smallgirlsxthree

Here is one of my arm lift scars. Because of placement, nobody can really see them unless I left my arm and show them.

I have to be able to lift 50 lbs. for my job, so how long after the arm lift do you think I could return to work? That's my main concern, how long my recovery would be...and if my health insurance will cover it :/ how long was your recovery as far as movement of your arms and being able to lift things??

I am interested in seeing portions for people 1 year or more out. My biggest concern is eating like a toddler for life. I want to resume a normal' date=' not noticeabley bariatric life.[/quote']

I'm over a year out now. Someone else gave a good example...one healthy choice meal. Perfect example right there. Just the meal, maybe 3/4 of it. Not wanting 2 meals plus a Peanut Butter sandwich and a 20oz. Dr. Coke. This is the tool that keeps me from eating like that now, and if it seems like a toddler portion, so be it. I eat off of kids sized plates at home and order off the childs menus at restaurants. I don't even think about how much I eat now or my serving sizes. I put more effort into making sure what I eat is something I really want and is going to make me happy I ate it. You have to have a different mind set after your surgery, if you don't you can still fail. You can't eat very much, but you can still eat cake and Cookies all day. Its your choice to choose the better choices. I still love food. I just don't love it by buckets and gallons anymore!!

Liquids and purée for the first two weeks. After that I started eating mashed foods and a little chicken. You'll know when you had enough go over the limit and you will throw up. It happened to me today. But it's well worth it.

I haven't vomited once due to over-eating since I had my sleeve done 15 months ago...when I felt full, I stopped eating. If you listen to your body, you shouldn't be vomiting.

I'm one year and a couple months out, and down 100 lbs. pretty much to the t...here's what I usually can eat:

1. One egg. Boiled, scrambled, or heaven forbid fried. One is usually my limit (maybe a little bit of cheese too)

2. One small piece of toast. Not bread! Just toast. bread sticks to my guts and makes me feel terrible.

3. 1/2-2/3 of the grilled chicken bacon ranch salad at McDonald's.

4. I had a small tortilla with melted cheese (kid's menu) and about 7-8 chips with salsa at chipolte grill a couple weeks ago.

5. The little 100 calorie packs fill me up.

6. About 3/4 of a package of instant oatmeal.

7. I wrap a piece of string cheese or a cheese stick with thin sliced ham for lunch quite a bit. Usually one of those with about 1/2 cup cottage cheese.

8. 1/2 cup refried Beans with some shredded cheese

You are able to eat a lot more than you think after about 9 months the restricted feeling seems to "go away". Which was terrible for me! I feel satisfied, but I don't seem to get the full feeling as bad anymore. But it could also be because I don't really push it too often, and I can eyeball everything now.

I had an EGD last week and the surgeon showed me the inside of my sleeve...it was crazy! The pictures of my esophagus down into my sleeve were amazing lol. My sleeve seemed to be about twice the circumference of my esophagus (seemed-not an exact measurement). Pretty fascinating!!

I am 1 year out this month, and I've been catching myself wanting to eat all the time too!! Its like I'm starving all day long. I will freely admit that I haven't been following the best diet, not really bad just not very high Protein. But my head hunger is horrible too! Oh my gosh its nice to see someone else say it too!!! I'm getting very nervous about it because it all has seemed pretty easy up until now and it scares me to think I could ruin the success I've had.

I don't know about overeaters anonymous or support groups, but I'm going back to the beginning. I'm making myself follow the diet they gave me for my post op (high protein and several small meals) I have about 7 more pounds to lose to get to my goal so hopefully this will put me over that edge. If you figure anything out, please share it with me!! Good luck!

I'm a year out from surgery now, and I really enjoy food now. You have a different relationship with it after the surgery. You don't get very much, so it better be something that you really want!! You get a little pickier about what you want, and is it worth it. I don't eat french fries now, because they make me queasy, but I don't need them You will be able to eat pretty much whatever you want eventually, but develop the good habits right post op so that you can stick with them. I drink caffeine now, it doesn't give me any problems. It's hard on your sleeve in the beginning, but I am doing ok with it now. I know it seems like a death sentence for food now, but I can honestly say that it gets better!!

I'm one year post op now, and for the past several months I have been having trouble with the most obnoxious gas EVER!! Has anyone else had problems with this? It's not from my diet that I know of, it's not changed much. If anyone has any remedies or thoughts on the subject, please help!!! This is so embarrassing, it smells horrible!

