MegInNOLA

Good for you! I think you're not only going to meet your goal, you're going to exceed it! You're doing GREAT! Meg

Don't want to flip you out, but if that pain starts to wrap around your side to your back, it might be your gallbladder (don't know if you still have one!). My gallbladder pain was exactly in between my breasts but a little lower and kind of wrapped or radiated around the right side of my body to my back. It definitely got worse after meals. I know gallbladder issues can be triggered by rapid weight loss, so it's just something to keep in mind. I'm hoping yours is just acid or gas-- but even if it's gallbladder, there are solutions. Best wishes! Meg

Oh, I'm so glad other people have this same feeling!! I get the exact same thing--in fact, I have it right now, and I guess it's hunger, since it's around time for me to eat again, but it comes around a LOT! Usually I just ignore it or drink something; I'm trying to eat every 3 hours, but I usually don't get a lot of calories in at one time, typically around 150 max... I went through the first 5 weeks of my post-surgery period without a PPI, too, and that was causing other problems (not being able to keep a lot of food down and some serious reflux, which I never had pre-surgery), but now that I'm on the PPI, I still get this same gnawing, strange feeling in my stomach, very frequently, and even though I ate on schedule. Let us know if the PPI helps it, or if you find a solution. I think mine is just hunger, and it's not dreadful enough to make me change my behavior, but it's close. Meg

I love my Think Thin Protein bars... they have been a lifesaver for me because I can't tolerate the liquid Protein shakes. I did what one of the posters above suggested, just went to the store and bought 1 of several different kinds until I found one I liked. I noticed that the Thin Thin are gluten free with 0 grams sugar--the calorie count is around 200 per bar (some a little more, some a little less), but there's 20 grams of protein in there! I usually eat one over the course of a day (can't eat it all at once--too big!), and I like the creamy Peanut Butter flavor the best--tastes like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, which I never really liked before surgery but now I like that flavor in the Protein Bar. I carry one in my purse as an emergency stash, and that trick has come in VERY handy on a couple of occasions already (at the movie, during a long meeting that went through lunch and there was no sleeve-friendly food, etc.). Think Thin makes their bars in 2 sizes, too--the full size and one they call "Bites," which are just the right size for me to eat at one sitting. I like the white chocolate raspberry and am going to get a few more flavors as I find them to try. Cheers! Meg

Wow, way to go!! Congratulations!!

I've noticed that my entire face, including the area around my eyes, is thinner and less puffy--maybe it's genetic or something. I also eat relatively salty foods frequently, but I try to get in some extra Water when I do.... I also love playing with makeup (rediscovered after decades of "just getting by") and have enjoyed learning how to really do it right in the last few months. It's even more fun now that I can actually use contours and highlighters and they don't look silly on my round, fat face (cause it isn't any more!). Have fun, and I hope it works out. Meg

Hey Erin, Glad your surgery is done and it went well! Welcome to the losers' bench! Meg

Yay! So pleased that your scale is moving again!! It's SOOO hard to wait out the stalls!!! Meg

Wow, I think you look fantastic!! Congratulations--and YEAH, count it as an NSV!!! Meg

You look terrific. Congratulations! Meg

Ooh, forgot to add that an appetizer portion of shrimp cocktail or remoulade is about 4 meals for me now!! I got a dozen shrimp on my remoulade plate yesterday at lunch and have been eating them since (just finished the last 3 for supper tonight). I think seafood of all kinds is a great deal nutritionally and financially--plus it's yummy-licious! Around here, we cook with shrimp a lot. Saute 1/2 onion, a stalk of celery, and 1/4 bell pepper (all chopped fine) in olive oil. Add some garlic and salt and pepper. Saute until soft (and I like to get it almost lightly browned--makes the onion sort of sweet). Put in some cleaned shrimp and saute for a couple of minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque--but not well-done--don't overcook. Add a can of petite-diced tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of Tabasco hot sauce (or more). Correct seasoning. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot or cold--when cold, can mix in a few cubes of avocado. Sort of like shrimp creole but without the rice... sometimes I cool it all down and stir it into a small jar of V8 juice and make a shrimp gazpacho served cold or hot. If you do this, put a little Worchestershire in so it kind of tastes like a fancy bloody Mary but with shrimp! Another option, grill your shrimp on skewers--brush with olive oil and garlic powder. I like to bash up some cilantro and marinate the shrimp in olive oil, cilantro, and lime juice before grilling and brush during grilling. Serve with tomato/avocado/sweet onion salsa (just cut 'em up and mix together with salt, pepper, and a little lime, lemon, orange, or pineapple juice). Delish! Now I'm still craving shrimp after eating it for 2 days. Happily, I live in Louisiana and can get it readily. The above recipes can be used with firm fish fillets, as well, or catfish, if you haven't got access to fresh shrimp. Don't use imported shrimp! Enjoy! Meg

