PorkChopExpress

It takes a little time to work up to the required amount. I was getting close after a week, but that's with almost everything I drank being a Protein shake, so I could try to get my Water in, too. Each week will get better. Just do your best, and I would say any time you drink, make it a Protein Drink. The lack of desire to eat and the emotions are also totally normal. It'll be a little bit of a mental/emotional ride for a few weeks as you adjust to the new situation. Just be thoughtful about it and try to see all of it for what it is. You are starting the process of re-conditioning your mind and throwing out a LOT of bad habits, old foods, etc... This is where the rubber meets the road.

That usually seems to happen with overeating but it may be that certain foods are causing inflammation, which might cause it. You will have to consult your surgeon, but I would start journaling your food choices and the results. See if you can narrow down which foods are routinely causing this reaction. But if you are eating until you're stuffed, that's likely the reason. You mentioned eating a rice cake...if there is a food more likely to expand like a sponge in your stomach, I can't think of one.

My "goal weight" is more of a window, because I'm not as much focused on scale weight as I am how I am looking and feeling. I have an image in my mind of what I want to end up being like, and my goal weight is basically just a "jumping off point" for that. So it doesn't really demonstrate my goal, because my goal isn't a weight. It's a state of being.

I haven't spread the word around, a few coworkers know because they knew I went out for surgery and then saw me eating like a bird afterward. The way I see it, it's going to become impossible for people not to know, because it's about the only explanation for losing this much weight, this quickly. So while I'm not advertising, I'm also not lying about it if anyone asks.

@@Ignatius Welcome to the club man! Follow your surgeon's instructions, put a high priority on getting your Protein needs met and you are probably going to be feeling great a week from now, your body will heal faster and better. Also walking daily, as much as you can tolerate. You're going to go through some psychological stuff, as your old brain fights the situation...but you'll know it when you feel it, and you will see it really clearly for what it is. This surgery changes the entire game. Since the morning of surgery, I've been averaging 5lbs lost per week. That means my average daily calorie deficit is in the neighborhood of 2,500. My Mom saw me over the weekend and was amazed at how much I've lost since she spent the first week helping me recover, but when she watched me eat, she said, "I can't believe you're still able to walk around and function, on so little calories!" lol

That's a pretty exhaustive strength routine, but for hypertrophy you want to have higher reps, lower weight...or some kind of progressive overload strategy. Looks like your sets are all the same weight. Personally, I like strength training first and size second. If you have a good strength foundation, you can easily achieve size. For beginners, I'm a fan of the 5x5 programs like Stronglifts or Starting Strength, personally. I don't do a lot of isolation exercises, except for biceps curls...but I'm more interested in strength than size now.

Thanks It was a little hard on my wife I think, because we have always ordered the spinach/artichoke dip appetizer whenever we go out and they have it, and we can't really do that anymore...I wouldn't be able to eat anything else! But she said, "At least you can still go out and enjoy stuff like this, even if you can't eat a lot of it." Truer words were never spoken. And the funny side effect of this surgery to me is, I'm enjoying the food a LOT more than I ever did, before. Chewing much longer, lingering on it more, enjoying the flavors more. It's pretty interesting, the effect it's having on me. All positive. But yeah, for me to be boxing up 90% of my meal, while she's boxing up maybe 20% of hers, made her feel a little self-conscious. However, she is planning to have surgery herself over the summer break, so it won't be long before she's experiencing the same stuff I am. That'll make it a lot easier!

Finally weighed myself during a visit with my family over the Halloween weekend...what a trip, seeing numbers on there I haven't seen in nearly a decade. I'm averaging five pounds lost per week right now. More shocking to me is that I'm down 60 pounds from my high weight when I started, and I've done that in two months. The best I've ever done on my own is around 55 pounds, over a period of about six months. I'm now in week 6 and my program has given me free reign to try anything I want to try, of course avoiding sugar and excessive fat intake. Took my wife to a great new steakhouse and it was delicious. Weird to leave such a huge amount of food to be boxed...very weird. But I ate on that meat for three days! Not quite as good reheated, but still very good. Funny how I now feel like I'm getting a lot more value for my money, because it lasts so long

This user hasn't been active since 2012, but her last post should be encouraging to you: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/222877-13-week-update/

If it came on slowly and intensified, after all the fat you ate the previous night, I'd say maybe pancreatitis or possibly your gall bladder, if it's still there. Hamburger with cheese has a lot of fat content and fat tends to trigger those kinds of attacks. You'll probably have to see the doctor, maybe get some bloodwork if it continues. The pain for something like that would have felt like it was right up under the bottom of your ribcage.

