Chuckie

Went for a walk...sharted.

The metallic taste is from your body going into ketosis. I had it too. You have to focus on getting Protein and that's your main goal everyday, Protein, protein... When your body goes into ketosis, it starts "living off the land" because you're not eating bad carbs anymore. Your body is using stored fat instead of bad carbs and that's where the weight loss kicks in. This is the basis of the Atkins Diet. I did Atkins many years ago and it worked wonderfully. I would weigh, go to bed, get up and lost three pounds sleeping!

Oh yeah, one more thing. Don't trust a fart. Lol

New update I am under 280lbs for the first time in a while and just took a photo of my self and cannot believe the changes in my face already looking forward, this will give me what I need to push on through the hard times I am having with eating to fast. I must press on to get the prize I signed up for when I decided to make this my new life style. I hope if you come on this journey you will let others know it is not always easy but it is manageable. I pray that if you are going to make this decision you will seek out Dr. Zavalza because he has been very inspirational when we visit via Skype. Also there has been and update on Facebook a new site started by one of Dr. Zavalza's patients ( Dr Zavalza and Dr Luna Mexico support group ) come on and check it out. We have been blessed by Bariatric Pal and David Lopez for getting us with the right Doctor one that has compassion and a commitment to his patients ( friends ). Remember I started this journey on Dec.15,2014 at 322lbs pre op diet all liquids till surgery Dec.29,2014 302lbs now to where I am today.

Don't be afraid. You are still early out and things need to heal. You will be reassured. Reflux is a problem for me too. The first couple of weeks are difficult. I still worry about everything and I am 7 weeks out. You will be ok.

I don't think this is a bad question. I don't miss anything about being fat, but sometimes I miss being able to eat away my feelings. The few times I've tried that now it has quickly resulted in puking my feelings right back up. Sometimes I miss being able to go out to dinner and eat like a normal person. Sometimes at the gym I miss being able to actually be good in MMA class. I'm too small now to be very effective at all and I generally just get bruised a lot.
Mostly though I would give up all of that all over again to be where I am now.

Okay...this topic is a joke, right? :-) I'm with Pepper and my girl, VSGAnn...hell no!!!!!!!

LOL, Hell to the NO! Haven't missed being fat or all the associated misery even once. I wake up every single day and the first thought that crosses my mind is Thank God I'm not fat.

Excellent!

My GERD got worse after the sleeve. I was on full liquids for 6 weeks after surgery to see if it would help at all. Unfortunately, it didn't. He doubled my medication, but to no avail. I will pursue with a gastro when the time comes, but for now I just watch the kind of foods i'm eating and the speed i'm eating to try to help it a little...and it does to a certain extent. I'm concentrating on weight loss right now! I know I need to deal with it eventually

I just wanted to say that I am glad that I found this forum! You all are wonderful!
I do not really have people that I can talk to in real life that can even remotely understand what I am going through. I do know one fellow sleever at work, but can't really talk to him about some stuff.
So...
Thanks!!

