alwaysvegas

Same as @@catlover2565 with eating too much or too fast. I get the saliva, which causes me to swallow more, which causes my sleeve to fill up more. I basically have to throw up the excess spit to relieve the pressure. The pressure isn't painful, it's just uncomfortable like the food is moving up into my throat...which it sorta is. I did this at least 2-3 times a week when I first got on purees. Now that I'm around 8 months out, I do it maybe every two weeks. It happens the most with dry Proteins. It's just a live 'n learn situation. Nothing tragic, nothing painful.

@@MsAlaineus Great post! I agree about the pre-op diet bringing out the head hunger. For me, the pre-op diet also reset my palate and food expectations. Even blander, low-fat, low-salt, low-sugar foods tasted wonderful post-op. It's like once I cleared all the gunk out of my system (oh, and removed 85% of my stomach ), I really didn't need a huge amount of anything other than simple Protein to feel satisfied. Even 8 months out now, I love spices and sauces, but I'm still perfectly satisfied with just the protein and some veg. We all had to make healthy food choices before surgery and we still have that same choice after surgery. The sleeve is not going to stop what we put in our mouths. Your head hunger may or may not be as strong post-op. My head hunger was almost nil post-op, but people have widely varying experiences. Best of luck on your journey! You're off to a great start in identifying how your head hunger works!

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/336197-how-long-did-people-take-off-work-for-recovery/?hl=%2Breturn+%2Bwork#entry3792467 http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/335761-only-off-7-days-from-work-is-this-too-soon/?hl=%2Breturn+%2Bwork http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/334276-when-did-you-return-to-normal-daily-activities/?hl=%2Breturn+%2Bwork http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/331998-time-off-work/page-2?hl=%2Breturn+%2Bwork#entry3753625 http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/328969-hospital-stay-and-how-long-were-you-out-of-work/page-2?hl=%2Breturn+%2Bwork#entry3722092

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/334688-how-many-people-kept-weight-loss-surgery-a-secret/page-4?hl=%2Btell+%2Bwork#entry3793583 http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/324998-keeping-it-a-secret-anyone-else/page-4?hl=%2Btell+%2Bjob#entry3751886 http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/322126-what-are-you-telling-people-at-home-and-at-work/?view=findpost&p=3635389&hl=%2Btell+%2Bjob http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/317305-keeping-it-a-secret/?view=findpost&p=3602521&hl=%2Btell+%2Bjob

I was cleared for cardio after two weeks and cleared for weightlifting after a month. I still took it easy for a couple months. Due to the low caloric intake, I didn't work out quite as hard as I did pre-op. I just listened to my body and started working out a bit harder as my energy increased. Part of the secret for me is to not overdo it. I don't push myself to increase weightlifting or cardio every week or to push myself when my energy is low. I want the workouts to be enjoyable. I also find that a heart rate monitor is great biofeedback and it keeps me motivated with showing my caloric burn. My usual schedule is 3 days of 30-minute cardio (elliptical, treadmill, or swimming) + 30 minutes weights and 2 days of 50-60 minutes cardio.

Video at the top of the article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/06/nacho-cheese-sodium-citrate_n_6108794.html Another good video: It seriously is just Water + sodium citrate + cheese!

The only change I experienced is that I didn't need foods that were overly-spicy, overly-fatty, overly-sweet, or overly-salty. I enjoyed the blandness of many foods with minimal spices. I think that was due mostly to being on a four-week liquid diet (two weeks pre-op and two weeks post-op) that reset my palate so that I didn't need to be inundated with any flavor to enjoy it. I have yet to find a food I dislike post-surgery, though I now love cottage cheese and tofu, but didn't care for them pre-op. I've only tried one piece of fried chicken and it was delicious, but a bit overwhelming. I've tried a few bits of bread and potato...delicious. I tried a small piece of bundt cake that was great. I haven't tried anything intensely sugary and don't really care to. I find artificial sweeteners are fine, though I know many people don't like them.

My first puree was chicken breast with alfredo sauce and Italian spices. It was glorious! My first solid was also chicken breast (but chunks), but I did a stir fry with egg whites and a garlic Hoisin sauce.

Maybe we need a new ticker for this.

As far as dairy, blocks of cheese can be grated or sliced, the family sized containers of yogurt aren't expensive, and cottage cheese can be bought for pennies per serving. Speaking of dairy, I recently discovered sodium citrate, which makes the most amazingly-easy cheese sauces. It's available from Amazon. It's a bit pricey, but you only use a teaspoon for about 8 oz of cheese. Check out the article: http://www.chow.com/recipes/30493-perfectly-melting-cheese No need to learn how to make a bechamel sauce! Just Water and sodium citrate. The cheese is insanely smooth and tastes of nothing but pure smooth cheese. And it works with low fat cheeses. I think fat free cheeses are blasphemous, so I've never tried that. I've made the following: Mozzarella and Parmesan with italian seasonings and garlic. Cheddar (or Mexican blend) with chili powder, cumin, cilantro, hot sauce Gouda with herbes du provence Swiss with thyme and black pepper White cheddar with rosemary These all go well over low fat cuts of chicken, pork, eggs, or tofu. I've also used low-sodium/no sodium broth in place of water and I think that adds even more flavor.

