Sadlers1999

I am 3 1/2 weeks out and although, I got to 10,000 steps today...admittedly, I don't see that happening every day at this point because I am not fast. Even if I was cleared for running, my running would be the speed of someone else's "walking." But, I still feel good that I am getting there...

What a long' date=' strange 6 weeks this has been. It seems such a long time ago that I was laying in the recovery room in horrible pain. This process has not gone at all how I have expected. My first 2 weeks I dropped 37 pounds. Then the scale didn't move AT ALL for 3 weeks. 3 weeks in a row I got on the scale to just get the exact same number. It was so discouraging. Today I got on the scale & I was down 5 lbs. Finally I am moving in the right direction again. I thought that I would have lost more by now. I do recognize (even with a 3 week stall) that my weight loss average is a pound per day over the past 42 days. That is a lot of weight. I also have finally broken through one of my biggest mental fears. I have been in the 380's many times in the past few years. I have never made it into the 370's. With my 3 weeks stall I was afraid that I was doomed to stay in the 380's. Well, today I am in the 370's. Over the past 6 weeks I have learned many things but there are 2 major lessons that I have taken away. The first is not to compare my weight loss to others. That is the most self-defeating behavior. If I looked at just my weight loss, I would be happy. When I compare myself to others is when I start to stress myself out & feel discouraged. The second lesson is to just follow the program. If I eat healthy, incorporate exercise & listen to my body then I will lose weight. It might not be the way that I expected, but it will come off. I am just starting this new journey. I need to be strong & have faith in myself & the process.[/quote']

I think we all just need to keep our "eye on the prize" and not get discouraged by stalls (or in my case VERY SLOOOOW weight loss in general). The new stomach is a tool to teach us to eat smaller portions, so if nothing else, it is doing that. I think you have done a fantastic job though if you have lost almost a pound a day average at this point. I don't think any doctor would tell you haven't done well. Congrats!

sleever 963- i am having gag refluz at anything in mornings therefore not able to eat. I know this is bad so what should I do? I also am not drinking any form of a Protein shake.....its just not working for me. Maybe I need to make my own??

I bought two brands of vanilla Protein powder to use post surgery. I don't like either. I make my own shakes using Greek yogurt as a base (since it is blessed with a lot of protein). I cup nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 cup skim milk and 2 tsp. chocolate or banana SF pudding mix. If you need it to be sweeter, add some Torani Syrup (sugar free) usually used in coffee, but can be used in other things. You can't add too much pudding mix or the shake becomes really thick. As for quantity, I would drink half at a time. Also, I bought Mio peach mango stuff and I don't like it in Water, but I like it in Greek yogurt. Makes it taste more like peach yogurt without the chunks. My NUT said some people use SF Jello to flavor things. Haven't tried that, but keep an open mind.

Benjammin, I'm still too soon out from surgery to be "kicking up a notch" with workouts. Just in the walking/treadmill/elliptical phase. That being said, I think changing things up exercise-wise is always good for weight loss. Did you mention what part of our fair state you are from? Where did you have surgery?

I have a really odd pattern to my weight loss. I'll lose 5-6 pounds in one week then nothing for two or more weeks. During the pre-surgical diet I lost 12 pounds in five days then only 4 over the next week and a half and my first stall hit while I was still on clear fluids. I also saw the stories of people who lost 100 pounds in four months and hit goal in six. I had convinced myself that that was going to be me too. Five months out I've lost 73 pounds but its hard to be happy about that when the scale hasn't moved for a couple of weeks. I still get frustrated but now I've mostly settled into that pattern. During the stalled times I keep reminding myself that on average I'm losing that 1-2 pounds a week that I had been so sure was a low number for other people.

Actually, even though the weight has still been challenging to get off, your story is motivating for me and others...73 lbs is something to be proud of...especially since you have had to work consistently to get results....hopefully I will be like you at the 5 month mark...

Yes' date=' I'm only drink 4 oz , I have to force the other 4 in pain. I am unsure if I ave a stricture , but I had my hernia removed during the sleeve procedure so my recovery is still slow but I'm surprisingly enough I can drink an entire bottle of Gatorade to prevent dehydration. But Water is not my friend. Thank goodness I go to the doctor on Monday.[/quote']

Okay. So you can have fluids...just not water or things mixed with water? Gatorade counts for something, but I am glad that you will see the doctor on Monday. I am not sure how hernia repairs affect recovery in terms of eating/drinking. Not having had it myself, I would think it would affect movement more. Maybe you could start a thread for people who had hernias repaired after/during sleeve procedure to get more specific feedback on that?

