Orchids&Dragons

That looks nasty. Does your doctor have someone covering phones on the weekend? I'd call.

I think this is not part, buy maybe the entire issue. Between bowel habits, sexual positions, underwear photos, etc. this board is both extremely intimate and yet anonymous at the same time. Sort of like a glory hole for bariatrics. I guess it's not odd that we have trouble establishing/maintaining boundaries. I'm not sure how many people even want the boundaries. They come here to discuss things they're not discussing with friends/co-workers. If you're asking a website full of anonymous strangers for support, you can't predit what you might get.

@moondoggie1983 How are you? Have you gotten any better yet? We're worried about you.

Are you getting a conversion?

I'm the wrong person to ask. I've still got extreme issues with any real solid foods. Even 3 months out, I can only eat about 1 oz. of protein at a time, no matter how small the pieces are or how well it is chewed. And sometimes it still hurts for an hour or so afterwards. A couple of nurses have commented that my pouch may be extremely small. I am worn out. I've pretty much given up on "regular" foods right now and will stay on soups/stews for a while. I made chicken/white bean chili for dinner last night with ground chicken (easier to handle) and also a big pot of chicken/vegetable soup. I eat yogurt 2-3 times/day. Overall, my food progression is pretty slow. Other people can give you a much better idea of the volume you should be able to tolerate.

Yes. I've still got "eyes bigger than belly" disease. That one extra bite is dearly paid for! Think of Ron Weasley and the slugs!

Foamies are mouthful after mouthful of slimy spit. You can't swallow because you're too full, so you have to keep spitting it out. It can last for 2 hours, in my experience. It comes along with that queasy tingle that you get when you're going to throw up, but you don't throw up. Absolutely gross!

YES, YES, YES! They're starting you in the "safe" zone so that you don't throw up or experience the dreaded foamies! They are keeping you safely under your max for now. Be thankful, especially if you aren't hungry. My instructions were 1-2 oz. and, believe me, 2 oz. was definitely too much! Foamies! Gross!

Sounds like you're doing well so far. In my experience, we're all unique and comparing our own results with other people's just makes us unhappy. There are so many variables that affect the speed of weight loss including starting weight, gender, muscle mass, age, activity level, metabolism, hormones, etc. Good luck at your appointment!

Thanks for posting. I'm interested, too. I'd like to lose about 110 post-surgery.

So sorry! Some posters let their shakes "settle" for a while to let a lot of the air bubbles pop. Maybe that would help?

I thought it was great.

Clever! Another thing to add to the "practice" or maybe "prepare" scenario: If you are not planning to tell others about your surgery, this is a good time to lay ground work. Start walking/exercising, start managing your portions, start eating healthier. That way, when the weight really does start to drop quickly, they'll be expecting it and won't be so nosy.

I literally had no idea that there could be such a difference in how people perceive heat!

Conrats on your surgery being behind you and I wish you a speedy recovery. I won't sugar-coat the first week or two. For a lot of us, it's really difficult. However, you're doing this so that you're better off for the whole rest of your life! Your pain will subside. You'll learn how to use your new tool. You'll get healthier than you have been in years. A little suffering now is worth it, right? You can do this!

I'll have to pick some up. One of my twins makes an absolutely kick-@ss salsa. I still can't eat it I did manage to eat about 12 black beans with my cilantro-lime chicken last night. Yeah! Can't wait until my portions get a bit bigger.

Congrats on your surgery. Best wishes for a speedy recovery! If you have one, you might try sleeping in a recliner. A lot of people find that to be more comfortable.

Congrats on your surgery! Best wishes for a speedy recovery. You can't expect the liquid diet to fill you up except in the very beginning when your stomach is very swollen so it takes a while for liquids to pass through. Otherwise, the liquid just shoots right through. Hunger depends on the individual. Some people have very little hunger right from the get go. Others are quite hungry and the early liquid stages are difficult for them. No one knows what camp they're in until surgery. A trick I learned from another poster - If you're hungry for something specific (especially if you just saw a savory commercial on tv) it's probably head hunger and you should try to distract yourself. If you feel hungry and any number of healthy options would satisfy, it's probably real hunger and you should eat. Weight - You're still chock-full of hospital liquids right now. You're lucky if you're not up 5 pounds. It can easily take a couple weeks or longer for the fluids and even longer for the swelling. Good luck, hope all goes well!

That's perfectly reasonable if they want to maintain a relationship.

What brand of refried beans do you favor?

Good luck!

Practice not drinking while you eat. It is a total reflex for most of us and a hard habit to break. I have to move my glass to another area or put a paper towel over it so that I remember. Good luck!

Sounds like a classic case of the foamies, but 5 years out - wow!

Do you just put them on a sheet pan or a sil-pat?

Interesting, so prayer isn't necessarily religious at all. Although, I admit, I use it with a religious intent.