Zoey716

4 weeks after I had the sleeve, I had a small leak that they think happened from a small ulcer that formed on the incision on my stomach. I ended up having a 2nd surgery. It was a bit of a scary ordeal. I had a drain put in, was not allowed to eat for 5 days - but was hooked up to TPN (IV nutrients/lipids), had so many tests and procedures to try and find out what was going on and why. I was in the hospital for 6 days.
About 2 weeks later I ended up back in the hospital with a kidney infection that was a result of not being able to get in enough fluids to flush my kidneys properly. So I was back in the hospital for another 2 days.
With the complications that I did have put aside - I have had a fantastic experience and results from having the sleeve done. I have been very happy and pleased with my results, and have progressed very well. My doctors are all very happy and pleased with my progress. At my 6 month post op appointment I had already meet their 1 year goal for weight loss.
I had a rocky start but am so very happy I had the sleeve done and never have regretted getting it done.

Almost 9 months post op & down 114 from date of surgery. Completely happy with my progress so far. Working hard at obtaining my goal!

4 weeks after I had the sleeve, I had a small leak that they think happened from a small ulcer that formed on the incision on my stomach. I ended up having a 2nd surgery. It was a bit of a scary ordeal. I had a drain put in, was not allowed to eat for 5 days - but was hooked up to TPN (IV nutrients/lipids), had so many tests and procedures to try and find out what was going on and why. I was in the hospital for 6 days.
About 2 weeks later I ended up back in the hospital with a kidney infection that was a result of not being able to get in enough fluids to flush my kidneys properly. So I was back in the hospital for another 2 days.
With the complications that I did have put aside - I have had a fantastic experience and results from having the sleeve done. I have been very happy and pleased with my results, and have progressed very well. My doctors are all very happy and pleased with my progress. At my 6 month post op appointment I had already meet their 1 year goal for weight loss.
I had a rocky start but am so very happy I had the sleeve done and never have regretted getting it done.

Almost 9 months post op & down 114 from date of surgery. Completely happy with my progress so far. Working hard at obtaining my goal!

So glad these pictures are over a year old. Such progress has been made and could not be happier! Still have work to do! #Happybutneversatisfied!

Yep, you are in full blown denial, sorry but thats one of the first stages, just like the stage of grief your in those grieving over food, and trust me you overate, anyone e who says they didnt overeat they just ate bad things is unable to look at themselves as the cause for their weight problems. You overate, plain and simple accept it, its not some mark against you that people can hold over your head, its just something that you put behind you and learn to be better. If you cant accept yourself as an obese person, and know that only you can make this happen, then you wont get anywhere. Trust me, in week two post surgery i said to my wife that i wish i could undo this. Now id would like t go back and slap myself. Why did i say it? because i wanted to go back to eating my old foods, I wanted to give up. But that is why this works, because you cant give up. You have to see it through. When you get where your going, its a wonderful place to be and im only most of the way there and my life is amazing compared to what it was and I thought it was good before.
Lets see you said "Unfortunately, I now realize that I could have did this on my own. I'm working out everyday, which I wasn't doing before the surgery. Since they recommended I workout daily and eat a high Protein diet, I'm doing it. It's not that I "couldn't" before.
So are you really saying you had no idea that diet and exercise would help you lose weight and only learned that because they told you now? Really?
Here's a hint. diet and exercise help you lose the weight , but keeping it off is up to you! That's how this helps, it forces you to train yourself to eat right.
Remember the start of the journey is always the hardest.

You need some psychological healthcare. Simply sounds to me like you weren't ready for this and jumped into it way too fast. Too many people don't really think about the consequences of what this surgery means. See a counselor or psychiatrist. You have made some HUGE misstatements. You say you can never eat a healthy portion? and you've done so well, knowing what a healthy portion is, in the past? Healthy is a lot smaller than you think it is, otherwise you would not have been obese to begin with. This surgery takes the fun out of food, with good reason.
food is what you live ON , not what you live FOR.
This may sound like I am uncaring but I care a lot more than many might think. This surgery saved my life, no even more than that, it has given me a life to spend with my wife and friends.
A whole new world has opened before me, and it can for you too.
That life does not include being addicted to, and to run my life around, food.
Think about it, and go talk to someone.

Asparagus was a NO, Rice is a No. Noodles are a Nope. Um this could go on and on. I keep trying a bite or two of rice and go Karen Carpenter.

Congrats on the weight loss thus far!!
A few questions for you: All meals should be rich in Protein. Are you meeting at least the minimum Protein requirement that your doctor and nutritionist have recommended? Are you tracking everything that you eat throughout the day? What about your fluids? Are you drinking mostly Water or are you drinking calorie laden drinks?
Are you exercising daily or most days of the week?
And lastly have you spoken with the surgeon or nutritionist about your concerns?
I'm sure there are others that can further help you as I am just 4 months post op.
Best of luck to you!
Jessica

So glad these pictures are over a year old. Such progress has been made and could not be happier! Still have work to do! #Happybutneversatisfied!

