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I had to keep a bottle of Fluid in my hand all the time, and I had to keep rotating them so they were iced cold. I still don't really like Water unless it is iced cold. I drink a lot of iced coffee and hot tea, as well as water mixed with flavor packets.
Don't worry in the first few weeks if you don't get 60+ g of Protein. Focus on the fluid first. That can get you messed up first, dehydration.
Several posters here have mentioned juices, but I wasn't allowed to have sugar, so I found sugar free juices (5 calories per 8 oz serving) that I really like.

I was lucky enough to like all the same Protein Drinks I liked ripe to sleeve surgery. Hot herbal tea was my friend. I only liked iced cold Water it tasted amazing but I did have to sip all day. Your stomach will be more and more open to receiving more and more liquids as it Heals. You got a new stomach so just have to train it. Have something with you to drink all day long and experiment with the options. I also loved diluted no sugar added apple juice. Believe it won’t just be dehydration the Constipation will drive you nuts.

Thanks so much Tilly!
I'm new to blogs so it's a confidence booster to be able to reach out and learn how to communicate with other patients. I'm not afraid of losing too much weight, but of the recovery time right after surgery and getting through the first month so any helpful hints you can give me about that would be appreciated. My date is May 18
Judy

Just want to thank you Guru . . .
I'm 5 weeks out from surgery (May 18) and struggling with fear, negative feedback from friends and general anxiety. I don't have as much weight to lose as some, but the VSG was recommended by my (Harvard trained) internist who has watched me struggle for many years now with one diet after another. At 78, carrying around 50 extra pounds and sometimes 25 more more is no joke and I would love to spend the last part of my life being able to move better and with less pain. Other than the weight, I've been blessed with great health although I'm 78, am still very active. Your post this morning helped me more than I can tell you and reinforces that I should not cancel the surgery out of fear that I will not be able to make it out of the "dark hole" that inevitably follows a major surgery. You are an inspiration!

I have noticed lots of people coming to the forums in distress because they regret having the surgery, I too was one of them. I wanted to share some of my own experience to reassure those going through regret that for some of us this is completely normal and part of the journey.
Its awful, you feel like crap and wonder what the hell you have done to yourself and for some we wonder if we will even survive this life changing decision we made. You may feel like you have ruined your life, you may feel like you will never eat or drink your favourite things again. You may think you will die of thirst or even starve to death, I am here to say you will get through it, you will feel better and you will eat/drink your favourite things again (even if you shouldn't 😉)
I had my final check in with my mental health care worker the other day and to hear her read back my "statement" and how I was thinking 7 months ago made me cringe, was that really me, was I really down that dark hole ? Yes I was but thankfully I am a long way from that place now.
What we go through is a number of things first and foremost grief, yes grief and you will go through all the stages, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance and for good measure throw some anxiety and remorse in there too. Then there is our hormones omg the hormones what a rollercoaster ride they send us on so hang on tight !! I remember a few bad moments, one that stands out is standing in the shower feeling incredibly weak from not eating or getting my fluids in screaming "why, why me why do I have to feel like this" (some of my friends had breezed through the surgery) lucky no one was home and I did feel a little better after.....so don't be afraid to cry, don't be afraid to shout and scream. Another outburst was at the family dinner table for fathers day screaming why did I do this ? why didn't anyone stop me? I told my team that they shouldn't have approved me and they hadn't screened me properly and they had failed me 😔.
I could tell of many more "moments" but I think you get the picture.
Some people especially those who have had an easy time after the surgery or haven't had the surgery wont understand why you feel like you do I mean you chose to do this right ? The hardest thing is even we don't understand why we feel the way we do, we wanted this, we paid the surgeon to have this done.
Yes its normal to go through a whole range of feelings and some are really bad but it gets better and easier everyday. It might start with 1 good day in a week then 2 until eventually good days out weight the bad you will feel like you are going 1 step forward and 2 steps back but you are still going forward. Be Kind to yourself let people around you look after you but also make an effort to look after yourself even though you don't feel like it. Soon you will get to a point where you no longer have that deep regret and you finally arrive at acceptance and from there you realise you wouldn't have lost the weight without surgery, your life is going to be fine, you can have that coffee and cake with friends , you can eat a meal with your family and your health has improved and you post your weirdest non scale related victory !!
You made it!!
You got through it !!!
There is no more regret !!!

