PdxMan

Well, I'm 99% sure your restriction has not increased. My restriction varies depending upon several things. The texture of what I am eating: For instance. A 3 oz piece of ground turkey is easier to eat than a 3 oz slice of turkey breast. As a matter of fact, I don't think I could eat anything else if I had a 3 oz slice of turkey breast. Point is, the ground turkey has already been a bit processed for me making it easier to chew and handle. The order in which I eat: Which makes sense to me as we stack food up against the pyloric valve. If I start off with salad, and then eat a meatball, I don't feel the same restriction as if I ate the meatball first. meat is going to take a bit more time to break down before passing through the pyloric valve, so it will back everything else up giving the feeling of more restriction. What I am eating: I can pack away a good amount of slider foods. Popcorn, salads ... even crackers are sliders for me, which I don't quite get. Seems the grains would expand in the stomach and cause restriction, but I can eat crackers. Oye. I digress. Bottom line is eating 3 oz of cottage cheese is not the same as eating 3 oz of Pasta. You WILL feel different amounts of restriction. Liquids: Whether drinking with the meal or if the dinner has liquids in it, this definately affects restriction. I have played around with this a lot to increase calories for exercise. I can eat almost double of the exact same foods when I drink with them. I can eat 8 oz of just about any Soup, no problem. Rate of consumption: If I take my time and chew well, I can eat more comfortably. When I go back to my old habits of chewing 5 times and shoveling another fork-full in, I have pain. I try to put my utencil down between each bite and chew really well. Not to mush like we had to do early out, but we have to remember what happened here. The stomach is the mechanical part of digestion. Think of it as the garbage disposer mashing up the food getting it ready to send down the pipes. Removing 85% of it has changed it from a 1 horsepower unit to an eighth horsepower unit. Help it out by chewing the food a little more than we did pre-op. My 2 cents on this. Experiment with what I have thrown out there and you may be able to find what works for you.

I would tell her: I THANK GOD everyday that I live in a world where I can have lasix surgery to improve my eyesight. (Permanent re-formation of cornea, can't be reversed) I have had a few teeth removed, several moles and a growth removed from my nether regions which was causing me issues. Don't want anything back. I have had friends have their tonsils, appendix, spleens, ovaries (and associated parts) removed when they aren't working for them anymore, and they are better for it. (Permanent removal of organs, don't want them back) I have also had 85% of my stomach removed so I can have a tool to restrict my intake and help me lead a healthier life and be there for my family and friends. I know God intended babies to come out the way they went in, but it is good to know these smart men and women are there to help with surgeries. I also know these same smart men and women do surgeries for vanity purposes, and I am glad God put them here to help those who feel they need it. What class of people do you think God would look down on more, those getting surgeries for vanity or those trying to improve the quality of their lives? My 2 cents

So, does your day to day work constitute exercise? Sure. Vaccuuming is exercise. Is it working out? No. So, on your off or half days, are you able to get your heart rate up to 75-85% of your target heart rate for at least half an hour? This is where you get seeing some direct benefits of exercise and working out for the purpose of burning calories. So, looking at your numbers and how far out you are, I think you are doing great. I've read tons of your posts and I think your head is in the right place, too. Are you meeting your goals?

I totally agree, non-compliance pre-surgery does not mean failure post sleeve, but, IMO, it is an indication of food and perhaps even food choices. What are you eating now to satiate your hunger? I know for me, it was meaningless carbs ... crackers, Cookies. But they made me feel good and satisfied my hunger ... for the moment. A on hour later, "Why am I hungry again?" And away I'd go with more poor choices. For me, I had my Come To Jesus moment pre-surgery where I knew I was killing myself with these behaviors. I treated this as my last chance to be at a healthy weight and be there for my kids. As is pointed in many threads, the sleeve is a tool to help you eat less. That is it. It is nothing more. There are some side benefits for many people. Some folks who don't have acid issues post-op, find they don't really have any hunger in the few months post op. I am one of those. I had to set reminders to eat for the first 6 weeks as I would be at work, look up at the clock and it would be 4:00 and I hadn't had lunch, yet. Never even thought about it, which, for me, it just mind blowing. As my surgeon explained, the body will develop new ways of telling me it is hungry and that is true. Instead of my stomach feeling hungry like it did before, my body just feels nutritionally short. When I am with people and they ask, "Hey, are you hungry? Want to grab lunch?" I say that I'm starving, or yes, I'm hungry, without going into the bigger explaination that, "Really, I'm not, but my body could use some nutrition." But, there are those who do still struggle with hunger post-op. I don't know if it is the acid. Perhaps it is an early return to the habit of eating comfort food and now that is how they respond and the cycle continues, even though they are truly not hungry. Head hunger or the like. I don't know as I fell on the other side of the fence and cannot see over. Good luck to you and I do wish you the success you are looking for.

