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I, too, developed lactose intolerance. Certain foods (yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, ice cream and yes, Protein shakes) cannot be tolerated. I get incredibly sick if I consume any of the foods that bother my system. There are several lactose free protein shakes on the market. I had to try three or four before I found that I can usually tolerate Muscle Milk RTD shakes. Keep working on it with samples or individual RTD shakes. There is most likely something out there that you can tolerate. I also went through the lack of appetite. It does come back. You have to push yourself to eat enough calories in the meantime, even when you don't want to. You cannot avoid eating for fear of gaining; you're only going to confuse your body and cause yourself problems. I gain when my calories stay low for too long, too. Right about the time my lactose intolerance got very bad I was also eating about 300 calories a day. I gained a few pounds and then stalled out for weeks. With your dramatic results so far, you should expect a stall at some point. Your body needs to adjust. Don't worry - it will eventually get the idea that everything is okay, provided you continue to nourish your body and stay healthy. I, too, had major issues with the chewables, and later with my Biotin pills. I now take gummi Vitamins. They don't make me sick and they go down just fine. Find an adult gummi Vitamin, and take enough of them to get what you'd get from your chewables. YOU CAN DO THIS. Just take a deep breath and relax. It's going to take your mind a long while to catch up to your new body. You've lost a tremendous amount of weight in the last seven months, both with and without your sleeve. You definitely should pursue some therapy to help you adjust. Please update once you speak to your doctor. Any advice/suggestions you receive could help others in your position. I strugged with the same physcial issues you're struggling with now. I'm in a far better place now, just two months later. Best of luck, ~Cheri

For me, a sign I've overeaten or that my blood sugar is going nuts is that I get hot and a bit lightheaded. My husband gets hot after every meal, no matter what he eats. He's never been sleeved - it's just the way his body works. He heats up like a furnace while he's digesting food. I hope you figure it out. Do you have anything else going on at the same time that could be related, like dizziness or a heavy feeling in your chest? ~Cheri

Congrats! Take it easy, follow the rules and you'll find that recovery is a breeze. ~Cheri

Coops: I am sooo sorry to hear you've been sick. Poor thing. We had a bout of the flu here that went round and round until I got sick THREE times, but luckily we got out of it before it got so bad. I'm glad you realize it's just your body trying to keep you well. I'm sure that once you're completely well again you'll drop more weight. I know it's frustrating and disheartening, but you'll get through this! You've been slow and steady the whole way, and you'll get back to that once you're well again. You're looking great, and doing a fantastic job! Kathy: Thanks a million, billion for the kind words. Isn't it so amazing to see that our men can be insecure, too? I think deep down my husband is afraid that I'll go looking elsewhere, too, since his first wife found herself a new husband while they were still married. I tell him that I can't believe he would think that. I'm married to a man that loved me AND my body madly at this size, all the way up to 275 when I was pregnant with our twins. He's been constant, faithful and just plain wonderful. I would never risk what I have on someone new, someone who would only be attracted to me physically, anyway. Men are so silly! I wish you the absolute best with your relationship. All you can do is keep proving to your boyfriend that you're here to stay and that he completely rocks your world! I'm sorry about the reflux. I do understand that fleeting regret about one last binge. I don't forbid myself anything anymore. I'm losing slowly, but I'm still losing. If you're still thinking about that cheesy pepperoni in a day or two, kill the crave with a small homemade cheese and pepperoni pizza or by buying a single slice. Eat a little bit and get it out of your system. I was craving frozen custard like you would not believe - I was having dreams about ice cream cones! I finally broke down and had some...I wound up eating two bites, finding it too sweet and splitting the dish between my kids instead. It's one thing to eat a junky treat in moderation and another to actually binge. Binging would be impossible now, and so long as you won't find yourself fighting an evil, two-headed carb monster afterward I don't see that indulging once in a while is a problem. We need to learn to eat like normal people, and normal people DO indulge once in a while. Just my opinion! I'm not encouraging you to be bad or overindulge, just to cut yourself some slack when you really want something. Lou: Now you know about wardrobe! Only buy one or two things in each size, or you're wasting money! I'm glad to hear you're doing so well with your diabetes. Mine hadn't progressed very far yet, and I'm completely off meds and normal now. It's wonderful. I bet you'll be here in no time. Just think of the years you're adding to your life by getting that horrible disease under control. Diabetes is very dangerous and getting mine under control was my biggest motivation. Thanks for the tips - I'll have to make sure my husband sees that there are perks to this skinnier me! I definitely think something a little less "matronly" would go a long way for him, so great idea. Well, folks, I'm glad for the updates we've had and I hope everyone is doing well. Stay safe during the holiday season and remember to use moderation when it comes to the yummy treats people throw at you this time of year, but don't deprive yourself of the things that will make you feel normal. ~Cheri

