Chimera

I did not go to Lynnwood - further south Kennedy The Chimera nickname is totally random, it just popped in my head when I was signing up.

Another thing to consider with the two surgeries - with a vsg you are not left with a 'blind stomach' that still produces the hormone ghrelin - with the sleeve, the portion of the stomach that secretes this hormone that makes you feel hungry is gone. That was another big reason I went for the vsg - other than head hunger, I have not felt actual hunger since surgery.

Welcome!

Ooops i see that there is a thread just below with many mushy favorites - I did not mean to be redundant Yay for mushy stage!

The chicken soup mixes with protein and the Proti-diet brand drink mixes (sorta like crystal lite but with 15 g protein) saved me the first few weeks - I find that my tastes changed drastically with surgery, and continue to change weekly. Just keep trying to sip as much as you can when you find something that is palatable.

Woo I am very excited for my 3 week check-in appointment tomorrow. If all goes well i get to be advanced to the mushy food stage - I do have to admit i have been doing a bit of head-hunger fantisizing about solid foods the last two days, nothing too obscene, just salivating over my husbands scramble eggs or chicken strips. I am thinking maybe I will try an egg first, or 1/4 c of refried Beans, or thicker Soup - it is so funny how exciting this is after consuming only liquids for so long Things are finally starting to taste better. What did you guys have as a first mushy meal? any favorites that you would like to share?

I was originally planning to have a roux-n-y - then discovered during the insurance vetting process that my insurance covers the sleeve - my surgeon was thrilled and recommends the vsg over all of the other procedures. I do beleive the statistics are very close between the roux and the sleeve, its just that the sleeve on its own as a procedure is much newer and we dont have the years of info that other procedures do. My surgeons office says that with VSG one can expect to lose 80% of one's excess weight in the first year - and the rest in the following year. I am very happy to still have a normal albeit tiny functioning stomach I have quite a bit of weight to lose (188 excess lbs from my start weight) but at 3 weeks out I think I am off to a fine start. My sister in law has a roux and loves it - I guess everyone needs to select what is best for them.

A pal from my WL support group shared this one~ Eight Signs of Emotional Eating A lot of people ask, "How do I know if I am over eating for emotional reasons?" If any of the following statements sound like they could apply to you, then it's likely you are struggling with emotional eating. 1. My hunger comes on suddenly. Physical hunger comes on slowly. Hunger from emotional eating often comes on quickly and suddenly. 2. I crave specific foods-generally not carrot sticks or steamed broccoli. Cravings for specific foods usually unhealthy foods are signs of emotional eating. Often people like the rush they get from satisfying their cravings. The rush is fulfilling emotional hunger.　 3. My hunger feels urgent- I need a particular food right away and I am willing to walk out of my way, or get in your car late at night, or raid my kids Halloween candy to get it. Physical hunger, unless you haven’t eaten for a long time, is usually pretty patient. It will wait for food. Emotional hunger demands to be satisfied immediately. 4. My hunger is often paired with an upsetting emotion- if I backtrack a few hours or a few days I’ll usually find an upsetting event and feeling that triggered the urge. Hunger thats comnnected to an upsetting emotion or situation is definately emotional hunger. Physical hunger is not typically triggered by emotions. 5. My eating habits involve unconscious eating-all of a sudden I’m eating ice cream and I find the whole contianer is gone. 6. I don’t stop eating in response to being full- I keep wanting more of the taste of the food. Physical hunger doesn’t need to be stuffed in order to be satisfied. Emotional hunger on the other hand often demands more and more food to feel satisfied. 7. My hunger isn’t located in the belly- I crave the taste of a certain food in my mouth or I can’t stop thinking of a certan food. Feeling hungry in this way is usually a sign of emotional hunger or binging. Physical hunger is happy to get what it can, while emotional hunger usually focuses on specific tastes and textures. 8. After I satisfy my hunger, I am often filled with a sense of regret or guilt.Feeding your body what it needs is not something to feel guilty about. If you feel guilty after you eat, it’s likely because part of you knows you’re not eating just to satisfy physical hunger. When you’re eating for phyiscal reasons, you are usually mindful of what you’re doing. If you catch yourself eating, “just because”, then its likely you’re eating for emotional reasons.

