hope4momof4

Hi Hope-
I'm excited for you!
Here's what I would suggest - if I had to do it over again, I would not over-buy liquids. For instance, that Hint Water sounded so good and a great option for me since I am not a great water drinker. But I didn't love it , and we still have dozens of bottles just sitting in the basement .
Take some time now to taste test the Protein Drinks. I bought a few different brands and didn't really like anything besides the Atkins.
The first two days I was on Clear Liquids. I had chicken broth/beef broth, water, SF Jello, Vitamin Water Zero (my favorite- this has replaced diet coke for me) and unsweetened ice tea.
Then when full liquids were added on day 3, I added plain greek yogurt and creamy Soups from Imagine - butternut squash and broccoli was good for me.
Again, don't buy too much because once more foods are added, you may or may not want those creamy soups.
And it's not like this procedure puts you in bed for days so you have to stock up. You will be up and about pretty quickly.
Here's a quick update on me- it's been two months, two weeks since the procedure and I"m down 24lbs.
I'm about 10lbs away from my goal. Feeling great.
I have felt some hunger a few times recently, but honestly I think it was tied more to stress than real hunger. Most of the time I am great. I am still at about 1000 cal/day give or take, and my nutritionist would like to see me at 1200 but I am on a roll, so if I don't feel like adding extra calories at the end of the day, and am not hungry, I just don't do it. I am eating more like 6-7 oz of food at a meal, rather than the 4oz in the first months. Nutritionist says that's ok and expected. I look forward to talking to the doc when I see her for my latest followup.
AmyA

hope4momof4, pre-ESG I also had the expectation of "restriction" limiting my eating. It may seem hard to understand however right now the "restriction" is showing itself in a different manner than I expected. Pre ESG I felt like the restriction would be a physical sensation, but as of now I just don't "want" to eat large portions or frequently. Mentally I'm also much more selective (no processed foods, absolute minimum sugar, no alcohol, no caffeine etc.) about what I eat. These choices are driven by the lack of my "cravings" for food and learning from my bad choices what "works" with my new stomach and what foods I need to avoid.
I lost 2lbs/week over Christmas and New year's vacation and while we were traveling one night I decided to "splurge" on sautéed mushrooms, one of my favorite dishes. I did not have a good reaction the next morning, upset stomach and many visits to the toilet, so no more sautéed mushrooms for me.
I'm still experimenting what works, for example, for a Friday night "splurge" tonight I had 2 onion rings tonight with dinner (grilled salmon). In the past if I started eating good onion rings (and these were delicious) there's no way I would have eaten less than 6-8 of them. I loved the flavor this evening but just had no desire to eat more than 2 of them. I'm hopeful all will go well tonight and I don't have to ban small quantities of Onion rings in the future!
The rest of the day I had 2 yogurts (80 cal each) and 2 Premier Protein shakes (180 cal each), so 520 calories for the rest of the day.
The procedure is going to help you a lot and your willingness to be open and committed to changing your life is what will ultimately make you successful!
Keep going and sharing, we can all make this change for the positive!

Hello my ESG family. First of all I would like to sincerely thank Tex, Mel, and Amy for the sweetest condolences on my mother’s death. Your words, prayers, and thoughts truly meant the world to me.
It has been two weeks now since my mom passed and I’m trying to cope with this devastating loss. So as you may have guessed— healthy eating was not a priority. However, I’ve managed to keep my weight under reasonable control considering the circumstances. It is something that I must know put as a priority in my life. My mother was very ill and unfortunately her weight ,bad eating habits, and lack of exercise contributed to the worsening of her condition as the years went by. I don’t want to go through what she did. Her quality of life in the last few years was horrible. She had no energy to go out and enjoy life. She needed constant help and care. I do miss her tremendously but I know that she in now in a better place. She didn’t want to live the way that she did. Her last hospitalization was painful to watch. She was basically kept alive by the machines attached to her. If she had survived that last hospital stay I am positive she would have needed a 24 hour nurse or something to get by. I know she didn’t want to live that way.
I’m still grieving her loss but it has in a strange way made me more determined to get my weight issue taken care of. I am going forward with my scheduled esg on February 6. I think now more than ever I have to take care of my health. I’m sure my mother would have wanted it that way.

Thanks Amy. I’m going to need you guys now more than ever!!💝💝

Hey Mel, to be honest my eating habits have been horrible. I could use the excuse of my mother’s death but that would be irresponsible. I know I need to buckle down and get started with a sensible meal plan and then transition to shakes. My doctor told me that I only needed to be on shakes for about a week before and liquids only 2 days before my procedure. I did schedule another consult with him for February 1st to make sure I’m clear on his instructions and am following the preop plan.
Thanks for the support and encouragement. I’m doing my best to channel that emotion (grief) into something positive. I’m trying to get prepared and focus on myself. My mother was my biggest cheerleader. I guess she’ll be cheering me on from heaven now.