I stalled early out, too. My loss has always been in fits and starts - nothing for a week or two, then ten pounds in the next two weeks. I always stall during my monthly cycle. Everyone is different. Some people never experience a real stall. Some people have one every month and some people only stall once every few months. Just accept that you will lose the weight. Eat the right foods, push the Protein and drink your Water. Eventually you'll get to goal, at your own body's pace and not a second sooner. Best of luck to you! Keep your chin up and focus on eating enough, eating right and adjusting to life with your new sleeve. The scale will catch up later. ~Cheri

I just had to add these. Now, I'm a camera avoider and have been ever since I blew past the 150s as a teenager. Man...to be 150 again! But I digress. Here are some befores and one after. The befores are from June of this year. I have goofy looks on my face because I'm a camera avoider and honestly had no clue people were snapping my pictures (the jerks!) but now I'm glad I have proof. I swear I almost died this day. We were at the Heidelberg Shloss with all of the kids and the uphill walk was so hard on me...I kept having to stop and sit on the benches on the wall. I got to the top a sweaty, panting and red-faced mess! I am not joking when I say 70 year old German men were blowing past me bewildered that I couldn't jog up to the top the way there were doing. I have never felt so fat and unfit before in my life. I will never feel that way again. The after was taken Thanksgiving day, I was not primped, my bra is showing (it was way too big, I bought a new one) and my tummy rolls are clearly visible. Had I known this would be my only "after" shot that shows my body, I would have worn cute clothes and done my hair and makeup. Regardless of all that, I can't help but look at that picture and think, "Damn, I've come a long way!" I'll have my hubby take a better shot of me once he's back from his trip next week. Take care all! I do hope we get some updates around here.

