momto3girls

Happy New Year Sleeve Sisters! I have been reading all the posts but have been bad about responding. Sorry. I have been out of town for much of the Christmas and New Year break and am leaving again this week for CA to visit my parents. I have not made the best choices over the holidays but have still managed to lose a few more pounds. I drank my share of beer, wine, and liquor too over the holidays with no effect. I drink everything super slow and never finish a drink completely (even my Diet Coke). I still can't get down an entire can...usually only 1/4-1/2 can. Anyway, I am not beating myself up because I figure that I can eat so little in quantity that it does not much matter on my bad choices. Probably not the right attitude but oh well. I was sleeved 9/17 and am down right about 50 pounds. Last night I worked and it was the first shift that SO MANY people commented on my weight loss. It was kinda cool! I got everything from "Sexy!" to "You look fabulous!" and "Looking good girl!" Heck, I even had a patient tell me that his high heart rate was being caused by his good looking nurse! LOL! Nobody knows about the surgery at my work. I am continuing to play it off telling them about my new eating habits. It is working so far...not sure when I will be ready to divulge the full truth as I don't want anyone to hold it against me. I am cleaning out my closet this week because everything is too big now. It's a hard problem to have! Not!!! Oh, and speaking of visiting my parents...they nor my sister know that I had the surgery either so it will be interesting to see their reaction-if any. OK, that is my update. Keep up the great work ladies. I enjoy reading all of the postings.

Happy New Year Sleeve Sisters! I have been reading all the posts but have been bad about responding. Sorry. I have been out of town for much of the Christmas and New Year break and am leaving again this week for CA to visit my parents. I have not made the best choices over the holidays but have still managed to lose a few more pounds. I drank my share of beer, wine, and liquor too over the holidays with no effect. I drink everything super slow and never finish a drink completely (even my Diet Coke). I still can't get down an entire can...usually only 1/4-1/2 can. Anyway, I am not beating myself up because I figure that I can eat so little in quantity that it does not much matter on my bad choices. Probably not the right attitude but oh well. I was sleeved 9/17 and am down right about 50 pounds. Last night I worked and it was the first shift that SO MANY people commented on my weight loss. It was kinda cool! I got everything from "Sexy!" to "You look fabulous!" and "Looking good girl!" Heck, I even had a patient tell me that his high heart rate was being caused by his good looking nurse! LOL! Nobody knows about the surgery at my work. I am continuing to play it off telling them about my new eating habits. It is working so far...not sure when I will be ready to divulge the full truth as I don't want anyone to hold it against me. I am cleaning out my closet this week because everything is too big now. It's a hard problem to have! Not!!! Oh, and speaking of visiting my parents...they nor my sister know that I had the surgery either so it will be interesting to see their reaction-if any. OK, that is my update. Keep up the great work ladies. I enjoy reading all of the postings.

Hi Everyone,
My name is Andrea and its been a while since the last time I posted on this site. My surgery took place on Sept. 17, 2012. I was 245 lbs. a week pre-op, 235 lbs. the day of surgery and as of today, I am 193 lbs. I tend to usually just read all of your posts as support to what I've been going through but recently I've been meaning to post about my current post-op issues.
First, I want to say that I eat everything that I want. Since my 8 week marker, I have allowed myself to lay off the Protein Shakes and just eat whatever it is that I crave. Of course due to my limited tummy, I don't eat more than a few bites of anything, but still I have eaten everything from popcorn to chocolate, to any meats, ice cream and rice. NOW, there are a few disclaimers I should state... bread, Pasta and rice are very difficult to get down and I don't eat them often at all. I don't tend to eat many sweets, but as of late, I have been getting this aching for soda.. and finally, as part of my everyday diet, I take One a Day gummy vitamins, B-12 Gummy Vitamins, gummy Calcium, an Iron tablet and a Biotin tablet. I do not however drink or take anything special for Protein.< /p>
I feel worried FOR THE MOST PART though, because even though I exercise almost everyday for about 30minutes, I'm super scared to gain weight. I mean, psychologically, gaining weight worries me all the time. I try to comfort myself by saying that I'm only eating little bits of food and that's okay and I don't eat all the same things everyday, BUT my surgeon told me to make an appointment with the NUT that had seen me pre-op and post-op until 8 weeks, BUT all I know is that my former NUT is super judgmental and she scowls at me as of I were a bad child when I tell her what I eat at times... And I mean like, she got pissed at me one time because I told her I ate cheesy eggs with with regular cheese and not low fat cheese... Geez.. Smh.
Well, my personal opinion is that most NUTs are judgmental, they want us to eat what they want only and scowl at the idea that we are human and we might want to eat whatever we want even if its not an everyday thing.
Also, I don't know about you ladies but I used to enjoy eating pre-op, I loved everything about food and I don't mean just high fatty fast foods (I don't tend to eat those at all) I mean like just really good food like a well made pasta with veal or olive oil with French bread. ::sigh::: idk. Eating is a chore.
Please reply to me if you have experienced any of this. Please tell me I'm not alone.
Oh, and I am losing weight regularly... about 1-2 lbs a week. But I don't contribute that to exercising, I just figure we're still in the ketosis stage.
Follow me on MyFitnessPal: msdrea2425