Hey hope4momof4, you will get there. I had a "bad eating" trend too several weeks before my procedure (go real excuse or reason for this) and added 10+lbs. before finally got it under control. I had the same diet before procedure (2 days liquids). ESG and days after went smoothly and now I'm down 30 lbs in 2 months! Keep the faith and believe in yourself, there is a healthier happier you just waiting to be uncovered. Keep posting, we'll be with you all the way!
Tex

Such a wonderful perspective from a very sad time. So positive to hear you are celebrating your mum by committing to your own health. I hope you are continuing to feel our love and support ❤️
How is the pre procedure food plan going? I'm guessing that you are getting close to lots of shakes and nor too much else?
Mel x

Hello my ESG family. First of all I would like to sincerely thank Tex, Mel, and Amy for the sweetest condolences on my mother’s death. Your words, prayers, and thoughts truly meant the world to me.
It has been two weeks now since my mom passed and I’m trying to cope with this devastating loss. So as you may have guessed— healthy eating was not a priority. However, I’ve managed to keep my weight under reasonable control considering the circumstances. It is something that I must know put as a priority in my life. My mother was very ill and unfortunately her weight ,bad eating habits, and lack of exercise contributed to the worsening of her condition as the years went by. I don’t want to go through what she did. Her quality of life in the last few years was horrible. She had no energy to go out and enjoy life. She needed constant help and care. I do miss her tremendously but I know that she in now in a better place. She didn’t want to live the way that she did. Her last hospitalization was painful to watch. She was basically kept alive by the machines attached to her. If she had survived that last hospital stay I am positive she would have needed a 24 hour nurse or something to get by. I know she didn’t want to live that way.
I’m still grieving her loss but it has in a strange way made me more determined to get my weight issue taken care of. I am going forward with my scheduled esg on February 6. I think now more than ever I have to take care of my health. I’m sure my mother would have wanted it that way.

I had only heard of ESG recently from someone who was considering after a regain post bypass. I guess I would be reluctant to be one of the first for a new procedure, preferring something proven longer term. I had my VSG this past Thursday so I'm just now beginning to see the weight loss. Took a couple of days to shed all the extra IV Fluid weight. I am down almost 8lbs.

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I am scheduled to meet him as well for an appointment. Did you get any feedback on them yet?

I looked for a surgeon with a lot of experience. The doctor I chose has been in bariatrics for about 15 years and currently does about 10 VSG's per week.

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Hi Hope4Momof4..
I have been thinking about you and glad to see you post today.
It's always so hard to say anything that seems to make a difference when someone loses someone they love.
The loss of your mom could have taken you down a dark path, but it looks like you've guided yourself to a good place, and found some strong, positive energy towards your goal - one that was, a short time ago, causing you a bit of hesitation.
Sending a lot of good thoughts and wishes your way. We're with you all the way!
AmyA

Well done Tex, you have lost a lot of weight quickly. You have been very dedicated to your plan and it shows. Keep up the great work. Mel.

Mel, great post, I am also working on staying in ketosis. It's not easy, but I still have a long way to go (>50 pounds) for my goal and need the help of Ketosis. It was a good holidays for me health wise, no sweets, no drinks, only once or twice ate a bit too much food, but generally stuck to my eating patterns. Continuing to lose 2+ pounds/week.
I'm back for 6 week check in with Dr on Tuesday and am down a total of 26 lbs since my ESG procedure. Walking more and more and will start to introduce the gym work again after doctor's appointment. Hope all can have a healthy 2018!

Hope4momof4, so sorry to hear about the loss of your mom, I hope her passing was peaceful. Great advice for the rest of us with mom's still here. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, I hope you can find solace in the time and experiences you had together and her impact on the life's around you. Take care!

Hope4,
I'm so sorry for your loss, deepest condolences. xo

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Please take care and know that we are all thinking of you at this devastating time xo

It's been very quiet here - I will break the ice by saying that I gained over over the Christmas week but have lost that plus another .5kg. I have been following a Keto diet since Jan 1st to get into ketosis ASAP to start getting some weight off again. I am now in ketosis thankfully and while it's Water weight that has been lost, knowing I am running on fat now is a great feeling. I loved the ketosis zone during pre and post esg - I think it has made the biggest difference in my weight loss. It's to thank for the quick weight loss at the start.
I will add a piece of fruit a day down the track but will try stay on very low carb for as long as possible. The dietician has worded me up in the past regarding how fibre cancels out carbs and has a more moderate approach to carbs. I am looking forward to checking in with her again next week.