I was diagnosed in my preop testing, but I don't need it now after the weight loss. I just did my last sleep study and it came back normal! My neurologist said once you get under 200 lbs you will probably have it go away

I have been so busy with life that I haven't made the time to get on this forum for a long time. I'm down 94 pounds now and I'm loving it. I've recently had some more trouble with my stomach and GERD, but its just something I will have to deal with. Now for the NSV part...I put in a pair of my husbands jeans last night and they fit me! I have no idea why I tried them on-I'm not going to wear them-I just had the silly curiosity to see if they fit lol. Going from a snug size 22 to being able to fit into a mans size 32 jeans is amazing to me. This sleeve has been a life saver and its worth all of the trouble in the beginning to get to things like this!

I had my hiatal hernia for years, but I did have problems with mine-I had alot of pain from when it popped up and it made my reflux horrible. I had it fixed, and I only have a little bit of trouble with the reflux now 8 months out...

Yeah for October sleeves! I was sleeved on October 14th and hit 199 this morning!! Congrats guys!

I weighed myself this morning (I've finally gotten to where I only weigh myself every few days/once a week). I looked down and it said 199!!!! I made my 12 year old daughter come in and weigh herself to make sure that the scale wasn't going crazy, and she looks at me funny when I'm so excited for 199 again. Had to explain to her that it was a milestone, a huge huge huge milestone!!

I went shopping for an outfit for a job interview next week and was competely out of my element in the "normal" size sections! My 2 younger daughters were having a blast helping me pick out tops. My only problem is that my chest hasn't caught up to my upper stomach for weight loss, so if something fits in my belly it's way too tight in my chest. Oh the problems in my life now!! I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have had the self confidence to even seek out a new job before this surgery, and I am so thankful for that.

For all of the people just starting out, a sleeve is a roller coaster ride that is completely worth it. When you first get on and start out you question yourself if it was a good idea, then you go up and down a few loop-de-loops and it's a great ride!! Enjoy your loop-de-loops!!

I had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand on September 28, then my left hand on October 12, then my VSG on October 14. I had my left hand in a cast still for 2 weeks after my VSG surgery and could barely use my right hand for a while after all of that. I couldn't even get my clothes on or bathe myself for a few weeks after my surgeries because of my hands mainly. I understand what your trying to say about being worried, but you will be fine. You have to move around a certain amount to prevent bloodclots, but other than that you aren't going to be moving around a whole lot anyway. Marthons will wait, and you will be fine. It's going to be hard any way you do it, and you'll just have a better story when you're done! As you lose weight, it will make it easier to get around even with a bum foot. Good luck with your sleeve!

My incison on my central/right side was the worst one for me. It hurt like crazy for at least a month after surgery, it was really sore like a pulled muscle. I'd ask your surgeon about it just to make sure though. Mine told mine that that incision site took the brunt of everything lol. Hopefully it's nothing bad!!

I just asked my surgeon this question yesturday!!! His answer was "it's worse with the bypass patients, so be glad it's not that bad" So my assumption from that statement is yes, it's here to stay. I can tell you that it get's a little better as you go along, mine isn't nearly as loud now. liquids do it to me worse than solids, but it sounds like a drain gurgling to me lol

I have a weird problem with my hair (head, legs, facial) growing CRAZY fast, and my nails need clipped every week or sooner, and my dense self finally figured out that the Biotin was what was making them all grow so fast lol!! Between the Protein, Vitamins and Biotin, you would think that I would have figured that out sooner...and the needing to shave your legs every day kinda stinks!! Maybe you should up your vitamins and protein?? My nut told us that we shouldn't need the Biotin, but I figured it wouldn't hurt. My hair falls out in handfulls now, so I'm kinda glad I had already started it. Good luck!

I'm 3 months out and I've been eating nuts for a while :blush2: i didn't realize that it could be a problem!!!!

I have a weird answer to this question...I'm addicted to cooking and baking now! I an obscessed with cooking now, buying cookbooks and trying new techniques. Half the stuff that I make I shouldn't or won't eat, but I still love making it. I've been baking bread-I'm sure as heck not eating that!-and I love it!! My hubby says that I'm making him gain weight so that I will look like I'm losing it faster (he was completely joking) I'm loving making delicious low-carb supper menus for our family, and I'm making menus about a month in advance. Most of the time I will bake loaves of different breads or bake cakes or cupcakes and take them to other family members or work so that it's not here tempting me!!

I noticed the dry skin pretty bad in the first month or so, but it got better as I was able to keep up with the liquid intake. It's just like everything else, you'll look at yourself and think "....my dry skin is gone, wonder when that happened?" lol it all gets better with time. Lotion up!!

