mb20mom

Woo Hoo for you!!! That is an awesome milestone in your journey. I am so jealous! Today I was 201...soooo close.

I would call it anything that you can eat a lot of without it being nutritious, such as chips, candy, ice cream, etc. These things go down easily and don't take up much room in your tummy because they sort of disolve, unlike dense Protein (chicken), which fills you up quite quickly.

It's normal to feel scared, but remember that it's also perfectly normal to feel extreme regret immediately after the surgery...don't let it depress you since you'll feel so much better in a few days and you won't regret it at all especially when the pounds start melting off you. I wish I heard that before surgery. After 5 mos, I am so thankful I did it!

Wow! You Northern Cal Kaiser members are LUCKY! I had my orientation 2 weeks ago and will have to go to a 12 week class which starts in 2 - yes TWO - months.

Hi vkgirl,

Don't worry, I bet they will call you before that and tell you there's an opening sooner! I had my surgery thru Kaiser in LA (classes in Riverside) and when I first started the program, they seemed to make it sound like it would be several weeks for everything, but then it all went a little faster. It's as if they're giving you the worst case scenario just in case.

And if it makes you feel any better, the Options class used to be 6 mos long...they changed it to 3 mos just before I finished! And I thought it was stupid at first, but thank goodness they make you do it, because I see so many other sleevers struggle with how to eat after surgery, but the Options program really prepares you for it (so does this site!).

Good luck to everyone! Can you believe this surgery is totally free thru Kaiser??? What a blessing!

That must be what they injected into my lower abdomen while in the hospital. It was several times a day and boy did it cause a lot of bruising! I was purple for weeks. It didn't hurt though, and I don't remember feeling the shots at all. A small price to pay to prevent blood clots.

I think we've all been successful at losing weight over the years, and we all gain it back. One thing I think of every time I lose a pound is, it's never coming back! That is what's different this time. I seriously don't know how someone could possible GAIN weight with the sleeve. There is something very comforting about realizing this, and I honestly think this may be the tool you need. Some days, even when I don't eat sensibly like I should, it seems like the sleeve is an insurance plan not to gain back what you've lost. I love it and have no regrets. I hope you make the decision that works for you. Good luck.:thumbup1:

I've used straws since day 1 and never felt any problems with air from them. I get more air from chewing gum, actually.

I had my surgery done by Dr. Zane and yes, he's the best. He definitely knows what he's doing. I think he's done over a thousand sleeves and is either the head of, or the pioneer of the Kaiser bariatric dept. You are in good hands!

So I find that I can't keep my hands off my jawbone and collarbone. It's as if I have to keep touching them to make sure I can still feel them. And last night, laying in bed...I found ribs and a hip bone! Holy Moly I had forgotten what my bones felt like.

Even the bones in my hands and wrist are starting to change. Sometimes I see my knuckles when my hand is on the steering wheel and even they look a little different. I know some of you are feeling the same way, and only you guys would be able to relate, so thanks for listening.:thumbup:

Wow that's amazing...I can't wait to get there myself. It must be an awesome feeling to reach that goal. And just think, it will very likely NEVER come back! Good job!

These are all such good tips! I've learned that if I hiccup, it's my full signal. It means I need to put that bite down and stop. Even if it seems I can fit a little more, I listen to the all-mighty hiccup and stop because the fullness always seems to catch up after that. So maybe wait a bit longer between bites, after you've had 3 or 4 bites, and wait for the full signal to catch up. I guess if you eat too fast, like you suspected, this could be happening. Also, I get miserable if I drink too soon after a meal. It feels like I might overflow up my throat!

Actually you bring up a good point and I had the same question early on. I thought if all we can eat is Jello and popsicles all day, why do the calories matter? And all the counting of carbs? I didn't have the surgery just to have to follow the Atkins diet...I could have done that without the surgery!

I try to eat a balanced diet and not count anything, because this is not a diet for me, it's a life-long way to eat, so that's how I make it work for me. I've done the Atkins diet in the past, and I lost tons of weight with it, but it comes back, so I don't want to do that again. I don't want to "fear" carbs. The sleeve reduces the amount we can eat, and that's what I wanted it to do. I may only lose a pound a week, but that's not a problem in my eyes. Find what works for you, and don't feel pressured that you're doing anything wrong. You will still lose weight. Good luck to you!

