Katie713

Cinders...welcome to the 50's group. Are you doing a pre-op diet before you go down to TJ for your surgery? Most doctors here in the US require a liquid diet for a few days up to 2 weeks to shrink the liver before surgery. Not sure if because you are a self pay in TJ if that is the case with you, but you might want to consider it for a safer surgery. Sorry you lost your hubby...I lost mine 21 years ago in an accident. It can be a trying time and you need time to grieve. If you can get emotional support after your surgery I would highly recommend it, as it is you are grieving, but to tell you the truth, you will have another thing to mourn - the loss having food as a comfort the way you may be accustomed to. Be kind to yourself, and talk to friends you can trust, and possibly seek a weight loss surgery support group once you have healed from the initial surgery. I know Kaiser here in Los Angeles offers ongoing WLS surgery support groups. Good Luck!!

Some people don't like fish...but for so many it is such a healthy option, maybe chicken will be your go to, for some reason chicken was hard for me, it felt so heavy in my little tummy! I hope you find tasty foods you can tolerate. Don't be afraid to try new recipes!! Good Luck!

Hi girls...good luck to you both as you embark on this journey, doesn't it feel good to be doing something proactive for yourself. I think for alot of people there are defining moments that lead us in this direction toward weight loss surgery...for me, all those diets, losing and then gaining it back,,,I thought I would never suceed at really changing myself after so many years being so heavy. This changed everything. It works. I am a slow loser but I am losing and to be in the 100's is a miracle. I love eating healthy. All my fat girl clothes are gone. I am now a. Size 16, and I have energy and stamina. I feel so much healthier. My advice, follow the plan to the T. Make it happen for YOU. Good luck! Katie

Nina...you will have them back...but it's gonna take some time...I promise you there are so many things you will still enjoy. Katie

pegsue...be warned, once you start regular foods prepare to feel your restriction in full force. Start with your Protein first and see what you can tolerate, at this stage it may only be a few ounces, then a tablespoon or two of a vegetable or fruit. This is the true power of the sleeve...and if you follow the dietary recommendations of protein first you will get full fast, almost uncomfortably full. It takes time for the swelling in your stomach to reduce allowing more foods, that will happen down the line. Good luck....and by the way fish is an excellent protein and easy for most to tolerate!!

Good for you. You look great and it sounds like you feel great too.

I'm Chicana and lovin my sleeve. I am already enjoying many of my favorite but healthy foods...ceviche, shrimp cocktail, nopales, frijoles, tacos (I might eat one tortilla but mostly just the insides) menudo/posole/albondigas (about 1/3 of my old serving) salsas. Everything in moderation. I have decided to stay away from rice, fideos, flour tortillas, papas and most all sweets....but it is totally doable. For a ton of light Latin inspired recipes try skinnytaste.com.

I would say hard liquor hits you about 3 times as fast as pre-surgery. I enjoy a nice glass of wine on occasion, but I am no longer hooked on sugar laden mixed drinks!! For the record, the drinks are easy to tolerate....but do the math...alcohol has a lot of calories, probably best for a special occasion or during maintenance stage : )

Welcome pegsue...a friend of mine recommended the same product - I may want to keep some on hand, but I would say overall I have not been having a problem at this stage of the game - I am about 5 months out and as long as I have salads and some fruit my bowels move fairly well. What stage of eating are you at, soft/mushy? Are you finding the dietary recommendations difficult? Good Luck!

Welcome Dottie & Connie! Good luck to you on your upcoming surgery Dottie, hope all goes well with your band removal and your sleeve procedure. Just take it nice and easy post surgery, get some walking in as soon as you possibly can and make sure you have what you need at home post-op, your Protein, clear broth, sugar free drinks, etc. You will probably be tired and it takes awhile to get your strength back. Hang in there. Connie...sounds like you are doing well. You have a relatively low BMI so not as much to lose as some of us, and sometimes the weight comes off slower for those in your category...gosh even for me, now that I'm about 2/3 of the way toward my goal....it is harder for me to lose, but I will keep on pluggin away!! Nice to meet you! Katie

This goes away after awhile as swelling goes down. Just be sure to eat and drink slowly and let what you consume make its way down. I saw a model of the sleeve and there is a narrowing after your esophagus, sort of a little bend in the road. I think this one reason we are told to eat slowly and chew well so as not to overwhelm our new little tummys. It gets better for those that are healing normally. Of course others do have actual strictures that need intervention. You need time to heal.

