Tiffykins

As for regain, it can happen with any of the surgeries. Even the heavily touted DS can show some regain. It's more about being compliant, and changing your bad habits for good habits. With RNY or the sleeve, you can still suck down 3000 calorie milkshakes, you just have to choose to not do it. I'm a little over a year out, and I have amazing restriction. I'm never physically hungry, and I love it. A lot of people think that they will only eat 2-3oz of food for the rest of their lives early post-op. But, I can honestly tell you that I can eat twice as much now at a year out than I could at 2-3 months post op. The stomach relaxes, becomes accustomed to food going in there, and the swelling subsides over time. I can eat the same amount today that I've been able to eat for the last few months. My surgeon just scoped me in February while I had my gallbladder out, and says my sleeve looks fabulous, not dilated, not stretched, no sign of ulcers, and that I'm pretty much at maximum capacity food wise. I can only eat 3-5oz of dense Protein and 6-8ounces of mushy consistency stuff. I'm able to get in 1500-1800 calories with an average of 100gr of protein per day without issue with about 6 meals. I'm in maintenance mode at this point, and not trying to lose anymore. In the losing phase, it's completely different. I still want to eat, I still crave certain foods. I believe even naturally skinny people have cravings and it's natural. It's the choices you make when you have those cravings that will determine your success. If I want Mexican food, I eat it. If I want Thai food, I eat it. I try to make the best choice, eat protein first, and always feel satisfied. The pain with the sleeve actually less than what I experienced with the band. The only part that was truly painful is where they removed the port. That boogar hurt for several weeks. I had a large amount of scar tissue, and adhesions in that area that had to be removed. It was definitely painful, and sore for a few weeks in that general area. But, other than that, the actual pain from VSG was minimal. I rarely ever check a post again unless someone tells me that they asked another questions. If you ever have any urgent questions, please feel free to message me directly on here. I would get that message faster than having to dig through posts.

My period was super crazy the first few months. The husband was deployed so bc was not a concern. Once he got home, we went to using condoms again because I just didn't trust hormonal bc to protect me. My surgeon advised even if I did decide to use bc pills, Patches, nuvaring, to use a backup method during the rapid weight loss phase. My periods have finally stabilized and I have short, light little cycle every month. It rarely lasts more than 3.5 to 4 days. I get horrible, raging, mean-spirited PMS now, but the husband and son suffer through that more than do. My RNY girlfriend got pregnant on bc pills 6 month post-op, delivered a healthy baby, one of my VSG acquaintances down here is currently in her 2nd trimester after using her normal bc pills regularly since surgery. I think she is about 7 months out. We don't talk often, but last time we checked in with each other she was doing okay. Gaining weight, and having difficulty with the mental aspect of gaining, but the baby and her are medically and physically thriving. I'm not saying not to trust your bc, but I've seen it several times on the boards happen to women on hormonal bc.

I'm sorry you're discouraged Anna. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can see the scale move soon.

I'm so happy for you Dee, and you know my prayers and thoughts are with you. We're going to be getting set up to see the fertility docs if we are not successful by September/October. Best wishes, and keep us posted.

It took a long time for my head to catch up to my body. I no longer really see the fat chick. Sometimes, I have to do a double take if I'm walking by a window in a shopping plaza, or by a mirror because it's kind of still weird seeing myself so small. But, I have let go of the fat girl for the most part, and tried to move forward, accept my new body, and be grateful to be on the other side. It's a taken several months, and a huge change in clothing sizes, but it's all coming together. Sometimes, I still reach for a large top, or size 8 bottoms, it's habit because I'm still kind of scared that I'm not going to fit into something. I'm wearing a size 3/4 to a 5/6 in pants, and a small sometimes medium on tops. I'm still shocked when I try stuff on, and it swallows me. I have to go get the next smaller size, and sometimes I'm still amazed that I'm able to wear things comfortably.

I'm so sorry to hear of your band issues. I revised as well after only 8 months with my band. The sleeve really is like night and day. I've posted a lot of information in the Band to Sleeve revision forum that you can find on here. Life with the sleeve is effortless. If you didn't have the typical band issues of puking, sliming, food getting stuck, food restrictions, then the sleeve will be extremely familiar. It works like a band is supposed to without all the issues. Best wishes and keep us posted on your progress.

