dramagirl28

Definitely no caffeine (my doc said for six weeks). I started drinking decaf coffee at six weeks and it really hurt my stomach. Curiously, regular coffee does not, so I switched back, but can only handle 1 cup per day and often can't finish it. On the flip side, caffeine-free herbal tea sits great with me but black tea kills my stomach even now at 5+ months out. If you can't kick the caffeine habit, at least wait a couple months before you give it another try.

Your food intake sounds right on track to me. I had hunger pangs in the beginning too, and still do sometimes. I tried doubling my prilosec dosage for a while to twice a day and that seemed to help. I'm back to once a day now and only get hunger pangs when it makes sense to get them and it doesn't happen every day. I don't really know what it is medically except that your body is freaking out and doing all kinds of weird things. My suggestion (other than upping your dosage) would be to just sip on a protein shake when you're hungry and make sure you're not overfilling your sleeve. Don't worry about eating too much at this point. Just try to be comfortable and make good choices and be aware of your body. You'll get the hang of it eventually and your body will chill out and you'll feel normal again soon enough.

Hi all, I'm 5 months post-op and one of my fellow WLS friends is so proud of my progress that she got me all dolled up and put together these before and after shots for me, so I thought I'd share them with you. This is me, more than 60 lbs lighter, and in a size 14, down from size 20.

Today is my 5 month surgiversary and I am officially no longer obese! I feel so much more comfortable with my body and am so thankful for this surgery! For all you new sleevers out there who might be struggling, please know that you have nothing but health and happiness to look forward to.

I wore jeans within the first week, but they weren't super tight on me. I also wore a compression tank top tucked in, so the jeans didn't rub directly on my incisions. I only wore them when I was out and about, so an hour tops. I was too pooped to be out longer than that.

Isn't the top cute? Unfortunately I got it in my friend's closet, so I have no idea where it came from originally!

Great attitude! The beginning is rough but it'll be over before you know it and I promise you will feel normal again eventually! You just have to take the time to learn how to eat again.

I was a crafter before but it's been really helpful to me post-op. If I crochet or something while I'm eating, I am able to eat much slower. If I don't keep my hands busy it's too easy to reach for that fork sooner than I should between bites. I really thought I'd become a shop-a-holic because I LOVE shopping but so far I've been pretty hesitant to buy new clothes because I'm still shrinking. I'll have to really watch it when I get to goal and have to buy new everything!

At this point, you just have to get the protein in however you can. Protein shakes are a great way to do it, and amen about the Premier ones from Costco/Sam's! I'd avoid mashed potatoes if I were you. They fill you up quick and aren't a high protein food. Fat free refried beans were amazing on stage 2 for me, and eggs eggs eggs! It can get old but it's only for a few weeks. The payoff is so worth it.

Good question. For me, it's not "a few too many bites," it's ONE too many. lol It makes me feel really uncomfortable, like I really need to burp but can't. Feeling stuffed doesn't feel like Thanksgiving used to, it's different. When you feel full after eating slowly and chewing carefully it feels a lot better than when you feel full after eating three bites in rapid succession (don't do that!) and are suddenly stuffed. I don't forget to eat, but sometimes I get busy or don't feel like eating. I do still feel hunger sometimes, but it doesn't rule my life anymore. I'm often hungry in the morning, but I have to wait an hour after taking my heartburn medicine before I can eat anything, and by that time the hunger sensation goes away and by that time I've lost interest in eating. I've had to start bringing Protein shakes with me to work so that I can have a late "breakfast" and not skip the meal entirely. I hope that helps.

I always keep some frozen food on hand for nights when I don't feel like cooking (which happens often!). Frozen meatballs are great. I have also found pre-cooked hamburger patties that you just microwave. I hunted around for the lowest-carb chicken strips/nuggets I could find and I have those occasionally. When I do cook, I try to make enough food that I can eat the leftovers a couple times, but not so much that I end up throwing a bunch of food away. That takes practice. If you have a Trader Joe's near you, you can buy "Just Chicken" and eat it plain as a snack or throw a few pieces into your soups or on a salad or mix it in teriyaki.... the possibilities are endless!

I hope you've got it figured out, but just to add another possibility--dizziness is a side effect of omeprazole. If you're on a ppi, you might want to check that out too.

These are words of wisdom!! I absolutely have to only dish up what I think I can eat. If I go to a restaurant and am served a whole plate of food, I need that to-go box to come ASAP when I'm full or else I'll still pick pick pick at the food just because it's in front of me, even though I'm full, even though I'm uncomfortable. These habits we had don't just disappear. We have to find ways around them. Removing the food from my immediate reach has been absolutely key for me.

I find that some days I can eat more than others. I can usually eat WAY more in the evening than I can in the morning. I can eat more soft foods than tougher solid foods. Some days I'm hungry and some days I'm not. Some days I feel like a bottomless pit and graze all day, and others it's a struggle to get in three meals. I haven't found any rhyme or reason to any of this, either. So, don't stress! If you're worried about it, only dish up 4oz at a time. After 4oz, stop. Even if you're not completely full, it'll get you through to your next meal/snack.

Everything said above is true--cross-addiction, empty calories, getting drunk fast, etc. I was a big social drinker before. I tried a few sips about two months out. I have allowed myself the occasional glass of wine or cocktail since month three. I am now 4.5 months out and I still can't really tolerate it. It BURNS in my stomach. If I drink slowly I can sometimes finish my cocktail or glass of wine, and sometimes I get a pleasant buzz or a fun tipsy, but most of the time I just feel sorta sick, and if I'm in a social situation I end up not having a good time until it passes. The last several times I've ordered a drink with dinner or at a bar I've only been able to drink half of it before giving up. I was told by my doc at my 3 month appointment that I was totally healed inside and out so I'm not worried about it hurting my staple line. I'd say just make sure you proceed with caution and definitely try it at home the first couple times. I poured myself half a shot so I could shoot with my friends on new year's eve and man oh man, I was sloppy drunk for about 15 minutes afterwards. Good luck.

Totally normal. I didn't poop for two weeks after surgery and then it was... well.... not what I was used to. