Lee

Mistiblu, your post is so positive for me. It really resonates for me. I think I'm scared to up my calories because every diet has always stressed being as low cal/carb as possible. I'm going to go eat dinner and not worry if my calories are a little higher for the day than they've been. I'm not eating bad carbs, just the good ones so I'll relax if they go up to 40 and just see what happens. I've been keeping myself oh so positive about all this but today really started feeling a little demoralized. Thanks thanks thanks!

Swiftflow, I'm going to look to you for all the technical advice from now on. Thanks so much for posting all this great information! I'm really excited that you have a surgery date. You guys always rock the weight loss. I can't wait to follow your success story!

From what I've seen, men are less prone to the stalls. *sigh*

Heck, I gained 1/2 pound this week and only lost 4 pounds for Month 2 post-op. I keep my calories between 500 and 600, haven't eaten over 30 carbs a day since surgery and get most of my Protein from food sources with an occasional Protein shake thrown in. I haven't had rice, potatoes, bread, crackers, Pasta etc since pre-op. My meals are all chicken, turkey, shrimp or fish based. I also eat 1 Morningstar Veggie Sausage patty for Breakfast occasionally. Occasionally I eat 4-6 oz of plain greek yogurt for a meal, or 1/3 cup of cottage cheese. I rarely eat eggs as I'm allergic to them. I've had a tiny tangerine 3 times in the last month and a tablespoon of pineapple packed in it's own juice 3x. I eat three times a day and never snack as required by my program. I walk several times a week and swim 1x a week. When I used to do Atkins, eating the lower fat version, I'd have difficulty losing weight. I guess this is why my doc recommended the surgery. So folks, it's possible to track every bite of food, exercise and still gain weight post-op. I figure something has to give. I'm open to advice and suggestions to get this party started.

Wow wow wow! You continue to rock your Sleeve and look terrific!

I'm biting my tongue to not make comments about what our previous President did to get us into the mess we're currently in. Can we please keep politics out of our WLS support group. This is a thread to support Bernadette, not to President bash. (no harm meant to anyone)

Hey Ms. B~ How are you doing today?

ACK... I've been hungry all day today. I get this terribly empty feeling like my stomach is a bottomless pit. For lunch I ate my 1/3 cup of food and it was definitely enough but then shortly (like minutes) after, I had that pit feeling again. It's not like OMG I need to eat but quite a strange feeling. I did eat two clementine cuties yesterday (tiny tangerines). I wonder if that can be doing it? I've also had more Crystal Light in the last week than in previous weeks. Those are the only changes. I have been throwing up a little more than usual. Today after lunch I took my Multi Vitamin and barfed it back up. Gross... sorry. I take a 40 mg Protonix when I wake up in the morning and 1 an hour before eating dinner.

KZol, this has only been for one day. It may not rear it's ugly little head again. I have no clue what was going on yesterday but I'm hoping not to feel it again today.

Good luck with your surgery. Check your bag. You'll be so happy you did. You won't be able to lift over 8-10 pounds post-op and it sounds like you are traveling with a lot of things. Fellow travelers get annoyed when someone brings a carry-on and can't handle it themselves. Waiting for a checked bag will give you time to walk around and stretch your legs after you get off the plane, which you'll need to do anyways. Use the time to stretch and sip and use the restroom. Let us know how it goes!

I haven't tried alcohol since surgery. I was never much of a drinker. An occasional glass of wine when out to dinner, so I don't miss the alcohol. So, i have no stories to report on how drunk or not drunk post-op.

Attagirl B~, great attitude!!

Wow! What a wonderful thing to look forward to. Stay focused on that and know that you're making a great decision towards better health!

B~ I bet you're going to find a job that makes you really happy. I get it about the 50. I'm about to turn 60. WooooHooo! I mean... holy crap! :biggrin2:

Nah, you trust your surgeon so quit freakin out. It's a waste of your time and energy. Instead visualize how good you're going to feel in a smaller body. How much your entire body is going to thank you. Focus on the good stuff as the bad stuff most likely won't happen. If you've read the boards, you know that the Sleeve surgery is very successful and you're going to be a big success story. You've come this far so let go and enjoy the ride. We're here to support you and help you if you need it. So what are the things you look forward to doing once you've passed the initial recovery stages? :biggrin2:

Hollow describes exactly what I've felt all day. It's so darn strange. I had more carbs yesterday so was going back to mostly Protein today and ate 4 small meals for a total of 521 calories today. I need to get the scale moving again, but I also need to figure out what's making this Hollow feeling inside me. I've never had stomach problems (except fat). No reflux or acid or anything else so this is completely foreign to me. I actually wondered if my blood sugars dropped or something except it didn't get better after eating. Not a happy camper about it but hopefully it will be gone tomorrow. If it's not I'll email my surgeon and see what he says. Thanks for helping me!

Hey, the thick and thin (no pun intended) sorts out who among us will create friendships that last a long time. I'm glad you were able to speak up Bernadette!

Hello BJean! Protonix is an acid blocker/inhibitor. Most of us end up on them after VSG, at least for awhile. It's the strangest empty feeling, isn't it?

Bernadette!! I'm so sorry to read this! Are you in a profession that will be easy to find a replacement job? I worry about this because I'm in a specialized profession. I've been with the same company for 16 years and out of 800 employees I'm #12 for seniority. As head of my dept I feel pretty secure, but the world is crazy right now. I just want to make it to retirement. How can we keep you cheered up? Can you take a vacation? We're all here for you. Heck, if you're in the Bay Area, I'll feed you dinner. Hah! I just realized what a cheap date you'd be so I guess I'll make that Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

PNW, don't wait, you just start flaunting it all right now! At 59 I think the surgery is the best decision I've ever made. I wish my doctor had recommended it ten years ago! Stacey, we can always find something to obsess about! Have no fear, we can help you with your list if you need help. :thumbup: Right now I'm obsessing about the gym, but I ran out of excuses so I'm going to go hop on the treadmill for a bit.

Bernadette, I'm so excited that you're wearing tight jeans and a Tshirt. I love that you've decided to flaunt it all! You go girl. As far as those other girls are concerned, the only thing that matters right now is that you're healthy. You have a great attitude and perky girls don't hurt either. :thumbup:

I'm so excited for you! What a wild ride you're up for. I'm glad your husband is up for it as well. Wishing you all good things in your surgery and a fast recovery.

My weight loss has been incredibly slow this month. I decided to go back to very basics. 2-3 oz Protein three times a day with 1 shake a day. I also need to move more. The rain is supposed to stop this week so I'll be able to walk to work several times. (20 minutes each way) I plan to get into the gym as well. Excited, 8 pounds is awesome. Congratulations!

What a great post. You must be dancing around in those small size clothes! I've gone from an 22/24 to an 18 in 7 weeks and I couldn't be happier. You're so darn close to goal. I hope you're really proud of yourself!