This is not just eating off plan or going off a diet, this is self-harming behavior. It's the same thing as if you had an open wound on your arm and were pouring crap into it.
If you have a therapist, you need to get in to see them. If you don't, you need to get one today.

Why would you eat dorritos and cheetos they do not have any Protein that is what you need the most don't go back to old eating habits. People think just because you can only eat a little it is ok. You need to change your mindset about food or you want to be successful
Sent from my SPH-D700 using VST

Losing those inches! It feels great to force yourself into something to big or have to shop for a new smaller size huh? Not really wierd. Remember fat takes up more space in your body. One pound of fat is profuse and floppy while one pound of muscle is compact and tight. Embrace it!

Hi LynneAnne (and Geaux Tigers!) ...
It is universal that every doc and all literature says to wait 30 mins before drinking after eating.
There is a great YouTube video where the guy does a visual demonstration. Basically, he fills a small funnel (about the size of sleeve) with apple sauce. You can see it go drip-drip-drip SLOWLY, because of the dense mushiness of the apple sauce. That is a visualization of how food sits in stomach while it is in the early stages of digestion (important for nutrient absorption).
He then adds about a table spoon of Water on top of the apple sauce, and you see the drip rate quicken noticeably. Then, to fully illustrate what happens when you drink substantial liquid while or immediately after eating - he adds a good bit of Water on top of the apple sauce and you immediately see it FLUSH thru the funnel. That is to illustrate that if you drink while or immediately after eating, you really cause food to flush quickly from the stomach into the intestinal tract - which is a bad thing. A very good visual reference to understand why all the chatter about waiting 30 minutes after eating, before drinking. Note: One of the posters here and I have seen elsewhere for longer term post-op folks will/can drink while eating.
On the matter of drinking before eating, you will see a lot of variation. You will see guidance to stop drinking 30 mins before eating, or stop 15 minutes before eating. I have seen some Docs say it doesn't matter how close to eating when you stop drinking (which makes sense to me, btw).
Now, because you and I are both from Louisiana, its interesting to consider the case of eating gumbo (or Soup in the general case).
My question is simple >>> if you eat something like gumbo which has solids in it AND has a high liquid concentration, then how is that any different from drinking????? In general case, same would apply for Soups (regular Soups, no strained or cream soups).
Perhaps someone can answer that questions, because I am 2 weeks post op and REALLY WANT ME SOME GUMBO
-RC-

I'm sorry you didn't receive answers to your previous questions. That is definitely atypical of this site, as usually people are quick to answer and help out in any way they can. I went back and looked at your questions. The first I can't help you with, as I was never in the 300's. As for your other post, it looks like you did get a couple of replies, but I missed that one because you posted it in the evening. I suspect a lot of other people are like me and only really around on the forums during the day time, as that's when I'm stuck at a desk/computer.
Please don't hesitate to continue to post your questions and concerns. These forums can be a great resource and it would be unfortunate if you gave up on us!

I guess it's more normal for a guy. But I think it has always been easy for me to lose if I stuck to diets...it would all just come roaring back plus 10 if I fell off the wagon, I'm hoping with the sleeve that it can be a lasting lifetime weightloss. Thanks for the comments peeps!
BTW I started at 289 and am now at 267 bmi was 42
That Tomato Soup with parm cheese was amazing!

Only a man would worry about losing too much too fast

I had a small leak (they think it was caused by a small ulcer that formed on the suture line on my stomach). It was very painful for me. Felt like a constant cramp just below my rib cage and went around to my back. I called my surgeon who instructed to me to meet him at the ER. He had them run a battery of tests to check for the leak. Once they found "bubbles" in my stomach they took me in for emergency surgery.
If you are experiencing any pain, or discomfort that is constant and that you are worried about - call your doctor. That's what you (or insurance) paid BIG bucks for! Never hesitate to call. Even if it turns out to be gas, or just normal post surgical soreness, in my opinion it's always best to air on the side of caution.
Best of luck and hope everything is okay!

I can tell that this is going to be one of those polarizing posts where there are basically two very opposie responses. One is the "How could you?" response and the other is "What's the big deal?" response.
My one warning to newbies is that on this forum, opinions and tact will vary. Both sides are worth hearing out.
We "how could you" people are occassionally called 'goody two shoes' for following our plan as close as possible, banking on our bariatric team's expertise amd experience with many thousands of patients per year.
For the "what's the big deal" people, it is easy to find converts because it is human nature, plain and simple, to not want to deny our mouths of the tastes and textures and volume that it is used to.
There is generally no middle ground. To those who take the chance on going for it, you must be a gambler, hoping against hope that nothing bad is going to happen to you, just like tornado chasers, and teenagers who jump off the roof onto mattresses.
To the original poster, nugirl 402, I hope you will consider that if you are straying from your plan and inventing your own, that you eventually may have to backtrack and start over. It happens.
Nevertheless, you should participate in the forum as often as possible. There is a lot of valuable information here, from both sides of the fence. Your body - your choice.