Being able to reach the car gas tank release lever by simply bending at the waist instead of stepping out of the car to do this!
And one of the biggest…tucking in a shirt! I look great! I hadn’t done that in probably 15+ years…and my teen said my legs looked longer!!!

Reminds me of my 45 minute zoom video call for my nutritionist appointment. Was $400 for literally nothing... I already knew everything they said and i said nothing the entire time. they could have just made a video and put it on youtube.

I'm struggling with internalized fatphobia. I am getting much better as I've lost weight, actually. I was bullied growing up, and my grandmother, whom I loved more than anyone, would tell me I had "such a pretty face"... which we all know is code for you're fat.
I had a guy break up with me (after I had lost 100 lbs) because I wasn't his ideal body type. Now I'm terrified to even consider dating. (Although there are a lot of issues there...)
My family and friends have always been supportive, but my mom always has been a bit of a "concern troll." ("I'm scared for you!")

Being able to reach the car gas tank release lever by simply bending at the waist instead of stepping out of the car to do this!
And one of the biggest…tucking in a shirt! I look great! I hadn’t done that in probably 15+ years…and my teen said my legs looked longer!!!

I concur with @lizonaplane. You can eat out, if you do it smart.
1. If you know where you are going to be eating (i.e. a friend is having a birthday party at Restaurant X on Friday), then study the menu in advance. Find the right meal for you.
2. If you are just coming off surgery and don't have a ton of stomach space, order something ala carte. About a month after my surgery, my wife and I went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. I ordered a single scrambled egg and a small side dish of grits. Also, don't be afraid to order off the kids menu, especially if it is a restaurant that offers healthy kids options (like grilled chicken).
3. Always eat your Protein first, followed by veggies.
4. Again, lizonaplane is right: make the substitutions work for you. If they charge extra for it, Tim Ferriss says that you should consider those charges as your Six Pack Tax (the tax you willingly pay to develop a six pack).

So, I see a lot of people and nutritionists and surgeons saying you must cook all your food at home and restaurant meals are terrible etc. Well, sure, in an ideal world you would be a gourmet health cook and have an extra three hours a day for meal prep and exercise, but that's just not reality.
I travel 4-7 days a week for work, so I eat out almost every meal. I'm down 110 lbs total and 60 since surgery. Here are some suggestions for traveling/eating out:
1. Get a Protein Drink for Breakfast, like Core Power, which can be bought at drug stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, and even some airports. This gets you a good chunk of your Protein for not too many calories
2. Go to the grocery store when you can to buy things like deli meat, sugar free Greek yogurt, washed/chopped veggies and fruit, etc.
3. Watch those coffee drinks! I love me some Starbucks/Dunkin' but I limit it to just iced coffee with milk (2% if possible) and Splenda. No Syrup, whipped cream, sugar, etc. I actually find that coffee and hot tea help keep me full.
4. Protein first: I've heard from lots of bariatric people that even years after surgery, if they start with low fat protein, their restriction kicks in and they can't eat too much. I try to order a protein forward meal, like grilled fish or shrimp. Sometimes I eat other kinds of meat, but I find I can't eat as much and I am more likely to get hungry later
5. Fill up on veggies. I have been hungry since right after surgery, but even if you lost your hunger, it will come back. Then, eat veggies with your protein. The Fiber will keep you full. salad is hard for me, but I still eat it because it just tastes so darn good
6. Figure out what your go-to restaurant meals are. These are things that you can get easily, like at chain restaurants. I like Chipotle bowls (no rice, Beans, barbacoa, cheese, sour cream, and lettuce, with a bit of hot sauce), chili from just about anywhere, cheese burgers with no bun (I don't like the lettuce wraps; I just eat them with a fork and knife), etc. Ask for what you need. Want double veggies/no rice? Ask for it. You might get charged a dollar. If you feel like you will eat the carb if it's put on your plate, ask for them not to bring it. You're the customer. Be nice, but you're allowed to have the meal work for you. And tip well!
7. Don't try to be perfect. Just aim for doing a good job 80-90% of the time. I eat occasional sweets, but small amounts and not every day. The other day I ate a biscuit with JAM!!!