Ok - now it's time for your accountability update. Remember, we are all friends here and will offer nothing but support if you have gained over the past few weeks.
Mel

Hi smith.99,
I can very much relate to how you are feeling. I am also guilty of having some thoughts that make me wonder if i should have had a vsg over esg as I feel the esg requires you to still fully participate in your weightloss journey and make very good choices rather than being physically unable to over eat. I too feel I can eat more than I expected, I thought that the weight would really fall off by itself over time and that it was just a matter of months until I would be at my goal weight. But heading into month 4 post esg, I am needing to set the goals and work towards them myself, with support but ultimately bne my own catalyst to achieve my goals.
So this is what I tell myself - I'm not going to fail at this. I'm just not. Yes I can also graze most days pretty freely and can eat bigger portions than the mini plates and bowls I was sure was my new forever meal size. I can still eat every bit of glorious junk food I ever have and look to food as my solution to every emotion I have.
But from what I see, so can people who have had bypasses and surgical sleeves if they really want to. Slider foods slide on down and meals can be whatever we want them to be. This tool that we have has to be just a part of our solution. We have to stick with this until proper nutrition is our new habit and be totally honest with what we are eating.
I saw the first 10kg drop off really fast and thought OMG, this is a piece of cake! But then I had stalls and slight gains and some losses. I know I am eating about half of what I used to but that I can unrail my day by just having a big serve of nuts or too many healthy Snacks. So I have to be brutally honest with myself about how I may be sabotaging quicker "success".
i think that what I have been eating is more a "maintenance" diet. But I think it's a really doable maintainence diet for the rest of my life. As I am not ready to maintain my current weight, I need to get cracking on more exercise and less food. I need to recommit to getting back into ketosis to start burning up these fat stores.
i absolutely feel so much better for having lost half my weightloss goal. I am eating cleaner, exercising heaps more and participating more in my life.
I really think that right now, this is a mental challenge for me and I sense right now it is for you too. I am really too hard on myself at this point and have been forgetting to see my successes rather than my overnight quick fix I secretly hoped for.
The gorgeous hope4momof4 is right, you may be looking at your success over this difficult holiday period in a way that is not helpful and is not recognising the success of NOT gaining over Christmas. When is the last time you could say that?
You can tell me to bugger off but perhaps use the new year to plan your way forward and recommit to portion sizes etc. You must feel much better with your initial weightloss and since you have been in a stall, another good loss may not be far away.
Yes It is a lot of money this procedure, so do everything you can right now to make positive changes. You can do this, you really can.
Find that determination that you had when you decided to get this done and go from there. And remember, a meal or day that hasn't been diet perfect is no issue, its what you do the next day that counts.
We are all behind you, good luck 😊.
Mel

Thank you so much Smith.99. This is exactly why this particular forum was started. We really appreciate you coming back and sharing your experiences with us honestly. There have been many on this forum and others who have been trying to decide which weight loss procedure or surgery would be best for them. I am sure you researched as much as everyone else did before deciding and people in these forums were probably the best source of information because they have been through it and can give you a real life account. Your honesty is so valuable to all of us in the planning stages. Please continue to update us on your ups and downs for your own accountability and to help us get through our stalls and setbacks.
As for your discouragement I think you need to look at it in a different way. Think of where you would be at this time of year without your esg procedure. After Thanksgiving and Christmas is when the most weight gain occurs usually. If you have only seen a 1 pound fluctuation without exercise then I would honestly call this a victory. This seems to be a common theme among esgers throughout the various forums— the weight loss is slow and steady not as rapid as the more invasive methods. Please continue to focus on the positives and don’t give up hope that this procedure will finally help you maintain a healthier weight. You’ve already taken the first step in committing to a your health. You just need to continue to post and not be discouraged.
Best of luck in 2018!!

To Mel— I’m glad that you are measuring your success in other ways which in all honesty is the most important thing you can do. Your children will absolutely cherish those memories of you participating with them in their fun activities. I have the same issues as you did before—I’ve taken them to Water parks and never gone on with them. They used to beg me to go on and now they don’t bother even asking. Maybe this summer I’ll surprise them. I used to love to swim and we belong to a swim club in our neighborhood now for over five years. Can you believe that I’ve never gone into the pool with them! That will be another one of my goals. Thanks for reminding me. My children are growing up so fast. Soon they won’t want me to swim or get on rides with them so I have to make the most of the time I have with them. I’m so happy Mel that you did this for yourself and your children. Their memories you’ll have with them will be priceless!!😍😍
To Bubbles— My sincerest condolences for your friend’s loss. That is certainly heartbreaking. You are doing what a true friend should and standing by her and just being there for her. Situations in life will put our plans on hold but you have to help her through this. Besides as you said you need to work out your thyroid condition before you can proceed anyway. This is only a minor setback and once you’ve worked through your personal and physiological issues you can get back up and move forward. Please post on this forum whenever you can to let us know how you’re doing . We don’t want to lose touch with you Bubbles. Even a small post simply telling us that your life is still “heavy” at the moment is enough. I know you’ll be back as soon as life eases up.
I wish you both a happier and healthier new year. I hope 2018 brings everyone here and around the world more peace, love, health, and happiness!!

