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I was 2 weeks till I could sleep on my right side, 4 weeks till my left side or stomach. My surgeon follow up was at 4 weeks and when I asked about it he told me that at that time the tummy was strong enough to handle bungy jumping but to expect some pain when moving around for a few months as he "stabbed me many, many times" , then he laughed. I laughed but it was more that nervous, that's not really very funny laugh that you give someone when you don't know what else to do. I am not almost 11 weeks out and sleep just fine in any position. It's all good now, hang in there.

I think it took me about 2 weeks also until I was comfortable sleeping on my side. It gets better.

I was just banded yesterday and am sometimes feeling very hungry as well. I am hoping the protein shakes and other liquids keep it under control. I hope I will get used to it somewhat because I have 5 weeks to go before my first fill. I totally understand your pain!! We can do it though!!

I gained over 20 lbs. in the hospital !!! But a week and 2 days later I had not only lost all that but I also lost 13 " real " pounds !!! Now I am at a stall since Monday but everyone including my Dr. Say it's normal... Also, my stomach is still bigger than before surgery and I'm told in time that will go away. So don't fret over the weight, it's totally normal !

Immediately after surgery, the 3 most important requirements are Protein, Vitamins and fluids. These are key. food is secondary, especially because the volume of food is very limited in the beginning. Your body is converting your stored fat into energy that drives you body. As a result you are losing weight. In my opinion most of the protein shakes taste terrible. But it is very important that you take in the required protein each day. As time goes on and your meal volume increases, you can gain most of your protein from your meals, provided you consume high protein meals. But that is not the stage you are in, so experiment and find the protein shakes that you can tolerate. There are a wide variety of powder and premix protein shakes available. For me Muscle Milk Light powder mixed with a half a banana in a Ninja single serving size blender worked well. Your protein requirement is a combination of the protein you consume from meals combined with the protein from supplements (protein shakes, protein bars). It is equally important that you take in the required amount of fluids each day. I use to like to drink a glass of Water with ice cubes several times a day prior to surgery. But that changed after the operation. After surgery, I found that flavored water (Crystal Light) was good. Also I began drinking fine teas. The Fluid requirement is the total amount of fluids that you take in each day. It included the fluids you consume in your protein shakes. It is also equally important that you meet your Vitamin requirement. Your body does not convert food into the essential vitamins that you need. That is why you must use supplements. In the area of foods, I found that Soups and chili went down easier. Therefore that is what I used. I wanted to get off the protein shakes as soon as possible, so I made my own soups and chili with about twice the protein as store bought variety. I have include some of the recipes in the link below. It also gave me good control over the volume of the meals that I consumed. I would make up a pot of food and store it and eat it all week. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery.pdf

Hi Everyone! Is anyone going to be in Mexico the week of 2/13? I am seeing Dr. Ortiz

Almost 6 weeks post op. I am so tired from about noonish until 5pm. It's not that mid day tiredness. But sheer exhaustion. I did return to work this past week and I guess I can contribute it to that?? But I'm getting plenty of sleep and all my supplements, protein and water. At what point do I think it's anemia or something else?

I am 6 weeks post op and still feel tired and fatigued . Had VSG with hiatal and umbilical hernia repair. I hear everyone saying how much energy they have. Any thoughts ???

