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My doctor told me that after 10 days the chance of a leak is less than 1% and after 2 weeks it 0%. He said if I had a leak after 2 weeks, he wouldn't even treat it surgically. It's very important to follow the liquids after surgery. I had to do 10 days of clear liquids. My doctor is very conservative, which is fine with me. He also uses a drain. The purpose of a drain is to alert you to a leak even before you get symptoms. The drain stayed in for the first 10 days then was removed in the office.

I'm barley eating but I deff feel like I eat way more than alot of people on here for 7 weeks out... Also in a stall so am I eating to much? Will I eventually lose weight again?

Okay new recipe that whole family will love. You might need to serve it to them over rice, for carbs, but I eat it as is, or over spaghetti squash, or miracle noodles (actually I ordered some, I have not tried them yet, but they have zero calories and carbs, I ordered some) Ok, bored with Protein and 600 calorie stage 3 and 4 diet so I have used my cooking skills, over 30 years in the restaurant industry, to come up with a tasty good for US Chinese dish! This makes a lot, it freezes pretty well, adjust for your desired amount. I like to cook ahead and freeze. 2 24oz packages of turkey tenderloin (I got them as buy one get one free) 1 can chicken broth 1 large can Chinese lo mein veggies 2 cans sliced Water chestnuts 2 cans bamboo slices 1 lb fresh snow peas 1 packaged sliced Portobello mushrooms 1 zucchini, diced 2 bunches green onions 6 garlic gloves diced 1 cinnamon stick 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice ( I didn't have all spice or 5 spice, it is really close, plus every cook has some) 2 table spoons red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons Cajun spice 2 tablespoons squeeze bottle fresh ginger, or diced fresh 5 tablespoons amino acid, which you will find has zero calories, and is a perfect substitute for soy sauce 2 packages of mushroom gravy mix, store brand, usually 25 calories for serving, 4 to a packet, this makes a lot 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 3 tablespoons black pepper Okay, in a pressure cooker put turkey (pork tenderloin is an acceptable substitute) broth and all the spices. cook on high pressure for 45 minutes dice veggies like onions and zucchini and open cans, drain all but the lo mein veggies (drain and save for later), while this is cooking you might want to cook a spaghetti squash, cut in half width wise, put in oven safe pan and put in over, then turn on, no need to preheat, to 460 degrees and back for 50 minutes, remove seeds after, it is easy, and don't add water, that destroys the texture and taste. Simply shred with a fork, flesh will come out like angel hair. Store in refrigerator for 5 days, reheats great in microwave. basically calorie free. okay, remove turkey to a plate to cool, slice into smaller pieces it will cool faster. Get cinnamon stick out and throw away. Add gravy packets to juice, and bring to a boil, as you stir, won't take long, then add zucchini, first, then all the rest of veggies, put lid on to just cover, and turn heat off for 10 minutes, everything will be a perfect doneness.as you are doing this tear turkey into shreds with fingers or 2 forks, you might need to allow it to cool a bit more. If so, turn rest of dish back on low, or simmer. mix in shredded turkey in Now if it is too thick for your liking add the lo mein juice to thin as you like. If you will be serving to your family over rice, they wil probably like about half the can added. I personally like a thick dish, but depending on your stage, adding the whole can of juice still makes a nice beyond thick Soup. Enjoy over spaghetti squash, or straight. I do not know the actual calories, but they are very low, I would say less than 80 for 3 oz. Almost zero carbs, and lots of protein from the turkey. The cinnamon and ginger really make this special. I prefer it to restaurant dishes.

Depends what you call significant. I lost about 30lb pre my first fill - and that was more than 1/3 of the total weight I needed to lose. But I had really good post surgery restriction for about 8 weeks. I did NOT lose 30lb with no restriction.

Ok, I was just getting ready to post about gas. I have been having a lot of problems with my eating due to the gas. I've posted before regarding this and more or less was told that its not gas that is causing my problems. My last dr apointment was right before thanksgiving, and the dr took out .5 cc. I was doing really good and amost no pb'ing for about a month. Then all of a suddent I was pb'ing almost daily. It got soo bad. This last Saturday I couldn't even get down Water. I was scard that the band had slipped. During this week, I lost 1 pound each day. Almost all of my symptoms were similar to a band slip. So Monday, I went to the Dr. They looked at my band under flouro and it was fine, then she moved the flouro down a bit and you could see the HUGE gas bubble filling up my entire lower stomach. This is the 2nd time we've see this under flouro (last time was 2 months ago). I do burp a lot when I eat, but I can't tell when gasy. I have been taking extra strength gas-x about 6 pills a day and it would help for a couple hours and then I would start having the same problems again. The doctor took some of my fill out. I was at 7cc in a 10cc band, which I think is pretty close to my sweet spot. But since I have had soo much problems with the gas, we took out .5 so I have time to recover and get rid of teh gas. Now I can eat almost like I did before being banded. My doctor says when I have that much gas, the gas is pushing up on the band and the food has no place to go, that's why I can't eat or even get water down. So now I have to figure out how to control the gas. I have been reading what types of food causes gas and I really don't eat any of thoes foods. I did find a dietary supplement that is to help stop gas before it starts that I have started taking daily. Also I switched from gas x to mylanta to see if that helps.

