HeavenlyGirl101

3 1/2 years out here. My sleeve is just as restrictive as it was at nine months out. Slider foods don't slide with me, dense Protein overfills me, and it's rare that I can eat more than a half a cup at a sitting.
I'm no longer desperately hungry like I used to be all the time. For me, that's the best benefit.

I'm more than six years out. My sleeve is the same size it was a year out.
I've had a child (got pregnant two years post op) and I lost weight past my goal in my fifth year post op. The sleeve does not expire. I still have a huge amount of restriction.
For example, we had our rare junk food dinner last night and all I could eat was one taco. I'm still not hungry and I'm easily maintaining between 114-118 pounds when I started at 242 on surgery day.
The sleeve works. Don't panic, or listen to people that don't have one.
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Whooooo hooooo!!! Congratulations!! Happy dance!!!

Today
I
Hit
My
Goal
Weight.
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I'm going to Dr Fernando Garcia on 8/5. I'm so nervous. Did you have any complications? Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

Wow...i'm really not happy you're going. You are very encouraging to me. I appreciate your incite and intend to listen. I'm totally going to follow the rules. Its the people who have been here the longest that I even give ear too. I'm sorry you are leaving. Sent from my Nexus 6 using the BariatricPal App

The brand I use is called Vega but I will admit I gave not tried many brands I little nervous from previous experiences
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Apart from Protein Powder, nutritional yeast is a great source of Protein and B Vitamins. Get it from health food or wholefoods stores. It comes as little yellow flakes and has a mild cheesy flavour so it's great to add to savoury Soups, stews, eggs or other dishes. A nice change from the powders.
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Don't worry about it . Everyone's different . Don't force yourself to consume out of fear. The targets are to aim for not as an immediate goal. I'm five weeks post and still have to go slow things are getting better day by day . Make sure you get a good liquid multi Vitamin and mineral complex daily and drink as much fluids as you can. You can only do this by constantly sipping. Fluid is more important than food . Best wishes xox
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Diarrhea for over a week is a little concerning. One stool softener shouldn't do that. I would go to the ER if it doesn't stop by Wednesday.

