aSleeveStory

Congrats on your surgery.

I did not experience what you're referring to. Be sure you talk it over with your doc if you can.

I think the gas strips really helped me early on. I didn't have any of the pains some speak f, but I did burp a LOT. Every time I took those I felt better.

Coconut Water was easier for me to get down first week, than normal Water.< /p>

The chick Soup powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Protein was a savior early on, too, as it was pretty hard to hit my numbers, but I loved that for some reason.

Thanks to all who've indulged my backward way at looking at it.

At the end of the day we're all here for a better life. I'm so thankful for my journey thus far, and all of the benefits I've already picked up in such a short period of time.

Even if I do find something else to miss about being fat down the road... rest assured I too would give it up in a heartbeat to be where I am today... let alone where I'll be a few months from now.

This board, some folks in the YouTube community, and a few blogs have really helped me tremendously.

Mostly though I would give up all of that all over again to be where I am now.

Thats a fantastic way of looking at it! I feel the same way.

Is this seriously a topic????...Oy vey!

Like I said, not trying to incite a riot; just a different way of asking the same question. My grandfather taught me that "if you look at the same thing a few different ways, you might not SEE the same thing."

I think the responses thus far have been candid, insightful, and inspiring.

I Crowded elevators

Ha! I hadn't really thought about it until I read this, but I do tend to hate elevators. Good one!

There's a fantastic thread here on what folks will NOT miss about being fat. It's an incredible collection of so many things I'd been dealing with leading up to the surgery, and continues to be a great read: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/319355-what-is-everyone-not-going-to-miss-after-sleeve/

So here's a twist... is there anything you'll miss about being fat? I'm not trying to spark a riot or anything, but we all change so much in this process, I thought a look in the other direction might be interesting...

I'll go first: at 6' 4" I'm "big" no matter what my weight is. But at 475 highest weight, I was a force to be reckoned with. I recall an incident in traffic once where the car in front of me was braking hard, and rather erratically. I made a decision to put more space between us, but I made it a split second too late, because he braked hard again and I almost rear-ended him. This time he stopped, slammed it in Park and jumped out of his car to yell at me. So I got out of mine, and tried to say something... but he got one look at me, and walked quickly back to his car and sped off.

I'm a gentle giant, but it was kind of funny that I was deemed too big to mess with. Soon I'll be far less large, and the basketball jokes from my teen years will resume.

So far, I've been pretty lucky in that some fast eating hadn't caused me too much discomfort, though a few times it has.

Almost 120 days out now, still learning some stuff along the way.

Prior to surgery, many times, I'd been turned down for life insurance nearly everywhere.

Reasons cited were weight, fatty liver issues, and in one case slightly elevated blood pressure (though blood pressure is not normally a thing for me).

Wondering if anyone has been down the same road, and found some luck post surgery. I'm around 108 lbs down now... not quite enough to start shopping, I think, but I'm hoping to get a decent policy in the next six months or so.

Checking in... 104 down and counting. Energy coming back. Feeling pretty good.

I'm experiencing this right now on a big level. Sixteen days post-op...

Suddenly, Protein drinks I like just five of six days ago I am having a very hard time tolerating. At first I wasn't getting enough Protein, and the unjury

chicken Soup was my savior...

I loved the flavor, was able to easily do 60+ grams a day. Now, I'm struggling. I'm suddenly far more aware of a nasty aftertaste nearly all these whey Protein Drinks carry, and I'm gagging on most of it. The chicken Soup, too. Even UNFLAVORED is detectable.

I'm trying hard to find ways around it. Cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, all this stuff is hard to get down right now. My new favorite is Campbell's Split Pea soup, diluted a bit more than suggested, with a LITTLE bit of unflavored protein added in.

I was told to expect some taste changes, but I didn't expect things to be changing mid-week. That part sucks.

Most of the people in my life were supportive. Nobody was outright UNsupportive, so I suppose that I've been lucky in that regard. I have talked with some older sleevers who basically said that if some people can't support your decision, or worse, undermine it, that you may have to make some tough choices.

Sounds like your mom needs a breakthrough, some way to see how important (and necessary) this all is for you and your future in the family. You may never get that, but the attempt alone may be helpful enough for you to look past it and move on.

I had my surgery on the 16th and I wish was there was something else to eat other than Protein, juice, Decaf tea and Jello. Give me just one cracker just one. I'm on other medications and they can make u hungry.