At my 3 month I lost 60 pounds,or 70 including the 2 week pro op. SW pre op diet 260.

It is 3 years today that I went for my life saving surgery. I had no idea of the positives or negatives that would befall me on this journey. I wonder if I knew then what I know now would I have done it at all. I think the answer is yes! With all the complications and difficulties I personally faced and still am facing I am a changed girl. One that is free to walk long distances. Go anywhere with out people staring or making unkind remarks. I have become invisible to the masses. I like that a lot. Soon I will undergo skin removal surgery and will really be changed forever. ( always being watchful of my addiction of course ) I live in a different world now. I started my own business and now work for a organization that appreciates my efforts. My journey is unfolding before my eyes. For the good may I say. I don't feel the same about anything in my life. I can't remember being this happy and it all began with the approval for WLS. I know who I am better. My weaknesses and I have much more compassion for others. The complications I still have are a strict reminder of where I have been and how far I have come. It has been quite a ride! Thank you everyone for being part of it. Couldn't have done it without the support of so many on this site. Thank you Alex for giving us a place to discuss freely the ups and downs of WLS. Jane

Honestly? I've been big for so long, I don't have a lot of smaller clothes (a few size 18s that a friend gave me after she had WLS a few years ago, but I was never able to wear them anyway), so I don't have a lot to shrink down into. I did get a pair of denim shorts on yesterday that I've never fit into before, so I was really happy for that...but they were a size 20. I did clear out four huge boxes of 2x, 3x and 22s that I can no longer wear (or won't be able to wear come winter), and one of the local charities is coming next week to pick them up. Hopefully they'll go to a good home (the charity gives clothes away to people in need. I know from experience that they rarely have nice clothes in larger sizes, so now they're getting a ton) I have seen some utterly adorable clothes at Old Navy that I can't wait to be able to fit into. Or hell, even some of the Zumba workout clothes. I'm saving my money for a small shopping splurge before winter so I have enough pants to get me through. I don't mind so much if shirts are too big, but pants that are too big fall off my butt.

I had to go and speak to the psychiatrist and he asked me about my weight loss journey and why I thought that this would work for me. He asked me about doing the liquid pre diet and some other questions. Then I had to go back in a week and see him again and he asked me more about how things were going and such. I had this done when I had my lapband but not my sleeve since I went to Mexico for that one. You will do fine. I have never heard of anyone that has not passed the psych test.

@BorntoDive Thanks! Going to try, hopefully all the rain we've been having here clears up soon. @@InfiniteButterfly Yeah it's a pain in the butt to have to order from them online, if you don't like it you can't just return it to the store.. It's been hit or miss but I've found a few nice pieces through trial and error. See you all in a few weeks!

Not sure if pureed food is included in full liquids, I know it was not in my program. In my mind full liquids are just that, liquids. Broth, protein shakes, popsicles, a little plain greek yogurt and water was all I had for the first 2 weeks. You need to be really careful since you sleeve is healing.

For my post-op diet, I'll be on clear liquids until I leave the hospital, then full liquid / pureed foods for four weeks. I was told the thinner, the better. It should fall through the tines of a fork without any trouble. I do not see any issue with what you ate, except for the rice. My diet does not allow starchy foods until after week 8. Also, you may have just eaten too much. I have been told that for most of the pureed stage, I will only be able to eat two to three tablespoons of food at each meal. Each tablespoon of food is about 0.5 ounces, so four ounces of food would be about eight tablespoons. I'm glad you feel better.

Take a multi-vitamin, an extra B12, and a calcium citrate plus D3, vitamin. Drink three protein shakes a day ( I used Premier Protein from Costco), have a lettuce and veggie salad at night with low-no carb dressing. Drink 62 oz of water a day. If you need more, heat up Pacific Coast Bone Broth (9 grams of protein per serving). Eliminate carbs, low/no fat. I lost 13 lbs in three weeks. This was my pre-op diet as prescribed by my nutritionist. Premier Protein has 30 grams of protein, 1carb, and 165 calories per shake. Others might lose more/less. Good luck!