Melesg— That is such a sweet Christmas story. This procedure has not only improved your weight and health but it has given you a closer relationship with your children. They probably don’t understand what has brought about this change in mommy but I’m sure they don’t care either. Their mom has just become the coolest mom ever!! That dork remark was completely uncalled for. You are getting the most out of this procedure. Truly inspirational!
Enjoy the rest of your holidays!

Thank you so much Smith.99. This is exactly why this particular forum was started. We really appreciate you coming back and sharing your experiences with us honestly. There have been many on this forum and others who have been trying to decide which weight loss procedure or surgery would be best for them. I am sure you researched as much as everyone else did before deciding and people in these forums were probably the best source of information because they have been through it and can give you a real life account. Your honesty is so valuable to all of us in the planning stages. Please continue to update us on your ups and downs for your own accountability and to help us get through our stalls and setbacks.
As for your discouragement I think you need to look at it in a different way. Think of where you would be at this time of year without your esg procedure. After Thanksgiving and Christmas is when the most weight gain occurs usually. If you have only seen a 1 pound fluctuation without exercise then I would honestly call this a victory. This seems to be a common theme among esgers throughout the various forums— the weight loss is slow and steady not as rapid as the more invasive methods. Please continue to focus on the positives and don’t give up hope that this procedure will finally help you maintain a healthier weight. You’ve already taken the first step in committing to a your health. You just need to continue to post and not be discouraged.
Best of luck in 2018!!

Bubbles, so sorry to hear of your friend's tragedy, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your friend in these difficult times. Something none of us as a parent should ever experience. I hope you find spiritual comfort and a way to continue the positive progress in your life. Sometimes (often) we take for granted how finite our lives are and that there may not be a tomorrow. This makes the steps you are taking all the more important. Take care, survive the busy holidays and find your routine to continue to move in such a positive direction. Tex

Thank you all for your posts. I haven't been online for a while and have gotten a little discouraged after my surgery. This all helps me to get into a better place after the holidays so I can get back on track. I had ESG on Nov. 15 and my weight loss seems to have stopped. I have been getting hungry and have been eating larger portions. I can eat anything at this point, although in smaller quantities. Some of you posted about coffee, but I find that I am not interested in it anymore, although I was a big coffee drinker. Maybe part of that has to do with the fact that eating and drinking need to be done somewhat separately after the procedure. The nutritionist explained that the satiety parts of the stomach are at the top and if you drink a lot before or during a meal, it causes your food to push through and empty faster making you feel a bit hungrier. For me, coffee always accompanied Breakfast, so I don't feel like drinking it 30 minutes after I have eaten.
Another topic that I saw here related to preparing for the surgery. I have to admit, I was nervous. I ate crazy stuff all through October, but 2 weeks before my surgery, I tried to pull myself together and started watching what I ate again. As others have said, that head hunger is a real thing, so those weeks were difficult. The doctor's office said that the most important part was to stick to the clear liquid diet in the 48 hours before the surgery, so I was sure to do that.
I had absolutely no pain or nausea post-op. I was eating very soft foods about 2-3 weeks out and have been able to eat a nice variety of food. Nothing has really caused me any issue. The only thing that I haven't been good about is taking my PPI (Nexium or equivalent). I am not a fan of these medications and I have been in denial about needing them. When I miss a dose, I don't have a burning acid reflux, but my stomach feels achy. I have found that taking the nexium helps. I have been eating out of small dishes to help keep the quantities down and I make sure to really chew my food. Chunky food doesn't feel great, although it isn't painful, just uncomfortable.
As for positives, my weight has only fluctuated within 1 pound over the holidays, so I wouldn't consider that a gain or a loss. I am going to list this as a positive. All three of my sons have been working out like crazy (90min/day, every day) have each gained 7-9 pounds since they arrived around mid December. I am the only one in the house who has maintained. I had foot surgery 2 days ago, so I am looking forward to getting active again. Maybe this will spur on my weight loss again.
Also, I fit into my size 12's, which opened up a lot of choices for outfits for holiday parties. I am sure with all the yoyo dieting, many of you can relate to having a wardrobe in many different sizes. I was thrilled to be able to wear some of my older clothes.
TBH, I have moments when I question whether this was worth the expense or if I should have done the more invasive surgery. I thought that the weight would come off faster. The nutritionist assures me that the weight loss will continue and stay off. I am just trying to remain hopeful that this is true. Like many of you, I have failed at losing weight so many times that it is hard to think that this will work. For now, I am trying to stay positive and get back on track after my foot surgery.
Thank you for all the support here. It is good to have a place to write these things and put all of this into perspective. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you.