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Dense Protein is hard for a long time. It took me months to be able to get down more than two bites of beef. Crackers don't bother you because they slide. At this point you need to eat what you can but your best bet is to keep trying foods until you find a better option (as far as protein goes, because protein is really important) that you can tolerate. Provided you aren't experiencing lactose intolerance, cottage cheese is a great option. Lentils are high in protein, too, and should be easier than a very dense food to eat. Tofu works if you like it and is a much softer food. Try eggs and see how they go. Many people have an issue with them but just as many rely on them for protein. I still prefer eggs over beef or chicken. Discomfort means you're eating either too much or too fast or not chewing well enough. Slow it down. At five weeks out you can be stuffed to the point of pain after just a couple bites of food, even if you feel like you need to eat more or if you have the compulsion to clean your plate. If you haven't found a Protein Shake that you like, keep working on it until you do find one. You will feel much better once your nutritional goals are being met and shakes are a great way to do that, especially when it's so difficult to eat. Good luck, ~Cheri

I find it ironic that there's this thread right here wondering why people do these things, followed by a bunch of "you don't know or understand" and "you're not being supportive!" posts...and just a few threads down on this board are a bunch of people reaming out another person for wanting to start solids before their surgeon allows it. Look, being a food addict doesn't give you a free pass to do stupid things. And yes, it's not nice or PC to say it, but it's absolutely a stupid thing to trust a surgeon to slice your body open and remove most of an organ, and then to decide on your own to just eat what you want despite the fact that he/she gave you a diet specifically geared to prevent life threatening complications. YOU CAN DIE FROM A LEAK. Do you know why the complication rate is low with the sleeve? Partly because our surgeons give us post op diets to follow to prevent complications! I'm sorry, but if you are not in a place where you can mentally withstand three weeks of a liquid diet and would rather risk your life eating Cookies and hamburgers during that phase, you should probably get some counseling prior to surgery. I am not being cruel, I am saying this as nicely as I know how to say it. There is no shame in needing support. However, it would be a real shame for someone to risk their life and undergo serious pain and follow on surgeries because they were not prepared to exercise willpower long enough to heal. We all have food addictions and bad habits - every one of us. Some people cope better than others, certainly. But nobody here has an easy relationship with food or we'd have skipped the organ removal! And I don't care what anyone says - being supportive means being HONEST. Sure, there are nice ways to do this and blunt and harsh ways. In my opinion, the OP was not harsh or rude in any way. Certainly she said nothing out of line. If you come here and ask the advice of total strangers on the internet, do not expect that everyone is going to give you a rainbow sparkles hug when you're doing dumb things. Sometimes we need a wake up call and gently saying, "Gosh, I don't know that eating a cheeseburger is a good idea a week post op" probably isn't as effective as saying, "Do you have a death wish?!" People with addictions love to blame their addictions for their own choices and weakness but the reality is that every one of us can change. We have to choose to do it. Do not say "I can't stop eating" because YES YOU CAN. It's just harder to stop, that's all. Good luck, folks. And to anyone I offend now or later on VST, I'm sure I meant it in the nicest way possible. ~Cheri

Glad you found one! That's the ticket there - I think too many people make this journey harder than it needs to be because they give up after one or two shakes they dislike. I cannot mix my shakes with milk. Okay, I'm lactose intolerant, but with milk they're sickly sweet. I much prefer to mix my preferred powder (Syntrax nectar in vanilla, chocolate or cappuccino) with black coffee or some freshly brewed tea. It cuts the sweet and is far more palatable to me. I also don't like thick shakes - I want them thin - so this works well for me. I think RTD shakes are harder on the system and taste foul. I haven't found a single one I could drink every day. I need variety! If I want to change things up, I just use a flavored coffee with my Protein powder and it's like a different drink. It keeps me happy and even more than two years out I try to start each day with one to keep my protein levels high. The idea is to find what works. As for unflavored, I far prefer Syntrax Medical Unflavored to any other unflavored out there. I've tried several different brands and this is the only one that I can't smell or taste in my food. I can add it to Soup, I boost my shakes with an extra scoop of it, and I have even sneaked it into baked goods and had my kids devour them with no question. ~Cheri

