Rogofulm

Thanks for the clarification, @@JamieLogical! I've been wondering about the specifics.

I'm now having to really watch what I eat. Not how much, I still have the restriction, but how often! I can graze without realizing how much food I'm eating over the course of a day! I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to go on a diet any more after surgery! Excellent point, @@Rena's got this! I've been in maintenance for a couple of months, and I'm working on the "how often I eat" thing too. I find I'm best able to control myself if I keep my sleeve full of fluids between meals. As for wishing you'd had the bypass... Friends who have had it are having as much or more trouble with hunger. My sense is that their pouch can stretch more than our sleeves; so the restriction is less, although the malabsorption is more. All in all, I'm very happy that I chose the sleeve since I "only" had 120 pounds to lose.

Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or even longer. But don't worry – after that, the pounds will start falling off if you stick to your program. And, the inches will continue to come off even while the scale isn't budging. Here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again! (Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)

Maybe he rotated your avatar 90 degrees!

Yep, I had this pegged as a come-on too, but of course, I couldn't resist. Take it as a compliment!

Those who have already posted made excellent points! All those factors went into my choice as well. Your are a 5'3", 251 female. I started out as a 5'6", 265 male. One point that has not been mentioned... My doc showed research indicating that while the speed of weight loss from fastest to slowest is GB, then VSG, then LB, after time, statistics are showing long-term percentages of weight lost to be fairly equal. A friend of mine had a GB to relieve diabetes more quickly, but my diabetes was under control and I was off all meds within 2-3 weeks from surgery! I was also free of apnea in the same period. Blood pressure took 6 months or more, and cholesterol is getting there. Oh, and the asthma went away too. Like other sleevers, I was concerned about a lifetime of malabsorption from the GB, and liked the idea that the ghrellin factory was cut away in the VSG procedure. I also had some concern about the elasticity of the pouch from the bypass vs. the relative inelasticity of the sleeve. Of course, as everyone has pointed out, which surgery you choose has to be a discussion between you and your doctor, but IMHO, at 251, you may not need need the more severe procedure unless there are other mitigating factors, like severe GERD, etc. If I had been 351, I might have come to a different conclusion. But I was in a similar boat as you. I followed all the rules for the sleeve and was able to exceed my goal in less than a year. Good luck with your decision, and enjoy your journey to better health!!!

Oh yeah, I'm totally jerky boy! And yogurt... and cheese... But I tend to keep going back for more. That's what has me slightly worried. I seem to still need to be consuming and/or feeling full all the time. I've been able to manage it so far by choosing safe foods and drinking ridiculous amounts of fluids, but it feels risky for the long run. Gotta find a non-consumable replacement.

I agree! This morning the scale was up a half pound. Still within my 5-pound bounce range, but it bumped over a number ending in a 5, so I want to knock it back down under that 5. Irrational? Slightly. But continuing to play the game may be part of what keeps us honest. Maintenance is a new period of discovery, ain't it?!!

Hi @@bb3586, Yup, if you're eating noodles and rice you're messing up already. Time to knock it off! Soups without carbs are good early on, especially cream-based soups and chicken broth that go down easy. And don't forget about the Protein shakes and Greek yogurts. Once you get on soft foods, tuna salad and chicken salad are easy to manage. You need to fill up on protein first, then green veggies, not carbs. If your doctor didn't give you instructions on how to eat, below is a link to a web site that can help. Please take advantage of this amazing opportunity and follow the rules. That's the only way it works. We're all pulling for you, but you'll have to make the good, and sometimes difficult choices. As you get further and further away from sugar and starches, they become easier and easier to resist. Two other thoughts for you... 1) make sure you're taking a proton-pump-inhibitor like Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, or Protonix (prescribed by your doctor), and 2) make sure you're drinking lots of fluids -- after surgery hunger is often thirst in disguise. And use your doctor's office for advice too! Good luck!!! Okay, here's that link. http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/bariatric-diet.html

Congratulations on getting back on the exercise, um... hike! You know what it takes, so take it! Get your fluids in because that helps curb the appetite. Good luck, and keep posting if you need support!

First off, it sounds to me like you're doing great! I've been in maintenance for two months, and it's not easy. I'll bet if you looked closely, you'd find a correlation between not having enough fluids, getting hungry, and making less-than-optimal choices. If you get your Fluid intake back up, it might help you resist certain temptations. But don't beat yourself up over a few bites. In maintenance we're supposed to find our new "normal" and increase our calories to stop losing. The real trick is learning how not to gain in the process. Good luck!!!

Congratulations, that's great!!!!!

