MegInNOLA

Congratulations on rocking your sleeve! Way to go! :-) Meg

I'm 4 weeks out today, too, and I still get swallowing pain, especially when I drink something that's very cold or take too big a swallow at once. If you're sipping, and it's warm or room-temp liquid, I would think that would be a problem, but what you describe sounds like what happens to me. I hope it's not uncommon! Cheers-- Meg

I understand EXACTLY how you feel, because last night I had the worst throwing up session to date after the sleeve--and why? I don't know for sure! I didn't eat too much (less than 1/2 c.), anything not on my list, nor too fast...but sleevie didn't like it, and it was NOT pretty for an hour afterwards. I felt horrible physically and emotionally (I hate to throw up and find it really demoralizing!!). I seem to get sick a lot more frequently than my husband did when he had his sleeve done, which is also frustrating (and yes, I know not to compare, but it's right there!). I don't know if you did, but I had sincere and fairly long-term buyer's remorse after surgery--I was really, really angry with myself at getting to the point where such measures were necessary, and it felt like (and still does, some days, like last night!) I punished myself by having the surgery. This is so different from a lot of folks here who feel fortunate and grateful--I felt sort of like it was a "do or die" situation (which it was), but I was not happy about it. This is gradually changing for me, as I have a few more "good" days in a row where everything sort of stays down and I learn what to do or not to do. Learning to eat slowly was a challenge. Learning to eat regularly so the acid buildup stays away was a challenge. Learning how to stay hydrated was and is a challenge. Okay. I can do those things. When I mess up, my sleeve helps me learn another way, although much less pleasant. I guess instead of "loving" my sleeve, at this point, I "respect" my sleeve, and I can definitely build on that. You and I are going to have to stick to our plan and just take things more slowly than some other folks. There's nothing wrong with that--I, too, am ready to go to lunch with friends and have "normal" food and "normal" life, and those things will come when my sleeve is ready for them. This morning, I ate 1/4 c. of Malt-o-meal, which I love and which my sleeve barely notices, and it felt warm and soothing. Later, I'm going to have to try to get my Protein in, and I'm going to use Greek yogurt and some cheese crisps, both of which my sleeve tolerates well. Protein shakes are NOT tolerated well, but zapped up chicken chili is... etc. I'll be well under goal for calories/protein for the day, but that's okay, too. Everything is going to come out all right in the end. Hang in there--I completely understand where you're coming from. I'm there, too!! But it seems like it's one of those "two steps forward, one step back" things for us. Just keep coming here for support and empathy--that's what I do when I'm having a horrible day!! Best wishes-- Meg

Wow, you got Blue Cross approval??? I'm impressed! My husband and I had to change to his insurance because BCBS in our state doesn't cover anything weight-loss related (never mind that Louisiana is like #1 in the list of states with overweight people!). Congratulations to you, and best wishes as you continue your journey!! Meg

I, too, am really hypothyroid and take 125 mcg of Synthroid daily. It took around 2 years to get my thyroid levels into the "normal" range, but that didn't really make any difference to my weight loss efforts or my energy level. I'm perimenopausal, and my body has such a slow metabolism it isn't funny--my body holds onto every single calorie with an Iron grip!! Surgery really was the only option for me. It has resulted in a pretty good weight loss--I'm at the 28-day mark and am down 27 pounds. I know the loss will slow up as I go, but as I get more energy and add in more exercise, I'm hoping to rev that metabolism UP and get this weight off gradually. I had a huge stall in the middle of these 28 days and still managed to lose, so it can be done. I do take my Synthroid religiously first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I'm hoping as I lose weight that dose will kind of be more effective--less body weight, same dose of Synthroid, maybe better metabolism boost? That's what I'm hoping for anyway. Best wishes! Hypothyroid or no, weight loss is happening for me with the sleeve. Meg

