Luana526

Finally! Now I feel comfortable venting because I know there are others out there like me!
When I went to the informational meeting back in July, there were five or six people in front of the room speaking about their experiences. They were at various stages of post-op and all had either lap band, sleeve, or bypass. They were all deliriously happy--almost like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" happy. As people were asking questions, I raised my hand and explained that I have two good friends who have had gastric bypass and I had just finished a "girls weekend" with the both of them and for two days I watched them pushing food away, most of the time in disgust. I said, "I want the surgery and I want to be successful, but I don't want to loathe food." Oh, you won't, you won't, I was assured.
Today I am six weeks post-op and I have lost 31.5 pounds, including the 14 pounds pre-op. When I was on liquids, I actually had an appetite. I was a little scared because I had read a lot on here of people saying their appetites disappeared. Well, fast forward to where I am now and I find myself repulsed by virtually all foods. And I didn't want this! Everybody made it sound like "you just won't be able to eat as much." There are the usual "suck it up" and "this is what you signed up for" responses on here, but that doesn't help because this isn't what I signed up for. I specifically asked the group of people during the informational meeting if loathing food was going to be a possibility. I didn't weigh 218 pounds because I simply loved food. I weighed 218 pounds because I ate too much of the wrong foods coupled with very little exercise.
Furthermore, it would have been nice if someone had been honest about what that "full" feeling really feels like. It's not a "Thanksgiving full/satisfied" kind of feeling. It's something totally foreign (very hard to describe) and very unpleasant. Not because I'm eating too fast or too much or not chewing enough. It's just being at that stomach capacity and feeling even more repulsed by food. I'm actually shocked my weight isn't coming off faster because there are days I'm lucky to take in 700 calories.
I asked several people who had already had the surgery, "Am I going to go into a restaurant and look like a freak because I can't eat?" Noooooo, I was told. So last week my husband and I went out to a very fancy restaurant (no kids was the best part!) for our anniversary and he ordered baked clams as an appetizer and I had not even a whole one. When my salmon came, all I could get down was a tiny forkful. The waiter came up to me twice to ask if everything was okay and I finally said, "I guess I wasn't as hungry as I thought. Could you just wrap it?" So he did that and I spent the rest of the time watching my husband eat. I never went crazy in restaurants (almost always brought a doggie bag home--I'm more of a grazer) but I sat there thinking, "This is exactly what I didn't want to happen." Lesson learned: don't take a bite of anything if you want to even remotely enjoy your dinner.
Two days before my surgery I sat down for a few hours with a friend who was 10 months post-op from the sleeve (and looks fantastic, by the way) and he mentioned that he and his wife were going to a friend's house for Pasta dinner that night and he was going to bring a Protein bar and have that. I said, "Can't you just eat a meatball??" I wouldn't like that kind of attention drawn to myself but apparently it doesn't bother some people.
My best friend is one of the bypass gals I had the girls weekend with and she said, "You'll find that you're just satisified with a lot less." I told her the other day that I would not use "satisfied" as a word to describe what I feel when I'm done eating. When a waiter has to box up my entire dinner so I can eat a tiny portion of it the next day . . . well, "satisfying" doesn't jump out at me. It was more frustrating than anything.
All in all, I am happy I had the surgery and I love losing the weight and knowing I'm never going to see those numbers again on the scale. But I don't feel that anybody prepared me for the downside of any of this. A few people said their tastes changed dramatically and I hate, hate, hate the fact that I can't sit down and enjoy my morning coffee any longer. It has no attraction to me whatsoever. You might as well put a cup of urine in front of me. I tried a sip of wine the other day and it had even less attraction to me, and I used to enjoy a glass with my husband after the kids went to bed. It's not going to kill me not to have wine, but I didn't want it to repulse me the way it does. And I'm sad that I can't sit and enjoy a cup of coffee with someone. "Hey, let's go grab a cup of coffee" just doesn't give me a tingle any more, and I miss that. I now know that post-op means you will be a very different person afterwards in so many ways and since I'm only six weeks post-op, this is just going to take time and getting used to. There are a lot of changes to deal with. Not the least is which that I'm not used to spending this much time eating! It takes me over an hour to eat a Protein bar!
Right now I can barely get anything down, and that unfortunately includes the chewable Vitamins. Anything remotely sweet makes me want to gag. I am seeing the doctor next week and we're going to have to put our heads together to come up with a plan because I need an alternative to those disgusting Vitamins. And don't even get me started on how nauseating the shakes are! I manage to make my own shakes with fresh fruit and a scoop of unflavored protein in the blender, but the chocolate and vanilla shakes--so done with those. Oh, and here's something I never expected: I cannot--absolutely cannot--drink plain Water. Must, must, must be flavored with something. Plain Water disgusts me.
Whew! So glad I could vent. Please save your breath with the "you signed up for this" because nobody--nobody --was honest enough to tell a lot of what I'm feeling (including all the psych visits I had before surgery), and I'm obviously not alone. While I still would have had the surgery and technically have no regrets, I would have preferred to be a little more prepared for all these new (and sometimes unpleasant) feelings.
As with anything, it boils down to how badly you want the rewards. There are plenty, but there are sacrifices, most of which probably just take getting used to. Someone recently asked me about the whole experience and I said I'm very happy to be losing weight and glad I did it but the whole process, in my opinion, is not for the fainthearted.