Hey fellow sleevers, Today is my 8-week surgiversary. I have lost 42 pounds and still have a lot to go. But I have gone from a size 26/28 to a size 20 on the top and 22 on the bottom. My shoe size has gone down from a 12W to an 11-1/2 normal width (I'm 6'2", and my mom used to say that if I had smaller feet, I'd blow over in a high wind, LOL). I made my first purchase from the “regular” size women’s clothing section the other day—an XL T-shirt that fits beautifully (yes, it’s stretchy!). I have learned how to eat—what to eat, how much, and when. I have also, through repeated trial and error, learned how NOT to eat—fast, thoughtlessly, without a PPI on board, with a beverage, one bite past satisfaction. I have found Protein sources that work and that I enjoy. I have learned the importance of being disciplined about taking medication and Vitamins. I have learned that my scale will eventually move again and in the right direction. I have eaten out numerous times and have found sleeve-friendly food everywhere; it may not be the precise thing I was craving, but I can eat in public with friends and/or family. My goals have changed. My mother-in-law, after watching me eat 3 shrimp for lunch yesterday at a local seafood restaurant, asked me, “Are you full?” I said yes. She then asked the more important question, “But are you satisfied?” I said yes and was happy to realize that I was, indeed. Food is no longer my drug of choice, nor is it at the center of my decisions. What I enjoy about eating out has changed; now, I really focus on my companions, on the conversation, on enjoying the smells and texture and all the elements of the food. I have given up quantity for quality. In the beginning, I really wasn’t happy about being forced to do so—but I knew that’s what this surgery meant. I awoke from surgery with a serious case of buyer’s remorse. Today I know that I would do it again, because I honestly believe it is the only way I would ever be able to lose the weight that was threatening my health and my long-term happiness. I know a lot of us got into our overweight status for a variety of reasons—inactivity due to physical limitation, thyroid issues, pregnancy, emotional or binge eating. For me, one of the big triggers was fear; I was sexually abused as a child and I wore my “fat suit” sort of like a suit of armor—let’s face it, fat people are invisible in our society, unless someone just wants a handy target to say something ugly to. For decades, I wore my protection on the outside because of fear on the inside. I worked with a therapist last summer because I didn’t want to continually be a victim of my childhood trauma. I changed on the inside. Having this surgery done is an affirmation of that change, getting rid of the “fat suit” and allowing me to be me, strong enough and capable enough to deal with whatever comes along, able to trust and love and relax. The sleeve is helping me become on the outside what I already am on the inside, and that is satisfying in a way that food can't touch. Cheers to my fellow 4/18 sleevers, and a happy next 8 weeks to everyone. Meg

NOBODY hates going to the gyn more than I, but if I was OTR for 2 weeks, I'd be running there demanding to be fixed. LOL It's bad enough that I thought mine had stopped until the fateful "3 days after surgery" period showed up (and the month after that, too, and I bet again this week, darn it!)--seriously, that issue is not normal, and I hope you go see your doc. Better safe than sorry, really. Meg

Fantastic! You're doing great! Meg

Oh, yeah, been there! So sorry to hear you're having such a problem with it. Today marks 1 week for me without throwing up, so I'm thinking maybe the worst has passed (and I'm at the 8-week mark). Some of your medications have nausea as a fairly common side effect. Is there a way for you to take them at night before going to sleep? Also, check with your doc to see if they should be taken with food (or Protein liquid, in your case) to be easier on your tummy. There are different medications you can take to control your nausea, but also you should keep in touch with your doc because your medications may need to be adjusted (titrated) down, even though you just got sleeved. My husband came off all of his medications while still in the hospital after his sleeve (having lost nothing at that point). Best of luck to you--it really does get better. I seem to recall around week 3 things got a bit better, and now I've learned what to do/not to do and it's relatively smooth. Being nauseous is really gross, so I hope yours feels better fast. Meg

My surgeon's instructions say not to drink after meals, and I can say from personal experience that if I do, it hurts and I'm more liable to be sick, and when I observe the 30-minute post-prandial rule, all is well. It is really hard to get used to not enjoying an iced tea with my meal, or even Water, but the payoff is that more of my food actually stays down and I feel better. I think it's also due to the fact that your stomach is producing fluids to help digest your food, and those fluids need room in your stomach, too--if you drink after eating, you "fill in the cracks," and something has to give. Meg

Did your doc suggest a PPI? I take a Prilosec every night without fail, and it has helped me immensely. If your doc didn't recommend a specific one, you might give the office a call and see what they suggest. I know there are tons of posts on this forum about different medications that folks find useful. Good luck to you! That gross acid is the worst!! Meg

I'm also in the swelters of southern Louisiana. Being perimenopausal, there was nothing I liked LESS than having to step foot outside my air conditioned house. Now, having lost 42 pounds, I can personally testify that not only am I much more comfortable outside, but I don't sweat nearly as much while working or walking as before--my head stays dry, whereas before, I would literally be dripping from the ends of my hair (gross, I know, but only my head seems to sweat!). My husband is also a sleever, and we have upped our thermostat to 78 this summer, which still seems really cool to me--but it's a miracle that 2 formerly 300+ people are now kind of chilly!! I welcome getting into the sun-warmed car--it feels nice. :-) Meg