Thanks for responding ' date=' I can only have half 8 oz , throughout the day , I even set goals to try to drink a bottle a day but that's nearly impossible.

As far as the chicken salad , It hurts to have e one tbsp. I also tried salmon and I can comfortable eat one bite without it hurting , and the hurt begin in my back which I consider super weird.[/quote']

So you are only drinking 4 oz when you have liquids or you can only drink 4 oz of liquids during the entire day? Either way, that is scary-little and no wonder it hurts to try pureed/smooth solids! Do you think you may have a stricture? I am not sure when a person develops that, but I know that if it happens, the doctor goes in through your mouth to open it up so you can drink/eat better. (It doesn't require opening your abdomen up again.) I would make an appointment because if you can't get 8 oz of Fluid in during the entire day, that really is too little.

Hello Dec17 Sleevers ' date=' my story is very similar to everyone on here , I lost a great amount of weight. Before surgery I weighed in at 326, as of this day I currently weight in at 304.

Some days are better than others, I am still havin trouble drinking Water and any fluids , I have no pain. But besides that I feel great my husband is seeing the difference , my face is gettin slimmer and I have a BURST of energy.

Can somebody tell me what's the next phase , because I tried the chicken salad and that hurts my stomach so I went back to the Soups and full liquids , I can only drink half of a bottle of ice tea ( crystal light but of course ) lol

Thanks for sharing and please help with tips on what works for you[/quote']

I think if you are in the phase where you are supposed to start eating more solid stuff, you should just try it once a day. My NUT told us (in a group) that we should eat slowly enough that if we feel uncomfortable, stop. So, maybe your serving size is supposed to be 2 tbsp of chicken salad, but maybe you can only handle one tbsp.

How long does it take you to drink the half bottle of crystal light? Is a half bottle a cup (8 oz)?

I sincerely doubt your diet is the culprit as you are almost assuredly eating far less than you did prior to surgery.

Some people really do just lose more slowly. You can fiddle with your diet if you need to feel more in control of the situation. Counter to what you'd likely think' date=' if anything, it's more likely you need to increase calories/carbs to jump start yourself.

At that point post op I was struggling to consume 400-500 calories and 60 grams of Protein a day. At some point around four months I was struggling mentally and started to incorporate more calories, carbs and Protein. I started with additional shakes because that was easiest for me. I noticed no increase in the rate of my loss, but mentally I felt much better. I had more energy and did feel less deprived and more in control of my diet.

I lost 107 pounds over the course of 17 months, with two 9 week stalls along the way. I lost at a rate of just over 6 pounds per month. Prior to surgery the only stories that stood out in my mind were swift losses and I was certain that I'd get to goal in roughly nine months. The fact of the matter is that I lost slowly and nothing I did changed my body's pace.

I am no less a success story for reaching goal more slowly. In fact, I maintained my weight (prior to my current pregnancy) with very little effort and reached goal happy and healthy both physically and mentally.

Nobody wants to hear it but the real truth is that you cannot control how your body loses. There is a reason for many of us having years of failure on various diets before we choose surgery as an option. I could not have reached goal without my sleeve. Try to focus on the fact that every pound you lose is one gone forever, and be grateful that you've chosen this surgery that will make your goal achievable. The 1,200 one-size-fits-all diet and expectation to lose two or more pounds a week does not apply to many of us. If it did, we would have reached goal our first round of Weight Watchers and kept our stomachs!

Good luck, and try to stay positive. I won't offer up a sample menu as you'll see plenty of them and could search them out in any case. Many, many of us lose more slowly. If you search these boards you'll find that you are not alone and that there is really no need to get so frustrated over a time goal. Focus less on how quickly you'll lose the weight and more on building the foundation you need to stay at goal once you achieve it.

~Cheri[/quote']

You give me some hope.

