minaleigh

A lot of people in my support group have a cookbook by Chef Dave. I don't know the exact name but if you google his name along with bariatric, I'm sure you can find it. He apparently had one of the surgeries and each of his books has his picture on it and you can see his transformation! His books cater to those who've had bariatric surgery.

Did you do a lot of chest exercises? I know after using weights, my breasts are sore. Is losing weight a factor as well? Not sure how it would be, but it could I happen, I suppose.

Hello, fellow 22 year old! I had my surgery last November. Welcome to the forums! Your surgery is also on my uncle's birthday. Are you excited?

I've also been feeling like I get full a lot quicker lately, but I'm almost 5 months out. Maybe it is because of our periods, because it's only happened to me during that time. Theory?

Thanks for the replies guys! Glad I'm not alone when it comes to my opinion on carbs. It's funny you say that globetrotter. I was talking about how I couldn't stop with the carbs, and it so happens that my TOM started the day after I posted that! We must be similar in that regard. I did find this http://www.geneva-health.com/sciencehealth/lowcarb.html so that probably explains why people like us get crabby if we try to low-carb it. I've known for a while that carbs are a mood enhancer and can make most people feel better.

I've gone down at least a size. My size 10 shoes keep falling off! I had a lot of cute ones, too. Upside is, now that I'm at a more reasonable size (and maybe down even more? Please?), I can find even cuter shoes since shoe manufacturer's don't realize that women's feet come in all shapes and sizes. I mean, even Jackie Kennedy wore a size 10! That's gotta count for something! My mom had the bypass 30 years ago and she went down two shoe sizes.

I had complications as well, and I would do it again.

It'll pass. I ended up taking a LOT of naps the first two weeks. The first month I barely had energy to take a shower! I asked my doctor, "how is it possible that at my highest weight ever, I didn't get out of breath taking a shower, and now I do?!" You went through major surgery and it takes its toll out on the body. Once you're able to introduce more substantial food, you'll regain your energy.

Maybe chew on some ice? My guess is that since you're less than a month out, that you're not on solids yet. Maybe a popsicle? Happens to pretty much everyone!

How far out are you? Do you feel like you need to spit a lot? If yes and you're not that far out, this happens to some people post-op. For the first three weeks after surgery, I had excessive saliva that I had to constantly spit out. Does this sound like what's occurring?

Hello VST. First off, I have to admit to not being a very good sleever food-wise this week. I've been getting enough fluids in, working out, etc, just didn't eat as well as I should the past few days. That being said, it seems my body does NOT like it when I low-carb it. I've had two mini-stalls the past six weeks, bouncing back between the same two to three pounds for a few weeks. Well, in the past week, after not really paying attention to how much carbs I put in, I've lost four pounds! I've noticed when I'm really strict with myself and drink at least one protein shake a day, my body just doesn't respond. I also feel very lightheaded and weak if I low-carb it. Now, this isn't to say I'm going to stuff my face with whatever, it just feels like my body doesn't appreciate it when I follow the usually recommended Atkins diet (and yes, I'm calling it a diet) most sleevers adhere to. Any thoughts?

I hope I have legs like yours when I get closer to goal! Good job!

I'm not trying to sway anyone either. As of now, I don't have regrets. I know whenever someone asks about my experience at a support group meeting, I can just see the person leading it (usually the program's nutritionist or who I think is the program's liaison) just cringe. Apparently they only want to talk about how the surgery is nothing but rainbows and butterflies. Even though I had a terrible beginning post-op, I'm so much happier after surgery.

I had complications. My stomach twisted after surgery and it prevented me from keeping anything down. The second day in the hospital they put a stent in. It helped a bit but then got worse. I threw up constantly for the first two weeks. I couldn't get any sleep because I would wake up from a dead sleep to throw up. After a trip to the ER in week 2 for dehydration because I couldn't keep anything down including Water, I was readmitted the following day and they took the stent out. Did a complete 180 and was 100% better. I've had fluctuations with my weight, bouncing back within the same 3 pounds, but no significant weight gain.

It might also be a little too heavy of food for you right now. I had pizza too early and threw that up because it was so dense in my stomach. It helps to slow down while eating so your brain and stomach are on the same page and you know when to stop. I'm surprised you're allowed to eat something like that already. I couldn't have "normal" food until 3 months out and was on stuff like Soups, pureed, mash potatoes, etc until then. Work your way slowly into real food. Take it one step at a time. Your stomach will thank you for it.

