ShelterDog64

It's funny that you snuck in a bit of scone...I've had little hunger and few cravings, except I think about blueberry scones almost daily. They weren't even a top 10 food for me pre-op, but I swear I dream about them. So bizarre! I definitely sympathize with the desire for fruits and vegetables, it's that time of year when our farmers market is loaded with the best of the entire season and I can only have tiny nibbles of it. I've been freezing blueberries and blackberries like crazy, hoping to save some of what I'm missing right now. The only thing I've seen you write that I'd question is that you're not allowed the muffin or bread until you're reached your Protein goal for the day. My plan wants me to eat my protein for the meal prior to any veg or starch, so I eat my meat/cheese/whatever, then some vegetable, then if there's room, I might have a touch of quinoa or brown rice or a small piece of grilled potato. I'm still using Protein powder to supplement so that I can have some fruits and vegetables during the day, I put a scoop of GENEPRO in my coffee every morning, then have some cottage cheese or yogurt with some berries after I'm done with my coffee. That way, I get a big protein hit early in the day, which helps me greatly. And one more thing (sorry, it's early and my brain isn't fully on yet!), I just spent 10 days traveling and eating in restaurants and it's SO much harder for me...lots of moments of nausea, my only episode of vomiting was in a restaurant bathroom, and in general, not the pleasant experience I used to have eating out. It's kind of an eye-opener, thinking about why restaurant foods are so much harder to eat...I think it's in the prep, lots of oil and butter, stuff I'm not cooking with at home now, at least not in large amounts. Also the size of the meals tempt me into eating more than I know I should, and I have a tendency to nibble and pick at my plate even after I'm full. I'm learning how to manage all of that, but it takes deliberate thought and doesn't allow me to just relax and eat and drink like I used to. This is such a HUGE change, in all aspects of our lives, isn't it?

I don't let myself eat until I feel restriction...because once I feel it, it's way too late. Are you eating very slowly? It takes me 20-30 mins to eat 2-3 oz Protein, a T or 2 of vegetable and on occasion, a T of something carb-y. Your weight loss seems good to me, I had my surgery 6 days before you and I've lost 45 lbs. That's right on track for my goal of 50 in 3 months.

@@Cape Crooner Shark, jumped.

I used Isopure for a very short time, then I just couldn't stand it in anything. I switched to GENEPRO and am very happy with it. I can't smell or taste it at all.

I had my VSG in June, and the only way I can tell that my stomach is mostly gone is when I eat, since my capacity is so reduced. I never had any sense of something being gone or missing from my abdomen, and I had virtually no pain other than the incisions themselves.

I'd guess it wasn't really a 'stall', but pre-menstrual Water retention or you ate a lot of salt a couple of days prior? I'm now in week 9 and although I haven't had anything like a true stall, I can definitely tell when I've overdone sodium, not gotten enough fluids, not gotten enough Protein or not exercised enough. It usually manifests a couple of days after the poor eating or non-exercise, and shows up as either a .5 to 1 lb gain or a no-gain/no-loss day. I think at the stage where I am, I need to start looking at trends weekly instead of daily. And yes, I think 4 lbs from one day to the next is entirely possible!

Then why sling them? Just move on. Leave us who dislike our sleeves here. We simply want our voices heard. m Why do you want to silence us so much? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Gina, I want it to be clear that I'm not looking to silence you in any way whatsoever. What I am looking to do is find out why some people (and I'm not really talking about you, but others who've posted in this thread) seem to have so very little information/understanding of the procedure they've had, and what can be done to change that. If someone says "I thought I'd be able to eat anything, just less of it", then they weren't truly knowledgeable about what was going to happen and IMO, true 'informed consent' was not obtained prior to surgery. I was given a couple of lightweight handouts prior to my procedure, but I supplemented that with copious research...it would be impossible for ME to go forward with anything this serious without investigating it to the limits of my ability. Maybe it's because I work in healthcare, and am married to someone who works in healthcare, that I've never assumed that any doctor/nurse/caseworker has the time, concern and/or inclination to tell me EVERYTHING that may possibly arise from any procedure, medication, etc. Your situations sucks, plain and simple. If I had been in your shoes, with the health concerns you already had, I wouldn't have considered VSG for even a moment. But clearly, the information needed wasn't readily available to you and I find that concerning, in an abstract sense. Is it a shortcoming of the NHS system, or is it global and involving many/all healthcare systems. I have family who've lived in Europe all my life and they've used nationalized health systems with great success, and I have family in the US who've been utterly and completely failed by our for-profit health systems.