I experience hunger all day, every day. I do get full quickly tho, and I can't eat much, but I get hungry 1-2 hours after eating, so I know just what you are talking about. I need to have Snacks available all the time. It's very discouraging and I find I'm losing my motivation about eating just the right foods, which doesn't help, and I haven't lost any weight in a few weeks.

I don't mean to discourage you, and I hope yours gets better with your new diet information! Keep us posted.

I have the same problem, Tiff! Thought I was going crazy.

After losing over 65 lbs so far, I have experienced a few noticeable achievements, such as, crossing my legs, eliminating my sleep apnea (no more mask!), having more freedom of movement with my arms, and one that hit me the other day was when I was able to sit "indian style" on the grass..and it was comfortable!

It's amazing how the weight keeps you from moving freely, and you don't realize it until you can do things you didn't realize you weren't doing because of the weight!

I'm 4 months out and I was noticing just in the past week or so, that I can't seem to eat as much as I used to at one time. I'm having to stop at about 4 bites of whatever meal I'm eating now. Just seems odd to change like that.

The only thing to worry about this early out is healing, resting, and getting fluids in so you don't dehydrate. Sounds like you're doing fine. There are many changes to adjust to, and you just need to listen to your body. If you're hungry, eat! And drink constantly if you can. Trust me, you are definitely going to lose weight, so don't worry about eating too much because you can't, you're tummy won't let you!

I keep touching the area under my chin and down my throat because the fat is gone and it feels so different...and I hardly recognize my own hands and wrists! But I think the best thing is crossing my legs. It's so easy now. And the other day I was sitting on the grass "indian-style" and it was quite comfortable for a change. Oh the little things.

Sorry to tell you that hunger did NOT go away with my surgery. It's reduced, but not even close to gone. Since I eat so little at once, I find I'm ready to eat again 1 or 2 hours after a meal. The only difference is that now, the hunger is tolerable whereas before, hunger was an emergency. I can put it off now and of course I don't need much to satisfy it. Just being honest. I was very much looking forward to not being hungry so it's a little disappointing that it didn't go away. I still love my sleeve though. My weight loss is going slow but at least it's still going! Good luck with your journey!

I had my surgery thru Kaiser also, so I know just how you feel about finishing the Options classes. But when I was in it they were 6 mos long and I thought my surgery would never get here. My surgery was at Harbor City Kaiser (Southbay) which is closer to you than San Diego isn't it? Did you choose to go all the way to San Diego? I'm an hour away from the surgeon, so it sucks having to drive that far for appts...just something to think about. Good luck on your surgery!

Jack in the Box has a side of grilled chicken tenders that are pretty decent, and there is no breading on them. It's the same chicken they put on the salads and it's actually pretty moist and easy to eat.

We've eaten bison lately. I found it ground at the grocery store (Albertsons) in the regular meat section. It's as low in fat as chicken but tastes like beef. We had it in our chili last night and I couldn't taste any difference. I still haven't tried it as a burger, but my husband and kids did and said it tasted the same as beef, maybe just a little drier.

Have they ever checked you to see if you are having spasms?

I didn't know you could be checked for that, but I will ask! Is there a solution for spasms? Is that from stomach acid?

Thanks, Tiff. I didn't think dumping sounded quite right. Today I had a few grapes and got the gurgly burpies right away. I take Pepcid every day and tried switching to Prevacid once but didn't notice any difference. I suppose I could try Nexium.

Does it sound to anyone like some sort of glucose or insulin reaction that's happening? I stopped eating fruit because I get so hungry right after eating it, and I thought that might be an insulin response of some kind. I was never diabetic, but maybe I've developed something, I don't know.

At 3 months out, I've been pleased and thankful that I haven't had any food intolerances, I can eat anything I want, and my tastebuds didn't change. Of course some things "feel" better than others, like Protein and veggies obviously go down easier than bread or potatoes. And nothing has ever gotten stuck or made me throw up. However, I've always wondered why I get this weird feeling in my stomach if I eat anything sweet, even fruit. I wouldn't call it a spasm, but more of a churning or a jumping, and then it feels sort of airy and sometimes I'll get that gurgly burp. I know I shouldn't be eating anything sweet anyway, but I've been so curious about why it causes such a reaction. Anyone else get this or know what it means?