scootergirl

I asked my doc on day two post surgery if I would damage any of his work if I tried to sleep on my stomach. He said it might not feel good to me but I would not hurt his efforts. I tried it and he was right. It hurt a fair amount to roll over but once I got into my prone position I slept like a baby. Ahhh, so nice. Every day since then the ease of rolling over has gotten better. At three and a half week out from surgery I don't even notice it any more.

I am only 3 1/2 weeks out from surgery so please understand that I am still a newbie. I am looking for insight from long term sleevers. I understood from my physician and nutritionist that there is a "honeymoon period" during the first ~6 months post surgery when hunger pangs are nearly nonexistent. That eating might seem like a full time job as one tries to get in proper amounts of Protein and liquid. I also understood that after this "honeymoon period" hunger pangs may come back but that the sleeve would continue to help one feel full quickly (after only a small meal) if one followed the recommended eating and drinking guidlines.

Have you long timers found this to be true?

Even at only ~3 weeks out from surgery I already have some pretty strong hunger pangs. They are quieted after a small meal but they return - again and again. I am concerned about what I will feel like later if this is what my "honeymoon" is like.

What has your experience been now that you are further out from surgery?

Does bougie size make a difference? I know smaller bougies make for smaller sleeves and less room for food. Do larger bougies result in greater hunger both during honeymoon and later on? My doctor told me mine was 36 French. He said it was on the large-ish side of the range he uses. I am not unhappy about anything with the surgery so far except the slow rate of weight loss and the surprising degree of hunger I experience.

Did I miss "my honeymoon"? Any thoughts or stories to share?

Has anyone found that they are able to minimize the sagging skin of "deflated balloons" by doing lots of muscle building exercise? I am a 55 year old woman who has long ago left fitness to others. I would like to start up again and hope that lifting weights might fill the soon-to-be-deflated-balloons with something solid. I am only a few weeks out from surgery but know that sagging skin will be in my future as the weight comes off. I'd like to minimize the extent of it. Any success stories out there?

I am at 3 months and really starting to see the hair falling out:( I went to Sally's Beauty Supply and just started using their version of Nioxin called Nutri-ox. There is shampoo' date=' conditioner and a serum. They also have a product called Toppix that I plan to use if/when you can really tell my hair is thin. It is a keratin Fiber that electrostatically sticks to your hair and makes it look fuller. It doesn't come off untill you wash your hair. There was another thread here and some are really liking that product.[/quote']

Are you able to get in all your recommended Vitamins? I ask because I had never taken Vitamins before my surgery. Now they are so numerous they nearly make a meal of their own! Seriously though, I think the vitamins are making a difference for me. My hair is falling out less now than it did before surgery. Granted I am only three weeks out from surgery but the difference in the amount of hair in my hairbrush is really remarkable. My nutritionist swears by Biotin, 1000 mcg per day. She says it really helps prevent Hair loss. I am convinced it is helping me.

I too have not seen much weight loss. My two week post op doc visit showed 17 pound loss n now three more. I was sleeved on July 11 totaling 20 lbs! I m not getting all Water in n found myself several times with a bite of my kids Pasta in my mouth ( twice) but other than that I m logging in all food on fit pal to total 600 to 800 calories. I just don't get it!

Hang in there. Like you I have not seen the amazing weight loss of some other members of VST. My surgery was July 29th and I am down only ~18 pounds. I have to laugh as I type this as I have never before been successful at losing 18 pounds! It is frustrating to hear that others have had much more dramatic losses but I am grateful for every bit of mine. If you haven't done so yet, check your measurements. I have lost two inches off my waist and the swelling in my feet is much better. I feel like a different person, much more healthy and able to move more easily. I try to keep my focus on the long run and fingers crossed that if I follow my "pouch rules" the weight will come off. Don't get discouraged by the scale. I think we are not alone in our slower journey to smaller selves.

Doh! Premature send on that last one. I have been very good about keeping my food diary. With the help of MyFitnessPal I have been tracking both my Protein grams and my calories. I have done well by each (~60g protein per day and 600-800 calories per day). I am stumped why I have stalled at dropping pounds. I have even been able to keep my fluids up (50-65oz per day). I plan to add more exercise soon. Loss of pounds alone was not my primary goal with surgery but I have been inspired to hear the tremendous losses others have reported. I wish I understood why some of us are slow losers and others are quick.

Not quite two weeks out from surgery. Feeling great. Not just great recovering from surgery but I also sense an improvement in my "metabolic health". My joints constantly don't ache with the arthritic type pain they had before surgery. My knees feel better and I have a bit more energy to go up and down stairs, tackle chores, etc. Alas, my weight loss is already at a stall. I am down 13 pounds since the day of surgery but have only lost one pound in the past four days.

Hi all. I am 4 days out from surgery. I can't believe how much the discomfort improves day by day. Today, I actually forgot, for a moment, that I had just been in the hospital a few days ago!

Thank you for all the chat about gas pain. Do most of you mean gas pain in your stomach area or in your lower GI. I had not been warned about gas pain by my medical folks and I now think it is my most persistent remaining issue. Ahh, the wisdom of peers!

food Hint: The first food I was given in the hospital was beef consommé. It was the most delicious meal of my life! (Ok, true I hadn't eaten for two days so most anything would likely have been good!). Now I keep it in the house and prepare it as follows: 1/2C consommé my glass measuring cup. Microwave for about 30sec. Add one packet of Knox unflavored Gelatin and heat again as needed to dissolve the Gelatin. It gets thick but still tastes delicious (savory not sweet; what a relief after the sickeningly sweet Carnations Breakfast Essentials). In this little 1/2C is 11grams of tasty Protein that goes down easy and tastes yummy. Plus I count it as 4oz of liquid. Good stuff all around. I hope someone else out there enjoys it.

PS my early hunger may be getting better. I think I need better variety and more complex flavors in my diet. Please share your foods that "hit the spot" for you and your new sleeve!

Just had my sleeve done on Monday, July 29th. I look forward to getting my backside to fit in any and all chairs/ seats presented to me. No more fear of the tiny chairs at my daughter's elementary school or tiny seats in the theater! I also look forward to walking more often, further, with less pain in my knees and feet. These may be small victories for someone else but they will mean the world to me.

Just had my sleeve on Monday, July 26th. Feeling surprisingly good. My gut gurgle like crazy but nothing solid has come through. I am on a puréed diet for the next three weeks. I don't understand what is happening. I am so hungry! I thought the surgery suppressed hunger for months and months. I have been able to keep down every purée I have tried so far - dairy, Peanut Butter, chicken, tuna. I have been able to keep my Proteins near 60gm but they are not keeping me full. I could eat at any moment. I have no sense yet that I have been appetite reduced. Boo hoo. Anyone else have this issue? Any advice?