Lissa

Oh, I had an AWESOME NSV today!! I am laughing at myself because this meant so much, but, Oh Well!! I do contract work for builders, so I travel to their sales centers fairly often. At one, there is a really sweet guy there (I think he's gay, but...) and I hadn't seen him in about 3 weeks. Today I was standing in the back room making copies and he walked into the room, stopped, did a double take and said "You look positively skinny today!" I really don't look "anything" skinny, but it was such a nice morale boost to me! ::::sigh:::: It's the little things.

You've hit the 3 week stall with a vengeance! Change things up, add Protein or carbs, subtract carbs, drink more Water, do some exercise. TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS! LOL Your body is readjusting to the changes you have put it through, surgery, then liquids, full liquids, then you've probably just started either mushies or solid foods. Now it's got to readjust AGAIN! While you may not be losing on the scale, you're probably noticing some of your clothes getting looser (this is when I had to get new undies!), and you probably have more ability to do things. Unless you're eating tons of sugar, cake, candy, ice cream, you WILL start losing again, probably with a big dramatic drop. Oh, and because someone else had this problem: Is your scale actually working? Good luck!!

Slim, First, Congrats on the baby!! Second, My surgeon allows NSAIDS after VSG, but doesn't encourage taking lots of over the counter meds. My pulmonary doc actually put me on baby aspirin the first time I went off coumadin and my surgeon didn't object at all. I also took Lovenox injections, which is similar to Heparin, immediately before my sleeve surgery and then three weeks later because I had a filter installed and then removed. I had DVTs before I had my sleeve, which required the filter to make sure no clots went wandering through my body because of the VSG. If you need the Heparin to make it through the pregnancy, I think you'll probably be fine. Your surgeon and ob/gyn are the best people to make that decision and I'm certain they won't have you do something that would cause you or the baby permanent harm! Congrats again!! I can't wait to see baby pics!!

For me, it's been a matter of changing the way I think about food. Now it either IS Protein or it is NOT protein. I eat protein first, get my Water in, then deal with all the other categories of food. I refuse to think of food as good or bad. It's just food. I need it to fuel my body, but I don't need it for other things. I used to eat my problems away. Now I'm having to deal with all the underlying issues that I used to cover up with food. I am seeing a therapist to deal with those issues, but it's almost like she's window-dressing now. The sleeve by itself has made me think hard about what I'm eating. It's been an interesting journey and you'll probably wind up taking your own version of it. IME, lawyers are normally analytical people (I'm a paralegal) and really like to dig into the whys and wherefores of things. Good luck!

I saw these on QVC the other day and they looked good. I was thrown by the "step into" part. I'm glad that someone here has tried them!

Dorrie! I've looked all over this site for you! LOL I saw (in an email push) that you were waiting 10 minutes between bites. That's WAY too long. You should only wait about a minute between bites. You need to give your tummy long enough to tell you if it's full before you take another bite. Also, I think your hungry monster might be appeased when you actually start putting a bit of food into your tummy and no letting it fully digest before you take another bite! Are you taking an acid reducer? Prilosec, Nexium, Tums, even? If not, you might find that taking one reduces the hungry monster to a hungry imp, or even eliminates him completely. I'm truly not stalking you, but wanted to say something about that as soon as I saw it! Good luck!!

Divinia, Good for you for firing that trainer! If he's not going to be supportive of you, then he needs to go! I love your attitude and the fact that you've done lots of research. It sounds like you have already done the head work and are ready for your sleeve! Good luck and check in after surgery to let us know how you are doing, please!

I ordered a pintos and cheese at Taco Bell the day I finally got to mushies. I ate maybe 3 teaspoons of it before I was so full I couldn't do more. Everyone is different, though.

Stay off the scale! LOL It's tough to do, but it's the only way not to drive yourself crazy!!! You WILL lose weight, just give your body time to adjust. Are you at three weeks out yet?

