PreciousCargo

Like you and others I questioned my decision. First I began my journey with the choice of having the lap band. I went through the whole seven months of the necessary requirements and changed my mind. I heard from many people this was the lazy way. I tried Weight Watchers again and failed yet again. Then I started my research on the sleeve and began the process again required by the insurance. I had a few set backs such as being required to attend counseling for several months. Finally I was approved and awaiting my surgery date. My boyfriend, son and ex-husband all begged me not to have the surgery. I stood strong and went through with the surgery. It is hard and I have had some difficulties but I would do it all over again. There have been changes I have noticed in the last month that encourage me such as moving easily and breathing normally. My advice... research, research and research. Prepare yourself and use whatever tools out there that will allow you to succeed. Good Luck

Great job. Yesterday I was able to fit into a size 16-18 top because of my stomach getting smaller. Now if my butt would shrink also... lol

Congrats! I too got into size 16's pants this week! Hoo Woo to us and anyone else!

I want to thank everyone that has replied to my thread. I really think I needed to hear these things and it has given me the biggest wake up call. Today I did REALLY well, even though I'm on mushies I pretty much stuck to Clear Liquids and gave my sleeve a rest. Im glad that I was able to post here and get all of these responses because they have truely made a difference. I actually cried reading a lot of these because u guys are 100% correct and I can't believe how much damage I could've done to myself. I'm grateful for this website for opening my eyes and helping me take the first steps to getting back on track. Thanks everyone.

Stay busy, maybe hang out with friends, go to the movies or shopping. It will get better.

I definitely have "dumping," which has helped me avoid sugary foods (or sugar in combination with fat, like a former favorite frozen coffee drink). If you're going to have a bite or two of something sweet, definitely be sure to get your Protein in FIRST, for two reasons: having the protein in your tummy first makes it less likely that you'll have the dumping symptoms, and if you have eaten your protein, you'll be more full and less likely to succumb to too many bites of that sweet stuff! I find that if I stick with the "protein first" rule, I don't have a lot of trouble resisting sweets.

Some people do have dumping with the sleeve. Especially with ice cream. It could be lactose intolerance or toooooo much fat.

Awww so awesome! Happy riding

Even 20 minutes on the bike will burn calories and speed up your metabolism. Keep it up. I'm up to 20 miles a day and I'd like to do a century ride before the end of the year.

That's wonderful :-) I'm asking for a bike for my Mother's Day gift.

I am sure you'll really enjoy your new bike. I bought a bike last summer before my surgery to increase my exercise activity options. My town has a pretty nice bike path that travels arounds the town and a college campus. Its been fun getting back into biking. It had been 15+ years since I rode a bike. It was comical when I went to a bike store to try a few out, on a bumpy dirt road in back of the store. I was so hoping that saying about "once you learn to ride a bike you never forget" was true. I was pretty woobley and uncoordinated at first. My 2 sons thought watching their 45 year old mom attempt to ride a bike after so many years was waaaay hysterical. The sales guy said "Why do I feel like this is going to end up on Youtube?" Have fun and dont forget your helmet.

How emotionally engaging, draining, tumultuous and all those other words that describe an emotional rollercoaster... this journey can be!!! That's been my biggest surprise.. BUT, I don't regret a thing!!!

How much work I had to do after surgery to learn new eating habits. Sleeve FORCES you to have good habits.
Also I should not to expected to be "normal" soon after surgery. I consider myself to be tough bird. Ignorantly compared VSG to shoulder surgery where I thought in six weeks, I might be back to semi "normal." Reality was it took me six months to learn habits and feel normal.
Never said I was smart. I love my sleeve and have no regrets. But, it was a journey to goal.

Great job finding an exercise you like! I'm thinking about buying a bike also. CONGRATS!

Congratulations! Finding an exercise we really enjoy is very important. Keep it up!

I'm 9 1/2 weeks out, and I get hungry. It's not the ravening monster that it used to be, and my stomach doesn't growl, but I do get a gnawing sensation. Keeping my Protein high really helps. At this stage, if I feel hunger, I eat. I'm still only taking in about 500 - 700 calories a day, and losing slowly, but steadily. Thanks to the sleeve, hunger doesn't scare me anymore. I know it for what it is: My body needs fuel. And that's what I give it...protein, not carb. Carb just creates a vicious cycle of low-blood sugar, which, in turn, drives the hunger.

