MegInNOLA

My husband was sleeved a year ago. To my surprise, after healing, he started almost immediately eating salad and tuna and all sorts of things he never would have eaten voluntarily before his surgery. He has told me numerous times that he just wants this "new" kind of food.... and now, a year later, he still eats salad, tuna, grilled chicken, and still no gravy! So I think some people really do change both their tastes and their cravings--their head changes, not just the amount of food their stomach can hold. And let's not underestimate the effect that not having so much of that hormone ghrelin can have on our bodies--taste and appetite and the whole shooting match. Not having a big ol' stomach and all those ghrelin-producing tissues probably makes a difference. Cheers to healthier eating! Meg

Wow! Congratulations! You have worked very hard for this, so celebrate!!

It is, but to the observer, not the possessor (unfortunately!!).

So cute! I know my "canine kid," Lili, is very attentive and helpful.... especially when it's time to eat! She will happily "assist" me in finishing whatever I can't eat. And pets seem to know when we're feeling puny; she comes and cuddles, and that nice warm dog makes a great "hot Water bottle" for a sore tummy! Enjoy your kids--you're about to have a ton more energy and great health to deal with them! Meg

Thanks, guys. I'm going to switch my omeprazole to mornings and the Pepcid Complete, if needed, to nighttime and see if that doesn't do the trick. I did sleep very well with no reflux after taking the PC in the late evening, so that is a good thing. Have a great day! Meg

SO--- I have had 2 gloriously wonderful eating days in a row with NO throwing up! (That's such a big deal to me that I almost posted in the "successes" column!!) I'm at 33 days (4-5/7 weeks) out and have had a lot of trouble with what my husband and I now think is a small sleeve plus slow-to-respond stomach swelling and acid. It feels so different from before being sleeved, much higher in the body and almost in the back of the throat and VERY painful. I am taking omeprazole (generic Prilosec) just before going to bed, but I just started that 2 days ago and I don't think it's kicked in yet. My doctor didn't say anything about antacids, and I honestly didn't realize it was a problem until recently, and tonight the pain was unbearable. I jumped onto this website and then into the car, and my sweet husband went in and got me some Pepcid Complete--not the most wonderful taste on the planet, but oh, the relief!! I'm wondering if y'all have antacid "routines" that keep yours at bay. I'm pretty sure this has been going on for a while, just kind of low-level, but it's not low-level any more. Is it okay to take the omeprazole at night and the Pepcid Complete in the morning? They're two different medications--but I know sometimes things work on our bodies in unusual ways after surgery. What do you do to combat the acid? Thanks! Meg

Wow, congratulations! My favorite reward is a luxury pedicure--nothing better! Celebrate--you've earned it! Meg

Sounds delish...might have to try it on the grill, too---didn't think about barbecue sauce. I did bring home some salsa from the local Mexican restaurant--they use a lot of cilantro, a flavor I love, and I thought I might marinate some tofu in that. Didn't think about salad dressing, for some reason! Thanks for the suggestions. Meg

95 pounds--fantastic!! Congratulations to you!!

For one thing, I feel my stomach much higher in my body now--it's kind of right near the heart, whereas before, it seemed much lower (probably was, to expand so much!). Now, when I eat, I tend to burp just a little with almost every bite--I know when I feel like I need to burp but almost can't that I need to stop. If I ignore that, either because I'm eating too fast or just not being mindful with how much I'm eating (like when I first started on mushies), I get a feeling of food being caught in my throat, and it hurts, and I know that I'm going to have to throw up. If you eat slowly, chew well, and pay attention, you really won't be able to miss when it's time to stop; at least for me, a couple of lessons in, I was pretty serious about paying attention. :-) I still have problems with throwing up, but I think it's because my sleeve is kind of picky about texture still. I handle soft, slippery, liquidy foods great, but other stuff, not so much. It's all a learning process.

Okay, Kelly, you got the 2nd one. I'll PM both of you and get your mailing addresses. M.

You've got it. One more to go!

Hi y'all: Before I had surgery, I went to the Vitalady site and ordered a LOT of individual samples of various Protein powders. I don't know what I was thinking. My sleeve has become much more sensitive and I cannot tolerate the protein powders--this is NOT the fault of the products, which are perfectly fine, but I just can't use them. Would any of you like a box of this stuff? There's probably 50 different unopened samples of Protein powder in each box (although I honestly haven't counted), lots of flavors, lots of brands. They're all from Vitalady (different brands she carries) with a couple from Jay Robb (purchased at GNC) and a couple from unjury (purchased from them directly). I want to get rid of both boxes. I imagine there is someone out there who is interested in trying these (especially if you're a self-pay and don't have a lot of money left over to purchase a bunch of protein powders). If you're willing to pay for shipping, I'll mail a box to you. Respond here, please; I'll PM the first two people and get your mailing addresses, etc. Meg

Well, I'm glad it looks like everything's okay. Now you just have to take your time progressing through the diet advances--you can join those of us who have to take things really slowly! You must be so relieved that your stomach is healing properly and you don't have to do the changeover to bypass. Thanks for updating!! Meg

Wow. Welcome to the forum! Best wishes as you continue your Quest for a healthier life. Meg

