BKLYNgal87

Wowza! Sexy guy!

Yogurt liquifies fast in the stomach. And it also leaves your stomach faster than dense protein. If you are taking an hour to eat it then it's more like you are having 3 oz every 30 minutes, which is totally normal.

I too got the growls. I have them worse now that I'm on soft foods and back at work. When I got them and I was on the pureed stage, I went for a sugar free fruit popsicle (which pretty much counts as a liquid). That put the rumbling to rest until I next ate something. Fluids will also help some in between meals.

How about this: you will most likely be on some sort of insurance mandated diet for either 3 or 6 months. Most insurance companies require this. Use that time to diet on your own. If you lose the weight and manage to keep it off, then you may not need the surgery after all. My surgeon has turned away patients from surgery who did extraordinarily well on their pre-op diets because he's a believer in WLS not being for everyone. There are plenty of people who are not successful long term in diet alone (like me), that's when it's good to think about surgery. For me I believe as long as you lose the weight and become healthier it doesn't matter how you go about it, as long as you are successful. Is surgery drastic? That depends on the individual's circumstances. A lot of people need a drastic intervention in order to change. Sure there are risks to everything in life and this needs to be weighed against potential benefits. Only you can decide.

I remember how tough it was in the beginning, I'm only 1 month post op (as of today ). But I can tell you as each day goes by you will get a little better. And by a month post op I am willing to bet you'll be back to your old self. JerseyGirl always gives great advice. I also used a heating pad and it was a life saver in my first week home. You should ask your surgeon's office if you can take some Gas-X strips. It may help, it may not, time and hydration are the best healers.

I've never used unflavored jay robb for soups. I use isopure unflavored whey protein and though it doesn't mix that well, there are tiny little clumps usually, it doesn't turn into egg soup. Maybe someone else has better suggestions for making use of the stuff you have.

Soccer girl, let me tell you I can relate. We're close in age and I also have a killer bad back. I did everything short of daily narcotics because I didn't want to develop dependence. I've used muscle relaxants long term and had epidurals as well. The only thing that ever really ameliorated the pain for more than a day was exercising - more specifically rowing and weight training my back muscles. But once I started skipping the gym a few days I was back to pain central. I am so sorry to hear about your struggles. I too got this surgery to tackle my back pain. Losing the excess weight and correcting posture will be the best, most permanent solution in the end. If you go in for the surgery they recommend, I wish you a speedy recovery. Keep us posted! Hugs!

Wow so inspiring! Keep up the great work

It wasn't for me because I didn't have a working relationship with any of the doctors involved in my surgery. I had a great experience!

LOL well you posted in the correct forum. I also am curious about that

There's a lot of very insensitive people out there. The nurse in your surgeon's office should know better though!! You've accomplished so much and you have a lot to be proud of - I'd be mad too if someone rained on my parade. Besides, the data is clear. People who lose weight via WLS are less likely to gain back the weight than people who opt for diet alone.

I wouldn't worry about how many calories you are getting in at this stage but since you're still clearly on liquids I think 400-500 a day is to be expected. 80 grams of protein is great. When you progress to pureed and soft solid foods you will consume a lot more. I was sleeved 2 days before you but I am long past liquids, now onto soft foods. Everyone's plan is different. I get about 600-650 calories a day from different sorts of protein (shakes, beans, meat, dairy) and a little cooked vegetables. I also am back at the gym which has helped my energy and mood.

I agree with everyone. Standard anesthesia practice includes giving you a sedative/muscle relaxant before general anesthesia. This will help you relax and get sleepy. Midazolam is a miracle drug because it also wipes out short term memory after it's given. I didn't even remember them administering propofol (the general anesthetic that puts you to sleep). All I remember is talking to the anesthesia resident in the OR about Game of Thrones and lights out! The scopolamine patch is also a great idea. I had it myself and highly recommend it.

Welcome to the other side! Wish you a speedy recovery!

The best way to put your mind at ease about the anesthesia is to make sure you choose the anesthesiologist with the most years experience and lowest mortality/complications stats. You will get the opportunity to meet with him or her before the procedure and make sure he/she (and your surgeon) is aware of your medical history and your concerns. Good luck!

I'm gonna be a bit of a "Tough Love Tammy" here, if I may. It's my way of being supportive. What you give up for this surgery is not so bad when you really step back and think about the alternative: continuing to overeat and gain weight, which most likely will eventually lead to chronic, debilitating and deadly illness. To be frank, dying of heart disease, diabetes, or another obesity related disease is far more miserable than not being able to pig out at the occasional barbecue anymore, for you and your family. If I were you I'd repeat that, verbatim, to your husband. Consider this also: do you measure your food now? Are you eating the correct portions sizes in your usual diet? Most people (even thin people) overeat - consciously or subconsciously. If you were determined to lose weight without the surgery and keep it off you wouldn't be able to overeat anymore anyway. I can tell you that since my surgery I no longer get that "low blood sugar" hypoglycemia feeling, which I used to get every day. I get hungry sometimes, sure, but much prefer to drink fluids on these hot summer days. I can tell you also that, for me, the pre-op diet was much more difficult than post-op. My stomach was still the same size and still pumped out the same excess of hormones - of course it's hard! I didn't do very well on my 3 month supervised diet, so I worked out like crazy to make up for it. When I got to the 2 week pre-op liquid diet I was dead set on doing everything right because I believe my life is worth taking back from the grips of obesity, and the perilous future ahead of me if I stayed the course. I didn't have food funerals because I didn't want to look back at what I could no longer have or do, I was determined instead to embrace what I could do with my new life. So far it has been smooth sailing for me. Will there be bumps or roadblocks down the path? Sure. But I trust that I now have the tools (physical and mental) to push forward until I achieve my goals. Make the right choice for your health and your life. All the best to you.

