BANANA PANTS!

You are not in this boat alone! I have periods of low energy, and times when I feel pretty good. I found that getting more calories and liquids in really helped me feel better. Also - treat yourself to something nice - like a pedicure. Getting out and about helps too. I think it's important to remember that this time will pass soon - that helped me big time. Hang in there! It will get better... Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

Mary - still having the restless legs. Bananas not really helping but then again I'm not getting much of them in. I have it just sitting around - which on the positive side is keeping me walking. However I'm gonna have to take ambien tonight just to try to get some sleep as I go back to work tomorrow. I have MS, so this is something I deal with occasionally, but not as persistently as it is now. If it is still bad tomorrow I might call the nutritionist. Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

I was on full liquids starting day 2 post-op, and started puréed 13 days post-op (one day earlier than my diet plan dictated, but I did super runny eggs and tolerated well). I will be on puréed for 2 weeks-until 1/14/13. Then I go to full diet (of course starting slowly with proteins first). I did start puréed a day early, but it worked for me. I have had no problems with tolerating full liquids at all, and so I moved on a day early into puréed. I was wanting to try things that were no where near my diet plan so moving on a day early was a good solution. Good luck! Let me know how it is going. Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

Hey 17th-ers! Things are going well here. I started puréed and now am beginning to understand the full feeling. It's weird because I just sort of stop after a few bites because I think I am full. A few times I have waited and taken another bite and got this weird pain-like feeling, so I am learning to recognize what full is now. In can eat most of one egg scrambled with fat free milk to make it thinner in consistency. I also ate some cheese grits from Whole Foods which were beyond amazing! No weight loss since I started puréed food, but not really worried. 262 week prior to surgery when I started pre-op diet and now 239! I've been bad about Protein intake since changing to puréed. That will change when I go back to work tomorrow as I will be back on Protein shakes (2 per day) as part of my routine I established pre-op. My only complaint is that I've had two days in a row now where I was up all night because of restless leg syndrome. I am guessing it is due to Vitamin deficiency and have added banana to my morning Protein shake to boost the potassium. Anyone else experience this? Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

Northern Virginia Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

Hey carasmith! I really like this 17th-era group, and certainly you should join us! Congrats on your success so far. I think getting a paralytic illeus was my biggest post op fear because that would seriously suck. I feel for you and hope things start moving for you soon. Hang in there! Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

I'm doing great! I am down 11lbs since surgery. I'm still having right side pain, but it is tolerable with an occasional dose of pain meds. The one thing that has really surprised me is how happy I have been since surgery. The first two days at home were rough because I felt so bad but since then it's been great. I have this crazy optimistic outlook that's really carried me through. I find walking really helps me and enjoy doing it every other day (I have multiple sclerosis and find that I'm exhausted the day after exercising so I have to space it out). Congrats to all of us for making it this far - it's going to be a great adventure! Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

This made me smile today! Thanks for posting! Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

Part of the insurance game is the insurer denying outright initially. They will find any and everything they can to deny deny deny! From my experience as a patient and as a nurse case manager who worked directly with insurance companies, it is a big old game and you just have to keep the pressure on the company. Also, having your surgeon actively involved helps too. Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

I would ask your nurse is there something else you can do. Let them know this is an issue for you. I sucked on those darn green mouth swab things like you wouldn't believe. There really isn't much difference between that and a cup of ice. Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

My doctor told me that as long as I follow the diet and exercise there's no reason why I won't lose all of my weight with the sleeve. It's up to me. Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

Here is my take on truelove. I think our definition of love changes over time. I don't think I'll ever have the same feelings of love that I had when I was 16. I spent many many years trying to find those same feelings again without any success. I now realize that it 16 everything is new and fresh and exciting. As we get older and our worldview changes The way we understand and incorporate love in our life changes as well. I did the online dating thing way back in the day when it was still something that you didn't tell anyone you were doing. I too found that almost everyone I met seem to be hiding something. When I took a break from the online dating I realized that the true love of my life with someone that is known for quite a while but never looked that way. We have now been happily dating for 15 years and it couldn't be better. He has seen me at my skinniest, seen me through my diagnosis of MS, and even now see me through my weight-loss surgery. We are not married and currently don't have any plans to be married. Things work well for us the way they are now. This is just my two cents on the truelove thread...thanks! Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

Hang in there if you're still early in the process - as am I. Your stomach is still swollen and not functioning properly. I laughed when you said buyers remorse -it's just a funny way to state the frustration at the beginning. I been trying to squash any negative feelings or thoughts with thinking about how great things are going to be in the near future. Remember this is a long process and don't be too hard on yourself. I'm doing great with full liquids, and the two bites of pudding I had made me a little icky. I'm listening closely to my body and taking it slow for the first two weeks! Good luck to you! Sleeved 12/17/12 and enjoying the adventure!