I learned a valuable lesson tonight. I had scrambled eggs for dinner and thought "wouldn't it be nice to have a little more flavor" so I put a little salsa on them. Big mistake. My tummy twinged a lot. I won't try that again for quite a while. Other than that' date=' doing great!. I started with a low BMI, and am loosing slower than most of you, but I'm down 13 since surgery, and feel like there is a chance I will lose 15 or 16 by my one month date. For me, with 50 pounds to loose when I got to the surgery date, that would be great. I know it will slow down, so I'm hoping for as much as possible in the first month. I dig a great jog and hike this week, which I was amazed I was up for, and it is helping with my weight loss. I lost 8 lbs the first week, 2 the second, and three already this week, which won't end until Monday. I think working out will be key to making it to goal. I'm very grateful to have all of you who were sleeved on or near the same day to share experiences through the journey.[/quote']

I have the same problem. I find myself taking a couple of tums after meals that "disagree" with me. It's the acid feeling. My stomach doesn't feel anything. The acid is in the back of my throat.

As for weight loss, I am at the same weight as when I went to the doctor's office on Wednesday. Only 7 lbs total post surgery. And, my BMI was higher to begin with.

That sounds like gastric plication' date=' or the "stomach-sparing sleeve". So far, the results haven't been quite as good and you don't have the reduction in ghrelin production.

[/quote']

That's exactly what it was. We didn't discuss it or its results, but I have seen mention of it on other threads in this forum.

I am sad to see no replies yet. I have the same problem. I only lost 7 lbs the first two weeks and I don't trust my homescale, because it is difficult to read, but it clearly is different than my doctor's scale.

I was never on a clear liquid diet post surgery, but my doctor still expected me to lose 15-20 based on his other patients' experiences.

Yesterday, I did 3.5 miles on an elliptical machine (I'm 3 1/2 weeks out). I ate 500 calories and had 65 g of Protein. Drinking at least 6 cups of Water in between meals.

And, as others have pointed out, you don't miss your missing stomach. In fact, it stretches out again. Not back to original size, but enough that if you are not careful, you can gain weight again.

The way it was explained to me, the bypass is the gold standard still IF you have diabetes and/or if you need to lose more than 200 pounds. Yes. There are more absorption issues with this procedure, but it is recommended for a certain segment.

The sleeve seems more widespread in use. People who have had lapbands get sleeve revisions. People who want bypass but are in a precarious place Healthwise may get the sleeve first and bypass second to help get the 100s of pounds off. And, then there are the majority of people who get sleeves who may be low BMI with a comorbidity or BMI of 40 or higher but ranging from 100-200 lbs in "overweightness."

There is already another procedure in this country. I don't remember what it is called, but my doctor had a picture of it in his office. It's considered "experimental," which means at this point, no insurance will cover it. But, it looks like they fold your stomach in on itself somehow...making a smaller pouch without cutting anything out.

So, my husband bought me Chef Dave recipes for Weight Loss Surgery Success: Startin your Journey Step-By-Step (by Chef Dave Fouts, who had WLS). It covers Protein Shakes, smoothies, smooth foods for Breakfast, lunch, dinner and soft foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner. I appreciate that he includes serving sizes, Protein, calorie and carb info with each recipe, since obviously this matters a lot in the early phases.

Thanks for this great info! I am drinking the Whey chocolate powder stuff from Walmart mixed with 2% milk. (Please don't tell me that 2% milk is to filled with fat' date=' I drank it for 28 days pre op and lost 49 lbs.) They have become disgusting to me.

Please tell me more about "Maybe something like Nectar's Lemon Tea mixed with Water? " Is there "flavorless" Protein that actually does the job????[/quote']

Do you have access to Isopure premixed drinks? I was drinking the green tea flavor (like snapple). It has 40 g of protein in one bottle, so drinking it is like getting more than half my daily need. Also, you didn't mention it, but being a big guy (height-wise), do you have a bigger protein requirement than most? I think most people here need 60-80 g/day, but maybe you were told you need more?

I don't think of the 50s/60s as being "senior." LOL To me, as long as your heart can withstand surgery, you are probably a good candidate. But, in the meantime, 50s/60s today is like 40s/50s in the past...middle age!

I am on puree diet right now but I am only really eating greek yogurt and only half plus my Protein Shakes and water

What is the difference between puree and soft? Is puree when you strain chunks out? I feel like there is a lot of overlap. Overlap between full liquids and puree and overlap between puree and soft. I was only given two stages of diet when I was discharged: full liquids/shakes/soups and soft/soups with more chunks/etc.

