Tiffykins

It makes perfect sense. And, I am the same way about not eating. I can go an entire day without food and never feel hungry. I get cranky and moody, but not hungry. It's taken a lot of work for me to "let go", and really focus on "best food options", and to live a life of moderation. Best wishes, and when you need support, shoulder to lean on, we're here for ya too ! ! !

Technically, no. But, you could always call your doc and ask. I think the anti-coagulant effect of alcohol is a big concern as well since they'll be loading you up with heparin or lovenox to prevent DVT, and other clots.

As long as it's B12 sublingual, and you're taking around 200mg or 2000mcg a few times a week, you should be fine. I personally use the brand at WalMart it's 2500mcg and only take it 3-4 times a week because my b12 levels were double the high normal levels at 18 months post-vsg. The main issue with gummies is the lack of Iron. We just can not consume a lot of iron rich food early out. I can eat more spinach and meat now than I could at 2-6 months out, but I am not willing to risk getting low in iron, and separate iron pills absolutely SUCK, and I refuse to let my regimen go so badly that I would need iron infusions. GNC Solotron chewable with bioavailable iron is what I used for almost 2 years until I just recently switched over to Celebrate because between their multi and their Calcium citrate, I only need 4 vitamins for an entire day. So, that's a huge bonus for me, and they all taste great in my opinion.

I've been in maintenance for close to a year so NSVs are a little hard to come by ! ! ! But, today I pulled out some springy shirts from last season to rotate back into my wardrobe now that winter is heading out and the weather is gorgeous here in Florida. I was hesitant to put them on because I remember last year, they were a little snug around my waist and belly area. NOT TODAY, the one I tried on is actually a little big on me around the lower belly/hip area, and is definitely big around the upper arm area ! ! ! I'm so stoked because even though I weigh the same this means only one thing; MORE INCHES ARE GONE, and my skin is rebounding, and tightening up ! ! ! Now that's a victory that I'll Celebrate proudly. I'm almost 21 months out, and honestly NSVs are a rarity in my little world. My husband actually has a "down day", the kiddo is home from school, and we're heading to the zoo for a family day. It's a 50 acre zoo and when I told my husband how big it is, he said "WHAT, 50 acres? ? ?" I replied "damn skippy, and we're walking as much of it as we can get to" (some of it is only accessible by the little train ride) Which will be another victory because the last time I went to the zoo, I had to sit in a seat my myself because I was so huge ! ! ! I really love my sleeve, my life post-op, my life in maintenance ! ! ! Best decision I could have ever made ! ! !

Here is a really great site for vitamin/nutritional needs after bariatric surgery. Most gummies do not have adequate amounts of Vitamin A, E, D, K much less amounts of B, B6, B complex, you also need a sublingual b12 if you aren't on that one. Most gummies do not contain any Iron. This is a huge document, but it has amazing information in it. Page 7 outlines what is needed. Since we do not malabsorb, it is recommended that we take a high quality, adult, good potency adult vitamin. We need 100% of the recommended daily value just like band patients (AGB) in addition to the sublingual B12. http://www.asmbs.org/Newsite07/resources/bgs_final.pdf Page 8, last 2 paragraphs and beyond explain why even with a restrictive only procedure why we need a good quality mulit-vitamin.

I would be lost as well. Because not counting calories, carbs, intake in general got me fat, and kept me fat. I didn't want to be in diet mode forever either, and now that I'm in maintenance I do not track food anymore. I'm not sure how I would have managed through the losing stage without tracking. Especially if you're already counting in your head, and tracking mentally, it seems that you're going to be obsessive about it even if you aren't technically "logging your calories". I became obsessive about tracking, I input every lick, swipe, swallow, it didn't matter how little, 1oz of fruit juice got logged, and I adjusted my day to accommodate those calories.

I can eat 1 taco from Taco Bell, but I still have to pull off the rounded part of the tortilla. If I tried to put in more than that, I'd be burping up food. I have noticed at 20 months out that if I eat meat and say bread or a tortilla together, I can fit more in. I usually take 2 bites with the tortilla, then dump the cheese/lettuce/meat out eat that, then maybe a couple more bites of tortilla. I can only eat 1/2 of a bean burrito with sour cream and I pull all the folded tortilla away and can not eat that much tortilla. The Taco Supreme is just a regular taco with sour cream, right? There isn't extra meat or cheese. The sour cream is what makes it "supreme".

