joatsaint

Thanks for the update.

Tried the link, unfortunately, advanced registration is closed. Do you know if they sold out all the tickets?

Kate, Do you have a good recipe for chicken soup? I have not eaten chicken soup in almost 3 years - I ate so much of it right after surgery that I never thought I would ever want it again! :-P But now I find myself looking to get away from the canned stuff and make my own. Or if you have a favorite soup? Could you pass it along? Thanks

Congrats on your weight loss and your NSV!!!

magicalwoman, you will be able to enjoy a nice meal again, just in smaller amounts - and that's a good thing. :-) But you may find, like I did, that the old "comfort" foods like hotdogs, french fries and pizza, just don't taste that good anymore and the flavor isn't good enough to "pay" for the amount of calories I'm eating. But donuts!!!!!!! OMG Donuts!!! They are still little bites of heaven. (But what used to be a 4 donut habit, is easily satisfied with just 1! per week) Hang in there, it does get better. When I first returned from the hospital, I was HURTING A LOT! I was miserable and cranky and I wanted to pick a fight with the world. But I was afraid to ever start eating again. I didn't want to break the "magic" of WLS. It wasn't much consolation, but I tried to look on the discomfort and pain as a trial-by-fire. Something I had to go through to reach a new level in my life and become the person I always thought I was on the inside. This is your one and only life! Make the right decisions, right now, for it. And remember that it is the people and experiences in life that matter, not the stuff. Review your past actions and your future dreams. Keep it all in perspective. Pursue the truly important, not the shallow and fleeting illusions of modern success. Let others have their fame and trinkets…stick to what matters, what you know in your heart is right, and live virtuously, lead by example, and stick to your vision. You are the boss of this life, make it count when it comes to what matters. Never give up on it. You will succeed.

It really is. It took me months to used to the idea that if I walked too much in a day, I wouldn't be walking with a limp for weeks afterwards.

I would think it would be alright. But I'm curious as to why you're on clear liquids for the pre-op diet? I was on a liquid diet, but not a "clear" liquid diet pre-op. It was only for the 1st week post-op that I was restricted to clear liquids. Curious about Weight Loss Surgery? Wondering how to wade through all the WLS info out there? Nervous about the whole WLS experience? So was I, and having "been there done that!" We're here to help you succeed in your Weight Loss Surgery Adventure and answer many of the Most Frequently Asked Question from Pre-Op and Post-Op Weight Loss Surgery patients.

I was curious about the balloon procedure? 1) Do you think it has to be inserted by a clown? 2) Could I get my balloon in the shape of a poodle?

Congrats on such a great NSV!!

For me, each stage was scheduled for 1 week. But Frankensleeve was kinda cranky and I stayed at the soft foods stage for months. At the 4 week mark, I still wasn't able to eat more than a teaspoon of any full food without LOTS of complaining from Frankensleeve. So I just stayed on soft foods, and every few days, tried a teaspoon full of some new food till Frankie gave me the all clear signal.

I live off of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup for months post op, it's one of the few things Frankensleeve would tolerate. I liked the flavor and it went down very easy. If you try it, be sure and get the cans with the pull-top. It's a bear to find a can opener at work! :-P Curious about Weight Loss Surgery? Wondering how to wade through all the WLS info out there? Nervous about the whole WLS experience? So was I, and having "been there done that!" We're here to help you succeed in your Weight Loss Surgery Adventure and answer many of the Most Frequently Asked Question from Pre-Op and Post-Op Weight Loss Surgery patients.

Eating and swallowing got easier for me, each passing day. Swallowing was never a real issue, swallowing was back to normal after 2 weeks. It was retraining Frankensleeve to handle food again, that took a while. He threw a fit at almost anything I ate. Finally we came to a detente on refried Beans mixed with turkey hamburger meat. I lived on that concoction for a few months. http://www.bariatricpal.com/blogs/entry/31168-my-favorite-mexican-food/ He began tolerating the tougher foods - chicken, eggs, beef, fibrous veggies like broccoli, over time, but there was a noticeable jump in tolerance at 6 months. And again at 1 year. By my 1 year surgervarsary, I could eat most anything with any grumbling from Frankensleeve. The one thing he refuses to tolerate is Taco Bell Taco sauce from a jar. Don't know why, cause he's fine with all kinds of salsa????!!!! Curious about Weight Loss Surgery? Wondering how to wade through all the WLS info out there? Nervous about the whole WLS experience? So was I, and having "been there done that!" We're here to help you succeed in your Weight Loss Surgery Adventure and answer many of the Most Frequently Asked Question from Pre-Op and Post-Op Weight Loss Surgery patients.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

After cat sitting and cleaning my girlfriend's cat box for a week, I was put off food too!!!! :-P When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating Protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that. .

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.

When I get head hunger, and just can't escape it's nagging, I eat meat, chicken or pork first to fill me up and retrain my brain to associate meat with head hunger. After eating protein, and I still have that nagging little voice, I will allow myself a small portion (remember I'm physically full from the protein), about 1/2 a coffee cup (a real coffee cup, not a Starbucks Grande!) of whatever I'm craving. I'm normally satisfied after that.