Momonanomo

My favorites are the apple pie and the Cookies n cream.

omg I thought I found heaven when I tried the apple pie....and then the Cookies n cream came out and now that's my fave.

I don't have them every day. But when I do --- I'm a happy camper. Worth the price for an occasional treat!

Agreed, if it's on the list and you're cleared to eat it, then by all means eat it. I was advising caution because the OP sounded like she was progressing faster than her dr's intentions.

Each dr has different guidelines; I recommend following the instructions of the surgeon who did your operation. When in doubt, call your NUT or surgeon.

Please stick with what your surgeon has suggested....you've JUST had an internal organ operated on, and at this point it's not just "being bad" to eat more solid foods if you haven't been cleared by the doctor -- it's dangerous.

Internally, your stomach has an incision, and they want you on the progression of liquids, then soft foods because it is safer while this incision is healing. Right now, it's not so much about weight loss as it is about healing fromsurgery. Please be careful. You don't want to risk getting somethig stuck in the staple line or possibly causing a leak, all for progressing too quickly on your diet before the dr says it's ok.

Stick with the greek yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. It won't be too long before you work up to the tuna, etc. You'll be there before you know it!

take care & good luck!

I was in the same boat. I had no co-morbidities, and I needed to gain 8 lbs to get to the required BMI of 40.

I ended up gaining 20 lbs

However! For me, in the long run, it was worth it. I would have eventually gained those 20 lbs anyways, the path that I was on. Hell I'm sure I would have gained more than that eventually. And my thinking was, let's get this done while I'm still fairly healthy and will probably tolerate the surgery better. I'm not advocating anyone deliberately gain weight. For me though, it was the answer. I had thoroughly researched the surgery and examined my history and I really thought the sleeve was the best answer for me. I believe with all my being that I was right.

I have heard of people sewing weights into their clothing, and slouching when they measure your height. Losing an inch in height can increase your BMI. I also made sure I ate something really salty the day before weigh in.

Good luck!

Hi~ I don't expect to reach my goal within a year, but I'm ok with it. A friend of mine took 2 years-- she lost 50 the first year and 50 the second, and has maintained her loss for several years now. I figure it's not a race, it's a lifetime thing. Though I do get impatient sometimes!

And the acid reflux is the side effect I am having. Never had it before surgery, and it's not all the time now. I just pop an over the counter medicine (zantac is my fave) and it's better within 5 minutes. It's no big deal, and definitely a small price to pay for having lost 110 lbs! I didn't have hair loss and my skin is ~meh~ ...ok. I figure I'm 42 so it's not going to be stellar. I have no problem wearing a bikini to the local beach though.

Another thing about not reaching goal within a year -- I set my goal where some would consider pretty ambitious -- 150 and I'm 5'9". I'm at 179 now. Really I only have another 10 lbs to go to be considered a "healthy" BMI. I will see how I feel when I get to 169 and may or may not make a run for the 150. Nothing's concrete. My surgeon basically let me set my own goal. A lot of people set their goal still in the "overweight" category, because getting there is still SO much more healthy than being in the "obese" category.

Ya know, seems to me, given that this chick chose to put something like this out there on fb, that it's really not about her getting disappointed. It would be more about her having an oppotunity to make a public dig at you. If she was really disappointed she should have discussed it with you privately. So imo she has just made herself look like an ass. Your reply to her was beautiful. If it were me, I would now pretend she no longer exists. Who needs friends like that?

Smh. Can't tolerate catty girls

I want a give-a-shitometer. Do they come in hot pink?

Bahahahahahaha!

What Ive heard is that the surface tension of plain Water is what makes it sometimes uncomfortable to drink. I often add some lime or lemon juice, but any little something changes the Water enough to make it more comfortable for our tiny tummies.

After 6 weeks I could generally drink exactly the same as I had pre surgery (i have always been a big water drinker). Some days - randomly & with no explanation - my sleeve will be tighter and it is slightly uncomfortable. So I always start small to test it out.

Yes, keep meeting your Protein & hydration goals.....and allow time to pass.

It's not a race, it just takes time. I remember feeling very impatient right after surgery because I wanted the weight to be gone, like, immediately. But the reality is, it just takes taking good care of yourself and allowing some time to pass.

You will lose weight.

completely, totally, absolutely normal. I remember thinking : how can I possibly be feeling all of these feelings at once?!?!?!

So, here you are! Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

I love your screen name --- go get 'em, tiger!

I lost about 5 lbs the first week.....but honestly, for the first week I was only concerning myself with staying hydrated. And doing my walking. And sleeping The body can react strangely to surgery, and I was only concerning myself with recovering from that!

My big loss was week 2 -- that week I lost 9 lbs

I'll chime in: I got waxed for many many years -- the full Brazilian.

Then, I realized for the amount of money I was spending every couple of months, over several years...well laser just made more financial sense! It is expensive but when you do the math on what you spend on waxing...

I had 6 laser treatments, and now I'll never never have to do it again! The hair is gone forever!

I absolutely LOVE it!

The only caution I would have is to not get dehydrated! It can get hot in those beds, and if you're not able to get all your fluids in properly yet, you will end up feeling like CRAP!!! And dehydration can be very dangerous to those who have recently had surgery. . . .

I use Skinceuticals and it has been amazing. People actually comment on how good my face looks. Love it, because I was starting to get horizontal lines on my forehead and the "elevens" between my eyebrows. Been using it a year, and those lines are hardly visible now, and random people have said I have a glow. I LOVE the Age & Blemish Defense serum the most, but I also use the wash, the toner, the Vitamin C, and the Vitamin b moisture. I think I will use this stuff forever because it has been so effective. Pricey but a little goes a long way and it lasts forever.