I'm kind of wondering this as well. My health insurance sucks (don't they all?) and barely approved my surgery after originally jerking me around and denying it when they obviously should have been reading their own policy. They always charged me a whole lot more per month because of my weight. In order to have it for less, I need to be under 230 (which I am now) and stay there for a year before they even consider lowering my price. Now that I'm at a more reasonable weight, I'm just thinking about switching companies all together since my deductible sucks and they never file my claims correctly. I'm wondering how insurance companies approach covering people after they've had weight loss surgery.

I think you're fine. When starting out, it's not best to have super cold drinks on a healing stomach, but you're far enough out it should be fine. I LOVE cold cold cold drinks, and have been able to drink them fine for a few months now. Never could stand drinking warm Water. Freezing a Protein drink is a good idea if it helps you get them down easier. I've heard many people, including ones in my local support group at the hospital, say this is what they do. I think you're pretty normal.

The only time of the day I seem to feel actual hunger "pains" is late at night. Then again, I used to snack right before bed. Now when I'm lying in bed, I start thinking about what I want to eat tomorrow or buy at the grocery store next shopping trip. It's not that bad, but it's annoying.

Are you sure your BMI is 30? I'm 5'7" as well and one of my goals is to be 170, and that'd put my BMI around 26.5. Your body will know when to stop, in most cases. I don't think it'd go as far as kill you if you got too small. Other people on here had lower BMIs on surgery day and they've leveled off. If anything, all you'd have to do is eat more, which doesn't sound too bad. As long as you're eating well, you shouldn't die of starvation.

Congrats on your success! My mom has a friend who sounds like some of your family and is literally obsessed with food. She's about 350 pounds (she claims 250, but there's no way in heck I weighed more than her at my highest weight when she's twice my size). She eats four plates at a buffet, plus two Desserts and she's diabetic! She has no interest in losing weight and even goes so far as trying to find doctors that basically coddle her. If a doctor tells her she needs to lose weight or that her co-morbidities are because of her weight (she has to take 30+ pills a day for them), she'll find a new doctor who will say what she wants to hear. It's sickening. I wish I was balanced enough to wear heels. I'm scared to wear anything higher than one or two inches. Part of the reason before was because my weight. I mean, how embarrassing would it be to walk in heels and one of them break off? Now, while I'm still heavier, it's mainly because I'm so uncoordinated and graceless, I'd break my ankle or fall flat on my face, lol. Maybe once you get closer to goal, you're family will be more open-minded about surgery or at least be willing to listen to what it's about. They'll be jealous of your success.

I was one of those who originally was going for the lapband, mainly because I am younger and didn't want something permanently done to my insides. After researching thoroughly about all the complications, weight gain, etc that comes with a lot of lapband patients, I switched to the sleeve. My reasons for not even considering gastric bypass?: Didn't want my system rerouted. A lot higher chance of dumping syndrome. Malabsorption issues, which can lead to malnutrition. The weight loss is just about the same as the sleeve. Obstruction seems to happen more often, like with the lapband. Going to support group meetings, I notice that people who had the bypass looked more sickly than ones who had the sleeve. Not everyone did, but just a trend I noticed. Right now, I only get acid reflux when I have something with bad butter (like the buttery topping on popcorn), margarine is fine though. I don't have to take a daily pill for it, I just pop a couple of Tums when I have it and it goes away pretty quickly.

I know I have. I just want to tell them that they can be so much happier and freer (looks like a weird word...) if they got the surgery. But then I think, "when I was at my heaviest, would I really want some stranger to come up to me and tell me to get weight loss surgery?" The answer is no, I wouldn't want them to. I would just fall into a depression and probably eat myself through it if I looked so fat, that even strangers would comment on it. I think they need to come upon the decision on their own, it's what I did.

No idea where the other 62 pounds are going to come from! You're looking great, girl.

Hold your nose while you drink? Lol, I don't know. If my protein drinks have a bad smell to them, I've never noticed... Which ones do you use?

At least once a week! I'll get out a plate and start putting on sleeve-sized portions, but then it morphs into me looking at the plate thinking I didn't put enough. I keep piling on the food still thinking that it's not enough, but when I go to eat it... Then I completely regret doing that, telling myself "why did you think you could eat that much?!" Ah, silliness.