You're not reading the right threads! A large number of people lose weight quickly, achieving goal in nine months or so. An even larger number of us slowly plod our way there in fits and starts. I lost, on average, just over six pounds a month. It took me 17 months to lose 107 pounds and get to goal. I am no less a success story simply because it took me longer to get to goal. In fact, I might argue that the longer journey gave me more time to work on overcoming my food issues and to build good habits. I maintained nearly effortlessly until this pregnancy and have no doubt I will return to my nice, comfy goal weight window once this baby is born. You'll do this. The goal here isn't a time goal. It's a number goal. It doesn't matter when you reach it, provided you get as close as you can. Some people have to readjust their goals upward or downward because they find their body has a different idea in mind. I did - I never did have an easy time maintaining 135 pounds. It was a struggle every day, but if I just let that number sit at 137 instead? No issues, no gains, no counting calories and what the heck, I'm still a size small and 6 at that weight, right? Sometimes we have to let go of the expectations and just let it happen. Focus less on how quickly you reach your goal and more on building the habits you need to stay there once you achieve it. ~Cheri

Yep, it's all about height, weight and mostly shape. I'm 5'1" and some change (not close enough to 5'2" to claim it) and at around 165 pounds I was wearing 12/14 and a L top from just about any major retailer. I could sometimes fit a M and sometimes had to size up to an XL. At 145 pounds, I was a size 8/M and wore a size 7 shoe...and just five pounds later, nearing my goal of 135, I was in a solid size 6/S and my shoe size was down to a 6-6.5. I only lost five pounds but my entire body reshaped - I went from carrying what little excess weight I had in my middle to being an hourglass again. All of the extra fat in my body left the oddest places (my feet?!) and went to my bust and behind. No complaints, honestly, but I thought I was done and wound up having to buy an entirely new wardrobe from the undergarments up and back down to shoes again! I add that so you can see that there's just no real way to predict where you'll be at any given weight. I stocked up on a few size 10s I found on sale and zipped from a 12 to an 8 and never got to wear the 10s at all. I gave away sundresses and capris last year that still had tags on them because after being stuck in one size for months I dropped two in a matter of weeks. Oh, and the first time I picked up a size eight and a medium top I was certain they wouldn't fit. In fact, I kept trying to buy clothes that were too big for me because my brain simply wouldn't accept that I could actually be in those sizes. I live overseas and placed a large order for winter sweaters in a size small last year and was in a panic before they arrived, sure that everything would be too small and would need to be returned. Every single item fit...and even one or two of the smalls were a bit loose. So the best way to be sure what fits is to try it on, and bring a shopping buddy that won't steer you wrong and will let you know when you're trying to buy something that looks like a muumuu instead of a pretty, fitted blouse! Right now I weigh 158 pounds and wear a maternity small and a 6 or 8 in maternity pants, in case you were wondering. ~Cheri

I had a very sensitive system prior to surgery as well. The only post op concern has been the development of lactose intolerance, which, with hindsight, is what I think was causing most of my issues prior to surgery as well. I think I was already heading that way and that much of the discomfort and nausea I felt before just turned into a downright intolerance post op. It sounds odd and it was very frustrating at first living without dairy, but it's probably changed my life 100x for the better. I think that it's important to take a PPI post op to control acid, and to be very mindful of how anything we eat affects our systems. I only eat real foods and have cut out any low-fat, artificial fake foods that used to be in my diet. If I'm only eating a few bites, I want them to be quality taste and nutrition. My body is much happier for it. Do keep in mind that the first few weeks post op are spent on a liquid diet and drinking a lot of Protein shakes. Many people get a bit concerned that they're having a reaction or intolerance but liquids in = liquids out. But if you find any accompanying digestive discomfort do check for lactose intolerance first. I was miserable until I figured it out! ~Cheri

Do the five day pouch test, intended for RNY patients. The best way to detox is to go back to the basics and cut out anything that can cause a craving until it's out of your system. The pouch test will also help you adjust back to a smaller portion and it will help you stop any grazing if that's an issue. The reality is that this surgery only gave you a smaller stomach, it didn't address the root cause of your obesity in the first place. I think many of us, even when we tell ourselves that this isn't a miracle solution, really hope it will be and aren't quite prepared for how much work it is to not only learn how to eat properly, but to develop a healthier relationship with food. You have to be in control of food, and not let it control you. You have to find the causes for your eating habits and change them. Counseling helps a lot of people. Reading positive stories here can help, too, as can reading as many books as possible about the topic. The sleeve is going to help you stop eating a great deal of food in one sitting but nothing will ever stop you from eating slider foods or drinking high calorie beverages. You have to make those changes yourself. The easiest way is to cut them out of your life completely until you're in control of your habits. These desires to eat are almost certainly hormonal or psychological attachments to food. Each time you stop yourself from indulging you gain a little more knowledge about yourself and a little more strength to stop it again the next time. The longer you stop indulging, you should find that the cravings diminish. We do not struggle with our weight solely because we eat too much food. We struggle because we have built up unhealthy eating habits over a lifetime. Simply making the stomach smaller doesn't address the rest of the issue, unfortunately, though it does make it easier to walk away from food once we learn how to do it. Good luck, ~Cheri