In the beginning I had to force myself to eat slowly, but chewing was not such an issue with soft mushy foods, hitting solids was a different story as I would feel the sensation of food being sort of stuck for a bit...as I've seen models of the sleeved stomach it is clear there is a bend near the top that food needs to move through...that bend is what I feel at times, so I slow myself down...and kind of eat in increments taking about 30 minutes. No more pounding food down like the old days! BTW I'm just short of 5 months out.

Fantastic job! You look great! I feel the same way when I look at pictures...I am finally seeing my curves again and I used to be very wide as I am a shorty...now I look more petite but still curvy. Good going girlfriend!!

The pureed foods go right through and don't give you a sustained sensation of fullness. This stage is primarily to give you nutrition while not hurting your stomach as it heals. Once you start on solids you will feel the restriction and a definate sense of fullness. Don't stress out, this is normal.

Newgrandmother...you can do this. You're gonna have to have plenty of dietary restrictions for awhile but it gets easier. Accept the process and don't fight it. One shake at a time......

Mine feels better when I dye it - adding some volume to my hair and it has not affected the hair loss situation which for me is staying about the same. I am trying to eat healthier (more veggies/fruits) for better nutrition and taking the biotin.

Just to add, it covers the tummy, hips and thighs....works so good!!

Try the avenue.com or onestopplus.com websites. Look for the easy up/down shaper. It really is easy to get on and off unlike some and it holds everything in. I love mine and it comes in sizes to 4X I think.

Justsleeveit....the Kaiser program is really great, you are lucky as you will have a wealth of information, group support, behavioral support, nutritional support...and you will be on a supervised diet with weekly weigh ins to help you get in the groove. I am so grateful I participated in the program! I had surgery 4/6/12 and am feeling so strong and much healthier!!

They leave you in the hospital gown due to the IV's and having your wounds checked fairly often. Also, they had my legs in these massagers that prevent blood clots the whole time. They are attached to an air hose. For these reasons, PJ's would be a NO. I stayed one day and put on loose pants and a t-shirt to head home.

Being nervous is normal...we go into this knowing we are taking a risk. I decided it was worth the risk and if I were not to lose the weight, as my PCP said to me, you will probably be back in the hospital having another kind of surgery...i.e. a possible heart attack or stroke. My BMI was high and I had high cholesterol and high blood pressure. I did this to save my life and my cholesterol is now normal and I have cut my blood pressure medicine in half, soon I won't have to take it at all ! For me, the pain wasn't bad...I did have some discomfort from gas, but it helped to walk and they gave me a morphine pump and I used it the first day so that I could rest. I was walking around all afternoon after surgery...and home the next day. The diet can be hard...but time passes fast and before you know it you can enjoy a healthy diet and you get full incredibly fast. You can do this.

It was circa...in an earlier post...everyone's weight loss is different!!

I know everyone here has said it, but I'm going to say it again....THIS IS YOUR JOURNEY...STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHAT OTHERS ARE GOING TO SAY ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT LOSS. I have found that you really have to set yourself up for success and a big part of this is visulazing yourself in the healthier, skinnier body that you want. If you focus on failing, you will fail. This way of thinking doesn't happen overnight, but as your mind fills with worry, try and stop that tape running in your head. Figure out some affirmations you can repeat to yourself over and over when you feel the negative thoughts coming over you. Example: I am healthy....I am strong...I am kind....I am losing weight....I am feeling great about my life....I am proud of myself.... If you believe in the power of prayer: Lord, help me maintain my commitment to this process Lord, help me shed this weight that is holding me down Lord, thank you for this opportunity to be healthier The mind is powerful and to succeed you need to get your body and mind in sync and that means following the new dietary plan and exercising, as well as finding new ways to deal with stress, lonliness, boredom, etc. We are the same height and I had my surgery 4/6/12 and my body is changing and I feel better than I have in so many years, this will work, you just have to get in the game and make it happen!!! Good luck!!! Think positive!!!