JeanZ_RN

I had my sleeve 7 months ago, and have had no complications (knock wood). I eat just protien and fat, and keep my carbs as low as humanly possible. Since I don't like the low-carb veggies, I eat 2-3 meals each day of beef/chicken/fish, with some aged cheddar for flavor. My other 1-2 meals each day consist of 1 Quest bar. My question is about keeping hunger at bay. Wouldn't we feel full longer if we DIDN'T chew quite so thoroughly? I'm thinking of meat in particular. And I don't mean swallowing huge chunks unchewed - I just mean chewing a bit less than "to the consistency of applesauce." Wouldn't that keep the sleeve busy longer, and therefore keep the hunger at bay longer? Would there be drawbacks to doing this?

You are BOTH beautiful!

Congratulations!

I was taking a prescription NSAID (Feldene) consistently before my sleeve surgery, for osteoarthritis pain in several joints and in my lower back. I stopped it before surgery, per surgeon's orders, and took Tylenol or, rarely, prescription narcotics when I had to have something. Immediately after the surgery I was delighted to find that my aches and pains were GONE. I don't know why (maybe endorphins?), but that low-to-moderate level nagging pain in my joints and lower back was no there. That lasted several months. When the aches gradually returned, they were at first less bothersome than pre-op, which I attributed to weight loss. Now, at 7 mos out, they're back to pre-surgery intensity but they're more episodic instead of constant. My surgeon said I can take my Feldene now, but only intermittently. When the aches get to me I take it for a couple of weeks, then stop for at least a few weeks. He said to wait until I'm at least a full year post op before I take it consistently again. The benefits of this particular NSAID are that I only have to take it once a day, and there are at least two strengths: 10 mg and 20 mg. Celebrex would be another good choice. Please note that anytime that anyone (WLS or no) takes an NSAID they should always always always take it with food.

Congratulations!

McButterpants says it very well, especially this: "The sleeve will only stop you from eating copious amounts of food in one sitting. It doesn't stop you from going back to the bag of chips 30 minutes later when you can fit more into your sleeve. The sleeve is simply one tool in your tool box.." Here's my added 2 cents... I was very fortunate in that I was not hungry at all for 2-3 months post op. I ate because I knew I should. When my hunger returned it wasn't as intense as before, and by then I had established my new eating habits which helped a LOT. Now I eat every 4 hours (8a, 12n, 4p and 8p), and I keep my carb intake as low as humanly possible. Both factors contribute to my never being hungry for very long at a time. What keeps me on track when I could never stick to a diet before: The feeling of satisfaction / fullness after each meal, plus the decreased hunger, is the main thing that makes it possible for me to stick to the plan. I do get head hunger sometimes, and when I can't ignore it I have a SF popsicle or some SF Crystal Light. If those don't work and I indulge in a cookie, I can now stop with one - which I could never do before. I've lost a significant amount of weight doing this, so I KNOW it works. I've been able to stick to the plan for 7 months now, which is way longer than diets I tried before surgery. I will be da**ed if I'm going to throw away the $12,500 I paid out of my pocket to have this done, not to mention all the work I've done (and the goodies I've resisted eating) to get to this point. Sometimes I just repeat to myself, as many times as necessary "I'm not going to eat that. Not gonna do it. There will be goodies available when I'm at my goal." And I walk away from the temptation. The support available on this site and on the Facebook group I belong to is PHENOMINAL. It helps SO much, especially at those times when family/friends would probably beat me to death if I mention one more thing about the trials and tribulations -- or the NSVs -- related to being sleeved. Hope that helps. Best wishes.

I don't feel hungry very often, and when I do it's different than pre-sleeve in that it's not as intense - it's bearable. I attribute that to the fact that I eat every 4 hours - 8a, 12n, 4p and 8p on work days, sometimes a bit later on weekends. Oh, and if I'm awake at midnight I eat again. I usually eat about 200 calories at a time. If I'm not hungry at the designated time I might delay the meal for an hour or so, and I might eat less than 200 calories, but I don't skip meals entirely. I'm told that eating actually revs up one's metabolism. Anyway, it's working for me...