I have to completely agree with @@LipstickLady on this subject.
Having VSG surgery is not some simple, fly-by-night procedure. This process is a very devastating and shocking change to your entire body, and unless you did absolutely no research on how and what this process was going to do to you physically, emotionally, psychologically, etc., you are totally setting yourself up for failure and complications by not following your doctor's and NUT's instructions.
I too had a horrible time with getting Proteins in, and there were other avenues that I wanted to take because I felt so weak, tired, frustrated, and miserable. I talked to my surgeon about the things I was experiencing, and thank the good Lord that she told me the same thing, "SUCK IT UP".
None of us truly know what to expect or what it will be like post op until we get there. You can research your heart out, but until you have actually transitioned to the other side, you have no clue what is going to happen to you. Now I do not sign "MD" behind my name, so I don't pretend to have all the medical answers. And to my knowledge neither do any of you. So why in the world would you not follow your health teams advice to the tee, and risk putting yourself in a situation where you are medically worse off than you would have been if you had done what your doctor told you to do.
Yes, I know first hand how tough the first 3 months or so of post op life WILL BE! I am 8 weeks post op, and I still struggle every single day to get the amount of Protein and liquids in that I am supposed to. But the one thing I do know that I'm not going to struggle with is negotiating different foods, etc. with my NUT or my surgeon. I'm going to do exactly what they tell me to do.
I know this will not last forever, and my body will recover and I will eventually be able to meet all my requirements. I will be able to eat quasi-normally again, and I will work this gift that I have been given to the best of my ability.
I know so many people inside and outside of this bariatric world with medical problems who constantly are trying to negotiate with their doctors about something. You made the decision to chose whichever physician you did. If you made the mistake of not believing that the medical team you picked was not qualified to take care of you and have your best interest at heart, then you have no one to blame but yourself. I entrusted my doctors with my life, and whether or not you agree with me, I trust them to know what is best for me without question, or I would not have chosen them.
So when I asked my surgeon 1 week prior to my surgery if I could have one last big send off meal, and her response to me was "NO! Bye Felicia!", you know what I did? I laughed my ass off at her for saying that to me, and what was more hilarious was that she even knew what she was saying, went home and drank my Protein shake, and thanked God that my surgeon cared enough to tell me NO and suck it up!
So I say, put your big girl panties on, suck it up, and know that you are stronger than you think you are, and you will make it through!
Don't tell me what you CAN'T DO, tell me what you CAN DO!

So I haven't checked in for a while, so I thought I would give an update. I had surgery with jaime Ponce de leon on Nov, 20th, 2014 in Tijuana (booked through bariatricpal).
I am now aprox 10 weeks past surgery. I have lost almost 50lbs and still losing. What an awesome thing to do through a season we most always hide from the scale. I wanted to share some experiences with me over that time.
Like many of you I gained weight over the years, topping out at almost 290lbs (I am a 6'1" male). When I looked in the mirror, I always saw the same me no matter what weight I was. It was the pictures of me I would see that made me say "Am I really that big?". I think we all go through this denial (even though it was almost every picture I saw that made me think it). Over the last two months I have had the weight falling off, but similar experience in front of the mirror. I still see the same me (one that was 50lbs heavier a little while ago) and do not see the weight loss. I know I am losing (I buy pants that last 2-4 weeks before I need something smaller) but I do not see that change yet. I am curious if others go through this? I guess it only makes sense that I never saw me gain weight in the mirror (so how could I lose it). Still a weird experience.
I had a business trip this week for the first time. I usually dreaded coming home and finding out how much I have gained eating out every day (and some drinks at night). I am happy to report that I actually lost 1.5lbs during my trip!
Drinking has been tougher (but ultimately better for me). I was one that tended to drink to get drunk (I know, that sounds bad). I have a hard time getting to that buzzed stage because of the slower rate I can intake. I have not had a soda or beer since pre-op (and maybe never will). If I am headed out to a bar for a night out, I usually keep a lemonade mio in my pocket to mix with a vodka and Water. Once in a while I have a bloody mary, but I am a little more sensitive to acid drinks. I just overall drink much less (which is better for me and my goals anyway).
I can still eat very little. My hardest part has been eating slowly (or you pay). I start each day with a greek yogurt and 30mg Protein supplement. lunch is usually either another yogurt, a Soup, or salad. I tend to snack more (beef jerkey for some reason is really easy on my stomach and is my snack of choice). I also grab those yummy wasabi almonds!
My goal having this surgery was to be able to enjoy food, but not have it control me. I have dieted many times in the past with me always over indulging when the diet was over. I think part of that is my compulsive and ADHD traits. I did not want to feel like I am in a diet, where I will only return to my bad habits at some point.
To help with that I eat what I want to eat. If I have a craving, I eat it (within reason). The good part is the qty you eat is so much smaller, that you suffice the want, without killing your progress. I do not feel like I am on a diet, and that is the best part.
So here are some pics of me before surgery and today (10 weeks later). Still more to go, but happy with where I am today.

in truth there is more data on RNY - there is a reason they call it the "gold standard"
However, the reality is that people have regain with ANY WLS. Maintenance is absolutely the hardest part.
I was overweight, obese or morbidly obese my whole life (exception maybe 2-3 years total - i was obese as a child too). I had also failed with the lapband and so I guess might be considered a "hard case" as my BMI was over 50 at time of sleeve.
I lost about half my weight and have been maintaining for 2 years post sleeve. I can't say how it would compare to rny but I lost 100% of my excess weight and with effort, am maintaining. With the band, and before that, i could never get to a normal BMI nor could I maintain any signficant weight loss.
I am not sure what i would advise you, but i am not convinced that maintance with the RNY is that much easier, there is alot more data however.