This is reposted from another WL forum - thought it could be useful to add to a blog post to remember~ Ten Mistakes that Weight Loss Postops Make 1st Mistake: Not Taking Vitamins, Supplements, or Minerals Every WLS patient has specific nutritional needs depending on the type of surgery you have had. Not only is it a good idea to ask your surgeon for guidelines, but also consult with an experienced WLS nutritionist. Understand there is not a standard practice that all surgeons and nutritionists follow in guiding WLS patients. So, it is important to do your own research, get your lab tests done regularly, and learn how to read the results. Some conditions and symptoms that can occur when you are deficient in vitamins, supplements, or minerals include: Osteoporosis; pernicious anemia; muscle spasms; high blood pressure; burning tongue; fatigue; loss of appetite; weakness; constipation and diarrhea; numbness and tingling in the hands and feet; being tired, lethargic, or dizzy; forgetfulness, and lowered immune functioning. Keep in mind, too, that some conditions caused by not taking your vitamins, supplements, or minerals are irreversible. For example, a vitamin B-1 deficiency can result in permanent neurological deficits, including the loss of the ability to walk. 2nd Mistake: Assuming You Have Been Cured of Your Obesity A "pink cloud" or honeymoon experience is common following WLS. When you are feeling better than you have in years, and the weight is coming off easily, it's hard to imagine you will ever struggle again. But unfortunately, it is very common for WLS patients to not lose to their goal weight or to regain some of their weight back. A small weight regain may be normal, but huge gains usually can be avoided with support, education, effort, and careful attention to living a healthy WLS lifestyle. For most WLSers, if you don't change what you've always done, you're going to keep getting what you've always gotten -- even after weight loss surgery. 3rd Mistake: Drinking with Meals Yes, it's hard for some people to avoid drinking with meals, but the tool of not drinking with meals is a critical key to long-term success. If you drink while you eat, your food washes out of your stomach much more quickly, you can eat more, you get hungry sooner, and you are at more risk for snacking. Being too hungry is much more likely to lead to poor food choices and/or overeating. 4th Mistake: Not Eating Right Of course everyone should eat right, but in this society eating right is a challenge. You have to make it as easy on yourself as possible. Eat all your meals--don't skip. Don't keep unhealthy food in sight where it will call to you all the time. Try to feed yourself at regular intervals so that you aren't as tempted to make a poor choice. And consider having a couple of absolutes: for example, avoid fried foods completely, avoid sugary foods, always use low-fat options, or only eat in a restaurant once a week. Choose your "absolutes" based on your trigger foods and your self knowledge about what foods and/or situations are problematic for you. 5th Mistake: Not Drinking Enough Water Most WLS patients are at risk for dehydration. Drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of water per day will help you avoid this risk. Adequate water intake will also help you flush out your system as you lose weight and avoid kidney stones. Drinking enough water helps with your weight loss, too. 6th Mistake: Grazing Many people who have had WLS regret that they ever started grazing, which is nibbling small amounts here and there over the course of the day. It's one thing to eat the three to five small meals you and your doctor agree you need. It's something else altogether when you start to graze, eating any number of unplanned snacks. Grazing can easily make your weight creep up. Eating enough at meal time, and eating planned snacks when necessary, will help you resist grazing. Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food, but are not truly hungry. For example, take up a hobby to keep your hands busy or call on someone in your support group for encouragement. 7th Mistake: Not Exercising Regularly Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight weight regain. Not only does exercise boost your spirits, it is a great way to keep your metabolism running strong. When you exercise, you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even at rest! 8th Mistake: Eating the Wrong Carbs (or Eating Too Much) Let's face it, refined carbohydrates are addictive. If you eat refined carbohydrates they will make you crave more refined carbohydrates. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates to choose from, which have beneficial vitamins. For example, if you can handle pastas, try whole grain Kamut pasta--in moderation, of course. (Kamut pasta doesn't have the flavor some people find unpleasant in the whole wheat pastas.) Try using your complex carbohydrates as "condiments," rather than as the center point of your meal. Try sprinkling a tablespoon of brown rice on your stir-fried meat and veggies. 9th Mistake: Going Back to Drinking Soda Drinking soda is controversial in WLS circles. Some people claim soda stretches your stomach or pouch. What we know it does is keep you from getting the hydration your body requires after WLS--because when you're drinking soda, you're not drinking water! In addition, diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. The best thing you can do is find other, healthier drinks to fall in love with. They are out there. 10th Mistake: Drinking Alcohol If you drank alcohol before surgery, you are likely to want to resume drinking alcohol following surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery. And it is in your best interest to understand the consequences of drinking alcohol before you do it. Alcohol is connected with weight regain, because alcohol has 7 calories per gram, while protein and vegetables have 4 calories per gram. Also, some people develop an addiction to alcohol after WLS, so be very cautious. Depending on your type of WLS, you may get drunker, quicker after surgery, which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations. If you think you have a drinking problem, get help right away. Putting off stopping drinking doesn't make it any easier, and could make you a lot sicker.

