COsleeveDude

If you can't sell them maybe you could blend them into powder and throw the powder into a Protein shake.

There are a whole host of things that happen after surgery. It can take weeks for anesthesia to get out of your system, for example. If you combine the anesthesia with changes in hormones, decreases in blood pressure, better blood flow, changes in blood sugar, etc., it's not surprising that vision could change some.

You can't eat as much, you aren't as hungry. Sounds like that lasts 6 months to two years plus. The way I look at it, you have that period to change your eating habits and start exercising. After that initial time period the effectiveness sounds like it decreases: a little for some, a lot for others. So, now you have a fresh start. You've lost weight, and you can choose to keep applying your new habits, or not. I'm about six weeks in, and I think this is actually the easy part. The harder part will be continuing better habits once the weight is off and the novelty of the sleeve wears off physically and mentally.

I would advise against using earplugs. If you quit breathing or your oxygen drops too low the tone is designed to get you to wake up. That's important so you don't, you know...die. Even more important when you're post-anesthesia and on narcotics, which can depress your system.

You can also see if they will turn the pressure down. Or you can do it yourself. As you lost weight you will need less pressure anyway, so turning it down a little is better than not using it at all.

Reverse morning sickness? It's always opposite day somewhere. Are you taking an acid reducer/PPI before dinner? Try that out. You could also ask the doc for some anti-nausea meds, take them in the evening as well.

Turkey chili was on my week 3-6 soft and moist list, and it was good. Still is. If you don't feel like making your own, this brand in a can is surprisingly good. I found it at Safeway, Stagg Turkey Ranchero: http://www.hormelfoods.com/brands/stagg/default.aspx# Looks like it's also made by Hormel, but way better tasting than the Hormel-labeled turkey chili. Probably not the optimal choice with the carbs and sodium, but good occasionally.

I wouldn't eat those cereal bars, ever. Not enough Protein for the calorie count, ingredients are garbage: http://www.specialk.com/meal-bars/chocolate-peanut-butter/. Pretty much any of those bars you find in the regular grocery cereal isle are gonna be a poor choice. I am not a big fan of Protein Bars, I prefer drinks/shakes. But if you chew them well my guess is you could try starting in your soft and moist phase, probably sometime in weeks 3-6. Pure Protein bars are alright: http://www.target.com/p/pure-protein-pure-protein-12ct-21-12-choc-delux/-/A-14217302#?lnk=sc_qi_detaillink. You can probably get other recommendations from people who have tried more brands. I would rather eat a chicken breast.

Glad to hear you didn't have pain. I was in a moderate amount after waking up in recovery, I think I rated it a 4-5, very uncomfortable but not intolerable. It took about an hour or two to get that under control. And then for the one day I was in the hospital I jammed on the morphine drip button as often as possible just to keep the pain from potentially coming back. And because in the hospital there's not much to do but rest, sleep and walk. And I'm always gonna love painkillers when I have a legal excuse to take them, which isn't often. By the next morning I was getting off the drip in prep to go home, and after that I had little to no pain. I took some liquid Lortab they sent me home with a few nights here and there to help me sleep, but that's about it. You are right, everyone is different. I think preparation is the key: lose some pre-surgery weight, and walk as much as possible before and after surgery. I fully believe you will have fewer complications and less pain the more you prepare yourself.

I had my surgeon's staff fill out FMLA paperwork and included that with my leave request. Basically just said it was medically necessary major surgery for a life-threatening chronic condition with the surgeon saying I would need up to 7 weeks off, and the FMLA paperwork backed that up. I had no intention of taking the full 7 weeks, but I noted extra time to buffer for potential complications.