So I was at the grocery yesterday and saw some cheese crisps in the deli section. It reminded me of a treat I used to enjoy a long time ago, and I realized they were almost zero-carb and crunchy with some protein--perfect! So I got some cheddar and some parmesan and grated them fine in the processor, almost to crumbs/powder consistency; I used about 1 oz of the cheddar and a couple of spoons of the pre-grated parmesan and ended up with around 1/2 c. of finely grated cheese. I used the cheddar to mitigate some of the high sodium of the parmesan, but you can really use any type of grating cheese. Preheat the oven to 350. Put a Silpat on your cookie sheet and put little piles of cheese on there (around 1-2 tsp. each) and spread out into almost flat circles. Bake for around 10 minutes until they are light golden brown. Let them cool on the pan; when they are cool, they will be crisp and toasty and very yummy. I made about 8 crisps with the 1/2 c. of cheese. Delicious! Be careful with the salty cheese if you're watching your sodium. I used regular medium sharp cheddar, fairly dry when grated, but you might have good results with lower-fat cheese. I'm going to try these over the next few months with different types of cheese, and I'm definitely going to add a little cayenne to give them just a bit of kick, or maybe some smoked paprika... I think I'll also look for the low-sodium parmesan, as the flavor of the cheese is delicious! Have y'all ever tried these? One of these is a great nonsweet little something as a snack, and the crunchy texture makes it work perfectly for my sleeve. Enjoy! Meg

Well, I hope so, because that's what I do, too! Actually, since I started mushies, I just quit worrying about trying to eat a specific amount. I put a small portion of food together (usually around 1/4 c. total) and then I eat until I feel that burp, just like you, OR until I feel satisfied, which sometimes occurs before the burp signal. At that point, I just put the lid on the container and save the rest for later. :-) No big deal. My sleeve didn't like a lot of mushies when I started, but I can now really feel a difference--most of the things I've tried lately have gone down comfortably and stayed down. I think part of it is I'm more used to chewing thoroughly and eating slowly, but another part is that I'm more used to eating just a few bites of food. That's the sleeve doing its job, and I'm really happy about it! So yeah, I would say that your experience sounds just like mine. I think food amount is going to vary from person to person, and as long as your hunger is satisfied and your body is comfortable, you're doing what you need to do. Cheers! Meg

Ooh, the first 2 weeks were not pleasant for me. I was hurting (had gas pains that took over a week to dissipate!), thirsty, frustrated, and really emotional. I was very angry at myself for having to go as far as surgery, even though I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would NEVER have started losing weight without it--my body clings to every ounce like it's the last one! So the first two weeks were horrid, frankly. Monday was my 3-week mark, and things are MUCH better. I suddenly feel like myself again. I still get thirsty, but I can drink. I am starting to eat "regular" food. I'm realizing that my sleeve and all the eating issues (what do I eat? when? will it be okay?) are not the biggest part of my life if I don't let them be. At this point, it's so much easier just to live and work and go about doing things and not worry. DH got sleeved about a year ago, and his recovery and advancement were so fast and easy, I think I was expecting the same and was disappointed and frustrated when mine was much more difficult. But little by little, things are better. I went out to lunch today with DH, and I truly enjoyed my few bites of food and the conversation and feeling more or less normal. So I can see that there has been a lot of progress between weeks 2 and 3. Meg

I'm at day 24 (3 weeks and 3 days). Breakfast: Malt-o-Meal (made 1/2 serving and ate 1/4 cup fixed thin; my dog enjoyed the rest!) Snack: 1/4 c. low-fat milk with sugar-free chocolate Hershey's Lunch: 1/4 c. split pea soup blenderized smooth (YUM) Snack: 2 T. Greek yogurt (lemon!--YUM) Dinner: 1/4 c. broccoli/cheese soup blenderized smooth (YUM) Snack: 1 slice thin deli ham with 1 tsp. fat-free cream cheese (if I'm hungry--maybe not) Haven't figured calories for all of this, but I estimate around 400-450. Definitely not hungry. Still having trouble getting in enough water!! By the way, LOVE my Bullet blender--not affiliated with the company, but I must say it's the most useful tool in my kitchen for the stages of postop and mushies. Those little cups that come with are dishwasher safe and can go in the microwave too...plus they have storage lids. Seriously the most useful gadget ever. Meg