I've lost nothing in 4 weeks... I think my problem is not drinking 64 fl ozs of water, making sure I have 60-70 grams of protein and also counting my calories. I'm basically not eating or drinking much so I think my body is just getting used to the way I eat. I've read my post op diet package and there is nothing on there about how many calories per day... Can someone tell me please? Had surgery dec 9th lost 48 lbs

I think people underestimate how tired they will feel after the surgery. I know I did and it worried me because I thought I would always feel that way. However, at 4 weeks I felt my energy return if not actually increased from before surgery.

Hello I'm 7 weeks post-op and have soooo much air in my stomach. Don't really thinks it is gas just emptiness?? I'm not sure but it is super annoying. I try to drink Water to push it out but because its sooo much air it makes me feel full. Heck maybe it is gas?? I just don't know Has anyone been thru this? Can you tell me what it is and how to get rid of it? PLEASE

I was sleeved 3/29, so it's still early, but I've only had one episode of reflux bothering since surgery. Before surgery I had really bad GERD and had been taking Prilosec twice a day for about 5 years. My surgeon suspected a hiatal hernia, but didn't find one when he got in there. I've continued taking the Prilosec post-op and have been fine most of the time.

I feel so much empathy for you. I know the feeling...bed, bathroom, couch, etc. It does get better. I kept being told to look back t where i was a few days ago, afew weeks ago, etc and it is only then i can see my progress. I am a bit afraid of going back in next monday for the J tube again even though it should just be for 2 nights.. not sure if i will have to have a stoma this time but last one i did not. this one will have a balloon(no falling out this time) - i think it is a MIc Key by Kimberly Clark. not 100% sure but it is a low profile which is nice. anyway, keep in mind there will be a time when you can look back and see your progress nutritionally, physically and then weight wise. I have that horrid NJ tube - on Peptide I send 1.5 for 14 hours/day. which is hard to reach and it is about 1400 kcal!! too much but i need my carotene to bump up from "3" to the twenties and increase my protein so i can have the surgery.you hugs cuz i know know it is rough but you are awesome and you must remember that.. Another thing, this has made me a better nurse that is for sure! Trish

Got insurance approval today. Now waiting on test results but they went ahead and finalized my date of April 29. Preop later this week. Now gotta work my butt off to get these 10-15 pounds off by The 28th

A lot of times it takes people a while to get their weight loss going after surgery. Your body is freaked out and injured, plus you got pumped full of a ton of fluids in the hospital. Have patience, follow your plan, and the pounds will come off. Tip - don't be surprised if you start losing weight for about a week, and then pause again. It's completely normal to hit a minor plateau around the 3 - 4 week post surgery mark. Just keep pushing and the weight will come off.

I'm 51, was 49 when I was sleeved. Weighed 375, down to 205. I have SOME droopy skin but not very much - it's sometimes just blind dumb luck, your genetics and age. I seem to have beaten the odds on all 3. I would say being thin and healthy with sagging skin is WAY better than fat and unhealthy and generally miserable. But that's just my opnion.

It'll get better. My NUT said my lack of energy was totally normal. Everyone will feel different initially right after this surgery. Stay hydrated, rest and move about as you can so you don't develop blood clots. I didn't start feeling like myself until about 6 weeks. VSG 6/17/2016

It can be done. I was able lose 11.8 lbs during the 2 week pre-op diet, doing 2-3 shakes a day. It was a little challenging the first 3 days or so (in terms of wanting to eat something), but after that I got used to it, and it was much easier. You have about 3 weeks until the 16th, so you don't have to go as drastic. Did your team say what would happen if you don't lose the 9 lbs? (not that you can't, of course)

I eat plenty of very high fat foods like Fresh avocado (which you can eat once you get to soft food stage), and bacon (which you can have once you get to solid food stage). I am 9 months out now and probably did not even try bacon until about 3-4 months out. But honestly whenever I have a stall I eat more fat (organic pastured bacon, and organic avocados) and it seems to do the trick. IMHO even saturated fats are not the devil when you do NOT combine them with carbs. That being said PROTEIN first still stands. I wash down my bacon with a protein shake that has 30 g of protein. Again this is NOT doable first months out when it's all you can do to get and keep the protein shake down but over time fat is your friend. It is THE best appetite suppressant around.