Lou, congrats! I'm sure you'd doing a great job. Men usually drop the weight faster, too. Kathy, I recently saw a post by you on a different topic. You're doing a great job! You had a longer journey to onderland, but you'll be there before you know it! I know I don't think of myself as "fat" anymore. I finally see myself as just overweight. I am not disgusted by what I see in the mirror (when clothed, at least) and I can't remember the last time I put myself down either verbally or mentally. I view these things as huge strides in the right direction. I still don't see myself as "skinny" or "thin" yet. I see myself as more normal, even though the BMI chart has me hanging out in obesity land. But I'm no longer morbidly obese, at least! I had twins three years ago and MY WORD the things those sweet babies did to my stomach. I'd be a full shirt and pant size smaller if not for the large band of twin skin around my middle. Yes, this excess skin and fat does still make me a little uncomfortable, though I'm a far more confident woman than I used to be. I still find myself shocked at how large I am when I lie down in the bathtub...when it all spreads out and I see the space I take up, I can't believe I'm 60 pounds lighter at all. The reflux is now just a part of my life. I sometimes forget to take my pill and don't immediately have the burning hell in my esophagus anymore, so I hope it will eventually go away. I eat very small portions, but sometimes I love to eat! I had the Ahi Carpaccio appetizer at Cheesecake Factory a while back (well, part of it, anyway) and actually enjoyed it enough to ooh and aah over my dinner. Amazing! The lactose intolerance is a little harder. I didn't expect it the way I expected the reflux. I miss cottage cheese and yogurt. But for the most part, it's not that bad and it's not too tough to avoid foods that will make me ill. It does limit my protein options, though. I am losing hair but I'm not seriously alarmed yet. I had a ton of hair on my head and losing a bit of it isn't hurting me so far. I enjoy shopping. I fit in almost everything I try on! It's the best part, I think! I'm down to 11/12-13/14 or L pants, and L shirts. It's pretty neat to be able to shop in any store. I've also gone down a shoe size. The "ladies" are very sad little ladies these days, but they fit in normal sizes again. I figure it's nothing a little surgery can't fix in the future and I don't worry too much about it. My main issue right now, and the one I'd love to hear feedback on, is that my husband and I are in disagreement about my goal weight. I picked the highest weight I could be and still have a normal BMI. I wanted to be able to have a doctor actually view me as a patient and stop telling me my weight is causing all of my problems. I wanted to be taken seriously. My husband likes short, chunky women. I am currently the size I was when we met. He's already mourning the loss of my butt and chest. He really wants me to stop losing in about 20 pounds or so. He's been incredibly supportive despite the fact that he never felt I needed to lose weight in the first place. He's a fit, active man himself but he loves curvy women. I'm actually insecure about the thought of losing too much weight. In most relationships, women wouldn't worry about this, but I'll have other men paying attention to me (it's already happening more now that I'm losing) and he'll be looking for the chubby women in the room! It's like the opposite of how I've felt during my marriage. I never worried my husband would cheat on me with some skinny blonde, because the man likes fat women! Any advice? Is anyone else dealing with this? I trust my husband, but I've always known he's very attracted to me. I'd hate that to change simply because of my weight. We're very open about what we find attractive, and not one time has my husband ever found a thin woman attractive. I will say that his idea of a pretty woman got larger as I got larger over the years though. I wonder if this will work in reverse, too? I have a fantastic marriage. I'd really hate to ignore his feelings about my body, the same way he'd make me crazy if he shaved his head knowing I hate it, but ultimately we both realize that it's my choice. Well, it's been a great five months for me. I'm losing slower than I like because it's been a stressful month and a half of traveling. But overall it's great and I was able to simply get back on track. I absolutely LOVE my sleeve. I cannot imagine regretting this surgery. I'm grateful for it every day. In those five weeks of completely stressed out travel (and we have a few months more of being displaced to look forward to, I think) I ate whatever I wanted...I gained about three pounds but maintained after that. I was able to jump back to protein first and I've dropped ten pounds in less than two weeks. My sleeve ROCKS. I want to hear how everyone else is doing now! ~Cheri

My pills get stuck, but I found some that are 5000 mcg per pill, so it was only one pill to struggle with daily. I took it faithfully until last month, when I just could not bear the nausea and burning in my esophagus any longer. In my case, I don't think it helped much, if at all, but you might be different. If you eat a lot of green, leafy veggies in addition to that little bit of milk you might be okay, but we should be consuming about 1,200 mg of calcium a day so if you're under that I would add in another chew. It's when you get upwards of that 1,200 mg per day that it gets to be too much. I barely eek out my 1,200 with supplements and food myself, so you might track your intake for a typical day to see where you're at. I hope it gets better for both of us! I used to have such pretty nails and hair and they're both pretty pathetic right now. ~Cheri

I'm having the same issue. I've always had really lovely, long nails that were hard to break even if I went months without a manicure. Post op it's hard to grow them out because they're always splitting or breaking. They're dry - in fact, my whole body seems dry this winter, which is a new issue, too. I'm also losing my hair but not enough to panic over yet. I was prepared for some pretty serious thinning and while I do sometimes worry about the amount I seem to be losing it's not really that noticeable yet. I, too, have supplemented since the beginning and I also had to stop taking the Biotin. It was making me sick to my stomach and the pills seemed to get stuck in my esophagus, too. I've upped my Water intake and am trying to keep an eye on what I eat, because I wasn't getting enough fats for a while there. While putting polish on them will help them look nicer, it won't improve the actual nails. It takes a few months for the nails to grow out, and like our hair the condition of them depends on what we're putting in our bodies. If you're already on a multi and your B12, the only real things to improve are fatty acids, calcium and Protein. Biotin isn't a proven to work, so if you're already taking 5000mcg daily (what my doc suggested I take), I wouldn't take any more than that. The fact is, the VSG keeps us from eating a lot of those foods that made our hair and nails look fantastic. I no longer have a tremendously rounded diet. I'm sure once I'm at goal, have stopped losing and am eating a wider variety of foods these issues will improve. ~Cheri