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

I am getting sleeved on 9/26, and I don't think there was a particular "straw" per se. However, it was on my mind constantly--the fact that I can't wear the nice clothing I want to wear, the fact that I was always looking at co-workers and others and thinking, "Why can't I be thin like that?" The next thing I knew I was at an informational meeting, with the idea of getting a lap band. Didn't want anything permanent! But I could tell that my doctor is not crazy about the lap band. He said he is currently removing more lap bands than he's putting in. That kind of sealed it for me. Anyway, it's all been cumulative. I was once thin so the memories are there. I saw an old video of me when I was a size four and I was eating my heart out . . . I couldn't believe how good I looked! "Did I appreciate it?" I thought to myself. I know I would now! One thing that pushed me to do it was that this past summer I turned down an invitation to go to my 35-year high school reunion. There were people there I really wanted to see! I have turned down many invitations, but soon--no more! I just got tired of the whole weight issue/body image monopolizing so much of my though processes . . .

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

Thanks for the suggestions! I just bought some unflavored Protein. I'm going to add it to my fruit/spinach shake in the morning. Happy New Year, everyone!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

I didn't choose that font! You're right--it's hard to read. I'm going to change that. Thanks!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

Me and my daughter have just now gotten to share in this journey, my surgery was June 18, 2012, starting weight 334.9 lbs current weight 199 lbs, that's almost 136 lab lost, my daughter had her surgery in Nov 2013, she is down 70 lbs, I'm so proud of her that I could cry!

Before

After

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

My surgery was September 26. Looking back (even though it's very recent), I can honestly say that the the biggest adjustment comes when you are given freedom to eat solid foods. What a challenge! When the diet was dicated to me (liquids, then soft solids, etc.) I ate from the list and that was that. But when you begin to explore what works for you and what doesn't (as far as the permanent diet), that's when the real adjustment comes in. And those first few weeks after begin given that freedom I had a few episodes where I either ate too much at once, too fast, or didn't chew well enough (good news: it's so unpleasant, you'll be sure to only do that ONCE!). But here I am 47 and a half pounds down and I am so deliriously happy. And I have a very unusual frame/body, apparently, because I lost close to 30 pounds before people even started to notice. I lose it all over, very evenly. I'm down one size (although ready to go into next size), but I'm okay with that. It really comes from all over on me--my rings are big, I'm even sliding around in my shoes. I have two friends who are ready to take the plunge because they see my success and like me, they've tried just about everything. They are both post-menopausal and the weight just wants to stay put. I know, I was there.
It's a little bit of a challenge getting in my Protein, although God knows I concentrate all day long on doing that. I find that some of my tastes have changed a bit. I never had a "sweet tooth" before, and now I have even less of a tolerance for sweets. So getting down a Protein Bar or shake is literally an all-day task for me. I'm trying to finish a Protein Bar right now that I started yesterday. I take a bite here and a bite there.
You know what the best part about this whole journey is? Besides that I feel fantastic and I'm so happy I did this, the best part is not having that old love/hate relationship with food. I can be around it, have it in the house, go to parties, and never, ever fear that I'm going to overeat and hate myself afterwards. Aside from concentrating on the Protein, I can honestly say I eat what I want and when I want and I have been losing consistently. I make better choice now, because who wants to go through all this and then eat junk food? Even then, I am very, very cognizant of the fact that I am eating a fraction of what I would eat before.
I would encourage anyone considering the sleeve: it will be the best gift you will ever give yourself. I am enjoying life in a whole new way. Good luck!!

Thanks, Kimpossible. I may have turned the corner ever so slightly just since writing that. I need to hear that it gets better. All good to know! Thanks!

I really hate when people come on here just to say "stop whining!" The purpose of these particular forums is to compare experiences with others so you don't feel alone. If what we're talking about doesn't refer to you, it's really best to keep your laughing and bitch slapping fantasies to yourself. It absolutely doesn't serve any purpose.

Thanks, Kimpossible. I may have turned the corner ever so slightly just since writing that. I need to hear that it gets better. All good to know! Thanks!

Thanks, Kimpossible. I may have turned the corner ever so slightly just since writing that. I need to hear that it gets better. All good to know! Thanks!

I really hate when people come on here just to say "stop whining!" The purpose of these particular forums is to compare experiences with others so you don't feel alone. If what we're talking about doesn't refer to you, it's really best to keep your laughing and bitch slapping fantasies to yourself. It absolutely doesn't serve any purpose.

Thanks, Kimpossible. I may have turned the corner ever so slightly just since writing that. I need to hear that it gets better. All good to know! Thanks!