YAY YAY fabulous job ! ! !

You look amazing! ! ! Truly inspirational, and congrats on your results thus far.

I have been really absent as of late on the blogging. I feel like I'm just kind of living now, and sometimes don't even realize I have the sleeve anymore. Eating small portions, drinking fluids, having a snack here and there is all so "normal". I guess that's what I can call it because it's just the same thing day in and day out. I don't really have a lot to report on the sleeve journey. In other news, we are still trying to conceive. I will start the ovulation monitor thing again because my charting was off. This fertility crap is confusing. I remember when I was paranoid about getting pregnant, and avoiding it all costs. Now, that I actually want it, it's not happening. But, such is life, and I'm trying to be patient. It just isn't working out so well. John was promoted to his next rank. It's a big jump in pay, and we won't see it until next year because of how the AF promotes people, but hey we'll at least get it. Plus, this opens many, many doors for him in his career. We're both ecstatic to see what the future holds. I'm also considering going to school. The military will actually pay for me to get an associates or a certification in portal, high demand career. I've been looking at pharmacy tech, or radiology tech. I'm not a fan of school, and have zero desire to go 4 years to get a BA/BS when I know so many people with degrees that are working outside of their field due to the craptastic economy. At least with pharmacy or radiology tech, I will be able to find a job fairly easily as I've been researching different options, in different areas of the country. I have to think "future" because we never know where the AF will send us. Honestly, it's just a crapshoot away for us to end up in Minot, ND, and I pray daily that we do not get sent there. I just have to be prepared and know that I have to choose a career path that will benefit us now, and in future. John will retire at the age of 38-40 from the AF. We've talked about what the future will hold. I want him to take off a couple of years, and finish out his Masters degree. He can play Mister Mom while I go back to work. I could do insurance, or something else based on the certification I get. With his retirement pay, and me working full time, we would be sitting pretty. I'll be in my mid-40s when he retires, and could easily support our family. Caysen will be in college or out on his own by this time, and God-willing, we'll have at least one more baby in the house. Can you tell I'm a planner? I know that one of my "faults" is over-analyzing or trying to plan too much. With the military, the best laid plans will be ripped right out from under your feet, and you have to start all over. I've learned this in the last 4 years, but it doesn't keep me from being somewhat prepared. I am working on getting a blog set up on blogspot.com and I'll share the link when it's ready and I start blogging over there. It's not going to be about just the sleeve. It'll be my recipes that I tweak, life happenings, and some of writings/poetry tossed in there for good measure. Life is good. At a year out, I can honestly say a lot has changed. But, thus far, it's all changed for the better.

That article rocks my socks, thanks for sharing ! ! !

There's several Mexico surgeons that do not require a high BMI. Search the boards, find a reputable, qualified, and experienced surgeon that will provide the level of care that you are comfortable with. There's several fabulous surgeons in Mexico, there's also some not so great ones. You can read around the boards, and then contact each one's coordinator for rates, dates, and more specifics on your needs. The band sucks. Bottomline, it really does. The stats that are rolling out are mind boggling, and seriously, it just sucks in so many ways. I have no qualms sharing my opinion on the band. If you're going to be self-pay, think twice, cut once. 1 in 4 band patients will have another surgery within the first 3 years based on studies out from the manufacturer of the band. Best wishes in your research.

I've switched over to blogspot.com It's not going to be focused completely on VSG, or my WL journey. It's life, and I believe I'm more than just a WLS patient. If you care to follow me, feel free to do so and comment if you can. Thanks ! ! ! http://unraveledapronstringsinmypinkstiletto.blogspot.com/

Awww Kathy, I'm glad you can relate to my writings. I'm still setting up my blogspot.com blog, and when I do, I won't blog here anymore. So, I'll share my blog web address for people to follow my life over there.

I blended chili, and beef veggie soups. I didn't eat any of the noodles, and pulled them out before blending. I also added cheese to most of the chilis I ate.