Thanks for the compliment KParker! I went today for my 3 month checkup. OMG! 1 hour and 20 min just to get in a room and then felt totally rushed with the doctor. Done in less than 10 min I think. Plus a 1 hour+ drive each way=ugh. But the good news is that my official 3 month loss is 45.5. I am happy! He said that the next 3 months will be about half of that. Boo! All my lab work was OK. I get to stop taking B12 and iron..just have to stay on Multivitamin and Calcium. And of course he stressed the importance of exercise. Hope to get on that in the new year since bathing suit season is right around the corner. Not sure WHAT kind of bathing suit to even look for since I hopefully won't be plus size by then..but yet not even close to being ready for a 2 piece. Any suggestions? We have a boat so I have to look good....LOL! OK, need to get off this computer and get to wrapping gifts. I am such a procrastinator.

Well, I have been sort of MIA as of late. So busy with school (finishing up my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing) but now I am done for winter break. And now trying to finish up Christmas. But wanted to check in and say hi. I go tomorrow morning for my 3 month post-op. Sort of looking forward to the weigh in but sort of not. AM looking forward to seeing my lab work. This is the first time labs have been drawn since pre-op. I will let y'all know how it goes. I am figuring that I am down about 40-42 pounds and definitely losing inches. I am SO DANG EXCITED that I can now fit in size 18 jeans...down from my original 24. That is 3 sizes!!!! And I can now buy XL shirts off the rack and they fit...well most of them anyway. It is sort of funny though in the dressing room because as I am unzipping the size 18's to try them on I am saying to myself "there is no way that my butt is going to fit into these" but then I fit!!! OK, hope y'all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Well, I have been sort of MIA as of late. So busy with school (finishing up my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing) but now I am done for winter break. And now trying to finish up Christmas. But wanted to check in and say hi. I go tomorrow morning for my 3 month post-op. Sort of looking forward to the weigh in but sort of not. AM looking forward to seeing my lab work. This is the first time labs have been drawn since pre-op. I will let y'all know how it goes. I am figuring that I am down about 40-42 pounds and definitely losing inches. I am SO DANG EXCITED that I can now fit in size 18 jeans...down from my original 24. That is 3 sizes!!!! And I can now buy XL shirts off the rack and they fit...well most of them anyway. It is sort of funny though in the dressing room because as I am unzipping the size 18's to try them on I am saying to myself "there is no way that my butt is going to fit into these" but then I fit!!! OK, hope y'all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Well, I have been sort of MIA as of late. So busy with school (finishing up my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing) but now I am done for winter break. And now trying to finish up Christmas. But wanted to check in and say hi. I go tomorrow morning for my 3 month post-op. Sort of looking forward to the weigh in but sort of not. AM looking forward to seeing my lab work. This is the first time labs have been drawn since pre-op. I will let y'all know how it goes. I am figuring that I am down about 40-42 pounds and definitely losing inches. I am SO DANG EXCITED that I can now fit in size 18 jeans...down from my original 24. That is 3 sizes!!!! And I can now buy XL shirts off the rack and they fit...well most of them anyway. It is sort of funny though in the dressing room because as I am unzipping the size 18's to try them on I am saying to myself "there is no way that my butt is going to fit into these" but then I fit!!! OK, hope y'all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Well, I have been sort of MIA as of late. So busy with school (finishing up my Bachelor's Degree in Nursing) but now I am done for winter break. And now trying to finish up Christmas. But wanted to check in and say hi. I go tomorrow morning for my 3 month post-op. Sort of looking forward to the weigh in but sort of not. AM looking forward to seeing my lab work. This is the first time labs have been drawn since pre-op. I will let y'all know how it goes. I am figuring that I am down about 40-42 pounds and definitely losing inches. I am SO DANG EXCITED that I can now fit in size 18 jeans...down from my original 24. That is 3 sizes!!!! And I can now buy XL shirts off the rack and they fit...well most of them anyway. It is sort of funny though in the dressing room because as I am unzipping the size 18's to try them on I am saying to myself "there is no way that my butt is going to fit into these" but then I fit!!! OK, hope y'all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

@teach5: Way to rock your sleeve! Great job! I was sleeved on 9/17 and am only down around 33-35#. But I will need to go shopping too very soon. The jeans are getting too baggy and the bras are getting "wrinkles" in them because they are getting too big. Whoop!!!!

