Tiffykins

I think a lot of people tend to minimize the trauma our bodies endure due to this surgery. This isn't like having your gallbladder removed, this isn't like a little nip tuck, this is a major organ being removed from our bodies. This going from eating 2000-3000 calories a day with tons of fat, carbs, protein, to a 1/3 of what our bodies are used to consuming. This is hormones shooting all over the place, this is our body recovering and healing, yet we all expect to drop 50lbs the first 2 weeks, and our bodies to not rebel. Pretty much our bodies are pissed off, and trying to figure out what the hell we have done to it, and why it hurts, why acid is overproducing, why we're only dumping liquids and Soups into it, why we're trying to be super woman/man during the first 6 weeks. Not to mention all of the stress we put on losing weight, and forgetting that we didn't get fat overnight. We didn't wake up one morning weighing our highest weight, we won't woke up a size 4 a month out from surgery. I've read plenty of stories of people stalling for weeks on end. When they really look at what they are eating, and their activity level, they either are too calorie deficient, or they are eating too much and aren't truly watching their intake. I never had a true stall meaning that I lost something every week. Grant it some weeks it was only 1 pound, but I never stalled because I just didn't stress about it. I had a 10 day stall close to goal, but I only had a few pounds to go. I didn't stress over it, I knew it wouldn't do any good to freak over it, and then I woke up one day and those pounds were gone. I know stalls are scary, but staying on course, and remaining positive are both more beneficial over stressing out, and being irrational about the numbers on the scale.

Here is a topic I posted months ago under the Food/Nutrition forum, and under the sub-forum for Protein drinks/shakes. It's an enormous list of protein recipes. http://verticalsleevetalk.com/protein-drinks-powders/6006-huge-list-protein-drink-recipes.html If you can not find something in there, then check the forum and see what is/has worked for others. I honestly never used them because they made me sick so I didn't even both with any of these recipes, but maybe you'll find one you like.

Can you use straws with your program? Some say "yes", some say "non". It might help you not drink big drinks. For me early out, it didn't feel good to drink out of a straw, but others had great success with a straw. I hope it gets better soon.

I didn't even worry about carb counts until mushy/puree/soft solids. We're consuming so little that really focusing on hydration, and some calorie consumption was my surgeon and nutritionist's primary concern.

Totally normal, and it only gets better. I have a really hard time lounging on the weekends now. I just want to go go go, and the husband is not happy about it since he's a homebody, and works all week.

Is it after any certain type of food you are eating? Are you eating yogurt? Do you take a probiotic? Is occurring after heavy consumption of full fat or heavy dairy laden foods? Are you having abdominal pain with it? Do you still have your gallbladder?

I've never personally eaten gnocchi so does it expand like other dough? I would use caution if it does. My first experience with doughy "stuffing" was brutally painful and I was several months out. If you can blend it, maybe that would make it better? Can you not have chili, or blended meats on your mushy stage? I would think those might be better options.

It doesn't even apply to the band. There are tons of band and RNY patients that drink soda, carbonated drinks without issue. I drink soda, rum/cokes when out with the girls, and have zero issues. It hasn't stretched my sleeve, and I've been drinking soda since I hit goal nearly 7 months ago. My stomach holds the same amount of food, and I was scoped at 8 months out, my sleeve is tight, slim, and perfect. Soda is a liquid just like Water, tea, coffee, it goes in, hits the pyloric valve and empties into the intestines. If all other liquids do this, why would soda sit in there and hang out? That's my surgeon's and many other surgeon's opinion. This subject is just about as controversial as the WLS patients should never eat rice or Pasta for the rest of their lives. Sodas are empty calories, it does leach the Calcium out of our bones, it's a lot of sodium if you drink too many, and it's not recommended for the weight loss phase. Moderation is key, I have a couple sodas a week. If I'm out at the bar, tying one on, I have umm several, and I think the rum is probably more detrimental than the stinkin' Coca Cola.

I have severe allergies, and deal with sinus issues. Early out when my stomach was still swollen, the only thing that helped was the children's Mucinex D meltaway medication. It's like little crystals you dump on your tongue and swallow. They taste good, and they work. It dried up all my sinus drainage, and didn't have any further problems. Further out sinus drainage wasn't such a big deal, but I do make sure to take probiotics when I'm having sinus stuff because I want to make sure my stomach bacteria stays healthy.

I'm not in the food industry, but I loved the hell out of food, and best thing is that I still love food. When cooking, I do find that I graze when I cook. It kind of screws up my dinner, but I'm at goal, and it's a little different than the losing phase. Once my physical hunger was completely gone, honestly, food became an afterthought, and well, it still is. I still forget to eat sometimes. Try finding another "habit" to replace your habit of grazing throughout the day, or while your surrounded by food. I still buy, bake, cook yummy goodness for my family, and have found that if I keep stuff in the house for me, and my nutritional needs, it makes staying out of the cookie jar a bit easier.