I had a real problem with appetite for several months. Now that I'm five months out, I actually do have a bit of an appetite. I get the urge to eat and I do enjoy at least a small portion of most things I eat. I've even oohed and aahed over food recently - something I haven't done since surgery. It takes time, but you'll eventually get past this. I asked the same question a few months ago, and wasn't sure I believed Tiffy when she reassured me that it passes, but she was right. Just give it time, and focus on eating the right foods until eating sounds appealing again. I think Tiffy is spot on - once I started introducing a few more carbs (and branching out and enjoying a wider variety of food) food starting sounding better. I did continue to cook for my husband and my kids, though a little less regularly and much smaller meals than before. I didn't mind it at all - I had no appetite so even when I was on liquids the food wasn't a temptation. The only real change there is that their meals have become healthier now that my own eating habits have changed. It really does get easier - just hang in there! ~Cheri

Wishing you a swift and speedy recovery. Everything will be great - we can't wait to hear from you once you're sleeved! ~Cheri

Yes, call immediately! It's better to be safe than sorry. I experienced something similar and was feeling incredibly full and almost sick after just half a tiny meatball. After seeing the doctor and a specialist and having an upper GI done last week, they told me to eat smaller bites and actually showed me how tiny they wanted them to be. It's pretty embarrassing, but the issue was that I was eating bites that were too big and causing the esophagus to spasm. Oops. Apparently, even thumbnail sized bites are too big for me, because I'm lazy with the chew, chew, chewing part. However, since I went in and corrected my eating habits, I'm back to eating 2 ounces of dense Protein, instead of 2 bites. But it could be something very serious, so you need to be checked right away to be certain. Keep us posted, I hope it's a simple fix. ~Cheri

I wouldn't be. It could be a few things. It could be acid. When you have too much acid, it rumbles in your belly just like a growling stomach. It feels JUST like hunger. This is most likely your issue, even if you're already on a PPI, because most PPIs take 10-14 days to start working effectively. It could also be that your ghrelin levels haven't tapered off yet. It takes a while for some people to lose the hunger. It could be head hunger. Even though I've not experienced actual hunger since surgery, around day 16-17 of my post op liquid diet I felt like I was starving. Really, what I wanted was to chew food. Once I had the chance to eat solids (well, mushies) I quickly found that I wasn't very hungry, after all. Or, you could just be one of the very unlucky people that doesn't lose the hunger with the surgery. Not everyone does. I wouldn't assume this is your issue until you've carefully considered the other options. Out of all my research, and all the time I've spent on this board (and OH) lurking and then as a registered member, I've only seen two or three people EVER post that they always feel real, actual hunger post op. Some people still get a "hungry" feeling when they've gone a while without eating, but it's not the same thing. So I wouldn't just assume the surgery was a failure because of this. Wait it out. If you aren't on a PPI get on one. Good luck. ~Cheri