Just to give an idea of cc's vs. ounces, and from someone that is a year out. I think a lot of people forget that each patient's anatomy will also play into our final sleeve capacity. I know I can eat more than some that have a 36 and even 38 size bougies. That doesn't mean anything is wrong with mine or the other people's sleeves, it's just how our bodies are made, and how we eat also contributes to how much we can fit in there. I can drink with my meals. Obviously, I'm going to be able to eat more than someone that doesn't sip with their meals. I don't do it often, but I can/do on occasion. 30cc/ml = 1 ounce I can consume 6-8ounces of mushy, slider foods easily which equals 180-240cc/ml. It takes me on average 30-40 minutes to eat that much, but I can eat that much. I can eat 3-5oz of dense Protein which equals 90-150cc/ml. It takes me about 30-40 minutes to eat that amount of solid meat. If I eat 3oz of meat, I can get in 2oz of veggies, maybe 3oz if I eat a bit slower. My surgeon used a 32fr bougie as his guide. I lost additional stomach tissue at the top of my stomach due to the damage that the band did. I still never experience true physical hunger. I can consume plenty of foods by eating 6 "meals" per day. I average 1500-1800 calories a day. If I splurge and snack on junky foods, I obviously get in more calories. All the high calorie/slider foods fit in the sleeve super easily. All that means is that I truly have to make the best choice especially now that I'm further out. My surgeon believes that my sleeve is at maximum capacity at this point. It's worked out perfectly for me. I never experienced nausea unless I was on other medications. I just thought I'd throw out some numbers for comparison, and let everyone know that at a year out it's a lot easier to eat a few more ounces than what we can at 2-3 months. Cindy, you'll do wonderfully, stay positive, and lean on us. We're all here for you ! ! !

You're going to do absolutely wonderful Mary. Last minute jitters, and a little anxiety is to be expected. You know my motto, "nothing is better than a IV valium cocktail right before they wheel me back". Cheers to you, and best wishes on a smooth and uneventful surgery and recovery.

Soy Protein, and egg Proteins are typically lactose free. I couldn't tolerate milk, or whey protein, but had zero issue with cheese or yogurts. My surgeon's rule on medications postop is as long as the pill is no bigger than a regular M&M and is NOT extended release then it's okay to swallow.

There are no medication restrictions with the VSG. We have a normal functioning stomach, it's just smaller. There is no pouch, or stoma for NSAIDs to get stuck in and cause an ulcer. Some doctors still say no no to NSAIDS. But, all of the pioneers in the procedure say that NSAIDs are fine. I take Aleve on a regular basis, and have taken 800mg Ibuprofen without issue.

I'm an avid coupon clipper, and today I ran across a $4.00 off Prevacid coupon. I will never use it, but thought a fellow sleevester who buys their PPI otc could use it. If you want it, shoot me a message with your address, and I'll mail it out to you. I get my Prilosec for free on base so there is no need for me to hang onto this coupon.

I have a girlfriend that swears by them. She's been wearing them for 3 months, and I admit, her hiney is looking pretty nice. She's pregnant and can't work out excessively, but she wanted to walk as much as she could. She also said it helped with the appearance of her cellulite. Now, I haven't seen her butt, or upper thighs, but she swears by them. I'm getting a pair next month when they are going on sale at our military mall. I'm going to get the cute white pair. I saw my friend's and they really don't look that hideous when wearing straight leg jeans.

