Adri

I haven't seen a whole lot on this topic so I thought I'd chime in... I was lactose intolerant before the surgery and I was told that wouldn't change after the surgery. The liquid stage was fine, my protein powder was lactose free and if I wanted milk, Lactaid to the rescue. But, during the Mushy stage I made some mistakes. I thought since I was eating such extremely small quantities of dairy, I would be ok. The biggest food suggestions from my NUT at this stage were cottage cheese and yogurt. Big Mistake...Big Gas...Big Diarrhea...Big TMI, sorry! It was tough to get variety and PROTEIN in without cheese and yogurt. I SOOO DID NOT want to go back to drinking so many protein shakes at this point but it was inevitable. I was weak and dizzy and probably verging on dehydration. July 4th I move on to soft foods...and just in time...I figure I can eat more meat now and get that protein in without suffering dairy. (Oh, and couldn't take lactase pills just before meals because they took up too much room in my stomach and then I couldn't eat anyway.) So, I wanted to share my short list of non-dairy protein food choices for the mushy stage...and if anyone has add'l ideas please let us know. Thanks! -pureed chicken breast, tuna, deviled ham (watch out for fat content) -scrambled eggs -refried beans, lentils, split pea soup -hummus -tofu (I couldn't bring myself to try it) -soy yogurt (I couldn't find one low in sugar, maybe you'll have better luck) -avocado (not much protein but tasty and good for moistening meat and adding calories)

SW 240 CW 211 GW 210 1 lb. to go, I think I'll make it!

Thanks so much for the info Penpen!

I think you should compromise and go for the surgeon's goal. Maybe you can do the 5-day pouch test to jump start your weight loss again. I am not saying this to be hurtful, and I have not lost anywhere near what you have...I envy your 62 lb. accomplishment!! But as a new sleever I am still holding onto the hope that someday I won't look fat. I had the vsg primarily to control my diabetes, but looking good would be a bonus. If you don't see in the mirror what you want to see, keep fighting the good fight!

I have the dent too, my scar is pretty much in the center of the dent. I'm going to have to do some research on that. This was still sensitive up until about a week ago. But my little scar on my left side hurt more, because I kept trying to sleep on my left side. Never needed pain meds. Bummed that all my scars look like they're turning into keloid...I'm afraid to put anything too harsh on them, maybe I'll just try Vit E.

The smile on your face is even more beautiful than the dress. Congratulations!

Smacbeth, if at all possible, can you take off at least 8-9 days? Days 4-7 were the worst for me. I think my body came out of the anesthesia, purged all its extra fluids by then and my digestive system was having a hard time functioning on it's own. Stomach cramps and difficult time swallowing even water. See if you don't find the same experience for others. By day 11 I was a new woman!

I had shredded chicken breast for dinner, I put a couple of teaspoons of guacamole on it and it made it moist and tasty, with a little taco sauce too. And I had 2 T of non-fat refried Beans with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top. This is one of my favorite dinners. I love international foods...how about pairing chicken with some hummus next time, or some Palak Paneer from Trader Joe's. (If you're not familiar with PP, it is an Indian food: pureed spinach with chunks of cheese in it, it is a bit spicy, but that's the way I roll!)

As far as pain goes, the hysterectomy was much worse than vsg. With the hysterectomy I had pain at the incision site and it was hard to get up out of bed because of pain. The aftermath of these 2 surgeries is not really comparable in my opinion. With the vsg, I did not even need my pain meds...but there was discomfort. I had the shoulder pain issue, and my stomach was really crampy and growly for a week. For alot of people including me, swallowing liquids leaves you with a somewhat painful "lump" going down your esophagus. Your stomach/sleeve will be a new stranger to you, and neither of you will be very happy until about day 11.

I'm 20 days post op. I'm still trying to get used to this sleeve. My biggest problem is eating too fast. I mean honestly...making 1/4 cup of food last half an hour? But if I eat too fast then I get the "BIG D" if you know what I mean. I'm thirsty but cant seem to get enuf water in, I thought the lump in the throat problem was gone, but no, not really. I was one of those folks who inhaled my food and gulped my drinks... I have no severe or major setbacks...I just have some serious behavior modification to tackle.

Me too!

I've had diabetes for over 7 years now. It has done nothing but get worse over time. I kept having to take more medication and recently started insulin. It runs in my family. I've had relatives with the worst of it...amputations, loss of eyesight. I don't want to be a major downer or scare you...but this is reality with diabetes. I was in denial for such a long time, but finally see wls as the best possible solution. Time will tell, as I am only 20 days post op. I am feeling good, my sugar is down and am very optimistic for my future now. Doing this for health reasons is the best reason. I wish you the best in your journey!

Did you wait 2 hours after eating to test? Once I saw that kind of spike after eating some carbs, but it was because I had eaten about an hour before.

I was allowed broth-based soup, and salad on my pre-op diet. (Even if they had a little meat in them, but don't eat too much of the carbs...i.e., rice, noodles, croutons) I think that would be fine for you. Use non-fat dressing if you choose a salad. Where I live, Chinese, Vietnamese and Mexican restaurants are good choices for big bowls of broth-based soups with lots of vegetables.

