Lissa

Check you out! 18 pounds lost already! Woot! Woot!! Your dinner sounds like Egg Faces Ricotta Bake, and yes, that's the yummiest thing I had on mushies!

Congrats! You'll soon be changing your screen name!

You're doing it perfectly. Well, don't post in all caps...some consider that shouting. There is an entire section of this forum devoted to band to sleeve revisions, and quite a few of the frequent posters here actually did just that. I wish you luck on your journey. I went straight for the sleeve, with no band in between. Yes, it's a big decision to donate 85% of your tummy to a landfill, but it definitely works. I won't sing the praises here, but do your research and see what other bandsters have to say about their revision to sleeved life. Good luck with whatever decision you make!

ab, even if your doc is saying that you don't need a PPI, it sounds to me like you DO need one. Try taking a couple of tums for a few days and see if the "hunger" doesn't decrease dramatically. Once I started taking Tums (on doc's advice), my "hunger" disappeared unless it had been several hours since I had eaten. Increase your Water and Protein intake to the recommended levels (64 oz of water, 70g of protein) and up your calorie intake at least to 800 calories a day. Your body may well be in starvation mode. I know some don't believe that exists, but I do believe. Those three things may be what you need to break that stall. I got stuck just under 300 pounds and was getting frustrated. My regular doc suggested I back off my exercise just a bit and that helped. Sometimes the key to breaking a stall is simply shaking things up. At 500 calories, your body probably thinks it needs to hoard every calorie for future needs. Once you add in a little more fuel, it may think that it's okay to burn some of those pounds off. I know I ramble, but I hate to see someone so frustrated. You will start losing again and it will be a big whoosh! Try to stay positive and on track and start looking for the NSVs. Are your clothes bigger? Can you walk farther? Those things are just as important as the number on the scale, possibly MORE important. Good luck!!

The sugar-free syrups are available at Amazon, at Walmart, and a ton of other websites/stores. Amazon has/had a special going with six different flavored bottles for around 36 a few weeks ago. They also sell pumps that you can put in the tops of the bottles for a few bucks more. There are other brands besides Torani, so you may want to buy one or two smaller bottles and see what you like before you buy a six pack. Good luck!

Ladies, Ease up on yourselves. Everyone loses at a different rate, and stalls ARE frustrating. But, have you lost inches? Are your clothes looser? Those stalls happen because our bodies are adjusting themselves to our changed eating habits and to our increased exercise habits. When you are not losing pounds on the scale, you really need to be looking at the NSVs (Non Scale Victories). While I was stalled just under 300 pounds for a couple of weeks, I lost all my pants. They simply got too big and I shrank right out of them! I went down two sizes during that stall. I also had to adjust my car seat and how I sit to drive. I'd been used to sitting as far to the left as possible so the seat belt didn't dig into my butt. Now I'm sitting in the middle and that seat belt doesn't bother me at all! So, while I was stalled at 298, I lost several inches off my hips and waist. Go Me!!! Stalls happen because our bodies have to readjust and keep up with the rapid weight loss we experience after being sleeved. WE have to keep looking for the positives rather than worrying so hard about the scale. Oh, and take a good long look at your tush, Lisa. I'm betting all that walking is making your legs and butt look better because you're building muscle. Muscle, for a fact, does weigh more than fat. Good luck to you both. Once my last stall broke, I've dropped 10 pounds in no time. You ladies have barely started seeing the results you hoped to have. It WILL happen!

Favoredone, You are truly favored today!! I'm so happy for you!! I love seeing your smiling picture on posts, and I'm THRILLED to see that you got your approval! I can't wait to see your face shrink and that smile growing bigger!! You're one of the reasons I wanted to post a new picture of me with a smile on my face!

I had my three week stall, and added in working out on the treadmill almost every day. That stall broke, but then I stalled again. I was going up and down the same three pounds when I had just broken into the 200's. My pulmonologist told me to ease up on the workouts and the weight would start dropping again. And, he was right! Since I've backed off the treadmill some, I am dropping again. Why? Because I'm not building up the muscle as fast as I was. At my BMI, the muscle is important, but I want the pounds to come off. I DO NOT want 280 pounds of muscle! LOL OTOH, while I was working so hard, I could almost see the definition in my legs and butt getting better and I dropped 2 pants sizes, so there are pros and cons to each way of doing things!

Awesome!! I'm so thrilled for you!!

That's an NSV to shout about!!