I didn't have a liquid preop for my surgeon, but I forced myself to do Medifast for four months as a weight loss attempt in 2008. At least Medifast was 5 & 1 - five liquid meals, one lean and green meal. The hardest part of the liquid diet for me, beyond the insanely lowered calories, is that I desperately wanted to chew food. I know how hard it is. I remember how my entire day revolved around when I could drink my next shake or Soup. Does your pre op guideline allow any free foods, such as sugar free Jello or broth? If it does, you'll have a little flex room and can add in a free food twice a day. No, it won't be terribly satisfying (though you'd be surprised how much fun it is to "chew" jello after you've been drinking for a few weeks) but it might help you out mentally. Post op I didn't mind liquids for a few days. I was sore, I was tired, I was just happy the surgery went well. My post op guideline had me on liquids 20 days - 10 days of clears, 10 days of full liquids. By day 7 of clears I wanted fulls, but had to stick it out for three more days. By day 6 or 7 of full liquids I wanted nothing more than to chew food. Those last few days were long and hard for me. In short, it's easier post op. You're not going to be feeling as hungry, and you'll have your surgery aches and the rapidly dropping weight to distract you. But yeah, by the end of your post op, if it's as strict as mine was, you'll probably want something you can actually chew. For me, it was easy to look at the post op diet and compare it to those four long and torturous months on Medifast. I only lost 27 pounds in those four months. This is only for a few weeks, and you're going to lose a lot. Then, once you're able to eat more food, you're going to continue to lose weight (albeit at a slower pace). While it will still be a struggle sometimes and you will stall and plateau a few times you are probably not going to fight to lose every pound the way you have in the past. It's all worth it. Just try to focus on the goals, and see if you can work a free food or two into your diet while you wait. ~Cheri

It's all going to depend on how you heal and tolerate surgery. If you've had a major surgery in the past and recovered well, you might expect to do the same. I'd had several other surgeries, including laparoscopic ones, so I was pretty sure I knew what to expect. It was slightly worse than I anticipated. I spent 3 nights in the hospital so I did the majority of my recuperating there, with nurses to help me out. I then flew almost six thousand miles back to Germany and within a day of landing was chasing my two year old twins around. The day after I returned from surgery (day five) I spent the day doing light hiking, playing games with the family and picnicking - it was a bit soon for me. I did well but by the end of the day I needed a pain pill and lots of sleep. I was sore and uncomfortable for most of the day for three days after my surgery, and I spent these days in the hospital. Then I was sore and uncomfortable only at night and when I overexerted myself for another two or three days. I only used pain pills for five days, so I know I was feeling much better by day six. Within one week I was almost back to normal. I still tired fairly easily for about ten days post op, mostly because it's difficult to consume enough calories and Protein immediately post op. I'm sure you'll be able to lend a hand around the house with your wife not feeling well, even just a few days post op. I think the light hikes and cabin camping should be a breeze, and by the longer and more strenuous trip you'll be farther out and better able to tolerate the activity. Get your VSG done as soon as you can if you can't avoid the January date, because you want as much healing time as possible by then, just in case you have a harder recovery than you expect. Good luck, and keep us posted once you decide when you'll have your surgery. ~Cheri

Okay, I'm actually a little over three months out now. My surgery was 15 July with Dr. Aceves. I was down 45 pounds at my 3 month mark. My starting weight was 242 pounds and I'm 5'1" and change. I started in an uncomfortably tight 18/20 and I'm now wearing loose 16s. The 14s are still uncomfortably tight, but I'll be in them by next month. My shirts were XXL and XL and are now L. No more Xs on my shirts! I've lost a bra size (both band and cup) and I'm finally able to wear my wedding band again. My shoes went up half a size when I went over 220 pounds, and now all of the shoes I bought are too loose and slip off my feet. I stall every month, twice a month. I lose about 15 pounds a month but I lose those pounds in two and a half weeks. I'm a type 2 diabetic and I'm insulin resistant, and my weight loss is "slow" compared to a lot of people sleeved at the same time. It's normal for me to stall for ten days and then drop six pounds in the next four days. Milk is not my friend. After a lot of work to pinpoint what was causing my digestive issues, the answer is MILK. Even lactaid upsets my stomach. My Protein shake, cottage cheese and plain yogurt do the same to a much lesser degree. I was looking for alternative and my doctor suggested goat or sheep milk, saying that they don't have lactose. I'd switch to almond milk or soy milk (if I could tolerate the taste!) but I'm about to move to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and I wanted to go with an alternate I could find once we move. Goats and sheep abound in Tashkent, but soy milk and almond milk do not! The great news is that goat milk isn't too bad once you get used to the aftertaste. At first it felt like I was drinking milk while munching on chevre. Since switching a few days ago, I've been able to drink my Protein shakes with only minor intestinal distress. I've also broken through a two week stall and lost 2 pounds, so things are moving again. I am losing hair. Not too much yet, but there is definitely more hair on my shirts and in the drain catcher. I've been taking Biotin (5000 mcg) since preop and I get all of my Vitamins in - I think the newly increased loss is due to my lower protein intake. While I was unable to drink my shakes I wasn't getting enough protein. I hope that I'll be able to pull through this without too much additional loss. My diabetes is well under control with just diet and exercise. I sleep better and longer than I did before surgery. I'm also more energetic and move a lot more than I used to, without getting sore or tired. Sometimes I don't see much of a change, but then I'll see a picture of me from this summer flip by on our screensaver and realize that I've come a long way already. My face is definitely thinner, and I only have a little more to lose before that dreaded double chin is completely gone. I have no regrets and would have this surgery again in a heartbeat. I wish I lost a little faster, but even at this slow rate, I'll be at goal by spring. ~Cheri