So, I am only about 6 weeks out from the sleeving, and I have cheated a few times in the last few weeks. And I don't feel bad about it one bit. Cheating before the sleeve: a whole pizza...a whole 2-liter of pop...a whole pint of ice cream... Cheating after the sleeve: an extra Protein shake...3 or 4 extra pieces of 50 cal cheese...a quarter of a hamburger...a few bites of rice or potatoes... I admit, I'm rationalizing a little bit. But the difference in the before and after is pretty staggering: thousands of calories vs. hundreds of calories. AND I have found that trying a few things helps let me realize that I definitely can't eat as much as I did before, and don't like everything as much as I did before. For example, I still don't crave carbs and sweets like I did before.

I tried both of those, and they both taste good. Too good, so I quit buying it. I just can't control my cheese habit, I end up eating at least 2-3 per day, if not 4-6.

I drink decaf every day. I always take it skim and sugar-free, whether I make it or buy it. At Starbucks they call that "skinny." You can order pretty much any drink that way.

Bougie video:

http://new.hulu.com/watch/23613

I wouldn't listen to the nutritionist, I would listen to the surgeon or the research on what surgeons think. You're not trying to avoid nutritional deficiencies, you're trying to avoid post-surgical complications like leaks and strictures. Post-surgical "early" leaks can occur up to 6 weeks after surgery. That's why many of the programs recommend waiting 4-6 weeks before consuming solid foods. For more info, check out this post: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/47390-international-sleeve-gastrectomy-expert-panel-consensus-statement-best-practice-guidelines-based-on-experience-of-12000-cases 100% say to wait at least 2 weeks. 60% say to wait 4-6 weeks. I say advocate for your own health and wait at least 4 weeks. Why risk a leak?

I won't sugar coat it, you shouldn't be eating "normal" food two weeks out. If your nutritionist says otherwise find a new one. Weeks 3-6 in my program are soft and moist, almost all Proteins.

Low-fat cheese wasn't on my program list until week 3. I quit buying cheese, though. I still love the taste, too easy to eat too much.

I'm about 1.25 months out. Since week 3 or 4 I've been using Scarguard: http://www.scarguard.com/scarguard.html Mine are still pink but they are getting lighter and flatter as they heal. Supposedly the Scarguard helps. I figure it can't hurt.

That sounds good, I will have to look around to see what else places around Denver use besides white rice. They sell brown rice sushi at the Safeway grocery store, but it's pretty gross.

I just buy my stuff at GNC like I did before surgery. You can take whatever you can tolerate. Some people prefer the bariatric brands. I am starting with what I already know, and if my 3-month blood tests come back and look good I will continue. I always try and take my Vitamins with some food or a Protein drink to reduce the chance of stomach upset. I take: - Mega Men Multivitamin (contains no iron): http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4033435 - Gentlesorb Iron: http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3719245 - B Complex: http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3335767 - Calcimate Complete: http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11123355 - Ultra NourishHair: http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2133781 - Gold Standard Whey: http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3267268

I don't do physical work anymore. My doc said no lifting over 20 lbs for six weeks. I've heard some other people say they were off lifting restrictions at four weeks. I worked in a warehouse and for FedEx when I was younger. Since you use your core for lifting everything if you lift properly, I would be concerned about going back any sooner than four weeks. It takes about that long for your stomach to be healed. I do, however, remember some other people with physical jobs talking about going back to work after as little as two weeks. My guess is that's not what their doctor recommended. Good luck.

The idea of smoking anywhere within a few months of surgery would freak me out. I don't smoke anymore, haven't for years, and blood clots were still the number one concern in my mind. That's one of the big reasons I tried to drop weight and work out before surgery. Smoking makes your platelets stickier. It also inhibits healing. Stop now. Good luck.

Are you taking extra Biotin to try and stave off hair loss? They could just be getting thicker and growing faster because of that. If you're getting your Protein, taking your Vitamins and they're not thin, brittle, yellow, curved inward or painful, you're probably fine saving the question for the next doc visit. I do remember reading something about Iron and nails once, but I can't Google it easily right now.

You need a "Dislike This" button so I can push it. I also don't think it's strange. I lost 40 lbs before surgery, so I had cravings all the time. Much easier to deal with the cravings after surgery.