mysleevemylife

First, it's highly unlikely that air or carbonation will cause your sleeve to stretch. The fundus, which is the stretchy part of the stomach, is removed in this surgery, so the amount of stretch that people can get is really negligible. The fallacy of the stomach stretching comes from talking about gastric bypass, where there is still fundus left as part of the pouch, and it can stretch fairly easily.
What excess air and carbonation CAN do is result in significant discomfort, especially if your stomach is still healing.
Using a straw can be a problem if you tend to gulp with it. However, if you use the straw to pull a small amount of liquid into your mouth before you swallow (not straight into a gulp down your throat) there's really very little difference between that and sipping from a cup.
Time to relax and stop squawking at people, folks. It's good to be concerned for each other, but this is an insignificant blip on the "not following doctors orders" radar.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using VST

Yes, he is Amazing!! :-)

Oh HELL no! I hope they incinerated that thing!
Evil! Evill! Stomach... Ewww I just shuddered at the idea of that thing finding its way back!

My pre op appointment was yesterday and everything went great. I still can't believe that I am going to finally be done with the port and the band. No more nights scared to eat dinner to have to stay up til 3 am waiting for my food to digest or waking up because I threw up in my sleep. Those long nights are over. So now I am preparing for my 3 day liquid diet to shrink my liver. The big day is April 30th and I have recieved nothing but support from my closest friends and family. I am just ready to live again. I want to wear a swim suit (to embarassed to wear one), go skating or wear a sexy dress with heel to dinner with my hubby. I have been living in a shell for 4 years dealing with the issues I was having with my band. Now the time has finally arrived and there is NO TURNING BACK NOW! It took me 2 years to finally decide that this was the right road for me. I was embarassed about gaining some of the weight back and for even thinking about a revision. I didn't want to hear people saying I did the the surgery once and why would I do it again. But it's not about what people will say or what they think. It's not about them. It's about ME! The new healthier me that wants to live a long healthier life and have the wedding I never got to have with the man of my dreams, my biggest supporter, my best friend...My husband.
Here's to the beginning of a new journey to the NEW ME!

PLEASE stop calling posters trolls. If you have an issue with any post, please REPORT it. I don't care how implausible or unbelievable the post is. Can you imagine being a failure for a long time and finally have the courage to come out about it, only to be called a troll ? This isn't how we welcome people on VST. Thanks in advance for your understanding.

Logging is the best way to determine if you really should be loosing weight because you will see calories in and calories burned.
Again though... we know very little about the last 16 months. Was there an initial loss, did you gain some back? What are your eating habits like now.
Unless you're willing to post a LOT more information, there's very little advice we can give you.

I did a dumb thing tonight. I decided to go get more of my nutritional supplies at the grocery store. Skim milk, tea, flavored water, Soups, Jello, pudding, yogurt. A member of my household asked me to pick up some mini-donuts for her. No problem! I have no desire for that anyway. Then, I get a text to pick up their favorite sodas. Ok.
What I didn't prepare myself for was walking through the bakery and deli and produce surrounded by chewable food everywhere. Familiar foods.... Foods that I enjoyed before... And I walked past all of them to get my Soup and water.... And the other items. Needless to say, Ethyl was pretty distressed and put out with me for taking her in there!
The ghosts of Eating Past swirled all around me in that store. I told myself if I ate anything, it would make me sick. I KNEW that! It wasn't that I yearned for any one item. It was the psychological impact of knowing I was surrounded by familiar foods that I used to find pleasurable. I'd say it would be like placing a NEWLY recovering sex addict in the middle of the Nevada Bunny Ranch with free passes.
What did I learn and what do I recommend? If you have other members in your household ABLE to do the grocery shopping, let them. DON'T go into a grocery store when you haven't eaten solid foods in a week. Just don't do it. It is an unnecessary stress. JUST WAIT until we are leveled out on a regular diet before going grocery shopping again.
Did I succumb? I'm so proud of myself. I didn't. I raced home and made some Cream of chicken Soup and kicked back and enjoyed it. But, I'm not going back in a grocery store until I'm on solid foods. It is just too cruel.

So I've been obsessing about the scales lately because I've hit the dreaded stall. But I noticed my clothes fitting a lot bigger lately. So I decided to try on a few pairs of jeans and pants in my closet. And they ALL zipped up!!!! Every single last one of them. Even the ones I thought wouldn't get past my thighs. I'm so beyond thrilled. Pretty soon they won't fit because they are too big!

Okay--
So I know this silly to be thinking about but I thought I would ask anyway...
I just got my tentative surgery date for May 8. That's fantastic--just 2 weeks from today. The surgery is my priority, however, I have tickets to a concert for my favorite band of all time (Toad the Wet Sprocket) for May 11. I already know it's likely impossible to think about going, but I guess I just wanted you guys to confirm it. The concert is at a small theatre venue with seats. They rarely ever come to my area (Nashville) and don't tour much. Is there any chance at all I will feel like going? Were most of you guys still on pain meds on day three?
Thanks for the input!

You are an animal, will you rest tomorrow? What kind of exercise did you do before surgery? Did you do all that in an hour?

