I am switching from lapband to sleeve due to health complications( my RA is out of control since I got the band) Just wondering how eating is with the sleeve, right now I can tolerate all foods in moderation and with careful chewing and don't want to loose that. Any help would be appreciated,

I can eat pretty much whatever I want but only in smaller amounts. There is a big focus on protein but each surgeon/NUT has different requirements. Mine allows me some carbs as long as I get my protein in. Just don't expect to eat everything right away. I'm six weeks out and I was just given clearance for everything other than salad.

1. Thanks for the info but oh how I will miss my salad.
   

I don't think salad is a forever gone food...I was told not to eat it until I am released to eat regular foods again...and then to try small amounts and chew chew chew to see how the sleeve tolerates because every person is different..I plan to at least try cause I love me some salad!!

^{It's very scary reading all the posts on this site. I don't understand why people say they can still choke on things I understand with the band I have but why with the sleeve? I was wondering how long was everyone out of work for. I am a nurse and with my band I was out a week but is it different with the sleeve? This whole process is scary.}

I actually found a huge different in what I am able to eat with the sleeve versus what I was able to eat with the band. With the band, I had to be so careful, I never knew from one day to the next which food was going to be a problem for me. I hated living in constant fear of how my body was going to react to the food I ate. However, with the sleeve, it is completely different. My stomach is just like everyone else's, it is just smaller, that is all. I am able to tolerate anything I put in it without a problem, I just can't eat as much as a normal person. If I do "choke" or something, it is because I simply ate more than I should have and that is my own fault for being a glutton.

I had band to sleeve revision on 3/13. Here is what can tell you:

food always got stuck on my band even when it was all the way open and even after I would chew, chew, chew. I would throw up at least 3 times per week from the feeling of food getting stuck. Since revised, I've only thrown up once and not because food got stuck, but because I took Vitamins that did not sit well with me. I've never had a stuck feeling since the revision and in fact can eat anything now, just very small amounts. The reason people throw up with a sleeve is from eating too much and/or too fast in one sitting, drink when they eat or too soon after they eat and/or something didn't sit well with their new tummy. Your tastes definitely change. If you just listen to your body and follow the Protein guidelines and liquid rules you will lose the weight pretty easily. I'm rarely hungry and actually struggle to get all of my calories in. Way different than the band when I always still felt hungry. My weight loss would be much higher if I could eat more each day (35lbs to date).

For the actual surgery, I took off two weeks from work and should have gone 1/2 days on the 3rd. After the 1st week I had no pain, but the extreme weakness I felt week 2 made me feel as though I might had made a big mistake getting the surgery. I was worried it was going to last forever. It carried over into the 3rd week, though not as bad. It gradually improved every week and today I feel better than I have in a long time (prior to surgery even).

One more thing to add...I wish I had chosen the sleeve over the band in 2009 because today I would be sitting at goal. I feel it works much better than the band.

I hope this helps. Good luck with your decision.

Has anyone tried B-12 for the weakness? My NUT (makes me laugh every time I read the abbrev..) said to get sub-lingual B-12 which I suppose is to give nmore energy

Thank you Susan and jhansen71 both of your posts put me right at ease. Congrats to you both on your success. Next question though I have yet to find a protein powder that is truly tasteless or not gross. Any advice? Thanks girls it is so nice to have people to talk to.

Thank you Susan and jhansen71 both of your posts put me right at ease. Congrats to you both on your success. Next question though I have yet to find a Protein powder that is truly tasteless or not gross. Any advice? Thanks girls it is so nice to have people to talk to.

I still struggle with this. I have yet to find one that tastes good. I'm not sure one exists. If you happen to find one, please let me know. Good luck!

Ha ha, good luck with the protein powder dilemma. I am not sure there is one that isn't gross. Most of the time I try and get my protein from my foods. But, when I need a little extra, I have found I can tolerate Jillian Michaels vanilla whey protein when I mix it in with my strawberry/banana smoothie.

Thanks if I find a yummy one I will post!