Katie713

My weight loss is also slowing way down as I move closer to goal, there are times I have veered off in "Carb-Land" and I stall out until I get motivated enough to get back on track. I am certainly there right now, so this week has been better, I planned and prepared meals ahead of time, made eggface's little egg-cupcake bites and I've been having them for breakfast or lunch, bought some salami & cheese, olives, salad stuff, chicken that I poached and then shredded for chicken salad with low-fat mayo, finely chopped celery and onions and a few cashews. The chicken salad is very filling and high protein. I do have to keep reminding myself, eat the protein FIRST and let myself feel the restriction, then there isn't room for the bad stuff. I go for my six month check up the first Friday of November, really trying to get a few more pounds off before then, but all in all, I am happy with my weight loss, it is more than I have lost in my entire adult life, and I have good energy. It is certainly a challenge for me but I am down for the long haul !!

I really didn't move to low carb until after the six weeks and release to solids as it seems the consistency of food is the focus in the early weeks, as well as Protein, so having creamy soups made with milk serves two purposes, and the same with thinned out hot cereals, and refried Beans. Now I rarely eat beans while I am still working to get to goal because of the excessive carbs. Back to the original poster...I did thicken up my hot Cereal a bit to deal with hunger during this stage and it helped me before I moved to the pureed and then soft stages of eating. I did not have any trouble moving forward with my foods, I really enjoyed mashed potatoes with canned chicken and chicken gravy in the early days and Wendy's chili with melted cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese with canned (soft) fruit. Just go slowly, and eat more frequently if you have to. You are still consuming way less calories and you will still lose weight, we need food to heal and don't try and starve, you will lose all your energy. Good luck!!

I kind of think the shock of surgery and your inability to eat much at all in the early stages REALLY helps jumpstart the weight loss, enough to WANT to see it through. Just after surgery, I am happy to say that I lost all my hunger, it was very freaky, but I had to force myself to drink all the required fluids and get my protein in - which I managed. As you move toward pureed and soft foods, you start to "normalize" and look forward to your small meals, and going slow is the only way to manage it, you can eat maybe 1/2 cup total. Hitting solids and opening the door to most foods is where the real challenges begin. If you track your intake, you can see what works and what doesn't and for most a lower carb diet helps the body burn FAT. Add exercise, lose more weight and you start to feel you have endurance and strength. I used to hate to walk accross the street from the parking lot to my office and now I can and do walk for miles. I change up my diet regularly so I don't get bored. I am trying to break a stall now, and so only consuming 40 grams of carbs - that means no bread/tortillas/sweets/potatoes or rice...so I snack on salami & cheese and black olives and for dinner I may eat a hamburger patty or a piece of fish and a vegetable...then I have a sugar free snack in the evening...breakfast is a small omelette or an Atkins protein bar or cottage cheese and fruit, like pears or pineapple. I get full very easy and I feel satiated. That is the main difference eating about 1/3 of your old capacity. I want this to work, and so I work it, but truly, there is no way I could consume a double cheeseburger/fries & a coke at a sitting. I might be able to handle one slider and I will be totally full. I feel happy to be looking so much better and can no longer fit in a 3X or 4X - I easily wear a size 14 now and still have about 45 pounds to lose, but after losing 85 pounds, oh yeah, I feel wonderful!!

tjmom...I am also amazed to hear your story, and how well you are doing, able to get around without the wheelchair again, and amazingly able to regain your sense of being able to take control of your destiny, your life. This surgery has helped so many of us that were feeling out of control for so long. Good luck, you are doing fantastic!!

CatLady...I am sorry to hear about how difficult this has been for you and I hope with time, your body will adjust and allow for a healthier diet. I can certainly understand how being unable to eat properly is reason to regret the surgery. I know I am one of the lucky ones that did not have complications, and I can tolerate almost everything...in fact this can be problematic for me, as it takes willpower to stay away from the things that brought me here in the first place. What are you eating for solid Proteins then, can you tolerate fish, poultry, meats and eggs? Do you feel a great deal of restriction that prevents you from consuming your Protein thru solids? I truly wish you the best...hopefully you find some answers and remedies that allow you to get healthier and not deteriorate.

This far out wouldn't be gas pains. How long does it take for the pain to go away? Some people with gallstones get pain near the shoulder blades and eating can trigger an attack, but there would be other symptoms that are impossible to ignore, horrible pain in the abdomen, etc. I would follow up with the surgeons office if this doesn't go away or if it gets worse.

