macman

1. No More BP medication, pre diabetes or CPAP.

2. Being able to shop in regular stores instead of the "Big and Tall" catalogue. I am wearing sizes from 30 years ago!

3. Looking forward to increased daily activity and exercise. Walking, hiking and kayaking with my wife has been great! i planted a vegetable garden this spring for the first time in ages!

Oh, the skinny sex is great!

I will start my comments by saying that you should be following the guideline set up by your NUT or surgeon. It is really important for healing and helping your stomach transition to a full menu of foods.

While in the liquid phase I ate between 450-600 calories. During soft foods it went up to 600-800. Once I got to phase four and could eat anything I was usually 800-1000 calories. At 8 months out I am now eating 1100-1200 calories a day. I needed to add additional carbs via some whole grains into my diet as I needed the energy for exercise. I have had steady weight loss and have upped calories as my level of exercise has increased or weight loss slowed. A month ago, at my 6 month followup, the NUT was very pleased with the calorie progression. Both the NUT and surgeon thought I would probably end up around a 1400 calorie maintenance level, assuming my activity level is constant.

Since two months post surgery I have eaten 3 meals and two Snacks every day. At this time I can eat approximately 4 ounces of Protein and another ounce or two of vegetables or fruit at a meal.

I also use a Protein Shake every day. I like starting the day with 30+ grams of Protein. You made a good choice with Unjury. They are a great quality whey protein isolate and guarantee ingredients to be "China Free". By the way my favorite is the chocolate Splendor

What stage diet are you in? If liquids only my NUT had me drinking 4 ounces of Protein Shake every even hour of the day and 4 ounces of Fluid every odd hour of the day. This helped me get in the required amounts of Protein and fluids. Protein and fluid intake are the most important things to help you recovery post surgery

I am not sure about the headache but you can get light headed when you start to become dehydrated. Check to see that you are getting 64 ounces of fluids as a minimum every day. Not enough carbs can also cause you to be light headed

HW 362

SW 320

CW 223

TPL 139

TGP 133

1 pound lost this week!

Hello

I was sleeved on 122/23/13. Start weight was 362, surgery weight was 320 and current weight is 223. I am 6'3 and 58 years old.

Eight months post surgery. I am eating 1100-1200 calories a day. Currently I am doing cardio, mostly elliptical and walking. I start at the gym next week, need to step up the strength training and will probably need to up calories and carbohydrates.

I do drink a Protein shake each morning, and eat 3 meals and usually 2 Snacks a day. I try to focus on dense Protein at meal time as this keeps me satisfied for 3-4 hours at a time. My weight loss has been steady, with no stalls that I remember. I think the reason for that is I would increase calories every time weight loss slowed down.

At three weeks post op I was still on a liquid diet due to a complication. My surgeon defined soft foods as anything I could completely chew to mush. I ate a lot of fish and seafood early on. Now I can eat anything I want, just in smaller quantities.

i don't think I had any hair loss, but didn't really notice anyway! Sounds like you are off to a great start! Keep up the good work!

Great job! keep up the good work.

I am taking a low dose aspirin (81mg) every day.I did have a blood clot and took Coumadin for six months. Both the surgeon and the PCP told me to keep doing this. I've had no issues.

Thanks Richard. You know I've had some good success so far. I have stuck to my program religiously, except for some occasional alcohol (guilty pleasure). Weight loss has been steady, but slowed as of the last few weeks. I think I have more weight to lose but not sure. It sure would be nice if we knew where the weight loss would end.

I do track everything, but that works well for me. I dont think that maintenance eating will be very different than how I eat today. I have really tried to look at this as a lifestyle change that I needed to make and I am completely comfortable with avoiding some foods that are not good for me.

I started at 362 pounds one year ago. I lost 42 pounds before surgery on 12/23/13. I have lost a total of 139 pounds. Current weight is 223. My initial goal was 2230 pounds, but feel like I have more weight to loose.Weight is still coming off but at a much slower pace.

My sleeve surgery was on 12/23/13. Two weeks after surgery I developed a DVT which travelled and became a Pulmonary Embolism. I spent two weeks in UMass Medical center, one of which was in Cardiac ICU. Doctors told me it was the largest PE they had seen. I was a lucky guy but one of my criteria was to have the surgery at a center of excellence that was equipped with everything necessary to help me if I had complications. UMass Medical Center in Worcester, Ma was that facility and more. Can't say enough about the Doctors, staff and level of care I received as part of the treatment and recovery.

The complications were reviewed with me prior and the surgeon had no record of issues. Nor did I. I was not predisposed to developing clots, It just happened. At my six month visit the surgeon told me that based on my DVT occurrence, he had changed the protocols to include blood thinners before surgery for every patient.

Given all that, I would do it again. In most cases, you can not predict if a complication will occur to you. You have to be aware and make the decision if surgery is worth the risk. For me, I have too much living ahead of me. I want to be around to see my grandchildren and to grow old with my wife. The risk of surgery was well worth it !

