Lisanne

I have always felt the hunger, mine never left me. I do fill up faster with lesser amounts, but the appetite is still there. Just follow a good diet plan and drink plenty of water. You are still fresh out, things will start to balance out with the healing process.

This will pass. Its annoying when it happens though. You are still swollen on the inside, from the surgery. Give yourself some more time and it will be fine. At this point, dont worry so much about getting in your quota of protein, etc.. its great if u can, but dont stress over it. Do the best that you can and remember that you are still healing.

Congrats and good luck. Its great that you have someone who has been thru this to help you out.

I mostly read. I keep a bottle of Water close by too. I also get online and mess around for awhile. Theres plenty of other things I could do, but dont usually. I take my daughter swimming for us to get some exercise. Sometimes I just go shopping too. Good luck

Yes Im perfectly fine now...it didnt take much to get over at all. Really, I didnt see any bad effects from it, but I was really lucky too..

I cant stress the importance of this preop diet. Please follow it to the letter. Unfortunately, I didnt do this and suffered from it. The preop diet is giving for very important reasons.... shrinking the liver, to allow the surgeon to move it easily to get to the stomach. also to get you used to the diet itself.. Since I didnt follow mine, my liver was really enlarged. Thankfully, Dr. Joya was skilled enough to continue with my Sleeve...however, in the process of trying to move it, my liver was lacerated...he repaired it with easy, thankfully and continued on with my Sleeve. As a result, I lost alot of blood and needed transfusions and he had to make a few more incisions. In the end, I had 8 incisions and 20 stitches. It didnt result in any more hospital stay, but I was in a bit more pain than usual. Plus, the cost was more too. I really wish I had known all of this...I guess I did, but I ignored it, thinking I would be fine.....well, I was wrong. So now, I really stress the importance of this diet. All surgeons preops are different and some dont require one...alot of that depends on the surgeon as well as you overall health and BMI at the time. My BMI was 73 at the time of surgery, so I really needed to do well on my preop, but I didnt.

My best advice is to begin High Protein shakes/drinks. You will need them after surgery for sure. They can be really pricey, so try to find sample packs, which u can find online....try out a few different ones. Also, theres many of us that actually still have some of these shakes left...but arent using them anymore. You can ask around and see who would be willing to send u some to try out.. Good luck with the preop...its super important..trust me, I know this first hand (long story)

Theres not much you can do for the nerves...just keep going forward and know that you are doing the right thing for yourself. Mexico... my main reason for going was bc every surgeon I went to see, insisted on my losing up to 50 lbs.....which is something I couldnt do on my own, hence the reason I needed surgery. Dr. Joya in Mexico didnt insist on this. Also, Im on Medicare which is really stingy with WLS...theres only a couple that it will pay for....it wouldnt touch the Sleeve at that time, but I think its beginning to now, but not sure about that..

I remember my first week after surgery...OMG, I had at least 15 BM's a day....it was horrible. But that was from the liquids and IVs, etc... I was so glad when it ended.. Now, I go pretty much the way I used to, but Im more prone to constipation, which was a huge difference.. before, i never got constipated.. So I have to really be careful..

First of all.....dont listen to others who just try to hurt ur feelings, insult, etc. Its so easy for others, who arent in our situation, to pass judgment and give advice....when most times, they just need to shut up. Do what you think is best for you and ur health. That is whats important...not that I have a problem with a trainer..but thats not going to solve the problem, etc.. Second..... as for follow up care, you basically dont need any. You might need some stitches removed. I dont know how Dr. Aceves does things, etc.. Ask your PCP if he will continue to see u as a patient. The only thing he would need to do is stitches removal and regular lab work, which he should be doing anyway, esp if you already have health issues.. I never needed any follow up care. However, I spoke to my PCP/Internist b4 having the Sleeve and he agreed to continue my regular care. If I had had an emergency once I came back home, I would have gone to the ER. I removed my own stitches, so I didnt see my PCP until I was a month out and I was doing ok and he was pleased with my progress. Good luck!

Thanks alot. I really appreciate it. We all need the support from our fellow Sleevesters. No one else knows our particular struggles, etc. One day at a time....absolutely!

Thank you so much Judy. No, its definetly not an easy journey at all. But its worth it. I think if it was too easy, I would wonder why lol

Before my surgery, I always wondered what if would feel like to lose 100 lbs or more. It was such a surreal thought, one I couldnt fathom even in my wildest dreams. It seemed like a dream that would just stay that way - a dream - my very own fantasy. I struggled to get to my 100 lb loss. My weight loss was going great when I reached my 75 lbs mark, then it all went backward. This was my 5 months post surgery. This is when my appetite really kicked back in and I always knew I could eat more than your average Sleevester. I had a goal to reach 100 lbs by Thanksgiving - well that didnt work, even tho I had plenty of time to do it in...so then I moved the goal to Christmas...still didnt make it. I think I finally reached it in Jan of 2009. So, now its been 13 months since my surgery and Ive lost 111 lbs....in one way, Im totally thrilled with that, but on the other hand, Im really angry that I havent lost more...why am I angry, bc Ive done it to myself by continuing to eat the wrong things which has made me go up and down in weight.. One good thing Ive realized is that I do know how to maintain...which is not what I want to yet...but at least I know how to do it.. For the past few weeks, Ive steadily lost about a lb a week, sometimes more, sometimes less...but on average, about a lb/week. Im not giving up. Im not even halfway to my goal. As my ticker indicates, I have 137 lbs to go to reach my goal of 150 lbs. Even at that, I wont be "skinny" but I will feel like a million bux!