I think learning to cook should be part of the required learning for weight loss surgery. But I've enjoyed cooking for years, so I'm biased. Now tomatoes shall me thrown at me for suggesting another hoop to jump through for weight loss. But, seriously, the best way to know what goes into your meals (as much as possible) is to make as much as you can from fresh foods. I don't do organic and likely never will. I grew up with lead-based paint, asbestos, DDT, no sunscreen and at the beach for weeks, and a parent who smoked with me in the car. Gotta love the 1970s! But I still keep a reasonable eye on what's going into my body. I don't make everything from scratch always. For example, I learned how to make mayo. It was good, but too tedious for the amount I use. I also learned how to make my own low carb BBQ sauce and tweak it for fun. When I learned to cook (a goal I had in college) I started with a box of Hamburger Helper and looked at the ingredients. I then bought fresh ingredients based on what was in there and started learning what ingredients went together. The internet was just taking off back then, so the learning curve was a bit longer because cookbooks were pricey for a college guy. These days, there is so much free information about food preparation and a bajillion recipes out there. I understand that time can be an issue, but it's the same trade-off we make for exercise. Look at what you spend your time doing and see what you can trade for cooking.

No. We're all different and calories will vary. Keep in mind that 3-4 oz of food could contain very few calories or hundreds of calories depending on calorie-dense the food is. You're likely on a low-carb, lower-fat, high-protein diet, so you food won't be very calorie dense. However, people who gain weight are often eating calorie-dense foods (fried foods, sugary foods, starches, etc.) and/or eating more often. So keep in mind that it isn't just the quantity but the quality of the food also that matters.

Everything in moderation was the key before and after surgery. But I don't do carbs in moderation well, so I avoid them for the most part. I'd consider waiting until you were close to your goal weight before you start adding carb-heavy foods back in as treats. But you know your mind better than I do. Everything you eat is a choice. That was true before surgery and it's true after.

I live alone and end up throwing out a bit of food every week. I try to freeze batches of food that freezes well. For example, I made a huge pot of black bean, lentil, and turkey chili and froze it in 3-4 days' worth batches. I also slow baked two pork tenderloins, then froze one. I'm still overbuying a bit, especially on vegetables however. I bake a bunch of veggies every Sunday for use in different meals throughout the week. But I tend to buy too much of a variety and simply can't eat it all, which sounds really funny to me now. If it's getting near the end of the week, I start mixing in the veggies for my dog with her dog food. So rarely a complete waste.

My surgeon said decaf only, which was fine. I drink decaf iced coffee throughout the day, maybe 40-48 oz worth. I mix in a few tablespoons of chocolate or vanilla Protein drink and Fiber powder. I did have two cups of regular coffee a week ago and thought I was going to come out of my skin. That was my first caffeine in a year...I guess I was well weaned off of it.

This was my puree stage: http://www.360bariatrics.com/360tools/360BariatricDiets_PhaseIII.pdf I was able to make all kinds of variations simply by changing spices.

Best wishes @@SouthernBelle69 for a flawless surgery and a quick recovery!

I didn't really start experiencing head hunger until about four months after surgery. The head hunger isn't nearly as strong as it was pre-op, but I do find myself wanting to graze more when I'm idle than I did four months ago. Even though I'm eating no more than 4-4.5 ounces per meal, it's very easy to eat again every 30-45 minutes, so I do limit myself to eating roughly every 2 hours.

I kept anticipating every roadblock between my surgery and I, which led to oodles of anxiety. Did I not lose enough weight? Did I lose too much weight? Did my bloodwork take a turn? Did something odd show up in my EKG? Is my PCP going to clear me for surgery? Is my psych eval going to determine I'm not a good candidate? Sooooo many tests and appointments, but they're all to help ensure our safety and long-term success. It's an exciting positive change that we all couldn't/can't wait to happen! Best of luck!

Thanks for your honest heart-felt post! You describe so well how I feel also!

How dare you NOT be nervous and brag about it! I'm kidding. Congratulations on your decision!

I recommend taking off as much time as you can get. Recovery times vary alot as you'll read on here. I took off two weeks, which I felt was perfect for me. In addition to resting up, it allowed me enough time to get used to my new sleeve. I was still on liquids the entire time, but I did get a feel for how much I could drink and how often. I was afraid I'd want to snack with all the time off, but I really didn't. I was pretty much overjoyed at not feeling hunger. I spent quite a bit of time walking and napping. My energy was good, but I still burned out easily, which is understandable after major surgery. I also went clothes shopping for some clothes "down the road," which was really fun and also got my walking in at the mall. Best of luck to you!

LOL! That is a wonderful line! I quit smoking also. Strangely enough, the hardest lifestyle change I made was quitting the Diet Cokes. I craved that more than the ciggies, which is odd. I drank at least 2 liters a day. But now it's been over a year since I've had any. Can't say I miss it anymore. I do have an inkling for a ciggie at least once a day, but it's only a minor nag. Quitting smoking did teach me the difference between a physical craving and a mental one.

Contact your insurance directly. We all have insurance variations even from the same provider, so even if I had the same provider I may be covered and you might not. If covered, ask them to direct you to the requirements for surgical approval. Those will detail all the steps required to get approved...and there can be alot. Best of luck to you!

Your recovery gets better every day. The first few days can be rough. Just remember that it gets better and your life is changing for the better! Name your sleeve something. Frankensleeve is a popular choice! Best of luck in your recovery! Keep us posted!