It's probably the incision where they pulled the tummy out. Try laying on the other side and/or using a pillow to support that area. When you lay down, maybe it puts more pressure on the inside stitch or something. Glad to see you on the loser's bench!

bella, My surgeon said to ignore the calories completely. I do 70 grams of Protein per day and 64 oz of Water. I get my protein and water first and don't worry about the rest, mostly. If I'm working out, I try to eat some carbs just before, but nothing major. I usually have a piece of bread or a Protein Bar, just a little to add fuel to the fire. I use My Fitness Pal for tracking my food, protein and water, and it's always giving me that "starvation" message. I showed it to my surgeon at my follow-up and he said just ignore it. I'm sure that will change once I'm closer to goal, but I doubt I'm going to starve anytime soon since I currently weight 288! LOL Good luck!

I've always been astounded that even those who had complications all say they would still have gone through with the surgery. That speaks volumes to me about the effectiveness of this surgery. I do hope those who have leaks will heal quickly and enjoy the rest of their journeys to thin!

I just wanted to add one thing to this subject, although my babies have been weaned for years and years (they are 25 and 21). BFing helps the mother's uterus contract and helps her lose weight after pregnancy. I can only imagine that it would help a nursing mom lose more weight after any WLS. My youngest was in a NICU for 8 days after birth and had ongoing health problems for several years after his birth. We had a great pediatrician who advocated BF. I asked her one time if my milk was helping him even with all those medical problems. Her response was "Imagine how many more problems he'd have had without your immunities!" I nursed both kids until they were nearly 2 years old and both of them are now taller and healthier than any other kids in our family. My youngest has Type 1 diabetes, but his doctors think the onset was delayed by several years because he was nursed for so long. That makes me glad I did nurse him so long, even though it was tough sometimes to do it. Good luck with nursing your babies after surgery! I hope it goes well for all of you!

I think it's semantics, myself. You need something in you to fuel the workout, and a Protein shake is probably a good way for you to combine the fuel and some liquid. Do you get your full protein and Water requirements every day? If so, then you are doing fine. I don't drink many Protein shakes these days myself, but I start on water early in the day. I don't eat "breakfast" until 11 or so either. I just can't handle the thought of food that early. If I'm working out that day, it's usually mid-afternoon, so I try to eat my biggest meal close to that time and give it half an hour before I work out, so I can drink water while I'm on the bike or treadmill.

You look healthy and happy and younger! I was thinking "too skinny" until I saw how toned you are. I'm old enough to be your mother, so I should just say Great Job!!! (you know, instead of Hubba Hubba!)

I bought some tiny dipping bowls at Goodwill. They are clear glass and hold about 2 ounces. Those were my bowls for foods in the mushy stage, and I still use them quite often for chicken, veggies, and Soups. Do you have a kitchen scale? The electronic ones are really cool, and cost about $20. I set my little bowl on the scale and hit "Tare", then fill my bowl with my portion of food. Usually I'm eating about 2 to 3 ounces of food. I set that bowl on a tiny plate and then I'll add a bite or two of veggie now that I'm allowed to have them again. I should add that I went through Goodwill for my new plates, as well. I bought an assortment of pretty little china saucers that serve as MY plates now. Just be careful if they have metal around the rims and don't put them in the microwave. Oh, and I bought baby spoons (new) in some wild and funky colors for eating, and a couple of small forks and spoons for use when company is around. My son found me a couple of tiny pots that I use to heat or reheat things that don't do well in the microwave. Since they have lids, I also will put stuff in them and cook it in the oven while I'm doing other things. They might hold 8 ounces of food. Good luck!!

I just had that NSV a couple of weeks ago. I felt like happy-dancing myself! You're doing great and rocking that sleeve!! Go girl!!