Family and friends can be unsupportive because they're worried or because they don't understand the process or your position. We all go through this, and we all grieve the loss of our comforting food friends. The fact is, you need to decide if you hate being fat more than you love those foods. They aren't gone forever, so take heart in that. They're out for now, and for a while post op, but as you learn better eating habits you'll find you crave those foods less. Once you're at that point it's not hard to have them in moderation. The sleeve is going to make the moderation thing a LOT easier. If you're not starving all the time it's much easier to be satisfied with a small glass of wine or a single slice of pizza. Don't talk yourself out of this procedure. Your fears are normal, and I promise, they'll be easier to deal with post op. ~Cheri

It could be a number of things, really, and you'll likely never know what it happened. Transitioning to mushies/blended foods tends to cause most people to stall. I experienced a small gain at this point myself - about two pounds. If you're constipated, something like Miralax will get things moving again. This could be part of your problem, too. I drink it every other day in a cup of hot tea and don't have that problem any more. Whatever the cause, you know logically that you can't possibly be consuming enough calories to account for four pounds of weight gain. Wait it out, and I'm sure you'll be back on track in no time. While exercise is a good idea to shake your body out of a stall, I'd be taking it very easy just three weeks out and not doing much more than a brisk walk, if anything. ~Cheri

I lost 17 pounds my first month. I stalled at week three and didn't lose again until my second month started. I lost 11 pounds my second month, and I lost 10 pounds my third month. I now know that I stall for a total of about ten days per month, thanks to my cycle. I'm a slower loser, but that still averages out to more than three pounds a week. I've never lost 3 pounds a week before. Yes, it's frustrating. Yep, we want to compare ourselves to everyone else. Women that were sleeved the same month as me, with similar stats, are already more than halfway to goal. But you know what? I am losing. I'm losing faster than I've ever lost weight before. And even though I feel like the slowest loser in the world I can reach my goal in less than nine months from my surgery date. That's just four to five more months. Once I put it in perspective, there's nothing to be upset about. It used to take me four months of near starving misery to drop 30 pounds before. In comparison, this is almost effortless. Keep up the good work, you're doing just fine. ~Cheri

You'll know it when you experience it. I don't ever get hungry. The only time my stomach growls is when I forget to take my acid reducer two days in a row! What I do get is a sort of empty feeling - I'll realize my middle feels hollow and then notice I haven't eaten all day long. I'm like Tiffy - I can go all day on liquids alone and completely forget to eat. I'm a Type 2 diabetic, and if I went a long while without eating before surgery I would get shaky, irritable and nauseated. Nowadays my blood sugar is pretty constant and those issues are completely gone. My full signal is also the hiccups. If I push past and eat another bite it will come right back up. I can stop before I feel hiccups, because my chest gets a little tight when I've eaten enough. You'll know what your signal is before too long. Eating too much (or too fast) will cause discomfort or will bring the food right back up. You'll pick up your signal very quickly because you'll want to avoid the uncomfortable feelings when you overeat. ~Cheri

I missed this thread until just now! I was sleeved by Dr. Aceves on 15 July 2010 and had a fantastic experience from the very first email all the way through my post op questions. I do not have a single complaint. I hope to one day drag my mom and sister back to him for sleeves of their own! ~Cheri

