Lissa

I drink decaf coffee a few days a week and haven't had any real constipation issues, either. A small gain around your time of the month is normal, and usually disappears (with friends!) afterwards. Since you just started mushies, you may be putting in a few more calories than before, but it's not enough to make you gain "real" weight. Good luck!!

Kthump, Search for 3 week stall, although it sounds like yours may be starting a little early. Especially if you lost a good bit of weight on the pre-op diet, the stall kicks in and you may not lose anything for several days. It is normal, natural, and it will pass. Theories abound, but I think it's our body's way of readjusting to all the changes after surgery. You have gone from eating whatever you like to barely putting any calories in and your body says "Whoa!" The weight loss will resume, but this is a great time to measure yourself and see the changes in your size/shape that are going on. I walked out of my first size lost during a stall. I hadn't dropped anything pound-wise in days, then I put on my work pants and they fell to the floor. That's a big WOW moment, and it happened when I thought I wasn't losing anything. Look for the NSVs (non scale victories) and pay attention to the inches lost, especially during stalls. The stalls will happen, but they usually mean that you're losing inches as things adjust themselves. good luck!!

Yes, you will be successful! Congrats on taking this step for your own health!! There are some videos for people who cannot do standing/walking exercises, perhaps those would work to help you tone as you lose weight. If you are up to it, you could also do some very light weight lifting with 1, 2, 3, or 4 pound weights. I do several arm exercises with 3 pound weights to help tone my arms up and I'm working on raising the number of repetitions rather than adding more weight since all I want to do is tone. I'm sorry to hear about your foot. I have an aunt who spent nearly 3 months in the hospital with diabetes complications for an infection in her foot. She kept hers, but very nearly did not. It sounds like you might have had a similar experience. THAT is a tough journey! I started out barely able to walk from my front door to my car, and, 4 months/81 pounds later, I do 2 miles on the treadmill 3 times a week. I'm still very slow, but I can walk now! I hope your experience will be similar to mine! You have made a huge, positive change for yourself! I hope you'll keep us posted on your journey. Good luck!!

In It, You are totally right! This is all about YOU. Your health, your welfare, your life expectancy and well-being. Whatever it takes to get you healthier, you should do. Imagine the results for your (future?) kids of having a healthy parent who can teach them how to avoid the pitfalls of obesity!

Ana, *I* am the poster child for VSG, IMO. My surgery went fine, no complications and I've had amazing increased energy since being sleeved. I've lost 81 pounds so far. I could barely walk from my front door to my car pre-op, and I've slowly built up to walking 2 miles on the treadmill at a slow pace. A few days ago, I cut down 4 small trees in my front yard, cut them to size, and bundled them for trash collection. I'm down three pants sizes and my labs are great, except I'm still on meds for blood clot issues. Technically, I'm still obese, but I WILL make it to my goal. This surgery saved my life. I may not say it in so many words, but it did. And, VST helped me make that life-changing decision. I try to pay back/forward the help and encouragement I got before my surgery.

I posted this earlier, but I'll paraphrase it for you (and your dad). I have been heavy most of my adult life, gaining a few pounds a year. But, I've been mostly healthy with no major problems. Until last May, when I got pneumonia and ended up in the hospital, which started a roller coaster ride of co-morbidities. Within three months, I was on oxygen, coumadin for blood clots, was dx with rheumatoid arthritis, borderline diabetic, etc. The list was as long as my arm and then I was hospitalized a second time for the blood clots, which threw two pulmonary embolisms into my lungs. Between May and August, I was told to prepare to die three times. My doctors told me I wouldn't live another year unless I got the weight off me fast. I'm not looking for sympathy by posting all of that, just telling you that you can be perfectly healthy one day and practically on death's doorstep the next. When the problems hit, they hit with a vengeance. I was lucky that I didn't die from the pneumonia or from the pulmonary embolisms. It was almost too late for me to have WLS when I finally decided that I had to do it. Because I had all those other problems, instead of "just" being sleeved, I had to have two more operations in order to have the sleeve done. Nobody knows how much time they have left, but I was determined to give my body a fighting chance at living. I hate to see you put it off, although it sounds like you've made up your mind already. If you're ready and want to take this weight off now, this is an amazing tool to help do that. And, I hope that it will save you from having to go through what I've been through.

BTW, I personally stuck to one "sound bite": "My doctors have told me that I will die within a year if I don't get some of this weight off of me NOW." It was pretty effective about shutting up even the most determined nay-sayer.

