joatsaint

I bought a box of Gladware 1/2 cup containers early on. Fill one up and you know exactly how much I'm allowed to eat per meal. Around the 1 year mark, I moved up to a 1 cup container.

Yep, you are normal. I was cold as hell after surgery. I stayed wrapped up in my bathrobe and a comforter. Recovering from surgery, detoxing from the anesthesia and blood thinners, and not being able to eat is a big one two punch to the body. Every resource is going to healing.

I was living on Cream of Mushroom soup for weeks post-op. Nothing sat well with Frankensleeve... as in 1 teaspoon of anything (boiled egg, scrambled eggs, milk, pureed meat, any fruit or vegetable) would send him into cramping and seizing. You mentioned a few things I know were hard on me for weeks or months post-op - oatmeal, pudding, Medical Quality Protein, almond milk, and squash - all of these are tough to digest. At the time, I thought it was kinda ironic that processed foods went down pretty easy (especially peanut butter) but the healthy stuff took a lot of getting readjusted to.

You think you got it bad?!! Listen to my story. Here I am 2 years out from WLS and finally work up the nerve to talk to a pretty girl I see in a bar. So I sit down next to her and try to talk a little. Next thing I know, she starts crying, jumps up and runs away??? WTH...... But seriously Ky89, I know where you're coming from. I'm finally at a weight that I feel thin enough to start dating. This dream of finding my life partner has been in my head for over 20 years. And now that I feel like I look good enough that a woman will find me attractive, I'm afaid to start a conversation because I don't know what to do after I finally find a lady that wants to go out with me. I've spent so many years just trying to get replies on the online dating sites that when I do get a reply, I'm scared cause I don't know what to do next!!!!!!!!

Well, I'm kinda weird and like the anti-motivational quotes. My favorite: "The beatings will continue until moral imporves." and I like the drill sargent's quote from the movie "Aliens" - "Every day's a vacation, every meal's a banquet" (Lay that one on a coworker 1st thing in the morning and watch their face! ) My favorite motivational song: Chaz Jankel - Number One (from the movie "Real Genius")

I have to eat a bite or 2 before taking some vitamins, some are fat soluable and can't be digested without some fat in my sleeve. Try a few sips of (non fat free) chicken soup or a piece of ham (or lunchmeat).. anything with some fat in it. You don't have to eat a lot of fat, just a teaspoon or 2 should be enough.

Thank you, I love him.

You should believe the guidelines your doctor gave you. He's in the best position to give advice. If you have to have some wine, you could try my patented "will Frankensleeve tolerate this" program. When I was unsure if Frankensleeve was ready for a new food, I'd eat about 1/2 teaspoon of it, wait 5 minutes, eat another 1/2 teaspoon, and wait another 5 minutes. If he hadn't had a bad reaction by then, it was safe to eat more.

I love it too. Maybe I could modifiy the design to be a version of Frankensleeve.

I was pain free by the 5th day. I still felt a little uncomfortable pressure occasionally for a few more days, but no pain. Walking is the best cure. Get up and move (even if it's just a trip to the bathroom and back ) Every little movement will help your body push the gas out of your system. I went into surgery knowing that walking was the best cure (from reading all the posts on Bariatricpal). So, even though I wasn't feeling up to it, when the nurses came to get me, I got up and walked as far as I could. And when I got home, it was wet and cold outside, I paced back and forth from the kitchen to the living room as often as I could.

Thanks for posting your story. I'm sure it will help others that want to know as much as possible before going into this "adventure". Welcome to the Loser's Bench.

I had the Sleeve and personally know 3 others who had the Bypass (RNY). We're all happy with our decisions and weight loss. But I can tell you why I didn't have Bypass: 1) I didn't like the idea of rerouting my intestines. 2) I didn't want to HAVE to take Vitamin supplements for the rest of my life. 3) I didn't want to possibly go through dumping syndrome or any other complications The pros for Bypass: 1) It's easier to lose weight and lose more total weight. 2) It's easier to get insurance to cover Bypass. My doc said that the sleeve has only been recognized by insurance companies as a viable option for about 10 years. But please ask a doctor what your best option is. He is going to be in the best position to make that call.