I just read a great article about Easter; it can be found here: http://www.dailybreeze.com/opinion/articles/6877872.html?page=1&c=y Here's a cut and paste: Evidence of faith, cause for hope Here are ten reasons why the resurrection of Jesus Christ remains the most important occurrence in history. By Paul Viggiano Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church Charles Hodge, the renowned 19th century Princeton theologian, penned these words concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ: "It may be safely asserted that the resurrection of Christ is at once the most important, and the best authenticated, fact in the history of the world." Hodge buttressed this assertion with 10 arguments. Nine of these arguments would pass muster vis-à-vis any other notable historical event. The 10th is undeniable: 1. It was predicted in the Old Testament. The Christian faith began at the dawn of man with God making a promise to redeem mankind through the death and resurrection of the Christ. The Old Testament was a widespread and well-known document. 2. It was foretold by Christ himself. People have twisted the Scriptures from the very beginning. For those who doubted the promise of the Messiah, or were inclined to bend the Scriptures to their own agenda, Jesus re-announced that he would die and rise again. 3. It was an easily verified event. The Resurrection wasn't a matter of secret knowledge. It was a physical resurrection. There was no faith required to observe the risen Christ. 4. It was substantiated by abundant, suitable and frequently repeated evidence. Jesus was a threat to the religion of the Jews and the authority of Rome. They wanted Christianity to end. All they had to do to achieve this was produce the dead body of Jesus. This would never happen. 5. There were numerous, competent witnesses of the event.The Resurrection didn't happen in a vacuum where only the devout or those skilled in piety could observe. Jesus was a public figure followed by hundreds and seen by thousands for 40 days after his resurrection and before his ascension. 6. The conviction of the witnesses was testified by their willingness to suffer even to the point of death. The Christian faith grew dramatically after the ascension of Jesus, due to the spirit-inspired testimony of the apostles who all (but one) were put to death for their faith. It can be argued that people have been known to die for a lie, but it is a much harder argument to make that people will die for something they know to be a lie. 7. God confirmed the testimony of those who witnessed the Resurrection by signs and wonders seen by entire communities. Jesus conferred the power to perform signs and wonder to his apostles; this continued for years. The authorities certainly had the time and occasion to expose these apostles if they weren't genuine. 8. The fact of the Resurrection has been commemorated by a religious observance of the first day of the week from the time it happened until this present time. The regularity of millions (now billions) of people meeting on a weekly basis for thousands of years speaks toward the reliability of the data. 9. The effects produced by the Gospel admit of no other rational solution than the truth of Christ's death and subsequent resurrection. The Christian church is his monument. All believers are his witnesses. The tome of literary, archeological and historical evidence of the Resurrection is simply unmatched. Unbiased observers have taken historical events as fact with much less evidence. The truth of the Gospel, the Resurrection, in fact all of Scripture can, and always has, passed every legitimate method of scrutiny. The real question is, "How legitimate are the methods?" Using man-made disciplines and evidences to determine the authenticity of Scripture would be like using my Casio to determine the accuracy of the atomic clock. Add this to the fact that man has a propensity to interpret facts through his own grid. For example, if someone's grid doesn't allow for miracles, he won't believe the event was a miracle no matter how much evidence he is given; he'll just wait for some new explanation. Besides, it would be foolish to think that God has left us at the mercy of our own ability to do research in order to know the truth, let alone be saved. This brings us to Hodge's last point. 10. Simply put, we know the Resurrection truly took place. Jesus said that his words are sufficient to judge us -- words which we still have in the Bible. The testimony of God's word is self-evident and undeniable. When people deny the Scriptures, they are denying something they know to be true in the depth of their heart. Man's accountability to God is not capricious; it is based in something men know. And what a glorious thing God has revealed to us -- that there is hope beyond the grave. Jesus is called the first fruits of the Resurrection because those who trust in him will be resurrected as well -- this is what the Bible calls the good news. He is risen indeed!

Well today I had a bad day! Finally broke down and went to the doctor. Been pretty miserable over the last 2 months with reflux, and being way to tight. Couple bites of anything was all I could handle at a sitting. Under fluoroscopy today he saw my band had a slight slip. He's hoping with the fluid out of the band it will correct itself. So for the next 4 weeks I'm living with no fill and scared to death!!!! I've managed to lose 119 lbs dice being banded feb 2011. Went from a pants size 22 to now an 8! I'm terrified not having that restriction. I know I can do it because I've changed my life but wondering if any others have had a similar situation????

Lol let me vent I'm on a stall! Lol

Finally! Today I have my first fill. :thumbup: I have just been so frustrated with this whole appointment scheduling. I was suppose to have my appointment for 12/24, but I was not going to be eating only soup or whatever would be excluded from my diet, so I had to reschedule the appointment. It been two months, and the weight has been going back and forth. I guess I have to be grateful for being able to get into jeans that I haven't been able to fit for a long time. So for that I am grateful. I also took a two-week break from exercising, so I really can't complain for the reason that I haven't lost the weight. Today is Wednesday, and I have already worked out two days, and I finally included weighs into my program. I am feeling really good about that. I just want to be sucessful in my weight loss. I don't want to feel like I am missing out, by not eating foods that I don't need. I don't want to seek foods for comfort, I want to be better than that. I know that God will bring me through that. I am kinda nervous about this fill process, but I am ready for the leaves to be cleared on my path to weight loss and better health. Yayyyy :confused:

I was given a 6 week no swallowing whole pills restriction, but every surgeon is different. The hospitalist tried to tell me I'd have to crush pills forever because the new stomach is too small to quickly break down a big pill and you'd just poop it out. I'm ultimately going with my own doc's advice, as the hospitalist was not strictly a bariatric doc. I'm just wondering about time released stuff. Can't crush that.

When you say hungry, do you mean cravings or actual hunger pangs? You really shouldn't be feeling hunger pangs. If you're having cravings, it's most likely that you are bored or an emotional eater. I didn't start feeling hungry again until several weeks afterwards. I was on liquids for at least 3 weeks. I could not handle anything else because my stomach was so swollen from the surgery (which is normal).

