HDubSleevery

I was so bad with Christmas dinner but I learned my lesson quick. I had what I thought was a small amount of turkey, mashed taters, corn, and stuffing all mixed together. Well, I ignored my "slow down" triggers and ended up sliming it all back up. THEN because I am hard headed I thought 20 minutes later I could eat a rice crispy treat that was huge. Yup..slimed it again. While the after dinner experience wasn't fun, I am glad it happened. Part of the reason I got the sleeve is to permanently stop the binges. Last night was a physical reminder of how I allowed myself to get to 207 lbs and how I am not going to get there ever AGAIN! Today has been a much better day. I have vowed that I will not get on a scale this entire vacation. I want to see if staying off the scale for a little while will allow me to focus on other changes. Wish me luck! Happy Holidays!

I had a breast reduction a few years ago. My plastic surgeon told me that in order to know how much you will lose or gain in your breasts is based on their composition. Some women have more fat and some people have more breast tissue. You can burn fat but not tissue. So if you lose a lot of weight and your breasts don't shrink, it means yours are made up of more tissue than fat. At least that is what she told me!

I moved to a new PCP after I had surgery. My old PCP had a terrible manner with patients and the office staff left a lot to be desired. A friend told me a story about his doctor. My friend is morbidly obese and his doctor gave him suggestions and asked that he lose 5 lbs before their next visit (3 months later). My friend didn't lose the 5 lbs and the doctor laughed with him and said "Man, 5 lbs is just one good s***!" If you know me and my friend, we had a great laugh over this and the next day I asked to switch to this doctor. Fast forward to my first appointment. I am having trouble with my left knee. He does the exam and asks about prior surgeries. I told him that I had VSG. He was interested and said "With who?" I smiled and told him I went to Dr. Aceves in Mexico! He smiled and asked me why I chose Dr. A. I rattled off all my reasons and he asked how much I had lost. I told him 49 lbs in almost 4 months. The doctor gave me a big smile and said "that is fantastic! I am glad you made the decision that was right for you." I have to see him again in 6 weeks for my knee and I will bring him my records from Dr. A just so he has a copy. I truly believe that if your current PCP isn't going to partner with you in this journey and share your enthusiasm then you have to find a doctor who will. Good luck!

I have tattoos running from my shoulder halfway to my elbow and I haven't seen a difference yet. I have one on my back and I don't expect that will change. If I had them on my thighs it would have been a mess. I carry a lot of my weight in my thighs and stomach so I figured my arms and back would be safe spots!

I have been having hot flashed during the day for the past two months. I thought it was related to my thyroid meds but now that I am off of them...I'm still sweating a couple of times a day. I had totally forgotten about the estrogen release. It explains a lot! Thanks!

I was at a Christmas party last night and had a couple of drinks (Malibu Rum and Pineapple Juice). I have never been a big drinker. I may have something twice a year. I didn't find that it hit me faster than before, but I was very careful to sip slowly. My doctor said I could have alcohol in moderation but that I needed to be very careful because it would take much less for me to get drunk. I never liked the aftereffects of drinking so it isn't something that I miss.

As soon as I drink them, I have an IBS type of reaction. They taste yummy but even pre-sleeve, I couldn't drink them. I never thought of used powdered milk with my shakes. Does it have any aftertaste?

I tried at least 20 different protein shakes and the one that I like the most is the Jay Robb brand. I found it at my Kroger, Vitamin Shoppe, and online. It is a bit pricey, but it is worth it for something I can drink either for breakfast or for desert. I think I will go have one now!

What?! They will add protein? I think I will start with the skinny vanilla latte. I haven't had Starbucks in so long I forgot about this! YUM!

Oooh this is fun! My sleeve loves chicken but hates hamburger. My sleeve loves Jay Robb Protein shakes but hates lactose. My sleeve loves scallops but hates shrimp. (Pre-sleeve I was opposite) My sleeve hates bread but can tolerate tortillas.

