PixelToph

I entered my bariatric program in August 2015 at 434 lbs. I got sleeved April 2016, and I was 322 lbs on surgery day. Today I stepped on the scale - 199.8 lbs I would definitely recommend working on your diet before surgery. I started eating very similarly to how I would eat after surgery, just in larger quantities. It let me kick the carb cravings ahead of time and I think it made recovery easier since I was just focused on getting my fluids/protein and not withdrawing from sugar too. Also, if I 'cheated' and slipped on my diet, it wasn't potentially dangerous like it would be after surgery. And I did slip, often at the beginning. But, it got better and better, and by surgery I was able to stick to my plan 100%. My surgeon was thrilled with my weight loss before surgery, and said it would make his job much easier and safer for me.

Hi! I am doing great still, down over 220 lbs from my highest weight (434 lbs, now 207), and still a vegetarian. I still try to keep my diet as protein-heavy as possible, using veggie "meats," cottage cheese, eggs, greek yogurt, and Protein shakes made with unsweetened almond or soy milk. Going back to meat was never an option for me. I haven't eaten it in over 20 years, so I wasn't about to start lol The amount of food I can eat greatly depends on what it is. Denser stuff like eggs I can't eat a lot of, but when I do have salad or veggies, I can eat more. Still nowhere near the typical amount for a vegetarian, I'd bet, but it is still nice to have a salad on occasion. One pleasant surprise is that I still enjoy food and eating. In fact, probably more so since I savor every bite. Before surgery, I ate lots, all day long. Now, it doesn't take much food to satisfy me, so I make sure every bite is as tasty as possible! Getting the sleeve was probably the best thing I've ever done for myself. I thought I was a relatively "healthy" person at 400 lbs (no comorbidities aside from very mild sleep apnea) but I didn't realize just how much my weight was holding me back until it was gone. Besides the obvious finding clothing (size 34 pants down to 14/16, shirts 5x to XL), it is just generally easier to do everything. I'm even jogging now, slowly working up to a 5k. Good luck on your journey! It can be tough at times, especially in the very beginning. But it is SO worth it!

Thank you! We do seem to have a similar journey. It's good to see another person who started at a higher weight, since it seems RNY is more common for people with as much to lose as us. My surgeon actually had to verify my starting weight when I met with him right before surgery. He thought it might have been a typo since it's pretty uncommon to lose that much before surgery lol. When I told him it was right, he was delighted and said it really bodes well for my post-surgery success. I also didn't have to do the 2-week liquid pre-op diet, he said with the weight I lost my liver was already smaller, so it wouldn't make much difference. I just had to increase to 2 Protein shakes a day, and only a light meal the day before surgery. I don't like cooking much, so I didn't do anything special. I mostly took meals I already ate and made them keto-friendly. I'm hispanic, and tacos/burritos were a common meal, so I make taco salad instead of having tortillas and skipped the rice completely. I also switched to hand seasoning instead of using those seasoning packets. They can be surprisingly carby (cornstarch added, sometimes sugar too). I saute Morningstar crumbles with ground chili powder, cumin, garlic and onion. Serve over some lettuce and top with cheese. We also enjoy a good Indian curry, so I just made sure to check the sauces for sugar. Quorn makes a great veggie-chicken and you can get it either in pieces or cutlets, just make sure it's not the breaded version. Paneer cheese, diced "chicken" and spinach simmered in curry sauce is really tasty and a one-pan dish. Now that I'm post surgery I don't have room for sides, but pre-surgery mashed cauliflower makes a decent substitution for mashed potatoes.

I did a keto-based diet during my 7 months pre-op, and ended up losing 110 pounds before surgery. My diet was different from the typical "keto" diet since I'm a vegetarian, but I did try to stay below 25 carbs per day. I didn't count calories or fat at all. Just Protein (at least 100g) and carbs (no more than 25). I'm pretty sure I stayed in ketosis most of that time, though I didn't have any way to measure it. I'm almost 6 months out from surgery now and still eat very low carb. I am so glad I started before surgery because it got all the cravings out of the way when cheating wouldn't endanger my healing process. I'm sure it made the first weeks after surgery easier since I didn't have to deal with the cravings. As for safety, my surgeon and nutritionist both recommend a keto diet post-surgery. He says ketosis really helps the weight loss during those first months where most of the weight comes off. I'm just now starting to incorporate some whole vegetables into my diet. My program guidelines say protein only the first 5-6 months, and no simple carbohydrates (bread, Pasta, rice) for a minimum of 1 year (though I probably won't ever add them back in, since for me they trigger the cravings to come back). Just had my bloodwork done for my upcoming 6-month follow-up and all of my numbers are good.