Yay! I got my surgery date today! I have to go in for my pre-op appointment next Monday and my surgery is scheduled for Thursday, July 19. I am so happy that they were able to schedule a date so soon. I want to be off of my modified liquids diet before I go back to school (work). I will be 4 weeks post-op by then, and 12 weeks post-op by my brother-in-law's wedding. I can't wait for my body on the outside to match my personality on the inside. I am so excited! I am motivated to get as much weight as I can off before the wedding. Wahoo!

If it's a full liquid diet, then yes. If it's Clear liquids, then no. What kind is it? If I never see another cup of tomato or split pea soup again it'll be too soon (my 4 week liquid diet was a yr ago and I'm still sick of it) Good luck!

Im jealous you had a pain pump I just had liquid vicodine and that is crap... I walked down the driveway and did 3 mins on the treadmill I don't want to scare the whole neighborhood with no bra on walking like a crazy person.... I fall asleep every 4 hours like out cold... My day is breath into that thinger, sit up and drink, wait for bubbles to go down potty n back to bed.. TMI I was able to #2 today which is great I heard some people take weeks and I think I'd be grouchy by then

There is a lady that had the gastric sleeve a couple years ago on youtube. Her screen name is AmySDMOM. She used the 5 day pouch test to restart her weight loss during a stall.

It says the shakes and salad for the first week. They give an example of a salad and it lists a bunch of different veggies so I figured, why not heat them up. LOL

Mine was 4 protien shakes, broth, sugar fee jello and sugar free pudding, that's it. Two weeks.

So I am bit down. Let go back from the begining: Jan of 2010 I was at my highest ever, 271! From Jan to August I lost 40 pounds. In August I had my first consult for the surgery. On Nov 23rd I was at 220 with my 2 week pre op diet. Now here I am Feb 14th, I know not even 3 months and I have lost an additional 29 pounds and I frustrated as I have pretty much stalled since Jan 18th. I went up 4 pounds after starting the pill which I quit 2 weeks later and now yesterday I finally got down to 191 again where I was when I started the dang pill. So I am sitting here trying to rationalize with myself that 29 pounds in under 3 months is huge, yet there is this nagging feeling that it should be more faster! I am in a daily guilt fight with what I put in mouth even though I have not ate any bad foods since the surgery. I don't do breads and I watch carbs like crazy. I try to keep them under 30 a day. I guess I am wearing myself out emotionally with the fight to lose in what I perceive is not enough fast enough. I get down when I see folks losing 40 or 50 pounds in 2 months and think what am I doing wrong? I know when I look in mirror the person looking back is not bad at all compared to what I used to see, but when I look at my belly and legs I see the fat left to loose and feel like yuck. I have avoided buying any clothes as I keep thinking it will be a waste because I should loose more weight soon, but deep down I am not trusting that is going to happen any time soon because of the stall. (See the head game????) Just for example a typical day of food is like this for me: 1 160 cal, 30 gram Protein shake Greek yogurt with torani syrup or one with the fruit already. 2 or 3 oz of chicken or one of those tuna cans with crackers some days a afternoon snack of a 160 cal, 15 protein power bar more chicken for dinner.

I'm approaching week 3 tomorrow and I'm supposed to be on soft solids. I have strayed a bit, but nothing that I shouldn't eat. In any case, I keep getting this awkward feeling in my chest. I can't tell if its stuck or full. It's not very painful, but it is slightly uncomfortable. Has anyone ever felt that way?

I was looking at people's comments since their surgery. I'm glad for those who it is working well and am sorry for those who are having issues. I feel very lucky as I was able to quit taking the pain meds the same day I came home. I made sure to get up and walk around anytime I woke up and I definately think it has helped. I have been walking around and doing things to try and help pass the gas. I think my only complaint is today I had to take pain meds to get my stomach to loosen up because of all the gas and the gasx isn't helping too awful much. I am definately going stir crazy as I generally don't have much if any down time. I can't work out, go to the barn and clean stalls and I don't have much at home to keep my mind occupied (being a school teacher I am always thinking about things). I will be glad to go back to work and back to a routine. I did well today on the food. I kept my plate very small and made sure I chewed my food up real good. Today was the first day I have started to feel hungry. I need to drink more Water and eat more protien so that is my goal for this next week. I am happy to say that everyone in my family ate smaller portions so I am hoping this will not only help me but the rest of my family also. Good luck to all.

What are your favorite mushies? I still Have 3 weeks on liquids, but am looking forward to some mushie variety.

Your body is still adjusting. I understand the fear and unease it may cause but give it about two more weeks. Then if you're still concerned put in a call to your surgeon. Just remember you went through major surgery give your body time to heal and adjust. And happy sleeving (;