Finally! Now I feel comfortable venting because I know there are others out there like me!
When I went to the informational meeting back in July, there were five or six people in front of the room speaking about their experiences. They were at various stages of post-op and all had either lap band, sleeve, or bypass. They were all deliriously happy--almost like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" happy. As people were asking questions, I raised my hand and explained that I have two good friends who have had gastric bypass and I had just finished a "girls weekend" with the both of them and for two days I watched them pushing food away, most of the time in disgust. I said, "I want the surgery and I want to be successful, but I don't want to loathe food." Oh, you won't, you won't, I was assured.
Today I am six weeks post-op and I have lost 31.5 pounds, including the 14 pounds pre-op. When I was on liquids, I actually had an appetite. I was a little scared because I had read a lot on here of people saying their appetites disappeared. Well, fast forward to where I am now and I find myself repulsed by virtually all foods. And I didn't want this! Everybody made it sound like "you just won't be able to eat as much." There are the usual "suck it up" and "this is what you signed up for" responses on here, but that doesn't help because this isn't what I signed up for. I specifically asked the group of people during the informational meeting if loathing food was going to be a possibility. I didn't weigh 218 pounds because I simply loved food. I weighed 218 pounds because I ate too much of the wrong foods coupled with very little exercise.
Furthermore, it would have been nice if someone had been honest about what that "full" feeling really feels like. It's not a "Thanksgiving full/satisfied" kind of feeling. It's something totally foreign (very hard to describe) and very unpleasant. Not because I'm eating too fast or too much or not chewing enough. It's just being at that stomach capacity and feeling even more repulsed by food. I'm actually shocked my weight isn't coming off faster because there are days I'm lucky to take in 700 calories.
I asked several people who had already had the surgery, "Am I going to go into a restaurant and look like a freak because I can't eat?" Noooooo, I was told. So last week my husband and I went out to a very fancy restaurant (no kids was the best part!) for our anniversary and he ordered baked clams as an appetizer and I had not even a whole one. When my salmon came, all I could get down was a tiny forkful. The waiter came up to me twice to ask if everything was okay and I finally said, "I guess I wasn't as hungry as I thought. Could you just wrap it?" So he did that and I spent the rest of the time watching my husband eat. I never went crazy in restaurants (almost always brought a doggie bag home--I'm more of a grazer) but I sat there thinking, "This is exactly what I didn't want to happen." Lesson learned: don't take a bite of anything if you want to even remotely enjoy your dinner.
Two days before my surgery I sat down for a few hours with a friend who was 10 months post-op from the sleeve (and looks fantastic, by the way) and he mentioned that he and his wife were going to a friend's house for Pasta dinner that night and he was going to bring a Protein bar and have that. I said, "Can't you just eat a meatball??" I wouldn't like that kind of attention drawn to myself but apparently it doesn't bother some people.
My best friend is one of the bypass gals I had the girls weekend with and she said, "You'll find that you're just satisified with a lot less." I told her the other day that I would not use "satisfied" as a word to describe what I feel when I'm done eating. When a waiter has to box up my entire dinner so I can eat a tiny portion of it the next day . . . well, "satisfying" doesn't jump out at me. It was more frustrating than anything.
All in all, I am happy I had the surgery and I love losing the weight and knowing I'm never going to see those numbers again on the scale. But I don't feel that anybody prepared me for the downside of any of this. A few people said their tastes changed dramatically and I hate, hate, hate the fact that I can't sit down and enjoy my morning coffee any longer. It has no attraction to me whatsoever. You might as well put a cup of urine in front of me. I tried a sip of wine the other day and it had even less attraction to me, and I used to enjoy a glass with my husband after the kids went to bed. It's not going to kill me not to have wine, but I didn't want it to repulse me the way it does. And I'm sad that I can't sit and enjoy a cup of coffee with someone. "Hey, let's go grab a cup of coffee" just doesn't give me a tingle any more, and I miss that. I now know that post-op means you will be a very different person afterwards in so many ways and since I'm only six weeks post-op, this is just going to take time and getting used to. There are a lot of changes to deal with. Not the least is which that I'm not used to spending this much time eating! It takes me over an hour to eat a Protein bar!
Right now I can barely get anything down, and that unfortunately includes the chewable Vitamins. Anything remotely sweet makes me want to gag. I am seeing the doctor next week and we're going to have to put our heads together to come up with a plan because I need an alternative to those disgusting Vitamins. And don't even get me started on how nauseating the shakes are! I manage to make my own shakes with fresh fruit and a scoop of unflavored protein in the blender, but the chocolate and vanilla shakes--so done with those. Oh, and here's something I never expected: I cannot--absolutely cannot--drink plain Water. Must, must, must be flavored with something. Plain Water disgusts me.
Whew! So glad I could vent. Please save your breath with the "you signed up for this" because nobody--nobody --was honest enough to tell a lot of what I'm feeling (including all the psych visits I had before surgery), and I'm obviously not alone. While I still would have had the surgery and technically have no regrets, I would have preferred to be a little more prepared for all these new (and sometimes unpleasant) feelings.
As with anything, it boils down to how badly you want the rewards. There are plenty, but there are sacrifices, most of which probably just take getting used to. Someone recently asked me about the whole experience and I said I'm very happy to be losing weight and glad I did it but the whole process, in my opinion, is not for the fainthearted.