Holy cow, I had surgery 3 weeks ago, too, and there's no way I'm eating grilled chicken or beef! Good for you--I'm jealous! I have a hard time getting in my Protein, too. Like others on this forum, I try to eat my protein food first (and frequently it's the only thing I can fit in!). Dairy Proteins have been good for me--Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, 1 tsp. fat-free cream cheese on some really thin-sliced deli meat and rolled up (I can eat 1 of these), low-fat milk, and the ever-present and getting-really-tired-of-them Protein shakes. Ooh, and blended Soups, which are yummy! Now that I'm moving into "mushies," I've been trying eggs (sleevie doesn't like them, which is upsetting because they taste great!) and refried/smushed up Beans (yum), mashed potatoes with cottage cheese smushed in (again, I can eat maybe 2 TBS of this). I'm looking forward to getting a few more foods in. I think you're way ahead in the protein game if you can tolerate grilled chicken and meat. Be sure you're eating it first, so that you fill up on protein, then veggies (soft-cooked or maybe blended), and then any "carbie" things, but you're still really early, so I'm not sure what your doc's diet plan says. Best wishes! Meg

Oh, wow, Beadingnurse, I could have written that, too! I tend to let myself get too hungry and then I gobble, which is just a setup for disaster. I am a slow learner, too, having done it twice already in the last week, but those were so very unpleasant that I think I have it now. I, too, feel like I should be able to eat more, but my sleeve likes really, really small portions (I'm talking 2 or 3 BITES of mushies at a time!), and that's been a challenge to learn. But it's doing exactly what it's supposed to do, and now I "get" it. We're just going to have to learn to rock our sleeves with smaller bites! I bought some baby spoons to use so I would take smaller bites and hopefully have fewer episodes. Meg

Hey! As you know, we were sleeved the same day... my plan allowed for mushies starting last week, although I have been really SLOW to incorporate them, as my sleeve doesn't seem to like many of them yet. I've been out to eat on 2 occasions since being sleeved. Soup is your friend. When you can have mushies, you can order a broth-based soup and eat the broth plus the softened veggies or tiny pieces of chicken in the soup--chew thoroughly and keep an eye on how much you're eating. On both occasions out, I ordered a cup of soup for my entree and was able to enjoy the company without feeling strange, plus I had plenty of soup to go home for more meals later. Friendly foods might include yogurt (if your hotel room has a fridge; if not, fill your ice bucket and pop it in there!). If you're like me, one container of yogurt will last for several "meals," and you can just replace the ice to keep it cold. You can take a screw-top shaker bottle and already-measured scoops of Protein powder, then add milk or Water and ice at the Breakfast bar at your hotel---shake, shake, shake, and you have breakfast. You can sit with others and enjoy your shake and visit, and I bet you nobody says a thing about it--I sat in the middle of a group of folks at work who were having coffee, etc., and as I drank my shake, nobody said boo. Other restaurant ideas: mashed potatoes (not fabulous for carbs, but how much of them are you really eating?), tuna salad if you can tolerate it (ask for a scoop of it by itself). At breakfast, scrambled egg or omelet (nobody will care how much you eat) or oatmeal or cream of wheat. A multi-day trip really does pose a challenge this early, I think. But the key is going to be planning ahead and having your own supplies, like the shaker bottle and Protein Powder. You're going to do great!! Meg