Everyone should be on a PPI after surgery, but some doctors do not do this for some reason. A PPI makes a HUGE difference in how we feel and really does stop the confusing signals we can get from too much acid in our tiny new sleeves. The groaning and gurgling of an overly acidic stomach is exactly and I mean EXACTLY the same as a hungry, rumbling tummy prior to surgery. It is very easy, even for vets like myself, to forget this fact and eat when we shouldn't be eating, or to feel "hungry" when we aren't hungry at all. I was on a PPI (omeprazole, I just bought OTC) for about 4-6 months post op, but recently had to start taking it again daily now that I'm pregnant. I spent a whole two weeks wondering why I felt like I was starving all day long even when I was eating plenty of food, and suffering heartburn in the evenings. You'd think I would know better at this point! But as soon as I got on my generic Prilosec again the "hunger" went away and the heartburn did, too. Now I'm far more comfortable and not snacking around the clock. It takes a while to read the new cues. I don't feel real hunger any more. I get an empty feeling, instead, usually aided by checking the clock and realizing I have managed to skip a meal. Feeling full isn't what it used to be. It's a runny nose or a tight feeling in the chest that tells me I'm at my limit. And yes, the acid thing is also something we need to learn. It's normal. Pay attention to your body and stay within the new limits you learn and you'll eventually adjust and be fine. Outside of this pregnancy, life with a sleeve is now my normal life and I don't usually have any problems knowing how much I can eat or when I'm actually hungry. At some point you get used to the new normal and it isn't confusing any more. Good luck, ~Cheri

I'm glad they were able to fix the issue before it worsened. I'm sorry about the delay, because it can be frustrating. But the reality is that more time to prepare is never a bad thing and three months will go by more quickly than you think. I waited three months from the time I booked my surgery to the time I was able to go and have it done, so I understand. I read so much and learned a lot and I think that it really helped me post op. I'm glad you still have one tube and I have more than one friend with a similar situation that was able to conceive this way, so no worries for your future. I'm sure everything will work out in time. Best of luck, and here's wishing you a speedy three months! ~Cheri

Congrats on your sleeve. Dealing with body image is important and it's a struggle for almost all of the women here, I think. We get used to viewing ourselves a certain way and it's not easy to change that or to get used to the changes in the way other people treat us. You will most assuredly look different in nine months, no question. I'm sure your husband will be surprised! My husband (also military) went TDY for several weeks right after I had my surgery and I was on my own with two year old twins. He was only gone a few weeks but when he got back he noticed a big difference. I didn't really see it because I was looking in the mirror every day. For him (and for everyone else that you don't see every day) the changes hit all at once and it does seem more drastic to them. My husband went on to our next assignment when I was less than two years out (I hit goal around 17 months) and it was amazing how much I changed in the three months we were apart. I lost two pant sizes and to him, I went from an average-sized girl to a skinny girl. It took me another four or five months to actually see myself that way, though. I understand not having/wanting a great deal of help. Just be sure that if things do get challenging that you ask for it, because there is definitely a support system in place for the spouses. I, personally, did not tell many people about my surgery, so asking for help afterward wasn't something I wanted to do, anyway. As for liquids, you really need to have a glass of drink near you at all times. If you're cleared to use a straw, you will get more liquids in using one. I never had any issues with using a straw but some doctors don't want their patients to use them for a while. If you're between meals, you should be sipping. Try room temp liquids as opposed to very cold ones. In the first few months they go down more easily. I had a problem with plain Water, of all things, but mixing in fruit drops or flavor of some sort made it possible to keep everything down. Congrats on staying away from the scale. Too many freshly sleeved folks hop on the scale over and over again during the first six weeks post op, and then get frustrated when they see a very normal gain from the IV or a slower loss than they expected. Just allow your body to adjust and at some point later on, start to weigh more regularly to stay accountable. You cannot ever predict how your body will lose in any particular month and being a slave to the scale will drive you crazy. Best of luck, ~Cheri