Today is 2 months out. Just left my post-op appt. I have lost 45lbs since surgery 9/24 and a total of 78 since beginning this journey. Bought my first pair of new pants, size 22 having started as size 28, I am thrilled. Funny thing is they look too small to me when I go to put them on, but they fit with room to spare! The road has not been the easiest, I had many bumps along the way. Surgery complications, anemia, lactose intolerance, nausea, days of dry heaves, and more tears shed in two weeks than anyone should shed in a lifetime. But I pushed through and am now reaping the rewards. For anyone struggling, know it gets better. Take it one day at a time!

Thanksgiving? Nope. Not worried. I have to work and although I know there will be a full Thanksgiving meal there (we always bring food on the holidays) I won't eat much. Heck, half the time we don't even get lunch breaks anymore since we are always so busy and short staffed. And holidays tend to be pretty busy in the ER, unfortunately.
In other fabulous news...I put on a pair of jeans last night and they basically fell off (sz 22). I couldn't even wear them with a belt because they would be too bunched up. Woo! Hoo! And this morning I stepped on the scale and finally hit the 220's!!! It's gonna be a good day y'all.

Went to the transitional gym at my surgeons office today and weighed in after my work out. I was sleeved September 13th and am down 74lbs as of today. ???? 20lbs before surgery and 54 since. Very happy. Long way to go, but have to start somewhere.

I hear everyone talk about cheating and wonder what they mean too.... My NUT said I am cleared to eat anything I want. We have to go on with as normal of a lifestyle as we can. She said as long as I am getting in my Protein and fluids etc.. it is OK to have a treat once in a while.
If we deprive ourselves all the time we will just want it more often. I think back to the amount of food I would consume in a meal and am shocked! We are still eating far less than we were before. We don't have the ability at a couple of months out to eat like we used to. I am so happy that I am satisfied with just a bite of something when I used to always want so much more.
Don't be so hard on yourselves. Look at your life now compared to a few months ago. We are rockin' our sleeves!!!
Keep up a positive attitude and if you slip up... tomorrow is another day. I can't wait until we are a year out. We are all going to look fabulous!!!

I don't really know if anyone ever reads my post since I never get much feed back but I still want to share.
It's been 2 months today since I've been sleeved. I've been blessed to have given another chance at life since I had diabetes. Yes HAD its been in remission since day 3. I've lost a total of 22 after surgery and a total of 42 lbs. I am 30 lbs away from goal.
Hope everyone else is doing good.

Had my surgery on Sept 7. I have lost a total of 85 pounds since preop. 50 lbs since surgery. I went down 5 sizes in pants and now shop in the regular dept instead of big and tall. If feels great, but weird. Would not change it for the world. Still adjusting to the amount of eating, but having no trouble with whatever I eat.

I had the best Protein power up snack yesterday afternoon. I'm 8 weeks out, and after not having any bread or crackers for 3 months including my pre-op, I bought some Nature's Own 100 calorie Multi-grain English muffins at the store. They have 1 g of fat, 24 g carbs, 3 sugars and 5 g protein. I knew I would only eat one half so cut all those in 1/2, then I spread a think layer of Peanut Butter on it and some SF strawberry Preserves and it was heaven! Not an every day treat, but something for once in a while!

Instead of donating my "under-grown" (WOW is that fun to write!) clothes, I offered them on the Facebook page that my surgeon has for a support group. That way I KNEW they were going to someone that could really use them (in this case, a mother & daughter who had the surgery within 2 weeks of each other). All I asked was that once they didn't need them, to offer them to others in the group that might enjoy them.
They were SO appreciative!

