joatsaint

I haven't experienced dumping syndrome, I have the sleeve, but if you're still not feeling well, I'd call my doc immediately and/or go to the hospital immediately.

My doc's guideline was to stay around 800 calories per day - 75% protein, 25% carbs (low-glycemic carbs in vegetables (squash, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli... basically any high fiber vegetable)). And try and stay away from any processed foods, they usually have high fat/sugar/sodium counts.

I had terrible pains when I ate yogurt too. chicken, eggs, milk... all caused a lot of pain and discomfort for months post-op. Hang in there, it will get better. It just takes time for your new stomach to adapt to food again. I ate Cream of Mushroom Soup for about a month, then moved onto refried Beans and finely chopped turkey hamburger. They were my friends for weeks and weeks.

I have to bunch up the comforter between my knees. I guess I got bony knees too! P.S. I forgot to add a 2nd NSV experience in bed! About a year ago, I was laying on my side and woke up with this hard poking sensation in my side. I thought I had rolled over on one of my books or something. I reached under my side to pull out the offending book and there was nothing there!!! It was my rib! I could feel my ribs!!!

I try to fill up on meat first, then green Beans or any other vegetables. If I just can't resist dessert, I allow myself 1/2 coffee cup full (a real coffee cup... not one of those Starbucks' Grande cups!! ) of whatever I want. I may do that 2 or 3 times during the day. I always remind myself that I'm choosing to eat empty calories and ask myself if I accept the consequences (my weight may stall or gain a little and I'll delay reaching my weight loss goals) - the one good thing is that now (post-op) I have the choice, pre-op my head-hunger would have driven me crazy till I overate on everything.

I eat carbs - but I try to stick to foods that are low-glycemic - vegetables, Beans, lentils. I normally try to eat 75% Protein and 25% carbs on average. But I do eat things like Pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, donuts (at most 1 per day... err, on a stressful day, sometimes 2 ), Rasin Bran (I fill a 12oz cup halfway and eat it dry), and the occasional cookie or small piece of cake - but I had to learn how much of each I could eat without causing carb cravings or slowing my weight loss. It took time to figure it out. Whenever I see my weight going up, day after day, I cut back on the sugar, flour and pasta - and stick to protein and vegetables. And monitor my portions more closely. That gets me back on track. There's nothing I can't/won't eat, but it's all in moderation and I choose what I'm will to accept (think weight gain) as a consequence.

If you're feeling okay, I don't believe you stretched your sleeve. If you had stretched your sleeve, I think your staple line would be hurting like crazy right now. I got the hiccups the day after surgery and stretched my new sleeve a bit. I thought the pain would never end. Flavored Water is a slider food for me. I can easily drink 8 to 12 ozs very quickly without feeling full. From my reading and research over the past 2 years, it is very very difficult to stretch the sleeve, as it is made up primarily of the tough, non-stretchy section of the stomach. The research says you can stretch your sleeve, but you have to deliberately work at it and it's painful, but it can be done. Overeating once or twice won't do it.

I hear lots of good things about eggface. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ I don't eat a big variety of things and tend to eat the same thing day after day, but I've seen lots of recommendations for eggface's website. Tons of food ideas and recipes.

OH! GREEEAAAATTTTTT!!!! Now your dog is going to need bariatric surgery too!

Welcome to the Loser's Bench! And yes, I feel your pain about the bitchy nurse. Been there done that, got 85% of my stomach hacked out.

I can only speak for myself, but Pasta, bread and rice all trigger my carb cravings and make me want to over eat. Those types of high glycemic carbs are quickly broken down and turned into glucose, which spikes my blood sugar. Just a few hours later, my blood sugar comes crashing down and I'm craving carbs again. I don't get those blood sugar highs and lows by eating Protein or low glycemic carbs. My blood sugar levels stay even or rise at a slower, more moderate, rate and my head hunger doesn't happen as often.

