FieryRed

Today was my first pos-top appt. Tomorrow will make 2 weeks since surgery and nutritionist & doc released me to soft solids. Woohoo! My tastes and cravings, as predicted, have changed quite a bit. I couldn't wait to get a hold of some chicken breast. Hubby took me out to Olive Garden and they have some new "small plates" offerings on their menus now. One was a single chicken skewer with choice of a drizzle of Alfredo or red wine sauce. It was maybe 3 oz of chicken but it was perfect! Afterwards we went to the grocery store and I stocked up on Cajun fish fillets (Gortons frozen), precooked chicken breast strips, Steamables frozen veggies, a variety of Indian, Thai & Chinese sauces for the chicken, and I've discovered a new favorite snack....Snapea Crisps - Caesar flavor. They are awesome! 1/2 a normal serving is like 10-11 pods and is only 60 calories and even has a few grams of Protein. Very satisfying to get that crunch we all miss. Am looking forward to simple lunch and dinner meals with chicken breast, some sort of sauce, and a little steamed veg. I do still miss my Chinese food but at least I have the sauces now, just not the batter on the fried chicken. Also the simple pleasure of a scrambled egg for Breakfast or tuna salad for lunch! It really is the simple things now, ain't it? Keep fighting the good fight, y'all!

I think you'll find it funny how your cravings will change postop. I was always a huge Chinese food fan and thought that would be a constant nagging craving. But the first things I craved when I could eat soft solids was chicken and a little piece of a cheeseburger (no bun). Protein. Your body screams at you for protein! lol

The pain might be the result of the internal stitches most docs put inside that incision to secure it to the abdominal wall. I have a slight dent above that incision and I asked my doc what that was from. He said it was the stitches. When I've tried to do ab exercises, I can still feel mild, weird pain and a tugging where the stitches are. So am sure that's what it is from with most of you.

I was sleeved 10/16. Wednesday will be 3 weeks. I was just up north of Allentown (in Kunkletown area) yesterday, so I do go up your way fairly regularly. So let's keep in touch...I'd love to give my old jeans/skirts/trousers a good home until you can recycle them again!

Considering all of us really don't want to buy clothes until we're close to goal and there are obviously lots of folks in every size range on this site...anyone given thought to setting up a clothing trade/exchange buddy system? I know everyone has different "tastes" etc, but generic things like jeans or work slacks...thought it might be helpful. If anyone's interested in size 18/20s in PA, I'm here!

I'm in the Reading area.

Click on down arrow next to your screen name in the upper right-hand area of your screen (next to your profile picture), and choose "My Tickers" and you can create one. It walks you through it step by step.

You go, girl! I've dropped a size (2.5 weeks post-op) but am obviously not going to buy stuff every time I drop a size or two either...so I'm focusing on find skirts (with either drawstring or elastic waists) and riding our my too-big pants, in the mean time. Thankfully, I held onto my "skinny" jeans from four years ago but they are destined to drown me too in a couple weeks. lol It's surreal, isn't it...when you realize you've not "that size" anymore? I haven't been smaller than a 16 in 17 years!!!! And in about another 20 lbs, I'll be in the 14 range (depending on what cut the pants are, of course). Keep it up!

TY! I've already a NSV or two of my own. Back in jeans from 4 years ago...goal is a size 10/12...whatever weight and time gets me there. But in another 17 pounds, I'll weigh less than I did when I discharged from the Navy in 1996!

What the heck is NSV???? I ran through all sorts of possible acronyms and can't figure it out!

My favorite Protein shake so far is Isopure Zero Carb Cookies AND CREAM. It actually does the flavor justice (kinda! lol). I usually add a little NF/SF Greek yogurt and some fruit to it, just for variety. But if you like chocolate, there are several good types available. The other folks above are right; you HAVE to get used to having protein shakes for postop. Several brands will let you buy "sample packs" or give you some samples for free to try. And I think GNC lets you return products if you don't like them.

You are my doppelganger! lol We both started out almost the same weight (I was 236 at the start of preop diet and my goal is 150, too)....and I'm just two weeks post-op. I'm SO feeling good about my progress (and yours!) and know it will only get better once I can do more hardcore exercise. I am no longer diabetic either! Surgeon took me off Metformin the day after surgery. I had what you call "Dawn Syndrome" where my sugar was only a little high in the morning (135-145). My sugar this morning was 95! Perfectly normal! Am still on mild dosage of high BP meds but I suspect in 20 more lbs., I 'll be off them, too! So I will have replaced a couple of crappy meds with a TON of Vitamins instead! lol Keep up the great work everyone!

