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I’m new to this but from what I’ve read, ghrelin (hunger hormone) comes back in some people. The part of the stomach where most of it is housed is removed, but that doesn’t mean it won’t come back or even be gone to begin with. Hormones interact with the nervous system, travel in the blood stream and can be produced in different parts of the body. If I have my left pinky finger removed, it’s just gone. I don’t think hormones work like that. Sometimes people have “Head hunger” which is more of a habit based hunger, rather than stomach based. Sometimes the churning of acids in the stomach makes people feel hungry but it’s not quite the same feeling as pre-surgery hunger. The good news is that if hunger does come back, it takes a lot less to satisfy the feeling than it did before surgery. Keeping up on protein at meals and snacks should help reduce or prevent the feeling of hunger in most folks.

I lost 30 pounds in the 3 weeks after surgery. Then I didn’t lose a pound for over 2 weeks. I tried not to panic. I was exercising and not eating too much. I was drinking as much water as I could. This is my first stall and I know it will happen again. It partially coincided with the move from liquid diet to puree. I had trouble adjusting to the new diet and wasn’t eating enough. My liquid multi (MVI) was grossing me out. I waited it out and eventually I was eventually able to get used to the diet and up my protein and calories and drink more water. I’m doing better with my MVI. I didn’t weigh myself for one week. Today, I am down another 5 pounds. Our bodies are going through a lot. I’m trying to take everyone’s advice and give myself and my body a break. I’m trying not to stress out. As long as I am following my program, exercising and making good choices, I think I’m doing okay. It’s definitely discouraging to stall. And frustrating! We know what a valuable time this is and want to make the most of it. I’m just trying to stay positive and tentatively confident [emoji846]

That looks delicious!

I was told I needed to have my gall bladder out over ten years ago and declined surgery. I had a lot of stones. Over ten years I sometimes had sharp pain in my right upper quadrant, sometimes it was dull and sometimes I had referred pain in my shoulder. But most of the time it didn’t bother me at all. My surgeon convinced me to have my gall bladder removed in early March, a few weeks before my sleeve in mid March. And I’m really glad I did. When I saw it after surgery, I was shocked! It was huge, packed with stones and full of wrinkles where the stones pushed against the tissue (which should be smooth). Anyway, when I first started having gall bladder issues, one of the noninvasive tests was to press on the painful area in the right upper quadrant. If you experience pain relief while pressing and experience a resurgence of pain when the pressure is let go, that could indicate a gall bladder issue. I don’t know if that still the case and don’t have any medical experience with this, just personal. When I had a bad gall bladder attack, I would eat a clove or raw garlic (which it sounds like you can’t do right now) and the pain would be relieved. I don’t know if you have a gallbladder issue or muscle pain or something else. After most of my post surgical pain went away post sleeve, I still had occasional pain in the right upper quadrant due to the internal stitches in the muscle which take longer to heal.

I was sleeved 3/19. I lost 10 lbs/week for 3 weeks and have now stalled. I started puréed foods on 4/10. I went back to work on 4/11. My nurse thinks I’m not getting enough calories and I’m not eating often enough (I work in a busy emergency department). I exercise every day. I hesitate to add more calories because at some point fact that I’m using more energy than I’m taking in should make me lose weight. I know I’m having trouble adjusting to puréed foods - they seem so heavy after weeks of fluids. But I know it will get easier. I know that I should listen to my nurse and work on eating more healthy calories more often. This is an adjustment - a huge life change - and I’m giving myself some room to get it right, as long as I don’t fall into old, bad behaviors. And I definitely need to drink more water, which feels crazy. I’ve always loved water and she’s to be able to drink a gallon a day without even trying. We can all do this. If we keep doing what we’re supposed to do, what’s supposed to happen will happen! [emoji846]

Also, if changing your sleep schedule is a priority, I can forward you some information on sleep hygiene. Our bodies (most people) aren’t wired to get up at 1pm and I think that might be contributing to how crummy you feel. It might help if you try to go to bed one hour earlier every week. Even if you end up at a place where you get up at 10am, I think that would make a difference. (My grandpa gets up at 10am and he’s 94. When I take him to the store, I can barely keep up, he moves so fast! Maybe there’s something to this 10am [emoji38])