@@ChrissyNYC Any Fluid counts on my program.

@@silverwhitemoon You said: *Exactly. I was under the impression that I would be able to eat anything - just in smaller amounts. That really isn't the case. I feel like I have set myself up for having digestive problems for the rest of my life. Also, I can't ever just eat. I have to worry about eating too fast, not chewing enough, whether the food I am going to eat will digest properly or whether it will contribute to the reflux that I now have after VSG that I didn't have before. I am two months out and regret doing this to myself. * Your sidebar says that you joined this group 10 years ago, and had surgery this June. I can't see how, since you had 10 years to research, you could possibly have held this impression about eating anything you want? I KNEW going in to this that I'd likely have foods I'd never eat again. That I can't 'just eat'. That reflux was a very real possibility of the surgery. The more I see 'regret' stories like this, the more I wonder if there should be a test of some sort that people have to take and pass before they're allowed to have a surgery like this. What on earth did you THINK having 3/4 of your stomach removed was going to do to you? Just make you full faster? What were your expectations, seriously?

@@mollydeez It's not the going IN with bad eating habits that makes it a regret, it's expecting to continue those bad eating habits coming OUT that keeps people from appreciating the limits of the surgery and being successful. You can lose weight with this surgery even if you eat nothing but cupcakes and koolaid, but you won't improve your health and extend your life. Having 3/4 of your stomach cut off and yanked out of your body is not a 'weight-loss plan', it's a tool to help you change your entire relationship with food. People who aren't willing to do the work that is needed to make the most of this tool aren't going to be successful, and you're the only person who knows if you're going to do it or not.

@@skinnyjeansatlast At 4 days out, you shouldn't even think about calories...there's no way you're going to be able to take in a significant number of calories so early on. On day four, for me, I was still taking liquid pain relievers and anti-emetics. I was still on Clear Liquids and trying to get as close to 64 oz of Fluid in as possible. I drank clear Isopure, broth and Water nearly constantly, and was able to get 48 oz most days. Isopure was my main source of fluid AND Protein, and I'm convinced the reason I felt really good during that immediate post-op period is because I kept my protein intake up. I was walking a mile a day and had little fatigue except the normal that's expected from anesthesia. My advice is to make sure your fluid includes protein...use Isopure bottled RTD, add protein powder to your broth or use

I mix it into anything/everything that's mixable: pudding, oatmeal, applesauce, sour cream, mascarpone, ricotta, dressings, dips, drinks, smoothies, sauces. If I'm putting it in a warm/hot food, I put it in after the food is cooked or heated up. Use a fork to stir it into liquids, and add it in small amounts to incorporate it more easily.

@@Hiraeth When I started using my CPAP, it was nearly 6 months before I felt like I was sleeping better because I had such a hard time adjusting to the machine. 3 different mask styles later, it finally started helping. And at only 3 weeks post-op, you're still feeling the effects of having had surgery. Keep your Protein and fluids up and make sure you're getting your Vitamins in...you will start feeling better!

@@higher Just wanted to tell you that I decided to buy new bras from soma.com yesterday and they've got amazing swimsuits! Some are even on clearance

@@jkhaik_42 I'd call my PCP and get in immediately for the thrush. You don't need to see your surgeon for it. I had thrush post-op and am still battling with it on my abdomen and under my breasts. I've done oral meds, topical meds, drying solutions, etc and it's still lingering. I was ready for it as I always get some sort of external yeast infection after antibiotic use, and I still didn't catch it before it got bad.

You'll get some great advice from the veterans here, but I'm going to give my .02 as a newbie (sleeved on 6/21). I'm the queen of losing weight, and I've done WW pretty successfully numerous times, getting close to goal but not quite there. My issue is that I've been completely unable to maintain the losses, and every time I gain back, I gain even more. Inability to maintain is why I chose this surgery...I felt I needed the restriction of the sleeve to keep me from going back to eating teenage boy-sized portions of food once I lost the weight. I couldn't keep doing the same thing I've done 4 or 5 times in my life...losing the weight, but watching it creep back on and bringing 10 or 20 extra with it. I applaud your amazing weight loss pre-surgery, you must really have a great deal of willpower, which will serve you well if you do decide to go ahead with WLS. Good luck to you!