Deb...wow you are almost there. I was so excited when I knew I was getting close to my surgery, I was approved in January 2012 but postponed until April because I had to move in March and had a work conference in early April. The timing had to be right for MY life. This journey is sooo personal, and give it all you got, think positive. I visualized my success and it was easier to work hard. This is the BEST thing I ever did for my health and I feel great!!

CrazyCatLady...how are you meeting your protein needs? I am still drinking one shake a day and sometimes a low carb protein bar but I hear you, low carbing is hard for me too, but my energy level has been pretty good and I am trying to break a stall so will try under 40 carb grams for the next 2 weeks and bumping up excercising. I tried doing the gym but I am so not a gym rat so I do my walking outside and DVDs at home, also I use hand weights and stretch bands. We have to stay focused. I eat about 1000 calories to keep my energy up.

Hi Deb...I have my 6 month post op in a couple of weeks, so I want to lose 5 pounds and plan on doing very low carbs until then, so I've got some eggface recipes, made egg bites this morning in my mini muffin tin, bought some salami and cheese, olives, romaine, cherry tomatoes, going to get fish and other protein and see how I do. My weight loss is really slow now as I get closer to goal, so I want to put a lot of effort into getting myself back into losing mode. I am wearing a 14 but long to get into an 8-10. Whoever said this is easy doesn't have a clue, I crave carbs and don't want to go back to the days of snacking all day. How are you doing, are you happy with your sleeve and your weight loss?

Ahhhh Iggy....that's what the nurse told me too....I did manage to hit 4'12" when I stood up straight and went on my tippy toes, just a little....my license says 5' even but its just a dream of mine....

I can't wait until I'm overweight!! Ha Ha...us WLS patients are probably in the minority who can honestly say being jist overweight is a mighty good thing....on the road to success!

You're not the first person here that has found out some valuable information that was revealed during surgery that needed attention. My way of thinking is that by wanting to be healthier, you have also been given this information that might otherwise have lead to health problems down the road, so it may be a blessing in disguise. Hang in there and good luck!!

Good luck tomorrow. Take it easy when you get home - you will need plenty of rest and sip, sip, sip your fluids and try and get clear protein down. I used the Isopure mixed with water. I also had clear broth and tea and it helped me keep up with my fluids and protein.

Far out OTR. Smoked and BBQ meats must be the perfect meal on the road, keeping that protein up. Who the heck needs McDonalds?

The hair loss is the worst...I have nightmares about waking up and having the whole front of my hair gone....I will be glad when I reach goal and can increase calories enough to stop the hair loss and just maintain. I am adding more greens and veggies for nutrition, and taking 4000 mg of biotin, but still I am seeing alot of strands in my brush in the morning. Don't get me wrong, I have no regrets whatsoever, I feel so much healthier!!

tparker...good luck, I hope you get approval soon. This works, it really works. I'm a shorty too, just around 5 feet and was almost 280 last summer. How wonderful it feels to fit into a size 14 these days...and see the old petite me revealing herself.

BTB...I had forgotten about skewers! Whoop-di-do...I'll be adding that to my reportoire!! Love the steak and veggies, but also love cajun spiced shrimp skewers! OTR...are your routes nationwide or are you traveling in the south? Don't often see smoked turkey legs and greens readily available here in Los Angeles.....My brother drives a big rig from his home base in Dothan, Alabama and he would love that meal and he's not even sleeved.

From the Mc Donald's website the grilled snack wrap - honey mustard is 250 calories and Protein is 16 grams. On myfitnesspal.com the value of the tortilla is 120 calories and 3 grams of protein. Not the worst choice for fast food. Deduct whatever portion of the tortilla is not eaten from the total.

After years of consuming lots of calories, of course our bodies feel like they are starving. It's not head hunger, you are lacking all those nutrients you are used to. It takes time to get acclimated. And not everyone loses their REAL hunger, some people still feel real hunger and head hunger. Once you start with more solid foods you will start to feel a lot better. Hang in there!!

At this point, about 4 oz of food should be enough in a sitting. You won't feel REAL fullness until you move to more solid food. At this point in my program I was having full liquids until 2 weeks - that was thinned out hot Cereal, Protein shakes, creamy Soups, SF Jello and SF puddings. After that I moved to pureed/soft foods and was able to add refried Beans with melted cheese, regular soups, yogurt, cottage cheese with canned fruit, scambled eggs, and soft cooked meats and veggies (think crock pot)...and about 4-6 oz at a time. Now 6 months out I can tolerate about 8 oz and I can eat most foods, but very small portions. I never try to overstuff it is very uncomfortable. I slow down when I get that first sensation of fullness and then I hiccup twice, almost every time, its weird, but alot of people have this, or they get a runny nose...strange but true.

