sleeve newbie

It's hard to say when you would start on solid foods. My diet said that I could eat Jello in the first week and I still can't eat it. I'm a meat eater for sure, and I've tried chicken twice and vomitted both times and got the worst gas pains ever. So you can't necessarily put a date to when you can start eating certain foods. It's just easier for some people to start back eating somewhat normal and others it will take a while.

My doctor even told me that there are some things that you may not be able to start back eating period. But remember it's a life change. We're not all going through this to start back eating like before.

I know how you feel about the liquids. I was actually depressed about it for that time, but it will get better as you transition. I want chicken so badly, but I'm able to do without it because I can eat potato and eggs, and shrimp and that sort of stuff.

I'm only 3 weeks in, and I'm getting happier everyday.

i started exercising a week after my surgery. I thought to myself that since the nurses made me get up and walk in the hospital I could walk on my treadmill. So I started off strolling for 30 mins everyday but on the first day, I encountered very bad cramps in my stomach so I stopped that day.

Also the doc told me to stay away from the stepper (which is my favourite machine) until i reached my 4th week, but I started pretty slow within 2 weeks of doing the op, and it was fine.

You should know how your body feels when you're doing it. Definitely don't overexert yourself, Take your time when starting. If your incisions hurt, then stop; if your stomach hurts then slow down; if you're feeling dizzy then stop. Things like that.

To curb my hunger I eat these popsicles that are only 15 calories and 0 everything else.. and they're really satisfying.. and If I eat 3 or 4 for the day I don't feel bad whatsoever. I'm not a sweet person at all, but they definitely work for me.

http://www.unileverusa.com/brands/foodbrands/popsicle/index.aspx

Not all of them are sugar-free, so make sure to look at the nutrition facts if you're thinking of buying them.

If what you say is true, then you're basically saying I have no hope!!

I'm 25, but I smoke and I've been overweight all my life. I naturally always had a small stomach (in relation to the rest of my body), but after I had my child I was completely stretched out, and have had to live with stretch marks on my stomach and hips since. And I naturally have extremely big thighs, so that would be a cause for concern in relation to what you are saying.

But I will say that, I've lost 20lbs so far, and in watching my stomach getting smaller, I can see my stretch marks coming closer together, and my lower abdomen area doesn't hang as much. So I can only assume that my skin is tightening back. I promise you it's not muscle; it still feels like putty.

I can understand that if your skin is ridiculously stretched (like someone having sextuplets, for example) that there's no way your skin can come back from that; but my legs have been massive for almost all of my life, (to the point where even if I were to reach my goal weight, I will not have stick thin legs), and I have no stretch marks on my legs. And I think the skin will tighten back, along with the muscle filling it out, as you said.

I've seen some heavy-set men who have great skin; no stretch marks or anything. So I think it's relative to the type of skin you have as well, even in some cases, your ethnicity can determine your skin-type and how well it can heal. Of course age would make a difference (As in the example of starr jones) but even in your 30's, I dont think it should make a huge difference in healing capabilities; maybe a little more difficult, but still very possible.

I had to read your post 3x to figure out that it wasn't your wife wanting a man girdle (mirdle?)

I hate to be the dissenting voice, and hey -- maybe you just really want to wear a mirdle (a lot of people do find them comfortable) - but unless you're:

1) fairly young, and I mean teens -- maybe early 20s.

2) were only obese for a short period of time...

3) were not significantly obese...

4) are genetically inclined toward hyperelasticity (or perhaps even tolerant to scarring - though not as important)...

5) lose weight very slowly (and this doesn't matter nearly as much as 2 or 3)...

...then your skin'sprobably not going to be improved by wearing a compression garment. I won't say "isn't" because - you never know - but in all likelihood.

Skin is an elastic organ. It can stretch a little, or more - for a short period of time, and recover. Hence mothers can sometimes look as though they were never pregnant. This is not typical. The more that skin was stretched out, and for the longer, and the older you are -- the more the skin is damaged. Two things have happened -- your body has made more skin cells, and the skin that was there has been stretched. A heavy pannus, for example, isn't going anywhere without surgery.

If you're fair skinned, it's probably going to be worse than if you are not. If you smoke, it's probably going to worse than if you don't. If you're frequently dehydrated, it's probably going to be worse than if you aren't. If either of your parents scar easily, or were obese & showed signs of skin damaga (saggy skin, stretch marks, etc.) it's probably going to be worse than if they showed more resilient skin.

Also contrary to popular belief, you can't "tone up" wrecked skin. What typically happens is that the muscle under the skin is increased and "fills out" the saggy skin, giving the appearance that your skin itself has grown tighter.

But if you really want to wear one...

Spanx are great. I'm not sure how they will be for a man. I suppose you can have them altered to accomodate your different anatomy, e.g. notice the hole:

This company carries male compression garments in extended sizes (5x - 6x): http://www.makemeheal.com/

Thanks guys!

I LOVE shrimp so i'm definitely gonna try that.

I experienced my first extremely painful ordeal yesterday. I had a piece of chicken, but I believe I may have eaten it a bit fast, and I drank something right after.

I started getting the worse cramps ever!! I vomitted a bit, and just had to wait it out for the cramps to stop. I was completely exhausted after the whole episode.

Sooooo obviously at this point I should stay away from the chicken.

But what do you eat to keep things interesting in the third week? I'm completely over the drinks, and the Soup, etc. I started eating mashed potato and egg which is great, but I need some other ideas to get through this.I feel like i'm going out of my mind, and I feel like this is the only thing I think of.

So I was doing great with the weight loss, losing 17lbs in 11 days, and then comes my period. The weightloss has stopped for the past 4 days or so and I'm completely frustrated.

I know it's because of my period, but I can't help but feel like the weightloss has completely stopped. What has been your experience after the end of your period? Do you drastically lose 10lbs? or does it begin to move slowly again?

Does anyone have trouble drinking Water?

Water is the only liquid that hurts when I drink it. I feel like a bubble is stuck in my chest and then i end up burping alot after trying to drink it.

I even get nauseous drinking water. And it is just extremely frustrating. I put a splash of juice in the water and for some reason that helps. But I'm not a "sweet" person. I'm burdened by eating all these sweet stuff in the first couple of weeks, and I don't need my water tasting sweet as well!!!

HELP!!