: Get Protein, take Vitamins, drink Water, get carbs & exercise. This is what I do as best I can. I eat until I feel restriction and stop. I drink until I feel restriction and stop. I exercise until I am tired and stop. If that isn't good enough, then too bad, it is the best I can do. But I am going to keep trying. Before it was easy to give up and fail. Now, it is easy to succeed. But only when I try. I can guarantee that if you don't even try, you probably won't succeed. I am trying and I am a much happier person. I don't know what that says about me as a person. I know there are a lot of people who are perfectly happy being overweight and I applaud them. I truely do. Perhaps it is vanity, maybe not having control or a concern for my health ... but I had to get real about this and I am not going to pussyfoot around being politically correct trying not to offend someone. Congratulations on your loss. Just keep doing the best you can do. If you can, do a little extra every once in a while. Push yourself. See where it takes you. If you don't succeed, learn from it and move on, but don't stress about it. That is not why we did this. LET'S ENJOY OUR NEW LIFE!!!

I asked my Dr specifically about stretching my sleeve and he laughed and said no. It would be near impossible to stretch it and it was utterly ridiculous to think it could ever be stretched out to the size it was before. In its previous state, pre-surgery, yes, the stomach could distend because there was stretchy material there. 85% of the stomach has now been removed. %15 remaining, most of which is not the stretchy material. So, he said, yes, after the swelling goes down, the stomach will size to the size it is going to be. To stretch it like I was asking would take a long strenuous effort which he just didn't believe was realistically possible to maintain. He told me not to worry about it, so I am not going to. I don't think anyone else should either, but it is on the forefront of everyone's mind. Makes me crazy. Makes me think of golf. You worry so much about putting the ball into the Water that you end up driving the ball right into the middle of the pond instead of walking up to the ball and hitting it like you know you are supposed to ... like you have been trained to do. I know I had difficulty not hitting the ball into the middle of the pond pre-surgery with my food choices, but now with this new tool, I can just relax and take the shot! I don't always put it on the green, and it has gone into the water, but far less than it did pre-surgery. I think it helps me enjoy life with my new sleeve instead of having my head spinning all around.

To reiterate many posts, you cannot stretch out your sleeve. You can call BS on that one. I start each morning with Water and Protein shake. After waking and after workouts are the two best times for your body to absorb protein. You body will use it best then. Grab a cup of coffee, a protein shake and a hard boiled egg and head out for the day. Eat the egg half an hour after you finish your beverages. The thing you have to remember is the reason for not drinking is it can be too easy to overeat. You won't feel the restriction as the pyloric valve will open and empty everything into the intestines. The sleeve is a tool. Use it wisely and you can eat and drink at the same time. Just don't do it so you can eat the whole burrito. When I was preparing for the 5K I ran, I drank while eating Pasta the night before because I knew I couldn't get the amount of carbs into my body before the race. I was able to eat a lot (relatively) It worked for me for a purpose. I think too many people can get their heads spun around too many rumours of what they should be doing. It can be confusing, for sure, but what I fall back on is, "If I eat like a normal person, I'll be fine." It is when I eat for the wrong reasons or I am not 100% honest with myself or motivations that I get into trouble.

So, first off, you cannot stretch your new tummy. But, until the stomach heals, you can stress the staple line. That said, you also have to remember your stomach is still swollen from the surgery and it will be for several more weeks. So, what will work for one, won't work for another. These are just guidlines. You must find your point of restriction and not go past that. Yes, it is a challenge at first, so you just have to take it slow. I ate pureed lentil and ham soup. I would have a teaspoon about every minute and could eat about 1/4 - 1/3 of a cup. After about two weeks, I was up to 1/2 a cup and it was easier to detect the restriction. If you start to hickup, stop. You are full. Slimes ... stop. You are full.

Yes, I wear the Under Armour compression shirts when I work out/run. It is the only thing that can hold things in place. Toning and building muscle will help a bit with the extra skin, but there is no way it is going to tighten it all. I will be looking at plastic surgery after a year or so once my weight loss and my body has stabilized.

I was in the same boat. I couldn't eat solids and had a very real fear of them, too. It only took one or two bites and I felt terrible. So, I kept with my Protein shakes and ate what I could. I'm at 5 months and I would say I am still not on full solids, yet. I can't imagine eating a hamburger patty. Oye! My main go-to meal is diced up (really diced) chicken or tuna and throw it in salads with blue cheese. I don't do low cal/carb dressings, either. I have chili with sharp cheddar cheese about every lunch. Breakfast is a Protein shake. Morning snack is a V-8. Afternoon snack is prunes. If I don't think I am getting my protein in, I grab a shake. I pretty much eat throughout the day, but I also exercise a lot, too. I don't eat any breads. They make my stomach hurt. I have a wee bit of noodles occassionally, just to get them introduced to my tummy. Small bowl of ice cream a couple times a week. I don't worry too much about it. My weight loss have been better than I expected. I'm doing what I can and keep pushing myself. This has worked for me, perhaps it can work for you. Just do the best you can and it will come together.

Hmmm ... yeah, you don't want to irritate someone who will then put your paperwork on the bottom of the stack ... I think you should give them at least a week ...

Mountain biking should be out of the question for awhile. At least six weeks. If you should crash ... In the gym, on a stationary bike ... I was biking a few days after surgery. But you have to be healed to be out and about. Talk to your surgeon.

Yeah, that stuff is glue. And not the Elmer's kind. I just left it and eventually it sluffs off with the dead skin. If you don't mind some irritated skin, grab some sandpaper or use your nail. It is designed to stick and does a good job. Medical quality stuff, it is.

Then don't try gatorade. There are about 15 different gatorade type drinks at my local grocery store. Go buy 1 bottle of 4 of them and see if any work. You may find these easier to go down.

I had extreme fatigue as well. Was getting at least 9 hours of sleep and dragging a$$ by 3:00. Finally, I called the NUT. She said I needed to get my carbs up. Good ones. She suggested I add cooked green Beans, carrots, peas. Doing this made all the difference in the world. About 3 days later I could tell a difference. It got better after that and now I am all good. I think a lot of people concentrate on avoiding carbs, but that is not necessarily the ticket. Yes, my weight loss did slow, but it was worth it. You have to find the balance. Give it a try and see how your body reacts.