You've done a fantastic job! Congrats on all of the changes in your life - you sound incredibly happy. I'm sure you'll easily be able to beat that surgeon's goal by a few. The mental game is the hardest part, because the surgery does a lot of the work for us, doesn't it? With time I bet you'll adjust and get used to the new you. It seems to take a while for the mind to catch up to the body. Thanks for posting your success for others to see. When I was considering surgery these testimonials were what motivated me the most. Keep up the great work, I bet we'll see a GOAL post from you soon! ~Cheri

Choose meats/proteins that are less dense or dry. Pulled chicken barbeque made from chicken thighs, tuna salad, egg salad, chicken salad, very moist meatloaf with some gravy, swedish meatballs...these things should go down more easily. Use gravy, sauce, etc. to make the meat "slide" a little better. And take small bites, of course! I'm three months out and still have a tough time with dense meats like steak or chicken breast. I have to take very small bites - thumbnail sized or smaller - if I want to eat anything more than one bite. The constant feelings of hunger could be a few things. One, it could be acid. Really. I know everyone says this and before I experienced it I thought it wasn't true. But it is true. The acid roiling in our little tummys sounds and feels just like a growling belly. It makes you think you're hungry. So, make sure you're on a true acid reducer like Prilosec or Nexium. I was on Nexium right after surgery then Prevacid for a while. Prevacid did not work, which is when I experienced the acid issues. Prilosec does work and solved the problem. It could also be actual hunger. The surgery doesn't always take away your hunger, though it does for most. I could be your diet is too low in Fiber, carbohydrates or even Protein. You need these things to feel "full" and satisfied. Also, if you're trying to eat mainly meat but getting stuck after two bites you can't be eating much. Check your caloric intake, too. Don't go too low, or you will feel hungry because you actually ARE. If you feel hungry and it's really hunger, why not drink a low carb Protein shake? Getting more protein can't hurt you, and it will certainly make you feel a bit more satisfied. Or, it could be head hunger. I doubt this is the case, but each time you think about grabbing something to eat, or feel hungry you should ask yourself if you're really hungry or if you simply have the desire to eat. I only battle this during my cycle - but boy, for that week I can and will eat everything in sight if I'm not careful. Good luck. We all make the mistake of comparing ourselves to others. I'm always whining that I'm a slow loser, but for me, compared to past diets, I'm losing very quickly. In your case, I know I've read a stories on VST in the past where people haven't lost their hunger. Some people never do. I hope that this is temporary for you and that with either an acid reducer or a change in diet you can overcome. ~Cheri

I'm a scale addict, too! I try very hard not to let it get to me, though. Now that I'm three months out, I see the pattern. I gain anywhere from 1.5-3 pounds twice a month: at ovulation, and during my period. The scale also will not move during that time. Once that part is over I lose the weight and usually a few extra pounds. Even with the small gains each cycle I'm still losing 15 pounds a month - in reality I lose about five pounds a week three weeks of the month and nothing when I have my cycle. And I'm a slow loser! I can't be unhappy. Try not to let it mess with your head too much. You're defintely not alone. When the scale starts to seriously affect your moods and seeing no change (or heaven forbid, a small gain) puts you in a rotten mood for the whole day it's time to put the scale away for a day or two. I speak from experience! Usually after a day or two things settle down and I usually see at least a small drop in weight during that time. ~Cheri

Immediately post op I couldn't sleep for anything. I've always been an insomniac, and it was even worse than usual for a few weeks. I also needed a nap during the day for a week or two. Now that I'm three months out it's completely different. I have NEVER slept this well in my adult life. Once I fall asleep, I'm out. I used to toss and turn all night long and drive my husband nuts. These days I can wake up in exactly the same position I fell asleep in, never having moved all night! I used to be very happy with four or five hours of sleep a night, and now I average eight to nine. It's wonderful. I think part of it is comfort - I'm not as heavy so my back and hips don't hurt all night long. I'm not constantly shifting to find a more comfortable position. It's definitely an unexpected benefit of the surgery! ~Cheri