circa

first things first - THROW THE SCALE AWAY!

I weigh myself about once a month. I don't care what the scale says, as long as its not a bigger number than it was the previous month.

If you want to break a stall, I found the easiest way is to start over. Do an expedited post-op. Go back to liquids, purees, mushies, protein. Lose the carbs, up the calories and kick up the exercise!

Is there NO other doctor that accepts your insurance? Can't you switch to a different surgeon?

Thanks. Its been a pretty easy road - the hardest part was getting to the actual surgery.

I'm fortunate that I was never really a binge eater and never really had a sweet tooth.

I'm also very fortunate that the cravings I DO get are for things like steak...venison...ya know - protein powerful foods.

congrats! I didn't know Dr. Gluck was doing the sleeve now? Very cool!

good luck!

These are all very genuine concerns to have. The surgery won't fix the sweet tooth - YOU have to do that. The sleeve is a tool - much like a hammer. The hammer can't build a house, but it can make it easier. This is not a magical process. You have to do the work. The sleeve facilitates portion control - you have to decide what you're going to do with that portion control. There's more work than laying on the table involved.

I can say that after the sleeve, my body only craves protein. I didn't have much of a sweet tooth before, and I really haven't got one now. When you get down to brass tax, the body will tell you what it needs. Its up to you to listen to it.

the forums here are good, but youtube videos allow you to see people and their progress as well. I originally was going to have the band as well, but dang I'm so glad I didn't. Just remember that everyone is different. Don't get caught up on the scale. Don't worry about what it says from one day to the next - its a marathon, not a sprint

Thanks for the kind words - it has hit us very hard here. I live about 3 miles from the theater that this happened at. We're a strong community and we will overcome this!

actually yes, I got diagnosed with a liver disease and during treatment for that, in order to keep my liver and kidneys from failing, I was put on HUGE amounts of steroids - which then caused steroid secreting tumors in my body, which created a huge weight gain. I gained weight from breathing.

After the sleeve and having the tumors removed, life has been GRAND.

Here's the thing - you're in the medical profession, from what I understand, people in the medical profession make the worst patients. BUT they're also the first to know when something really IS wrong.

Because everyone's body is different and every surgery is different, its hard to tell if something is wrong. It does sound like you're dehydrated - being that you feel that way and can't get anything down. Find yourself some gummy vitamins and supplements - those seem to be easier to get down. I found the propel and gatorade to be too thick to my tongue - vitamin water zero and sobe life water seemed easier to drink than water. Hot water with a little peppermint oil in it went down smoothly - the peppermint oil can help with the nausea.

I hope that you turn the corner very soon

I know its frustrating! Hang in there!

try to swallow smaller amounts at a time. It may seem strange, but even though this food isn't solid, you might be swallowing too much at once.

well and the funny thing is, what he did get for me I wouldn't have even eaten BEFORE the surgery.

I've thought about that. Problem is, when I'm working, I need to use 2 monitors to work effectively. I just need to get outta the house heh

first of all PUT THE SCALE AWAY! Weighing yourself a buncha times a day will drive you crazy. Your body weight will fluctuate all day long due to water retention, etc. Get the idea out of your head that you're going to lose weight between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner. The scale will not and cannot register your progress throughout a day, only you can by what you consume and how active you are. The scale also cannot measure what amount of fat you have converted to muscle.

Please do not put all of your energy into what a machine that's slapped together in a mass factory for 1.29 and then sold to you for 30 bucks that is run by a 3 dollar battery tells you.

The weight will come off if you're doing what you're supposed to. It doesn't have a choice. The scale should only be a guideline - once a week maybe. Take measurements, check how your clothes feel. Check how YOU feel. Those are the true measurements

likewise! I'm losing my mind haha.

I can't eat fish - too much copper. Thanks for the suggestion though!

The amount that you can eat is going to increase over the first few weeks, the swelling in your stomach is going down, which leaves a bigger area to fill. Its not that much bigger though. Please make sure that you're drinking enough - many times thirst can mimic hunger. Also, be sure that its not acid. Many times acid makes us feel hungry. Check with your doc about taking an acid reducer. A lot of people have issues with that.

The only time I'm hungry 2 hours after a meal is when my meal is only a protein shake. then I have a small amount to eat 2 hours later - after that its about 4 or so hours before I think about eating again.

yeah I've made "crusts" out of cauliflower - Hubby just wanted regular old fashioned - and it doesn't bother me to make it and not eat it. I usually left the crust anyway, even before.

LilMissDiva has an amazing boot camp basics -

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/28139-the-basics-boot-camp/

That's the link to it

ugh! so true! I took on too much and split one of my incisions open! Luckily it was just top layer of skin after stitches were out - but still! I did too much and that's what happens! Take it easy! We still have a lot of rebuilding to do!

What you didn't do is fall off the wagon and let it run you over - that in itself is a HUGE victory! Congrats on that!

Let your emotions out! Stuffing the weight of a cheesecake down on them makes them 10 times as bad!

I love asparagus! Cannot wait til they grow in the back yard this summer!

Well, the change that caused the weight gain was me getting sick. I was on severe steroid regimens that caused my weight to double in less than a year. So yes, I feel completely different - since I don't have the underlying illness going rampant and no more steroid treatments, I feel completely different.

I tried to never let my weight define me. But in that, I did let it control me a bit. I didn't wanna be the fat girl in the room. I didn't wanna be the one that, my husband's friends would look at him quizzically after meeting me, wondering why he's with me. So I isolated myself a lot. It was actually pretty easy to do because when I was sick, I couldn't go places with people - I had such a poor immune system and getting sicker was not something I was going to contribute to. So after I started rebuilding my immunity, I just didn't change that. Now, I'm still not wanting to meet a whole lot of new people, or even see people that haven't seen me since I've been sick, but its getting better. I'm a very social person normally, so its getting harder and harder to resist going out and having fun. I've made plans for the future - the next 6 or so months. If i hit goals, or even come close to them, I'll go ahead with them. And I really want to go ahead with them so I'm going to stay on track and hope my body does the same.

I guess it depends on how bad you want it - You know what triggers your stress and your way of coping, try to work a way around it. drink as much water as you can. Don't beat yourself out of your surgery date.

Just look forward - its the light at the end of the tunnel. It does get better. We've all been there. It will get better! I know a week seems like forever right now, but in the grand scheme of things, its a drop in the bucket. Just please make sure that you're getting your liquids in - you don't want to dehydrate!