I found this ariticle going through google i hope it helps someone understand how food and beverage work in our new tummy's
First, I’m not a doctor nor have I ever played one on TV.
This may be old news to some..... But I’ve noticed a lot of people who have had VSG do not have any idea how the Pyloric Valve works.
This is my understanding how the Pyloric Valve works.
The Pyloric Valve function and how it pertains to your VSG.
The function of your Pyloric valve is the single most not talked about important part of understanding how and when you should eat and drink.
The Pyloric Valve is just that....It is a valve that is located at the bottom of your stomach/sleeve. This valve is in between your sleeve and the lower intestine. The basic definition of a valve is an apparatus that opens and closes.
When open this valve it is about the diameter of a dime. When closed it’s opening is closed down to the diameter of the head of a ballpoint pen.
Dense Proteins and harder to digest foods will cause the Pyloric valve to close to hold the food in your stomach for pre-digestion...... stomach acids breaking down this “Rough” food.
That’s why we are told to eat dense proteins first.....To close the Pyloric Valve so food stays in your stomach/sleeve longer so we have a sense of satisfaction.
It takes about 30-60 minutes for the food to clear the Pyloric Valve...... Than it’s OK to drink.
That is also where the term slider food comes into play. A slider food does not close the Pyloric Valve and as the term is intended.....food slides right past an open Pyloric Valve.
There is a video that gets posted every so often that is supposed to explain food going past the Pyloric Valve. The guy uses a funnel and has apple sauce or something in it....and it shows the apple sauce dripping out the end of the funnel very slow. Than he pours Water on top of the apple sauce to dilute it, illustrating drinking after eating.....and the diluted apple sauce runs through the funnel end faster. Than he concludes that this is how your pyloric valve works.
Well, it is a great video that only tells half the story.....remember it’s a valve...and he is only showing it in the open position....
So now the other half of the Pyloric Valve function..... You eat a dense Protein like chicken that causes your Pyloric Valve to close. Say for example your sleeve has a 4oz. capacity.....and you eat 4oz. of chicken.....your sleeve is full and holding all 4 oz. of chicken for pre-digestion because your Pyloric Valve is closed.
So now try and drink something....where is it gonna go? Up.....Up until it hits another valve of sorts..... the Esophageal Sphincter (valve) and above that is a flapper valve. The function of these two valves is to hold food, bile and stomach acids in your stomach and not backing up into your air way. This is a very high pressure system. Thats why when you eat to much or drink after eating a hard to digest food and your Pyloric is closed.....It hurts cause you pressurized your intake track. Vomiting would be a natural pressure release.
So you can see how learning and understanding how the Pyloric Valve works is important as it pertains to eating and drinking with a Gastric Sleeve.
So that was kinda like VSG and the Pyloric Valve 101
As you get further a long you will want to use the Pyloric Valve in other ways to keep food in your sleeve longer to stay satisfied longer.
A sleeve empties faster than a stock un altered full size stomach so sometimes it’s beneficial for you to learn what foods stay in your sleeve longer to extend satisfaction.
Dense proteins are #1 in closing the Pyloric Valve. Chicken, steak, pork, fish.....in that order seems to be the way it goes for me.
Other foods that are hard to digest and help close the Pyloric Valve are foods like:

Broccoli Stalk
Asparagus
Celery
Cucumber with Skin
Radish
Cabbage (I’m testing this right now)
Bell Pepper

For those of you posting about Hair loss, I have been using Nioxin Shampoo, conditioner, and scalp treatment. Haven't hardly shed any hair in almost 8 weeks...although it seems like I read somewhere that 3 months is usually when it will be the worst. Anyway, I am assuming the stuff is helping but of course can't prove it. I got it at ULTA. It is expensive though. There are all different stages so be sure to buy the correct one for your type of hair-for example I use stage 3 since I have baby fine hair that is highlighted. So hopefully this will help some of you.

For those of you posting about Hair loss, I have been using Nioxin Shampoo, conditioner, and scalp treatment. Haven't hardly shed any hair in almost 8 weeks...although it seems like I read somewhere that 3 months is usually when it will be the worst. Anyway, I am assuming the stuff is helping but of course can't prove it. I got it at ULTA. It is expensive though. There are all different stages so be sure to buy the correct one for your type of hair-for example I use stage 3 since I have baby fine hair that is highlighted. So hopefully this will help some of you.

That is AWESOME!!! I was sleeved the day before you but have only lost 30 pounds. But I have not gotten on the exercise bandwagon yet which I am positive has a huge part in my slow weight loss. Hope to get that extra energy and motivation soon. Life is getting in the way with school, work, and kids....sigh

Surgery date was 9/18
I'm down 43 lbs and I'm in onederland!!!!
Wearing jeans and boots I haven't worn in years!!!!
Strutting my stuff!!

I think it is a record y'all...It is Nov 1st and I have not eaten one piece of Halloween candy from my 3 kids. Not one piece! GO ME!!!!

OMG! I just experienced a tiny slice of heaven. I haven't been cooking much for the family (gee I wonder why) but decided to use up some ground beef so made meatloaf and mashed potatoes and peas. I took about 1/2 the amount I usually do, ate the meat first, then the peas and taters. Finished the meat but not the potatoes or peas. I am queen of wasted food these days it seems. Anyway, It tasted so damn good! Something different and something homemade. I am going to get myself some milk here in a bit too. Yum!!! I am gonna go to bed a happy girl tonight.

And one more bit of good news from Houston...I have not only gone down from 3x work scrubs to 2x but I also fit into my first XL t-shirt in many many years!!! I am so happy. AND, I ordered a new Texans thermal shirt and it arrived yesterday and OMG! IT IS HUGE ON ME....It is a 2X and I have got to return it. All of this is with a 28 pound loss since my surgery on 9/17/12.