Mine started going at the 6 month mark. I thought I was all clear. Getting in excess of recommended Protein, taking Biotin, Calcium, multi-vitamin, had my calories up to about 1,500. Nope It didn't come out in clumps. It was a thinning thing. Wash my hair and my hands were fuzzy. My hair was always very short, but thick enough you couldn't really see my scalp. When seeing the scalp was obvious, I set the shaver to #1 and buzzed it off. Never saw another hair after that. It's all back now, so, it all worked out.

Hello, I'm 15 months out and loving my sleeve. Pre-op testing, for me, included blood work, EKG and psych test. I have heard of others having their stomach scoped, but that would entail more than a 2 hour appt, I believe I do have a cup or two of coffee at work, with cream, and I drink water throughout the day. Fizzy drinks, well, I have a few sips of root beer occasionally, but they are so sweet and make my burping ridiculous. Yes, once your swelling goes down, you will be able to drink normally. You will not be able to chug, by any means, if you do that now. Good luck and keep on reading and asking questions

I stopped taking it about a month after my hair started falling out. I figured, "What's the point?" For me, that was around the 7 month mark.

Why don't you want to do a 2nd? If not enough equity, I understand, but a second or even better, a line of credit: You will find no other loan cheaper You only have to pay the interest portion if you need some extra cash one month You get to deduct the interest on your taxes After you have it paid off, you always have that available Sweet deal, to me

Over Blubel, this is not fair ... you are taking Butter's quote out of context. ** Edit ** Looks like Overthewhingers changed their name to Blubel

Just curious ... have you read the entire thread? Namely, my response to the post you quoted or the several other responses to that post? True, and his math is a little off. If he were to go through and count all the likes on the opposition posts, it would be a landslide. But, as I mention in one of my posts, we're not here for a p!$$ing contest, but to help the community.

What is your pre-op diet? Here is thread I replied to today that describes mine. Perhaps this may help?

You're going to think I am a big scary bad person, I'm sure, but I'm not. Think about this ... This is about shrinking your liver so the surgeon has a nice little liver to move around so they can tear out 85% of your stomach. They have told you they feel they can do their best job if it is shrunk. They don't want to nick it during the procedure. I don't think you want them to nick it either. If they get in there and discover your liver is larger than they are comfortable with, they have three options. Convert to an open surgery Cancel the surgery Throw caution to the wind and hope for the best and do it laproscopically So, you do what you feel is best, but your inability to follow the pre-op diet for a few days is an indication of your relationship with food. The sleeve is not going to change that. You may want to schedule some appointments to address food issues. Sorry, mean part over. I just want you to be successful and reach the goals you have set for yourself. Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

27 pounds never coming back. Nice!

Love them babybell cheeses and the string cheese. I also do the Trader Joe's jerkey. Any and all varieties. Big fan of the RTD Premier Protein shakes, costco, Sams.

Here

Actually, from the bold part above, I qualified it. I trust you have re-read my posts perhaps from a less defensive position? And you have gone back and edited some of your posts to soften them up, and not that you probably really care, but I appreciate that, thanks. As I have said, I just want to share my experience and help those researching this life altering choice. Thanks for sharing yours, Neil. This is what makes this community great. We are a family, all disfunctions included!

They know what they are doing. I had a lean and green pre-op diet. Protein shake for Breakfast and one for lunch. For dinner, lean protein with green veggies. As much as I wanted. My usual fare was a salad. My protein was either tuna, shrimp or chicken. Ah, and ground turky with taco seasoning, ala taco salad. I would pile on the cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower. Whilst most of those aren't green, I asked my NUT about them and she said that was fine. And I'm not talking about a salad bowl size, either. Full on humongo bowl. Did this for 2 weeks, was pretty much always comfortable. I was allowed an additional shake if I got hungry. Lost 10 pounds and the Dr said my liver looked great and was easy to work with.

I believe you can tell them about special diets. I'm sure you are not the first WLS person they have had on board. I'm guessing you won't be the only one on the ship! Let them know what you are able to eat and I'm sure they will be accomodating.