Congrats on your success! That didn't take long at all. I had a small bump by nine weeks and really do feel like I started to show much earlier this time around. Even being able to wear my normal pants (with a band) until well into the second trimester, I had a bump much earlier and was noticeably pregnant before the end of the first trimester. Nowadays I can still wear a handful of pre-pregnancy shirts and dresses but there's no way I'm wearing anything but maternity pants at this point. I piled on some weight very early on (hormones because we did a frozen embryo transfer) but have gained very slowly since that point. Actually, I'm finding that I go in bursts of gaining and losing and the scale might go +4 one month but -2 the next. As long as the baby keeps measuring spot on, I'm fine with all of that. And now that my appetite is diminished it is beyond clear to me that my sleeve is still there and still restricting my intake. I can hardly eat! How's the acid treating you? I'm back on a PPI but still dealing with heartburn every once in a while. ~Cheri

I think it's good to eat in moderation and not deny ourselves, because treating our new lifestyle like a temporary diet full of "good" and "bad" foods isn't feasible forever. That said, I also think it's important that we control our food choices instead of letting food control us. I think sweets like you're talking about only help us do one thing: crave more sweets. Empty calories are to be avoided for the most part. Because the truth for most of us is that the surgery wasn't necessary solely because of our food choices - it's also due to the food habits we've built over the years. Mindless snacking, indulging cravings, eating because it's the thing to do during the holidays, eating because we're bored, eating while we're emotional - these things are all habits we need to address and break for long term success if we want to live life at goal without living like we're on a restrictive diet. Couple poor food choices with poor food habits and you have a recipe for disaster. You've acknowledged that you're indulging the urge to snack on lesser-quality foods. Now shift that snack to a higher quality food until you can control the urge to snack completely. There's nothing wrong with a small bite between meals - but making good food choices 90% of the time is what allows us to indulge for the other 10% and you risk throwing all of that off when you indulge regularly. Figuring out why we eat when we eat is an important part of overcoming obesity. Our stomachs were not the only part of the problem, so work on this and start changing these habits now so that you can reach goal as a happier and healthier person all around. You'll be at far less risk for regain in the future if you invest time in yourself now. Good luck, ~Cheri

I hate to laugh but I think a lot of us relate! The good news is that I think you can expect a lot of rearranging and tightening between year one and two. It was truly amazing how much my skin rebounded and how much my weight shifted once I was within ten pounds of goal. Without losing more than five pounds, I lost an entire pant size, regained my hourglass figure and got to the point where the only really bad places with skin were my stomach (but I've had twins, remember!) and breasts. Everything else that was driving me nuts around one year post op (butt, thighs, upper arms and even my calves, of all places!) seemed to tighten up enough that I no longer felt I'd need/want plastics to fix them up. I'd definitely take the loose skin and the consequent higher end retro girdles and shapewear over the fat any day of the week. I put off plastics even more by choosing to get pregnant now, but the skin is actually pretty easy to live with once you're used to living with it and nobody but my husband knows what I'm hiding under my clothes, anyway. So, hang in there. I know that both age and genetics are a factor here but I really do think that once your weight stabilizes you'll find it's not so bad. I can't believe you're almost a year out already!! ~Cheri

I had my repeat screening done. Instead of drinking the glucola in 5 minutes, they let me sip it slowly over 15 minutes. I still experienced the dizziness, nausea and upset stomach. However, I was able to avoid the vomiting and diarrhea this time around. I was given a room and rested in the clinic the entire time and was actually able to nap between my blood tests, and I think this helped immensely. My blood sugars came back a little higher than last time but still very good. I was 67 fasting, 158 at one hour and back at 67 at two hours. It appears my sugars just run a little lower than they used to, but the only complication this appears to have given me is immediate side effects like shaking or dizziness if I skip a meal when I shouldn't, so it doesn't appear to be a real concern. And of course I'm relieved that I do not have gestational diabetes. If anything, having my sleeve to help control my diabetes was an excellent choice and I have no real worries about my type 2 coming back any time soon. ~Cheri