I agree with everyone else. Try an acid reducer and tiny little bites of food. The foamy stuff means you are sliming. My surgeon gives out a booklet and there are a couple of tips that may be helpful for you. First, always weigh your food, so you have some idea of how much you are actually eating. I started with 2 ounces and ate what I could. Second, your bites should be no bigger than a pencil eraser and you should chew until they are applesauce consistency. Third, do not drink with your meal. It fills your sleeve up way too fast. Fourth, if you have a problem with a food today, don't try it again until next week. Fifth, give yourself a minure or so between bites. It is really tough to tell when you are full at the start of each stage, so taking time between bites gives you a moment to realize that you are full and can't eat any more, which prevents the slimes. Sixth, any time you vomit or slime, you should go back a step. So, if you're on full liquids and have problems, go back to clears for a day or so. This helps your tummy heal and get ready for that next stage. I hope that helps you somewhat. I did a lot of drinkable Soups and super soft foods when I first went to solids. I avoided stuff that I thought would be tougher to digest (salads, raw veggies, steak) until this month. I'm at 3.5 months for reference. Oh, and lots of us have weird food issues after surgery. Beforehand, I really loved cottage cheese sprinkled with a lot of pepper. I'm lactose intolerant now and Rex, my sleeve, does NOT like the pepper. He doesn't like anything remotely spicy these days. I tried to sneak a jalapeno in with some chicken one day and had disastrous results. Thinking about that bite of jalapeno now makes me queasy. I think I'll wait awhile for that again. LOL Good luck and just take your time. You'll be handling solids again very soon.

That's SO frustrating to have a leak for this long! I hope it heals up quickly for you and that you're back on food again soon. Good luck!!

I had mine for 8 days and it pretty much filled up with reddish clear liquid twice a day for the whole time. I just emptied it morning and night and tucked it into my bra during the day. Doc took it out on my first post-op visit after I drank some blue stuff to see if there was a leak. He had my lay back on the table, take a deep breath and then he pulled it. I thought it felt like the downward trip on a roller coaster, but it wasn't painful. He put a large band-aid over the opening and told me not to take it off for three days. When I took it off, there was a scab, but it's pretty much healed by now. I have some pink skin there, but it's not a bad scar. I did make sure I left the scab alone while it healed.

Shae, I'm glad that it was a good cry. You are doing a great job and recognizing that something is an issue for you is the first step to fixing it. I agree with Chris that food isn't inherently good or bad. It's JUST food. I'm trying to wrap my head around eating like a normal weight person and I know that they can and do keep goodies in the house. You should have seen my mother's "snack corner" as she got older, and she never weighed over 140, even pregnant! Normal weight people can eat what they want and, if they see themselves gaining a bit, they back off for a few days and drop that pound or three. That's what I'm looking to create for myself: the ability to eat what I want without feeling guilt. Guilt got me fat and I'm not going to live that way anymore. I think MFP is a great tool for tracking food and keeping us on the road to our daily goals. Keeping on the daily goals will get us to our final goals eventually. You hang in there! We're gonna get there and you're WAY ahead of me. You'll be standing at the finish line cheering me on while I'm still working to get there. But, we'll both get there!

I'm sorry I made you cry, Shae! I just wanted to remind you that you need to shower some sunshine on yourself, too!! You are gonna make it!! Lissa

Yay for you!! That's a great NSV!!!

Shae, I second (or third, whatever it is) the suggestion to see a counselor AND to use My Fitness Pal. I love/hate MFP. It keeps me on track for the Protein, but makes me face my food choices, no matter what. One of my "things" is accountability to myself and to others. So, MFP helps me to really look at food before I eat...and I made my diary public for the extra accountability. Anyone who is my friend there can see what I eat daily. :::cringe:::: The counselor is great because s/he can help you look at WHY you are doing this. It's great if you can find one who is experienced in dealing with Bariatric patients, but any counselor that is committed to helping you work on your issues is good. Mine talks to me about not "eating my emotions", which I have a tendency to do...or I did have a tendency to do. I can't physically do that anymore. You have to believe in yourself. You ARE worthy of being healthier, thinner, and happier in your own skin. I see you posting positive feedback for others and I think "What a nice lady!" You need to learn to be nice to yourself. Take this wonderful tool you've been given and use it to benefit you. It IS okay to do this for you, and you've made the biggest step by having surgery. (((Shae))) It's tough accepting that we get to do something just for ourselves, isn't it? That's what the sleeve is, a gift we have given ourselves. Now you just have to give yourself permission to accept the benefits that come with this tool. You're actually doing your hubby and kids a favor, too. They get to see a happier, healthier you. And, they get to keep you in their lives for longer. I will be cheering you on as you get this under control and you get back on track. I want us to both get to our goals so we can look back and say "I did it!" And, we WILL do it!

Wow!! Amazing weight loss! You are rocking your sleeve, for sure!!!