PdxMan

I didn't have any until I found them! And then, like Wheetsin says, you can't un-go there ...

Yup, what MinaT said. I also decided water/Gatorade on the day before surgery as I had done for previous procedures. For me, pain meds really constipate me so the last thing I wanted was to have that issue after stomach surgery. I don't know if it helped/hurt me, but, as others have mentioned, it was at least a week before I had my first BM and then needed Milk of Magnesia to keep everything moving. Good luck on your big day and keep us posted

May I suggest not trying to find them ... I have found mine (I'm not going to tell you what they are) and I wish I didn't!

I've shared on this forum alchoholism is something I went to rehab for over 10 years ago and with the help of a 12 step program, I have been able to keep it at bay. I basically lost all of my friends from that time. One of them shared with me, the last time I was with them, that nobody feels comfortable around me anymore. He said I was like a mirror that, when put in front of their face, they see where they are and their struggles. They don't really want to confront their issues so it is easier if I wasn't around. They hated seeing how good I looked sober and dealing with the horrors in their closet wasn't something they were prepared to do at that time. I totally could appreciate this and that was basically the last time I made contact with any of them. I also had to let it go so I could grow. In a way, they were also a mirror showing me what I once was and I knew to be like them surely meant death for me, so, I had to move on. I can easily see how this could also be true in our circumstances.

Oh yeah, we all have those moments. This is a major surgery and a major change to our lives. I think we're entitled to freak out every once in awhile. We just have to keep it real, believe in ourselves and embrace our new lives with a new mindset. Our old way of thinking is like fitting a square peg into a round hole. If you do it, there is going to be a lot of damage on all sides. Ditch the calculator and the scale. We can do this.

Keep doing the right things and you will continue to lose. Your excess weight hasn't read the packet, so it doesn't have to follow that guideline. I have lost 100% of my excess weight, so there is no rule there. BTW, on mobile devices, if you tap on the heading of your post, a pop-up menu will come up and you can select Edit to adjust your post.

You can TOTALLY make your goal of 200 by Christmas. I KNOW you can. It is going to take work and the biggest step is, like you said, don't buy the things you know you shouldn't be eating. The reason you can eat the Cookies so easily is they are quickly made into the mush that easily passes through the pyloric valve and into the intestines. They quickly leave the stomach. Lean Proteins, in contrast, take far longer to break down and remain in the stomach longer. Remember, the stomach is the mechanical part of digestion. It is the grinder. Foods that grind easily, move through quickly. Just one of the reasons why we are supposed to eat the lean proteins first. If you follow the rules: Proteins first No liquids before, during or after eating Exercise I have absolutely no doubt you will meet your goal. Please keep us posted on your progress.

The thing that I notice most is when I go to get on the train to commute home. A year ago, I would say I had about a 25% chance of having to wait for the next train because the train was packed. The doors would open and people would look at me like, "Yeah, right ... you're not getting on this train." So, at least once a week I would have to wait. Now, that I am "thin", even when the train is packed, people step aside or squish together to make room for me. I haven't had to wait for the next train in months. Not once. This isn't a sign of attitude adjustment on my behalf ... there isn't enough time. That door flies open and I start to move on. Before, I was met with a solid wall of people. Now, they smile at me and perhaps make a joke as they make room. But I do agree there are things that are definitely attitude related. As I walk down the street women smile back at me and even initiate a, "Hello". I know that I am carrying myself more confidently and have a smile on my face. I am more approachable, I am sure. Plus ... maybe a little cuter, too. Who knows. Bottom line is things are different. For whatever reason, I am treated better "thin" than I was "thick". Oh, and put me down for a size medium when you print out those shirts.

Well ... I'm sad/happy to say that yes, thin people are treated differently. But to echo what Lissa said, it is hard to blame people on the way we have all been conditioned. To be honest, it is on my list as one of the reasons to have the surgery. It has always been obvious to me in the work world that I was discriminated against. How was I going to change this? It is profiling, yes, but that is the reality of it. I challenge everyone on here not to profile in one way or another. It is just hard not to do.

Pookey, have you checked out the Equipment section under my blog? I address this very thing.

At your stage, yes, very normal. Everyone is different, of course, but your stomach is very swollen from the surgery, as you can imagine. Some folks are more swollen than others. As the swelling goes down, your capacity increases, so ... it does get better. (and no, when this starts to happen to you, you are not stretching your sleeve)

Remember the stomach is the mechanical part of digestion. You have a brand new staple line there. Guess what happens if it doesn't heal thoroughly? Do a site search on Leak. It's a hospital trip in the waiting ... and for what? What is the benefit of progressing faster?

So, start by reading as much as you can in this, the Fitness and Exercise forum. Stay away from the Protein shots unless they are 100% whey protein. Here is a link to a good thread here. Don't worry about getting big. Not to be Downer Debbie, but it's not going to happen to you. Sorry, but only a few people really have the genetics and/or are willing to put in that kind of time. Check out Staci. Just know that it is not going to happen fast. These things take time. Be patient and work hard and it will happen.