I have a rule... if I cant pronounce it, I dont eat it LOL seriously, I see all these different products in the store and think - HUH? I dont know what they are, dont know what to do with them.... so I just stick with what I know. Ive never been one to follow a recipe, so I cant go by that either. I guess Im a creature of habit. But I applaud ya for trying new things. I dont think I could be that adventurous

I know what you mean about the cravings. Im the same way. I do so much better when I avoid them, but I always give in sometimes. It keeps me sane, but then on the other hand, it makes me want more...ugh...lol Ill try the ice water trick. I know when I drink water, i dont feel as hungry. But my appetite always comes back with a vengence.

I was so excited to reach the century club status. Im down 109 lbs as of right now!

I found that I really like the Body Fortress from Walmart. Theres chocolate and vanilla. I mix it with milk and it tastes just like chocolate milk to me. Its packed with Protein, super low in carbs, altho with the milk, it adds some, but can be mixed with Water...it just tastes better with milk. It also costs alot less than some powders. I also liked a few of the nectar Proteins Its been so long since Ive used any of them, I cant remember. I used to use the Bullets, but cant say that I really liked them...but they did give me the boost that I needed for the day.

I cant add much to whats already been said. The stomach is much smaller, some are smaller than others. For me, I can still eat alot at times, other times, I cant. I still get famishly hungry and crave alot of bad food. Its up to me to limit those foods, etc.

Hi.. Good luck with your journey. Its a hard road, but u will finds plenty of support from everyone around here. I had my surgery a lil over a yr ago, so i can help answer some of ur questions. Im certainly no expert, but I can give u my take on things.. :thumbup: Lisa

Thanks you two! I agree about the RN's... :lol0:

Since I began eating solid foods, Ive always been able to eat more than what most Sleevesters can eat. I still, to this day, eat things that I shouldnt. I fall off the wagon on a weekly basis, hence the reason I havent lost more weight.. However, I have found that even with those problems, its truly not so hard to get back on the wagon...it just takes some willpower..which Ive never had before, but am learning. My biggest issues is carbs....when I eat too many, I either gain or defintly dont lose...when I can cut those carbs out for about 2 days, I dont really want them as much. So, it makes it easier to get back on it. This journey defintly doesnt end when u have surgery. Surgery is not the "cure-all" that many think it is..including me, which is what I stupidly thought before surgery. Sure, I knew I would have to do my part, but always thought it would be easy. Its not! Its a work-in-progress...an every day thing for the rest of my life type of thing. The surgery makes it easier. For those that can eat more, sometimes its due to the size of bougie that was used by the surgeon...for others, its a matter of eating way too much. And for some of us, I just think, even tho my surgeon used an average sized bougie, I believe he just made my Sleeve alot more loose than others. Sometimes I wish I could go back and get him to "tighten" it up...but I cant afford to do that....so I make the best of what I have. So....when u fall off the wagon...get back up and try again...bc it will happen....Ive never met anyone who eats perfectly 365 days out of the year...ya know?

During surgery, my liver was "knicked". I lost alot of blood, resulting in 2 transfusions afterward. Theres no way I can blame my surgeon for this accident. Reason: I didnt follow my pre-op diet plan which would have resulted in decreasing my liver size. Due to my BMI of 73, my high weight, and my enlarged liver.. Im extremely lucky that my doctor was able to go ahead with my surgery. So I have no one to blame for me. Now, I encourage everyone to follow that pre-op diet plan. I wish I had of done that. Even with the complication, I didnt have any additional pain or hospital stay. I never even needed follow up care once I returned to the US. No infection, etc. I did see my doctor about a month after my surgery to check my lab work. I have too many health problems that have to be monitored, so lab work is essential.

Thanks WASa yeh, I may be that Lisa lol if ur talking OH here. Someone from there sent me here...so now Im here.. :wink0:

Yes it is very expensive. I did add an additional plan to include Mexico on mine for the time that I was there....but it was still very expensive. I was so homesick that I called alot, so my bill was horrific. I wish that I would have gotten a pre-paid phone card instead. That would have been much cheaper. hugs 'n love, Lisa

I considered the Band in the beginning, before I was introduced to the Sleeve. I read of too many people with complications with the Band, so I opted with the Sleeve. I know some people do well with the Band and Im happy for them, but as a nurse, I understand the anatomy and what the Band can do to cause problems. It just wasnt a risk that I was willing to take. However, any of the surgeries are a risk. You just have to research and choose the best one for you. I might think the Sleeve is the best surgery...but Im not going to say that its the best for everyone. That decision is up to you. hugs 'n love, Lisa