Dec. 17 Sleevers - How are you on week out?

[finallyFree 9]

Blueyes32: so glad your.doctor gave you something to coat uour stomach! Thats great news. If you are still feeling dizzy it could be low blood pressure. I dont know if uou are on blood pressure medicine or not, but many people no lpnger need it after their surgery. Again ask your doctor. If thats not it you might be getting dehydrated. Make sure to get your fluids in! Take care! Ff

[castiel 66]

hi 12/17 gang! Can't believe that tomorrow will be 3 weeks out from surgery! Things going well here in central Illinois. I've really been fighting one incision "path" that they actually sewed up from the inside out. Sitting just right above my waistline, it has been very uncomfortable and has kept me from doing a whole lot - even with pain meds (and I have a super high pain tolerance). Yesterday that finally eased up and today it is barely noticible. The weather and holidays have made it hard to get out and exercise but I have been to the gym a few times to hit the treadmill. My "overachiever" issues come and go as I get frustrated that I am not at pre-surgery exercise levels by now. I'd say I am about 85-90% but hoped to be much closer to 100%. Monday brings all the "new" into gear - back to work, back to full time working out, back to hitting the pool! I go see the nutriionist on the 14th and will weigh in then. I'm not losing very fast, but I guess losing so much pre-surgery kind of has my body in limbo or something. I figure once I can get back on routine with everything else, that will follow. I'm ok with the gradual loss as at this point, the numbers are not my focus, just trying to get healither each day through my life choices. Picked up a measuring tape today so can track my loss of inches over the next year. Hope all of you had a good New Years!

That's great you're already exercising. I'm just doing walking, but on Tuesday I'm cleared for the gym! I should've taken my measurements pre-surgery. But I remember measuring my waist and hips a few weeks before surgery, so when I get back to school I can't wait to find my measuring tape.

The pain does get better, as you've seen. I used to have pain getting up out of bed, but now, NONE! Walking long distances at first made my stomach muscles feel like it's on fire. Now if I walk too much, it's not bad at all.

Best of luck on your journey! Sounds like you're doing great.

[CathyA72 47]

What is the difference between puree and soft? Is puree when you strain chunks out? I feel like there is a lot of overlap. Overlap between full liquids and puree and overlap between puree and soft. I was only given two stages of diet when I was discharged: full liquids/shakes/soups and soft/soups with more chunks/etc.

I was never on a puréed stage. My NUT just said that would be gross. Lol. So just anything I eat have to chew really well. Surgery was Dec 17 also.

[akwitham72 72]

Hi everyone. With all that I went through it seems crazy that I will be three weeks out tomorrow. I got a call on Friday stating that my last labs showed my hemoglobins went back down again and I am now anemic which I have never been in my life. This would account for my extreme tiredness. My surgeon said I could not jog for two months only walking. I have not done anything as far as exercise so far because I am still so sore and bruised and I still get tired just taking a shower in the morning. I also am having extreme gas and heart burn. I never had any hunger pains whatsoever the first week and a half but now I feel hunger all day. Is this due to the gas pain and heart burn? Do any of you have any suggestions or know any meds I could take or ask my doctor for to help this?

[meeganlee 33]

Hi everyone. With all that I went through it seems crazy that I will be three weeks out tomorrow. I got a call on Friday stating that my last labs showed my hemoglobins went back down again and I am now anemic which I have never been in my life. This would account for my extreme tiredness. My surgeon said I could not jog for two months only walking. I have not done anything as far as exercise so far because I am still so sore and bruised and I still get tired just taking a shower in the morning. I also am having extreme gas and heart burn. I never had any hunger pains whatsoever the first week and a half but now I feel hunger all day. Is this due to the gas pain and heart burn? Do any of you have any suggestions or know any meds I could take or ask my doctor for to help this?

I have read several people say that they were hungry, talked to their doctors, and realized it was because they were drinking to close to when they were eating, and washing the food through the sleeve to fast. That is a way to get hungry fast. If you don't do that, and eat every 3 or 4 hours, the hunger shouldn't be an issue. I hope. : )

[akwitham72 72]

I am being really diligent about waiting the 30 before and after sometimes a little longer afterwards. I am having a hard time getting my Water in and that bothers me since I know how important that is. Do we have to wait the 30 minutes before and after we have our Protein Shakes too since they are liquid as well I wasn't sure. I feel like all I do all day is worry about my food and liquid and getting it all in and right. I hope it gets easier.

[meeganlee 33]

I know everyone has different protocols, and you should do what your doctor is telling you, but I was told not to drink 10 minute before or 60 minutes after. Absolutely yes on the Protein Drinks. The idea is to keep Protein in your stomach until it digests, and it will keep you sated. My nutritionist says nobody gets the Water in initially. It takes finding a new pattern of eating and drinking. If it were me, I would try waiting to drink an hour after eating. Being hungry is going to make everything more challenging. This is our honeymoon phase where we get to establish our new patterns without hunger. We have to learn how our bodies are responding and do what works for each of us.