You'll feel better every day. Just stay on top of that walking and your protein, you'll heal up quickly

I have started to realize that a lot of the things I "think" I want when I see them...I actually don't. There are always donuts and treats at work in the kitchen, but now when I see them, I realize what a waste they are for me. No nutritional value, and just basically a form of entertainment that made me obese. I don't actually want them, anymore.

If I detailed the nightmares I had, dealing with the exchanges as an intermediary managing my healthcare services for me as a go-between to my insurance company, it would make your head spin. Stereotypical government efficiency and ineptitude. There's no way on God's green earth I would want this government taking 100% control of my health care. No, and no. They can't even administrate social security without sending it into a black hole, never to be seen again. You want them in charge of your health care?

It's possible that you've got a case of pancreatitis, it does happen sometimes. You'll have to talk to your surgeon to get a real answer, probably some bloodwork - hard to diagnose these problems online.

It's most likely NOT hunger, you are probably mistaking the "bite" of acid in your stomach for hunger. I feel that too, but it isn't accompanied by growling and it doesn't feel quite the same. When you combine the mental "hunger" of missing things you liked eating, and the adjustments to tiny portion sizes, it can FEEL like hunger...but it's not quite the same. I don't feel anything like "traditional" hunger, right now. I get acid buildup a little on an empty stomach (getting better all the time) but no rumbling - the rumbling went away after about four weeks, it was just a symptom of my stomach recovery, I think (and it would happen after I ate, as well as before). Just stick to a schedule, eat when you're supposed to eat and don't eat when you're not. Surgery's not a turnkey solution, it does still require some self-discipline. If you get into the habit of "grazing" you're going to suffer calorie creep, and your weight loss will slow.

You will find that you get tired really quickly, and you will want to sit down a lot because your midsection will start to ache. You won't last too long, IMO...at least not for roughly a week or so after surgery. You definitely won't want to be carrying bags or anything.

I found it to be excellent mental preparation for what would come immediately following surgery, so I'm glad I did it, regardless of whether there was any real medical reason for it. It helped me get my mind in the game.

I'll be moving back the weekend of the 12th! Colorado native, moved to LA back in late 1998 to pursue my career. Had a family and kids, decided to move them back to Colorado - they went ahead seven months ago, and now I'm going to rejoin them finally. Wife wants to get surgery this summer, will be doing it via Kaiser. Looks like Denver's Kaiser bariatric program has a well-reviewed surgeon, so that's good. I'd like to know of any support groups too, particularly Northwest of Denver.

You've got your mind right Congratulations, that's 90% of the battle, right there...defeating these influences that have controlled us for so long. Taking away their power. I'm almost done with week 5 post-op and I feel good, and I don't desire crap food anymore, at all. I want QUALITY. I can have so little, that I want it to really count. The only fast food I have had has been pintos and cheese and a side of steak at Taco Bell, which was two meals' worth of food. That steak is good, though...even though I know it's a bit high in sodium. But we are on a journey and we have a destination in mind, and there are things that will get us there and things that will hold us back...so we jettison whatever won't get us there. We're gonna make it Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It was pretty hard to get the Water down the first couple of days for me, too...in fact I don't think it was until day 6 or 7 that I was getting between 50-60oz down a day (that included Protein shakes). You've got a lot of inflammation, it sounds like. Overnight and release the next day is pretty standard with sleeve, unless they feel you have serious complications - but that means a leak in the staple line or something like that. The Protein shakes count toward water, so what I would focus on is just working on protein shakes all day long. Not straight water. Small sips and give yourself a break between them. SMALL sips. Like, 1/8th of your mouthful. Take a sip every couple minutes. If it makes your stomach hurt, you're doing it too often. You just have to take it real easy and real slow, because your stomach has suffered a HUGE trauma, during this surgery. You will heal MUCH more quickly if you are getting sufficient protein, so make that your focus with every single drink you take every day. That's THE MOST important thing, this week. Protein. Also...when you feel tired, sleep. That's when your body repairs itself. Also, if the Norco is bothering you, see if you can get a prescription for Tylenol with Codeine in liquid form, if you can. Might be easier for you to use. Other than all that...walk. Walk as much as you can, to get the surgical gas out. You'll feel a lot better.

Good luck! It'll be over and done with before you know it, and you will have finally crossed the threshold into your new life. Go get 'em.