maynellrmnderm

I totally agree with Mednar...for me being 3 1/2 weeks out I am noticing I can eat more food, ,,but it totally depends on the consistancy of the food...protein fills me up very fast but carbs take longer....plus I was so use to liquids for so long..any solids seems like a lot! I think its key to stick to solid Protein whenever possible..then veggies..slowly. Good luck...and be patient with yourslef!

Mary -
A lot of it depends on the type of food for me. If I eat something like a chicken breast, I can't eat as much as something like Soup. I made homemade Soup this weekend (lots of veggies with ground turkey and beef for protein). I can eat more of that than I can just straight Protein. For me it seems to be a food consistency issue.
My doctor advised to eat Protein first, or mostly first, then veggies, etc. If I follow that advice I do seem to feel full faster.
I also have days when I feel full on a smaller amount of protein than I do on others. That I can't explain.
I'm almost five months out and on days when I don't have a treat, I usually average around 900-1200 calories, more toward the higher end. That hasn't changed all that much since one month out for me. I think I could probably push myself to eat more if I tried, but I also got sick several times from eating more than I should early on. I try to stop when I first feel like I'm full.
Take care.

Hi, here's a post I made when I was 4.5 weeks out. Basically I didn't have much restriction at that stage and this surgery didn't work for me http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/11938-not-enough-restriction/page__p__103315#entry103315

You're pretty spot on for where I was at the month out mark. I just hit the 6 month mark and I feel like I can eat a lot more just in the last couple of weeks.

I am 4 1/2 weeks out and I have eaten almost a cup of food(chili- mostly beans). It seems like I am able to eat more now and it worries me. The last two days I have eaten 1000-1100 calories. Normal food is much more calories for sure. I am not always getting 64 oz in throughout theday. I can how ever drink normally.
Can you stretch out your stomach this early and I thought it was about 3 oz-4 oz was all that we can handle?
What is everyone elses experience this early on...

This was a recipe given to me by the surgeon's office. I thought it was pretty good and they worked as "snacks", also.
BARBECUE GLAZED MEATLOAF MUFFINS
2 cups Corn flakes
1/4 cup Barbecue sauce, divided
1/3 cup cholesterol free egg product
3/4 lb extra lean ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
Mix Cereal, 1/8 cup of the barbecue sauce and egg product in large bowl until well blended. Add remaining ingredients, mix lightly.
Mound the meat mixture in 8 muffin cups sprayed with no stick cooking spray. Brush tops with remaining barbecue sauce.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Protein per serving: 21 grams (2 muffins)

Thanks for getting back to me. You have very good ideas. I am really sticking to my goals as I shrink down so to speak. I am going to add 5 minutes onto my excerise regiment. Do you have any good recipes you can trade with me? Thanks again for answering me back.

Wow!!! 54 lbs in 12 weeks!! That's awesome! Good going! First off, don't get stressed about the plateau. Most of us hit it at sometime and you will eventually get past it. I have heard different pieces of advice on how to get beyond it, though. Anything from restricting your carbs or calories more to actually increasing your carbs/calories more. Same with exercise....either try increasing it, or if you are exercising a LOT, then decrease it a little. Just experiment a little bit and see what works for you. Good luck!

Hi there...Newbie to the group..been an sleever since July of this year...doing great lost 54 pds in 12 weeks! Was wondering how to get passed that plateau we all get? Any suggestions? love for advice, thanks

Could I add you to my Facebook please need personal buddies

Hello all. I am a first time poster (obviously), but new to any of the talk sites. I thought it was fitting that I am finally scheduled for my plication May 17th and this site comes along. SO I thought I better post. It has been a long journey. I was supposed to go in for the surgery twice before and talked myself out of it because of fear of the unknown. I like you, have spent 12 months trying to get any and all information on this procedure. I am so pleased to see a site like this where people can come talk to others who may have gone through it. I have read many posts on the vertical sleeve talk site and am so grateful for those that posted there. I hope to relay my experience as I move forward. I start my pre-op diet in 3 days and it is starting to get very nerve racking.

Red meat is an excellent source of Protein Iron and zinc, important nutrients for all but particularly after weight loss surgery. However, after surgery, some people may have difficulty eating red meat. Learn how to make meat work for you.