There are some great ideas here -- my husband habe turned into quite the nag with "eat slower" and "take small bites, will you?" He's getting on my last nerve with it but, he's right.
I spent too many years rushing through lunch as an insurance professional and missing Breakfast so that I could catch my bus for work. Those days are over.
I was sl;eeved 01/17/12 and I've dropped 51 lbs from highest weight last summer and, I swear, I'm eating as slowly as I can! I can't read between bites -- long term diabetes and visual complications have left me legally blind so I use my sighted husband's eyes for the important stuff. He wouldn't have the patience to read me a page or so between bites.
My point, I really do try to eat slowly each day but I'm also concerning myself with the short-acting insulin I just injected.
Everyone has their reason(s) for their behavior, I just refuse to be trapped by my past eating mistakes and doing my best each day to stay with the program as laid out by my exercise physiologist, nutritionist, surgeon and endocrinologist.

My recommendation is to buy an item, try it and if your sleeve likes it then your good. After surgery I went and bought a lot of items that I had to return. I can no longer tolerate many things such as Protein drinks, yogurt or natural applesauce which I consider to be all to sweet. Everything has completely changed taste wise since preop. My focus everyday is fluids and then Protein.< /p>
So, to answer your question preop was Protein Drinks, sugar free popsicles, and broth and fresh vegs. Post op, sugar free choc milk, light cheese, bean Soup, refried Beans, eggbeaters and baby food vegs.

Goodwill and thrift stores will be your friend. I buy high end clothes such as Polo and Tommy Bahama clothes there. I buy them, go down another size, re-donante them back and buy a smaller size. I have gone from 4x shirts to large and 52 pants to 36. I would have gone broke even shopping at wal-mart having to buy so many clothes during my losing period. I only buy "like new" items and this process has served me well. Good luck, it is actually fun shopping this way. I do not know if I will ever be able to buy retail again after saving so much money.

Just thought I would share an update on how I am doing, as I know this post will benefit those who are still preparing for surgery (I was reading everything all over this board leading up to my surgery as well!)
I had surgery last Tuesday, Jan 24th at 8:30am. I was in the hospital for one night. My surgeon keeps most patients two nights but I was walking, drinking, passed the leak test and tolerating puree 24 hours after surgery so he gave me the option to stay or leave. I have been on a puree diet for a week now. I eat four times a day. The first meal is a Protein Shake and then other three are 3-4 oz of low fat pureed Protein (chicken, tuna, greek yogurt or cottage cheese). I really don't feel much hunger, and if I do it's usually in my head. Because I have to eat so slowly, sometimes I even forget to finish something and then it becomes a chore to get it done (definitely a different behavior than I am used to). If I eat something too quickly my chest gets tight, so I have slowed down even more. I have been blessed that nothing has made me sick yet. I did have nausea at first, but my surgeon gave me a prescription to control that. The first few days I was also having esophageal spasms and stomach cramps, and I even had to sip my fluids very very slowly. My surgeon said these were normal symptoms and they went away after a few days. I am able to get my fluids in more comfortably now. I did end up with Constipation so I had to take some milk of magnesia, but no big deal. I have been walking every day since I got home. The first few days I would have somebody take me to the grocery store with them and I would walk around pushing the cart (it was cold outside!). This week I have been going to my gym everyday and walking slowly on the treadmill for 30min. All in all, it was 4-5 days after surgery until I felt back to "normal" (excluding eating of course).
Best wishes to all those who have an upcoming surgery and to those who already had their surgery and started the next chapter of their journey!

Get well soon! The food commercials used to be agonizing, but I barely notice them after 3 weeks.

Get well soon PreciousCargo! I'm glad to hear you went to your Drs office when you realized you weren't healing well enough. xoxo!!!

Sorry you going through all of this. Praying for you.

So sorry all this is going on! hang in there. The food commercials were really, really vivid when I was first sleeved--that will fade, I promise. Now I don't think about them--I barely notice them. Hope you're feeling better fast!

It has happen to me also. Keep sipping and sipping. They should have given you nausea medicine and if not call them and request it. Things that were helpful to me is either really hot Decaf tea or popsicles. Some people can only tolerate room temp liquids. The doctors told me they arent worried about becoming dehydrated right after surgery because they pump so many fluids into us at the hosp. Also, I cant tolerate or even like the same stuff prior to my surgery. I had bought several items I had to return to the store because it makes me gag now. Good luck