You know, you don't really have to say goodbye to all those foods. You just won't be able to eat as much of them post-op as you can now. You might not even want them post-op, once sleevie kicks in and starts working his magic! However, I was reading your post about pizza, cheeseburgers and the seafood buffet and none of them sounded yummy! It's literally about protein/not Protein for me. Not to say that I don't enjoy a good piece of pizza or a cheeseburger, and goodness knows that I love me a few shrimp, but I don't crave foods very often at 3 months out. We all panic and think we'll never be able to eat "x food" again, but that's not true. You are making a lifestyle change, so food won't be good or bad. It will just be food. It's like clothes, you can wear whatever clothes you like and that fit you, with no need to wear purple because it's a "bad" color. Food is the same. You can eat whatever you wish to eat once you are through the liquid diets. The major difference is that you won't be able to eat as much after being sleeved, just like you won't be wearing a 3x shirt afterwards. You won't need it. I hope that made some sense. LOL

Okay, I have tried to change my picture by clicking on the change button ON the picture and it will allow me to upload the picture, but the change doesn't stay and I can't figure out how to save that. I've also tried going through settings and clicking on the change photo button and uploading the photo, but that doesn't change my picture that appears on my profile and my posts either. I have searched several times and read all of the instructions others have given, but I cannot figure this out. Will someone please help me? Thank you!

Walking!!! That's my biggest accomplishment since surgery, so far! Before surgery, I could barely waddly my fat boo-tay from the house to the car. Walking around a store exhausted me! I started walking up and down my hallway, then around the end of my building, and then on the treadmill. I'm still slowly increasing my distance, but I walked the length of the mall and back a week or so ago and I wasn't tired!! That's amazing to me!! I keep looking for the NSVs, but being able to walk some distance is my favorite thing so far! (Looking better doesn't hurt either!)

It's tougher than you're thinking right this second, but you do need to be gentle with it. Sip, sip, sip, so that you aren't filling it super full with every drink. When you eat, even soft foods, don't eat till you are uncomfortable. My Nut gave me a scale and I used it religiously. When I'd eaten my 2 or 3 oz, I stopped. Usually I stopped before I got there because Rex wouldn't hold that much. Try not to cram your sleeve full. It's not "easy" to cause a leak, but it is very swollen and sensitive. My goal was to not make my sleeve work too hard. As you go through the stages, you'll be able to better tell when you're full. Right now, though, just concentrate on things that are very easy and don't place strain on your sleevie. Good luck!!

You're that much closer!! Good luck to you! I know you can't wait!!

You look terrific!! Great Job and keep going!! You're rocking that sleeve!!

Yay!! You do look great!! :

I've lost over 60 pounds, but most people aren't commenting yet. I think that people who don't see us all that often really don't see the difference until the results start getting really dramatic. The folks who see me once or twice a month usually notice the difference immediately, but those who see me every day don't really notice and those who seldom see me don't really notice YET. Also, since these people are family, there may be other issues at work. They may have noticed the loss, but don't want to say anything because it might jinx you on losing more. Or they are jealous and don't want to say anything because of that. You just keep rocking your sleeve, girl, and don't let them affect your mood. You are doing a terrific job and the best revenge is when you make goal, and then maintain that goal. YOU get the better health. YOU get the satisfaction of making it to goal and YOU are the only one who counts! Good luck and keep your chin up!!

broth - I buy the Swanson (blue and white box) brand, low sodium. I buy both chicken and beef and I use it in other cooking besides just for drinking broth. I like that it's in a box and I can use a little or a lot, too. It keeps well in the fridge. Soups-I like Campbells soup for bean with bacon, but I'm not super particular about the brands on other Soups. Look for low sodium versions if you can, but I don't think the bean with bacon comes in low sodium. You don't eat seafood, or can't? If you can handle it, tuna is pretty good, esp mixed with a little mayo for mushies. There are also cans of chicken, roast beef, ham, etc, which are all very soft and could be easily mushed up for the mushie stage. I admit I pureed some dinty moore beef stew during mushies, and I also pureed some Wendy's chili. Something else I should have mentioned, try to find some small plastic ware containers for freezing/storing small portions. I could only eat a couple of ounces at a time for most of the above items. Freezer safe sandwich bags will work too. I found some small containers at Goodwill and at walmart. I also liked having a tiny bowl and small plate for my meals. I've always been the kind of person who prefers having a real plate and silverware to eat with, so these items made me feel more normal. And, thank you for the compliment. I am just trying to give support back. So many people answered all my crazy questions, and still do, that I think it's important to help others if I can. Good luck!! I'm saving you a seat!!

