Menina

Medically speaking, a gall bladder surgery, or a hernia repair would jive with the recovery time and scars from VSG. If you still have your gall bladder, I would go with the hernia repair though... it could be embarrassing to explain if you do in fact need to have it taken out down the road (lots of WLS patients do). For that matter, you could just say it was an exploratory laparotomy to investigate some random stomach pains that you had been having, but they didn't find anything.

You are so newly post op, it's hard to see how bright your future is now. I remember those early days/weeks, and i thought maybe something was wrong with me because I just felt so generally awful. Super fatigued, the weight wasn't coming off like I thought it should (I was ridiculous - it was coming off great) and just uncertainty that all would be OK. I would read threads on here about people who felt great 2 days out, blah blah blah. Results "not typical". It was hard not be short-sighted, but the truth is that if you work on making the changes you need to, you will transform your mind and body.
Now, at over a year out, I am so incredibly normal! I can eat anything and everything. I can drink Water to my hearts content. I can eat small but normal portions and feel fine. I look normal. I was wear normal size clothes. I'm normal, normal, normal. That's all I ever wanted to be. I also had/have a great life, so losing the weight, managing my diet, and moving into a healthy life just completed it for me.

I had surgery with Dr. Joya at Amerimed Hospital in July. The Dr. And staff were wonderful. The nutritionalist Natalie speaks fluent English as does Dr. Joya. And the hospital is newly remodeled, immaculate and very comfortable with around the clock staff.

I agree with you cuttlecake. At brunch I saw my friend eyeballing my plate. I could have dismissed it as me reading too much into things but at dinner people did speak up and comment on my lack of eating. Hopefully I'll learn to brush it off.

I wish I could say people don't notice what I eat, but they do. I've been out numerous times with people from work, family , friends, etc. Any whether they know about my surgery or not, I always hear a comment. And the waiters always ask if the food was ok, due to lack of it being eaten. It's hard to come up with excuses. I try to split a meal if the situation arises!

@@Menina honestly I think it is way too early for you to be experimenting with bread and alcohol, no matter how slowly you eat/drink. I would really stay away from those things for the time being. Stick with food you can easily cut with a fork and Water to drink (when eating out). Good luck!

So how do you handle eating with others? I can fake it at parties buy just mingling with a plate with some food, and drinking virgin Vodka Cranberrys
But I have some smaller more intimate events coming up like taking a friend out to dinner for her birthday and a brunch with two old co-workers, and a small company team dinner. We also have large family dinners at least 2x's a month. I have been able to play off not eating by saying I have some stomach issues, IBS, and the good old "im on diet, " but im afraid of what is going to happen with these more intimate situations. Doing something not related to food with my friends is not a realistic approach (I can't eat but they can!). And I need to learn to cope with these situations. I haven't told anyone about my WLS surgery other than my immediate family. And to be honest I'm still dealing with my own issues on this - feelings of selfishness and failure for not losing the weight on my own.
Right now I'm on my Mushie week, but next week I'll be on soft foods. I can't eat more than a few tables spoons without gettng painfully full.
What has worked for you?

I thought about tapering off but decided the pain meds would help curb any withdrawl headaches after surgery. So I drank diet pepsi like a fish up to surgery. lol It was the last thing I had the night before and I'm not gonna lie, I was a little sad to throw it down the sink when I hit my liquids cut off. I was easily a 2 liter bottle a day person.
The plan worked = no withdrawl. And I havent had soda since surgery and havent really wanted it, which SHOCKS me. I love the crisp taste that is lost if its flat so flat soda isnt an option for me. They say tastes change and its true, maybe not right away but they do. After surgery I could drink power ade straight. As time goes things like Powerade zero has to be diluted 3x down. And some people (like my surgeons assistant, who was sleeved) don't like plain Water anymore. I like *some* plain Water but im much pickier.
Sometimes I kinda want a little before I eat, but as someone said, its not worth the money before you eat. You can't chug it, and you can't drink it after you eat. I thought not drinking and eating at the same time would be the death of me. Its gotten much easier and I barely think about it anymore. A few times I took a decent drink after eating and the results arne't plesant, so my body doesnt go for it anymore after I eat - and thats just water!! I can't imagine throwing carbination into the mix

I plan to drink soda again but not for awhile. Doc suggested about 6 months after being at goal, so you can see if it has any effect on sleeve stretch or cravings or weight gain.