Congrats on a great NSV!

I have used Isopure unflavored protein. I mix it into my refried beans.

I've never tried her recipes, but I've seen lots of posts about eggface. She has lots of recipes. The link below is to her puree section. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/08/pureed-foods.html

Thanks for sharing your story. Welcome to the Loser's Bench! Keep Pimpin' That Sleeve!

I guess you could call me "lucky". Whenever Frankensleeve disagreed with a food, he'd ball up in knots - from the very 1st bite. There was no way to even force myself to continue eating... it just hurt too much.

I used to do a lot of online gaming - Bloons Tower Defense. I'd use that game to slow my eating speed. I'd take a bit, play one round, take anther bite, play a round, rinse, repeat. I'd get so into trying to beat the game that my eating slowed to a crawl.

My 1st 10 days post-op, I wasn't eating or drinking anything to speak of. I just couldn't tolerate food or drink. I focused on staying hydrated and sip, sip, sipped as much as I could. I took the doc's recommended daily intake of food and Water as a goal to strive for, but didn't expect to reach it in the first week. As long as I felt okay and kept drinking, I wasn't worried. Crystal Light lemonade and sugar free popsicles were the only thing I ate/drank that 1st week. 2nd week, I found Cream of Mushroom soup was tolerable, but only 1/2 tablespoon full every 1/2 hour or so. It was weeks before I was getting in all the advised levels of protein/water. Do the best you can, and call your doc if you don't feel right.

If you can, do what I did. Stay away from processed foods as much as you can. I ate a low-carb diet and tried to cook everything I could myself. Anything that is processed probably has high sodium levels and I know from experience that it keeps the Water weight on me. I tried to eat only chicken and pork tenderloin and low-carb Protein shakes during my pre-op diet. When I would feel head hunger and carb cravings, I'd try to fill up on protein. After a few days, the carb cravings went away and the rest of the diet was smooth sailing. Hope this helps a little.

Almost fell out of my chair laughing when I got a Spam email with the title, "I Sprayed This In My Mouth and Lost 10lbs". Feel free to read any double entendre into that title you like! I though it might make you smile too. Keep Pimpin' That Sleeve

I stopped using my CPAP machine about 11 months post-surgery. I never went in for apnea testing after surgery, so I can't say that it went away. At some point, the CPAP machine was pumping so much air into my stomach that I'd wake up at night burping and farting. So I tried sleeping without the machine. I experimented on myself on and off and one day I noticed that my quality of sleep without the machine was as good with it. So I stopped using the CPAP machine.

You said you are losing more than 1lb a day after surgery. To help us answer your questions, please remind us of how much you were losing per day before surgery?

I've really like Premier Protein chocolate shakes since I first found them at Sam's club. I like mine a little thicker, so I throw in 1 scoop of a chocolate powdered protein mix as well. Poured over ice, it tastes just like chocolate milk to me.

The only thing I can add to all the other things people have listed above is, bring your favorite pillow (with a non-white case, to make it easy to spot when you leave) to the hospital. It will make it easier to sleep and you might need it on the drive home.

chicken was and still is one of the hardest things for Frankensleeve to digest. At 5 weeks, I was still eating Cream of Mushroom Soup for most of my meals. I ate Peanut Butter as well, but because of the calories in it, I limited myself to 2 tablespoons of peanut butter a day. But for the most part, I didn't eat anything else. It was months before I could really tolerate real food. After I graduated from soup, the next thing I found tolerable was refried Beans and turkey hamburger - and I ate it as my primary food for weeks and weeks. Here's my recipe: http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/9018/entry-31168-my-favorite-mexican-food/ I've never lifted weights, but I did set a walking goal of 10,000 steps a day - starting the month after surgery. It took me a few months to reach that goal. Now I try speed walking - 3 miles a day @ 3.8 (or better) mph. http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/9018/entry-31216-nsv-2-you-best-step-off-b-hatch/