I enjoy a good rant Like most folks here - I have done everything under the sun - every diet, Optifast, working out with a trainer for months on end, you name it and while there would be success I was never able to maintain it, nor was my husband in his own efforts. when we attended our bariatric WL seminar - my surgeon started with statistics, that the reality of someone losing 100+ lbs and maintaining such a loss is about 1%, about the fact that if one's BMI is over 40 and you do nothing that the chance of dying is much higher than after bariatric surgery, and then the high success rates of surgical patients. When the very slim couple stood up and told the group they had both lost about 130 lbs each in the last year, and were unrecognizable from their before pictures my husband and I were convinced. Pre-surgery I struggled with diet and excersize as I always do - slow, arduous - always knowing in my heart that once again I will fail - that it is my destiny. With close to 200 extra lbs. to lose it is not easy to feel one will evr reach goal - and I never have. I have never reached my WL goals ever. Post-surgery - the other day I said to my husband "Oh my gosh - we are really going to lose all of our weight" -for the first time in my life I know that I will succeed. Pre and post surgery is dramatic, and I mean DRAMATIC. While I may have head hunger there is no possible way I could ever again eat the way that I used to - it simply is not possible physically. Whereas I was always a volume eater before - 4 oz of liquid makes me feel like I have had a Thanksgiving dinner lol. My tastes have alos changed since surgery - very few things tastes good - sweets are waaaay to sweet, luckily things that are good for me are tasting okay. The Protein shake was was so nasty right after surgery is getting a bit better to get down. Just my thoughts - I am pretty early out, 3 weeks from my VSG. Perhaps I too will have more issues the further out I get - I know I will always struggle with food addiction. I am sorry that any of us has to deal with this junk. I always try to keep in mind the great quote Eggface has on her site: "There is NO finish-line. Healthy food choices, move your body, work on the head. Rinse, lather, repeat. Forever."

Every dr. is different - we did not have to do liquid before surgery except the day before (clears) - did atkins induction with 20 or less carbs a day. Fat is not the problem - carbs are. Watch the bread - the eggs are most likely a non issue. I think you will most likely be fine - the pre-surgery liquid diet is rough, hang in there

I did two weeks of Atkins induction with clear liquids the day before surgery - surgeon says my liver was so tiny they hardly had to move it I had minimal surgery pain, I did have the gas pains in the shoulders and a bit of nausea the first night, but it was not too bad at all. The pain was really not bad at all - lots of days in the hospital I didnt even use my pain meds. The drinking/bathroom issues with a new sleeve I found much more challenging.

5'3" here - started at 318 with a BMI of 56 - today's weigh in read 257 and I have my sleeve on the 21st - so far so good

I just started feeling better this week and I was sleeved on Monday May 21st. It took about a week and a half before I could get a normal swallow in without foamy-gurgly ick, and I too have a heck of a time with the Protein drinks - everyhing that tasted good pre-surgery now tastes terrible, including everything with aspartame and other artificial sweeteners, even my favorite herbal tea no longer tastes good - the protein chicken Soup mix is saving my life right now. I started having a cup of lowfat milk here and there and that still tastes good - only now I think I may have become lactose intolerant (in a way this is a good thing because I can just have a little milk rather than disgusting Milk of Magnesia if I need to get the bowels to wakeup lol.) On tuesday I have my 3 week check up so hopefully I will be advanced to mushies and I will have a wider range of protein choices. I too wondered if I would ever feel good again, and every day is a bit better. Hang in there, hopefully soon all of us new sleevers will have boundless energy and no pain any longer

My nutritionist says that that the Ensure drinks are far too high in sugar/carbs for us. She recommends the Premier protein RTD shakes - you can get them at Costco ($24 for a case of 18) - they come in a nice paper container and the chocolate flavor are 160 cal., 30 g protein, 5 carbs, 3 g fat. - the vanilla is 3 g of carbs. They are a good choice if you like the taste.