Everyone is different. Based on the experiences of others I have read I'd say your experience is normal. I am 3 & 1/2 weeks post op and I can eat about 2 oz of soft food per meal. I get in around 550-600 cal a day. Honestly I wish I couldn't eat so much so maybe I could move past this slump (refuse to call it a stall] I have! As for Protein, can you get unflavored protein and add it to Soups? I started doing this. I also have my daily shake, some meat and greek yogurt. I try to hit 70 grams a day as a goal. All of this is based on my guidelines. The fluids are important too so you don't get dehydrated.

I spent 10 hours in the PACU. It was hell. That gurney destroyed my back. Narcotics normally make me very sick but they gave me an anti-nausea IV. Instead, the narcotics didn't help one bit, and I couldn't stop writhing in pain until they nearly knocked me out with dilaudid and versed. Lol I was bombed completely after that. I'm so sorry to hear about her experience, but I assure you it's a temporary one. Please tell her for me it gets better. I am 3 and a half weeks post op and I feel awesome!

Congratulations on all your success!!

May I suggest a Mindfulness Eating log? I started one up since my psych evaluation pre-op on the psychologist's suggestion. Keep a journal of what you eat and when during the day, but also track how you feel (hunger-wise, emotion-wise) before, during, and after eating. Stress and hormones definitely triggered my compulsive eating. I found this log to be so helpful in understanding the connection between how I feel and what I shove into my mouth. It has helped me make more conscious food choices. Hey, it's cheaper than therapy! It's not too late to pick yourself up and dust yourself off. You can do this! Also log your liquid intake and make sure you are getting enough - don't end up back in the ER for dehydration!!

Can you post an example of a whole day's worth of eating? That meal doesn't sound like it should have that much sodium in it, though it depends on the salsa brand and the meat. How much sodium were you eating previously in a day? Do you have a kidney condition? I think the AMA recommends getting around 1500-2300 mg a day. Most people eat more than that, including me. I didn't follow any sodium guidelines for my pre-op diet and everything went fine. But if you have a medical condition that requires you strictly limit your sodium intake I would tell your nutritionist you need a different meal plan.

Excellent work!!

So first you lament the fact that people on this forum post their experiences, then share your own? Try and think of it this way: How much time do you spend with your surgeon pre- and post-op? With your nutritionist? Do little issues or questions ever arise when you are going about your week and don't have an upcoming appointment? Maybe you don't but plenty of people do. There is no harm in giving and getting information or listening to other peoples' experiences, it's all about how you use that information. Some people come through surgery and recovery no problem. Others have varying degrees of difficulty. Primarily this is a support forum. If you are satisfied with the support you get from your surgeon's office and see no need to be supportive of others, why bother to come on this site? FYI - I have a science background, not a physician but I understand biology and physiology. I don't know who advised you that the only difference between pre- and post-op is your stomach is smaller. It's not that simple. Other than size the biggest difference is the level of hormones produced in your stomach. Decreased hormone production both leaves you less hungry but can also change tolerance of some foods. This is why bariatric patients can get dumping syndrome. My bottom line: Every patient is different. Everyone heals differently. Just because some people have bad experiences doesn't mean this surgery isn't important if you are unable to lose the weight on your own. Most sleeve complications pale in comparison to the slow, painful death of heart disease or diabetes.

How many grams of Protein do you consume in a day? I was told by my NUT to get at least 80 grams a day if I'm concerned about hair loss. It helps with re-growth. I take a regular chewable Multivitamin (I can't deal with horse pills) plus I take 2500 mg Biotin capsules every day twice a day. I am only 3 weeks post op so no telling if it'll help when the time comes but biotin can also help with hair re-growth. As far as I know the hair loss itself is pretty unavoidable. Don't be dismayed it will grow back!

I am 3 & 1-2 weeks post op. I drink fluids pretty much normally now. No problems. I'm still trying to figure out the whole satiety vs full feeling because you should be eating until you are satisfied (satiated), not full. But right now i am satiated at 3-4 bites of food, so not sure i'd get in all my Protein in if I didn't just wait a few minutes and eat the rest of my 2 oz meal. This is obviously not a permanent solution. Anyway when I get full I also let out a burp. Sometimes I can feel like my stomach pouch is heavy. Give it some time and you'll figure it out for yourself. It's trial and error as others have said.