HumanMerelyBeing

I am sorry to hear this. This is a setback, but hopefully the Zofran will help.

I know this is always a point of interest for people, so here is a little more data to add to your collection. This is my actual weekly weight loss with an average of 3.3 lbs per week since the day of surgery: Highest weight (July 2013) = 283 1st day Pre-op Diet (Jan 22nd 2014) = 270 (-13) Day of Surgery (Feb 4th 2014) = 254.5 (-15.5) Post Op Data by Week: Week 1 = 244.4 (-10.1) Week 2 = 244.4 (-0.0) Week 3 = 244.4 (-0.0) Week 4 = 241.2 (-3.2) MO 1 = -13.3 Week 5 = 238.2 (-3.0) Week 6 = 235.0 (-3.2) Week 7 = 232.2 (-2.8) Week 8 = 229.9 (-2.3) MO 2 = -11.3 Week 9 = 227.2 (-2.7) Week 10 = 221.8 (-5.4) Week 11 = 220.2 (-1.6) Week 12 = 214.8 (-5.4) MO 3 = -15.1 So there you have it, it really does add up over time, even with some frustrating stall weeks. Keep on plugging, everybody!

@Comfey_Blue: Ah yes, we are not a threat to other women when we are heavy. This is an intriguing and very present dynamic!

If you are like me, then you will understand what I mean when I say that I have been hiding for many years and that I have a deep-seated fear of "being seen." I have been carefully nuturing my very private, unknowable identity for a long time. You won't find photos of me out there, you won't find strong opinions or frequent posts on facebook, you won't be able to Google search me with any success, you won't find people in my life outside of my husband and children who know things about me--including that I've had WLS. I protect my name, location, my face, my body and my deep self in this way. Even my presence here on this site is secret in that I am just my words and nothing more. The question is, which came first - does the fear cause the weight or does the weight cause the fear? Some may think that the fear of "being seen and known" would cause one to physically shrink, but in our society it is the overweight that become truly invisible. This is one of the payoffs of being heavy. Anytime I have lost weight in the past, the comments, compliments and questions from others as I lose has been unbearable and undoubtedly one of the (several) complicated triggers that has caused regain. Enter WLS. I am losing weight. I am fully committed - physically and emotionally. People are starting to notice. I am feeling uncomfortable feelings. I am awakening. I do not have food as my comforter, that which dulls the senses and self-medicates against too much reality. That which stuffs down feelings and dreams and ambitions. Awakening means dealing with these dreams and ambitions. Becoming smaller means being noticed, being judged. It's amazing how many people are more comfortable and satisfied with us while we are fat. We are non-threatening, just a nearly invisible enormous person: just how they like us. Do I have a magic solution to this challenge of identity and weight? Nothing particularly tidy. Except this time, I have my own strong will. I have a different approach to self talk. I am determined to be so brave. I am committed to feel and not be afraid. I am going to allow myself to be judged (could we really stop it anyway??) and realize that it will not kill me. I will still wake up the next morning and be myself with my own life and my own needs and my own goals. I will awaken.

@@Mrs.RRn - do you have a particular brand that you use/like? I haven't done any bars yet - maybe it's time.

Just heard about this last night. I really loved his comedy. They didn't say exactly how he died, just that it was natural causes. I just felt so grateful about having already had the decision and my surgery behind me and to have a fighting chance at life. May he be in God's comfort now.

OK, confessions of a 9 week Post-Sleever: 1. I can eat more than I could a month ago. 2. Nothing to date has made me feel sick. 3. I'm so pleased with my progress to date, that I'm getting mentally lazy. 4. I record my food intake on MyFitnessPal most accurately on days when I am *perfect*. 5. I simply do NOT know what to do with myself when I go to the movies. No snacking??? Just watching the movie??? Ummm.... So this weekend, these 5 things all came together and almost shoved me right off that old wagon! My daughter and I went to see The Muppet Movie and she got a big old box of Whoppers. So, I decided I could "get away" with a few. After all, I've been so good, been making such progress, biked an hour on Saturday and nothing has bothered me (see excuse list above). So I had a few of those delicious malted, melt-in-your-mouth Snacks. And then a few more. And then just a few more. How many did I actually have? I don't know - it was dark and I was watching the movie!! And then - my Sleeve worked!! I got hot, trapped in my own body, nauseous, dizzy, not sure what was happening, etc. We had to get up and leave the movie because I thought I was going to pass out. I drove us home, went to bed and climbed firmly back up on the wagon. A moment like this is living proof that the surgery performed was on the body and not the mind and I have so far to go with getting the mind to function on the same wave length as the Sleeve.