For me, getting started is the hardest part, so I make a deal with myself. Normally I try to get 40 minutes of cardio in every day (Stationary bike with programmed routine). On days I am not feeling up to it, I tell myself "Just do 15 minutes, then you can quit if you want." Probably 99% of the time, I end up doing the whole 40 minutes, since once I am up and going, it's not so bad. It's just getting over that initial hurdle. When I am feeling low energy, 15 minutes sounds so much more do-able than 40, which can seem daunting. And, if I really am tired and stop at 15 minutes, hey, it's better than no exercise at all! I don't know why I have such a hard time starting my workouts. Once I get going, I actually enjoy it. I get to jam out to my favorite tunes, and I always feel better after I am done. Yet every morning I find myself putting it off again lol!

I must have a lower tolerance for pain than a lot I've seen on this forum because I was using my pain meds (liquid oxycodone) around the clock every day for over a week after my surgery, and every once in a while after that for another week. I actually had to get a refill. I wish I was one of the ones who left the hospital and only took Tylenol. I also had a hiatal hernia repair when I had my sleeve, so I don't know if that caused more pain than normal. Getting up and down was the worst. Once I was standing or lying down I was usually okay (as long as I didn't bend or twist). Sitting upright was also painful after a few minutes unless I was reclining. Pressing a pillow to my stomach to brace it helped. So don't feel bad, you aren't alone. And it does get better. My doctor told me that unless you have a history with narcotic addiction to not feel bad about needing to use the pain meds, that's why they give them to us. Pain is an individual thing. Some people are just more sensitive to it. Also, it's better to take the meds regularly and keep the pain down. When you wait to take them until the pain is bad, they aren't as effective. BTW, I am 2 months out now, and feeling amazing. The pain is already a distant memory. Stay strong, you are going through the worst of it now, and then things just get better.

I just broke out of a stall a few days ago. Was stuck at the same weight for a week and a half. I don't stress about it though. I've noticed my weight stalls (and sometimes even goes up a pound) and then whoosh - I'm down 3-5 lbs in a matter of days. I'm pretty sure it's just my body building up and then releasing Water weight. I stay focused on what I can control by sticking to my eating plan and trying to get exercise in at least 6 days a week. I can't control what the scale reads day-to-day, but I know as long as I do my part, eventually it will keep going down.

I got my sleeve on April 21st, so just a couple of days after you

I have been a vegetarian for 20 years now and just had the sleeve on 4/21. I'm lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means I eat eggs and dairy, but no meat, animal broths, Gelatin, etc. Eventually, I'd like to become vegan, but right now I really need eggs and cheese (not big into milk) to meet my Protein needs. I try to get free range and local when I can to ease my conscience lol. Even with those my nutritionist was trying to get me to add fish, which I refused. We compromised on Beans since my program insists on protein only for the first few months. We aren't supposed to have vegetables until 3-5 months in, which is hard for me. But no other veggies besides beans and the soy/TVP in my veggie "meats". So far I've had a great recovery. I started solid foods a few days ago and everything is going down fine and I'm losing weight steadily. As long as I include cheese and dairy, I'm meeting all my protein goals and haven't had any complications (not even nausea). My surgeon says I'm having a textbook perfect recovery.

Please be very careful. I'm 3 weeks out too, and agree it sucks and is hard. But sticking to liquids/purees early on has almost nothing to do with calories or stretching your sleeve. It has to do with healing. Your stomach has a giant staple line that is still healing over and the tissue is still knitting together. The big worry is that more solid food can actually get stuck or cause your staple line to leak. Both of these are very serious complications. Whenever I think I want to push things and advance faster (I feel perfectly normal and have no nausea) I just think of the possibility of developing a leak and having to go back to the hospital. Personally I would stay away from the potatoes. My nutritionist says to keep carbs to a minimum, and right now we can eat so little that it should basically all be Protein. Protein also satisfies you for longer. With carbs you will be hungry again sooner. Also, I find if I have something carby, it makes me crave more of them and makes it harder to stick to the plan. So I just avoid them.