It's too soon but with time it will be fine. No way would I risk those popcorn hulls around the swollen staple line. Stay away until you are fully healed. Think about how popcorn gets stuck in your teeth and imagine that around your recently sliced and diced stomach. Popcorn is definitely do-able later. Things to watch for: Pop your own. Avoid artificial junk. Even if it takes a few extra minutes to pop it in an air popper or on the stove, making your own is far better for you. You can even use the paper bag microwave method. Just don't buy the crud in boxes. It's a trigger food for a lot of us, and to make matters worse, popcorn slides. If I eat it too often, I want it every night. That's not moderation and that's not a good habit to build. Even early out from surgery I could easily eat a couple cups of popcorn in a sitting. Now I portion myself and only eat it a few times a month. I need to be in control of my food, not the other way around. Do you love a big bowl of salty popcorn coupled with a big glass of fizzy soda? Yeah, me, too. Watch it, because in me, the popcorn triggers the desire for soda, which in turn triggers a daily desire to drink soda. I have to avoid this stuff because moderation is harder for me with these foods. I allow a small bowl of popcorn and a small glass of soda when I treat myself, but it was a hard struggle at first. You have no idea how much those food habits and combinations are to break! I know that the scale is going to jump the morning after popcorn. It doesn't matter if I had a small portion or not, I always jump up a pound or two the day after. It's gone the following day but if you're going to lose your mind seeing this, avoid popcorn. I have a friend this happens to, too, and she loses her mind when she sees the scale go up. I wholeheartedly support choosing a diet that allows us the freedom to eat what we want without feeling deprived. The sleeve is not a diet. That said, any food that is an addiction or constant craving is to be approached with caution. Your sleeve is not going to stop you from snacking and grazing, it's simply going to stop you from eating a massive portion of a food that won't slide in one sitting. And again, stay away from popcorn for a few months. It's no good for that healing sleeve, I promise you. ~Cheri

It often takes months to reach your nutritional goals every day. I couldn't do it without shakes which is why I urge everyone to find one they like. If you don't like them mixed with milk try coffee or tea instead. But find one you like, because you're going to rely on them to hit your Protein and calorie goals for a while. I am more than two years out and still have a shake a day most days - I mix with coffee most of the time. Worry more about building good eating habits than hitting doctor stated goals. Drink a shake a day, maybe two if eating is very difficult but drinking isn't too hard. Track calories and log your food. Get a good feel for where you're at and what you're eating. Focus on protein, then good quality carbs and real fats. Eat a balanced diet that you can keep down and keeps you from feeling deprived. As time passes you'll find your capacity will increase, too. Eventually time will pass and you'll realize that you're easily hitting those goals. For the time being, relax, let your body heal and go slowly. I keep a cup of drink with me and if I'm not eating I'm sipping on a drink, around the clock. Getting enough Water is really important and it takes effort! This is normal. You'll get past this stage before you know it. Oh, and your loss isn't slow at all. I lost, on average, just over six pounds a month. Not everyone drops 100 pounds in six months - many more of us lose at a slower and more reasonable pace, and there is nothing wrong with that. ~Cheri

If you're grazing it's not going to fill you. Basically, you'd be eating artificial junk that slides while leaving behind a craving for more artificial junk. Empty calories and artificial crud should be avoided by all of us. While I advocate a balanced approach to eating, without denying yourself, I also advocate healthy eating and the use of moderation. The ways to feel full? Protein first. Lots of protein, including shakes, will help you feel full longer. Eat a reasonable amount of good quality carbohydrates so that you don't feel deprived and have energy. Eat real fats, in moderation, so that your food is more satisfying and tastes better. Eliminate as many artificial, fat-free fake foods from your diet as possible. These things do not satisfy you and the sleeve is not a diet. You do not need these foods. The goal is to eat real food, in moderation, so that you feel happy and satisfied without turning to foods that lack nutrition and cause you to crave. Address your eating habits NOW. You're grazing? Stop it. I know, it sounds so easy and simplistic and almost cruel to say. But that's the reality here. The sleeve gave you a limited stomach and will stop you from eating a pizza in a sitting, but nothing is ever going to stop you from eating a cookie an hour around the clock. If you choose to continue eating out of habit, boredom or due to emotional triggers, you will have trouble reaching goal and trouble maintaining. That's the absolute truth. There is no shame in wanting or needing counseling. Our stomachs did not make us fat. Filling them up beyond capacity for years on end, for whatever reasons we did that, is what makes a person obese enough to require surgery. Address the cause of your obesity and you'll find that life gets a lot easier. It's time to discover why you eat when you do and correct that behavior. Building healthy habits now will help you maintain for life. Treating the sleeve like a diet and then cheating on that diet will lead to the same success as past diets did prior to surgery. That is to say, it won't work. Good luck. There is no shame in admitting that this isn't easy. It's not. If it were easy and the sleeve were a magic tool we'd all have 100% success and never complain or hit a roadblock. This is using a tool to change a lifetime of bad habits and food issues. It takes time and it's not always forward progress. Work on it and do your best to overcome these things and you can only help yourself be happier and healthier for the rest of your life. ~Cheri

