grannyk

This reply is a little, no a lot late, but I don't get on the forum every day. I don't buy bread anymore. I use the thin buns for Breakfast toast, and I have discovered Joseph's flaxseed,oat bran & something else lavash bread and pita pockets. You can do a bunch of different things with them and they have very minimal carbs. Check them out on Joseph's website. I can get them at Walmart where I live, but you can also order them online if they are not available near you. This is one of the very best discoveries I have made. Kathe

Hey, Empty. I love pickles and olives also. I have eaten more dill pickles since being sleeved than in the last decade. The one thing I do is sort of "fillet" the pickle spear. The peel is a little difficult to chew to the consistency I prefer, so I just eat the insides. YUM!! I have also put chopped pickle in cottage cheese. May not sound the best, but for me it tastes great. I also added some black olives one time and loved it. Olives are a nutritional powerhouse. I always avoided them in my previous life, but a few tossed in here and there satisfy the taste buds and are good for me. As far as nuts, I eat 15-20 almonds daily for nutrition and overall satisfaction. I have also eaten pistachios. Just read the nutritional values and count out your nuts. There are some carbs, but lots of Protein. I eat great tasting food every day and I am still losing weight. I think the key for me is not depriving myself of anything I really love, like Peanut Butter and chocolate. I have maybe 1 or 2 Dove dark chocolate pieces a week and I am satisfied. Just knowing I can have it freely allows me to control myself. I guess there is a rebellion factor there (anyone a psychologist??!!). I know this doesn't work for everyone, so don't shoot me, please!! Lovin' this sleeve more all the time...Kathe

What kind of protein shakes are you using? I get GNC Whey Protein. I have used both chocolate and vanilla with DaVinci flavorings and they are great. You will need the protein in these in your post-op diet, so please find something you can tolerate. You can also mix in water (not quite as flavorful) or soy milk (vanilla is good). I actually crave the flavor of these. Now that I am on regular food, I still have a shake every morning not just for the nutrition, but for the yummy taste. Hope it gets better for you...K

I understand your emotions regarding this life-changing surgery. I am about 3 months out. Last weekend I cleaned out my closet. For the first time EVER I could look at big clothes and think "This will never fit me again!!" I have always in the past kept those clothes because I have lost and gained so many times I knew I would be seeing them again. OMG, can this really be happening?? Thank God and Dr. Aceves, YES!!!! Kathe

I suggest you invest in a digital scale. I got mine at Walmart for around $20. Anything other than digital is too inaccurate to measure in the ounces we need to use. Secondly, I am a little bit confused by everyone who says they cannot stand the Protein drinks. I get GNC whey Protein and have no problem at all. The chocolate is good just like it is. The vanilla is somewhat bland, but I add flavorings. I ordered several from Da Vinci (sugar-free of course). Every morning, I have a vanilla Protein shake with hazelnut flavoring. It tastes so good and rich, I actually crave the taste. Da Vinci has a large number of flavorings. Other people order from Torani. 300 cals daily is not enough. That throws your body into starvation mode and makes it more difficult to lose. Plus it is just not good for you. At 4 weeks, I was in the mushie stage and could take in about 3-4 ounces at a time. At that time I was not on meals and Snacks, just grazing on mushies and was probably getting about 600-800 cals daily. I hope you are able to increase your intake. You will certainly feel better and have more energy. Keep us posted...Kathe

You know, in reading the posts on this thread, I happened to realize that about 6-8 weeks out I felt really mad and up tight for a while. I just happened to think that I was in withdrawal from one of my biggest stress relievers...FOOD!!! No wonder I was so angry. Food had been my best friend for a long, long, long time and my best friend was not around as much any more. Hmmmm...haven't felt that way for a while. Maybe it wasn't such a good friend after all??? Kathe

Hi, Jess. I am about 12-13 weeks out and have lost about 38 lbs. I am perfectly happy with my rate of loss because it is a little each week. (I did have one short stall at about 3 weeks just like everyone talks about.) Although I would like to drop a whole lot of weight at once, I believe losing slowly is better for our bodies. I think you need to start keeping a strict log of everything you eat daily for a week or so. Count your grams of Protein, carbs and fats to see as accurately as possible just what you are eating. I believe should not eat less than 800 cals daily. For some of us, less than that throws our bodies into starvation mode and makes it very difficult to lose the pounds. Just keep your log and then report back. Of course, keep us posted of your progress in the meantime. If you don't mind telling, who is your surgeon? It is unfortunate he did not provide you with any dietary information for post op. Mine gave us pages of post op instructions for diet and activity. This forum will be a great resource for you. Kathe

Edamame is immature soybeans and is an excellent source of protein, although it does have carbs also. Tofu is a form of soybeans and is used in vegetarian diets as meat substitute. I never really thought about how to use them in recipes because I just love them straight from the pod. There are several recipes on Allrecipes.com so search there and enjoy!!! Kathe

Karizma, everyone here is right. You must get something done about this NOW. I am only 3 months out and never had any problems like this and I had a hiatal hernia repair done also. Sometimes the repair can cause a little more restriction, but you are in trouble. I am in the medical field and trust me, surgeons are the worst with the god complex. They think they are infallible and bullet proof. Find a PCP or a gastric doc that will listen to you and do something. My opinion is 95 lbs in 4 months is out of the norm. Please do something soon and keep us posted...Kathe

