I'm 5 weeks post op so I know it's still early but I have a question. Will I ever be able to eat more then 3 or 4 bites and drink with my meals?

I am 3 weeks PO and I , too, find it frustrating to only be able to eat a minicsule amount (end up wasting ALOT becuase you can't "cook" a meal small enough for just 3-4 bites!) And then 4 days later when you have 1/2 the meal still left..... you don't really (at least i don't) want it. ARRRGH!

Of course I did this for the REASON of not being able to eat that much to increase weight loss.... but I guess I just didn;t know it would be this difficult (at least for me....)

And to top it off.... my weight loss has stalled and I've only lost 12 lbs (not including the 12 lbs of Water I gained in the hospital....) grrrrrrr.....

Feeling frustrated.......

I am the same way with leftovers. It's going to be hard for me (getting sleeved 7/22) because sometimes i cook for my mom too. i feel like it will be "how much is enough?" i'll learn. #focus #patience

I remember at the beginning feeling like I wish things were moving faster, that my clothes were looser, that I looked different. At 50 pounds I still wasn't even getting many comments and I could still fit in some of the clothes I had. But after the 50 pound mark it just seemed like things really picked up. Those 50 pounds took probably 4 months and now I have lost another 50 in 5 months, but those are the 50 that people really noticed. So don't be discouraged,go about your life, eat right, exercise and you will begin to see the difference and before you know it you will be nine months out and super happy with your progress!

And I love that I can go out to eat and get 2, 3, 4 meals out of one meal! (I am a couponer so I love a good deal LOL!)

lol i dont multiple meals, like dinner, lunch, dinner again. but then for lunch AGAIN?! LOL no thanks. I'm definitly looking forward to saving money on food. when i would do my budget, and look over the past months expenses, my highest costs came from food and gas thank the good Lord, food will be "80%" less costly lol

Hi All!! I'm 3 weeks post op yesterday and really don't appreciate this little bit of food I can eat No one ever told me that I would never be able to eat a "meal" again. I want to be able to drink after each mouthful of food, ****, I want a mouthful of food! I have lost 15 lbs since surgery which I am happy about, but I really think that if I knew that I will NEVER be able to eat more than 1 cup of food in 1 sitting idk if I would have had surgery. Hope soon I feel different, but for now I'm really not too happy. Oh well, what's done is done, and I am happy that soon I will not be fat, but then it's the skin I have to worry about. This is depressing..... sorry to be a downer, just not too happy........................

I feel your pain, at this point I would just like to be able to eat a few ounces! A cup of food sounds like heaven!!!!!

I told my coworker that I was a cheap date. She laughed until we went to lunch. Now she doesn't want to take turns treating because she said I'm getting the raw deal. I had to tell her that if I invite you out, I still expect you to eat what you want.

Funny thing is that she only orders the same thing so I always know what to expect. She's a cheap date too.

I told my coworker that I was a cheap date. She laughed until we went to lunch. Now she doesn't want to take turns treating because she said I'm getting the raw deal. I had to tell her that if I invite you out, I still expect you to eat what you want.

Funny thing is that she only orders the same thing so I always know what to expect. She's a cheap date too.

My "co worker" who has also become a friend said ( multiple times) " I have other friends who have had this and you're not going to be any "fun" to go out to eat with now......"

Kinda pissed me off, because whyyyy is my fun level determined by how much I can damn eat??? I will be able to have SOME , just not all !!!" She is a pretty normal weight ( 5'7, size 10), so it's not because she wants me to gorge because she actually is a huge proponent of "healthy eating" and works out 2-3x a week..... Still it ticked me off when she said that. Lol

I think my family feels the same way! They ask me am I going to be able to come over for dinner or holiday's it kind of made me sad that food is the glue to my family!

I think my family feels the same way! They ask me am I going to be able to come over for dinner or holiday's it kind of made me sad that food is the glue to my family!

Ya know..... i NEEEEEEEEEVER realized just how MUCH food is in EVERY. PART. OF. OUR. EXISTENCE!!! And how MANY things revolve AROUND food!!!! It's kinda frustrating and eye opening at the same time! Geez! I mean..... I feel like I SHOULD have known this fact, seeing as though, humans HAVE TO eat to survive and so there (obviously) has to be somoe kind of focus on food in society.... but DAMMIT! I see MORE commercials (since I am stll on medical leave as I am 3 1/2 weekd out) for FOOD than anything! Food is the glue to MOST families.... I feel you.......