I was sleeved on December 17, 2012. Tomorrow is my first postop doctors appointment. One thing I've learned through this journey is that I haven't been as prepared as I thought I was to ask all the right questions of the right people. I'm still having quite a bit of right-sided pain so I'm definitely going to ask about that. But other than the pain, my question list is pretty much empty. It just seems a little odd. I feel unprepared. I'm not scheduled to meet with the nutritionist but I'm going to pop my head in and ask her a question or two. I'm guessing this appointment is just for them to make sure that my incisions are healing and I'm not having any major problems, correct? So far here Are my numbers: Weight at the beginning of my pre-op diet 262. Weight on day of surgery 253. Weight today 241.

Also, if it feels like your stomach is growling, that could just be your stomach/bowels waking up and getting used to working again. That made me think I was hungry around Day five. I also don't feel the restriction but just get kind of bored eating so stop early on. I have a few more days before I start the puréed diet and I'm really looking forward to it. I find each day is a little different in terms of the hunger missing food and wanting to eat. Isn't this a fun adventure though?

If Zantac didn't work its time to step it up to a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) like Prevacid which is over the counter but will be cheaper if you can get a prescription. I had horrible reflux prior to surgery and have had absolutely none since! My doc said my hiatal hernia was pretty big so I think that is the reason the reflux is so much better now that the hernia is repaired. Call your doc and get some Prevacid! Sent from my iPhone using VST

It is just your metabolism adjusting - no worries. You might even have a day when the scale goes up a pound. Remember to always look at the big picture! Sent from my iPhone using VST

I'm a 17th-er too! Down 21 lbs since week prior to surgery (253 day of and 241 today)! I'm on an every-other-day schedule as far as how I'm feeling. One day great, the next kinda blah. I think I'm over doing the activity and under medicating the pain. Today is a more down day and right side pain is about a level 7 constant so I just took pain meds. Treating myself tonight to egg drop soup and so excited about it. Looking forward to a nice candlelight service later in the evening and my boyfriend will have to have my helping of the body, but I'm pretty sure God will understand! Overall - once I made it through the first few days things seem to be going well. No regrets, only excitement for more of this great adventure! Sent from my iPhone using VST

Good morning 17th-ers! This thread made me so happy this morning because you all said almost exactly what I have been feeling in one way or another since surgery. I actually like the shake (blended with ice and a scoop of sugar free hot chocolate) which is a surprise to me. For me though walking around DC last night to look at the White House Christmas Tree was a hard moment. We passed by all the restaurants and bars that I once spent so much time in. I had a little pity party but was picked up by all the beautiful lights and the thoughts that the next time I go to many of these places I will be a lot slimmer. I found that I focused a lot more on what was around me rather than thinking about what to eat next and that was good. The other thing that has helped is encouraging others not to hide their food from me. My whole family is in Texas for Christmas and have been sending me pictures that have been oddly absent of any food or drink - very unlike my family. I told my sister to send normal pics with good and all and explained that it made me feel more normal and that although I appreciated their thoughtfulness, I was missing the merriment this year - much of which is surrounded by food and drink - and I want pictures if it, dammit!!! She got the message and my phone lit up with hilarious pictures last night. Anyway - cheers to all of us! Have a great day all! Sent from my iPhone using VST

First of all- WHAT A GAME TODAY!!!!! I hope it took your mind off of your tummy for awhile today! Glad to hear you are doing well. I'm lucky in that I am full liquids after day 1 and the Soups really help. I suggest for anyone living with a less supportive person - have them read the research. I was a non-believer for a long time until I actually read the weight loss studies. I think this helped my family come around too. I'm lucky to have a great boyfriend (of 15 years - it works). He saw me through my diagnosis of MS, and was a trooper through this adventure as well. Anyway - congrats on making it through. Hang in there! Sent from my iPhone using VST