Advil is an NSAID. This class of medication can cause stomach problems and bleeding problems...so since our tummies are so small now, it is recommended not to take this type of medication. K

Hey, Carolina. Welcome to the forum. You will find lots of wonderful people here and some of us with very similar stories. The roller coaster ride of the weight challenged. You have made a great decision for yourself that will be life changing and rewarding. I was sleeved 4-14-11 and had a smooth-as-glass recovery. I wish the same for you. Keep coming back here for support and any questions. Kathe

Yes, Tmela, the skin on the pickle is a little tough to get down sometimes...so I just lay the spear on the cutting board, take a sharp knife and kind of fillet it like a fish. Makes is a lot more pleasing to eat. Thought I was the only one that had that challenge!! Kathe

Welcome!! We are glad you found it too!! There are lots of good people and advice here. Look forward to hearing about your journey...Kathe

I agree, Raine. I enjoy everything now so much. My daughter and I said last night that we both enjoy so many good tastes now that there are very few things we really miss. We have concocted so many good meals. However, the other night when I was watching food Network and they were having big thick juicy hamburgers, I thought I might bite my pillow!! But overall, life is so much better now food wise, I would never go back. To say nothing of the fact that my food budget is so much smaller now!! Rah, rah, rah...YEAH SLEEVE!! Kathe

One of primary goals of this surgery is to get rid of my CPAP. I still need it to get a good night's sleep, but not nearly as bad as before. However, my PCP told me not to stop using it until I had a sleep study done. The lack of oxygen at night has so many ill effects on the body other than just not sleeping well. So keep using until you get the go-ahead to leave it in the past. K PS I have never had the problem of swallowing air at night. Sounds like a very uncomfortable problem!!

When I was in the full liquid and mushies stage I did eat some baby food fruits, but like Kelly said, fruit just naturally has a lot of carbs. Do your protein first, then a bite or two of veggies if you want and then eat a little fruit if there is room. I'm one who believes it is not necessary to deprive yourself of anything you really like, just do in strict moderation. You will see as you go along, you just won't be able to overeat because there just isn't room. It is a long learning process but worth it all...K

Another suggestion for eating out. See if someone will split with you. My daughter and I split meals often. Since we have both been sleeved, we can go to Red Lobster and get 4 meals for $20!! Also take plenty of protein snacks like string cheese, nuts, peanut butter, etc. and something to keep water in. K

I'm 2-1/2 months out now and sleeve wise I feel like I could hike the Grand Canyon. My crappy knees say otherwise!!!! As said before, take your Protein shakes with you and plan ahead. All should be well. I say, vacation while you can!!! K

AYD, I am in the medical field and am well aware of this side effect of PPI's. However, it only one of the many potential side effects, some of which are much worse than bone density. After the sleeve, we are susceptible to gastric acid more than before the surgery. Hopefully, I will not have to take a PPI forever, but I will take them long enough to give my new tummy a chance to adjust. There are people who have GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease) even without sleeve surgery and have to take these medications to keep from eroding their GI system. Practically every prescription and over-the-counter medication in the world has side effects that none of us want. However, because of these medications, we now consider 50 to 60 middle aged instead of 30 to 40 because we do not to succumb to even the most minor ailments that used to kill people too early. Please don't scare people on this forum who don't have a deep medical knowledge and are already nervous about this life changing decision. Everyone deserves a chance to seek a better existence. K

Greetings, Epiphany!! I was scheduled to have the sleeve just about 6 weeks after my daughter did last summer because my cardiologist told me I had to lose weight because eventually I would have to get total knee replacements and no surgeon would do them at my weight. Well, I took a terrible fall and had to have my right knee done anyway because I could barely walk. So they will do it if you are injured...hahaha So I recovered from that quite nicely and then had the sleeve done in April, 2011. Sleeve, then knee is probably the best, but oh well...they are both done and I am on the way to better times. Keep us posted on your progress...Kathe

Myrori...YOU GO GIRL!!! Nothing can stop you now! K

From the day of my surgery, I did not take any of my glipizide. I was thrilled. However, about 2 weeks ago, when I checked my fasting blood sugar when I got up in the morning, I started have sugars in the 120's, then 130's, then 140's. So I added back my glipizide at bedtime. Now my sugars are back to the 100's & 110's. I don't know if it is because my body was in the adjustment phase, or maybe now that I am including some carbs it went up again. I am not freaking out about it. I have a followup appt with my PCP in July and will discuss it with him then. Or my body may readjust again. At any rate, unless you are a brittle diabetic, I would not check your FSBS more than once in the morning before you are ingested anything. That of course is up to your doctor and you, but if you are stressing out about it, that in itself can affect your blood sugar. Good luck...Kathe

I'm gonna try this. PB is my staple in life now. Any way I can get it wonderful. Thanks...Kathe

Greg, I am 10 weeks out and one of the hardest things for me so far is pacing myself when I am not paying attention to my meals. For example, if I eat lunch at work and am reading or doing something on the computer, I forget to pace myself and will end up with overfill discomfort. Sometimes, it just won't go on down and I have had to "evacuate" it by throwing it up. Makes me mad because it is my own fault. I have wasted my meal time, wasted my food and then I have to make up my Proteins. I am sure we will learn this lesson sometime...just not sure when...K

Tiffy...what a great sounding recipe. PORK RINDS! I love them and can actually eat them now with little guilt. I will certainly give this try for meatloaf, meatballs, etc. Thanks...Kathe