I'm a little over 3 weeks post op. The things I am finding the most useful: - food scale. Get used to measuring everything. - Immersion blender. You will be drinking lots of Protein shakes. I had been using a shaker bottle, but the immersion blender is so much easier and makes the shake smoother. - 4 oz containers. Has 2 uses. First, makes it easy to make sure I'm eating the right amount. Second, my portion of food fills the container, which for some reason makes me more satisfied with the meal. Even though 4oz easily fills me up, it was depressing to see my tiny portion of food in a big bowl. It made me feel deprived even though I wasn't hungry. Brains are weird! - Tiny spoon & fork. Helps make sure I eat slower and take smaller bites. - 32 oz Water bottle with measurements on the side. Makes it easier to keep track of Fluid intake.

I lost 110 lbs during my 7-month process to get the sleeve (had to have 6 months with monthly meetings with a nutritionist). I very nearly canceled my surgery. Here's why I didn't: - The chance of losing a significant amount of weight and KEEPING it off is really low. Within 5 years something like 95-98% of people who lost weight gained it back, usually with some extra on top. Even if I lost all the weight I needed to using diet/exercise, I have never maintained a loss. My sleeve is the tool that will help me do that. - My years of overeating had really messed up my stomach. My portions of food were still too big. I completely overhauled my diet and started eating low-carb, high Protein. However, I still ate quite a lot. I would just fill up on salad or veggies, usually at least 3 normal-sized servings. If I tried smaller portions, the hunger got overwhelming and I would end up cheating. I just didn't want to take the chance. Yeah, I MIGHT be able to do this without surgery, but with surgery my chances are much, much better. I NEVER want to be 400 lbs again. Also, both my surgeon and my nutritionist said that my loss prior to surgery is a really good sign that the sleeve will work wonderfully for me, especially over the long term.

I am in the same boat, my pants are falling off me but can't quite fit into the smaller jeans I have yet. Well, I can get them on, but they look like leggings and are tight. I was having to walk around with one hand on my waistband at all times. We are low-income, so I can't afford to be buying new pants every time I drop a size. Also, my pants have an elastic waist with no belt loops, so belts were out. Here's what I did: I bought a cheap set of suspenders from the thrift store. They were only $3 and I wear them under my shirt, so you can't see them at all. When I can fit my smaller pants, I'll switch and use them until I have to break out the suspenders again lol. Hopefully, I can minimize how often I have to buy new clothes until I reach my goal weight.

I first went out about a week after surgery but ended up cutting it short because I got lightheaded and a little dizzy. However, that was walking around a big grocery/department store shopping. If the party is at a house or somewhere you can sit down, you might be okay. I was feeling fine, but still on just liquids. I didn't have the energy or stamina to walk that long.

I haven't has surgery yet, but I thought 800 calories would be a lot at 3 weeks. I've had my band out since Nov and am awaiting conversion to sleeve. I get less than 1000 calories with or without the band and I've gained all mine back (prior to removal and while still vomiting several times a week). Now I'm Second guessing doing it! Do you have other conditions that make it hard to lose weight? I know some can make it harder, or you could just have a low metabolism. I actually don't want to eat less than 800 calories and I am trying to get closer to 1,000 because I don't want to risk slowing down my metabolism. From what I have read about basal metabolic rate (the number of calories the body uses to do nothing but lie down), the average healthy-weight woman has to eat around 1,400 calories to maintain weight. People who weigh more, actually use more calories and have an even higher rate. However, this is assuming there are no other factors such as metabolic disorders. Repeatedly dieting has also been shown to slow down the metabolism (see the recent Biggest Loser study that the NY Times published). Also, keep in mind, the sleeve may still help you. From what my bariatric program said, the sleeve does more than just restrict the amount of food you eat like the lap band. In fact, they have switched all the documentation in my program and are calling it metabolic surgery instead of bariatric surgery. Removing most of the stomach also lowers a lot of the hormones it releases such as ghrelin. It can supposedly "reset" your metabolism to a more healthy point, so people who have slowed down their metabolism through illness or repeated dieting can start losing again. It's why many diabetics are able to stop their medications right after surgery, even before they lose weight.