For me, it happens mostly if I forget to take my time--it's not overeating, it's eating too fast that will bring on that feeling. It feels like food is stuck between my mouth and my stomach, and there is an accompanying feeling of intense pressure and pain right at the breastbone that does not go away until I go throw up (which has only happened twice because of this, but that was enough!!). There's not any nausea, but somehow, when I go to throw up, my body knows exactly what to do--and I'm not one who enjoys that process at all, believe me, and I have tried all my life to avoid it!! Afterwards, the pain is gone, and after a little rest, if I feel hungry, I'll eat something "safe" and really take my time with it, and it's fine. The other times I've felt icky post surgery have been when I tried foods that my body was obviously not ready to tolerate, even though they were on my list of "okay" foods. That happens. You might try something (for me, something as simple as 1/2 a hard-boiled egg!) that for whatever reason, your body doesn't want, and the same symptoms appear to me--the same feeling of pain and "I have to get this out of there." And, again, after emphatically removing the food, my body feels just fine and things return to normal very quickly (physically--emotionally, it's kind of demoralizing). So, I agree with the others about undereating, but also eat SLOWLY. And just me personally, there's no way I could put Water in on top of the food, but I'm only 3 weeks out and am on mushies. It may change as we go--my husband was sleeved a year ago, and he eats and drinks together with no problem. Cheers! Meg

I had the exact same thing. Mine broke without me doing anything special--just suddenly dropped 4 pounds over the weekend after a week of staying the same. I am nowhere near you on calorie intake, though--my sleeve doesn't like a lot of stuff yet, so I'm having to take it really slow and easy. Hang in there! Sounds like you're doing all the right things. Are you walking? Getting moving sometimes makes the difference. Cheers! Meg

Mina, Hershey's makes a sugar-free chocolate syrup that tastes EXACTLY like the regular chocolate syrup (and tastes like a Hershey bar). I put some in some milk and enjoy the tar out of it! Worst-case scenario, you can have a bit to lick off a spoon--no harm, no foul. Sugar-free deliciousness!! If your store doesn't carry it, perhaps they will order it for you, or you can mail order. Cheers! Meg

Hey Bajagirl: I'm a choir director at one of our local universities. I went back to work after 9 days--I could definitely sing with good technique, but got tired easily when conducting. Hydration is definitely an issue for me, but you'll probably do a lot better with that, since you're used to staying hydrated. I had a student who was sleeved, and she bounced back very quickly--actually, her breath technique improved rather substantially after the surgery and only a little weight loss. That's a positive I hadn't thought about since until your post. I think you'll be absolutely fine. Meg

Thanks for your fast responses. To clarify, I haven't actually tried anything food-wise other than really mushy mashed potatoes (did okay), and scrambled egg and smushed-up cottage cheese (did NOT do okay). So I'm really still in the full liquids stage. I guess that's where I need to stay for a while. I appreciate your encouragement and suggestions for improving nutrition with supplements--I do take a Multivitamin daily but haven't had B Vitamin levels checked. Makes sense that would probably help! Hanging in there--Meg

Hey y'all: So I was sleeved on April 18th (this is day 19). I'm not really enjoying this much at this point. It's early, I know, so maybe I'm just being a whiny baby, but...at this point, the cons definitely outweigh the pros, and I guess I'm just wondering when that ratio turns around!! Pros: 1. No incisional pain and relatively fast healing. 2. Lost 18 pounds in the first 2 weeks. Cons: 1. STALLED for 5 days and actually gained a pound, not hormonal...I know, I know, it's normal and expected. Still feels awful. 2. My sleeve seems to have a really limited menu of acceptable food: yogurt, Soup, milk. Other stuff gets rejected emphatically and thoroughly, which is really disheartening. 3. Mornings are the worst...my sleeve seems much smaller and sometimes even yogurt doesn't work. 4. Energy levels wrecked, mood shot. Some of this may be caffeine shortage (former coffee addict here!), but I tried a tiny bit of coffee in milk one day and got horrible acid, so no more of that! 5. Dehydration...can't drink much at a time, and remembering to sip is challenging. I have yet to make my daily Water goal. I know a lot of folks have been through this exact same thing, so please share when things turned around for you! I know I'm in this for life and I want to figure out how to make it work, but it seems to be getting more challenging as I go instead of easier, if that makes sense. And it seems like at some point, my body would say "uncle" and start losing weight (I have a LOT to lose!), since I'm eating probably around 300 calories a day max, but that hasn't happened yet. Any advice or encouragement welcome!!' Thanks! Meg