How was ur pain? And the lifting?

Pain wasn't bad, but everyone has different procedures. I didn't have a drain which I can tell from reading causes pain.

I have to wait til my fourth week to take that medicine. I do have it but was told to take it after 4 weeks. I dont know if its bile i thought maybe just an infection or something but he said it could be bile!! I have another appointment on the 22 nd and so i will see.

Couldn't you call the doctor and ask to start the prescription earlier since you are already seeing so much bile?

Hey. Coughing up green bile is a sign of gallstones! I know because it just happened to my daughter a few months ago and she had to have her gallbladder removed. Your doctor should have given you a perscription for Ursidol which is the medication we take during rapid weight loss so that we do not develop gallstones! If you have this pill please make sure you are taking it every day! If you dont have it speak to your doctor immediatly!

I am glad you were able to explain the bile in relation to gallstones. I haven't (yet) had that problem, so I would not know that was a symptom.

I had two year old twins (both somewhere around thirty pounds) at the time of surgery. My husband left to go TDY just a day or two after I got home from Mexico. I would say I had about three or four full days (between Mexico and Germany) to recover before going it alone. I did just fine.

Instead of lifting the kids for changes I got on the floor to do them. I didn't carry them any more than I had to' date=' so if you have a child that isn't walking yet I'd try to set up a station in the house much the way you would for bed rest if you were pregnant. Try to live on one floor or in one area to limit carrying and stairs.

Have as much done as possible before the surgery. Stock your pantry, have your shake mixes, make some meals for the rest of the family that freeze or keep well and give your house a good cleaning before surgery. It makes life afterward much easier. I bought a few new toys, DVDs and craft activities for the kids prior to surgery so that if they got more rambunctious I could break out something new to entertain them for a while.

I was never in serious pain after surgery but everyone is different. My biggest issue was that I needed to sleep in the recliner for a few nights because I'm a side sleeper. I had no lifting restriction put on me but I kept it to a minimum and spent as much time as possible relaxing with the kids.

I'd say that I felt back to mostly normal (sluggish from low calories, of course) within the first week post op.

I think that it's completely do-able if you are well prepared.

~Cheri[/quote']

Even if you don't have kids, the advice to stock up (before surgery) and be prepared to sleep in something other than your bed is applicable. I also slept in an arm chair. It didn't recline, but I used an ottoman for my feet.

The idea to have play stations on one floor sounds good, too.

For me, currently, the biggest challenge is leaving the house with my 2 and 4 year olds. The 4 year old can follow instructions pretty well, but it's whether or not she CHOOSES to follow them. The 2-year old is the youngest of 4 kids, so he truly is a "baby" even if he is not a baby. When he wants to be cuddled, I tell him to follow me to the couch (or armchair) and he can climb up on me. Diaper changes are on the floor. So, that works. Outside the house, though, I can't lift him into a shopping cart, If we are at a public bathroom and he needs to wash his hands, I half-heartedly lift him to the sink. Honestly, I don't feel that bad at 2 1/2 weeks out, BUT I keep wanting to avoid tearing something and/or getting into pain and the doctor was pretty assertive that I should not do any heavy lifting until the end of January/beginning of July.

Ultimately, the lifting thing should be as much as you can limit it and still function with your kids.

Had my post op appointment today and i lost 15 lbs. Why is my head telling me it should be more??? The doctor said i was doing good but still feel bad. I walk each day and get my Protein and some Water too but i dont know!! Plus now another med he gave me because at night and morning i am still coughing up green stuff ever since leaving the hospital. He said it could be bile and i just dont know!

If you scroll back up, you will see that my weight loss is worse than yours by a long stretch. 15 lbs is supposed to be in the average range. The only thing that bothers me about what you wrote is "coughing up green stuff." Bile is in fact green, BUT why would it be okay for you to be coughing up bile? Do you take prilosec or anything like it (for acid)? The only time I have seen bile is the one time in my life that I was so drunk that I no longer had any contents in my stomach...except bile. It was neon green, but again, if you are eating right, why would you be seeing bile?

I didn't have staples that needed to be removed, so I can't say for certain, but it sounds like it would be a good idea to wait.

I try not to lift as much, but I have to sometimes. My two year old (30 lbs) knows I have an owie, but he still needs to be lifted on occasion. I would say, at minimum, have help for two weeks if you can find any.