Oh, (((Want2BHealthy))) I so feel your pain! It's tough the first few days after surgery. Concentrate on getting your liquids in and then worry about your Protein. The Water is so important immediately post-op! I have a checkered medical history as well, although no heart attack or car wreck so far. :::crossing fingers:::: I had DVTs and two pulmonary emboli, along with pneumonia, then I had the Come to Jesus talk with the doctors. It was have surgery or die. Obviously, I had surgery! Soon you'll be feeling much better and not long after that you'll be back on solid food and you won't even remember how uncomfortable you are right now. It will happen...and when the weight starts dropping off, you'll be THRILLED. Good luck with your journey!!

I like Christin's response. My hubby actually told me that I'd lose weight if I'd "just eat less". I told him that he doesn't have a say. My other friends and family have been very supportive, but I do feel somewhat like I'm under a microscope. The ladies in my family are all "voluptuous". My Granny used to call us her "Mack Truck Girls", cause we're all big and loud. So, my cousins and aunts are watching my results to see if they want to do WLS too. A couple of people have told me the horror stories, and I've seen one with my own eyes. My best friend's sister in law had WLS several years ago and, since she's non compliant with diet and exercise, ends up in the hospital about every 3 months with malnutrition and dehyrdration. Of course, we've all seen the horror stories of people who didn't have WLS and died from complications of obesity. You just never hear of people telling those stories to us when we're gaining our weight. If I do get a negative response, I just reply with something along the lines of "It was surgery or die for me". That shuts most of them up, and those who persist are definitely not the people I want to depend on for support. They are NOT on my cheerleading squad like the people I find here always are!!

Leslie, I couldn't tell at first either. I kept getting shoulder pain and I was walking to ease that. I carried my bottle of Water with me one afternoon and was taking sips as I went. After a few minutes, I realized that I would stop and sip every time my shoulder quit hurting...and then my shoulder would start hurting again. I was assuming it was gas pain, but when I slowed down a little on the drinking, my shoulder quit hurting. So my early post-op full signal was shoulder pain. Once I graduated to solids, I learned very quickly what full feels like. And it's NOT comfortable for me. I try to always stop before I get to full. Full means that I am going to be uncomfortable for several hours after I eat, so I try to under fill myself. Trust me, you WILL know when you get to full!

Make sure you have some Protein powder if you're allowed shakes immediately post-op. Have Water, milk and other mixers for the powder. I bought some baby food pureed meat, and it's still sitting in my cabinet. broth was my salvation during the Clear liquids stage, and I used more of it during mushies if I needed to puree up some kind of meat. For mushies, I bought a few different kinds of soup: tomato, chicken noodle, potato and bean with bacon. I pureed the ones with actual chunky stuff in them and it was pretty good. I found out quickly that I am lactose intolerant, so cottage cheese and yogurt weren't on my list. I can eat yogurt again now, but still can't handle straight milk. Now that I'm back on solids, I eat a lot of the mini babybel light cheese rounds, cheddar cheese sticks and some crackers/peanut butter. I keep almonds to snack on (crunchy and salty, yum!). And, I've discovered that I LOVE rotisserie chicken, the lemon pepper flavor. A few bites of that and I feel like I've had a big meal. Also, if you have some freezer space, a bag of frozen shrimp is good. I can make a meal out of 5 or 6 of them with a little cocktail sauce. One thing I wish I'd done was to keep more condiments on hand, and I do it now. I have an extra ketchup, mustard, horseradish and cocktail sauce in the pantry. I do know how to make my own cocktail sauce, but I found one I really like. I don't keep lemon juice or OJ in the house because citrus and I aren't friends right now. That's sad because this is the best time of year for fresh citrus in Florida! My grandparents used to own a fruit stand and I can remember eating several varieties of oranges until I was stuffed around Christmastime each year! I'm hoping that citrus will be back in my rotation after I hit six months or so.... at least by next December. Most importantly, don't over buy your food. NONE of the above may sound good to you after surgery. I adored spicy food pre-op, and can't eat it yet post-op. Rex rejects it every time, even if I try to sneak in just one little bite of jalopeno. Good luck with your journey!!

(((Miters))) I'm so sorry for your loss! You have done an amazing job with your weight loss and it shows. For now, just concentrate on your basics and on healing the mental and physical aches. Once those are somewhat better, then you can concentrate on your weight loss. I know you'll never get over it, and I share your pain. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way.

Awesome progress!! You look so much healthier and happier!!