My "co worker" who has also become a friend said ( multiple times) " I have other friends who have had this and you're not going to be any "fun" to go out to eat with now......"

Kinda pissed me off, because whyyyy is my fun level determined by how much I can damn eat??? I will be able to have SOME , just not all !!!" She is a pretty normal weight ( 5'7, size 10), so it's not because she wants me to gorge because she actually is a huge proponent of "healthy eating" and works out 2-3x a week..... Still it ticked me off when she said that. Lol

Oh yeah that would make me mad. Not sure why she would say that, could she be jealous that you'll start being the healthy eating "go-to/guru" instead of her? Even though she may be known for healthy eating, once you get the sleeve you (generally speaking) become really attentive to healthy eating and exercise.

Maybe deep down other sleevers have made her feel not so great about her food choices and she fears you'll do that too.

Hi All!! I'm 3 weeks post op yesterday and really don't appreciate this little bit of food I can eat No one ever told me that I would never be able to eat a "meal" again. I want to be able to drink after each mouthful of food, ****, I want a mouthful of food! I have lost 15 lbs since surgery which I am happy about, but I really think that if I knew that I will NEVER be able to eat more than 1 cup of food in 1 sitting idk if I would have had surgery. Hope soon I feel different, but for now I'm really not too happy. Oh well, what's done is done, and I am happy that soon I will not be fat, but then it's the skin I have to worry about. This is depressing..... sorry to be a downer, just not too happy........................

OMG, OMG, OMMMMMMG !!!!

I think you just reached into my brain and pulled out several frustrations that I am havng too! I just didn't have the courage to post them, as I didn;t want to seem like 'negative nelly" when this IS something that I "asked" for!!!

BUT..... and this is a BIG BUT.....

I had NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO F*$N CLUE about alllllllllll of the changes that I do NOT like. Allow me to vent:

1. The fact that I will never be able to eat more than a 1/2 to cup of food (maybe thaaaaat's not too bad...LOL)

2. The fact that I will have to FOR.EVER try to get "60-80 g" of Protein EVERY DAY! FOREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVER. That is F&$& HARD to do

3. That I will probably be constiapted (already had a bout with it, wherein, I wasn't "paying attention" to how long it had been since I went and since I have NEEEEVER been a "go every day" person)..... it was 5 days, I had to give myself a suppository, and I felt like my @$$hole was being RIPPED in two (felt worse than giving birth, I swear it did!) I am not used to having to take "supplements" to ensure my bowels move......but it seems that NOW,.....NOW...... I will....foreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeever. And with alllllll the stuff to keep track of (how much protein, Vitamins, Calcium, how much liquid i'm imbibing.....) &H!T is HARDER for me on a day to day basis and I haven't even gone back to work!!!! WHat happens when I am "busy" and "forget" to eat..... forget to drink (I have NEVER been a "drink alot of liquid in a day" kinda person)

4. The vitamins. I was talkign to my 78 yr old mother ( who is and has alwasy been thin....her BIGGEST when I was probably 12 or 13 was a size 14, mostly due to her being "hippy") who takes a PLETHORA of pills every day for everything from estrogen, calcium, HBP meds, multi Vitamin, Insulin pill.....blah, blah, blah), that it was frustrating to have to "keep up" wth when I can take this.... oh, don't take calcium near the time you take the vitamin pill......etc". Well, she said " honey.... I have to do the same thing.... I have to remember to eat, watch what I eat, remember to take my pills at certain times", and as much as looooove my mother, I wanted to scream to her:

BUT YOU ARE 78!!!! I AM 42!!!!! I am not an older person! Yet, my "routiine" is that of someone OLD! I did this to make my life simpler, NOT MORE COMPLICATED........ and now I am stuck".

Top that off with the fact that she has NOTHING. TO. DO, but to keep up with vitamin regimens, figure out what to cook on a whim...... I work, have a husband and 9 year old and simply do not HAVE time for more complication! But..... that is my life now.....

I am totally venting..... I hope I feel differently at some point.....

