WillowsKnot

Well the surgeon's nurse was no help, so I sent an email to my PC. That was last week. His nurse called me today. He just read my email. He is seeing me tomorrow and wants me to stop by the lab before for blood work. It has gotten better, but I am glad I get to see him tomorrow. I'll post what happens.

Well, I have reached my second goal. This morning I was 289.6. So, I am now in the 280's. Yippie!! I also cleaned out my closet this weekend. I donated 3 garbage bags of clothes that I will never wear again. I also found a pair of size 24 shorts and I fit in them!! Ok, so the waist was a bit snug, but still, I could zip them and I could breath. LOL I will however wait another 5 to 10 pounds before I wear them though so that they are truly comfortable. I was wearing a size 32/34, so this was a major vitory for me. Now I am so glad that I saved all my clothes that were too small for me. They are now coming in very handy as I don't have many funds for new or even used clothes from the thrift shop. So, all in all, it was a good week and weekend this past week. Oh, I also found some low calorie Gator Aide that is lower in sugar than the regular stuff. It has been much easier to get down than plain water and sat well in my sleeve as well. Heart flutters are much better too. I think my electrolytes/potassium where off. I did email my doctor though, so still getting it checked out. Looking forward to another wonderful week with my sleeve. Best wishes to you all.

I cut it up and freeze squares of it in snack size bags. Then when I want some, I pull out just one frozen bag of it. I have it instead of a SF popsicle or when I need to increase my fluid intake. It is not any good if you let it thaw and get mushy. Then it tastes bad. Cantaloupe seems to keep better frozen and tastes wonderful. Honey dew as well. I freeze all of them. Might want to give this method a try. It is also hard to chuck it down when it is frozen and you have to chew it as well as it making your mouth really cold.

Yea, I saw the edit function also on there.

I am starting to have a lot of problems with food. I was doing ok with tuna and chicken mixed with mayo, but today, I could hardly choak it down I chew slowely and a lot. I eat slowly and still it feels like a brick in my sleeve. It did not used to feel that way. I don't feel it backing up or not making it into my sleeve, just once it is there, brick city. It seems like almost everything I eat makes me feel a bit ill. I am going back to jell-o, popsicles and Soup for a few days. Maybe something upset my sleeve and it just needs a rest. I don't know, but I know this is not working, so time for a change. I have been feeing tired and weak also. I take a ppi two to three times a day, use dairy ease pills when I eat any dairy, take my Vitamins and added B-12, Calcium, etc. Maybe I will try some yogurt tonight and see how that goes down. I am in my 7th week from surgery.

I did the My Profile one, but need to see if it worked.

So with all this talk of eggs I decided to give them another try. I purchased a Roma tomato and put some butter, yes butter, in the pan. Not a lot, about a tsp. Then I added three thin slices of tomato chopped up, skin on. I cooked that until it was soft. Then I added one egg scrambled mixed with a bit of milk to make it softer. Cooked that with the tomato and a bit of salt. I did over cook it. It was wonderful. I ate slow, chewed and chewed and took it easy. It went down fine. Yes, I can feel it in there, and I feel full, but I don't feel sick. This is a first for me and eggs...I mean them feeling ok and sitting ok in my sleeve. I have tried them before, but this was good. I was sleeved on 4/16, so this will let you know how long it took me to find something that worked and how far out I am.

I also experienced this at my Dr's office. I was like what the heck, at home I am X and here I am Y. Made me feel really bad. I keep my home weight as my official weight since I weigh more often there and at the same time of day, etc.

I have bike envy rootman!!! LOL I learned how to ride and got my motorcycle endorsement two years back. Can't afford a bike now, but some day. That is on my bucket list. I love it. Used to ride in my teens with my boyfriend. Promised myself one day I would learn. I thought my mother was going to die when I told her I signed up for a riding class!! I am a single mom with two kids, so she was worried. You know, even if I never can afford that bike, I don't regret taking the class. My first car was stick and I wanted it that way so that I knew I could drive anything if I had to. My current car is the only one that I have owned that was not stick. Now, if the only think around is a motorcycle and I have to get some place, at least I know I can do that too. I feel for you, but totally understand how things and interests change. At least you got a nice last ride (all be it a sore behind!). Enjoy where life takes you next and have fun.

I am also having this problem. I am 47 and NEVER had zits before in my life. Yes, I was at least blessed with clear skin. Can't say that now. Mine are not huge or very sore, but still. I figured it was due to the change that my whole system is going through. Hang in there and hope they get better soon.