When you say, "Having trouble", what does that mean? Doesn't taste good, hard to swallow, comes back up ... all of the above?

I loved me some Soups. Grab your favorite one and throw it into the blender. I had three soups that I lived on: Turkey Chili Lentil Ham Chick Veggie I cooked them up well, then blended them. So much flavor, which I was just DYING for. At restuarants, I would ask them to puree it and they always did, no problem. I remember a clam chowder that was AWESOME! It was still a bit chunky, so I got some quality chew time in as well. Soup ... it's whats for dinner ... and lunch ... and dinner ... but it doesn't last forever. I still eat these soups now, just not pureed.

It's time for a purge. I'm talking cupboards, drawers, glove compartments ... anywhere there is a stash. Put your brave face on and grab a trash can and start dumping. If you find you can't do it, your issues may run even deeper and some counselling may be necessary. If it isn't in the house, it can't go in you mouth. There is an old saying, "Sit in a barbershop long enough, you're going to get your hair cut." If you don't want your hair cut, then GET OUT OF THE BARBER SHOP!! Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Did you have a hiatal hernia repair? I did and that is how swallowing was for me. I just kept up with the Lortab to ease the pain. If I were you, I would try to have an hour where you didn't swallow anything, then start with the Lortab. Slowly. It took me a good 5 minutes to take one dose sipping it out of the syringe. After half an hour, the effect should be settling in and you should be able to slowly sip small amounts of Water. Gatorade worked best for me ... at room temp. There is a lot of trial and error, and it can be frustrating for sure, but just keep with it. It WILL get better.

TJs is our primary grocery store. They always have samples going, so be sure to check them out. It is always something interesting. Things I wouldn't normally think to make or buy. We buy all the nitrate free deli meats and hot dogs. Whole wheat pastas, Peanut Butter, chicken nuggets ... you name it. You can't go wrong there.

We look forward to you sharing your experience, strength and hope as that is what this site is built on. Welcome to your new life!

Welcome to the site and congratulations on being sleeved. It is really difficult to compare your results to anyone elses. There are just too may things to take into account to do an apples to apple comparison. Your startIng weight/BMI, weight loss history, age, gender, exercise level, fitness level ... I would definitely recommend you not trying to compare yourself. We don't know you and can't say if your progression is "normal". That being said, 12 pounds lost and kept off is awesome! Have you ever been able to do that before and know that those 12 pounds are never coming back? I followed the same advice as your nutrition classes suggested. I had to pull back a few times as my stomach was tender for awhile. But I kept following the rules of not drinking before, after or during eating and I always started with lean Protein before moving to veggies. I started exercising and running. As long as you stick to the rules, you will lose weight. Are you going to lose it as fast as someone starting out with a BMI of 80? I don't think so. I you going to lose it slower than a person who started out with a BMI of 30? I don't think so. You are going to lose at the rate you are going to lose. Follow the rules and it will be quicker. Break the rules and it will be slower. Good luck and welcome. Please keep us posted on your progress and don't forget to use the search functionality in the upper right hand corner if the website or under Option on your mobile device.

I don't think there is a *too much* amount. I was walking several miles every day as I HATED the pain in my shoulders and wanted to get off of the pain meds as quickly as possible. Do you feel comfortable walking outside? Can you go out early before it gets too warm for a good, long walk?

Do a search on the term slime. MANY threads out there. On the website, search functionality is in the upper right hand corner. From a mobile device, I believe it is under Options. For me, it wasn't WHAT the food was, but rather not chewing enough or eating it too rapidly. It is something you definately don't want to repeat, through ...

You timing on your post is awesome. I was just thinking about how I have noticed folks changing their avatars to pictures after they have lost a bunch of weight. I know I waited until I did and I know so many others have, too. I think it is a great statement that says we are moving in a direction where we are proud of ourselves and our achievements. (And how we look!!) Congratulations and welcome to the PICTURE!!

Dooter and Emlefe have said it all. Just know that your stomach is still swollen and will be this way for awhile still. Everybody is different, so I can't tell you exactly when your swelling will go down, but it will. As the swelling goes down, your stomach capacity will increase, so don't freak out thinking that your stomach is stretching. It isn't. It just isn't as swollen as it was immediately post-op. I figure I was pretty swollen for 3-4 weeks as I couldn't eat or drink much of anything in this time. I set alarms for myself to remind myself to eat. It worked until I found my new routine. But don't worry. You are not going to stretch your sleeve. Do a site search keyword stretch to see a TON of threads on this topic.

I wouldn't trust my NUT as far as hormones go, but my research support KZBen's NUT. If you think about it, it makes sense. The stomach is still there with RNY, so ... but of course, there is controversy whether or not there really is a hunger hormone, so ... (I think there is, but who am I?) I'm guessing you are researching sleeve vs RNY, which I highly recommend. Good job doing your homework. Search the site using the search area in the upper right corner, if you are using a web browser. Use search terms such as: RNY, bypass, GBP. There are lots of good posts out there about why others have made the sleeve their choice for WLS. Good luck with your research