No, you can't stretch your sleeve. You'd be feeling the pain from your staple line before your sleeve began stretching. From everything I've researched over the past 2 years, it is very very difficult to stretch your sleeve. I'm sure it can be done, but it would take a concerted effort over time on your part to stretch out the tough material that constitutes the remainder of your new stomach. Depending on the person, food and drink capacity differs. Some people have an easier time drinking tons of Water post-op and it just slides right down. I wasn't one of those. Plain water was never easy for me to drink. If I mix it with Crystal Light, I can guzzle the stuff.

I found this on Walmart's website. http://see.walmart.com/drysprays Free - Get your choice of 1 of 5 different "dry spray" antiperspirant/deodorants - all they need is your shipping address and email. Degree Women Fresh Energy® Degree Men Adventure® Dove Women Nourished Beauty® Dove Men Clean Comfort® Axe White Night® P.S. When I went to the link, I was so stinky that I burned out their automatic stinkyness detector.

Congrats on such a great NSV.

I had a LOT of gas pains the 1st week. I was miserable. I wasn't able to sleep on my side and the gas pains in my chest kept moving around. The sitting in my computer chair was the only comfortable position... and I've never been able to sleep in a chair. I'd get up and walk around the house for some relief, eat a bite of popsicle, and go sit back down. That went on for about 5 days. Then things just got better. By day 7 I was able to drive and get out. On day 11, I went back to work with no problems. I wasn't back to normal for weeks, but things got better day by day.

I just got back from my brother's house. Other than Thanksgiving day and Christmas day, we don't ever talk or interact - not from any problems between us, we just have different lives. He invitied me, but I feel guilty for going over and eating his food because of the effort he went to and the money he spent. And I feel like a impositon or mooch because I don't consider us friends and I never do anything for him. BUT, he does it because he loves to cook and share and loves family get togethers, so I hope by participating that he is happy. I try to do my part by helping clean-up and getting him to talk about how he cooked this or that and making him the focus of attention. He seemed to have a good time and liked that attention. But if it were up to me, I'd just stay at home and answer questions on Baritatirc Pal.

Congrats on having a good recovery and welcome to the Loser's Bench! :-)

My incisions never hurt, but the gas was killing me. I was hitting the button on my morphine drip like I was a contestant on The Price is Right! :-P Hang in there, it all gets better day by day. And in a month, you'll be wondering why you didn't do this years ago. Welcome to the Loser's Bench. Here I am right after surgery - not feeling too good at that moment. :-) But I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

At the 6 month mark, I was up to 1/2 cup size bowl I ate out of. In the following months, I gradually began to eat larger portions. At 1 year, I was up to 1 cup and now at 2 years, I can eat between 1 and 1 1/2 cups depending on the amount of protein in the meal. For example, 4.5 to 6 oz of pork loin is a meal (it's fairly tough and dry meat - beef hamburger is even more filling). However, I can eat 1 large apple and 1 big banana or 2 bananas for a meal or I can eat 3 large yellow squash (probably 10 - 14 oz) for a meal.

The main way I know I'm about to be full is the feeling of bubbles moving around the food in my sleeve. If I go past that stage, I feel a stabbing sensation where my esophagus meets the sleeve or I feel this painful stretching sensation in my stomach. I don't push it to this point very often and when I do, I get a painful reminder as to why I don't want to.

Maybe it was a mixed blessing for me, but, I was in so much pain those 1st 10 days post-op, I didn't want to eat anything. And it took months before any solid food didn't cause all kinds of grinding and twisting feelings in my new sleeve. Luckily, I never had a food craving or a real desire to eat post-op. Frankensleeve didn't like more than a tablespoon of anything and made sure that I kept within my dietary guidelines.

I only attended 2 follow-up sessions with my doctor. His office is 2 hours one-way from my house (he was the closest doc on my insurance approved list). My 2nd session, he was late and I left after waiting 60 minutes, never went back (this was the 3rd time he had been over an hour late for an appointement). Fortunately I've never had any problems or complications post-op, going on 2 years now.

I had Blue Cross Blue Shield - it only took 5 days after my doc submitted the papers.

Congrats on your NSV!