McButterpants

You rock! Now go get you some iron!!!!!

My surgery was 11/14/13 - 4 weeks ago tomorrow...Here's an update on what's going on with me. The Protein shakes are really getting to me. I’m so sick of them!!!!! I know it’s time to start changing it up – I have to the break the vanilla, strawberry and chocolate barrier. This week I found a sample pack of Health Wise Soups that I forgot I purchased before surgery. Jackpot!!!!! The Cream of chicken was so good – it has a little less protein (15 grams vs. 20 with a shake), but that 5 grams of protein was worth my sanity that night. I have also had the chocolate mixed with warm 1% milk and some sugar-free peppermint syrup. That was a nice treat on a cold, snowy night reading my book. This morning, I mixed a chocolate with a cup of decaf coffee, a splash of 1% milk and some sugar-free salted caramel syrup – Caramel Mocha, anyone? Yum! I also have some products on order – hot chocolate (high protein), oatmeal (high protein/low carb) and some Click decaf coffee. I need to get out of this rut – getting your protein in is so important and it’s difficult to get that last shake in, mainly because I just don’t want it. I haven’t stepped on the scale in a week – tomorrow is weigh in day and I’m a little scared. I feel really good physically – I still get tired easily, but for the most part, I feel good. I’ve been exercising at the gym walking at least 2 miles per day and usually 2.5 miles or more. Yesterday I did a personal best of 60 minutes and 3 miles (thanks to the hubs for saying he had a few more minutes of his workout left, so I ended up going a whole hour!). I’m more worried about the mental aspect of weighing and not getting the result I’m looking for. I feel like I’m getting smaller – I didn’t feel like that late-last week or early-this week, but I do now. I don’t know if that is Water retention or me just being psycho… I am still in the same jeans I wore pre-op, which is a little depressing. I think I was in denial about how tight those jeans really were pre-surgery! Plus they are made out of that stretchy jean-like material, so about 10 minutes after you put them on they will stretch to your bulk – a great characteristic if your fat and lumpy. They certainly aren’t tight now and they are a little loose in the waist. I will probably need to get new ones in a couple of weeks. I can’t wear my 2X Old Navy yoga pants any more – they literally fall off me. I am keeping one pair as a reminder of how big I really got. I should burn the rest of them. Tomorrow I move to a “soft foods” diet. I have been on puree foods the past two weeks, but I’ll be honest, I didn’t puree a lot. I let my chompers do the pureeing for me. My surgeon and my local doctor are polar opposites when it comes to food. My surgeon said, “Introduce foods as soon as you can and no need to puree if you have teeth and saliva.” You could almost hear my local doctor gasp when I told her that – she is much more conservative and I think if she thought she wouldn’t have a mutiny on her hands, she would make patients wait a year before trying Greek yogurt. So, I’ve been doing a hybrid mainly for my sanity. I chew, chew, chew and chew some more. The Eat Slower app is also a helper – it slows you down and helps remind you to chew your food. I purchased the Carb Balance Tortilla shells – the whole-wheat fajita size has 3 net carbs. I have had dreams about those shells! I want a taco (small, baby taco) and a pizza with the shell as the crust. Mmmmm…can’t wait.

Great news about your clothes. I'm still in my same jeans which is a little depressing, but I think I was in denial pre-op on how tight they really were. Plus they were that stretchy jean-like material. My tops are a different story - I have a couple that were tight one or two weeks ago that fit me now. That's a great feeling, isn't it? My stomach growled so loudly the other day, my dad thought it was the dog growling. He looked at me and said, "What is she growling about?" I had to admit it was my tummy! Take good care and keep in touch!