Try making your meat in the crock pot. Toss a chicken breast in there with a can of 98% fat free cream of mushroom/celery/or chicken soup, turn it on high for 2 hours, check it and see if the chicken shreds easily. You can also do this with chicken thighs as they seem to work a little better for some. You can also toss a chicken breast/thighs, or some stew meat in the crock pot with some Water, tomato sauce, onion and garlic powder (a few shakes to your preference), and a couple shakes of celery salt, black pepper to taste, and it's a meat stew. This way the meat is super tender, and goes down super easy. Cook the stewy meats on low for 3-4 hours depending on how much you put in there. All of these things can be frozen into individual portions, and then thawed for later meals. Just some ideas on how to get meats to work a little easier and get you more protein in. French onion soup is great, except for the sodium content, just tank up on water before and after. I love french onion soup, and when we go to a sandwich shop, I eat french onion dip sandwiches. It's just roast beef with a frenchy onion dipping au jus. I didn't eat rice for several months post op. Now, it's a slider for me. If you try it, I would over cook it, to where it's practically mush before you even chew it. Rice is kind of tough to chew up well enough. If you go to place that has chili on the soup menu, try it, have them add some cheese. I swear I lived on chili, chicken/tuna/egg salad for a long time. Refried Beans are yummy too. I know one of the first meals I ate out was Chili's nachos. I scraped all the beans and cheese off, mixed the sour cream and guacamole with it, and just skipped the chips. The other "good ole standby" when I ate out was pot stickers. TGI Friday's have them on their appetizer menus. I would just eat the inside stuff, and I could only eat the insides of 2-3 depending on size. Chili's has a yummy pulled pork taco. I don't eat a lot of pork, but I'll make an exception for those little boogars. I only eat the fillings, and a tiny portion of tortilla now, but I always ask for extra sauce, and dip the meat in it. I'm sorry for the ramble, I'm just trying to give you some ideas of what worked for me. I went out to eat 2-3 times a week between lunches with my girlfriends and outings with my husband and son. So, I had to get pretty creative when it came to meals. Anything grilled, like chicken, or burgers, I always, always ask for extra sauce. In my opinion, restaurants always over grill my chicken, and it's dry. I hate dry meat, and only eat beef that is cooked medium sometimes medium well.

I promise the only time I've eaten a 2.5-3 hour meal is because that is how it was served during a special dinner. I really couldn't ask them to bring all my of 4 courses out at the same time so I could eat in the recommended 20-30 minutes out of the 45-50 people in attendance of the special dinner we attended. It's not an occurrence that I've seen come up often with people struggling to get in a couple of ounces. I ate a huge amount of food that night in comparison to what I could eat in 20-30 minutes. It wasn't my choice to eat this way. So, while some may call it grazing, or snacking, it was a special occasion with extenuating circumstances that were out of my control. I don't do that on a regular basis with eating even at a maintenance stage.

Hang in there. I did low carb and lost a few pounds. I also commend everyone that does a liquid diet pre-op. I didn't have to even with a BMI of 49, and my liver was perfect for both surgeries. I'm sorry you're struggling. Can you drink the Protein stuff? I know that I couldn't do that many weeks with a normal stomach on liquids. With the sleeve, it was easy, but my normal tummy, NO WAY JOSE ! ! ! I can't imagine cottage cheese, or even some greek yogurt throwing you off course too much. I hope they don't give you grief at your weigh in. Could you possibly switch surgeons?

A huge reason I had surgery was so I could control my portions and eating. I set a schedule, had a reminder on my phone and I only ate when it went off. I planned my food out a day in advance, and stuck to it. This was the easiest way for me to stop snacking/grazing, and hitting the cookie jar. Replace the bad habit with good ones. It's tough, and it's never going to be easy, but it is possible. I agree that a support group, or meeting with a counselor that specializes in food issues to help you find another coping mechanism that you can find comfort in that is equally rewarding, and fulfilling. You may have to really limit your intake of those comfort foods that are your triggers. Stop buying them, make a list and stick to it, you have to change several aspects of your life, it's way more than just our eating habits. Google the 5 day pouch test, and that will help get the carb monster under control. Your brain is craving foods because it gives you a sense of comfort, and happiness. But, your body is craving these foods also because it's what it is used to being fed. If you have to, get rid of the junk in your house, don't carry cash so you don't hit the snack machine, these are all things I did with my band. I had head hunger beat by the time I got the sleeve, but it took a lot for me to beat it with the band. I know that it's tough, but every time you put empty calories in your mouth, you're setting another road block in your path to success. Post a before picture on your fridge and pantry door, every time you want to eat something look at that picture, and remember that you're 90lbs smaller, and if you open the fridge, reach into the pantry for crappy food, you're going to look like that before picture much sooner than later. I have one posted on the side of my fridge to remind me of where I came from, and where I refuse to be again.