[Sadlers1999 169]

I learned a valuable lesson tonight. I had scrambled eggs for dinner and thought "wouldn't it be nice to have a little more flavor" so I put a little salsa on them. Big mistake. My tummy twinged a lot. I won't try that again for quite a while. Other than that' date=' doing great!. I started with a low BMI, and am loosing slower than most of you, but I'm down 13 since surgery, and feel like there is a chance I will lose 15 or 16 by my one month date. For me, with 50 pounds to loose when I got to the surgery date, that would be great. I know it will slow down, so I'm hoping for as much as possible in the first month. I dig a great jog and hike this week, which I was amazed I was up for, and it is helping with my weight loss. I lost 8 lbs the first week, 2 the second, and three already this week, which won't end until Monday. I think working out will be key to making it to goal. I'm very grateful to have all of you who were sleeved on or near the same day to share experiences through the journey.[/quote']

I have the same problem. I find myself taking a couple of tums after meals that "disagree" with me. It's the acid feeling. My stomach doesn't feel anything. The acid is in the back of my throat.

As for weight loss, I am at the same weight as when I went to the doctor's office on Wednesday. Only 7 lbs total post surgery. And, my BMI was higher to begin with.

[akwitham72 72]

I know everyone has different protocols' date=' and you should do what your doctor is telling you, but I was told not to drink 10 minute before or 60 minutes after. Absolutely yes on the Protein drinks. The idea is to keep protein in your stomach until it digests, and it will keep you sated. My nutritionist says nobody gets the Water in initially. It takes finding a new pattern of eating and drinking. If it were me, I would try waiting to drink an hour after eating. Being hungry is going to make everything more challenging. This is our honeymoon phase where we get to establish our new patterns without hunger. We have to learn how our bodies are responding and do what works for each of us.[/quote']

I am going to try the 60 minutes after and see if it helps. I will do this for the protipein drinks too thanks for the advice. I am going to go get some Prilosec as well and try that. It seems like all this time waiting before and after meals to drink is what makes it hard to get all my water in. I will conquer this and everything will be great. Love this board and everyone on it.

[akwitham72 72]

I am going to try the 60 minutes after and see if it helps. I will do this for the Protein drinks too thanks for the advice. I am going to go get some Prilosec as well and try that. It seems like all this time waiting before and after meals to drink is what makes it hard to get all my Water in. I will conquer this and everything will be great. Love this board and everyone on it.

[akwitham72 72]

I am going to try the 60 minutes after and see if it helps. I will do this for the Protein drinks too thanks for the advice. I am going to go get some Prilosec as well and try that. It seems like all this time waiting before and after meals to drink is what makes it hard to get all my Water in. I will conquer this and everything will be great. Love this board and everyone on it.

[meeganlee 33]

I really hope it helps, and I love that we can help each other like this! Wonderful! I'm on prilosec for three months morning and night, per the doctor. I haven't had symptoms, but I think they do it proactively.

[Mrs Jacobs 10]

Hello Dec17 Sleevers , my story is very similar to everyone on here , I lost a great amount of weight. Before surgery I weighed in at 326, as of this day I currently weight in at 304.

Some days are better than others, I am still havin trouble drinking Water and any fluids , I have no pain. But besides that I feel great my husband is seeing the difference , my face is gettin slimmer and I have a BURST of energy.

Can somebody tell me what's the next phase , because I tried the chicken salad and that hurts my stomach so I went back to the Soups and full liquids , I can only drink half of a bottle of ice tea ( crystal light but of course ) lol

Thanks for sharing and please help with tips on what works for you

[meeganlee 33]

Hello Dec17 Sleevers , my story is very similar to everyone on here , I lost a great amount of weight. Before surgery I weighed in at 326, as of this day I currently weight in at 304.

Some days are better than others, I am still havin trouble drinking Water and any fluids , I have no pain. But besides that I feel great my husband is seeing the difference , my face is gettin slimmer and I have a BURST of energy.

Can somebody tell me what's the next phase , because I tried the chicken salad and that hurts my stomach so I went back to the Soups and full liquids , I can only drink half of a bottle of ice tea ( crystal light but of course ) lol

Thanks for sharing and please help with tips on what works for you

Every doctor has a different protocol, and you shoud probably follow your doctors, but I do think there are things to learn from what is working for others on a similar time frame.

My doctor had me on liquids in the hospital, and pureed or soft foods, mostly greek yogurt, priotein shakes, cottage cheese and soups for the next two weeks. Last Monday, I went to phase three, which includes fish, chicken (blended so it is very easy to digest), well cooked vegetables in small amounts, and cheese. No raw vegetables for another month. And, no meat that isn't basically prechewed by blending it. Small bites, and all is well. I would think that vegetables that aren't cooked would be brutal to digest at this point. Use your best judgement, and see what is working for you.

[Sadlers1999 169]

Hello Dec17 Sleevers ' date=' my story is very similar to everyone on here , I lost a great amount of weight. Before surgery I weighed in at 326, as of this day I currently weight in at 304.

Some days are better than others, I am still havin trouble drinking Water and any fluids , I have no pain. But besides that I feel great my husband is seeing the difference , my face is gettin slimmer and I have a BURST of energy.

Can somebody tell me what's the next phase , because I tried the chicken salad and that hurts my stomach so I went back to the Soups and full liquids , I can only drink half of a bottle of ice tea ( crystal light but of course ) lol

Thanks for sharing and please help with tips on what works for you[/quote']

I think if you are in the phase where you are supposed to start eating more solid stuff, you should just try it once a day. My NUT told us (in a group) that we should eat slowly enough that if we feel uncomfortable, stop. So, maybe your serving size is supposed to be 2 tbsp of chicken salad, but maybe you can only handle one tbsp.

How long does it take you to drink the half bottle of crystal light? Is a half bottle a cup (8 oz)?