This is one of your bariatric mothers speaking...............
Bacon at 5 days?????? Are you kidding me? Dear bariatric daughter, please go to Youtube and watch a real video of the surgery you just had, to remind yourself of how brutalized your stomach is right now. You would not give bacon and eggs to a newborn, so don't expect to go complication-free if you are pushing your recovery schedule up by weeks.
At five days, you might be considering purees. At least then you could take kitchen food and run it through the blender with broth so that it is still wet enough to roll off a spoon. Even those of us with progressive surgeons don't get to soft foods any sooner than two weeks. I know you miss flavor, crunch, and chewing - we all did. But you can't let your taste buds run the show.
I don't know if you are into Bible stories, but consider the Israelites wandering through the wilderness (men did not ask for directions back then, either). God sent them manna from heaven. It was a completely nutritious edible
(although strange) food meant to sustain their bodily needs for energy and health (kind of like our Protein shakes).
But noooooooooo, they missed their leeks and onions and were very vocal about it. They were alotted so much per day (portion control). If they got greedy and gathered too much, it just rotted and got wormy.
So whether you believe it as historical fact or Aesop's fabel, the point is this: can't do liquids anymore and don't want to do liquids anymore are two different things. I encourage you to be strong and resist the temptation to satisfy your tastebuds over the proper healing of your digestive system - you sort of NEED it to survive. If you don't want to be miserable, then don't jump your plan by eating foods your stomach is not ready for. A rupture is a lot more miserable than one more Protein shake.
If you have to, put your shake in a blender and add some yogurt, vanilla, sweetener, very ripe banana, and make it thin enough to pass as a puree. Or get vanilla shakes and add your favorite flavor of fruity baby food. You will pass through these phases soon enough. This is only one month of your new lease on life. You knew going into this that it was going to be inconvenient and uncomfortable for a while. So, chin up.....you will heal in no time if you knuckle down and follow the plan your surgeon gave you. Our surgeons do enough of these that they know what works and what causes complications that you would not wish on your worst enemy.
I wish you good luck and good health. Do you darndest to get control. Your new tummy is now the boss of you and will demand respect. If that is through vomiting, diarrhea, reflux, foamies, or chest pain then Tummy has spoken. Please be kind to yourself.
I am guessing that you will do what the last poster just said and disregard the rest of us, but that indeed is your call. I would give you one caveat: at the first sign of distress, back off to the previous stage. You did this to feel better and be healthier, so if any food you eat hurts or your tummy gives it back, then you were not ready for it yet. Just be careful.

Good thing my intention was not to give you a snarky response then.
As for being unhelpful? It's YOUR choice to read my words in whatever tone you choose. It's a shame you are choosing to see them as negative.
Oh! And to answer your "point"? Seven pounds in 3 weeks is still over the average expected weight loss of 1-2 pounds a week, so yes, you ARE losing at a healthy rate.
Good luck to you! I won't make the mistake of giving you honest feedback again.

Ground turkey, greek yogurt, string cheese, cottage cheese, chicken cooked in the crockpot, tuna, hard boiled eggs, avocado, turkey burger, turkey bacon, salmon, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, kale, chickpeas, watermelon, berries...
pick a Protein and pair it with a veg and or fruit. mix things up to keep it interesting.
instead of sour cream - use non fat plain greek yogurt.
be patient with introducing new foods to your new tiny tummy.
I'm full of ideas - let me know if you need any recipe ideas...I've got a ton!

Ground turkey, greek yogurt, string cheese, cottage cheese, chicken cooked in the crockpot, tuna, hard boiled eggs, avocado, turkey burger, turkey bacon, salmon, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, kale, chickpeas, watermelon, berries...
pick a Protein and pair it with a veg and or fruit. mix things up to keep it interesting.
instead of sour cream - use non fat plain greek yogurt.
be patient with introducing new foods to your new tiny tummy.
I'm full of ideas - let me know if you need any recipe ideas...I've got a ton!

Ground turkey, greek yogurt, string cheese, cottage cheese, chicken cooked in the crockpot, tuna, hard boiled eggs, avocado, turkey burger, turkey bacon, salmon, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, kale, chickpeas, watermelon, berries...
pick a Protein and pair it with a veg and or fruit. mix things up to keep it interesting.
instead of sour cream - use non fat plain greek yogurt.
be patient with introducing new foods to your new tiny tummy.
I'm full of ideas - let me know if you need any recipe ideas...I've got a ton!