No more guilt or feelings of taking the easy way than when I get in my car to drive to WalMart. No more guilt when I use a hand truck to move a heavy piece of furniture, or when I pay/tip the baggers at the commissary for bagging and hauling my groceries to my vehicle. I never considered this easy. I fought for every pound I lost. I had my own set of struggles, and while I lost fast, hard, and fairly "easily". Losing isn't the difficult part, keeping it off, changing our habits, and really thinking about what we put in our mouths every day is the hard part. I tried the "old fashioned" way too many times to count, and I failed miserably each time. I realized that I needed assistance, a permanent tool to help me. I do think that maintenance is pretty effortless as well because I have addressed my own set of food issues, and I know my triggers. Self-awareness was and always will be my key to long-term success. I could easily gain weight at this point. I promise it's not difficult to gain a few pounds here and there. Becoming complacent is a dangerous and slippery slope. I know that I could suck down a 2000 calorie milkshake every day of my life without consequence except I'd get fat again. The big change for me is the "want" has pretty much diminished for junk options. I indulge, I drink, I have soda, I don't beat myself up over half a Snickers, but I also know that behavioral patterns, and continual "not so great" choices can undo all my hard work.

I'll be 2 years out in June. Maintenance is pretty effortless. I have zero food issues, and live a very normal, active life. If you have specific questions or concerns, please ask. I'm always open to share.

I would say about 75-80% of WLS patients experience change in tastes. If you've been low carbing it, especially through the liquid phase, ketosis is typically the culprit. You might also experience a metallic/copper taste in your mouth along with a "fuzziness" that you can't brush/floss away. Ketosis also causes funky body odor, and breath. Tongue scraper was the best thing for me to use during that stage. It took about 4-5 months for my tastes to return to normal. It changed back when I started adding in a few more carbs here and there to get my weight loss to slow down. It's pretty common for sweet things to become totally disgusting, and you may experience a heightened sense of smell as well.

Your full signal might not be working right now, your nerves have been severed, stapled off and have been traumatized so you aren't really going to "feel full". Liquids in, liquids out kind of apply even on mushy food if you're one of the lucky ones that don't have a lot of residual swelling. Once you get to more solid foods, and your body heals, you will notice more restriction. Measuring portions will become a necessary evil, but it'll help you gauge your portions, and your satiety. I always lived by the "just because I can, doesn't mean I should". If my plan said 1/2 of _____, I stuck to 1/2 cup. If it said, 1/4 cup of __________, I stuck to 1/4 cup. Not because that's what my stomach would hold, not because it I could fit more in, because that was the prescribed portion in my guideline. There might be times when you take that one last bite, and that's a miserable feeling. It's better to just avoid it in my opinion.

This is the easiest way to explain it: Multis with Iron can not be taken within 2 hours of a calcium citrate because iron impedes the absorption of calcium If your multi does not have iron, and you supplement with a different iron pill, do not take the iron within 2 hours of the calcium. B12 sublingual is under your tongue and can be taken anytime during the day. I prefer to do it in the morning. My regimen is quite simple: Morning- 1 calcium citrate chewable 500mg lunch time (2-4 hours later) another calcium 500mg Late afternoon (typically a couple of hours before dinner) One multi with iron After dinner - another multi My multi has iron so I break it up that way to ensure that there is zero conflict. I don't have to take anything additional to my multi, calcium and I only do the sublingual b12 3-4 times a week. I chose this regimen because it cut down on the number of pills/chewables I was having to take every day. With other calcium supplements, I was having to take 6 calcium pills a day(2 every 2-3 hours) plus 2 multis, and that's just too much for my lifestyle and I wasn't taking them so I had to find a regimen that would work for my lifestyle and Vitamin needs.

I drink pretty socially now. Didn't through my losing stage. It's wasted calories, and I wasn't going to deal with drinking over eating food to take a hit on the calories. If I wanted to drink, I wasn't willing to do the crystal light and vodka b.s. either, give me the fully fueled stuff or stick it. I was over 6 months out, but was released for alcohol around 3.5 months out. First time I drank, 1 glass of wine hit me hard and fast. Face numb, lips tingling, slurred speech it was a fabulous, however very short-lived drunken moment. I was sobered up within about 20-30 minutes. Had 2 more glasses of wine over a 3 hour period and was nicely buzzed. My tolerance is just the same as it was pre-op. I drink mixed drinks with soda, wine, shots, the only thing I don't drink is beer because I'm not a fan of the flavor. In my group of friends, I am that "afternoon cocktail" girl. A bellini here, a mojito there, a strawberry margarita here and there. It's what I do. I tie one on once or twice a month, and it's never negatively effected my loss. I do bloat up if I drink salty margaritas and mojitos, but a couple glasses of Water in the morning resolves the issue. Good news is that no matter how much I drink, or how drunk I get, I never hangovers anymore. I do drink with my meals especially if it's a glass of wine, and it's a way to cheat the sleeve. Alcohol relaxes the stomach muscle, and it allows for more food intake. I actually just sip the wine or rum/coke through a meal, and it doesn't hurt, or anything along those lines. All it does is soften the food, making it leave the stomach faster. So, it is 100% possible to sip through a meal. I do regularly now. There is a big difference between sipping through a meal, and taking big drinks through a meal. Also, I've never had to follow the "stop drinking XX minutes before eating" with the sleeve. We don't have a pouch, liquids go in, they go out. With pouches, Fluid hangs out and kind of has to leak out the stoma. We have a pyloric valve and liquids do not stay in the stomach thus NOT taking room that is valuable for food. I do try to follow the "not drinking for 30 minutes after eating" rule, but being below goal, in maintenance for almost a year, you kind of find things that work your body specifically. Personally, I sometimes just need a little liquid to wet my whistle during a meal especially Thai or Spicy Mexican food. So, those little sips aren't going to make me gain 140lbs back. I can't eat more than maybe 1-2 more ounces of food than if I don't sip during my meal. Plus, it hasn't changed my sleeve capacity, just like drinking soda for the last year hasn't changed my sleeve capacity regardless of what any surgeon says. Not one surgeon has been able to produce any studies showing any scientific evidence that soda will cause sleeve or even pouch stretching.