So glad things went well for you today. I had a better day, too--we can do it!! Meg

Y'all, I'm so excited. My husband loves Chinese food, and I love hot and sour Soup. However, as many of you know from reading my whiny rants on other threads, I have had a really hard time keeping food down--even things like soft-scrambled eggs. So yesterday, we were near his favorite Chinese place, and we decided to eat dinner there; this was scary for me, since there's a VERY short list of things I seem to be able to tolerate, and I really didn't want to get sick in yet another restaurant bathroom (sorry if TMI). So I decided to just have the broth from a cup of soup and go from there. It was yummy, and I ate my couple of bites, tried some of the tofu in the soup broth, and loved it, AND it stayed down and felt good. I asked our waitress about possibly adding more tofu at home, and she said sure, sounded good. We stopped on the way home and got some firm tofu, and I cut half the package up and put it into the leftover soup (probably around 1-1/2 c. of soup, since I didn't eat much of it). Today I got a slotted spoon and got out some of that "marinated" tofu, heated it up, and it was FANTASTIC!!! I was able to enjoy something really yummy, get some Protein, and not be sick!!! Now I'm investigating good tofu recipes. Any of you vegetarian or semi-vegetarian types have good suggestions to share? Thanks! I'm so much happier about things today. Amazing what being able to eat something does for one's mood. Meg

Yolanda!! Size 6!? That's completely awesome!!! Yay you!!

Great job! Congratulations!

Love it! Congratulations.

Good luck today, Kids05! I hope your procedure goes easily and you have some answers. It does feel good to have a safe place to come and vent, get support and encouragement, and know that people really do "get it." I know I would never have lost weight on my own. I know that this surgery was the only option left. Too many medical experts signed off on this for me to believe there was some other kind of option--I sailed through the approval process (much to my chagrin--I don't know, I kept waiting for someone to say, "Well, maybe you really don't need this," but nobody did!!). The frustration and anger I am feeling is exacerbated by hormones--before surgery, I hadn't had a period for 6 months; it came back the day I got home from the hospital, and it's back today!!! So that explains why I'm having more trouble dealing with these feelings of being overwhelmed...not that there aren't valid reasons for me to feel upset, but I think that maybe hormonal stuff is making it more difficult for me to deal with those feelings. This morning I feel a lot calmer, and I have a plan. I hope you have a great day. Please post and let us know the results of your scope. And thanks to all who responded to Kids05, because believe me, I am reading every word, too--you have no idea how helpful you are. Meg

Hey Disney, thanks for the reply and for catching that--it was April 18, 2011. I fixed my signature. Just had a HUGE crying jag while my husband held me. Wrung out. Going to watch some TV to get calmed down and then go to bed. Tomorrow is another day.... Thank goodness for this forum!! Meg

Hey, Kids05, I am WITH YOU. I have just finished the most horrible 30 days of my entire life, and why? Because I was too whatever to get off my own lazy as$ and eat and exercise like a grownup. No, I ate just what I wanted, when I wanted, and now I have to deal with the results of having had a surgery that went "exactly as it is supposed to," and STILL I can only eat around a tablespoon of food at a time (and then pray that it stays down!), have no energy, throw up EVERY DAY, and just feel like I have exchanged killing myself with food to killing myself with frustration and malnutrition (eating around 300 calories per day, not getting enough Protein, not getting enough Water, etc. etc. etc.). In fact, I came to this site tonight to post a message, hoping that someone out there was feeling the same sense of RAGE and frustration that I was feeling--and I feel it toward myself!! I did this--I ate myself to the point where surgery was the only option, and then I signed the permissions and I did this to my body. Geez, what the &*% was I thinking???? My husband's sleeve procedure was almost effortless for him. He's being sweet and supportive and that makes me mad, too. I have tried the positive thinking approach--oh, look on the bright side, at least you can tolerate yogurt--oh, wow, how great that you're losing weight--oh, fabulous, I really like Gatorade--but no... no, I can't do it any more. I mean the being positive part. We both have to figure out how to make this tool work for us, and I frankly confess that I have no ideas left and am at my wits' end. Food that I can tolerate one day doesn't work the next. I smush stuff in the Bullet and it still comes back. Scrambled egg comes back, for pity's sake, and I'm talking here about 2 teaspoonfuls that were well-chewed and careful, no rushing, no water with the meal, nothing against "the rules." I think my sleeve has stricter rules than almost everyone else's, and I'm feeling pitiful. LOL Now that made me laugh, but really--I do feel really, really angry that I have done this to myself, and I told my husband tonight in the car that if I could go back and not do it, I would go back in a second and not do it. Yes, I have lost weight. I feel horrible. I miss my brain functioning properly. I miss being able to not think about my bodily functions all flipping day. So if you have thoughts on how to manage this, I would appreciate them--meanwhile, you have a sister in arms with the "OMG I hate this!" song. I'm singing it LOUD!!! Meg

Wow, you can really see a difference! Congratulations!!

I'm perimenopausal and had no period from January until the day I got home from the hospital on April 20. !!! As if the gas/surgical pain wasn't enough! Had to laugh, though. So yes, at least for me, I think there was a correlation--darn it! Meg