Hey all, I'm Tif from South Jersey. I was sleeved lst Wednesday, July 20, 2011. From the day I came home from the hospital I was miserable and there was alot of tears and alot of regrets. I kept saying what have I done to myself?! I am still in considerable pain even 5 days later. I am getting married in October and am upset because I feel like Ive ruined my wedding experience because I may not be able to have champagne or even a bite of my own wedding cake. People keep saying that it'll get better with time and I hope that once the pain is gone and i can eat solid foods again, the regret will be gone. Does it really get better and when???? any advice?

By October the way that you feel now will be a vague memory. You'll have a better idea of what your sleeve likes and doesn't like by then, and it will probably like a lot of things. You'll be able to have wine and I'm sure that a sip or two of champagne during wedding toasts won't be a problem. Just take it slowly and try things a little bit at a time. I'm 6 weeks out and I'm just beginning to eat more normally. I still stick to soft foods, but that's because I like them. I've had a bite of cake and it settled just fine. Don't be discouraged. Your sleeve is just new and it completely sucks when it's new. I don't have advice to help you through this because I felt the very same way after my surgery. All I can say is try to suck it up and trust that all of these people who are happy now know what they're talking about. There is still regret for me sometimes, but it's almost 100% gone. Now I just want to concentrate on putting my proteins first, but learning how to eat normally again. Living on eggs, tuna, and cottage cheese is getting old. LOL

If it makes you feel better, here's everything that I've tried and tolerated so far. I've only had a bite or two of most of that stuff, but at least I know I can eat it.

yogurt

cottage cheese

regular cheese

eggs

toast

fresh cherries

bananas

potatoes

sweet potatoes

cake

tuna

salmon

wine

peanut butter

cream of wheat

applesauce

skinless apple slices

beans (baked and refried)

veggie broth

tomato soup

Gatorade G2

popsicles

green beans

Thank you so much, i was really feeling bad about having regrets but its great to know im not the only one. I am feeling better each day and I pray that in a few weeks, i will be close to normalcy. Did you have many cravings, if so how did you deal with them? i know im not supposed to have soda but I have been craving it soooo bad to the point that im ready to say screw it, im gonna have some and hope that i dont die!! Im getting tired of this liquid diet, mostly because im actually starting to feel real hunger. Thanks again for replying!

Oh man, I've had cravings! For the most part I've ignored them, but sometimes you just have to indulge and limit yourself. Wine was a craving so I had an incredibly small amount and then I was done. Yesterday I indulged in a craving that I've been having for potato rolled tacos. I ate half of one (all I could manage) and I threw the rest of the container away. The only other major craving I've had is for pizza. To help with that, I made myself a crustless low carb pizza tonight from a recipe that I found on sparkpeople.com. It absolutely hits the spot.

The worst thing for me is limiting my carbs. I love potatoes and bananas and I have to be really careful or I'll go a whole day eating way more of those than protein. I was never a soda drinker though, so I don't know how to help with that.

Hi Guys,

Thanks so much for your honesty in your posts. I am still researching but seeing that you all are just a few more weeks out can you provide an update as to whether you are still having regrets, cravings, and head hunger. Wishing u the best but appreciate your honesty.

Hey Tif,

You are a little over a month out, how is it going?

Thanks for asking, I'm feeling ALOT better but honestly I still wish I hadnt gotten the surgery. I dont feel like myself and thats something that im really struggling with. I was given the go ahead by my surgeon to begin solid foods about 2 weeks ago and am in the trial and error phase of trying things and seeing what agrees with me and what doesnt. So far ive had no issues (pain or vomiting) I did have a tiny bit of salad and had to run to the bathroom a few times. I suppose in the grand scheme of things a month isnt long at all and i have much more time to adjust. Only more time will tell if the decision i made was the right one!