The few times I've crested up into the 800-1000 calorie range (and yes, those days were definitely in the PMS vortex), I've dropped weight over the next day or so. We forget the body does actually like fuel. : )

@@CrazyJaney - for me fatigue really did improve around the 4 week mark. Prior to that, it was tougher for me during my work day and I definitely napped more on the weekend and generally took it easy. But right around 4 weeks, I started to feel more energetic, not so exhausted. That's when I started being able to up the exercise too and probably was the point where I started taking in more like 500-600 calories per day so that gives you a boost too!

Ladybug - I'm like you, very private and it was a big decision about who I told. I told my husband, my children, 1 aunt and a best friend. Also told my in-laws out of total necessity since we needed their help with the kids while I was in the hospital. I didn't tell anyone else - not my sisters, parents, people at work, etc. Even with this carefully selected small group, I did have to endure some negativity, fear, etc. although most were very kind and supportive. I'm very comfortable with this decision although I wish I didn't tell the in-laws: have definitely re-thought that one. I am 6 weeks out and I am able to proceed with this journey privately, losing at my own pace without a hundred questions and people checking me up and down to "see how I'm doing" or to tell me "how pretty I actually am now." I don't like that kind of thing at all. I do go to the monthly support group at my surgeon's office which is helpful and I would encourage you to get some support during this time; including this community who truly understands. Everyone is different, so no one can tell you the "right" thing to do. But I would say this: ignore the idea that you HAVE to tell people, or that you are being dishonest if you don't. That's crap. No one needed to know how and why you gained the weight in the first place and they aren't owed anything now. This time, it's truly for you. Do it your way.

@Splatt83: The stitch can range from mild to a little more severe depending on what you've been up to. I would describe it like the pain that you would have after running a couple miles and getting that crampy painful feeling in your side or like you just did 1000 sit-ups and now every time you move a certain way, you feel it. Good news - it goes away!!!! Do try not to lift anything over 10 lbs in your first few weeks though or do something that will really risk the area. There's a lot of healing going on in there!

Yes, yes...why is this? I have been losing about 3 lbs a week, but somehow I feel that I've already messed this up somehow. I think I've probably already stretched my pouch or won't be able to keep up with the requirements, etc. So even in the midst of decent success, failure looms. I like what one poster said, that we must must try to live in the present and renew our commitment every 24 hours.

Hello February Friends, I was sleeved on 2/4/14. I'm also on soft foods and tolerating everything pretty well. I'm just a bit bored with no variety and trying to think of things to eat is tough. I do get hungry, but am satisfied pretty easily. I usually take in about 600 calories, very occassionally go up to 850 or so. Tuna, lunch meat, lite cheese sticks, scrambled eggs, turkey kielbasa, Soup, Protein shakes...that's about it. For a special treat, if I'm hungry at night I'll have 1-2 graham cracker sheets. Not sure if this is cheating or not. Otherwise, I don't have any carbs really. I've been walking, stationary bike and even tried 20 minutes of the Jillian Michaels Fat Burn workout - whoa!! NSVs - had to dig out some old clothes (luckily I have clothes in every size, so it will be a while before I have to shop!). My rings are fitting better. My face looks thinner. Exercise is getting easier! I had a long 2 week stall and like the other poster in this thread couldn't understand how that math works: taking in so few calories, exercising, working full time, taking care of 2 kids and not losing for more than 14 days. Sigh. But it's over and I'm back to losing 2-3 lbs a week or so. HW 283 Pre-op Diet 270 DOS 255 Current 237

Two weeks out of surgery, I dreamt I was shopping for new clothes in a smaller size and then realized that I had downed half a bottle of diet coke while I was shopping. I was shocked when I realized what I had done. Here I was trying to get clothes that fit the new me and drinking the forbidden at the same time!

I just saw the article and pics for Graham Elliott's surgery. I always loved him on Master Chef and now love that he opted for the sleeve and is 150 lbs down. This is an inspiration...someone who works with food and makes his living eating was able to accomplish this with the help of his tool. I know a lot of celebs have gotten surgery, but this one really wows me. Good for him. I'm going to use him as one of my inspirations.