Well, first of all, you can disagree with someone and still be friends. Ask me how many years it took me to learn that! LOL Secondly, your stomach is not necessarily a "vital organ". You CAN live without a stomach completely, perhaps with alternate feeding methods, but don't sweat the pesky details. The sleeve gastrectomy has been done for years and years as a treatment for cancer, ulcers and other stomach issues. My late mother in law had one because of stomach cancer. It is a safe and well-researched operation. Thirdly, your current stomach has either been stretched out, or is larger than the stomach of other people because you can and do eat more than others. It contains a hormone called ghrelin which causes hunger feelings, and larger stomachs produce more ghrelin, causing you to eat more and gain weight. What the doctor will do is remove the part of the stomach that produces ghrelin, which keeps you from feeling as much hunger and restricts the amount of food you can eat. This will automatically lead to weight loss in the short term and will, hopefully, give you some time to learn how to eat more normally. Fourth, having this surgery will help eliminate or prevent co-morbidities which could shorten your life. No parent wants to see their child die young, so this should be the deciding factor for your father. Good luck!!

Congrats!! This ties in perfectly with the commercial I just saw on TV for Progresso soup where the woman calls and says her skinny jeans fit. The guy says "Okay" and she asks for a woman to talk to!!

I made beef stew tonight. It's been cold here in FL, you know, under 75 degrees, so I thought it would be yummy. And it was!! I made a small pot of it, but I now have beef stew for days. I know I'll be dividing this up for the freezer!!!

Pink, You have to psyche yourself out with positives instead of negatives. You WILL stay on track. You WILL lose weight. They will NOT cancel your surgery. Why will you stay on track? Because you know that this surgery will make your life infinitely better than it is right now. I had tons of co-morbidities, and they all jumped on my all at once last summer. I've been big, obese, fat, whatever you want to call it, since I was 23. But, I'd been a "healthy" big, if that is even a term. I was healthy big right up until I got pneumonia, and then I looked the grim reaper in the eye three times in three months. There is no better time than RIGHT NOW to take care of your weight issues and make sure you don't have visit with Mr. Death until you're old and gray.

Lyra, It sounds like you are doing things just right!! I recommend a therapist to everyone, mostly because none of us would be obese if we didnt' have food issues, IMO. Good luck on your journey!! That first step is often the hardest, and the first step is admitting that we can't do this alone!

Cattracks, The weight loss is what inspired me to stay faithful to my post-op diet!! It was incredible watching those pounds just melt away! If that's what it takes to keep you on plan, go for it!!!

Capt Derel, I'm sorry you don't have good success with your machine. It definitely takes some time and effort to get used to the sleep machines! I thought I wouldn't be successful, but a dear friend gave me some tips on using the machine, most of which I passed on earlier in this thread. He even takes his when he goes hunting and uses it in the tent! My doc says when I lose 20% of my weight from the date of the sleep study, he will take me off my machine. I'm almost scared for that to happen at this point! I know that I'll be asleep in minutes once I put my mask on at night. I hate to lose that instant sleep inducer.

I agree! Awesome NSV!!

Measure your food and only put 1 or 2 ounces on your plate. Undereat your sleeve for a bit. It's really hard to tell how full you are so early post-op, so you almost have to rely on measuring to keep from making yourself hurt. Also, be sure to wait 30 minutes after you eat and stop drinking 30 minutes before your first bite. It really does help keep you from getting so full so fast. I'm sure you're being careful to stick to foods that are already mushy and not relying on your teeth to make them mushy, right? I tried a bite of chicken in the mushy stage, thinking if I chewed it enough it wouldn't hurt and I was wrong! Also, be sure to take tiny little bites of your food, even if that means eating with a baby spoon. Good luck!! It does get better!!

Amazing!! Great job!!

Could you do a little cheese (mini babybel or laughing cow wedge) or part of a Protein shake around 4pm? That would give you one more opportunity for some protein and boost your calories a little. The cheeses are both small, so they shouldn't prevent you from eating dinner. I actually try to put my biggest meal at lunch time rather than dinner. Of course, biggest meal is relative, hmmm? IIRC, though, I was around 450 to 600 calories a day at your stage, too. As your tummy heals, you'll be able to eat a little more and meet the Nut's goal, but just do what you can on the protein and concentrate on getting your liquids in your tummy. good luck!!