Thank you!! @@KristenLe
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I have read @@GinaCampbell on other threads and she is often supportive, kind, and helpful on those threads. I think this is just one topic where that cannot happen. But there are 2 things to consider here...
First, that statistics can get you. Even in a situation where 90% of the people are happy in the end, some will not be, sometimes through no fault of their own OR the procedure. For example, every once in a while you hear about a tragic fiery exploding car accident where the people wearing their seat belts died, but the person who wore no seat belt got thrown free of the car and survived. Does that mean no one should wear seat belts ever? Of course not. Or in the world of public health, where a very small number of children who receive a vaccination could possibly die as a result of a unforeseen complication ..... That is absolutely tragic to Those children's families, awful, terrible, life changing for those poor families. True. But what about all those children who as a result of the vaccination never get measles, pertussis, etc and survive to adulthood.....you never know exactly which ones would have had a fatal interaction with the disease had they NOT been vaccinated. But many more are saved by that vaccination, children are far less likely to die of vaccine complications than they are to die of the actual disease, so (most people) vaccinate their children. Is someone going to have a complication? Tragically yes, but the numbers are smaller than the number of children who would die from the disease had they NOT been vaccinated.
Some people who have WLS surgery will have bad outcomes. Many more will have their health somewhat improved by WLS, some will find it life changing in a positive way. A few people will possibly have their life SAVED as a result of the surgery. That's the way it works out, and you don't know when you sign up for the surgery if you will have a life altering complication OR if you would have been someone who beat the odds and survived happily and healthily to age 80 as a morbidly obese person WITHOUT the surgery. Or maybe you have the surgery, and you have complications but...... maybe you also never have the fatal heart attack your obesity would have led you to in 5 years had you NOT had surgery. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. We can't know. We learn, we read, we see the odds, and we decide if we are willing to roll the dice. No one is forced into this. If you do your research, the horror stories are out there.
Second, I know the OP is an American who has been living in the UK for over 30 years....that's a long time. As someone who has been married to a British man for 25 years and dealt with his parents, you cannot underestimate the cultural difference between the UK and the US. My husband moved here when he was 3, so for all intents and purposes he is American except for the passport, and is a glass-half-full person like me. But my inlaws--and I don't think they are typical but-- oh dear lord. They HATE the American attitudes of glass half full, don't complain unless you are willing to make it better, you set your own world view, focus on the positive and change the negative....they literally make fun of my husband and I for how we view and tackle life. But we are happy, and they are perpetually disappointed. It's like a pair dark goggles they choose to wear. For them, I chalk it up to growing up in London during WW2, very difficult and traumatic.
But then I think of my relatives who survived Hitler's camps who came to this country and built happy, strong, joyful lives focused on the good in the world. Hmmm.
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When we write things on forums, it isn't just the original poster, or the responders who read it. I betcha there will be many lurkers who will read this thread and it's good that they can see various points of view. My remarks are targeted at those people who are trying to understand this surgery and if it is a good idea for them. It's a freaking scary proposition to have part of your stomach removed!
My personal experience as a sleever can be summarized like this:
Preop - Terrified and anxious, I had to get short term medication to make it through the last week before surgery. The word "hot mess" comes to mind. It wasn't because I didn't want to be sleeved, it was because I had such a fear of the operation, such a fear of failing AGAIN (I was a failed band patient and there is no feeling of failure like failing after bariatric surgery) First weeks post op were very miserable and I was still fat. Struggle to get in enough Water, exhausted, anti-social, diarrea all that stuff. I never regretted it though because I knew this often happened and I just had to "muscle through it" Introducing solid food was another awful experience. I felt like I had to do it perfectly right since I was so desperate to succeed. I feared damaging my sleeve, I felt sick to my stomach, everything tasted weird, Water tasted like it had metal in it.... and I was still fat. The next few months were surreal. I didn't feel like myself and I can't even articulate why. While I got the hang of eating properly, it was disorienting for food to taste bad, to eat so little, to have food restrictions, eating FELT LIKE A CHORE. Then, I had an "ah ha" moment - this is the window of opportunity to change my relationship with food. Food is not recreation, it's nutrtion - novel concept for me! I often felt I would be happier just not eating, but I realized that is another form of disordered eating, so I took on the approach that food is like medicine - follow my surgeons and NUTs directions and take it on faith it would get better. Still fat, but down alot. By 3-4 months out, people were noticing the weight loss, I was feeling more myself emotionally, I was not as naseaous, I could tolerate a wider variety of food and it started tasting normal. I was in a good workout routine and loving that I could do more. Yes, still fat, but not nearly AS fat. I started thinking that amazing things MIGHT be possible. At around 8-9 months my appetite returned, my weight loss slowed and I was still about 40# from goal. I made a conscious decision to evaluate what was important to me and I got my butt back on track with good steady losses. At 14 months I made my goal of losing 150#. I could wear cute clothes, people didn't recognize me, I could eat pretty much anything (exceptions are rich ice cream gives me cramps and spicy food can irritate my tummy a bit) I am nearly 5 years post op and living a good life as a normal sized, active woman with a loving boyfriend. I am living a day to day life that I could only dream of. Many people dont know I had surgery - I eat small portions of very normal food. My kids are shocked when they see my before pix... but they tell me I changed inside too, not just the weight loss. I wear makeup, I love to dress up, go out, social butterfly all that. Life is pretty damn good and I am thankful for the help of the sleeve to get me here.