I certainly would not want to discourage anyone with this post. But I, (like I'mreadyforthis and others) had read so many uber-postive posts about the post-op experience that I think I had almost built up unrealistic expectations and then felt like a failure when I encountered some of the issues described in the main post. Having some pain, discomfort, energy drain and issues getting in food and drink are actually quite common and all in the range of normal, but the wonderful part is that every week the body makes huge strides in healing. Major surgery is just that: major. I've had other surgeries that were much worse with longer and far more painful recoveries involving long term physical therapy, etc. This surgery is not that difficult by any means, but we should let people know what can be experienced and be ready for it. Then if they are one of the lucky ones who jump out of the hospital bed raring to go, they can be pleasantly surprised. But if not, they can know what the common challenges are which they may face in the first month AND that each week will yield remarkable improvements.

It's funny you just posted this. I just posted a thread entitled, "THIS is how the first 4 weeks go..." It's a bit tongue in cheek, but it gives a pretty good idea of the progression I just experienced (I am one month out today). And yes, you will feel really totally normal again. For me, it was 4 weeks and I'm guessing the average is 3-6 weeks.

Hello all - I know several of us are hitting our 1 month mark this week. Mine is today. The body is an incredible thing, truly. It's a healing machine quite frankly. At one and two weeks out: -you wonder what you have done to yourself and you are pretty sure you will never feel quite normal again -you can't imagine yourself ever sleeping anywhere but the living room recliner -the thought of driving or going back to work seems like an unrealistic commitment you made Way Back Before Surgery -you can get in so little Water and Protein that it dawns on you that THESE are the weeks that will cause hair loss several months from now -you learn what "sliming" is (ewwww) -MyFitnessPal tells you repeatedly: "You are getting too few calories. If every day were like today, you would be DEAD in 5 weeks." At three weeks out: -you feel better but not really there yet -you need extra naps on the weekend -getting in your water and protein can be done with the effort of a full time job -you have a strange painful stitch in your side that you've resigned yourself to bravely live with the rest of your life -you accidentally sleep all night with the heating pad on your largest incision site on its highest setting -you walk 20 minutes on the treadmill and then come onto this site and disbelievingly post, "WHEN did they say I should start exercising????" -your body decides you must be on a grueling episode of Survivor and goes into starvation mode yielding the world's most devastating weight loss stall prompting you to decide that you are a failure and did this all for NOTHING At four weeks out: -you sleep in your own bed in whatever position you want -the fire-hazardous heating pad gets put away -you walk 2+ miles at lunch and think maybe you could have done more -you have enough energy to really start cleaning the house again and get totally aggravated at hubby and kids for how little they managed to do for the past month -you randomly feel happy, mad, silly, sad as hormones and emotions take their toll -you have to pack up the first set of clothes which are now too big -you feel healthy....dare I say...normal? Yep, the first month is kind of amazing.

Are there really so few CT-ers out there? Where is everybody?

RJ - I am also sorry to hear this. You are one of the bright spots on this forum and I have gained a lot from your posts and your responses since joining a few months ago. I do know this feeling all too well and can oddly experience it during the change from winter to spring. You'd think it would be the opposite, but I don't get the same dip as fall and even winter come on. And yes, meds have helped a lot during these darker times. Maybe it's time to get back in contact with your provider. Hang in there, you have many admirers on here!!

ProtiDiet has high Protein Water add ins, high protein oatmeal and even meals. I don't see anyone talking about this line very much, but it seems like it would be a good way to get in extra protein without a lot of added calories. Has anyone used these products and if so, what are the pros/cons? They are for sale at Nashuanutrition for example.

Amazing!! Congratulations to you. This is not easy and you look very fit, too!! Thanks for the inspiration.

Girrrrrl, your body just lost 31 lbs in less than a month. It's taking a little breather, trying to catch up with you. As long as you are doing what you are supposed to (and it sure sounds like it), then you'll be just fine. This is the sage advice that the veterans gave me last week. I am 3 weeks post op and lost 11 on the pre-op and 11 immediately following and then have gone like 14 days holding steady.

The hospital sent me home saying not to take any pill that was larger than a pencil eraser. Is that forever or just initially? I see a lot of you are taking Vit E and Vit D and various other things - how are you getting them in. Also, what do you do when you get a cold - can you take something like a Dayquil pill or does everything have to come in liquids? How about tylenol? (I hate liquids, BTW). Just curious.

I take Centrum Adult Chews. They taste OK, but you have to take 4 of them a day - little round chews. I also went went Bariatric Advantage for the calcium chews, but as Fiddleman states their regular vitaminds are gross.