First of all, you deserve major credit for sharing the difficulty you’ve been having in so much detail. Telling on yourself can be the first and hardest step. I would recommend telling on yourself to your surgeon or nurse, your father, and any other supports you have as well. They will want to help you. Remind your dad that he is enabling you to self destruct. If it helps to consider your eating habits an addiction, bringing you food that is unhealthy for you is akin to giving money to a person who is addicted to drugs. It makes you feel better in the short term, but not for long. I agree with others that volunteer work is a great way to help a person find meaning and feel more whole. Dog walking is a great option. Shelter dogs need love and need exercise, just like we do. Exercise + puppy snuggles = major endorphins! I agree with others to set a schedule to eat. Every two hours or every four hours, whatever works for you and your program. I eat about every four hours and take 30 minutes to eat whatever I’m having. Sometimes, I set a meditation timer that plays a sound every 30-60 seconds to help me take it slow. If I want something else to eat when I’m done, it’s usually just because I want it, or I know it will taste good, not because I am hungry. I can always tell myself, “You can have that in four hours if you want” or three hours or however long it is until I can eat again. I’m telling myself not right now, not no. I definitely agree that a therapist is a great idea. I see one. I don’t feel that I have any major depression going on or emotional disruptions, but I just went through a major life change (post op 3 weeks today). I like having someone to bounce things off of, talk to about surgery or anything I want. I started seeing her when I started getting serious about getting the sleeve. Sometimes we just chat and laugh. My therapist is a great support. And if I feel like I do go into a depression or emotional disturbance, she will be there for me. You. Can. Do. This. You are only seven weeks in you haven’t ruined everything. Our surgical teams expect us to have challenges and are prepared to help us. Please be kind to yourself and try not to be ashamed. Be proud that you took the step to better your health with weight loss surgery. Be proud that you are able to ask for help when you need it. You can make this work. Tomorrow is a new day. And the day after that will be too. One of my favorite books is “12 Steps on Buddha’s Path” or something very similar to that. I don’t practice the 12 steps but the concepts in the book were very helpful to me. Basically any self help on Buddhism really led me to a calming place. I’m early into this and I’m sure I will hit challenges that I’ll need more help with. And I hope I’ll be brave enough ask for help here and with my team, like you are doing. Focus on the end goal, but take it little by little. Try to make better choices every day! [emoji177]

Welcome! I hope the walk helps. I had a similar experience and I walked as much as I could as often as I could while in the hospital. It really helped.

Also, Catama - you’re about ten days behind me. You’ve only just begun! I just looked at my food chart and I couldn’t do much of anything my first few days.

The first week I had a really hard time taking my pills. I don’t have a lot, but it was so bitter and gross. Now I break them into tiny pieces and let them sit in apple sauce for about 15 minutes before I take them. As for protein shakes, I’m just doing as much as I can and my program said that’s okay. I’m good for about 3oz/30mins at this point, so I usually have a 3oz protein shake for breakfast. I might have another later in the day. Right now my program suggests 3 meals and 2 snacks and to focus more on timing and quantity and eating the right foods, not necessarily high protein. I cook mostly everything I eat - no canned or condensed soups or anything. At first, I was terrified about getting enough protein in. Then my nurse told me that my blood work showed that I had enough “protein stores” to carry me for the first few weeks. I know everyone is different, but that helped me feel better and focus on the habit more than the technical bits. My nurse also told me I was an “odd exception” because my food choices have always been relatively natural and healthy, just too much and too often.

Hello, all! I’ve loved reading about everyone’s journey. I was sleeved on 3/19. I stayed in the hospital two nights. And no kidding was that 30mls/hr of water tough at first! I’ve been getting better and feeling better everyday since, with some challenges. This past Wednesday was my worst day to date for some reason, but Thursday and today have been much better so far. I’m looking forward to being a part of the sleeved community and I’m sure I can’t be of much help to anyone yet, but I’ll be happy to try. Here’s to our healthy, new lives! Congratulations to all [emoji846]