Last night I made Shepherd's Pie for the family - it was sleeve friendly, so I could eat it except for the peas and corn. I loaded up my bowl with about a cup of food like I would have pre-surgery (old habits - this is the first meal didn't measure or weigh and the first time eating the same thing the family ate). I realized what I did and I looked at my husband with a horrified look on my face. I said, "I'll probably only eat about 1/4 of this, why did I put so much in my bowl?" He didn't have the answer, but he watched me eat...about a 1/4 of a cup of food and stop. My sleeve wouldn't let me eat what my brain put in the bowl. It is an amazing tool!!!!!!

mcbutterpants, how are you doing? i havent weighed myself since we spoke im going to wait for my checkup on the 19th, but i have been feeling pretty good since ive kept the scale off my mind. i worked out for the first time last night. i did some kickboxing power workout, but just modified whatever i felt was too much twisting etc since i havent been cleared for excercise yet. and for once i worked out and im not sore today! i once worked out by doing squats and couldnt even sit on the toilet for 2 weeks lmao! Hey, Hope. I'm doing well - I've been walking A LOT! That's all I'm cleared for right now. I feel good and I'm not getting as tired as I was. Tomorrow is weigh in day - I may skip it until next week. We'll see. I can really see a difference in my clothes this week. I'm wearing a top right now that was tight two weeks ago - today it's comfortable. I'm working hard to get my 80-90 grams of Protein in - the sipping and drinking and eating is a full time job right now, but I'm starting to get my stride. How's things by you?

Wow - what a transformation. I love your cute Saints shirt!!!! You look great. Congrats!

I don't think it's super weird if it's working for you. I'm a data collector by nature (my profession, too) - thus the need for the data on my weight. LOL! I think you'll be surprised! Let us know how is goes!!!!

After many years, my husband and I adopted the "no TV in the bedroom" rule. I go to sleep and wake up much earlier than he does. (We live in the Mountain time zone - he deals with China and I work on East Coast time...ahhh global commerce) Prior to surgery, I could sleep thru him flopping into bed and generally making a racket. Since surgery, I haven't been sleeping well (sleeved 11/14) so it's even worse. Not only do I wake up when he comes to bed, I wake up every time he rolls over, every time I roll over and every time the dog walks in the room. It's chaotic!!!!!! I don't think there's anything wrong with sitting down with your boyfriend and trying to come up with a compromise. It's not exactly fair of you to make him stop his behavior altogether, but is it fair to you that your dealing with his? Cohabitation with another human being is all about compromise. Maybe he can watch TV in another room until he's ready to go to sleep? The mask and ear plugs will probably help some. Give and take!

You are so awesome!!!!!! I'm doing much better since my original post. I haven't stressed so much about "The Stall". It really bothered me for a day or so. I've taken a different attitude - it is what it is. It also helps that I can feel a difference in my clothes. I put on a top today that was tight around my tummy last week - today, it's not tight. Also, I've exercised every day - that's a good stress reliever for me. Thanks for your input and perspective! It's much appreciated.

Such an inspiration! Congrats on your success and I can't wait to see pics.

My family has been so supportive pre-op and post-op. But there are times that I feel...I don't know the word I'm looking for. Disjointed. Not complete. We're not in sync as a family since I returned home from surgery. I feel disconnected - not only from meal times, but the family in general. This is all new and I'm trying to figure it out. That hasn't been easy along with the recovery from surgery. I can't eat what they are eating most of the time. When I put my husband in charge of their meal, he picks up a pizza. I'm pissed at that because, "Jesus, can't you put forth more effort than that?" But then I don't want to be Debbie Downer, because let's be honest, don't we all want pizza? My son was playing with the dog the other night and she jumped up on my stomach and it hurt because my incisions are still tender - yeah, fun time is over because mom's in pain! Tonight we're back to having game night to try to get back to some kind of normalcy. As mentioned above...BALANCE.

3 miles today (my longest treadmill workout post-op). My total for the month is 20 miles to a 50 mile goal. No nekkid planking for me...the world was spared another day.