My program is no lifting 10-15lbs for the first 4-6 weeks. Hydration is the most important thing the first 2 weeks and my surgeon wasn't worried about my Protein intake during that time either. All the drinks, shakes, mixes made me hurl, have massive blow out diarrhea, or I couldn't stand the taste, texture, smell. He told me to focus on staying hydrated, and that protein could come in the full to mushy stage which was week 3 and 4 and beyond. If I was puking, or having massive diarrhea, it defeated the purpose of trying to get in protein. Soups were and still are favorite of mine. I eat soup weekly, and lived on soups for several weeks post-op. Luckily, my program is about moderation, not deprivation, and no food, or drinks are completely off limits for life.

Definitely not covered even by Tricare Standard. Sorry, but I've worked the system every which direction, I've never had any luck getting approval, here in the South, my 3 friends in the North all went to Walter Reed, and my 2 friends in Cali went to a naval hospital. I have some friends in Texas, but they have Prime and had it covered at a MTF. It's not an approved procedure, and won't be until Medicare picks it up.

I make mine with dry Fiesta ranch dressing mix and greek yogurt. I haven't had Zaxby's chicken salad, but for a change of taste you can try this recipe out, and see if it's too your liking. I found this on a Rachel Ray website forum via a quick google search: I've made a few of these recipes, some were yummy, some umm not so much. Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipes, Chicken Salad Sandwiches Recipes | ifood.tv Curry chicken salad is one of my nummy yummy favorites.

Email sent.

Whey Protein isolate is the preferred. On the main page of the forum, look at the food/nutrition section, there is a thread that has tons of links in one place for ordering samples. Here's the link actually: http://verticalsleevetalk.com/protein-drinks-powders/1325-places-get-liquid-protein-samples.html Also here's a link for protein recipes for the mixes if you get tired of the plain old flavors. http://verticalsleevetalk.com/protein-drinks-powders/6006-huge-list-protein-drink-recipes.html If you find you can't tolerate the whey Proteins, you can try soy based proteins. I developed lactose intolerance post-sleeve, and whey is a milk product. Shakes/drinks were a no go for me.

What are you eating? Are you getting in your Protein grams? You're probably tired because you're so calorie deficient. If you have access to a nutrtionist then get an appointment to get a solid meal plan established. Losing hair is normal. It'll grow back, but if you aren't feeding your body properly then the regrowth will take longer.

No, Judy Garland was straight, but she was an advocate for the gay community, and gay rights. Correct me if I'm wrong Will, but I'm pretty sure that's why she is considered a gay icon.

Yes, and yes. It does get better and better. With the more weight you lose, the more confident you feel, the more sensitive things become, and it really does just down right feel better. It's a nice change to be worn out from orgasms instead of the actual activity and energy expended on having sex. Did I mention all the fun, new, crazy positions that are possible? If not, sexinfo.com is a fabulous site that I started perusing and least to say, it's bookmarked ha ha ha. I'm in my early 30's, and my husband is 6 years my junior. I thought I'd be in "heaven", but the poor man can not keep up. My husband was deployed during my first 80lb drop. When our guys are deployed, we either go sexless or establish a solid relationship with our showerheads. Personally, I prefer to stay sexless, and just let it all build up for his homecoming. Least to say, when he returned (I was 80lbs lighter), we didn't want to leave the bedroom for days. I think it might be related to the major hormone flux due to the rapid weight loss and all that estrogen releasing from our fat cells. Least to say, now at goal, sex is purely phenomenal. I never had sex as a skinny person LOL, and that was a whole new world for me. If nothing else keeps me from getting fat again, knowing what I know now about skinny sex will keep me out of the cookie jar ! ! !

Chancie, for me it's mentally draining. My 3rd friend just had sleeve surgery yesterday with my surgeon because of her seeing me shrink away over the last year, and then seeing my full before/after pictures on Facebook. I still "think" fat sometimes. I've gotten critical of my body, I nitpick every little wrinkle, every little dimple, every little crease from excess skin, but I think I'm starting to grasp it mentally. I can't and won't ever look like a supermodel, and I need to let that go. I need to accept me for me just like I did when I was 270lbs. Mentally, this journey is more draining than any physical aspect. I know one day I'll accept myself, my creases, my baby fat roll on my tummy, for all the other stuff, there's always the fabulous Florida nip/tuck surgeons LOL. I had a NSV yesterday, and really appreciated it. Caysen (my son) had a friend come over for a few hours yesterday afternoon. This kiddo had no idea that I had surgery. He was looking around at our family pictures, and all of the pictures of me around the house are pre-op. He asked Caysen "who is this red-headed lady with you, is that your grandma?" Caysen just laughed and said "Naw that's my momma." The kiddo didn't believe him, and that's when I had to tell him that I had surgery. Oddly enough this kiddo's aunt (my friend) is the one that just had the sleeve done yesterday. He said " so my auntie is going to get skinny like you?" I told him, she'll lose weight, but more importantly she'll get healthy, and be able to be more active. The kiddo couldn't believe that was me and that I had a 12yr old son. He told me "you must have been really young when you had him because you can't be very old at all." Again, I just laughed and hugged him. "Out of the mouth of babes" it's the best compliment I've received in a very long time.

That's fabulous ! ! ! Now, when you start dreaming of insane sex positions that you never imagined achieving, you'll know that you've really "made" it. Ha ha ha