Let's make this the official January surgery date thread. I will be having my surgery on 1/31/2020. I was certain that I was going to have the vsg, but I'm learning more and leaning towards the rouxny (rny) gastric bypass. Whatever you decide, let's get this thread started and support one another. I'm just starting it, but anyone can feel free to jump in and keep it going ?.

Neither did I during the liquid stage. I was able to sip so easily that I was afraid my sleeve wasn’t small enough. Began soft foods and boy oh boy-restriction doesn’t even come close to describing how little I can actually eat. If I get try to get down more than 1 oz in half hour I feel like I ate a whole pig and I’m lucky if I don’t get the foamies. I have to walk around after every bite. It’s now taking longer to get down a full protein drink. Used to be 1/2 hour for 8 oz protein shake now it takes 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Apparently my new baby tummy is very finicky. I guess my biggest fear is stretching my sleeve so if I feel restriction after two bites I wait half hour and try something different or just drink a protein shake (learned that from Dr. V). When you take a bite and feel that burn the second you swallow you’ll ask yourself why you were ever concerned about not feeling restriction.

Ugh now I'm scared to eat

On 02/05/2020 at 16:34, BadWolfGirl said:

Ugh now I'm scared to eat

Noooo. Don’t be scared. I’m wondering if my tummy is rejecting everything because I was so afraid of stretching my pouch. Our head really does controls our body. I’m just taking it very very slow now. I see recipes of what other people are eating during soft foods and regret ever worrying about not feeling restriction while on liquids. So far the only thing I’ve been able to eat is snow crab. But it’s sooooo expensive!!! A little sad after eating one tiny bite of other stuff that tastes so good and tummy rejects it. But I know one day, when I’m able to eat more, I’ll look back and wish I had more restriction. lol

Noooo. Don’t be scared. I’m wondering if my tummy is rejecting everything because I was so afraid of stretching my pouch. Our head really does controls our body. I’m just taking it very very slow now. I see recipes of what other people are eating during soft foods and regret ever worrying about not feeling restriction while on liquids. So far the only thing I’ve been able to eat is snow crab. But it’s sooooo expensive!!! A little sad after eating one tiny bite of other stuff that tastes so good and tummy rejects it. But I know one day, when I’m able to eat more, I’ll look back and wish I had more restriction. lol

What does it feel like when your stomach "rejects" it? I saw someone once say "if you chew anything enough it becomes a puree" lol.

I also saw some people love that crab stick stuff in soft foods too but I love snow crab too! Here is my next phase. What are your thoughts?

On 02/05/2020 at 15:14, BadWolfGirl said:

What does it feel like when your stomach "rejects" it? I saw someone once say "if you chew anything enough it becomes a puree" lol.

I also saw some people love that crab stick stuff in soft foods too but I love snow crab too! Here is my next phase. What are your thoughts?

This is very interesting. My meals r broken down to 8 meals a day. During this stage. Eating every 3 hours or so small amounts. But that is cool that yours r breakfast lunch dinner. Because that’s what I do. I don’t eat 8 small meals because I don’t want to get into the habit of “snacking”. It was a addiction for me. If I snack I get out do control one snack after another.

We have a 61 page book lol to follow. Lol this is my phase that you also attached BadWolfGirl. We can also drink with our meals until 6 weeks post op. I also attached a little chart on how much food each new little pouch should hold. Mine on week 3 is about 1oz. But it also depends on what I am eating. Some foods seems to hit my baby stomach harder than others.

We have a 61 page book lol to follow. Lol this is my phase that you also attached BadWolfGirl. We can also drink with our meals until 6 weeks post op. I also attached a little chart on how much food each new little pouch should hold. Mine on week 3 is about 1oz. But it also depends on what I am eating. Some foods seems to hit my baby stomach harder than others.

It looks pretty similar.

I definitely stray from the breakfast lunch and dinner thing and just am trying to get food and protein and liquids in when I can. I think once I start solids I will move to more meal based timing.

On 02/05/2020 at 16:05, BadWolfGirl said:

It looks pretty similar.

I definitely stray from the Breakfast lunch and dinner thing and just am trying to get food and Protein and liquids in when I can. I think once I start solids I will move to more meal based timing.

Yea most time I eat about every 4 hours starting at 8 and ending at 8 and fasting from 8pm-8am over night

Thank ya'll so much for posting your meal plans! It is very helpful. Mine doesn't seem as detailed.

Thank ya'll so much for posting your meal plans! It is very helpful. Mine doesn't seem as detailed.

What has boggled my mind the most through this experience is how there's literally no consistency for anything, from pre-op diets (I didn't have to do liquid) to when to eat after and what diet to follow your whole life. It's mind blowing. Any other major surgery in the world has a pretty commonality across the boards and doctors.

For me, once through all food stages, I have no intention of eating sugar/fat free or keto or anything like that. I will eat wholesome, nutrient rich foods that nourish my body. My surgeon is totally on board with this and says it's life long and sustainable. I may not lose 90 pounds in three months but I will have lifelong habits to lose and maintain a healthy weight.

Dr. V. swears that most people lose their hair and feel like garbage because they're depriving themselves of nutrients.

If you have time watch this, it really makes sense.

On 02/05/2020 at 16:56, BadWolfGirl said:

What has boggled my mind the most through this experience is how there's literally no consistency for anything, from pre-op diets (I didn't have to do liquid) to when to eat after and what diet to follow your whole life. It's mind blowing. Any other major surgery in the world has a pretty commonality across the boards and doctors.