Nicci...I've seen a few of your posts and I can understand that this decision is not an easy one for you, especially after reading those stories where there have been major complications. It might be prudent to check the statistics so you can make a more informed decision, overall my understanding is that complications are rare. I am a firm believer in prayer and guidance from God and by reading your post above, I know that you are too. For me, my prayer work regarding weight loss began in earnest last year. I got to the point where the weight became such burden to me that I prayed fervently for something to reveal itself to me that would help me change my life and cherish this body the Lord gave me. I was READY for change. Very soon after this, I found out my insurance covered WLS and I made an appt with my primary for my annual physical and to see if I might qualify for the lap band. After my physical, I brought the subject up and my primary was very supportive of this, and said with my BMI and high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I qualified to be enrolled in the bariatric program. I walked away that afternoon elated and thankful. I got a call soon thereafter from the program coordinator to attend the informational meeting and there with 60 other overweight patients, heard about lap-band, gastric bypass and VSG.I was overwhelmed with information, and somewhat excited and scared about moving forward, but inside me, I felt this push in the right direction. The 12 week mandatory classes were set to begin - nutritional guidance, behavioral support, etc....again I prayed...help me make the right decision for ME. That afternoon, I was driving behind a city bus...and low and behold, it was painted with an ad for VSG (which prior to the meeting I had never heard of)....and I knew the sign had revealed itself to me. I know it sounds strange, but I have always prayed for signs from God, and he has given them to me in astounding ways throughout my life. I made the decision after reading the pros and cons for my lifestyle and I wanted the most natural digestive process which is what the sleeve provides. I finished the program in late December 2011 and had my VSG surgery in April, 6 months ago. I had no complications whatsoever, and I am happier than I have been in decades. I am also short like you are, and I know what it feels like to be as round and wide as you are tall, how shopping for clothes becomes a chore...and these days, I can honestly say that this has been a major turn around as to how I feel about my body. I am 57 years old, Nicci...and how I wish I had done this in my 30's as your body bounces back so much easier! I put myself at risk with my obesity - but I've turned it around, and thank the Lord, that this has revealed itself to me to be the right path for me. I try not to let fear be the barometer for my life...but at times it is right to be cautious. I have adult children and a grandson that I want to be here for, and with this healthier body, hopefully I will be. Only you can decide...listen to your instincts...and let God reveal what is right for you. Only the best....

For most people there is a fair amount of swelling in the stomach after surgery, after all at least 75% of your stomach has been removed and to the body, this is a substantial injury. Once the swelling subsides it should get easier to eat, hence the stages of eating to allow nourishment, clears, solids, mushy, soft then solid over time. I am nearly 6 months out, and I feel the restriction even at this point especially with dense solids (firm protein) so I go slow, but I am able to eat about 8 oz or 1 cup of food, maybe 3 oz of firm Protein and some vegetable or fruit, and a little whole grain starch. There is a video somewhere on this site that answers the question how big is my sleeved stomach? The doctor shows models of a larger and smaller stomach and then indicates how it looks after surgery. There is a bend near the top just below the esophagus, and it seems, this is the area that can be very narrow after surgery, and so the food and drink needs to make this bend before descending into the new smaller sleeved stomach, but as you can imagine if it is swollen, there is not much room in the early stages....so slow and steady is the only way you can proceed. I know it is somewhat alarming in the beginning, you're thinking what the heck did I do here? But it does get better, and over eating becomes difficult and therein lies the beauty of the tool, it really helps us lose the weight!!! Of course some people do have complications, including strictures that need to be dealt with, if you feel you cannot get your hydration in, you will need to follow up with your doctor promptly. Good luck!!

From looking at an illustration, the pouch is created near the top of the stomach and an opening is created (stoma) that leads directly to the intestine that is routed up to meet it. The rest of the stomach, or sleeved stomach (even if it is a twisted mess) is left in the body unattached. The pouch is up high just below the esophagus.

I had the same thing, at almost two weeks out, thought I tore something. Had my follow up with surgeon and he said the same thing, that the area was the largest/deepest incision going through multiple layers, he asked that I rest more and take it easy, use the pain meds, and that helped, after a few days, I started feeling better and the pain went away and did not return.

Sleevesister....full fluids are not clear that's the only difference. By now you will probably almost be ready to move to mushy or very soft foods. That feeling of being full changes over time, but it takes awhile. Just slowly take in what you can, and later you will be able to tolerate a little more. After you get to full solids, be ready to feel the real restriction of your sleeve. It stops you from overeating like nothing you have ever felt. It takes time to get used to it.