As I said before, something about my not liking my new stomach really brings out the personal insults from people.
I don't go through my backposts and edit or delete them the way some people do here. I am honest and forthright.
I will leave my saddest, most frightened posts here for all to read.
I don't care what anyone thinks of me personally. I certainly won't take any notice of mudslinging. Nor will I take too much notice of insults from pre op folk.
You have no idea yet.
If you are about to comment here on this thread, ask yourself what your objective is?
I am going to do it again, here we go, watch closely now... I will never (ooo the miserable, negative, never word!) cringe at my posts.
I own them. Not sure how much more informed I could be after over two years of research and actually having surgery nearly three months ago.
As long as I help one person simply look harder, research longer, talk to their surgeon more, and really examine their relationship with food prior to surgery, then I am happy.
I think alot of what is bothering some folk is that I am almost at perfection weight ten weeks out. With no effort and being bold enough to say that I would rather be the way I was.
So go for it, let it all out, I can definitely take it. And of course, I need a good laugh to cheer up my "negative, miserable" life!
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Gina, go back & remember what you were experiencing before the surgery. It had to have been bad enuff for u to consider having it done. Like most of us, u had to have been at the point where u didn't know what else to do, having tried so many ways to lose weight & get healthy & none of them working over the long haul.
This wls was the last hope for many of us. Yes we gave up certain things to get healthier. It's all in how u look at things. We forget how bad things used to be...time softens things...like people in abusive relationships that go back to their spouses because "maybe it wasn't that bad". We humans forget what has gotten us to do certain things out of what we deemed necessary at the time. We coat it with the haze of forgetfulness & suddenly it wasn't that bad back then. Be true to yourself & don't knock the past & the decisions you made. You made that decision to help yourself. You made it with all the information available to you at that time.
Ok....so maybe it was the wrong decision for you but you would never have known that unless you lived it. Everyone has said they wished they hadn't done something & if only someone had told them not to do it or had told them the real truth....really? Well geez, if we listen to other people, our world would never advance....how many tries did it get to get the wheel right, or that plane off the ground, or man to the moon,, or medications to figure out what worked for your depression but not for your friends? So many things in life work for some & not for others. Fortunately or unfortunately we all have to experience something for ourselves in order to get the lesson. That's how we learn. How many children listen to their parents who say don't do that or this terrible thing will happen. Or how many adults hear things from others but think, hey, that's their experience? We think we know better, so I don't think someone telling you what you had wished u had heard would have stopped you because at THAT point in time, YOU needed to do something this drastic.
I am sorry your wls made it worse for u, but it has made it better for others. You did what u did out of hope & as I said earlier the past gets foggy when we look back....so quit beating yourself up about what u did & figure out how to go on NOW. Nothing is 100%,...it's up to the person going thru whatever it is they are going thru, to get the help they can & try to make things better for themselves. I have problems, we all do...but you know what??? Having lost 70 lbs I can move more, have more energy, do more, enjoy life more. I have issues with dumping, some foods not agreeing with me. I have issues with not being able to eat a meal as I once did or enjoy it...but that's all transitory to me....because the truth is, the past me made the best decision it could for the me now & no one or no thing would have changed my mind back then because I was at the end of my rope with knee pain, high blood pressure, tiredness, & so many things including shame at going out & doing things I now can do, that I couldn't before because of my weight. It won't work for everyone...just like certain medications will work for one but not another...just like one (wo)mans bottom for an addiction will not be another (wo)mans bottom....so although I feel for you & what u r going thru, You need to stop beating on what happened....there are no guarantees in life with ANYTHING......just do the best you can....like the rest of us.
There HAS to be something the doctor can do to help u so that u don't have to wear a diaper to go out...just keep fighting for the answers. Only when u give up hope, is when u won't find those answers.
I pray you forgive yourself & that these feelings will change & u get better soon. You deserve the best in life, like everyone else in this world & I hope you get there quickly so that your suffering ends.

I figured I ate more than my share in my 40 years and my obesity was putting me at risk for knee, back and health issues. I was pre-diabetic and frankly, tired of being the fattest mom in the room.
It's clearly all about perspective along with the whys of surgery.
Best to you.

And yes, at your stage, I had to remind myself to eat. I set alarms and would grudgingly eat my scoop of hummus or Beans, not wanting a lick of it, but knowing my body needed it to heal.
I spent this last week in Las Vegas and alcohol aside, I probably ate about 500 calories a day because I was so busy. I still don't always remember to get in my nutrients, I just stopped setting alarms.

I have feeding and non feeding days. Some days I want to eat and can get in 3/4 cup at one time. Most days I'm not a fan of food and can't hold 1/2 cup in a sitting or it comes back up. At your stage, I was lucky to eat 2 tablespoons in a sitting.
Like @@Dub , I am grateful. I no longer live to eat, I eat to live. I am in **no way** denigrating your story. I'm only offering my journey up to those who may be reading, are newly post op, and feeling your frustrations. It can and does get better for the majority of us.
It's only fair to those starting out to know both sides of early complications.

A couple things really hit home from your original post.
First is that you did a tremendous amount of research pre-op and put a lot of time and effort into making this decision. It certainly was well thought out.
The second thing that really struck a similar chord with me is your comment, "I myself am only 9 weeks post op and have had complications so I can't know what my future holds." I want to really key in on this.
I didn't really feel alive and vibrant until somewhere between my 2nd and 3rd month. Prior to that the diarrhea, rumbling stomach, weird feels overall, dropping blood pressure and baggy clothes had me feeling strange and uncertain. Then....I found my stride. I found that life was normal. I was eating hearty cuts of succulent Protein........and then I was given the go ahead to have coffee.....blessed coffee. Things began getting back to normal....a new normal that was much better than any I'd known in decades. It continues to get better each week, too.
Now....if I want, I can have the diet Dews and diet Cokes that I used to love.....and yes...I can even have them with some mixed nuts & cheese (one of my all time favorite snacks) so long as I stay within my daily calorie goals. I've yet to have the diet sodas simply because I have been without them for the better part of a year and don't miss them. I'm good with Water and coffee and an occasional diet Snapple or similar.
I ask that you trust in your pre-op homework and demonstrated diligence. You put in tremendous thought into this back then. You've been through a major series of changes since and are truly at the infant stages of your post-op living. You are only 9 weeks out.
I'll wager that in a few months you'll resist this thread with an update and I hope that it's one where you've found that things have normalized and everything is falling into place.
Hang in there and thanks for being open, supportive and honest. That's the only way to roll.