I have heartburn so bad and I have forever, so I feel your pain! You need to get on a medicine from your dr to help control it, but until then you can take Mylanta or chew Tums (I get the smoothies ones-tastes and feels better). They will both help at least lessen your symptoms. I was in major pain for a while after my sleeve because my stomach wasn't emptying out very fast due to swelling, so everything was just sitting there and feeling like it was frying my chest! Try to stay upright for a while after you eat/drink and let your stomach empty out before you lay down too, that might help. Good luck!!

I had the stomach flu on Christmas Eve, it was horrible. I had made it 2 months post-op and never threw up, but one little mishap and I'm stuck with misery!! I had severe pain across my back-like I had when I had my hiatal hernia!-and that was the worst part for me. I had the splitting pain across my back, and stomach cramps in the front. I took Pepto Bismol and I think that made it worse. I threw up pretty hard and had pretty bad diarrhea, but it was over quick. Be glad you missed it!!

OHHHH Ren, I feel your pain!! I had my surgery on October 14 and I was 258 and I'm 218 now. I lost some weight with my pre-op diet too. I just don't feel like I'm getting anywhere either. I've been trying to keep my carbs down more and more Protein this week, and I was pretty stinking excited when the scale moved 0.2 lbs! I told myself that's better than nothing. I'm getting a gym membership tomorrow too. I guess it was like the first 40 lbs post-op pretty much fell off, and now I have to work for it. If you find out any secrets for this stage, let me know. You are not alone!

Frumpy, the 2-4 oz is lean Protein, not creamed Soups. I can easily eat 12 oz of chili at a setting, but that, like the creamed Soup, is mainly liquid and the pyloric valve opens, lets it through and their is room in the stomach for more. That is not what we're talking about. In a few weeks, when you get on solids, you will feel the restriction when you eat a 2 oz piece of chicken or fish. You will eat that and be full. But ... if you drink Water while you eat this, you run the risk of your pyloric valve opening and draining your stomach allowing you to eat more, just like with the creamed Soups. As I mentioned above, I'm 6 months out and could only eat 3 bites of a Subway sandwich and I was STUFFED for a couple hours. If someone cheats the tool by drinking with the meal, then they run the risk of not feeling the restriction and being able to eat more. The other thing is not starting with the Protein. Protein is going to help you feel your restriction. Starting with a piece of German chocolate Cake is a great way to get a lot of calories and "cookie carbs" (as I like to call them), but it isn't the right choice. So, with the tool, you can still make bad food choices, but if you follow some basic rules ... eat protein first, get your liquids in 1/2 hour before/after eating, exercise ... I believe you can eat what you want. Just know, that in conjunction with following these rules, your "wants" most likely will change. I know it has for me. I think the only way to gain weight back of any significance is to break the rules I mentioned above. Do I break them? Occassionally, sure, but for the most part I stick pretty tightly to them. SmallGirls, I started with a C25K program on my iPhone. It was a big goal for me and I was determined to be able to run a 5K once I had lost enough weight to where I felt I could run enough where I wasn't killing my knees. Suprisingly, I have stuck with it as I am amazed at how good I feel after running. I exercised on elliptical machines pre-sleeve, but never felt as good as I do now. Perhaps it was that bag of cheetos I ate afterward ... hmmm.

I just downloaded the app on my phone and it seems totally do-able if I really stick with it!! I'll be killing myself for the first couple of weeks but oh well. I thought I was dying the first few days after VSG surgery too, but I lived through that lol. My hubby is supposed to be getting me a membership to the local YMCA and I can use the treadmills there to do it. Thanks for the info!!

So, yes, for me I do believe the "Diet" ends, but again, I am exercising no less than 5x a week. I ran 4 miles yesterday, did an hour high intensity aerobics the day before, 45 minutes spinning the day before that, ran 2 miles the day before that ...

PdxMan, do you have any advice on getting started with the work-outs? I'm just starting to work out again, I used to do it quite a bit when I was younger but I haven't done anything for probably 13 years! I can't do anything that involves my arms yet (I had carpal tunnel surgery on both arms the same time I had the VSG, and they aren't up to par just yet) but I do love to walk and would love to get back into running again. Any advice to get me going? You sound like you would know a lot about it!!

I actually feel like I have a better attitude towards things now than I did before the surgery, I'm more optimistic about things. I need to do some more mental visualizations to help me picture where I want to be!! I have to take my Calcium, B complex, Vit D and Biotin seperate from my Multi-Vitamin, and all of those seperate from my Protonix. That's what has been tripping me up, seperating it all out and actually remembering to take them. I've set reminder alarms in my cell phone of when to take them, and that's been helping. I just need to be accountable for my choices again. I guess I thought that the hard part was over, so now I can be lazy!! Wrong!!!