Hi,

I am considering having gastric sleeve surgery and am wondering if you get used to eating a reduced amount of food and how difficult it has been to adjust to this change. Also, I have heard you have bowel problems, is this true for many?

Thanking you in advance!!

Of course you get used to eating less. It’s your new normal.
Many of us dont miss that, if you do then that’s a completely separate thing.

As far as bowel issues go, it honestly depends on what you eat. If you eat tiny portions of crap or not enough fiber then you may have issues. But if you’re balanced you should be completely regular.

What a great article. Great responces, great food examples. The only thing that could make it better was if there were some experienced dudes that added to the thread, Just so I could get a better perspective.

3 hours ago, J San said:

some experienced dudes that added to the thread, Just so I could get a better perspective.

ok, I enjoy the small meals mostly. Sometimes when its an old favorite i have a twinge of loss.

i have not found any food post op that i cannot eat. just small amounts of it.

however i didn't like Brussel spouts before and dont like them after

i try to make everything as flavorful as i can cause when its that small there is no room for bland.

i eat everything from a salad plate so it looks fuller (Jedi mind trick )

i still have restriction at 11 months and i like that alot.

i am around and mostly under 1000 calories a day.

bathroom issues come and go mostly an issue with fiber intake.

I am very happy with my surgery decision and hope everyone has as good a post op as i have had.

Thanks @allwet for the perspective. Amazing results BTW. I hope I can be nearly as successful.

Nice to see what some of us are eating!

16 hours ago, J San said:

What a great article. Great responces, great food examples. The only thing that could make it better was if there were some experienced dudes that added to the thread, Just so I could get a better perspective.

User @Seahawks Fan has posted his Instagram page before: my_tiny_healthy_plate

36 minutes ago, sillykitty said:

User @Seahawks Fan has posted his Instagram page before: my_tiny_healthy_plate

Yes, I know. Thank You. I started following him a few days after i found this place. Seemed impossible for meals that size to be filling but now I get it.

1 minute ago, J San said:

Yes, I know. Thank You. I started following him a few days after i found this place. Seemed impossible for meals that size to be filling but now I get it.

Yup! Some things you've just got to experience for yourself!

2 minutes ago, J San said:

Yes, I know. Thank You. I started following him a few days after i found this place. Seemed impossible for meals that size to be filling but now I get it.

Yep, and those are much larger than mine! Last night I had one lamb chop and one bite of mac and cheese, and was completely full.

1 minute ago, J San said:

Yes, I know. Thank You. I started following him a few days after i found this place. Seemed impossible for meals that size to be filling but now I get it.

I'm sure you already know this... My doctor said my pouch will be about the same volume as a large egg after the procedure. Right now, he said, it is about the size of a nerf football. The amount of food that can fit inside a nerf football is immense, compared to an egg (duh, obviously). That being said, he also said that my brain at first will not know the difference. That is why the strict pre-op diet phase - to retrain my eating habits; to learn that I can survive on less food each time I eat. There was a huge learning curve for me when I started this. I have tried many diets in the past, but never really took them seriously. In the back of my mind, I never really thought I would succeed. This time is different - I know I will succeed!

Create the plan. Learn the plan. Know the plan. Follow the plan. LIve the plan.

My wife asked me earlier today if I was getting hungry. I told her I don't feel hungry at all but when I feel whatever it is going on in my belly I just take a few sips of whatever I'm drinking at the time and it goes away. The 1st few days I couldn't believe I was having such a hard time drinking 8oz of broth. Took me at least 3 hours and my belly felt bloated the whole time. I still am amazed I havn't had a meal since last Wednesday morning.

14 minutes ago, macadamia said:

I'm sure you already know this... My doctor said my pouch will be about the same volume as a large egg after the procedure. Right now, he said, it is about the size of a nerf football.

I had no idea. My Surgeon never gave me examples, just said about 80% would be removed. I have my 1st follow up next Wednesday and that will for sure be one of the questions I will be asking him. I wonder if there are any photos of any of the procedure. I was so tempted to ask them to take a pic of what they took out. Figured it was kinda nasty though.

7 minutes ago, J San said:

I had no idea. My Surgeon never gave me examples, just said about 80% would be removed. I have my 1st follow up next Wednesday and that will for sure be one of the questions I will be asking him. I wonder if there are any photos of any of the procedure. I was so tempted to ask them to take a pic of what they took out. Figured it was kinda nasty though.

If you do a google search and look at images, you will see some surgery photos. I do not think they are nasty, but some might. I've seen photos of what they have removed being held up by one of the surgical nurses. It's quite dramatic. I've not specifically searched for it, but I bet there are even entire surgical procedure videos (actual, not just animated). Sometimes they will narrate what is going on and those are the ones that are most helpful for me.

I've also found that both of the bariatric surgeons that I have seen are more than willing to answer questions during the appointments. Some doctors are in and out so fast that I cannot even remember what I wanted to ask. The surgeon that will be doing my surgery (Dr. Eric Volckmann) took over 45 minutes with me and answered many questions - to the point that he has referred me to an additional surgeon to address the other abdominal issues that are lingering from my past abdominal surgeries. I did not feel that he was hurrying to get through the appointment.

So, ask away when you meet with your team.

I actually found and watched this video, showing an entire procedure as well as a hiatal hernia repair. He narrates the whole thing and it was pretty interesting...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7lsUPsoUzY