@@HeavenlyGirl101 If you don't go go the ER - drink something to replenish your electrolytes (Power Ade Zero, G2) and broth (for sodium).

Go to Clear liquids to see if it helps - if not - I'd make a trip to the ER.
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I have had some similar issues emotionally and for me it was all triggered about a month or two ago when I looked in the mirror and realized that I honestly don't recognize my face the way it is right now. I shared this at my support group too and saying it out loud with others who have been/are going through a similar process helped a bit.
I started self sabotaging because I was/am panicking that I literally don't recognize myself in the mirror. I feel the same and I am the same person but the reflection is not me or at least not as I've known myself for the last decade of my life. The therapist who leads our support group suggested that I might want to think about who I am now or can be going forward give the changes I've experienced food and weight wise.
It's hard and I'm fighting to try and accept my new self but honestly I am still a bit freaked out - I don't know my clothing size coz I haven't really bought any new clothes, my old stuff don't fit and the weight loss stalls and starts again. So I feel very much in transition and while I wanted the change it's happening faster that I can process I think.
In terms of dealing with the self sabotage, I try to be conscious of when I am making not great food choices due to emotions -whether stress, unhappiness, tiredness or whatever. I try to ask myself if the cake or chips or whatever will really resolve the problem. 3 or 4 times out of 5 I can say no and walk away or do something else. But sometimes if I've been thinking about eating something for a week or more I allow myself the pleasure of it, track it and move on. Sometimes that food is worth it taste wise other times it's not - so many pleasures of the past don't taste the same anymore or have the same pay out so I'm learning to just not bother with them. I've also realized that for me I don't make good choices if I don't eat regularly and well - Protein, good fat, complex carbs etc. and also staying hydrated.
Sorry for this long reply but your post really resonated with me because I have honestly found the mental side of post WLS life harder than the physical.
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I also self sabotage. I try to look at the patterns and eliminate it. At one point it was drive thrus. I made a no drive thru rule and if I wanted the food I had to go in. I hated going inside so I eventually stopped. Look for patterns and make a plan around them. Another one was I would blindly eat at night. I made a no eating after 8 rule and ate dinner a little later. That helped too. Good luck Sent from my VS986 using the BariatricPal App

I tend to take a non-verbal approach with idiots like that.
A deep breath.....inflated chest cavity.....cross my arms and give 'em a squinty eyed stare. A slight nod of the head back and forth is my clue to them not to push things further.
Some don't get it though.....they thrive on being stupid.
One....a younger upper manager at work (who's on the fast track for world domination with my employer)......kept on badgering me about my weight.
The last time he did it was at the salad bar in our cafeteria.
I had just finished a fast lunchtime workout in the gym and was grabbing a Protein loaded side salad from the bar. Minding my own bidness.....just trying to get what I needed.....grab and go.
So he comes over and asks me, "Well, well, well.....look who we have here. Salad huh? So, guy, what are you up to now ? What's your weight up to now ?"
He keeps on with this while getting my eggs and chicken chunks.
I should add at this point that he's one of those pencil necked nerdy types who thinks that cross country running is the only fitness that matters.
Again with the questions about my weight.
I turn to him....lean over so nobody else can hear and say, "Why don't you ask your wife what I weigh, Michale.....she's felt all of it".
Then I go back to my salad.
He slammed his dayplanner down on the counter and made an odd noise with his throat and walked off.
We have yet to speak again.
A little more to the story is that this guy is on an unprecedented career trajectory.....My boss reports to the person that reports to this guy.
His wife, who I've never met, is a saint of a woman. She's very active in their church and plays in the local symphony. They are puritans and live a clean life and are great family people.
I probably should've handled the situation differently....but I'd enough of his badgering.
Clearly he pursued the matter because I was asked by a member of HR about any "conversations" between us. I couldn't recall any real specifics and stuck with that. Seemed to satisfy them.
I'm probably screwed, but I'll certainly not be bothered by his stupidity again.....at least not in the area of my weight.