As katesuccess says, when you feel hungry, if you have an actual empty feeling in your gut, and it has been 3-4 hours since your last meal, then it's probably real hunger. If those things are not true, then assess whether any of these could be underlying it: Bored Lonely Angry or Anxious Sad Tired The acronym is BLAST. Here's an example. I ate a meal of dense Protein about 2 hours ago, and I'm not feeling empty in my gut. But my mouth wants Cookies. As it happens, I'm facing a deadline at work right now that I may not be able to meet. My assessment is that what I'm feeling is head hunger.

Deedadumble, would you be willing to post before and after pics? Pretty please?

I LOVE the title of this thread! I don't have any answers, but I'm right there with you. And unfortunately I hate the feel of a turtleneck.

The 3-person support group is a very good idea! You might also consider seeing if your surgeon's office can put you in touch with other sleevers or pre-sleevers in your city. Or, what about someone from your church? If one of them can't drive you home after, you might consider hiring someone through a nurse staffing agency. Those companies provide all levels of caregivers - RNs, LPNs, and nursing assistants - and you could probably interview a few candidates in advance. You could hire him/her just to drive you, or you could add on that the person would stay with you for a pre-determined length of time just to be sure you are settled comfortably. And you could add on that he/she would come back the next day for a couple of hours to make sure you have everything you need within reach. Best wishes!

Excellent thread, WriterJennifer! Thanks for getting it started.

My first date in at least 10 years was last night, and by george I DID remember how to act. It was great! He is fabulous, and that's not just because he said several times "You're so little!" We have "a hot date" (his words) set for tomorrow night. I'm grinning like an idiot, and I love the feeling.

Play a board game, or badminton (yes, that's really how it's spelled; I had to look it up), or croquet. If you can gather 4 players, try a game called Taboo - it's a riot. Devise a treasure hunt or a scavenger hunt. Volunteer with an animal rescue agency or some other good cause. Clean out a closet together or tackle some other 2-person DIY project. Those are always more tolerable if you have someone to chat with throughout.

CowgirlJane, I really like the idea of hiding my profile on POF. How do I do it?

Good point. I would not have any difficulty with that, but obviously it wouldn't be smart to make them for just one person.

Could you make a tri-fold version also? Those would be easier to find display room for among other fliers.

You might want to search this site for "stall" - a lot has been written about it.

Tomorrow I have my first date in at least 10 years. I'm so excited!! Found him on Plenty of Fish (which I learned about on this site). We've texted, emailed and spoken on the phone so far, and tomorrow we'll meet at a restaurant or coffee shop.

Congratulations! Just look at those cheekbones, and collarbones - wow!

There are no restaurants that I miss, because I can eat at any restaurant. And the only foods I'm eager to have more often are those I choose not to have right now because I'd rather maximize my weight loss. I'll enjoy them in moderation after I get to my goal weight. I'd rather focus on things that ARE on my plan, and how good I feel being more healthy.

I'm not a May sleever, and I hope you don't my if I put in my 2 cents worth. My viewpoint is different from many others. I'm a nurse, working in an administrative job in a small hospital. Another nurse was hired for a similar position in our hospital, and in the course of conversation he soon volunteered the information that he had the sleeve surgery. I had not heard of it, so I asked some questions, did my research and decided to start the journey. (I had heard of the RNY and the band, but decided neither was for me.) When I scheduled the time off for the surgery it just seemed natural to tell my peers on the management team the purpose of that leave. They have ALL been supportive, which has helped me tremendously. My only family - 2 sisters and 1 brother - all live hours away, and while we do keep in touch by phone and email, it's great to have supportive people whom I see every work day. Now I get to hear at least once a week congratulations on how great I look and other congratulatory stuff. I'll TAKE it! I have no idea what if anything they say behind my back, but I'm not worried about it. I'm not getting any vibes to indicate they are anything other than supportive, so I have no reason to think there's any nastiness going on.