Im a few months out and so far hasn't been bad. Its the waitresses that say the most!! I eat small bites so I always look like I'm chewing and push stuff on my plate around. I don't take long to eat, a few bites and I'm full. So I just do other things. Today at lunch with my new 7yr old i finished and we played eye spy (while she kept eating her lunch. Hilarious that she eats 3x what I do).
Next week I'm glad to be going to the obesityhelp conference where they will talk about this topic. If they share any good tid bits I'll post.

Kissifur. I agree with you 100%. I will take the lowfat alternative when it doesn't contain preservatives or additives to make it. Like nonfat milk. But I will use butter not margarine and sugar and honey not sweeteners. What is the point of having this surgery and then dumping carcinogens into your body. So I'll have that soft drink once in awhile. And I'll make sure it's sugar sweetened not with aspartame or corn Syrup. :-)

I have to agree with you. I have decided that if I want something I'm going to just have it in smaller amounts and avoid fat free, low fat and diet foods. They are not any healthier just offer less calories and often are less healthy. I came to this conclusion after comparing the ingredients in Mayonnaise with light mayonnaise.

I am 4 weeks post surgery and feel exactly as you all do. I have been jumping on the scale daily and very frustrated at the number. I am on soft foods now and do experience the hunger you all speak of. I was naïve post surgery in that I thought a week later, I would be back to myself. The poster who reminds us that this was MAJOR surgery is right on. We wouldn't expect to feel normal after a C-section or appendectomy. The body needs time to heal. My biggest fear is what if this doesn't work either! Going through this process and then finding out I can never weigh less than I do now is a irrational fear, but one that I do have! Open to comments!
And thanks to all of you for your wisdom and insight. It is appreciated.

for the most part, i take my portion and eat VERY slowly. i generally talk a lot too, so i take a tiny bit, eat, swallow and continue talking for a while! it takes me about 1/4 of the time of everyone else, even with eating slowly. it doesn't bother me to sit among everyone and watch, and enjoy conversation with them! i will even ask about how things taste, what's in it, etc. in showing interest, i'm engaging them too, and putting recipe ideas in my mental bank!
i make sure there is some option that I can enjoy, and i would even call ahead if it's at a restaurant. if you are going to somebody's home, a great way to tackle this is to TAKE a small platter of something that is on your plan phase and make it look like it's for 'everybody to enjoy'!!!
my coworkers are the people i eat with the most, and they all know that i had surgery. i feel like they all watch me a little more closely to see if i'm 'cheating' but i believe that most of them have my best interest at heart.
at a lunch i went to, i did something suggested above and just talked, laughed, and pushed food around and then when everyone was pretty much done, i just asked for a box. no prob!

I know the stress you're feeling, and worrying that there will be a spotlight on you and your plate. Truthfully, people are not going to notice too much as long as you don't draw attention to it. I have been able to play it off with very little notice. If everyone is sharing an appetizer, you take a small amount, take one bite during conversation, and keep your fork in hand to move the food around while you talk. Yes, I'm serious! And pick an entree that's going to give you what you need in terms of Protein, etc and do pretty much the same thing. Cut it up, move it around, say you're full if anyone asks. But for the most part nobody is analyzing what you take in that hard. It's been working for me. Hope it helps

I worried about this too but honestly I have never had someone comment on what I was eating, or how little. Other than a few waiters who asked if my food was all right (because I didn't eat much of it) and I just say something like it was delicious, could I have a doggie bag? And then sometimes throw in an excuse such as, I ate a late lunch so I'm not really hungry, or I'm watching my calories.
If your friends/family do comment (rude btw) just reiterate that you are on a diet and your doctor has given you strict guidelines about what to eat and how much. It's true!