@@ChunkyMonkeyGoneSlim I have the same green book with the same contradiction...and I live in WA. We might have had our surgeries at the same facility I'm with @@Dub on this one...I skipped the noodles entirely, and went as low-carb as possible right from the start of soft foods. I do think noodles are listed in the soft phase because they're easy and come in the can of chicken noodle Soup that some people may just mush up and eat. I've been avoiding using anything in a can, as I'm also watching my sodium intake pretty carefully. I trust the surgeon who did my sleeve, and so I trust in his post-op instructions, too. The green book is a great general resource, but at my post-op appointments, my doc definitely talked with me and helped me tailor my eating a bit. I'm over 2 months out now and I eat most everything. My quantities are still very small and I'm avoiding simple carbs as much as possible. I've had some quinoa and a very small amount of brown rice, both sat very well with my new stomach but I've not had any more rice because it's not where I want to be nutritionally. A typical day for me would be coffee with Protein powder and some plain greek yogurt in the morning, lean protein and cheese for lunch, whatever protein and veg I make for my family for dinner. I usually eat a few almonds mid-afternoon, and a sugar-free popsicle after dinner. I keep a Protein Bar and a little ziplock with some almonds and Jerky in my bag in case I get hungry and I'm not at home. I still eat very small bites, chew everything very well and take a long time for my meal. On a great day, I get 64 oz of Water in...on a normal day, I get more like 48 oz. I'm working on it Message me if you want, and good luck to you! I'm down 44 lbs and I feel great...I'm so glad I made the decision to have this surgery!

I wear Body by Victoria bras from VS, the lined full-coverage ones. They're very well made, and I abuse my bras (wash them in the machine not in a bag!). I'm (or was) a 36DD and find that their bras fit quite well. I've also worn Soma bras for years, from way back when Soma was still in the Chicos catalogs! They're very nice as well. The only line at Soma that I've been displeased with is the back-smoothing style. It's too stretchy and the bands just don't seem to stay put, regardless of size. I recently bought a Bali bra at a department store and it feels stiff and scratchy compared to my VS and Soma bras.

I didn't like any of the unjury products :-P For my clear liquids, I used the Isopure ready to drink fruit flavored drinks, and Syntrax nectar. When I went to full liquids and beyond, I used Premier Protein shakes and some Isopure powders (which I HATE now and gave away). Now that I'm in my 9th week post-op, I use an unflavored Protein powder in my morning coffee and eat high-protein foods mostly. Good luck!

@@Jane1979 Those are NOT gross feet. My post-winter 'dragon feet' are gross I've only lost 43 lbs so far and my feet are already thinner...I didn't gain a lot in my feet even when I was really heavy, but I can tell that my calves and feet are thinner from the way some of my shoes fit. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. My big goal for this fall is to fit these calves into a pair of Hunter rain boots. I want them soooo badly!

I'm glad to hear you're doing well enough to be irritated Nothing but empathy here, I have a mom who sounds a lot like your sister. I love her to bits, but I swear, if something isn't HER idea, it's a BAD idea. When I told her and my dad I had decided to have this surgery, the first thing out of her mouth was "I TOLD you to try those diet pills I told you about!! If you'd just take them, you wouldn't need surgery." And then it was off to the races with every false narrative about WLS that any of us have ever heard. Once it became apparent that I was going through with it regardless, she came around and has surprised me by NOT becoming an expert on all things VSG. Hang in there, and as you well know this is temporary. My worse hormone dump was more of a hysterical crying jag, only one little anger explosion...it gets better

@@higher I'm a fan of Miraclesuit swimwear, their suits have enough power mesh to hold all the jiggly bits firmly, pull your waist in and keep your breasts up where they belong. They're generally under $200, so less than half of what you'd pay for Malia Mills.

I do much the same, Magoosmom....I have Protein in my coffee right when I get up (I am one of those people who staggers to the coffee machine immediately upon waking), then some greek yogurt an hour or 2 later. I had not been able to tolerate an egg at all, but then I tried making shakshuka the other day and it was fabulous! Eggs poached in tomato sauce and onions, with some cumin. Maybe them being poached, maybe the tomatoes? I don't know, but it's the first egg I've been able to eat. I see you're down 48 lbs...that's so fabulous! We're all fabulous!! But where is Maggie? I worry.

Yeah, so does mine. Hahahahaha. <---- that's the sound of my bowels laughing at baby food prunes I bought the Ollie brand fiber gummies at Target last week...the dose is 2 gummies. I urge you to start with ONE gummie. I had a SEVERE 'emergency' at a friend's house about 2 hours after taking 2 of them. I can take one and 2 hours later be in the bathroom...it's like magic!

I don't tell them anything, other than to say that I enjoyed the meal when I ask for my to-go box