My family celebrates, mourns, cheers, gathers with food. It's just what we do, did. You can reassure him that after a couple of months, you'll still be able to eat out, enjoying the experience and each other's company is so much more pleasurable than shoveling hoards of food into your bodies. I promise the connection will remain if it's on a foundation of more than food. When you really evaluate your relationship, is it truly about the food, or about the experience? For me, it's about the experience, and food is now secondary. I have social activities that also revolve around food. I'm talking 4-5 times a month I attend a function/game night/something and all of us bring yummy goodness for all of us to share. You know what I found? I realized that I could have a little bit of everything, sit around chatting, laughing, playing games (bunco and pokeno are my 2 regular monthly game nights with the girls), sipping wine, and I enjoy the experience of fellowship, friendship 100 times that of the food experience. Many spouses are scared of change, and worried their little lives will be negatively effected by our choice to have WLS. For my husband, he realized I was doing it with or without his support, and he would have to accept the changes. I did however, make the transition very smooth for everyone involved. I didn't change what I prepared for dinner with the exception of we rarely eat processed food. I tweaked some recipes to make them healthier, and all of those changes were not only welcomed, but my husband and son both fell in love with my cooking adventures. Heck, my husband didn't realize for close to year that I was adding ground flax seed to his muffins and baked goods. But, his cholesterol improved and he loved the way things tasted. Overall, it is a big change for everyone. But, at the end of the day, it's your future health. If he wants you to be around for many years, if he wants you to not be taking fistfuls of pills to combat the disease/conditions that are related to obesity, if he doesn't want your future health to deplorable, if he wants to enjoy your "golden years" with you not in a wheelchair, or motorized scooter, he might want to consider what all you both will gain when you lose your excess weight.

As long as your multi doesn't have Iron, you can take it with your calcium. If it has iron then YES, it must be taken 2 hours before or after your multi. If you're taking additional iron then take that at least 2 hours from your calcium. I'm not sure which Celebrate you are on, but I use the MultiComplete (has iron)chewable taken 2 chewables per day, and the calcium citrate 500 Plus. I take 1 calcium in the morning then another chewable calcium around lunch time, then I take my 2 chewables at night, one late afternoon and one a couple of hours after dinner. I only take a sublingual b12 3-4 days a week now. Are you deficient in certain Vitamins and that's why he has you on this regimen? That is a bit a crazy regimen just from what I've read that is recommended by the ASMBS for sleeve patients. That sounds like a lot for someone that doesn't have malabsorptive procedure, and while I am not discrediting your doctor, I think you might want to discuss that this is NOT working for you and your lifestyle. That does sound like way too much to manage. Has he pulled labs to even see where your levels are at, and has he given you a reason as to why you need to be on all of those? Omega 3s are great for many different things, and the Probiotics will help with bowel issues while going through the post-op diet and once you progress onto regular foods.

The part of the stomach that is removed is responsible for the intrinsic factor which makes B12 absorbable by the intestines. Unfortunately, if we chew up/swallow the B12, it's not going to get absorbed properly. We might get some of it, but not all of it. I take 2500mcg of sublingual b12 3-4 times a week. My levels were double the High normal when I was having one every day, so I dropped down to 3-4 per week and now my levels are in the mid high normal range. I never take both at the same time. I take my calcium in the am, and then one around late morning (2-5 hours later), and then I take one multi in the late afternoon and another after dinner. We can't take the multi within 2 hours of taking the calcium because Iron impedes the absorption of calcium citrate. The directions on the bottle recommend to take them separately.

The pepcid is only going to treat the symptoms of reflux because it works differently than a PPI such as Nexium, Prilosec, Protonix. It's an H2blocker so it doesn't stop the acid production. You might want to talk to your doctor about taking a true PPI so you can get resolution. I never dealt with true reflux because I caught it soon enough by going on Prilosec 20mg once daily.