Surgery was April of 2013. To date I have had zero carbonation. Soda was never really a big thing for me. Beer on the other hand I still miss....

I gave up Coke Zero for about 8 months, 2 months pre-op and 6 months post op. I drink it daily now. Not as much as I used to and I cannot drink it from the bottle or can, it must be poured over ice, but I do drink more than I should. It doesn't bother me at all unless it's freshly poured. I sip it and it's fine.

**I AM NOT ADVISING ANYONE ELSE TO DO THIS**

Thanks all. Intellectually I know these things but emotionally it's hard. One thing that is good is that The pounds coming off slower after surgery validates me in the fact that I was having such a hard time losing weight preop.
Also I have to look at other positives. I could button my jeans today without it hurting. :-) I can start seeing my jawline again. (TMI) I was also having some bladder issues that have improved with the lost weight. No knee pain today either.

So good to know it's not just me
Yes I'm on the omaprazol 2xs a day. I will be on once a day starting tomorrow.
It's just these "hunger" pains that are discouraging me, but it's good to understand that once I start on more solid food that I should start feeling satisfied. I'll hang in there. What choice do I have. :-).
And I'll take the advice to stay off the scale. I was actually feeling happy because my snug clothes are actually fitting me as they should. That got me so excited I went to jump on the scales and then disappointment.

Had my surgery on 7/21 at Amerimed Hospital in Puerto Vallarta by doctor Armando Joya.
I'm 35 and have been curvy/plump my whole life. The last five years have seen me go from plump to outright fat. I'm 4'11 and XL sizes were getting snug. My mom had been hinting at me that I needed help. I knew I had to do something I realized when my neck and chin were so fat I had neck sweat and it was physically bothering me. Yet my BMI was only 35, not enough to be covered by insurance. So I went the self pay route.
I conversed via email with Dr. Joya and the nutritionist and along with the questionnaire we decided on the sleeve. I had lost about 10lbs on preop diet when I went in and weighed 160.
The day of surgery I met with Natalie and all my surgeons. They were so nice and respectful of my fears and concerns. I was so nervous they couldn't get the IV in. The 2nd surgeon took over and joked with me a bit to calm me down and used a smaller needle and the IV was in!!
I woke up a few hours later and was taken to my private suite. Comfortable beds. A seating area for visitors. Flat screen TV. Squeaky clean. Nice large bathrooms with towels soaps and shampoos. It was like being in a hotel room.
The nurses were amazing. So kind and attentive There in a minute whenever I called.
After the anesthesia wore off I did have pains and nausea and some vomiting. I was up and walking to bathroom right away though and it did ease the pain. I was out on the 3rd day at went to recoup at our family home. I walked on the beach went on a boat trip (no swimming) and was fine with only some minor discomfort and needing to take a daily nap.
Now I'm back home and been at work since day 7 post op.
I'm very tired some days. B12 seems to help
I started full liquids but I always feel "hungry" I can't tell if it's in my head, acid reflux, or real hunger. That is disappointing. I'm my head I still feel as if I could eat a horse.
I also have pains when I drink anything thicker than Water
And I've only lost 5 more pounds. This makes me want to cry.
I'm hoping it will get better. I won't be hungry. I can insider stand what my tummy is telling me and most of all - that pounds will start dropping.

Thank you for your post. I went into my WLS feeling so guilty that I was crying in the pre op room. I was worried that if something happened to me people would say "she was so selfish". I have a child of course it worried me that what I was doing was putting my life at risk for selfish reasons. But as your post stated - I've always lost the weight but never kept it off. And I was suffering from PCOS, back pains, bladder issues, planter fasciitis, and I'm sure the list would had only grown.
Having a lower BM I'm finding weight loss after the surgery has not been easy. And to me that justifies the struggle i had before surgery. If I have to work hard at it now with my most if stomach gone -how would I have ever succeeded naturally?