Do you mean Click? I LOVE coffee and for some reason I didn't like the Click (even though I was sure I would). You can buy sample packs on their website. I am glad I bought samples before I spent money on a whole canister. I buy the Starbucks Via. I get the kind that is made for cold drinks. I put a half a packet, a couple of splenda packets, a scope of Protein powder and 12-16 ounces of Lactaide milk. I blend it up and pour it over ice. I drink them a lot faster now than I did directly post-op. Good luck with finding a shake you like!

I checked into it and they are soy protein. I know WLS patients are supposed to stick to whey protein. Since my surgery I have become lactose intolerant. I have issues with whey and how I digest it, so the soy is a better choice for me personally. I am mixing them with Lactaid milk to get a bit of a protein boost. Almond milk tastes pretty yucky to me after surgery (and I LOVED it before) so that isn't much of an option for me. I do one shake in the morning with instant coffee and milk and I do one with fruit or cocoa powder and milk as a dessert before I go to bed. Thanks for your comments!

Does anyone use this product? I have been using it because I like the way it tastes. I am trying to figure out if anyone that has gone through VSG has used this product for 3-6 months or longer? Thanks!

I like the Jay Robb protein drinks. I don't like the egg white protein but the whey protein is pretty good. Now if I could find a local place that stocks it!

I taste chemicals in everything artificial. I can't drink my favorite frappe because it tastes like chemicals. I have found that I eat a lot of unprocessed foods because they just taste better.

I've tried a few different brands and I seem to like the Celebrate vitamins the best. I went to their website and got a sample pack. I like their chewable iron the best of all that I have tried. It doesn't have that yucky metallic taste afterwards.

I am about 6 weeks out and I tried making pizza. I used a Flatout tortilla, pizza sauce, mozzarrella cheese, and pepperoni. I had 4 small bites and my sleeve fought me HARD. I think it was the tortilla because I have had all the other things without issue before. Anyone else have this kind of reaction? Thanks!

I over ate for the first time today. It's been over a month since I did something like this, so I am impressed that I could wait this long. I used to be a binge eater. Tonight, the baby and I made pizzas with tortillas, sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. I cut mine into 1/8ths and attempted to eat 3 slices. Halfway through the second I felt a pain in my chest. It went away after a minute so "Bingerella" here decided to keep going. OMG! I will try my best to NEVER do that again. Two more bites and I had a constant painful lump in my chest. I wanted to throw up or beat on my chest like a crazy person. The last bite I spit out on my plate because I couldn't bear the thought of swallowing it. So for those who were concerned that they may binge again with the sleeve, let me tell you that the physical deterrent is enough for me!

Yippee! I am so glad it worked!

Someone recommended the coffee mix and I have to say it is the only thing that I can tolerate. I loved Starbucks preWLS. I am able to do the nectar cappuchino flavor with Lactaide milk and SF syrup or I can do decaf coffee with the Atkins vanilla shakes and whatever flavor I want. The Atkins straight out of the box are kinda gross to me, but mixed with coffee they are pretty good. I hope you find something that sits well!

This morning everything is all closed up! I guess the stitch needed to come out so everything could heal up. YAY!

I tried kickboxing and karate seperately. I was good at kickboxing but sucked at karate. I don't have the coordination apparently. I am going to google Kenpo!

That is awesome!!!! My NSV for today is that I took the baby to the Fall Festival. It was in a big field and I walked around for 45 minutes going to all the booths and seeing the games. When we got home she wanted to go for a walk. I was talking on the phone and didn't realize that we did 3 laps around the neighborhood! She was in her little car and I was walking. Just a month ago, I couldn't make it around the neighborhood once without my back and knees screaming at me. YAY for NSVs!!! It makes the stall a bit more bearable.

The noises could be gas. I never think I have gas until I eat something and feel a burp from the displaced air. It's weird. I find that air in my tummy makes a LOT of noises! Good luck.