Okay, so I had my gallbladder removed in February 2010 (8 months post VSG). For about 4-5 months post GB removal, I had some food intolerances, and had to switch to fat free or low fat foods, sauces, dressings etc etc etc. As the months progressed, I could incorporate more of my normal foods back into my diet. I even had to cut out tomato based products like Pasta sauce, ketchup, chili etc etc. For the last 7-10 days, I've been having that strange radiating pain in my shoulder again, and none of the normal pain reducers are helping it. It doesn't even matter what I eat, how much I eat, even drinking my coffee and/or tea, I get the pains. Today, I started having pain in the upper right quadrant of my abdomen. From all my research, I realize it could be a blocked duct in my liver. I'm not having any fever, vomiting, or nausea, but I have all the other symptoms. My stomach has been rumbling, and essentially hurting with everything I eat and drink. Believe me, I am not scared of another surgery, nor am I too concerned that it won't be resolved or ongoing. I'm wondering if anyone experienced this with their gb removal regardless if it was done pre or post weight loss surgery. I'm not miserable, but it is keeping me from sleeping comfortably, and obviously it's affecting my eating. I've dropped 3lbs in 2 days even though I'm eating, I'm trying to eat softer foods to prevent my stomach from hurting. I am going to either go to my PCM or surgeon tomorrow. Whichever can get me in quicker. Thanks for any input.

I was warned to stay away from stimulant laxatives and to only use stool softeners. Miralax was recommended OTC and docusate sodium was prescribed to me upon discharge.

I completely forgot to update this topic after the visit to my surgeon. He took me off the Carafate because it was actually filling up my sleeve and making it more difficult for me to eat. I was really concerned that I had developed an ulcer. But, come to find out that if you have an ulcer, usually eating makes the pain stop, and my pain was only when I ate. The pain subsided, and has stayed at bay. We discussed my eat habits, what I was eating, how the pain felt etc etc. He palpated my abdomen, reviewed my labs, and his conclusion is this : I took such great care of my sleeve, and still do not eat until being stuffed/full, that my capacity and restriction are still amazing thus causing discomfort when I eat within 2-3 hours of eating Protein first. It's all about transit time for dense protein. When we really evaluated when I was hurting, the type of pain, and the irregular bowel movements, he concluded that my stomach isn't emptying dense protein as fast as slider foods and in my attempts to eat my required calorie/protein numbers, I'm putting more food on top of food. The key to this discovery is the fact that after I ate, I would eat again 2-4 hours later, and I would burp up whatever I ate during the prior meal. TOTALLY GROSS. For example, I will eat 3-4oz of chicken, a few bites of veggies, and be done go about my day. Sit down for my next meal, eat 3-5oz of say some ground turkey or beef, and up would come a chewy, partially digested piece of chicken. This happened regardless of how well I chewed up the meal before, how fast I ate, or if I started drinking after, or if I sipped during my meal. There really is no rhyme or reason behind it other than I have to stretch my meals out further, or eat a few bites of starches to help food go through a little faster. If I eat a few bites of mashed potatoes, or a half slice of bread, this burping up food and discomfort did not occur. He recommended that I pick up a digestive enzyme which I have yet to even bother with because stretching my meals out further, and drinking a bunch of clear fluids after ( starting about 45 minutesafter ) my meals seem to be helping. If the pain/discomfort returns, he wants me to go to Bentyl which apparently helps with transit time, and is used to treat IBS. Y'all know me and taking extra pills is something I avoid. Plus, if I can find resolution naturally without meds, I feel better about it. Lessons I learned from all of this: Taking care of my sleeve has paid off because I still have amazing restriction. (Soda hasn't changed a damn thing with my sleeve LOL) Being mindful of how my body reacts to food is essential in remedying any issues If it doesn't feel right, get to your medical professionals so they can evaluate, diagnose and treat the issue Thanks everyone for your support, and good thoughts ! ! ! Sorry I was so late in my update.

Bread is definitely a slider and uber filling for me, and your body might not be ready for meats thus the noises and discomfort.

The only thing I see that is missing is Iron and Zinc which is pretty important for us. You'll still want to supplement with a sublingual b12 since we can't properly absorb b12 post-op. You'll also need to find a calcium citrate that your body can tolerate.

I had to wait 6 weeks as well. I swear by that Icy/Hot or Aspercreme stuff. The aspercreme works great for my lower back cramps when I stretch it weird. Hope the heating pad works for you soon.

I drink pretty regularly, and have not lost my taste for anything other than extremely dry red wines which I used to love. I drink mixed drinks with soda, shots, wines, and other stuff. The first time I drank, I did get drunk hard and fast off one glass of wine, I also sobered up pretty fast. But, today my tolerance is the same it was pre-op.

Wooohooo you're doing fabulous, and look great. . . Your waist is getting so defined ! ! !