Hi, I am 9 days post op and I'm feeling really good. I've been able to get most of my water in and my protein also. I just have to remind myself to make sure I have some at lunchtime. I don't seem to feel very hungry!! ( I hope that lasts!) But, I would have to say that the most difficult thing is that I have a family and they have to eat!! My husband, who is wonderful, is a terrible cook! His cooking skills are limited to frozen chicken nuggets and fries! So, I have been cooking their meals too. I honestly have been alright doing this through the pre-op diet and the past week. But last night, I made them steak with roasted potatoes and a garden salad. I really, really wanted to indulge!! I'll be so happy when I advance to the soft food stage...cottage cheese and scrambled eggs sound delightful! I know that I'm experiencing head hunger, but that doesn't make it any easier!!

the hardest thing has been the head hunger. Im thankful for the restriction of the sleeve. I've said I'm physically full, but mentally starving!!

I agree with the AP (Natural).. it's the head hunger thing that I have got to get over! I wish I had known this before. Not that it would've deterred me from surgery, but I might have been mentally prepared for it. I swear, I think my stomach divorced my head when I left part of it in Mexico The two - head and stomach - are like the Hatfields and the McCoys! I feel like I'm starving half the time, but the minute I eat ONE smidgin over, I'm toast! So half the time, I'm looking in the fridge wanting something to eat, only to close it because I'm afraid to eat.. Sounds crazy coming from someone whose still 80 pounds overweight.

I wish I could offer you advice about this, but I haven't really been suffering from head hunger. Since my operation 11 months ago I have been delighting in my weight loss and how much better I feel both in body and soul. Do you still have poor food choices in the house ie junk food etc? If your family is eating this type of food perhaps this is a good opportunity to ask them for their support?

I say there are no excuses for not being able to cook. I don't have a man in my family who can't cook for himself or for the kids - my dad, brother, husband, brother-in-law! I would ask your husband if he'd be open to taking a class or learning a few things from you, as a sign of support for what you're doing. I understand about feeding the kids, but perhaps now is the best time to teach them healthy eating options by making meals that are good for you and them? The steak and garden salad sound great, maybe next time try a cauliflower mash instead of potatoes?

I'm only two months out so I'd say the hardest part of my surgery has been learning patience with the process. I've had a few stalls and to go from losing nearly a pound a day to staying flat for a week or more nearly threw me into a giant depression. It would've been the kind of thing in the past that would have thrown me into downward eating spirals. But I'm thankful that I have my sleeve and to go and screw it all up with bad food just seems senseless now. The stalls inevitably break, usually when I stop obsessing about it and just live normally.

I've had to really think about how to answer this question. My first thought was that it was no drinking within 30 minutes of meals, but that's natural to me now. I just don't drink until I am past that 30 minutes...I don't even think about it usually, although I used to set a timer. Then I thought that maybe it was not using straws, but I realized I'm drinking from a straw right now because I bought an iced tea at Sam's earlier. Menu changes? No, they're habits now.

So, at 7 months out, the hardest thing has actually been... nothing. I can eat what I like, just less of it. I exercise more, but that almost seems like a natural progression of having more energy. I wear smaller sizes, so I'm shopping more. What woman doesn't like that?!

I'm STILL in love with my sleeve and I still think it's the best thing I've ever done for myself. I'm also looking forward to June 3 of this year. It's not my surgery date, but I was told on June 3, 2011 that I wouldnt live another year if I didn't lose some weight. I'm planning to have a drink to Celebrate living another year with the help of my sleeve, Rex!

Lissa - You are awesome! Congratulations on all your success! You mentioned having a drink to celebrate and I had to smile. It reminded me of what the NUT said at our preop meeting - alcohol is frowned on, but we'd be "cheap dates" cuz it would take so much less to get a buzz. I quit drinking many years ago but found that interesting....

Awww, thanks, Joni!! I don't drink a lot, but I do feel the alcohol VERY quickly these days. But, IMO, celebrating outliving the prediction calls for a drink...for me. I understand that some folks dont drink for various reasons, though.

I'm still excited every day to see what new discoveries my sleeve has in store for me. My latest have been my collarbones and hip bones....

Eating. In the beginning was not being able to eat anything and the head hunger and psychological mess of watching everyone eat around me and not being able to.

Now 4 months out is eating but for different reasons. I am rarely hungry, nothing sounds good and to having to force myself to eat is just as bad.

Also the not being able to drink while eating or right after. I still can't and its a very hard habit to break and every so often I end up trying to drink while eating out of habit and really pay for it.

I had "heard" about head hunger but had no idea it would hit me as hard as it did. I jumped off the stretcher on the way from the recovery room to my room in the hospital. Aside from a few bouts of nausea I felt great. First day home I had an incredible amount of energy and it seemed to get better and better as time went on. So when I couldn't eat anything aside from fluids I practically went nuts. I am 11 days out and was supposed to move to food (no mushie stage, just soft foods like fish and finely grounded chicken or beef) on day 14 but I broke down and had two spoonfuls of Tuna salad today. I couldn't help it, I've been doing an hour of cardio since day two at home, feeling really great, and starving. I will also be very honest and admit that I'm not sure the two spoonfuls made me full. I mean immediately yes but it feels like the hunger came back shortly. Does this mean my sleeve won't work?

Im glad you asked this, as I will be the cook in the house like alwaya.. I really want to know how you ladies cook for your families and stick to your diet? I am looking forward to the idea that with my healthy change, it will trickle down to my whole family. And in turn, my hubby will make better food choices for him and our kids

For me the most difficult part is the level of emotional engagement and evolution that is necessary to have s balanced and positive outlook.... My physical body is changing very rapidly, but my mind struggles to keep up... sometimes I feel like I'm in the twilight zone or having some kind of outer body experience... and I am... I'm moving out of my old body, into a healthier, more active one...

Not drinking with meals. When I was in the liquid/soft stages I could easily but now that I'm eating regular foods if I take a drink of water I will get the slimes and so much pain for a few minutes. I used to down at least 3 glasses of water with each meal so now I get really edge after a meal until I can have some water again. It really really sucks