Red meat is an excellent source of protein iron and zinc, important nutrients for all but particularly after weight loss surgery.
After surgery, people may report difficulty eating red meat. This may be due to a poor eating technique, or not knowing how to best prepare food. To eat meat comfortably it needs to be tender, cut into small pieces the size of a five-cent piece and chewed thoroughly – until it is a puree in the mouth.
Whilst a steak on the barbeque or grill can be difficult to tolerate, marinating, slow cooking, or cooking in a sauce can help tenderise meat making it easier to chew.
Lean red meat, trimmed of fat is the best choice as it contains less teaspoons of fat and saturated fat.
However, the fat in meat can help it to soften during cooking and adds flavour. Lean meat is therefore often assumed to lack tenderness and flavour.
Whilst lean cuts of meat can be expensive, cheaper cuts with the fat removed respond well to marinating and slow cooking so can be an economical choice. Try slow cooking in crushed tomatoes, Soup bases or salt reduced stock with lots of vegetables and your favourite herbs. To reduce the amount of fat, skim from the top prior to serving.
Marinating meat is another way to enhance the flavour and tenderness of meat. Whilst adding oil to a marinade may seem like defeating the purpose of choosing lean meat, unsaturated oils are a better choice than the naturally occurring saturated fat in meat. Commercial marinades can be high in sugar.
Try the following ideas for tasty homemade marinades:
red wine, a dash of olive oil, Worcestershire sauce and garlic complements red meat
for an Asian flavour combine soy sauce, a dash of sesame oil, sherry oil, white pepper and honey
lime juice, sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, coriander and a dash of peanut oil adds a Thai flavour to meat
white wine, wholegrain mustard and crushed garlic cloves works well with beef
lemon juice, oregano, garlic and a dash of olive oil complements lamb.

These tips and others like these can be found in our book, Spoons for Thought.

Not sure if this is similar, but i have been having sharp pains during certain twisting movements...near my scars. I play golf, and I wonder if I strained my incisions?? I had my surgery April 17, 2012...Just started having this pain for the last 2 weeks. It doesn't feel like a deep stomach pain..it feels more surface. Has anyone had similar issues?

Yes I got it when I drank Water, now that I am on semi solid foods it seems to of gone away, I also experience it sometime when I eat or drink to fast or maybe to much. Try using a heating pad, if it continues I would go see your Dr, to be sure that nothing else is happening. Gl

Hi all!! New to the board; glad to be connected to others who have had this procedure.
My question is-- I had Plication done 2/27/12...did fine post-op with really no discomfort. However, have started having sharp, intermittent, "colicky" pain in left upper quad of abd and under breastbone. Seemingly unrelated to food/fluid intake. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, did you find it to be gas? What helped? (Had a normal abd CT scan yesterday in ER)
Thanks
~~Lisa

That's awesome!!

Best of luck on your upcoming surgery this next week!

I am one month after plication, I am doing fine. I have lost twenty pounds.

welcome and good luck Muskwa! To plicate or not to plicate can be a stressful decision. I also researched WLS for years before taking the plunge. There is a lot of support in this community. Learn all that you can and mentally prepare yourself for this challenge. Remember.. This surgery is only a tool and it requires a lot on your part to make it a success.
Best of Luck!
Texas Diva

Did you have any trouble after? I am 5 days out and I get breathless very easily, this has never happened before.

Good luck for your upcoming surgery!

It's nice to see someone
Post recently on here... It's a bit
Of a slow forum hey?

HI everyone. I just went in for my 3 month follow up appointment. I had the Plication done on July 16th 2012. It feels like it was much longer than that. My starting weight was 295 pounds and when they weighed me I was 237 so that is 58 pounds in 3 months. I am excited about the results. I eat good most of the time but I have my days where my choices are not so great. I am exercising at least 3 times a week. I can actually run on the treadmill which is something I never thought I would do! My clothes are very loose but until I am down to 225 I am not buying anything new. I was a 24 and now can fit comfortably into a 18. I have lost over 55 inches all over and I am loosing inches evenly. My restriction is very good but I have a cookie here and there or a piece of chocolate or a glass of wine. I am not perfect by any means. I have plateaued again but I have been here before. To kick start the lossing I just switch back to my protien shakes for Breakfast and lunch (no snacking) and chicken or fish for dinner. Doing that for a week does the trick so that is where I am headed on Monday. It also shrinks up your stomach again too which is a nice feeling. I am still a classic emotional eater so I am looking into getting some help in that area. I have to break that habit.
It is great hearing everyones stories!

I keep thinking I ruined my stomach because I eat too fast or too much. Do they nomally check it on Xray or do you have to ask? I had the plication 4 months ago and have lost about 47lbs. I track my food on myfitnesspal.com and nomally always stay under my 60 carbs. I have noticed that I might gain 2lbs one week and then lose 4 lbs the next month, my Dr. says that happens byt I think that is strange. Any good tips? Sometimes I just want a doughnut and iced chai so bad but I don't, have not had either since April, sweets are my downfall but I don't eat them anymore, I have found some sugar free ice cream and candy I like. I do have issues with getting enough Water and not drinking the 30/15 min before/after bit. I just feel that I screwed it up along the way cause it isn't going the way I thought!

So far I am down 7lbs, but I just had knee surgery yesterday my knee is swollen. In much pain.