Jessica H

I'm in St. Louis. I am just over 4 months post op. I work for Mercy and had mine done thru there as well. If you have any questions, let me know! And stay positive, it'll go by fast! Mine was also 6 months and it flew by

I get in between 700-800 calories a day with a restriction of 40 grams of carbs. I've continually lost every week and track everything in MFP. I exercise daily and make sure I get in my 60-80 grams of Protein also. Maybe your fat intake is too much, along with your sodium? Don't get discouraged, I bet your body will surprise you soon enough! Stay positive

s I bought baby food and my surgeon told me not to eat it. The fruits are loaded with sugar and the meat tastes terrible. I just chewed food very well.

Went to our county fair a couple years ago and I couldn't get out of the Scrambler ride. I was so incredibly embarrassed as the guy running the ride had to help me get out. Everyone was staring as I exited, because I was the last one out. Needless to say, I didn't get on anything else and just watched my daughter have a good time.

Don't be so hard on yourself! I cheated 3 days in because I had the worst headache. The doctor's office said it was fine to have some scrambled eggs. After that I got back on track. You're doing the best you can, doesn't mean you're going to fail after surgery! Good luck

Amazing, congratulations! I'm at 52 lbs lost and feel fantastic too! I am much more happy and wish I would've done this sooner!

I felt the same way. In fact, I felt like it wasn't going to work, I was gonna die before it happened or something with insurance was going to fall thru last minute. But here I am, 3 mos out and 52 lbs down What you're feeling is normal. You won't regret it!! Good luck

I felt the same way. In fact, I felt like it wasn't going to work, I was gonna die before it happened or something with insurance was going to fall thru last minute. But here I am, 3 mos out and 52 lbs down What you're feeling is normal. You won't regret it!! Good luck

At that point, I was eating scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, refried Beans and everything that was on my preop diet. Try to get some Fiber chews and Miralax. You're not having a regular BM because you're not putting much into your body. Incorporate some of the foods I first mentioned. You may not be able to eat much of them, but it's a start. Don't worry about getting in the required 60-80 grams of Protein, that will come in time. Staying hydrated is the most important. sugar free popsicles are good too! Good luck!

I'm 8 weeks out and my eyes are still bigger than my stomach. I can tolerate 4-6 oz (depends on the food) at a time. However, some things seem to go down easier than others and that scares me! When I get full, I get a knot in my chest, not necessarily my stomach telling me to stop. At that point, I can't get anything else down. Keep your portions small and don't over eat. You can stretch out your sleeve in less than a year. Maybe fill up on Protein Drinks instead and keep your carb intake low (I'm restricted to 40 a day). Always call your doc with any concerns or suggestions. Good luck!

I think (and no offense to anyone) that it's easy to be kind of cocky about how easy it all is and how you'd have to be deliberately eating around your sleeve not to achieve goal.
And I say that because I used to think that, too.
The reality is much more complex and it's unfair that we, as people that have struggled with our weight our entire lives, are so quick to criticize or shout diet! exercise! to anyone that's struggling post sleeve. It's as if we're applying that same logic our family, friends and doctors had prior to our surgeries - it's not working because you're failing or it's not working because you have no willpower or it's not working because you're lazy. The end result being the message that of course losing weight is easy and if you really want to do it the weight will just fall off and you'll be on your way to happily ever after.
Not so. The issue is something not even fully understood in the medical world. If weight loss were simple restriction and willpower, the very first time you tried a 1,200 calorie diet you would have lost that weight and made it to goal and you would not be here missing 85% of an organ.
I have friends here that struggle and have struggled for years to either shed weight or stay on track for various reasons. It is not all willpower. I know folks that are the strictest eaters and most diligent exercisers that CANNOT reach goal and are still fifty or sixty pounds overweight.
Naturally, some of these people might feel less than thrilled with their results.
Now, for the original question: I am three years out. Today, I can say I am fully satisfied and love my life post sleeve. Six months out or nine months out you would have heard a different story. I struggled to lose at the pace I felt everyone else was meeting. I had two nine week stalls - one at six months and one between nine and twelve months. Now, I was still happy for my sleeve but I was also frustrated. I think you'll find very few people here (though you will find some, particularly those that had bad complications) that regret their surgeries even when things don't go as planned.
And yes, the biggest hurdle most people that are disappointed have is that their initial expectations were not realistic, usually because they either thought they would avoid complications of any sort or because they simply did not research the sleeve diligently prior to surgery.
Best of luck to you, whatever you decide. The wonderful universal of this surgery is that even those that are disappointed, frustrated or stalled have lost weight. Not as much as they'd like in some cases, but we all lose.
~Cheri

I kept cottage cheese and parmesan cheese at work and would bring Tomato sauce in a little babyfood jar.. Dump all together and microwave for a savory meal/snack. Hummus was delicious to eat with just a spoon. I'd also bring a small container of curried lentils and melt half a piece of cheese on it in the microwave.
Now that I'm eating all foods, I keep Quest Protein bars at work. They're delicious and have 17 grams of glorious Fiber and 20 grams of Protein for 160-200 calories depending on flavor.. For a meal I'll eat a whole one.. for a snack I'll eat half.
Another favorite snack is just a piece of deli meat wrapped around a slice of avocado. I think I started deli meats in week 3 or 4 and it went down really easy.