Great tips from everyone on avoiding denser foods right now. As for the liquids, some people find that warm or ice cold drinks go down easier for them. Try warm broth (a little protein), very runny refried Beans, lightly scramble an egg (you will probably only be able to handle half of one), make a very loose Protein shake with milk (or soy/rice/almond milk if you're lactose intolerant like me), runny instant mashed potatos, or baby food meat all go down pretty easily. Ice chips, SF popsicles, SF Jello, decaf coffee and decaf tea all count as liquids. Water with crystal light, mio drops, or some Protein powder all go down okay. Special K has a protein water that's flavored. You probably won't be able to handle 1/4 cup of anything for awhile yet. You will learn what your sleevie will tolerate fairly quickly, but don't push it to accept new things. Try one bite of a new thing and let it sit in your tummy for half an hour or so. Once you are sure it will stay down, then try some more of it. Tuna is fairly tough on a new sleeve, so it might just be the tuna that caused problems. Also, be very, very, very sure that you are chewing your food to applesauce consistency before you swallow. That will make it easier for the sleeve to accept that new food. Good luck!!

My personal tips from experience on how to get used to the mask: 1. Try wearing it for a little while before bed to get used to the mask and to keeping your mouth closed. Even if it's a full face mask, keeping your mouth closed makes sleeping with the mask easier, IMO. 2. Ask your tech to set the machine to ramp up, especially if you're on a high upper number. Mine is 22/12, but it's set so that it takes 30 minutes from the time I turn the machine on before it reaches that high number. 3. Buy some Biotin gel. It helps keep your mouth from drying out while you're learning how to keep your mouth shut while sleeping. 4. Put the mask on before you turn on the machine. Then start breathing out when you hit the power switch. By the time you take a breath in, the machine will be ready to push air at you. 5. Hold your hand in front of the mask, near the nose hole. Feel the air coming out? That means that you WILL be able to breathe even if the machine goes off for some reason. 6. Lay down immediately for sleep, close your eyes, get comfortable, and then concentrate on something else. Count sheep, recite the alphabet, tell yourself a bedtime story. You'll be asleep in minutes and wake up feeling more rested than you've felt in forever. 7. Keep a bottle of Water near the bed so you can get a drink as soon as you wake up. Even with the biotin gel, I'm always thirsty when I first wake up. Oh, and before you ever put the mask on, make sure you know how to pull the tubing off the front. It comes off easily and goes on just as easily. Also make sure your tech shows you how to clean the mask, tubing and machine. I'm totally clausterphobic, but I have worn my mask every night since 2 weeks before surgery. As soon as I started using it, the swelling in my legs went away totally and I have feet again! I also stopped snoring and quit falling asleep during daytime driving. I attribute my amazing increased energy level post-op to having the bi-pap. At this point, I "need" the bi-pap to fall asleep at night and I'm usually out within 5 minutes of putting my head on the pillow. It is worth getting used to the machine..and, if your doc is like mine, once you lose 20% of your body weight from the day of your sleep study, s/he will take you off the bi-pap machine!

My DH actually told me that if I'd just eat less I wouldn't need this expensive surgery. So, I got him a quote from a funeral home for a full funeral. My medical expenses last year, just in co-pays and out of pocket for docs, were as much as the surgery. Now that I'm down 81 pounds, he's my biggest cheerleader. He's still a jerk and I'm still not living with him, but he's bragging about my weight loss to anyone that will listen, and some that won't, I'm sure! LOL

If you're already having problems getting in enough liquid, and your doc allows coffee this early, please be sure the coffee is decaf. Caffeinated drinks prevent absorption of Water by the body and actually act as a diuretic, so they pull water out of your cells. Good luck!!

Bryan, Yes, there are possible complications with VSG, just like there are possible complications with ANY surgery. There are several long-timers here who had bad complications immediately post-op, and there are several newly sleeved people who have had complications. While no one wants complications, the risk is fairly low (unless it's you, of course). And, all of the long-timers who had complications have said that they would do the surgery again. I'm not sure how the newer people who have complications feel about it, but all of their complications were caught very early and treated quickly. My pre-op research showed fewer complications and better outcomes from those complications with the band than the other WLS surgeries I researched, including gastric bypass, RNY, and lap band. Many people who had lap bands initially seemed to not be very successful and a lot of those ended up with revision surgery. I cut to the chase and had a sleeve. IMO, it's the best option on the market today. Good luck to you on your journey!!

Chew and spit is just another form of food addiction gone wild. NOT a good practice to get into because it can lead to worsening of our eating disorders. As for licking the flavoring off a dorito, that's a little weird. It definitely would point me in the direction of therapy...and, since you don't know me from Adam's houseplants, I DO see a therapist to deal with my own food addictions and other issues. Good luck with your journey!!

Wow!! You've had a long road, but were very lucky to survive the accident! As for pre-op diet, eat what your surgeon tells you to eat. Everyone's diet seems to be different. Mine was liquids only for two weeks, but I've seen tons of variations. Maybe once you have the surgeon's guidelines we can give you specific ideas for each category. Good luck!!