Yay! You look great, and 50 pounds is way fabulous. Good going!! Meg

Don't quote me, because I'm not a medical professional, but this sounds like a blood sugar spike/crash.... you know how, in your pre-sleeve life, after you ate a big ol' lunch and went back to work, around an hour later, you found yourself longing for a cup of coffee or maybe something sweet OR a nap? I think you got the same response from your body, just hyper'd because you've not been eating that much sugar at one time for a while. I had the same thing happen when I ate a bite of birthday cake on an empty stomach (don't ask me why I did that--it was there, I was hungry, yadda yadda). Hot flashes, ickiness, feeling restless and like I was going to be sick but wasn't.... I think it's blood sugar. I'm glad nothing worse happened! You may also be somewhat lactose intolerant, and maybe your body was freaking out a bit about the "foreign substance" you introduced! :-) If you're okay now, great, and I'd put it in the "something to remember" column when confronted with ice cream again. Meg

I love shrimp and scallops--scallops, lightly pan sauteed in olive oil, squirt of lemon--nothing better! Shrimp I prefer cold, a la shrimp remoulade or cocktail (watch carbs in sauce if you're carb-counting). Delicious! I'm having shrimp remoulade for lunch today, in fact. Meg

So I have the pickiest sleeve on the planet. It completely rejected all those nice Protein powders I had carefully sought out, and I was having serious trouble eating enough to get even half the recommended amount of protein. On a whim, I picked up a couple of Protein Bars (I'm almost 7 weeks out now, sleeved 4/18) at the grocery store to try. Most of them, ICK!! But the Think Thin kind, which are gluten free and zero added sugar, are FABULOUS! I had the creamy Peanut Butter and ate half of it over a couple of hours--it really does taste like a Reese's peanut butter cup, same texture and everything. Really tasty, and my sleeve loves peanut butter, so I'm thrilled! 20 g of protein per bar, too, so a pretty good return for the 230 calories (I only ate half as a meal). I think it does have malitol, so if you have a sensitivity to that, not a good match, but if not, I highly recommend these. I'm going back to get the other flavors (some of the other flavors don't have as much protein). Happy find! Meg

Wow, congratulations to you!! You're really rocking that sleeve! Meg

I had/have horrible issues with being sick. I'll be finishing 8 weeks out on Monday, and it's down to an every-3rd-day or so occurrence versus the every day multiple times way it was just a couple of weeks ago. What has helped me: 1. Taking Prilosec at night before bed RELIGIOUSLY. If I miss it, I get sick the next day, guaranteed, and sometimes on a tiny amount of formerly "friendly" food. 2. Eating deliberately small portions--under-eat on purpose. Just a couple of tablespoons of food, taken in small bits (no big ol' bites for me any more!), chewed to death. 3. Observe the "do not drink 15 minutes before or 30 minutes after eating" rule. I thought this was one of those "if you want to" or "if you can" rules, but it's not--for me, it's a must. 4. Eating every 3 hours or so. If I wait too long, I end up eating too fast or too much, and there it goes. 5. Sticking with food that I know to be "friendly," for the most part. I have experimented, and I have added some things to my repertoire (certain Protein bars, watermelon--YUM, pimento cheese). Things that don't work go away for a few weeks. I may never eat another egg, though, having had them rejected four times already. It's the combination of having a small tummy (32-French bougie) and a picky tummy (who knew??)--but now that I know to stick with the rules, things are a lot calmer and I'm feeling a lot happier. I notice my stomach is more forgiving even when I mess up--last night I ate 1/3 of a beef taco (just the meat, tomatoes, and cheese), which is normally one of my happy foods, but I ate too fast because I was hungry. Happily, instead of being sick, it hurt a lot, but it stayed down! That's a new thing--usually when I mess up, my stomach rejects the food emphatically, so I was happy with the progress even though it hurt. Lesson reinforced!! Hang in there. It really has taken me 2 months to get to the point where I'm managing this without being sick at every single meal. I NEVER meet my protein requirements, rarely meet my Water requirements, but I'm working on it, and as long as things are staying down and I'm feeling okay, I think that's just about all I can do. We'll get there. Just takes some of us longer than others. Meg

This is a totally new problem for me, too--since having my gallbladder out 15 years ago, I pretty much was living with the "other," and to have constipation following the sleeve is a new problem!! I tried a couple of meds but settled on Colace (50 mg) as a gentle and reliable solution, until I can eat the sorts of foods that I used to enjoy for fiber. Can't WAIT until I can have natural fiber in fruits and veggies!!!! So totally craving salads! But yeah, Colace is it for me. Meg