Gobonn

Getting enough protein: try putting unflavored protein powder into your cooked cereals, creamed soups, as well as getting protein in shakes. Also, I found that as soon as I was able, I preferred to have a lightly poached egg, rather than scrambled. When the egg was too cooked, it seemed difficult to get down. (That was really early on) No trouble now at 5 months after surgery. Tuna and cottage cheese with some capers or olives to give me the salt flavor, and dill, was a favorite in the pureed stage. I was able to tolerate canned chicken before whole chicken. At almost 6 months, I can pretty much eat anything now, just amount and volume is still very small, which is the whole idea, right? I still try to have protein between meals.

I didn't do well with liquid Tylenol, so I just let a tablet dissolve or chewed a tablet and sipped it down slowly.

I can identify with every comment in this thread! I am nearing the end of my 4th month after surgery. Have lost 37 lbs including the prep week. Have lost a total of 100 lbs when including on my own before surgery. Here are the things I have been experiencing and loving! I can fasten the car seatbelt without moving by hips over or lifting my thigh to find the clasp! I can fly coach without asking for an extension belt or worrying that I'm crowding the person sitting next to me! I can ride a bike again! My husband can get his arms all the way around me! I have to keep sewing bigger seams in my clothes to make them fit. I can find clothes to fit me in the stores and in the regular sizes, not having to order the plus sizes from the BIG catalogs. When I sit next to someone, I'm no longer higher than they are-I'm actually sitting lower than they -not sitting on so much bulky fat! (However, I do feel those sits bones on the hard chairs. - That's a new feeling!) No swollen ankles when I'm on my feet a lot. In fact, my feet, ankles, fingers, hands and wrists are considerably smaller! Going from a pant size of 28-30 to now 16-18 is so totally a high! I'm so happy! And look forward to getting to 12-14s! Sorry, going on and on.......you can tell I'm loving my "little things" because they truly are BIG things!

My surgery was Monday morning. The nurses told me I could shower Tues afternoon or evening, but I was released then and decided to just wait to shower in my own home. Showered on Wed morning. It was a very SLOW process, but felt good. The gauze on the incisions were to be taken off, then there were steri strips stuck onto the actual incisions that I was to leave on for about 10 days. The bigger incision was the only one that I felt pain from. They told me that they make a criss-cross stick on the muscles there, so it does pull and I was swollen for a few days. Used pain killers for 3 days, then was fine with just Tylenol. The upper body gas pain left me by day two. Walking and moving actually helped both the gas discomfort. Later, walking really helped the incision pain. Cool packs helped some. By the end of the 4th week, no pain left at all! Weeks 2-4 were moderate pain and only at certain times - late day, getting tired or bending and pulling.

It always happens to me. I have the pair shaped body and have saddlebags on the side of my thighs and the fanny pack lower stomach. They keep asking me if I have something in my pockets. I usually answer, no, it's fat and hanging skin, then stand there for the pat-down. You can't get out of it! Darn.

First 3 weeks, did lots of walking. Started back to my aerobic water class at about the 4th week, but some of the jumping, hopping things would hurt, so I did what I could. By the end of the 5th week, I could do everything that I used to do before and then some. No pain by then.

Thank you for your birthday wishes. I've had a great weather day planting flowers in my yard. The liquid diet was tough pre-surgery especially since your stomach has no change yet. It expects everything to be as normal. My nurse support that week told me if you feel hungry, go ahead and have more protein shake. What was a pleasant result was that I lost quite a lot of weight. [emoji4] Use the time to find shakes and broths that taste good to you. Then when you have the 2-3 weeks after surgery, where you need to do liquids again, you'll have a stash ready. I actually made my own broths and froze little portions, so they didn't have so much sodium. After surgery, the eating I thought was easier, because my body didn't want large portions and wasn't giving me hunger cues. Good luck to you. Let me know if you want to continue communicating or if you have questions. We are all different, but can learn from each other. I like helping.

I had heard that also. I think it is a bit true. Experience does help. :>) But also know that our metabolism is so much slower, so we really CANNOT be eating like we used to in our 30s and 40s. I was told that I'd be a good candidate because they could see by my food logs and discussions that I was already eating and moving as they would believe I should AFTER surgery, so all that was left to do was to have the surgery. I'm sure that it did help to already have the good habits going. But it was so frustrating that even with those good habits, I wasn't making much progress after the first 50 or so pounds came off on my own. The surgery for me was really a breeze. Never sick, didn't have much pain at all. I think because I already had been doing aerobic exercise 3-5 times a week and walked 3 miles a day. I'm on my 4th month now and have hit a 8-10 day stall. Hope it moves again soon. I am enjoying getting new clothes in a size I haven't purchased since my college days!

