Lissa

Your surgeon should be able to give you most of those numbers. Did you attend a seminar or webinar? Those numbers should have been made available then. The only statistic I know is that most VSG patients lose between 60-80% of their weight within the first year. I've already kicked that statistic to the curb because I'm at 58% at 8 months.

Welcome, Soup77! Love that name!! I've also found that I like certain flavor additives in my water. Mio drops (the non-caffeinated ones) are my flavoring of choice. Easy to carry and yummy. You're doing fantastic on your weight loss! Great job! Keep rocking that sleeve!!

Camarillo, I grew up in the clean plate club, too, unfortunately for my hips. One thing that has really helped me is the concept of putting LESS on my plate. I eat off pretty little china saucers, and I only put a spoonful or two of food on my plate. After I eat that, then I check to see if I'm really still hungry or just want more of the taste. I've purchased quite a few sauces lately, just to add some variety and flavor to my go-to foods (chicken, steak and pork). I fill up quickly on 3 oz of meat, but the sauces make them a little less bland. When I get done eating, I always try to walk around for a bit, even just inside the house. For some reason, that helps me feel less full, probably because it pushes the food further down in my sleeve. Otherwise, when my 30 minutes is up and I take that first drink of Water, it hurts. I'm not complaining, not when I'm staring 100 pounds lost in the eye. I'd have given my eyeteeth this time last year to weigh 100 pounds less. I can't imagine how I will feel when I get to goal... I'll probably be on the floor crying from happiness! That's the journey we're all taking right now... to Goal.

Globetrotter, HOW did you know that I have problems with that particular area of my back?? I'll be trying this today!

I eat beans regularly. Favorite way to cook is in the crockpot. Yummy, especially since surgery. I have a 1.5 quart crockpot that I'll start a cup of beans and a piece of meat (anything I like) in before I leave in the morning. When I get home at night, I spice it to my liking and enjoy! NO salt in beans until they are soft, FYI.

Yeah, the sleeve can tolerate more liquids than solids, although liquids aren't held in the sleeve. They pass through. Dense Protein will show you how little your sleeve can actually hold. Lissa

I meant to add that no "leak test" wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. Lissa

I didn't have a leak test like I see others have where they drink Fluid and it is followed by X-ray. All I had to drink was some blue fluid at my first post-op appt before my doc pulled my drain. My surgeon does a leak test in th operating room, then the blue fluid one week later. That's it unless you have problems. Lissa

Camarillo, I'm 8 months out, but my sleeve referred it's pain from being over-filled to my shoulder for the first month or two. I simply learned to under-eat my sleeve. Now, I definitely feel fullness in my sleeve, but it is numb for quite a while, thank goodness, or we'd all be writhing in pain constantly.

DH-Dear husband, usually. When I use that abbreviation, it's short for Richard Cranium.

Walking is the only exercise you should be doing this early post op. do as much walking as you can. It will help push out the gas and it will help you feel better. Lissa

I'm already on the low weights, high rep bandwagon, but I appreciate scientific confirmation. Lissa

great cut!!

Yogurt is technically a liquid, so it will go through your sleeve much faster than dense protein.

LML, I've been doing the exercise bike. By the time I crank up the tunes and get going, I find it fun. My goal is to make myself sweat and get in my 30 minutes of cardio every day, and it works well for that without making my RA knees feel like they've been put through the meat grinder.

If you're concerned, a call to your doctor is in order. It's probably not a leak, in my NON professional opinion, but you should check it out. You're probably so stressed over the possibility that you're literally making yourself sick. Call the doctor.

While you should be aware that complications CAN happen, they seldom DO happen. Even those who have had complications still say they'd have the surgery again, which tells me a ton! You've researched your surgeon. You've looked at his complication rates and you are 100% confident at putting your life in his hands, right? Then discuss the possibility of complications with him/her in full at your next appointment, or make one if you're really close to time for surgery. Do NOT let yourself talk yourself out of doing what will undoubtedly be the best thing you ever did for yourself because you saw that some people have complications from this. If you don't have surgery, you will DEFINITELY have complications from your obesity. That will take you from your family way faster than any complication would.

Artsy, I was sleeved August 30, 2011.

It will be fine! I didn't have a lot of pain, either. Matter of fact, I quit taking mine the same night as surgery, too. I was up and walking really quickly and my legs were a little sore because I kept trying not to use my stomach muscles to get up. Once I realized that my stomach didn't hurt (like it had after my c-sections years before), I was fine. This is the best thing I ever did for myself! You'll be thrilled once the weight starts dropping off!

Stephers, Try the Centrum chewables. I took them and had no problems with either the taste or reacting to the iron in them. I'm pretty sensitive to the iron, which makes me nauseous, so that is a big deal for me.

Are you eating and drinking ENOUGH? The only time I hit a low energy spell is if I'm slacking on my diet..or I miss my B12, but you have that one covered!

very true... don't trust a fart. Yeah, it's normal to be very loose during the liquid diet stage.

I wouldn't. Your new sleeve is very swollen and raw inside. That drink might make you hurt for days. Alcohol on a new wound burns like crazy, right? Imagine that inside you! My doc said six months for alcohol. I waited 4 months.

Nancy, I had one doctor like that, too. I was really glad the girl took my BP before he walked into the room. I'm not normally into Indian men, but this guy was a cross between Elvis and Johnny Depp. YUMMY!!! He's also the doctor who was supposed to put in my filter. I was kind of glad they switched docs on that at the last minute!