We need carbs for energy, so yes, incorporate them! It's also been stated that men do well on Atkins type diets but that women benefit from a more balanced approach to food. I eat about 40% Protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats and feel perfectly satisfied. I also maintained my weight very easily before I got pregnant - I think, in part, because I never felt deprived or the urge to snack because I was limiting myself. And I definitely noticed an improvement in my mood once I added in more carbs. I get pretty grumpy and cranky when I deny myself carbohydrates. Before I jump into a "the sleeve is not a diet" lecture, I'll simply say that it's important to learn to eat like a normal person, in moderation, BEFORE achieving goal. Build the habit of healthy eating and you'll carry it with you for a lifetime. Deny yourself critical elements of your diet and you'll only be unhappy and risk binges. That said, avoiding empty calories and artificial junk is always something we should do. If you're going to eat, try to make it a high quality food that will benefit your body instead of making you crave more junk. Quinoa is one of my FAVORITE foods to incorporate post op. It's a complete protein, an easily digestible seed and can be used so many different ways that I never tire of it. Bread is an iffy thing. Not for health reasons but because your sleeve is going to decide for you if you're going to be able to eat much of it. I'm more than two years out and it's only now that I'm pregnant that I can eat more than one very thin slice of bread. A nice, fluffy whole wheat roll with dinner would still be out of the question. I'm a baker and this really hasn't been much of an issue. If I really want/crave some bread I indulge in a reasonable portion. Usually that means half a piece of toast with breakfast! That's all I can fit in most of the time. I love lentils and several different rice and lentil dishes. Again, I can't eat too much because the rice swells a bit like bread does but this is an option, too. Experiment and find what you like. The goal is to avoid things that cause you an issue - either by slowing your loss, causing discomfort or by causing cravings - while still eating a balanced diet and feeling satisfied. Good luck, ~Cheri

There isn't any real no-no food if you plan to eat like a normal adult and eat a variety of foods. I live in Central Asia and rice and noodles (plov and beshbarmak) are pretty much on every table I'm invited to join. That said, for many of us they aren't easy foods to eat. I am more than two years out and still avoid Pasta for the most part because I can go from happy to miserable in just one bite. I'm a bit more lenient about rice but again, I have to be careful when I eat it because it's very easy to overeat something that swells once it hits the stomach. As always, balance is important. Eating a great deal of rice first is great if that's the food you want to eat and it's a once in a while thing. But continually eating rice or pasta before the more important Protein elements of the meal could mean you're not getting enough of everything else you need to eat for good nutrition. I have far less trouble eating seeds like quinoa or legumes like lentils, but that's just my experience. You'll have trouble finding those in some parts of Asia, though! Oh, and as for spicy food I am a bigger fan of it than ever before post op. Now that I eat so much less, I want real punch and pizzazz in my food. I want great, flavorful food that really satisfies me, as opposed to a massive portion of something bland and tasteless. Great thread, I especially appreciated My Sleeved Tummy's posts about curry and spices. Never, ever use the stuff in a jar at the supermarket. Find freshly ground spices and mix your own blends whenever you can. It's far better for you AND you get to control every aspect of the finished product - it'll taste just the way you want without anything artificial. If you don't have a good spice market near you, I love The Spice House and they'll ship anywhere - even to where I live! ~Cheri

Ferrous sulfate makes me ridiculously ill, no matter what I take it with or how I try to split the doses. I need a prescription to get the Iron in and keep it down. I've taken both Bifera and Ferralet 90 in the past with no issues or miserable side effects. This might be something where an OTC isn't going to cut it for you. I already struggled with anemia prior to my sleeve and getting onto a good iron supplement (and B12 injections) made a massive difference in my quality of life. I went from being cranky, fatigued and forgetful to feeling like a normal, functioning adult again! Good luck, and whatever you opt to do, never, ever take your iron supplements with dairy or caffeine as they prevent absorption. ~Cheri