I also feel that NO ONE TOLD ME what I could expect and I have THREE.... THREE friends (not super close friends) who have gone through this and those chicks never told me of allllllllllllllllll the WORK that this entails! (one is 2 years sleeved, one is 1 year and the other is 7 weeks)....... when I asked my 2yr sleeved friend she was kinda like "Ok..... so what do ya wanan know?"....

I hate that damn question...... I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW!!!! TELL ME EVERYTHING...... and truthfully..... when people say "tell me about the surgery", they want to know the "bad stuff" to expect..... we can allllll see the "good"!!!

But no one, NOT even the one sleeved 7 weeks ago, told me of all the WORK that is now added to my life just to keep LIVIING.

So, again...... i feel like you do..... if i had known this, in THIS depth.... i am pretty sure I would not have done this......

#learningtolivewiththisdecision

I think my family feels the same way! They ask me am I going to be able to come over for dinner or holiday's it kind of made me sad that food is the glue to my family!

We talked about this in our support group last night. It might not be the glue but it sure is part of it. Everything we do involves food to some extent. People don't realize we can still eat just not what/how we used to.

Once they actually see you eating they may relax a bit.

Hi All!! I'm 3 weeks post op yesterday and really don't appreciate this little bit of food I can eat No one ever told me that I would never be able to eat a "meal" again. I want to be able to drink after each mouthful of food, ****, I want a mouthful of food! I have lost 15 lbs since surgery which I am happy about, but I really think that if I knew that I will NEVER be able to eat more than 1 cup of food in 1 sitting idk if I would have had surgery. Hope soon I feel different, but for now I'm really not too happy. Oh well, what's done is done, and I am happy that soon I will not be fat, but then it's the skin I have to worry about. This is depressing..... sorry to be a downer, just not too happy........................

You are still so early in the process, what you are able to eat is not satisfying, soft, pureed, et cetera....once you can eat "normal" food again I think your feelings will change. I think. I eat food that tastes good but I get full sooner. When you are full you are satisfied. No one wants to eat to the point of throwing up, so you are just getting to the satisfied point earlier. I think that is the big difference. Give it time and hopefully your feelings will evolve.

I'm 11 days post op and I can eat a lot at a time I don't know what's wrong!

OMG, OMG, OMMMMMMG !!!!

I think you just reached into my brain and pulled out several frustrations that I am havng too! I just didn't have the courage to post them, as I didn;t want to seem like 'negative nelly" when this IS something that I "asked" for!!!

BUT..... and this is a BIG BUT.....

I had NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO F*$N CLUE about alllllllllll of the changes that I do NOT like. Allow me to vent:

1. The fact that I will never be able to eat more than a 1/2 to cup of food (maybe thaaaaat's not too bad...LOL)

2. The fact that I will have to FOR.EVER try to get "60-80 g" of Protein EVERY DAY! FOREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVER. That is F&$& HARD to do

3. That I will probably be constiapted (already had a bout with it, wherein, I wasn't "paying attention" to how long it had been since I went and since I have NEEEEVER been a "go every day" person)..... it was 5 days, I had to give myself a suppository, and I felt like my @$$hole was being RIPPED in two (felt worse than giving birth, I swear it did!) I am not used to having to take "supplements" to ensure my bowels move......but it seems that NOW,.....NOW...... I will....foreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeever. And with alllllll the stuff to keep track of (how much protein, Vitamins, calcium, how much liquid i'm imbibing.....) &H!T is HARDER for me on a day to day basis and I haven't even gone back to work!!!! WHat happens when I am "busy" and "forget" to eat..... forget to drink (I have NEVER been a "drink alot of liquid in a day" kinda person)

4. The vitamins. I was talkign to my 78 yr old mother ( who is and has alwasy been thin....her BIGGEST when I was probably 12 or 13 was a size 14, mostly due to her being "hippy") who takes a PLETHORA of pills every day for everything from estrogen, calcium, HBP meds, multi Vitamin, Insulin pill.....blah, blah, blah), that it was frustrating to have to "keep up" wth when I can take this.... oh, don't take calcium near the time you take the vitamin pill......etc". Well, she said " honey.... I have to do the same thing.... I have to remember to eat, watch what I eat, remember to take my pills at certain times", and as much as looooove my mother, I wanted to scream to her:

BUT YOU ARE 78!!!! I AM 42!!!!! I am not an older person! Yet, my "routiine" is that of someone OLD! I did this to make my life simpler, NOT MORE COMPLICATED........ and now I am stuck".