I'm 3 weeks post op today and I don't regret this one bit! As far as Vitamins, I'm on a daily Multi-Vitamin, along with B12, since I'm lacking that. My food intake has increased. I was cleared to start eating meat and anything soft. No Pasta or breads though, too many carbs. I'm only allowed to walk still and should be cleared to do more at my next post op visit. I was really worried about getting in my 60-80 grams of Protein a day, but my surgeon said it will come with time. The biggest concern is keeping yourself hydrated. The only thing I can really tolerate is Water and Isopure. I've also started adding sugar free drink mixes as well, just to have some flavor! I bought turkey burgers and I made 8 out of 4. Instead of a whole one, you can have sliders! No Buns It fills me up. It's hard to believe the amount of food that makes you full. My first week was all liquids, then I slowly started to have some mashed potatoes and refried Beans. A spoonful filled me up! Just remember, it's all worth it in the end. I wish my insurance would have paid for this sooner! Oh and one other thing, DO NOT under any circumstance, weigh yourself after surgery...I did and was upset. I gained 10 lbs from all the fluids, gas, etc. It will fall off, I promise. With that being said, a loss is a loss. There will be stalls, but stay strong and remember you have this site for support. Good luck!!

I just started drinking Isopure a couple days ago. It took me 12 hours to finish the bottle - I'm 10 days post op. The Alpine Punch and pineapple Orange banana is really good! I really like the amount of Protein in them and you get a third of your Fluid intake, even if it takes all day!

I just started drinking Isopure a couple days ago. It took me 12 hours to finish the bottle - I'm 10 days post op. The Alpine Punch and pineapple Orange banana is really good! I really like the amount of Protein in them and you get a third of your Fluid intake, even if it takes all day!

I just started drinking Isopure a couple days ago. It took me 12 hours to finish the bottle - I'm 10 days post op. The Alpine Punch and pineapple Orange banana is really good! I really like the amount of Protein in them and you get a third of your Fluid intake, even if it takes all day!

Dr. Scott is a great surgeon. He did my step dad's RNY two years ago. I just had my sleeve this past Monday, but mine was with Dr. Lisa Martin Hawver with Mercy. I have minimal pain and am feeling great! I didn't have an appetite for 3 days.I had a 2 night stay in the hospital and everyone was so wonderful to me. It's hard to get used to drinking again. I can barely finish a Protein Shake, it takes me an hour, cuz I feel so full. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask And good luck!!

I'm also May 6th! I start my pre-op liquid diet tomorrow. Can't believe it's almost here. Been a long 6 months!

Hey Vix, I use EAS Advantage, for now. 100 or 110 calories and 17 grams of Protein with zero to 1 gram of sugar. They come in liquid, $4.99 a pack of four, in several flavors. I've enjoyed them so far, but I'm getting sick of them and I have another week! You may have to try a few to see what you really like, cuz you'll be drinking the heck out of them! Also, plain greek yogurt is GREAT for protein! I get 23 grams in one cup of Fage. I've learned to mix in sugar free drink mix, pudding and it's great in cream Soups to thicken.

I hope to use the word 'tiny' to describe my clothes one day! Keep up the good work

Cheating this soon into it is a slippery slope. When I was banded 3 1/2 yrs ago, I was told liquids only for 4 weeks. I made it barely 2 when I myself decided it was time to add mashed potatoes. I thought I might starve. During the 3rd week, I myself decided to add scrambled eggs, refried Beans, and a cheeseburger from Burger King. It all went down fine.
3 1/2 yrs later I can honestly say that I wished I had gone by my drs orders. My band slipped (my fault again, vomiting frequently cuz I couldn't eat slower) and now I'm having a revision. I made a vow that I would now follow my drs directions during this revision. Breaking one rule leads to breaking many. I know this from personal experience.
But if you're following the advice given to you by your dr (I just re read your post), then don't feel guilty. The nutritionist is there to guide you, I think your drs orders (the one who actually did surgery on you) are more important. JMHO.
Good luck!

That's awesome!!! I too have a pair of jeans I'm dying to get back into. Can't wait to finally share that story!!

Day 2 of my pre-op liquid diet. I'm already sick of Protein shakes, pudding and broth. This is miserable! I had a headache that lasted 16 hours and I'm cranky as hell! My poor daughter is a saint for putting up with me. She made me laugh last night as she was chasing me around with a potato chip, taunting me. She's lucky I love her!
I must confess I thought about throwing in the towel, but then I realized, I won't allow food to win. This time I'm going to succeed. I will power through this, like anything else I've encountered in my life. I'm stronger than the food!