? When people ask how I?m doing, I have been very honest. This is week 5 without real food for me. I am having a VERY HARD TIME!

? I was so thrilled to get to have some soup in the blender on the first day. Now, I am just plain sick of it! I am really craving real food that I can chew.

? Because I?m not letting myself be around people that are eating real food (like in the teacher?s lounge at work), I think when I hear about food I get completely fixated. (ex. Can?t stop thinking about Wannalise?s post saying her friends ate burgers and nachos! I know this is way more mental to me - but it is really hard!)

? My stomache has started to make some funny noises at random times ? this is a little embarrassing.

? I feel better. My clothes actually fit. Before the surgery I was almost ready to pop out of them.

? Keeping track of fluids is essential for 2 reasons. First of all, I need to space them out throughout the day since I can?t chug them. Second, I have found myself getting so busy at work that I forget to grab my water bottle sometimes.

? I was in the car mid week and sneezed. I reached for a napkin from my glove compartment. This is typically where I stock napkins that I have picked up from various fast food places. THERE WERE NONE LEFT!!!! This was such a turning point because I guess I haven?t been to a fast food place since the beginning of March and I ran out. Very cool, but caught me completely off guard!

? Wednesday was the start of my emotional rollercoaster that lasted the rest of the week. I was not super positive like last week. I was angry, depressed, and resentful since I couldn?t eat like everyone else, and had very little energy.

? I have a friend who is going to be a therapist and gives good advice. She had gastric bypass years ago so she?s been there. When I was at the end of my rope this week, I called her. I explained to her one situation when I had to sit next to an open bag of steaming popcorn and a bunch of chocolate during a planning meeting after school one day. Her advice to me was to say to myself, ?That was really hard, but that hour is now over. Next time it will be just a little bit easier.? I have tried this several times this week and it has definitely helped.

? Pre-op Diet 3 weeks - 20 lbs.

? Week 1 sleeved - 8 lbs.

? Week 2 sleeved ? 2 lbs. (Even though I put the scale away at the end of last week, I took it out halfway through and weighed myself. My small loss made me really mad! I think since I ?feel? like my body is living off almost nothing that I just deserve to lose lots each week. This is one of the many reasons why I need to start seeing a therapist through this process. I am going to talk to my doctor about it next week at my appointment.)

Thanks so much for your comment. You hit the nail on the head!!!~ I'm going through the same emotional rollercoaster. I had surgery 11 days ago , 24lbs lighter and I have been so depressed and confused for the past 2 days. I'm not really worried about loosing weight because i know I will in time. I worry that my sleeve is damaged and broken. LOL.... Nothing has happen to make it damaged, I just "think " that . Its mental. I constantly ask my husband if I look sick and I am really moody with him and the kids. I feel so much better knowing that I am not going through this alone. So many post says the things I am feeling. I'M NORMAL!!!! Whew... , Thats a big thing to me. I will continue to follow the diet and eventually I will be cleared to excercise and swim. I can't wait ! The Staples come out on Tuesday 4/27/2010. I should feel better when I see the DR . I have many questions for him and his staff.

I think we all "mourn" the loss of our food in the beginning. . it's really hard. I can totally relate with you, I hated my sleeve for about 4 weeks after surgery. . .i hated that i couldn't eat the way i used to, the slimeing that would occur if i ate too fast, the tight, uncomfortable, irratating, rock feeling "pain" that would follow about 4 tbspn of food. . i really hated it that i couldn't gulp anymore! I really hated hated this sleeve. . .but at my 7 week checkup when the doctor put me up on the scale and it read i had lost 53 lbs, well that started to change my outlook on things. . . i really hated my sleeve, but you know what I really hated my Morbid Obesity more. . . now i am out 4 months and have lost a total of 70.5 lbs! This would have been totally impossible without my sleeve surgery. . . now i have accepted the way i can eat and drink, i put humor into it and just tell everyone I have become a lady now (pinky up) hehehe, it's so funny. . . the fun part too is that i'll go into my closet and try on clothes that i thought for sure wouldn't fit yet, and poof they fall off! Talk about "Pants on the ground"! It's not all that bad now, and i'm definately getting used to it. . . it's going to be ok, right now it's an adjustment to your "new" life, you spent how many years with obesity and eating fast and lots, don't expect to totally change your habits overnight, it will take a while. . Rome wasn't built in one day either. . . good luck honey! You'll be ok and you have lots of support here too! keep us posted!

BJean...He is a little nervous, but his is more over the actually surgery itself. He has never had surgery of any type, (still has his tonsils and wisdom teeth...lol)! I think I'm more concerned about the nausea and pain...I don't like that I won't be able to do much to make him feel better. I've read A LOT so I think I'm prepared, got the liquid tylenol, the Gas-X strips, chewable vitamins, a pill crusher, pepcid, etc....I think I have it all covered, lol. Keep me updated!! :tongue_smilie:

I was just sleeved on April 26, I have to say Friday was a hard day for me. It was my Son's 12th birthday party, so I had all the chocolate macroons, cookies, cupcakes, sugar cookies with icing, turtles, chips and dip and pizza. It was really hard to drink my broth with all of that in the house. I have to say I got real depressed. Then to add to this I had my cousins Bridal Shower the next day. I started to think about all the wonderful food, I had ordered for this shower prior to my surgery. Well, I made it through Friday night, by reading some of the post of what people are eating after 4 weeks out, 6 months out, 11 months out, and it made me realize that this liquid diet was not FOREVER!! I felt a lot better when I weighted Saturday Morning, and had lost three pounds, I decided that I would get some sugar free gum for the Bridal Shower, so I chewed gum and sipped my water during the shower. I made it!!! Saturday night, we had a family party at the Mexican resturant for my Son, I took my jello in my purse, once again I chewed gum while everyone ate chips and dip. I did move the chips and dip away from me. When everyone's food arrived, I ate my jello. I just keep reminding myself, that this way of eating is not permanent, and thinking about the end prize. Today, I have a Senior Adult Luncheon to serve at Church, I have already have my broth ready. I pray that I will have the strength to continue being positive, but if I get discouraged, I know that this blog has already helped me through one hurdle!! I hope that things will get easier for you, I am a baby VGS, hopefully at four weeks, I will be able to come back to this blog and read all the encouragement and be able to get over my next hurdle.

What torture!! Man, I feel your pain. But not from having been exposed to actual food. I just can hardly stand all the food commercials on TV. Thank goodness for Tivo!

It is easier than I thought it would be to stick to the diet (my surgery was 2 days after yours) and I think that's because it doesn't take much of anything to get a strong burning sensation in the middle of my chest and then discomfort on into my stomach. I'm not even eating as much as prescribed because it's just too painful. My instructions say that if I have cream of chicken Soup, it has to be strained - absolutely no bits of chicken allowed. I can't imagine what it would feel like to put anything solid in there.

You are a real trooper and the best thing is how well this is going to pay off on your journey to being slim, trim and beautiful. Hang in there, you're doing fine! We're all very proud of you and it is inspiring to hear what you've had to deal with and were able to handle it. Yay you!

Mhopkins, the only way I made it through my post op diet was to stay away from anyone who was eating.

You are being so strong and I hope you are giving yourself all the credit you deserve! Protecting your staple line is very important at this stage but you will be able to eat anything some day.

Keep on staying strong! We are proud of you.