Yes, I am 63 today. Sleeve surgery was Feb 28, 2017. Been loosing about 1.8 lbs per week average. Last 8 days, I've stalled, but I hear that happens. Not having any complications. I have always been in good to excellent physical condition, other than obese. I wanted the surgery so that I can live out my 70s, 80s & 90s being active and without joint issues (hope, hope).

My doctor said no alcoholic drinks for a year! I'm 3 months post. I have had a couple very small sips of red wine maybe 3 times now. I did feel the alcohol quickly since I had not had any for 2-3 months. I will continue to be very sparse with this. Too much sugar will hinder the weight loss. And I'm loving my results MORE than I love drinks. [emoji12]

My experience was very similar. I began about 4 years ago losing weight, got stuck and couldn't seem to get any further than the 70 lost on my own, then chose to go the sleeve route just 3 months ago. Most people just notice that I seem to have broken through my plateau. [emoji6]. I told only 2 friends and my close family. I have now told 2 more friends since we eat out with them often. They sensed something was different. I just feel better that this is private. I don't want to answer the curiosity questions and don't want the dumb comments or the constant "so how are you doing?"

Perfect response to the rude question! Love it! [emoji12]

I am 3 months post op. I do understand what you are feeling. A few times, I have eaten past the point of where I should have and I have about 20 minutes of Great discomfort. It is that love of favorites and the in-the-head thought of wanting more of the yummy taste. At home is easier than going out because I can plate the amount I need to have on a small plate and put the rest aside for another meal. I leave the kitchen to eat and don't come back for more. When ordering.....couple things I have been doing that seems to work for me. If I order a full portion, I ask for a box immediately when my meal comes, put the portion I know I shouldn't have into the box, and put it on an empty chair at the table- out of sight, then eat my correct portion SLOWLY, putting down the fork after every bite. Other ordering tips: I get a protein from the appetizer menu only, sometimes get a veggie from the sides menu. Also, my husband is so helpful with this one, if he orders something I can eat, we only order his one meal and I have about 1/4 or 1/3 of his main dish and he feels he really doesn't need to eat the whole portion anyway. I also have tried to change my mind about what "eating out" is all about. I try to concentrate NOT on the food, but all the other reasons I'm there, who I'm with, the ambience, the conversation, the not cooking and no dishes, my good health and good decision, my ability to be out and about! Etc..... All of these tips have helped me, and we do go out often! It's actually the NOT drinking liquid that is a challenge for me! I do miss wine and I always used to drink lots of water AT the meal.

Yes. I found a powder bone broth protein mix at my local co-op food store. It is Ancient Nutrition manufactured in North Palm Beach, FL One scoop is 20 grams protein, 98 cal. My stomach and digestive system seems to tolerate this much better than a milk whey protein. My NUT thought this would be a better choice than vegetable protein.

I'm 8 weeks post surgery and have NO regrets. Wish I had done this 20 years ago! Hang in there- it is normal to be anxious and nervous! The time will go fast and the results so worth all your anxiety! Good Luck to you, brave decision-maker!

It is hard, but what I keep reminding myself is .... the event (family or outing with friends) is NOT about the food! It is the social, human interaction that is the main event. Keep your focus on that, not the food you can or shouldn't have. Good Luck everybody. I'm 8 weeks post-op and losing about 2/wk average.

Good luck! You won't regret this GREAT decision! Get up and walk the halls as soon as you can post surgery.

I, too, did really great post-op. I was up and walking immediately and even sent home from the hospital early. Now starting my 9th week out. I have had a couple stalls that last about a week, but it does keep coming down. I, too, cannot tolerate the milk whey protein shakes after surgery (went fine before). I have found a bone broth protein that seems to work better and Mix this with almond milk rather than real milk. It doesn't give me the milk nutrition, but at least I'm getting protein. I, too, FELT like I could eat soft foods sooner than I was supposed to, but was warned not to start too soon because of leaking in the stomach. I waited-that scared me! Once on soft foods, I ate canned chicken, tuna, eggs. First week I didn't lose much, in fact gained at surgery because of all the fluids pumped into me. In the full 8 weeks, I've been losing about 2/week. It is slow, but I figure slow will stay off!hope, hope. Now when eating more normal foods, I sometimes get TOO full. Then I have this constant burning feeling for about 10 minutes. It passes, then I'm fine. I am doing a water aerobics class daily and try to walk daily 1-3 miles. After about the 4th week, I didn't feel any soreness from the incision, so I could do anything I'd done before and more. This has been an interesting journey and I'm glad I took this route.