For me, once through all food stages, I have no intention of eating sugar/fat free or Keto or anything like that. I will eat wholesome, nutrient rich foods that nourish my body. My surgeon is totally on board with this and says it's life long and sustainable. I may not lose 90 pounds in three months but I will have lifelong habits to lose and maintain a healthy weight.

Dr. V. swears that most people lose their hair and feel like garbage because they're depriving themselves of nutrients.

If you have time watch this, it really makes sense.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/qCo05gQKjiQ?feature=oembed

Yes I totally agree I will not eat sugar free or keto. I will eat healthy and Whole Foods. I will focus on portion size for the rest of my life. I don’t even do sugar free now. I just can’t handle the artificial sweeteners or the sugar alcohols. I would rather just not have it. If I want something sweet I will eat a piece of organic high quality dark chocolate. Keto is just not realistic for lifetime and I love that my surgeon also doesn’t push us to go keto. He just makes it simple and straight forward like dr v. He says eat healthy if not then gain ur weight again. It’s simple. We have the tool we can either use or abuse it. A lot of the diet plans and eating plans r made by the nutritionist. My surgeon told me he has a small day in it. But he is just too busy with surgery and after care that he can’t focus on it.

On 02/05/2020 at 17:14, BadWolfGirl said:

What does it feel like when your stomach "rejects" it? I saw someone once say "if you chew anything enough it becomes a puree" lol.

I also saw some people love that crab stick stuff in soft foods too but I love snow crab too! Here is my next phase. What are your thoughts?

The fake crab is disgusting to me. It’s hard to describe but it’s like an intense burning in your sternum. You will definitely know it when you eat something your stomach doesn’t want.

Thank you for posting your dietary plan. It is so much more detailed than what my surgeon gives. I mentioned before, even though she wrote a very informative book about wls, her only focus, IMO, is performing the surgery and her instructions given at the nutritionist’s office are vague and disorganized. Thanks to you for posting the Dr. V link because those videos, plus all of the information and tips from the people here have helped me tremendously.

On 02/05/2020 at 17:23, sarahSingh91 said:

This is very interesting. My meals r broken down to 8 meals a day. During this stage. Eating every 3 hours or so small amounts. But that is cool that yours r Breakfast lunch dinner. Because that’s what I do. I don’t eat 8 small meals because I don’t want to get into the habit of “snacking”. It was a addiction for me. If I snack I get out do control one snack after another.

Omg!! That’s a lot of eating!! I had the same issue with snacking and that was a major habit I had to break so I’m doing 3 meals per day. For now it’s still two protein shakes and one “meal” if I can get down 1 oz of something. So far, stomach still rejecting everything but snow crab-of course something expensive. Thank you for positing your dietary plan!!

On 02/05/2020 at 18:11, sarahSingh91 said:

Yea most time I eat about every 4 hours starting at 8 and ending at 8 and fasting from 8pm-8am over night

I’m also doing the intermittent fasting. No food after 6pm and no liquid after 9pm (to help me not wake up every two hours to pee). I wake up between 6-6:30 and have decaf coffee black or hot lemon water until 8:30 and a protein shake at 9am for my first meal. I’ve wanted to be able to do this for years so I am so happy to have this tool to help me vanquish my late night eating.

I’m also doing the intermittent fasting. No food after 6pm and no liquid after 9pm (to help me not wake up every two hours to pee). I wake up between 6-6:30 and have Decaf coffee black or hot lemon Water until 8:30 and a Protein Shake at 9am for my first meal. I’ve wanted to be able to do this for years so I am so happy to have this tool to help me vanquish my late night eating.

Do you feel warm liquids and food work better than cold on your stomach? Cold water kills me but I can drink tea all day !

On 02/05/2020 at 19:40, sarahSingh91 said:

Yes I totally agree I will not eat sugar free or Keto. I will eat healthy and Whole Foods. I will focus on portion size for the rest of my life. I don’t even do sugar free now. I just can’t handle the artificial sweeteners or the sugar alcohols. I would rather just not have it. If I want something sweet I will eat a piece of organic high quality dark chocolate. Keto is just not realistic for lifetime and I love that my surgeon also doesn’t push us to go keto. He just makes it simple and straight forward like dr v. He says eat healthy if not then gain ur weight again. It’s simple. We have the tool we can either use or abuse it. A lot of the diet plans and eating plans r made by the nutritionist. My surgeon told me he has a small day in it. But he is just too busy with surgery and after care that he can’t focus on it.

Sarah Singh and BadWolfGirl, your tummy’s might surprise you, as mine has with rejecting all fats. A few years ago I did an intensive bariatric weightloss program through NYU and learned that my body was insulin resistant. I did the weightloss program because I had done a Whole Foods diet for six months and even though I felt fantastic and my skin was glowing, hair was shiny and beautiful and allergies completely cleared up, I DEVELOPED HIGH CHOLESTEROL and only lost 6 pounds in six months, despite also doing 1 hour of intensive cardiovascular exercise five days per week. I was overweight but at every physical my pcp said my numbers were healthier than healthy (her words). The bariatric doctor put me on a low carb diet and I lost 50 pounds in five months and my cholesterol dropped to normal. I put the weight back on in the last two years because I stopped eating low carb and menopause and I stopped working so no more daily commuting on the NYC subway which is walking blocks and climbing stairs daily. At any rate, not sure what I’ll do if my tummy doesn’t want any fat so hoping it will get better for me. Today my husband felt so bad that I haven’t been able to eat anything but snow crab that he came home from work (on the crowded subway) and drove me to Stop & Shop in rush hour traffic to buy me snow crab. And yay!! I was able to eat it!! And I didn’t overeat, even though I felt like I was starving.