My DH had his sleeve done about a year ago; it took me a lot longer to make the decision to have the surgery--long story, but here we both are now, sleeved. And I have to say it's GREAT having a spouse who's been through it and understands. It is NOT cool that his recovery and weight loss and "dealing with the changes" was so much easier than mine is being! LOL It's hard for me not to compare my meager weight loss with his melting--I'm evidently one of those who is going to have to look really long-term, because the short-term view is sort of depressing. At any rate, I would say the positives definitely "outweigh" the negatives, and I'm glad to have someone here who is excited for me when I'm not excited, if that makes sense. And he's an excellent sounding board for all the emotional stuff, too, which is really nice. Meg

My DH had his sleeve done about a year ago; it took me a lot longer to make the decision to have the surgery--long story, but here we both are now, sleeved. And I have to say it's GREAT having a spouse who's been through it and understands. It is NOT cool that his recovery and weight loss and "dealing with the changes" was so much easier than mine is being! LOL It's hard for me not to compare my meager weight loss with his melting--I'm evidently one of those who is going to have to look really long-term, because the short-term view is sort of depressing. At any rate, I would say the positives definitely "outweigh" the negatives, and I'm glad to have someone here who is excited for me when I'm not excited, if that makes sense. And he's an excellent sounding board for all the emotional stuff, too, which is really nice. Meg

Hey Virginia, I'm an April 18 surgery date, too. I had a luncheon yesterday with a group of student leaders at, yes, a Mexican restaurant (it was Cinco de Mayo, after all!). My husband, who has been sleeved for about a year now, went with me for moral support. :-) I ordered a cup of the tortilla Soup, which I knew was basically chicken soup with Mexican flavoring, and some guacamole. The kids all ordered whatever they wanted, and my husband ordered soup with me. It was absolutely fine--nobody said anything about it, I got to eat "real" food in a restaurant without any kind of hoopla, and we all had a great time. DH and I both had containers of soup to take home, too, even though we had cups of soup--and again, nobody said anything at all, since they were all getting "go" boxes, too. I think there's a way to make this work. Congratulations on your avoiding the Pasta trap--I know exactly what you mean, too, because I'm a tortilla chip-a-holic, but I didn't even think about having one while everyone else was enjoying. Didn't enter my mind. Let's hope we can keep our triggers at bay when it's easier to eat! Cheers! Meg

Thank goodness my gurgles seemed to have stopped around the 1-week mark, but the hyperattenuated sense of smell is still here. It's great when it's pleasant smells, but it's really horrible when it's unpleasant ones. And I have always had a sensitive nose--now, it's like 10 times more so. I wonder if that's one way our bodies are trying to "help" us find food? Now that we're on such restricted intake, I wonder if the nose is trying to assist us? It does make me nauseous, too, although, like another poster, that mostly happens when I eat or drink too fast. I find as I eat or drink, the thing that smelled or tasted so great during the first couple of bites RAPIDLY loses its appeal, all the way to the other end of the spectrum. Hang in there. I guess this sort of thing doesn't hamper long-term outcome, or many more people would be fussing about it. We're just the lucky ones. :-) NOT! Cheers-- Meg

I had a more consistent eating day today, day 8, but am still really ready to start mushies next Monday! Breakfast: 2 TBS Greek yogurt. 2.5 g. Lunch: Wheybolic Protein 1/2 scoop in 1/2 c. FF milk (I don't drink all of this), blended with some cherry flavoring. 20 g. Snack: 2 tsp. cream of chicken soup base in 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth. 1 g. Dinner: Like lunch. 20 g. As you can see, I have a long way to go to getting to my protein goal, but my surgeon told me just to take it at my own pace and not to stress out about it. I'm comfortable and I'm losing weight, so I guess that's good. Cheers! Meg

Congratulations to you!

I'm another one who is really, really ready to have a scrambled egg, but I have another week of liquids. :-) I'll make it. But someone else posted about FF refried Beans with FF sour cream and some FF cheese, and now I'm craving that. LOL All in good time. The fun of this is, it doesn't feel like a "have to." It just feels like something I'm going to enjoy when it's time to enjoy it. I never had that sort of control before. Cheers, all! Meg