Based on my experience the feeling of nausea will pass. I had a nauseous feeling for about the first month when taking the chewable vitamins. I ended up mixing the Vitamins with Water or Protein Shake to get them down. I too had opurity. Now I look forward to them, very tasty!

You look terrific!! Congratulations!

Hi Richard. Congratulations on your success! Terrific achievement!

So your comments raise some of the questions that I am pondering for my self. I am 6'3 and weigh 223 pounds. I have lost about 140 pounds and I am 8 months out from surgery. I have started to think about where my weight should be and what will be the settling point. I asked numerous support folks: when will I know know how much weight loss is enough? The consistent answer I receive is that your body will tell you when it has lost enough weight and settles into a comfortable range.

You said you have some opportunities with proper eating, you also work out regularly. The routine of regular exercise could be making up for the eating opportunities. Something else to consider: are you reaching the time when you should be thinking about maintenance? The bottom line is that I think you have to be comfortable with where you are and what you have achieved. If you are, then maintenance might be the solution. If not, look closely at where you can realistically make some changes to get where you want to be

Continue the success!

Hi Kitty

Your feelings are pretty normal right out of surgery. The best way to get rid of gas pain is to walk it off. You are doing te right thing.

I had a difficult time with liquid or Water intake until my NUT made the following suggestion:

On the even hours, starting at 8am, drink 4 ounces of Protein shake out of a small Dixie cup

On the odd hours, starting at 9am, drink 4 ounces of Water or liquid out of a small Dixie cup

Continue all day until you meet Protein and liquid goals

i found this easier to do than trying to drink a glass or bottle of Fluid in any one sittine. It also spread the protein intake throughout the day. Worked well for me

it does get better!

Great job!

My surgeon had ne bring the CPAP machine to the hospital. They even checkd it out to make sure it was working properly. This makes sense because we are all using a CPAP for a reason. It is true that with enough weight loss you made not need the machine, or you may need adjustments to the air flow. I have lost 140 pounds and according to my wife, I no longer snore. However, I was told that I will need another sleep study to confirm that I no longer need the machine.

I am eight months post surgery. I can eat or drink most anything I want. My Protein is still about 4 ounces at any one time, which is about the size of the palm of my hand. I use a baby fork, mostly to remind me to take small portions and chew thoroughly. On the occasion that I have made a wrap, using low carb wraps, I can take a normal bite. I intentionally take smaller bites to remind myself to eat slowly.

I would bet that the hunger is a head hunger. If you had the sleeve, the physical desire for hunger will be gone foe some time. The part of your stomach that produces gremlin, the hunger hormone, was removed. The stomach will compensate and the sensation will return. It varies for each person how long it will take. I have just begun to feel hungry eight months out from surgery.

I don't know how you are taking Protein and fluids; you might want to try alternating 4 oz of Protein shake and 4 oz of Water on alternating hours all day long.i struggled with Fluid intake right after surgery. It helped me with being on a liquid only diet for four weeks