I have been using Bariatric Advantage Protein powder. I don't find it too sweet. I like the vanilla. At first I didn't care for BA but i was only mixing it with Water. Now, even if I just add a splash of nonfat milk it tastes much better; and I add a bit more liquid than the suggested amount. BA will become very thick and frothy if you put it in a blender. I don't care for all those bubbles so I just prepare mine in a shaker. If you are familiar with muscle milk light---to compare---I think BA is about 1/3 as sweet but 3x thicker. You can get it online. Also, a serving has 27g of protein, when you add a bit of milk you get at least 30g. I would love to get more ready to drink shakes for convenience, but I can't see paying so much money. At this point, I'm happy with BA now that I have figured out how to tailor it to my taste. I don't think diluting your shakes after surgery should be an issue--remember that after surgery it is important to get in as much flluid as possible. I hope this helps.

Hi David, I am also a cancer survivor. My battle ended in 2009, but then I had to face the fact that my health was still at risk with my weight and diabetes problems. So cheers to all of us who refuse to quit---and keep fighting for our health! I look forward to hearing more from you in the forums.

You know the saying,,,it's darkest before the dawn. Well, that's where you are right now. My days 4 thru 8 were harder than the first 3. But by day 11 I was good, and by day 15 I was golden. It just takes time to heal. You will be okay in time, I'm sure of it. Keep thinking of the positive reasons you did this and it will get better!

Not only did I have that painful lump feeling when drinking water but at around day 7 I started getting heartburn too. I thought it was so strange that swallowing yogurt was easier than swallowing water. And yes, that made getting pills down hard too, I think that's why the NUT had me buy as many chewables as possible. The doctor is letting me take Prilosec for the heartburn and it has gone away. Well, I got much better by day 11. The lump in my throat was completely gone by day 15. I started pureed food today and have had no problems thus far. It will get better with time, don't worry!!

I was planning to take only a week. Since I don't have a physically demanding job, the doctor okayed it. I decided to take two weeks after all, and I'm glad I did. Because I caught a terrible cold the day of surgery. I was miserable until about day 9. On day 11 I was back to my happy self. In that first week and a half your tummy is very confused and rumbly, it is hard to drink and stay hydrated, so you may be tired. You will probably still be sore at the incision site. But you know you better than anyone else. If you're a trooper, you can do it, barring even the smallest complication like a cold. And what a coincidence, my BFF was against my vsg too. But, she is someone who is afraid of surgery in the first place. All you can do is listen to everyone's opinions/advice and then make up your own mind. I wish you the best!

Madison, I can totally relate. All I think about is chili cheese dogs, morning noon and night. It has become an obsession. The only thing that takes my mind off chili cheese dogs, is when a commercial comes on tv that shows a different type of food. Or if I watch cupcake wars on the food channel!! (I stayed away from the tv today, maybe because I didn't want anything to interrupt my chili cheese dog fantasies...hahahaha!!) I start pureed food tomorrow, so maybe I'll snap out of it. Lord help me!!!

Congrats to you! I can only imagine how great that feels. I have not been under 200 since high school. I'm at 220 right now and it still seems hard to believe I will get to be 199. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work!

I'm assuming you'll be on protein-based liquids for at least two weeks after surgery like I was. And since all you can have is liquids, I would get a wide variety...a little bit of everything so to speak. My Protein powder came in chocolate, strawberry and banana...but I would've gotten more vanilla so that I could add different Torani SF Syrups...caramel or black cherry sound good right about now. Or adding some instant decaf coffee for a latte-type drink sounds good. Also get a few different flavors of cream Soup and broth. I was allowed yogurt; and I finally broke down and bought some Crystal Lite. I have never liked Crystal lite, but it is helping me get more Water down. Since nothing but liquids gets so boring, I think more variety of flavors would make you feel like you're having something new. I start pureed food tomorrow....I'm counting the hours! Maybe I'll start at midnight...just kidding!! Also I would make sure to ask what type of OTC medications you can take at home. Pain relievers, antacids, etc. I caught a cold and was happy that I knew what cold medicine I was allowed to take. I didn't need to take anything to the hospital, they were very attentive, and I guess I am a pretty low maintenance type of gal. But KathyD49 is right, take comfortable shoes to go home in and don't wear clothing that is snug at your waist. I hope this helps!

Yes, I went and bought some Prilosec yesterday and feel much better today.

I had my vsg 2 weeks ago and I already feel better. The first week was tough, but it gets better fast. I now finally feel like I have a real chance at getting this weight issue under control. I wish you the best on your journey, and with this web site you know you won't be going-it alone!

Hellodolly, I had my vsg on 6/6, I'm pretty new to this site as well. I have found this site extremely helpful and I'm sure you will too. It's nice to know we are not alone on this journey. Since May 23rd (the start of my pre op diet) I've lost 20 lbs and it feels great already. Good luck to you and keep posting!