Top that off with the fact that she has NOTHING. TO. DO, but to keep up with vitamin regimens, figure out what to cook on a whim...... I work, have a husband and 9 year old and simply do not HAVE time for more complication! But..... that is my life now.....

I am totally venting..... I hope I feel differently at some point.....

I also feel that NO ONE TOLD ME what I could expect and I have THREE.... THREE friends (not super close friends) who have gone through this and those chicks never told me of allllllllllllllllll the WORK that this entails! (one is 2 years sleeved, one is 1 year and the other is 7 weeks)....... when I asked my 2yr sleeved friend she was kinda like "Ok..... so what do ya wanan know?"....

I hate that damn question...... I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW!!!! TELL ME EVERYTHING...... and truthfully..... when people say "tell me about the surgery", they want to know the "bad stuff" to expect..... we can allllll see the "good"!!!

But no one, NOT even the one sleeved 7 weeks ago, told me of all the WORK that is now added to my life just to keep LIVIING.

So, again...... i feel like you do..... if i had known this, in THIS depth.... i am pretty sure I would not have done this......

#learningtolivewiththisdecision

Girl...I just want to hug you. Yes, my friend that went RnY 3 years ago, went through this. She didn't have anyone going before her that she could talk to about this stuff. I sat back and watched her so I saw all the pills, the frustration when eating, the constant liquids.

But, still it is NOT the same until you go through it. So even if your friends had told you, they may not have truly been able to get it through...if that makes sense? The thing to remember is that we are still in the building/forming habits stage.

At 3 years out, my friend has her vitamin routine down so much that she doesn't even have to remember them, it just comes natural to her. We'll get there too. We just have to keep forming those habits.

Also, even with a 1/2 cup of food at a time, at some point our food will provide much more satiety so you will probably get back regular (which was a surprise to me because pre-op I was VERY regular). As of today I'm getting back to regular so I'm happy and eating more solids, I don't really feel like I'm missing out on eating.

I'm 11 days post op and I can eat a lot at a time I don't know what's wrong!

Be careful with this. Since you're still healing you could still have some sensation loss that while may make you feel you have room, you really don't.

I would say try to measure your food if you can. Last thing you want to do is stress your sleeve.

OMG, OMG, OMMMMMMG !!!!

I think you just reached into my brain and pulled out several frustrations that I am havng too! I just didn't have the courage to post them, as I didn;t want to seem like 'negative nelly" when this IS something that I "asked" for!!!

BUT..... and this is a BIG BUT.....

I had NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO F*$N CLUE about alllllllllll of the changes that I do NOT like. Allow me to vent:

1. The fact that I will never be able to eat more than a 1/2 to cup of food (maybe thaaaaat's not too bad...LOL)

2. The fact that I will have to FOR.EVER try to get "60-80 g" of Protein EVERY DAY! FOREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVER. That is F&$& HARD to do

3. That I will probably be constiapted (already had a bout with it, wherein, I wasn't "paying attention" to how long it had been since I went and since I have NEEEEVER been a "go every day" person)..... it was 5 days, I had to give myself a suppository, and I felt like my @$$hole was being RIPPED in two (felt worse than giving birth, I swear it did!) I am not used to having to take "supplements" to ensure my bowels move......but it seems that NOW,.....NOW...... I will....foreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeever. And with alllllll the stuff to keep track of (how much protein, Vitamins, Calcium, how much liquid i'm imbibing.....) &H!T is HARDER for me on a day to day basis and I haven't even gone back to work!!!! WHat happens when I am "busy" and "forget" to eat..... forget to drink (I have NEVER been a "drink alot of liquid in a day" kinda person)

4. The vitamins. I was talkign to my 78 yr old mother ( who is and has alwasy been thin....her BIGGEST when I was probably 12 or 13 was a size 14, mostly due to her being "hippy") who takes a PLETHORA of pills every day for everything from estrogen, calcium, HBP meds, multi Vitamin, Insulin pill.....blah, blah, blah), that it was frustrating to have to "keep up" wth when I can take this.... oh, don't take calcium near the time you take the vitamin pill......etc". Well, she said " honey.... I have to do the same thing.... I have to remember to eat, watch what I eat, remember to take my pills at certain times", and as much as looooove my mother, I wanted to scream to her:

BUT YOU ARE 78!!!! I AM 42!!!!! I am not an older person! Yet, my "routiine" is that of someone OLD! I did this to make my life simpler, NOT MORE COMPLICATED........ and now I am stuck".