Unfortunately this is just something you need to research and decide for yourself. The reality is that any examples you find here are most likely to be folks that chose VSG - this is VST, after all! Many of us are a bit biased because we chose this surgery over the other options. It's also impossible to say how your body would react afterward. I have read both positives and negatives about reflux post op. While just about everyone is on a PPI for some period of time in the first year post op, the vast majority of us are off of them by the time we reach one year. That doesn't mean everyone is, though. I've seen a handful of posts from people that continue to take meds years post op, and yes, even posts like the one from Debbie - where someone has a very serious issue with reflux that requires prescription meds. I think the hernia is less of a concern as I've read a huge number of stories about hernia repair being done with the sleeve and I've never once read a complication or recurrence post. But you'll need to do your own research on this one. I have a dear friend that opted for RNY recently. She lost 220 pounds and reached her goal within 14 months. She looks amazing and for her, the RNY was a better option for a few reasons. One, she had a very significant amount of weight to lose, and while VSG could have gotten her there the journey would have been much slower. Two, her insurance covered RNY and didn't cover VSG, so that was a no-brainer in her case. And perhaps most importantly to her, there are far more RNY surgeons and support groups where she lives - she needed a weekly meeting to help her through the surgery and it isn't always easy to find in person support because the VSG really is a newer surgery with less surgeons and patients. That's why VST is such a thriving community. I know a number of WLS patients in real life and only one of them has had the sleeve! There are very serious things to consider besides hernias and reflux. The RNY means a lifetime of supplements and testing, while the period we need these things with VSG is far shorter and many people never experience long term deficiencies. You also need to consider the cause of your obesity. Are you a habitual overeater? Be aware that a pouch does stretch over time, and therefore your lifetime diet requires more diligence on your part. The sleeve has very little give and is far more difficult to stretch. If you want malabsorption, the RNY is a better choice, but you should not count on this benefit beyond the first year. Again, do your research and read as many real stories, both positive and negative, as you can. However, there is no denying that people have had great success with both surgeries. You'll need to weigh the pros and cons and perhaps get a second opinion before you make this choice. In the end, your chosen surgery is just a tool. People say that over and over again but it is absolutely true and it's something you won't truly understand until you're post op and living your new life. There are failures and regains with every WLS out there. Many of the same issues will need to be addressed regardless of what you choose. You will need to learn to eat properly, to use moderation, to stop overeating, to stop emotional food triggers, etc. The burden is really on you to learn to use the tool for long term success, and in my opinion, either option can be perfectly successful if you work hard enough. Good luck whatever you decide. ~Cheri

*****Ah, I missed your post about the stricture! I'm so sorry to hear this, and I hope you can get some relief shortly. I'll leave the following for anyone else that might stumble upon this thread, too, because while it's important to make sure it's not a larger issue, in many cases a simple change of meds can provide the answer. Swift healing and good luck to you! ~CLK***** Talk to your surgeon but I'd change your PPI. I had a problem with Prevacid not working well enough, and I'm not the only one that has posted about it in the past. A large number of people report issues with Prevacid, and I'm willing to bet that if you try a different PPI you'll feel some relief. If possible, try omeprazole (Prilosec) as it seems to work far better for many people. The acid issue can also be aggravated by stress or other changes. My acid problems resolved between 4-6 months post op, but in times of stress I can require a PPI again for a few weeks. And now that I'm pregnant I'm on a daily dose again and expect to be until after delivery. So don't feel that simply because you're still experiencing a problem that you'll be doomed to pills forever. It isn't unheard of for it to come in cycles or return for brief periods of time. And I have no doubt that if I had remained on Prevacid my issues would hav persisted far longer, because it wasn't controlling the acid satisfactorily in the first place. I think the easiest solution is to pop down to your local superstore and buy a 14 day pack of the generic Prilosec. Give it a try for a few days (instead of the Prevacid, not in addition to it) and see if you feel any improvement. If you don't have any relief after a week of a new med, get in to your doc for some testing to be sure there isn't a larger issue. Good luck, ~Cheri

I hope it gets better for you soon. It could easily be the surgery - there are a number of people that have posted in the past about persistent nausea. In my case, I felt around the clock nausea and absolute revulsion when I thought about eating or drinking anything. I had developed lactose intolerance, so the very first thing I'd have in the morning (my Protein shake, mixed with milk) was ruining my entire day. As soon as I cut out the dairy I was much better. I also had a small problem until I found a PPI that worked well for me. Once the dairy and acid issues were resolved my quality of life improved immensely. Best of luck to you, I hope you find a solution quickly. ~Cheri