You're not drinking PLAIN water, are you? If you are, then that's the reason for your cramping. For some yet-to-be-be-figured-out reason, plain water is NOT tolerated for the first few weeks, post-op for most folks. Try adding a squeeze of lemon or my favorite was the wealth of flavors of the Mio water enhancers in the little squeeze bottles. I'm 2 weeks post-op today and can tolerate plain water just fine, but not recommended to even try for the first week! Hope this helps.

That's incredible! Keep up the good work!

Yogi-lates (yoga X pilates) CDs are probably the best at quick results that I've ever seen. Small, controlled movements. Not 2000 crunches or sit-ups. Think the instructor was Rodney Yi? Doesn't feel like much the first time you do it, but when you wake up the morning the next day...OUCH! But it definitely was effective.

As long as you have a fridge....cheese sticks, pre-made tuna salad or egg salad, boiled eggs, I also would recommend buying precooked chicken strips (frozen) that are easily microwaved or frozen meatballs. Quick, bite-sized and satisfying.

Hope you don't mind since my surgery was on the 16th...but I was 228 the morning of surgery (lost 10 lbs during the 4 days of preop liquids), and GAINED 10 lbs of Water during the one day I was in the hospital from the IVs they pumped into me. lol It took me like 4 days to lose all that water. I'm now down to 222 as of this morning. So 9 days post op, I've technically only lost 6 lbs because I had to re-lose that 10 lbs of water as well. But it's progress and I'm okay with that. Once I lost the water, it started coming off at about .75-1 lb a day. Everyone's different. it's not a race...it just about making the finish line and feeling good about the journey, right?

The cold feeling is because our bodies are "starving" and using the lesser calories that we're taking in are being used to focus on our internal organs, and not so much on keeping our outer body warm. I'm 8 days post op and get cold easily, kinda when I get overtired. pureed foods started yesterday and I'm really thankful that my husband manages a restaurant called Zoup, where they specialize in Soup (and salads and sandwiches)....he brings me home a variety of Soups I can toss in the blender and chicken pot pie in the blender is FAB! Probably would work with a regular chicken pot pie at home in the nuker too...add some skim milk and voila! Will probably buy some baby food, though, for convenience purposes for when I go back to work on Monday...that and premixed Protein drinks. Keep fighting the good fight everyone!

Way to go, darlin! You keep up the good fight!

I had my first BM yesterday and never thought I'd be so excited to poop! lol And today was the first morning that I finally dropped the 10 lbs of Water from the IVs since getting sleeved 10/16. Hubby picked up the GasX strips yesterday and they may be expensive but they work! So thanks so much for the tip! Do believe they will be my new best friend. Hope everyone is doing really well. Am still bruised and a tad achy and hoping my largest incision above the navel doesn't stay indented the way it is now! lol

I am TOTALLY getting some of those bad boys today! That's my own real discomfort since getting sleeved Wednesday. And I've found when I make shakes in the blender, the added air makes for gassy discomfort, until I muster up a good burp. lol New topic...how long until anyone has had a pooh after getting sleeved? I haven't had one since Wednesday morning. Normal? Has anyone used a laxative to get it going? Is that acceptable? I've even tried decaf coffee, hoping that could trigger it. But nope.

I was sleeved Wednesday and had hunger pains within hours of surgery. For the first two days, it was almost constant. Even after I ate/drank, when I should have been full. So it made it hard to realize when I was actually full. But the hunger pains are lessening and now replaced by digestive pains. lol Have found my favorite meal is a flavored Greek yogurt with a scoop of unjury, a splash of milk and an ice cube in the blender. Alternately, a vanilla greek yogurt with Unjury, a squirt of Mio and ice is good too.

My surgeon has me on 4 days of modified liquids pre-op. Sugar-free yogurt/pudding/ice pops, watery cream of wheat or rice, and broth. I am tolerating it only by having egg drop soup for dinner (extra protein! lol). Only one more day of this to go and surgery is on Wednesday (10/16) and at least then, my hunger pains will be gone. lol Funny thing is, I usually fast 7-10 days once a year to clean my system out and water-only fasting is easier than this modified liquid business is!

Unjury.com makes a chicken soup broth that has 21g of protein. I just ordered the vanilla and unflavored to add to my meals post-op (VSG is this Wednesday!) but have a feeliing I'll order the chicken soup stuff too, to make Egg Drop Soup (extra, extra protein!).

Just wanted to say, you go, girl! I go in for my VSG on Wednesday and I can't wait!!!!