This is just a little thread for everyone to share their hardest workout post sleeve in order to inspire others and to share ideas.
For example, my hardest workout is cross fit WOD just completed today:
1. 50 deadlifts (200 lbs)
2. 2 mile run
3. 30 bench (150 lb)
4. 50 pull ups (really hard for me)
5. 2 mile run
6. 100 burpies(almost killed me. Lol)
I swear my PT was channeling Jillian Michaels. I am going to hurt tomorrow. No pain no gain!!!

Well, now is the time for everyone to know a little more about me. I'm NOT into drama. I ignore any negative comments & keep it moving. Thanks for all of the input. Have a great day! (Takes a drink from my straw & smiles) On the next visit with my surgeon, we'll see what he says about it.

My surgeon has allowed straws since the beginning. They do not stretch your stomach nor do carbonated drinks. If you have excess air in there, you burp.

Sadly so, you may hear the whole "easy way out" often. You will get to the point where you may just shrug it off. Yes, it is frustrating. I don't blame you for venting at all. It's so hard for so many to understand unless they have walked in our shoes. Congrats on making a decision to better your health. It's one of the best decisions I've made for myself. I wish you the best with your journey. :-)

I've decided, without a doubt, that I want the sleeve and that I am going to follow through with the surgery. I have researched for months all aspects of the surgery, more so the negative comments, side effects, etc., and I still believe that this surgery is right for me. However, I am frustrated with cheap comments, and the one that upset me the most was: “You are taking the easy way out.”
Excuse me? Just because I am utilizing a technology that aides a person in losing weight when all other avenues have failed, means that I am taking the easy way out? I am sorry, but a person utilizing a vehicle to make it EASEIR for them to get somewhere; or an agriculturist utilizing specialized tractor equipment to make it EASIER and hasten the planting and coming of their crops; or a person using a defibrillator to aide them and make it EASIER for cardiac survival; or a person taking cholesterol, hypertension, or any other medication to make it EASIER for them to stay healthy does NOT give them less integrity. All of the afore mentioned are a means to an end; a tool utilized as a means to an end. Technology is created to make things easier for us to survive, to get around, to stay healthier, and to accomplish tasks easier and quicker. So, YES…maybe I am taking the easier route because all other forms of technology have failed me…and in the end, this “easy way out” is a tool; a means for me to survive and preserve my life for a longer period of time. I AM taking an easier route, just like billions of people across the globe do every day as they utilize all the technology that is available to them.
SORRY! I had to vent!!!

That's right! We did have our surgeries around the same time!
As for the original post, you will start feeling better. Continue to be patient with yourself & take one day at a time. You will eventually feel strong & be able to help others with your story that may also go through the same or similar situation. I wish you the best!

Hi there! Well, I requested extra counseling after the initial psych evaluation that was required for my insurance. I'm not sure if you are spiritual or not, but what I did was I talked to God a lot & told him all of my worries, fears, anxieties. I literally said "Lord, please let me be one of those types that can tolerate just about anything after surgery". I watched a whole lot of Youtube videos & received a lot of tips, ideas, strength, and encouragement. I also utilized this forum a lot. I spent many days before/after work lying on the couch or on the bed & thinking/meditating about my feelings & the journey ahead of me. These are things that helped me. I was DETERMINED before surgery to return to as much as a normal life as possible. I knew I would follow the advise of the professionals for the most part, but I've also learned to know what my personal body wants/needs despite of. For example, I just started using a straw today with no issues. It's helping me drink my Water better/quicker (not too quick of course). I hope this helps. Oh, I've also journaled to get my emotions out.

Healthy version of banana raisin bran muffins for those of us who have issues in the Fiber department these are perfect and über tasty

Ciming to you live from my post-op bed. The surgery went "beautifully" according to the Dr. I was sleeved at 7:45 am. Even though Dr. Zare is an angel, my new stomache hurts like hell.

I started regular food about a week ago and I find it takes me about half an hour to eat, sometimes a little longer. I find now my eyes really are bigger than my stomach, I'm getting better but I still make to big a portion, even measuring it out. I stop drinking half an hour before eating, and don't drink for half an hour after eating. Is this about what you all are doing? Also how often do you eat? I find about 2 hours after I eat I get a little hungry again, especially if I worked out that day, and I've been doing some kind of exercise at least 5 day a week.

OK remember I'm trying to maintain, I don't want to lose anymore (it's way more difficult to do than I thought):
B-regular venti Starbucks caramel frap
L-Wendy's single with cheese (no top bun-just can't eat it all, it hurts)-30 minutes later diet coke
Snack-large peach, pack of extremes sweetly sour belts candy
D-El Pollo Loco chicken tostada salad (can't eat shell)
Snack-will have a jelly filled donut (they were out of chocolate custard filled)

I agree SleeveNZ that you should inform the military about this health issue. Good luck!

It sounds like a very dangerous food!

Sorry that this happen to you. You are not a failure. I'm praying for you.

I am one week and 3 days out from surgery. It is normal to feel anxious, but the reasons have to be strong enough to motivate you in the post period. Make sure you ask about recovery time and have realistic expectations about what to expect. Also, make sure that you have a strong support system. I would also ask about the more common post op complications that they have. good luck in your decision. God is great. Be prayerful!