grannyk

Or how about mixing the nuts? Can't wait to make this. Nuts...so good and good for you. I love my sleeve!! Kathe

You are absolutely right. Slow and steady does it. We are almost identical in starting weight & amount lost, but I was sleeved 4-14-11. So I am moving very slowly. But I have the rest of my life to get to goal. Your name always startles me...my maiden name was McKee. And I always think of my brother who passed away in 2005...very fond memories. Let's keep the goal in view and the race will take care of itself...Kathe

And by the way, I thought the honeymoon phase was the first year, not three months. I like my idea better!! K

I don't want to bash you doctor, but please do not let him have that control over your emotions and your journey to a new and better you. This is different for all of us. I am 6 months out and I read posts here from people who have lost a 100 lbs in that time. I have lost 60. But when I look at their tickers, some of them started with way more to lose than I do. You didn't know you were going to have to be on steroids. So what!! It's a bump in the road of the rest of your life, not a destiny to lose the battle. DO NOT listen to negative talk!! Put your fingers in your ears, say "lalalalala" and move on down the pike. Kathe

You might try something besides apple juice. I use apple juice to help ease my great-grandson's constipation. I tends to have the diarrhea effect something like prune juice but not quite as bad. That could be part of the problem...K

Pizza, peanut butter, a piece or two of candy...that is what you need when your blood sugar is low. Carbs, not protein, are converted into sugar,. Don't worry about carbs, just get something carby in as fast as you can. Low blood sugar is not to be messed around with...Kathe

My best advise is to stop right now comparing yourself to anyone else. Keep your eyes on you own goal and journey and you will be much less stressed out. It is all about you and not anyone else, babe. Kathe

I'm 5.5 months out and still usually start the day with a 30-40 gram protein shake. I don't get nearly as hungry in the morning at work as I do when I eat just breakfast. It will see me through to lunch easily and they I eat protein for lunch and supper and snack with a few carbs added in. I don't think it is a sin to get protein from shakes and long as a healthy balance of nutrition is maintained. Averaging 10 lbs a month is fine with me. It is weight I am convinced I will never see again...Kathe

It is very frustrating to live in a "what " world. Most often, the "what ifs" never happen and we have wasted our time and energy worrying about nothing. People with stomach cancer can't afford to worry about all of those things because their alternative is a certain outcome. What's done is done, and I hope you can leave the deed behind and move forward in your new life to enjoy what you have accomplished. Best wishes and God bless...Kathe

WOW!!!! What a change and no baggy skin!! You look fabulous. Congratulations...Kathe

At 4 weeks out I was still on soft foods and I don't believe that would include Brussels sprouts. I think you may be trying certain foods a little early. Stick with soft easily chewable foods for a little while and add the more dense things slowly. As said before, what you cannot tolerate now may be OK in the months to come. Take is slowly and you will be more comfortable...Kathe

I had a couple of small bowel movements within the first week and then not another one for a week. I am a nurse and was getting a little concerned, but when I started on full liquids everything went back to regular. Don't worry until your taking in a little more substantial nourishments. Kathe

I think you need to keep track of your intake. It seems to me you are not taking in enough nutrition, etc. Your body may be trying to hold on to everything because it thinks it is starving. Keep track just to see where you are. What did your doc tell you to maintain nutritionally? Kathe

Hey, Het...I am a nurse and let me tell you this. Surgeons are some of the most tempermental little demi-gods on the face of the earth. Don't let your surgeon intimidate you or make you feel unsuccessful. You are doing great!!! You are the one living in your skin for the rest of your life, not him (or her, as the case may be). Slow and steady wins the race, and like I've posted before, this race is not a race between you and anyone else...it is a race to the goal. YEAH US!!!! Kathe

I posted a long response along these lines somewhere else, but can't remember where. It has to do with stimulation of the vagus nerve (Google it) which for some of us is greater after VSG. Since my surgery, my nose is more runny all the time, not just when I eat too fast or too much. But when I do make that mistake, I have teary eyes, runny nose AND the hiccups. Lucky me!! After 5 months, I am pretty sure this will be the way it is forever, but NO REGRETS!!!!! Kathe

Yes, Tigerlily, I am a victim of the "slimes" at times. Sometimes it happens even with foods that have gone down easily before. It is mostly with dense proteins like roast, pulled pork, etc. Or it can be with things I usually tolerate easily but don't pay attention when I am eating. I am 5 months out and sometimes I still forget that I can't eat quickly anymore. Once I feel the scenario starting, usually there is no way out but to throw up what is stuck. Not pleasant at all. Oh well, it is my own fault when it happens and I wouldn't trade my sleeve for anything. Kathe

PORK RINDS!!!! I was so happy when I realized pork rinds were all Protein and no carbs. I had avoided them all my life and now I can have them!!!! Of course, that is kind of specific taste element...you either love 'em or hate 'em. Kathe

The key part of this post is "I felt like I could have eaten..." Trust me, if you had tried to eat more, you would have been really, really sorry. When you start to add soft foods and regular foods, you will begin to feel the restriction and pay the consequences of eating too much or too fast. Don't feel like you are sabotaging yourself. This is a learning process for all of us, and you are at the very beginning of your journey. You have lots to experience and learn in the months ahead. Just keep in touch here for guidance and encouragement. Good luck!! Kathe

I have a pretty stock answer for anyone that asks me a personal question. "Is that something you need to know or something you just want to know?" Kathe

Good to hear you are doing well, Dallas. I'm like you...very few post-op problems. I had very little pain, no nausea, vomiting or any of the other problems mentioned on the forum. I am so grateful and it is good to hear about someone else having an easy time. I wasn't even sure I had surgery for 2 to 3 weeks when I started adding mushies and began to feel the restriction. Good luck, Kathe

Ditto Caliblond. Call your doctor!!! Tomorrow!!!

Welcome, Dolly. You won't be sorry. The sleeve is the best thing that ever happened to me and my daughter. Don't let yourself get nervous or anxious...no buyer's remorse. This is a positively life changing experience, with the emphasis on "positive"!!!! Kathe

The runny nose comes from the stimulation of the vagus nerve when our stomachs start to become full. The vagus nerve is a long nerve in the body that controls many functions, and this surgery seems to make some of our vagus nerves more sensitive. One of its jobs is to control gastric emptying and bowel motility. I noticed early on after I started eating more solid foods and had one too many bites, my eyes teared up, my nose ran and the hiccups would ensue. Usually when I get to that point it is too late (I have eaten too fast) and some of it comes back up. I really try hard now to eat more slowly so it doesn't sneak up on me. Not a pleasant feeling or result at all. Anyway, if you google "vagus nerve and runny nose" you will find several websites about this phenomenon. This nerve also controls many other bodily functions, like heart rate, but too much to get into here. Anyone who wants more details can google "vagus nerve" and find a wealth of info. I am in the medical field, so I love that kind of stuff, but not everyone is so interested...Kathe

I never felt bad at all!! I was a little tired for 2-3 weeks because I was adjusting to greatly decreased calorie intake, but I had no nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc that lots of people talk about on the forum. In fact I often wondered if they really did surgery on me. Now at 41/2 months out I know they did because I have lost just over 50 pounds and I can feel the restriction. I'm glad someone else is feeling good like I did. Best wishes on the journey of your life...Kathe

I think most of us have this phenomenon. Just embrace it move on!! After all, you are not burping or farting in public on purpose . If you look at everyone else around you like they are the noisy ones, they may never know it is you!! Kathe