I'm 5 wks sleeved and looking forward to my journey ahead; however, i've had minor challenges, one being, i've only loss 8 lbs and the other is i'm have difficulty retaining my foods and liquids. Has anyone had similar experiences, if so, can you offer advice?

Have you had your first appointment with your surgeon yet? What about your NUT? I would suggest talking to both of them. It isn't typical to not be retaining foods and liquids at 5 weeks out, but it does happen to some people. Start slow. Sometimes people like warm liquids, some like cold. It will depend on you and your body. Trust what it is saying to you. I would definitely talk to your doctors about it though. Good luck! It will get easier!