<p>Hey guys. I'm 21 and just got the sleeve on Monday. The first 2 days were rough, really bad gas pains that led to non stop burping, which led to dry heaving. I still tried to get liquids down, but it wasn't easy. </p> <p> </p> <p>I was released Wednesday afternoon and have been doing okay since then. Getting my 3 Protein shakes in a day as well as some jello/broth here and there. But the shakes are filling me up, even though it's hard to get them down. It's not even the discomfort that makes it hard to get them down but the consistency and that fake sweet taste (ugh). <br><br> The pain isn't as bad in my stomach... I mean I've been taking my pain killers so maybe that's why.<br> I was prescribed dissolvable pills for the gas/stomach acid. I'm still burping but not as much.<br> I guess things are going okay, not really that hungry obviously but I'm able to get liquids down and the shakes without pain.<br> There is a stiffness in my chest though, I don't know what that is. It's only sometimes when I'm swallowing. </p> <p> I've been walking, took a walk around the block 2 times yesterday and did the same today.<br><br> However there are some things on my mind. I feel as though I have been giving a sugar coated version of what this is going to be like by everyone around me. My surgeon is one of the best in my states, and has never had 1 leak, so I do trust him and he seems very confident and good at what he does. But I feel like I've been told things aren't as serious as they are just to get my nerves down. It's hard to explain.<br><br> I'm still burping 5 days out of surgery, not as bad as 1-3 days out, but still. My surgeon and the nurses at the hospital told me it is because of the gas they put in you during surgery. However, I see horror stories on this site and others of people burping a lot 1-2 years out surgery. Why would my Dr tell me that isn't going to happen when it does happen to people? I know the weight loss is worth it, but I'm 21 years old and very social. I work, go to school, and have a lot of friends I go out with. Not to sound shallow but I really do not want to burp every 2 minutes when I'm out talking to people, or even at the gym with a trainer. Will the burping stop in a few days?<br><br> Another thing is the saggy skin. I know everyone talks about it, but my Surgeon, Nutritionist, AND exercise consultant (all part of the bariatric team at the hospital) have told me because of my age this can be prevented with steady exercise (cardio and weight training) and Water. I obviously don't expect a 6 pack but I really do not want saggy flappy man boobs lol. The whole point of this surgery was to be more confident. I have seen guys online (instagram esp) around my age who got the surgery and don't have flabby skin. They told me they do a lot of weight training, so I'm hoping that works for me.<br><br> As for the hair loss, my nutritionist and dr told me i can prevent that as well as long as I get enough Protein and take all my Vitamins every single day. However, people still claim they lost a lot of hair while taking protein and their vitamins.<br><br> So this makes me think.. are the professionals lying to me? Or is everyone different?? I'm just nervous about what to expect.<br><br> This is also a small concern on my mind, and I don't want hate from it. I'm 21 and in college, I still plan on having a social life. I obviously know that I cannot drink until 3 months out (thats what my nutrionist... who is employed by the hospitals bariatric center.... told me). But I do plan on drinking later down the road. I'm not talking about craziness, but on a friday and saturday night I would like to be able to have some vodkas with crystal light or low sugar drink. I don't plan on binging beer or crazy sugary drinks, just something light. I work with a man who get gastric bypass done years ago and later became an alcoholic, which obviously is not my plan!, but still.. he had no problems getting liquor down. I don't want to hear how I shouldn't drink, or how alcohol has calories, because I know this. At the same time I am 21, and I don't plan on stopping my social life. I still want to go to clubs and lounges with my friends and have a few drinks that are somewhat of a healthier choice. I'll be working out and eating right, so I don't see a problem with a few drinks on the weekend if i live a very healthy lifestyle during the week. So my question isn't SHOULD I drink, but CAN I drink down the road? I don't plan on it soon, but if my nutritionist (who again, is employed by the bariatric center and not some random nutritionist i found in the yellow pages) told me I can 3 months out, why would she lie?? I have self control, I don't plan on chugging 12 packs and blowing this. I mean a few low sugar drinks... some gluten free vodka and sugar free juice or crystal light </p> <p> </p> <p> By the way, when I started this process in June (nutritionist, psychologist) I was 319 lbs.<br> I am not 279 lbs. My goal is 170-180 lbs the most. I'm a taller guy so I don't expect to be rail thin. I want to lose at least 100 pounds and work it into muscle. <br><br> I'd really appreciate if anyone who has had the sleeve for at least 6 months or over try to answer some of my questions. Thank you so much. </p>

Hello Adam

It sounds like you are off to a good start but having some of the normal anxieties of an early post op patient. i don't think your support structure would lie to you. They have a lot of experience in dealing with WLS patients. That being said everyone is different. Listening to these posts you will get a range of experiences and opinions.

I am eight months out and can tell you that everything will get better with time. I did not have many gas issues. What little gas pain I had in the beginning was helped my moving around as much as possible. It is a good thing that you are walking. Take it easy but do a little more each day.

The only time I have issues with burping is when I eat too fast. This is something I am continually working on. One suggestion made to me early was to not try and drink a whole shake at once rather alternate 4 ounces of shake and 4 ounces of Water every other hour. This really helped me get in all fluids and protein early on.

You hit the alcohol question right on the head. You will be able to drink, but should you? As a young guy there will be a lot of temptations. Alcohol contains a lot of sugar and empty calories. I can tell you that I do have an occasional drink. I had my first one around 4 months post surgery. Beer has carbonation and does not go down well for me, neither does red wine because of the tannins. I will have a vodka and light lemonade or a glass of bourbon once in a great while. Probably half a dozen drinks in the last 4 months. Some people are concerned about drinking because they may get drunk faster than before, on less alcohol, or they are worried about transferring their food addiction to alcohol. You will have to know when to stop. For me, I will have a drink in a social setting, when I am at dinner with friends. But it is usually only one. Actually, as my weight loss has progressed and I am closer to my goals, I have less reasons to want to drink.

I slept on a recliner the first week. After that I moved to our bed and tried to sleep on my back.It was tough as I am normally a side sleeper

HW 362

SW 320

CW 224

TPL 138

TGP 132

1 pound lost this week!

Pre surgery I took Lisiniprol for high blood pressure, plus a diuretic every day. I was instructed to stop the day of surgery and have not taken them since. 140 pounds later my blood pressure is the no longer an issue. I understand some of the best results from gastric surgery impact blood pressure and diabetes. Something t,o look forward to!

I agree with the taking time to adjust part of the equation. Every time I put on my new (40 waist) pants I say to myself "You are never going to fit into these"! But I do! I am not a vain person but I find myself looking in the mirror and asking myself "who is that"?

I think it does take time to develop a new self image. I have also had some very real balance issues that the doctors are attributing to my weight loss. I was told that the body has made adjustments in gait and balance based on my pre surgery weight. I was at the peak weight for about 10 years. The body and brain need time to co ordinate at the newer, lower weight.