@@Vikingsfan8178
Have you been to an introductory lecture about WLS yet by a bariatric surgeon? I think that experience (whether you use that particular surgeon or not) would answer a lot of your questions and address a lot of your feelings.
I know you know this, but ....
The sleeve (that's what I have) is only one of many tools we have to build and use to maintain our weight losses. Given your educational / athletic background I would imagine that you would be a superstar at weight loss maintenance after WLS.
Like you and so many others of us, I could lose the damned weight. And did, dozens of times. But I just could never keep it off.
I was sleeved last August at age 68, which just shows you how determined I am to conquer this beast that has been the very large fly in my life's ointment. (How strained is that metaphor!)
I am finally going to beat this beast.

Mine feels like a tight discomfort in the chest with a burp or hiccup. Tonight it took me 30 minutes to eat barbecue chicken (shredded and loaded with sauce). I had about 3.5oz of it. I feel satisfied not full. I don't want to cause real pain but I feel like I need to know it can happen. Thoughts?

I get no Signal. Sure makes it hard to know when to stop. I am 4 weeks out and just need to learn to stop after 3 or 4 bites. Sure will be glad when I can eat a little more.

I think mine is light chest pain with hiccups about a minute later. I know I'm full then. About 2 minutes later my stomach feels full. What's yours?

I take reglan not because my stomach empties slow but because of reflux. Try that and then demand your surgeon do the test!

Peas. Nope nope nope. Wait, that has nothing to do with WLS. I just hate the little green sonsabitches!
:-D

@@nprcowboy - Please don't give up. What you had yesterday was probably the amount I was able to take in during my first few days post op and in many ways you body is at that level. Still call the doctor, but try to at least meet that level and don't push as hard. Since Protein drinks count towards Fluid that's 67 ounces of Fluid yesterday so you aren't at risk of dehydration. Anxiety will only make things worse.
You remain in my thoughts.

ALMOST 5 YEARS OUT!!
Long story short. Sleeved April 2010 went from 230s to 108 at my lowest. Stayed steady from year 2-3. After 3 years out stayed steady at 118 for another year. Now year 4-5 I am 128. Now take into account I workout at least 4-5 days a week including weight training & running 7-10 miles a week. I do believe some of the weight gain is muscle. I went from a 0/2 to a 6/8 now. I used to drop pounds just breathing. Now I have to work really hard. Bottom line eating better & working out is the only key. I vowed to never return to my previous weight. Ever. Stay strong everyone!!
Btw: I am 4'11 & 37 years old. With 2 children. I also wanted to add that the number on the scale isn't what I fully look at. Yes I may have been 108 lbs at one point but I looked like skin hanging on bones. Now I am happy looking healthy & strong. I have worked through many aches & pains working out & running. From ankles, knees & hips.

I don't eat slow either. Can't stand cold food. My restriction is just as good as the day I had surgery. I can only eat 2 or so ounces of food. I am 5 months out and hit my goal weight yesterday. I have never puked up food. I did puke up a Vitamin one time when I took it on an empty stomach. Other than that I don't get chest pain or anything like that when I eat. It's awesome!

I never used the app, but I did make a conscious effort to eat slower. I never used baby utensil, I just only put food on the tip of the spoon or fork and focused on chewing really well and slowing down. So far so good. I've never gotten sick eating.

Same here. I had to be careful for the first 6 months or so. I ate one bite too many a couple times and it hurt, so I learned how not to do that pretty quick. I tried using the eat slower app for awhile, and had it set for 45-60 seconds, but it was a PIA. So I just eat like I always have now (usually done in 5 min) and I've never thrown up and am well below goal, so....