So I emailed my nurse coordinator and she said the yellow watery BM is not that unusual. She said it has a lot to do with the fat being released and coming out. She said at times you can even see it floating like a scum on the top of the water. I'll take her word for it. I have to flush often to keep the smell down. I think I will take some probiotics though. Karen

This is the reason that I did not tell anyone but my boss what kind of surgery I was having. I have a friend at work who got the band a year ago and people are always, not only staring, but commenting to her about what she is eating. Like it is their business!!! I did not even tell some of my relatives that I was having surgery. Those that in the past have said unkind things to me. I just told them that I had a hurnia repair and I am being treated for ulcers and that this combo has changed what I can eat and how much. So far, no one has questioned me any further. No one has said anything about my weight or my loss either. I am find with the "no comments" thing about all of it, even my weight loss. I don't like people to talk about it because it is a sensitive subject for me. I just want to go about my day, and do my thing. I hope they start watching their own plate soon and leave yours alone. Hang in there! Karen

I was just looking at my upper arms in the bathroom mirror here at work and noticed some ugly sagging skin now. On the other hand, I was excited because that means that there are real changes to those arms and that I can see the change, not just on the scale. I'll give this a try. I hate the idea of sagging upper arms. ugh...

So, here is the deal and I have read a lot of posts about strictures and I don't think this is the issue, but would love to hear from others. My surgeon used a 54 French bogie. So, that being the case, you would think I would have no issues getting food or Water down. I was sleeved on April 16. I am still struggling with eating and drinking. So far since 7:00 a.m. I have had one 12oz. Syntrax Protein drink made with water and ice. I did not blend the ice, just added ice to keep it cold as it takes me so long to drink it. At 10:00 I was hungry, so I got my tuna with mayo mashed to death out and started to eat it. I have had 3 very small forkfuls, chewed to dust before swallowing and I feel like it is stuck between my throat and my stomach. If I wait 15 to 20 mins, the feeling starts to subside until I decide to take another small forkful and then it starts all over again. I am not vomiting, but I feel like things don't want to pass, or they don't want to pass easily. Has anyone had a stricture or narrowing without vomiting? Do any of my fellow April sleevers feel this way still and maybe my stomach is just not healed yet and is still really swollen? Thanks much. I appreciate it. Karen

Thanks so much for your response. I did eat some frozen mellon balls that I made and they went down just fine. I think it must have to do with the thickness of things even if I blend them and think I am eating slow. You know over the last week, I have totally lost interest in food. I really do have to eat to live at this point. I no longer live to eat. I have just lost all interest in food. It is such a struggle to eat that I just don't care. Yes, I am making sure to get in what I need because I know my body needs it, but it has been a shock for me to feel this way after being a food adict for so long. It is rather liberating! Thanks again.

Yup, was totally normal for me. I gained weight in the hospital after my surgery!!! It took me two weeks to lose what I gained just from having the surgery. You will be glad to have those fluids in your system though because I bet you are not drinking a ton yet. Hang in there. I felt the same exact way, but it will leave your body. You will lose. Just follow your doctors eating plan. Congrats on getting sleeved!

I am not nearly as far along as you are. My surgery was just April 16, but I can tell you that my RR "habits" are completely different. I either have constipation that I have to take some MOM to get things moving, or I have the runs as you describe it... like water and like when I gotta go, I better run, because I GOTTA GO!!! The biggest problem with that is that since I am not as far out as you are, I struggle to stay hydrated Ok, so here is my "graphic" part, when I have the runs, it is yellow in color. In fact, since surgery, I have yet to have a BM that is not yellow or yellow/orange in color!!! WTF???? It also smells bad, not like a home perm, just vile as if someone would ask me What the heck have you been eating!!! I hope it gets better soon and am looking forward to what others might have to say. Oh, I also do not get flush, shakey, or any other symptoms of "dumping syndrome". Just gotta go...

Yippie. I am finally off 299. This morning, 296. 280 here I come. And my NSV... Sitting in our conference room chairs at work and not having them dig into my leggs. It is a good day. Karen

I have lost in my legs, feet hands and yes boobs. Mine are flat and worst of all they are pointing to the ground!!!! I was a 50DDD and am now a 46DD. I think bras are going to be a huge expense. I know that getting excess skin off my arms and then my boobs, followed by skin skirt area are what I am hoping to take care of when done losing. I think I need a winning lottery ticket!!! LOL I also am not losing much in my tummy or belly area.

Way to go Lisa. You are an inspiration. Hope I can rock my sleeve like you have.

I chew gum, but I am not a swallower of it. I don't chew while driving, etc. I tend to chew at work after eating and then spit it out in like 15 mins. I have a desk job.

Well I am a single mom and currently don't have a SO, but I have had many dates, etc. and it is truly how we see ourselves. The guys I have been with never cared. They liked me for me. I am glad to know that I will now like me for me. I already like me better. I just feel better.

I have tried a few things and I get a bad after taste no matter what. I'll be interested to see what others have to say as well.

Jimmy, of course it branched out so big. This April group is like a sleeve family. Does not matter where we live. So, to echo the feelings of the rest of your April family, so glad to hear from you and hope you are fully recovered very soon. You just work on healing and we will continue to send you healing energy. Cyber hugs, Karen