Whew - you're going to have a tough time but try not to stress too much. It's hard enough to eat in the beginning months post op, and to add in a pregnancy (and the worries about eating for the baby) I'm sure can't help. Every single person and every single pregnancy is different. This time around the morning sickness was awful for me. It lasted until about four months, went away for just over a month and is back now that I'm in the third trimester. That's just me pregnant with this baby. I actually had an easier twin pregnancy than this single baby! You probably cannot eat much at a time. If you aren't already, you really, really need to find a Protein shake that you like that doesn't cause you problems. Dairy can be an issue, so if you don't like your shakes try mixing them with something else. Because you're expecting, I wouldn't go for the lowest carb and calorie shake you can find. Something I'd normally consider a splurge, like the BSN Syntha-6 brand, would be IDEAL for you right now. The higher calories are something you need because you're growing a baby and you're not going to be eating many of your calories. I'd pair a scoop of the Syntha-6 with a scoop or two of the Syntrax unflavored for a protein heavy shake that will help boost your caloric intake. I'd drink at least one a day, but I might try for two if you're really having trouble eating. You need to eat slowly, chew thoroughly and try a variety of different foods. Certain things do tend to feel like they get stuck in the beginning when your new sleeve is still swollen. I'm not saying you should live on mushies but you need to pace yourself and take it easy. eggs are a huge issue for a lot of people around this time, so if you find they aren't going down well, back off of them and try them again each week until you can tolerate them. It's the opposite of typical sleeve eating, but I found that the only thing I could really keep down with morning sickness were carbs. Small, thin slices of toast, crackers, grits, oatmeal, etc. You may find the same. The reality is that your priority just shifted - now your goal isn't to lose weight. Your priority now should be to heal and eat enough to have a healthy baby. You WILL lose this weight afterward. There isn't a magic window with the sleeve, and you'll find that your restriction is very much still there once baby arrives. I've gone back and forth during this pregnancy with restriction. At times I'm amazed because I can eat an entire sandwich and other times I can only manage a few bites before I'm stuffed. Oh, and watch that acid. I was off my PPI for years and now I'm back on it again. I could have sworn I was starving to death around the clock...and you'd think as a sleeve vet I'd know better ('specially since I'm always reminding people that are newly sleeved to take their PPI) but as soon as I hopped back on my omeprazole I felt so much relief. So make sure your OB knows you need a PPI and make sure you're taking one. As soon as I got on mine again the daily heartburn and around the clock stomach rumbling went away. Good luck to you, and to all the ladies here expecting! Oh, and since this is a thread about weight gain, I'm currently 27 weeks and I'm up 20 pounds. I'm not thrilled but I'm not worried, either. Compared to my past pregnancy gains (97 pounds for one girl, nearly 80 pounds with twins) I'm kicking butt this time around. ~Cheri

Well. Today I had quite the experience. I'm 24 weeks along and because I developed gestational diabetes with my twins that later became Type 2, I'm high risk for gestational diabetes again. My tiny little med clinic here wanted to test me today and I figured it couldn't be much different than it was with my other two pregnancies. I did have a one hour test done early (around 13 weeks) to make sure I didn't have diabetes, because it only went into remission post-sleeve. I did the small glucola drink and while I felt awful for that entire hour I did fine and my sugars came up perfectly normal. Well, they gave me the big bottle of glucola today (that orange flavor, which while awful really is the easiest one to drink) and after thirty minutes I was sick. And I mean sick. Sick like you'd expect from a person that just drank an entire bottle of vodka and sick like I can't remember being since my 21st birthday. OH MY GOSH it was the most miserable experience. Because the glucola had 30 minutes to absorb they went ahead and did the tests anyway. My numbers were actually lower than I expected. I haven't been testing my sugars since four to six months post op. Back then, my numbers stuck around 80-90 all day long, only ever getting as high as maybe 110 after a meal. This time, my fasting blood sugar was 79 (and I admit, I forgot I was doing the test this morning and ate one tiny homemade kolaczek/kolaczki pastry before leaving the house), my one hour was 103 and my two hour was a low 67. I even developed abdominal cramping this evening due to the violent vomiting episodes earlier in the day. As in, the nurse thinks I pulled muscles in my abdomen from the experience! Think of how awful those leg cramps are...this was the same feeling, only across the entire top of my tummy from directly under my bra to an inch or two above my belly button. It completely freaked me out, and the clinic as well, because now I'm supposed to be extra vigilant about watching for signs of preterm labor or call immediately if the cramping moves lower or into my back. What a disaster. My concern is that they want to repeat the test in two weeks. I think that's just cruel and unusual, right there. If my numbers had come up even borderline I'd agree there might be a risk. But I'm reluctant to intentionally put myself through that again just to the doc can check a box on the lists of completed tests. I know, I know, all the horror stories about babies with low blood sugar after birth, etc. I went through all of that with my twins, watching them get their tiny feet stuck several times a day for testing. I honestly don't think I'll be able to say no to having the test done because of how my medical care works over here (the med clinic can simply have me med-evac'd back to the states if I refuse to cooperate) so I'm sure I'll wind up having it done again. But I wondered if I'm the only one to experience such a crazy reaction post-sleeve. And I also wonder when I should get concerned about my blood sugars being so low. I won't be back in the states if all goes well until the end of January, and at that point I can talk to a real doctor and have tests run if necessary. I'm just curious what any of you have heard. When I was diabetic, any number under 70 was cause for concern. Now that I'm not testing regularly (and don't even own a home monitor anymore) I'm concerned that this happens more often than I realize. Does anyone have any input or experience to share? ~Cheri