It warms my heart to read this. My mom has been one of my biggest cheerleaders.

It has meant the world to me.

I completely agree with 1Day -- def look for a new PCP. Perhaps your WLS surgeon can refer you to a good one! lol

Good for you for keeping your cool and getting what you needed. Shame on her for acting that way, but kudos to you for rising above.

It's been a long year with many ups and downs but I am proud to say today I finally reached my goal weight this morning. I had Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) April 8, 2013 and over the last year I have worked hard to loose 89lbs. I started at 214lbs and am now 125lbs. VSG is not for everyone, but it worked well for me. My only advice to anyone thinking about the sleeve is to really REALLY do you homework and think about the lifelong changes YOU must make to use your sleeve to its best advantage.

How exciting it must be to be at Goal!!!!! All your hard work has really paid off!! You should be proud!

Excellent advice you give to those considering VSG to really do the research. And I totally agree that it is up to the individual to use the sleeve to its best advantage. Words of wisdom!

You've done beautifully!

Congratulations!

First 4 weeks post surgery I lost 20 lbs exactly. Here's how it went week by week.

Week 1 -- 5 lbs

Week 2 -- 9 lbs

Week 3 -- 3.8 lbs

Wekk 4 -- 2.2 lbs

I had lost 10 lbs in my 2 weeks pre-op.

But you are right --- everyone is different!

hmmm interesting question. First thing that pops in my mind in response was:

well then, how could any of us rationalize eating to the point of obesity when there are so many people starving in the world?

And yet....we all did it.

I agree with the above folks....I utilized what was available to me to get healthy.

Me not having the surgery and continuing to fight a losing battle with dieting would have done nothing to help the starving people in the world. There are many non profit organizations that I can help support with my time or money that can offer help to those in need.

only regret not doing it sooner. this has been exactly what I needed.

Best of luck to you!

Alcohol & sugary drinks cant stretch your sleeve, but they are empty calories. The stomach after sleeve cannot regrow to th esize it was before, but people who regain find ways to eat the junk that slides through easily and adds up the calories. People who stick to the Protein First rule continue to feel the restriction of the sleeve. It does relax abit after surgery and can hold more, but that is why changing habits of what is eaten is important. It may be cliche, but the sleeve is not a magic cure, it is a tool that when used properly can mean maintaining healthy weight loss. Ultimately each of us is responsible for the outcome.

First, welcome LaLa And, it is SO natural to be scared. Use this forum as much as you possibly can to find out about the whole process. Knowledge is power. Also, you can read about what people are gong through at various stages in their journeys and think to yourself "What will I do when I come to this? How will I best handle it?"

As far as the starch thing goes -- omg I was such a carboholic. Sourdough was like crack for me! lol! I never never never would have thought I could get over my addiction, or at least get it under control. But, here's what worked for me. I treated this surgery like what it is: a SURGERY. On my stomach. And to best protect that staple line while it's healing, you *cannot* eat things like sourdough! For quite a while. I went without the starchy things from the beginning of my 2 week pre-op diet to several months afterward, and you know what? It was like a detox. So yes, you will be putting yourself in a position where you could harm yourself medically if you eat that stuff, and for em that's what it took to break its hold on me. After your stomach is healed and you're cleared for real food, be very careful about reintroducing that stuff because by its very nature it causes you to want more.

As far as the alcohol goes... well you will need to be drink free for a while to let your stomach heal. Once you're cleared to drink, please be very VERY careful with the alcohol. Many WLS patients get into trouble with what is called a "transfer addiction" with alcohol, because it is liquid and goes down easy, and when you can no longer indulge in a food addiction it can be very easy to transfer that addiction to alcohol. Be very very very careful if you feel you may be susceptible to this. Do you have access to a counselor? if your program had you take a psych evaluation, perhaps you could see that person some more or have them recommend someone to you can talk to. If you truly are not ready, they will help you get to a place where you are.

And remember, we all had nerves about this. So we're all here to help you with yours!

You will absolutely be able to eat sushi again You just might not want the rice with it. For many of us, rice is too heavy and uncomfortable in our tiny tummies. But no worries! Sushi without rice is still yummy!My favorite is sashimi (or poke) wrapped in nori. Yum! And high protein!

You should start practicing the no drinking with your meal thing. It does take a while to get used to, and I usually pop my chewable Vitamins or a sugarfree min right after eating to help signal to myself the end of the meal. But with practice, the no drinking while eating thing gets to be second nature.

I've always loved beer, pierre, club soda. However, it's no so appealing to me now. I've had a few sips and ...<shrug> it's no longer appealing. It is said that carbonation can be anywhere from damaging to painful on tiny tummies. Some people on the board difiantly indulge anyway and claim no problems. Ask your surgeon and or NUT. I think like with many things, after you're all healed and can have whatever you want, you may ultimately find you don't miss it all that much anyways.

As far as Disney goes -- you should be a couple of months out by then. Valid concern to be careful to not get dehydrated. You just have to carry Water with you and sip sip sip all through the day. It too will become second nature!

good luck to you on your journey!!

what a great metaphor!

I don't have an m&m, but I do have a little foil-wrapped chocolate heart that sits on my work computer as a token to remind myself "I am stronger than the chocolate, I do not have to eat the chocolate just because it is in my sight, I will not eat the chocolate"

It's a visual anchor to keep me strong -- just like your m&m!

6 weeks after surgery was the 4th of July. I had a few sips of white wine at a party -- very carefully. I ended up nursing that glass for hours. I was surprised when I found that I no longer had a desire to over indulge like I had pre-surgery, in both food AND drink!