Neil, I think you may have completely missed my point. You are so obsessed with being "right" and with the populous. If you really want to have a p!$$ contest, then go add the "likes" on my posts and you will see the nubmers even up a bit more. You still have not responded to my lasts posts, either. Can you do that without being a smart @$$? Your pride and ego have gotten the better of you in this discussion and blinded you to the points being made. I don't know how I can get this across any clearer, but I'll try one more time. I completely agree with your original post. Even the one you had before you edited it and softened it up. People should not obsess about falling off the wagon. But you were suggesting that they do not need to follow the Drs guidelines, and I disagreed. I do believe that is irresponsible and to tell people otherwise could have negative consequences in their lives. Can you not see this? It is my opinion, from my personal experience and reading thousands of threads over the last 17 months on this and other sites, that you are in the minority as far as the foods you are able to eat so early on. I am amazed at what you are able to eat and know that because of this, you will have an easier go with this journey. Since you state that you have read all of the pre- and post-op threads, what do you think? I tried to progress to what you are doing and there was just no possible way. You were able to drink more the first week of surgery than I was after the first month. Am I saying everyone is like me? No way, but surely you don't expect everyone to be like you, either. You got your back up when I said that if you were saying all this stuff for the sole purpose of stirring the pot, you were a troll. Believe it or not, there are people like that. I've been on forums and bulletin boards since before the WWW existed and have come across many. They have nothing better to do with their time. I was merely saying that if that was your intention, to get everyone riled up. You were a troll. If that wasn't your intention, then you were not. Please don't read my posts so defensively. As stated in my previous posts, my intention on this forum is to share my experience as I know it. I worry about the person researching the sleeve and reading a post like this and think they do not have to follow their Drs guidelines.

Wow! Nice job! Glad to hear you are meeting your goals. Congratulations!

I'm glad you found something that you like. As the GNC guy said, casein is a slow release protein and with our new system, protein absorption is one of our challenges. Confirm with the nutritionist on your medical team, but I would suggest you have this before bedtime, so it can be in your system while you sleep. When you first wake and after your exercise, your body really needs a quicker source of protein to prevent the body from cannibalising itself. Whey is suggested for that.

I started around 300# and began jogging, if you call it that, at 2 months post. I started by walking between two telephone poles, then running between two poles. Couple days later, I would walk to a pole, run two poles ... week later, walk a pole, run three poles. You get the gist. Like Butter, I had always hated jogging, but I found myself enjoying it, so I bought the C25K program on the iPhone. It worked for me! I also bought the Brooks Beasts. Great shoes as they have very firm soles. Any running store will also do a gait analysis for free to confirm pronation/supination and make shoe suggestions. Then you can go online and buy what you want. Good luck!

At no time did I say you were full of SH)##@. As a matter of fact, if you read my first post, I said I agreed with you, so, uh ... What I disagreed with was that people don't need to follow their Drs guidelines. I just don't agree. I put myself in the shoes of someone researching the sleeve, coming on here, reading and thinking, "Oh, I really don't have to do purees post-op, then. Cool!" Then, they get the sleeve, do their own thing and get in trouble. This is the person I worry about most when I read this thread.

Wow, is that how you have interpreted my post? Or my posts on other threads? My intent on this board is two-fold. To learn other people's experiences and to share mine. Nothing more. I don't want anyone to turn into a health nut or go out and run a 5K, if they don't want to. I don't want you to be like me. I want everyone, whether pre or post sleeve, to have the best information they can to fulfill their goals. Some people are looking to only cut back on the quantity of food they eat, as is evidenced by the post asking, "I'm three days post-op, what can I order at Dairy Queen?" While that did make me go, "WOW", it is their choice and their own personal goals. That is fine. Other people are looking to change their lives completely. That is also their choice. I try to share my experience and answer whatever questions are posted honestly as I can. Have I avoided judging people on here? I'd like to say, "No", but alas, I know I, too, have been guilty. I'm human. I am trying to improve myself. But, look at the threads. Not just the ones posted in the past day or week. The OP says they have read ALL the threads (tongue in cheek, I know) in pre- and post-, which would encompass thousands of threads. If even 10% were read, you would see the common topic of people sliming, throwing up, in terrible pain. What would you suggest to them? "Come on! You're 3 weeks post op. I could eat meatballs by then ... what's your problem?" Real people are having real problems on here. Real people are researching the sleeve and using this site as a reference. I don't think it is responsible forum membership to give the impression that you don't have to follow your Drs guidelines. No matter what your goals are. That is the jist of I interpret from this thread. Now, just know, the OP has edited his posts and the content has changed, but I am not able to follow each of those edits. BTW, I define a troll as someone who come on a forum and kicks the hornets nest for no other reason that to create a buzz. That may easily apply to me as I do seem to attract controversy at times. But it is funny, I really don't think I am THAT controversial by suggesting you actually follow your Drs guidelines and call out someone who tells people not to worry about them ... Curious ...

Yeah ... this ^^^ surely isn't troll behavior is it? And you passed the psych exam? Hmmm ... definately troll.