It takes a few weeks of continuous use to get addicted to pain killers. Most will only give you enough for 2-3 days. if you can do without, perfect. but everyone handles pain differently. I handle it poorly and i keep pain killers stocked up just incase. I rarely use them but its nice to know they are there if i need it.

So many great suggestions!
For the hospital, I absolutely agree with the very long phone charging cord, 10 feet is best. If you can get a folding squatty potty, that might help with Constipation. I also did not like feeling like a patient, so as soon as they let me get out of my gown 24 hours postop, I wore shorts and a T-shirt the rest of the hospital stay.

I agree with the timer, I use my cell phone timer. I also agree with the shakes. Have a few on hand, different brands, but do not stock pile.

After a few weeks, it has been so helpful to have small microwavable dishes when I pack my lunch. They are actually Glass containers with snap on lids, that are meant for homemade baby food. They are around 5 ounces each, and perfectly hold my lunch that I pre-portion each Sunday. Also go in microwave/dishwasher.
I like to feel that I am still fitting in, so I use a bread and butter plate at each meal, along with a smaller fork. I also use one of my regular kitchen glasses, and measured how high 8 ounces of liquid goes to.
Good luck!

I bought a ton of stuff, most of which I didn't use. I bought those little 2 oz disposable cups and didn't use a single one.
Here is what I found helpful:
1. Use a salad plate instead of a huge dinner plate
2. I have some small (like 1 cup) freezer/dishwasher/microwave safe containers for portioning food into - many people swear by Souper cubes, but those are really expensive and don't seem very flexible when you have just one or two servings of something to freeze.
3. I sometimes use the toddler silverware, but it doesn't matter much
4. I use a regular glass, but I found that keeping a bottle of Water with me on the couch right after surgery (right in my hand) really helped me drink more. I switched the bottles out every few hours so they would stay ice cold (some people prefer room temp liquids after surgery, but I needed iced cold)
5. Many people love sugar free ice pops, but it wasn't for me
6. Before you go in for surgery, clean your home, do your laundry and dishes, and get some Protein Drinks in the fridge. You won't be able to do these things easily for the first few days after surgery.
Best of luck!

4.5 months after my sleeve and I am officially overweight. It's the best thing I have ever done. I cannot believe the speed with which I have lost all that weight. I know that I want to lose another 40 pounds or so and I can only hope that I do, but honestly if I stopped losing weight in the morning I would be happy with what I have achieved right now. Best of luck to those of you starting out on your journey - it's a wild ride.

Congrats on being a loser! (That's weight loss humor ~ I have to type in now when it's a good natured joke on this forum now) 🤗

Another weird but awesome NSV. I don't focus so much on food anymore. Like I can concentrate on other things. I still get hungry and think about what I'm gonna eat but I don't plan my day around eating specific meals and of course not operating anymore I'm never lethargic. Have had time and clarity to focus on my passion projects without getting distracted by overeating.

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I went from 3X scrubs to SMALL! Yes, it still seems incredible. I look at other people who are wearing the same small scrubs as I am (they are all the same brand and style, as they come out of an automatic dispenser at work), and I still just can't envision myself as being as small as they are. But I am! It truly is a very odd mind game.
Just as odd is that when i was fat, I never thought of myself as being anything but a bit overweight - not morbidly obese. I look at old pictures now and just cringe with embarrassment that I would even go out in public. That was also a mind game. I see patients now who weigh what i used to weigh, with BMI's of 40+, and I still have a hard time believing I was actually that big, but I was. Denial is a very powerful defense mechanism that tries to protect our egos from reality, I suppose.

