Chris R

It's rather saddening when I'm reading threads on here and find people start bickering. I've posted elsewhere about this, but I think it deserves repeating. Message boards, by their very nature, do not allow the reader to have the physical cues of eye contact, facial expression, or tone of voice that one has in face-to-face conversations. This can make a poster's intended tone and message easy to misinterpret. It's very important to keep this in mind when reading posts, and to give people the benefit of the doubt when you start to feel upset about something they said or the 'way' in which you felt they said it. I honestly don't think anyone comes on here to be mean, nasty, or to try to insult people. Perhaps one person doesn't get another's sense of humor, or just misses the real point behind what someone is trying to say. But rather than letting things dissolve into nasty back-and-forth sniping that ends up getting more people upset, administrators involved, and running threads that the original posters made to honestly seek information and advice off-track, there is a simple solution. If you find that you simply don't like the way someone expresses themself on here, you can use the ignore settings. That way you don't have to ever read anything they post again. Simply click on the arrow next to your name at the top right of the screen, click on "Manage Ignore Prefs", and enter the name of that user. You can ignore their posts, signatures, and private messages. Simple solution, yes? If you get into this kind of back and forth bickering and this solution isn't to your liking, then perhaps you should reexamine your reasons for being here... Just my 2 cents worth...

Even worse is if the damage is already done to your knees, but you can't have the knee surgery unless you lose the extra weight (like me!) I'm also hoping the weight loss will help me put off knee surgery longer - they tell me at 50 I'm "too young" for knee surgery. They really don't want to do it until you're at least 60, so they don't wear out before you die. Happy thought, isn't it?

@mdonaldf - Update your ticker!!!

That's awesome! I was 450 when I started my pre-surgical program back in May 2012, and about 390 when I had my surgery on February 12, 2013. I was down to 366.6 this morning! I remember how great it felt to FINALLY be under 400! I'm looking forward to 350 and 100 lbs lost soon! Congratulations!!!!

webblarsk - I thought you said you were 'done' a few posts back... please let it go. I'm pretty sure I know which post you initially got upset about, but I honestly think it was a matter of how you read it, NOT how it was intended. I, too, am only a few weeks out, and I didn't read it as an insult to those in that position at all. The poster was simply pointing out that how we eat can change as we get farther out from surgery, so that there could be a lot of difference in what someone was saying about diet based on how far out from surgery they are. Please remember that we don't have the cues of facial expression and tone of voice on here that we have when speaking face-to-face, so it's important to give people the benefit of the doubt and to try not to take offense when reading posts, when it's entirely possible that it was not in the least meant to offend. Let there be peace! PLEASE!

Where in your shoulder? If under your shoulder blades, I might think gall bladder...

I was sleeved February 12. I was really missing real food the first couple of weeks. Not as much now since I started soft foods and purees (mmmm... scrambled eggs and cottage cheese!)

From what people who visited our support group said, it's different for everyone. Some say they can eat anything that they ate before surgery, just in smaller amounts. Others find they can't tolerate some foods that they love. As for dumping, the nutritionist said that when you take in too much sugar at once, it causes your intestines to, well, dump!

As in Steve the sleeve? I haven't named mine yet. I'll have to give that some thought.

Sounds yummy! I love mexican food! I'll have to try it when I'm allowed to have turkey burger, cheese, salsa, and onion again...

I've been burping a lot more than usual, but I've noticed it's more when I forget myself and take too big a drink or bite of something.

I don't think everyone (or anyone) is telling her it isn't right and that she should be eating more - I just think people are sharing their own experiences. That's why people post questions on here - to find out what other people have done.

I had my gall bladder out in 1994, 9 months after my oldest was born, and almost 19 years before my sleeve. I found the gall bladder surgery a breeze - didn't have trouble with pain, didn't even take the pain meds the nurses kept offering. Felt back to normal in 2 days. The sleeve was more painful for me - not horrible, but I still was having incision pain 3 weeks out. Oh - and the surgery was MUCH less painful than gallbladder attacks!!

You can do it! That's what maintaining is all about! Don't obsess over it, just get yourself back on track. I'm sure it will be different trying to maintain than it was to lose. I guess it will take some trial and error to figure out what you can have to maintain a healthy weight!

My NUT originally told me 3 meals a day, 1 snack, but my surgeon told me let your stomach be your guide. He said stop eating a meal when you feel satisfied, NOT full. If you haven't finished it, do NOT wait 20-30 minutes and eat more. He said if you're hungry again 2-3 hours later, then eat again.

Good luck! It's nice to be first. Best wishes for a complication-free surgery and quick recovery!

I was told the same thing, mainly because the predominant culture and workplace doesn't support frequent meals/snacking. I have been doing 3 meals, but usually do have something when I get home from work between lunch and dinner, because my lunch break is at 11 am, (only 22 minutes long, since I'm a teacher), and we don't usually eat dinner until at least 6 pm. I don't have a problem with this. I need the time in between to get my minimum 8 cups of water in!

I'm with lessismoreofme! I had my surgery 2 days before you, and I'm still supposed to be on soft / pureed foods. I had a small piece of quiche yesterday (mushroom/swiss) and skipped the outside part of the crust. I figured it's pretty much like scrambled eggs, which are allowed. I had to chew and chew, small bites, and took about 40 minutes to eat it. Didn't have a problem, fortunately, but I can' imagine trying to eat a burger of any kind at this point. If the discomfort doesn't abate soon, call your doctor!

Good luck with your surgery, Joe. My engagement ring fit perfectly when my fiancee gave it to me a few months ago - now it practically spins around my finger on its own, so the ring shouldn't be a problem soon!

Wow - do your foods come up without the crushed pills too? I've found sugar-free, fat-free pudding works well with crushed pills - masks the taste really well.

I'm only 3 weeks out myself, and I, too, can eat fast, and seem to be eating more than most on here. I eat 1 c of cottage cheese for lunch, and finish it in about 10 minutes without feeling overfull. The more solid the food, the less I am able to eat and the longer it takes me. I have been eating around 800 - 1000 calories a day, and getting way over my minimum Protein. I am able to drink pretty normally, I just don't chug like I did before surgery. Reading the experiences of most on here, it sometimes concerns me, but I have been losing about 5 lbs a week since surgery, not including the 10 lbs of Water weight I gained from the IVs in the hospital. (Including that would make it 8 lbs a week!) I'm happy with that. I also have not had any problems as far as throwing up, sliming, or anything like that.

I long ago started discreetly asking the flight attendant for the 'seatbelt extension' as I boarded the plane. I can't wait until I don't need it any more!

I do feel hungry before my meals, but it doesn't take much eating to make it go away. It's not like I'm hungry all the time.