What a great idea - it would be great if more places offered WLS friendly meals - I love it "nutitrient dense, sugar free, protein-infused."

Are you also taking your Iron and B50? those are two really important ones. I am just over two weeks out and have the energy of a dishrag lol. I am getting my Vitamins down, but the Protein is a challenge - everything tastes terrible. Hang in there - hopefully we will all be bursting with energy soon

Sleeved 5/21 - just over two weeks out. Finally starting to get some energy back after a complicated surgery week with multiple blood transfusions - and another week at home of profuse bleeding from an incision (which was blood I had already bled - Dr. assured me not to worry after a trip back to the hospital). 14 days ago I stepped on the scale during one of my walking circuits at the hospital and was up 20 more lbs than my surgery day (294 up from 274) - this morning the scale at home read 260 Kinda crazy to see it 34 lbs. less - but ahh how much blood and fluid weighs - I was like a plump tick as my husband likes to say haha. I think I am one of those slow healers for sure.

I hear ya - I am two weeks out and I can barely choke my Protein down - I have tried sooo many brands, they all taste terrible after surgery, on ice, diluted, no matter what I do. I knew I would struggle because I do not like sweet things, and I swear everything is sweet - Vitamins, protein, etc. I have been limping along with protein Soup, fortified low-fat milk, and my Clear Liquids - so fatigued by the taste of aspartame it isnt even funny. Everything tastes like chemicals - so my little cup of milk and its 9 g of protein is like heaven. I know it has more carbs than I probably should have but I have barely been getting 100-200 cals a day in - so until next week when I am advanced, it will have to do. Thank goodness for protein chicken soup mix - saving my life lol. If there was a Chicken broth flavored Premier Protein I would be doing a very happy dance lol.

I too am a great lover of the bean - I have waxed poetically many a time here about having to give up my coffee - mainly because of my fierce addiction to it. I quit a couple of weeks prior to surgery so as not to have to deal with the caffiene withdrawls during surgery/recovery. Now afer surgery I cannot even fathom drinking it - I look at 20 oz of anything now as Everest lol. Things just might change post surgery Desert - the certainly have for me, and the coffee thing is something I actually cried over (i think my husband thinks I am a loon lol.)

Eleven days out from my surgery - I am still pretty exhausted, with the added pain of suddenly having insomnia and being up every few hours at night now. I am happy that I am starting to regain some vigor - albeit slowly. One of my biggest challenges is that everything tastes like chemicals - with the exception of my Protein Soup broth. Even the smell of the plastic cups we have is putting me off - I have become even more hypersensitive than before. I had my first little cup of lactose free milk this afternoon and it is so sweet it is like drinking a milkshake lol. I swear that little bit more carb perked this wilted flower right up I think PDXman is on the right track with needed a bit more carbs right now.

Surgery was 5/21 - had severe complications and was up 20 lbs 2 days after my vsg. Thank goodness that Fluid and blood has gone on its way - I am technicially now down 8 - but the scale is showing 28 lbs less than it did last thursday morning lol. Very topsy turvy for me I am hoping to shoot for 20 lbs down by my 3 week check in - gonna work hard to try and get to the point I can get some excersize in - my recovery has been very challenging.

Congratulations Tiff - hang in there. I so know how nasty Prednisone can be - ugh.

Did a lower fat version of Atkins induction with under 20g of carbs a day, even though I did have a bit more sharp cheddar than I think they many have wanted me to eat. I had just under 2 weeks with the way my scheduling went, felt great and dropped about 14 lbs - I guess my liver was teeeny-tiny on surgery day.

My husband has been telling those facts to evryone at work since we saw it - it really is astounding, I too thank goodness that we have our new sleeves to help.