This has opened a whole pile of repressed memories and I am having trouble writing about it. This is my 3rd go at it. I have had a lot of therapy because of my mothers idea of fatness, whilst feeding me the most unhealthy food and telling me to empty my plate or I would get it every meal till it was finished. It happened. The day before she died of cancer, weighing about 50 pounds, she admitted that she had finally got to her perfect size !
I am the person who always tells friends and random strangers that their clothes, shoes, hair, and make up are fabulous . This is because of the nasty remarks people have said to me. A kind remark does wonders to some ones ego and I can not understand why a person would want to be so cruel and say something so negative. It has made people Anorexic or Bulimic or in some cases kill themselves. I would never want that on my conscience.

I can't tell you or count how many times I was told I was fat since I was about 10 and weighed 90 pounds. In highschool I was 160 and so many people gave me the "you have such a pretty face if only you'd lose weight" line. I had friends tell me when I gained weight. When I became a nurse I had coworkers say stuff about my weight. When my son was a baby he was delayed and we thought he might have autism. When he was 5 we took him for an evaluation, and the doctor mentioned our weight (my husband is 6'10 and a big guy), and she went on an on about it which had NOTHING to do with why we were there. I've had doctors mention my weight for completely unrelated medical conditions. I had family members mention it. I could go on and on and on. Customers when I worked in retail before I was a nurse. And yes, men mentioned it too. But my husband, when we met, said I guess you weigh around 220. Just so blunt, lol. And NOT in a critical way. Just a matter of fact thing and he was the only person I ever admitted what I weight to, because I knew he didn't care what I weighed. And he doesn't care and never has.
But my whole life, I thought none of my accomplishments mattered because I was fat. I did a lot of soul searching long before I had wls and eventually realized I was me no matter what the outside looked like and I liked who I was. I learned to accept myself, and I think that has made this process easier. I don't care what anyone thinks anymore. I wasted too much of my life letting others tell me I wasn't good enough because of my weight.
And it is NOT OK to mention people's appearance whether it's weight or anything else. Many people are just jerks!

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Fortunately, I haven’t ever been called fat as an adult. But the numerous times I was bullied throughout grades 5-12 made up for it.

I did get asked by a colleague once if I was pregnant (um…nope…) and people have made many positive comments since I lost weight. So, I know people were always looking and judging…just didn’t say it to my face.
Like Ms.sss wrote, people suck! It’s just made me all the more caring and empathetic to people who are obese or going through other tough situations.

Fortunately, I haven’t ever been called fat as an adult. But the numerous times I was bullied throughout grades 5-12 made up for it.

I did get asked by a colleague once if I was pregnant (um…nope…) and people have made many positive comments since I lost weight. So, I know people were always looking and judging…just didn’t say it to my face.
Like Ms.sss wrote, people suck! It’s just made me all the more caring and empathetic to people who are obese or going through other tough situations.

Fortunately, I haven’t ever been called fat as an adult. But the numerous times I was bullied throughout grades 5-12 made up for it.

I did get asked by a colleague once if I was pregnant (um…nope…) and people have made many positive comments since I lost weight. So, I know people were always looking and judging…just didn’t say it to my face.
Like Ms.sss wrote, people suck! It’s just made me all the more caring and empathetic to people who are obese or going through other tough situations.

Being able to reach the car gas tank release lever by simply bending at the waist instead of stepping out of the car to do this!
And one of the biggest…tucking in a shirt! I look great! I hadn’t done that in probably 15+ years…and my teen said my legs looked longer!!!

With the exception of the occasional stranger really leaning into their fat-shaming misogyny (getting "fat sl*t!" yelled at you from a passing car is always such a treat), the only adult who ever really badgered me about my weight was my mother. And it was relentless, especially when I was younger.
Other women and men though, less so, though there's always the non-verbal stuff like huffing when your seated next to them. And my personal favourite: men who completely ignore you in a conversation to focus on your thin friend.
Some people are just garbage, honestly. Rude, shallow jerks who feel entitled to your space. And taking their own unhappy lives out on others.