Hi @@connor0331, I've seen many people talk about having success getting back on the horse with the 5-Day Pouch Test, which as I understand it, kind of runs you through the eating stages in 5 days, and resets your restriction. Here's a link to the web site. Take a look and see if it might help. Good luck!!! http://www.5daypouchtest.com/index.html

@@MichiganChic, I just checked out your photo journey. You look fantastic! Congratulations!!!!! 7 pounds to goal? Keep pushing. It feels great when you get there!!!

I think there may be a big difference between the levels of support we experience from our medical teams. My surgeon attended our support group meeting recently and told us that if we fall off the wagon, the first call we should make is to his team because they have tips and tools that can help. And they know how hard this is, so they won't judge either. I haven't needed that yet, but if I ever do, you can bet I'll use them. It might be difficult to make that call, but not nearly as hard as it would be further down the road. As with so many things, putting something uncomfortable off rarely makes it better. I'm still trying to learn THAT lesson....

Hi again, @@globetrotter, I hesitate to point this out to someone with your level of WLS experience, but 21 days sounds an awful lot like 3 weeks. Might you be experiencing a second Week-3 Stall? If you haven't read it recently, you might take some comfort in this article which explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it -- possibly every time we "get back on the horse". http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau We're with you!

Congratulations on the run!!!

Soups haven't been a problem, but I do avoid any starches in soups. So chicken noodle or rice is off the list, as is anything in a potato base. Chili is good though, and Long Horn Steak House makes a great French Onion Soup. I just remove the bread and/or croutons.

Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Good luck!!!

Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or even longer. But don't worry – after that, the pounds will start falling off if you stick to your program. And, the inches will continue to come off even while the scale isn't budging. Here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again! (Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)

I hated Phentermine. It made me feel jittery and nervous, like I had come to work "high" on something. Also, it worked for most of the day, but the appetite suppressant effect would wear off by evening, and then I would eat like a crazy person.

At least once a day. It keeps me honest and motivated.

@@frumpy69 and @@globetrotter, Thank you for sharing your experiences and your cautionary tales. That's part of the beauty of this Forum – we can share our experiences, good and bad, to help others. And those who are struggling can hear ideas and get support from others as well. @@frumpy69: As for getting a bypass... Okay, this is gonna sound weird coming from a WLS patient, but I'd hold off on going the malabsorptive route until you've exhausted all other options. The thing is that you already have an effective tool in place. If you can get your sleeve (and your head) working together again, you may not need additional surgery. Keep that only as a last resort. I'm hoping the 5-day Pouch Test will get you going again. And @@globetrotter, you sound kind of defeated. But you've succeeded a couple of times, and you still have your restriction, right? Could you try the Pouch Test too? I'm truly sorry about both of your struggles and wish you nothing but the best in getting back under control. Here's a site that will remind you of the rules, if you've forgotten any of them. http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/ And keep posting if you need support and friendship. We're behind you all the way!!!!!

Wish I'd known... How much it was going to hurt when I woke up from surgery. And then, how quickly it would get better over the next few days. That during the first two weeks, fluids (and Miralax) are even more important than Protein to prevent constipation. That was my only hellish moment on this journey. About the Dreaded Week-3 Stall. Consider yourself warned, and read this... http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.php. That I wouldn't miss my fat-guy foods as much as I thought. As others have said, we get cold... alot. As others have said, our bony butts hurt... alot. As others have said, we go through clothes like poop through a goose. That non-green carbs, starches, and sugar are the enemy (at least for me). That calories and fat don't really matter as long as we're not also eating carbs. That walking is so darned much fun. That beef and turkey Jerky are secret weapons against hunger, especially on the road. That planning is the most important thing we can do to ensure success. And that if we follow all the rules, the pounds will fall off and we can make it to goal weight.

Alex started a new Maintenance Forum where we talk about this kind of stuff. You can check it out at http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1190-maintenance-forums-new/ I entered the maintenance phase of my program a couple of months ago, but so far I haven't changed very much about the way I eat. I've added a few more carbs in the form of quinoa, brown rice, and sweet potatoes, and I'm munching on a ton of nuts, but I've maintained roughly the same weight for the entire time (up and down about 1.5). My biggest fear is adding back "slippery slope" foods that I might not be able to control. My doc suggests that if we want to add back some carbs, that they only be those carbs that we'd normally eat cooked with a meal (brown rice, whole wheat Pasta, sweet potatoes, quinoa, barley, etc.). Foods that you wouldn't go to the fridge or pantry for a handful of when you're hungry or bored. Notice what's missing in that list? Bread! Because that's a danger food, in my opinion. Good luck making your goal, and then in maintenance. And please post on the new Forum as you discover new tricks for maintaining.