Just three days out (I was 10/10) I was able to handle some no sugar added applesauce. Now I'm 16 days out... I can't handle eggs of any kind yet. Scrambled, hard boiled, I tried eating yolks from fried eggs... all sits too heavy. Non fat Greek yogurt also didn't sit well.

Cream of chicken Soup, diluted slightly more than directions, was good. Sprinkled in some unflavored Protein. Same with split pea Soup. I think any souls you dilute with Water are good... the milk ones are too heavy for me.

My fave Protein shakes are also too thick, so I'm stuck with stuff I'm getting sick of.

Hope this helps some...

Day 7: Feeling almost 100% normal today... lots of energy... almost no soreness. No more pain meds. Doing quite well. Having ALL my Protein each day... and today I even snuck in (most of) a tall iced late from Starbucks. I was worried about how my stomach would do with the coffee... but it's been having coffee since I was 10... so it took it like a champ. Just sipped it slowly as I have everything else and all was well.

Weight loss continues... down 2.8 lbs from just yesterday... and counting. Really shocked that I'm losing so much right now, but thrilled as well.

Day 5: Feeling quite a bit better. Hit my Protein goals today for the first time. unjury chicken Soup to the rescue... SO much easier to get down than the diluted stuff I've been trying.

Yesterday, I was feeling a bit crappy and knowing I hadn't hit my numbers yet once... one serving of Unjury chicken Soup and I felt better within 20-30 minutes. Mircale!

Also hit the scale today... and was shocked. 421.8 down from 432.8 on Sunday... that's eleven pounds in four days. Nuts!

Congrats to all going in 10/13. Best of luck and speedy recoveries for all!

I have been doing my liquids what no cheating but today I let 2 oreos melt in my mouth

Did I do damage I'm a week post op

I doubt two Oreos will hurt much, but the concept behind them is dangerous. Your sleeve is a tool, and like most tools there is a right and wrong way to use them.

No judgement, as we all have our own things to overcome... But you should fight hard to keep those things away from you. Anything that's known unhealthy should be far far away from your reach right now. You gotta fight!

You can do it!

My thought on cheating is if I can not do this 10 day liquid diet then I am not ready to have the procedure done. This is a tool and I don't want to go back to my old eating habits and regain weight. I am now on day 4 of liquid diet and I am surprised it has not been harder. I think my mindset is in the right place. I am the type of person that can't have just one bite or one cookie. So I just have to stay away. I don't think you messed up your prep but I would not let it happen again. Need to shrink that liver for easier surgery. Good luck

I think you're thinking about it properly. If you can't make it through liquids without cheating, you have a high likelihood of cheating post-op as well. You've gotta get that kind of behavior in check. You can do it!

Thanks Mcbutterpants. I have heard good things about Dr. Umbach.

Umbach is my surgeon. Surgery was 10/10. Their staff is incredible.

Procedure was at their Warm Springs Surgical Center.

What brand of unflavored Protein did you order?

I've been diluting Lean Body shakes with almond milk. Zero sugar. 40 grams per bottle but I'm not sure how much I've had with the dilution.

I do have done unflavored. Didn't think about adding that to my Water. Good idea.

Congratulations and I hope your recovery keeps moving along well!

Thanks. So far so good. I need to try to hit 40 grams of Protein tomorrow. I didn't have much yet, just a third of a glass or so.

I've never heard of it being done as an outpatient. How are you feeling? I'm on day 3.

Mine was outpatient as well. Doc has his own full surgical center in the building. Appt was 8 am yesterday. In by 11:00am, home by 4:30pm.

Gas pain and pressure was minimal for me. I walked and burped lots in recovery. Has a few GasX strips at home.

Still a bit sore in my mid-section, but pain meds make it manageable. I've had nearly three full bottles of Water, some thinned Protein shake, and a bit of unsweetened apple sauce.

Also took one probiotic pill.

Hoping to get another solid night of sleep and to be a bit more human tomorrow (Sunday).

Took a very brief shower tonight. That was nice.

That's all for now...

I finally got my official approval and am all set for Friday October 10th! Anyone else? nj? Looking for some support, I'm on my fitness pal: Alittlelesssteph

Yep... I'm Friday as well!

Everyone telling me how pretty my face is but if I would only loose some weight.

Jesus... do people actually say that to you? How horribly disrespectful.