Top that off with the fact that she has NOTHING. TO. DO, but to keep up with vitamin regimens, figure out what to cook on a whim...... I work, have a husband and 9 year old and simply do not HAVE time for more complication! But..... that is my life now.....

I am totally venting..... I hope I feel differently at some point.....

I also feel that NO ONE TOLD ME what I could expect and I have THREE.... THREE friends (not super close friends) who have gone through this and those chicks never told me of allllllllllllllllll the WORK that this entails! (one is 2 years sleeved, one is 1 year and the other is 7 weeks)....... when I asked my 2yr sleeved friend she was kinda like "Ok..... so what do ya wanan know?"....

I hate that damn question...... I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW!!!! TELL ME EVERYTHING...... and truthfully..... when people say "tell me about the surgery", they want to know the "bad stuff" to expect..... we can allllll see the "good"!!!

But no one, NOT even the one sleeved 7 weeks ago, told me of all the WORK that is now added to my life just to keep LIVIING.

So, again...... i feel like you do..... if i had known this, in THIS depth.... i am pretty sure I would not have done this......

#learningtolivewiththisdecision

First....take a deep breath..................LOL

Okay, let's continue.

It's gonna be okay. Really, it is. I am 47, have 2 teenagers a husband, my own business that I work full time and my food life IS easier! Really!

1. Vitamins, pills. Get a pill box, put your pills in it for each day of the week and you have your pills set for one week or two (depending on the pill box). I take: multi, Vitamin D, B12, Boitin and Paxil (OCD) daily. I don't worry what time I take them. My blood work has all come back fine since surgery. I don't take calcium every day because of the constipation. Only every 3 days or so, as per my doctor.

2. Constipation. Yeah, it sucks! That is probably the biggest change for me. I use Miralax in my diet snapple a couple to three days per week. It doesn't cause dependency and it definitely helps. You can't taste it and it doesn't change the consistency of your Water, either. It totally dissolves. I am going to try Colace pills as a substitute when I get tired of the Miralax.

3. Portion sizes. Read my post right above yours. I never feel deprived. NEVER!

4. If you don't love protein I can understand it begin frustrating having to get 60 - 80 grams but if you love protein with a Protein shake or bar and then real food protein you will hit those numbers no problem. At nine months I am at about 900 calories a day and I get 80 to 100 grams of protein a day. Every day I add Protein powder to my morning coffee and as a snack probably 4 out of 7 days I have a Quest Protein Bar. Then with my other Proteins I hit my numbers easily. chicken, cheese, lunch meat, edamame are my go to proteins.

5. And finally, remember you are just at the beginning. you CAN'T eat many calories right now, it will be hard to get the protein. Up until about 7 months I was 600 calories a day and I shot for, and mostly got 60 grams of protein. I didn't start getting the 80 grams until I got to the higher calorie amount.

6. Oops, now finally. Eating is so much easier for me now because I don't have to think about it so much. I make dinner for my family (which is healthier for them) and I eat what I should. I get the protein first and then some veggie. I usually sick the carb but last night my daughter made dinner in a skillet and it was all combined with rice so I had half a cup. No problem. Done. Full.

I don't have to make a separate meal for me and them, I just eat around what is best for me. During the day, as long as I have the stuff I need in the house it is easy for me. I actually seek out protein now because I know it fuels my body. I don't care (as much) about the junkie stuff - although I still enjoy a little ice cream or a piece of cake at a party, et cetera. And the Quest bars are seriously like a dessert.......down the road check them out.

I think you are frustrated because you see how things are right now and think that is going to be forever. It really isn't. It will progress. Try not to be discouraged. Try to take one day at a time! You're going to be okay!!!!! <3