Great post, Laura. Thanks. I'm newly sleeved - 4 weeks on Thursday and I find the eating, drinking, stopping drinking because you're going to have a shake in 30 minutes, drinking some more, oops, gotta have a meal now, but when did I drink last exhausting, truly exhausting. I know it will get easier, but a post like yours reminds me that this is a forever journey, not just a year or two or three. It also reminds me that reducing the size of my stomach is only one aspect of this - we need to work on our brains, too. Thanks for your perspective.

Nurse B, You bring up some very valid points - it does suck that we got to the point where we couldn't control our weight on our own. But like you said, the surgery is only one aspect of this - I've read many times on this forum...the doc operated on our stomachs, not our brains! While I'm happy I got the sleeve and I'd do it all over again. Is it all sunshine and lollipops? Not even close. There have been times when the family is eating some gooey, yummy, fatty, concoction that I wanted some and I felt bad that I don't get to eat that any more. There have been fleeting moments where I've thought, "Why did I do this? It was so drastic!" But that doesn't trump the overall feeling I have about this journey I'm on. I wish I could drink coffee - real strong caffeinated coffee with cream and sugar - like I used to rather than trying to figure out how to keep it hot for an hour until I can finish it. I wish I could have sat down to Thanksgiving dinner with my family rather than staying home to have finely diced turkey and one tablespoon of mashed potato. I wish I was able to drink Water like I did before surgery rather than sip, sip, sip throughout the day. There are a lot of "I wish" statements. But here's what I'm grateful for: My blood pressure is already lower. I'm off my diabetes medication. I can walk without having pain in my feet - I haven't had that in over 20 years. I look younger - someone the other day said I look 5 years younger already. It's easier for me to move and get thru the day - I don't feel like I'm trudging thru mud with every step. I can walk on the treadmill for 50 plus minutes without feeling exhausted. In summary - for me, it's a story of trade-offs. I'm willing to give up some of the things I used to temporarily enjoy to feel good, be in better health and be an active participant in my own life.

Best of luck to you!

I love your attitude!!!! I told my husband tonight I'm not sure I'm getting smaller...he said, "Oh yeah, you are!"

Walking is the best exercise you can do. I was doing about what you're doing - just don't overdo it. It's easy to do and hard to recover - remember, you just had major surgery. If you're handling that kind of walk OK, do it.

Congrats! You're doing great!

Best of luck! The family will be fine - concentrate on your recovery. Let us know how things go! You got this!!!

I will be 4 weeks this Thursday, so while I'm very early in my journey, would I do it all over again? Hell yes! I already feel better. I've already lost 35 pounds - more than I would have without the sleeve. I'm off all meds except for one for my Thyroid - I'll be on that the rest of my life. I was self-pay and I'd pay all over again to have it done. I have had moments of frustration and self-pity, but I wouldn't change a thing. I bet in a month, you'll be saying the same thing. I wish you the best of luck!

Bed Bath and Beyond has a good selection as well. They also always have a flyer with a 20% coupon or you can go to their website and sign up and they'll send you one. I think it works on line as well.

Alisa - I agree with ArtsI don't think you're getting enough in for 3 weeks out. At 3 weeks, my doc wants 80 grams of Protein and 64 ounces of Water. At 3 weeks I was getting between 500-700 calories. I think you're probably getting less than that. Were you given any guidelines by your doctor? Are you tracking your intake (calories and protein are important to track). You can use myfitnesspal or one of the many other ones?

I'm 222 and I'm still in my size 20's - down 30 pounds and I haven't had to buy new jeans yet! My recovery was very uneventful. I took 4 pain pills during my recovery. I was able to walk immediately. My doctor does his surgery on outpatient basis, so I was home by noon the day of my surgery. The only complication I've had is some constipation. I have gotten frustrated trying to get my 80 grams of Protein in along with all the Water. I think we can only do the best we can do and keep trying. I'm going to take my measurements this week. I am only weighing once per week - that's for sanity. I may skip this week's weigh in. We'll see. How is your recovery going? This is a crazy ride, isn't it?????

What was your surgery date?

I have tried them and I think they actually trigger hunger for me. (I think Splenda does the same thing.)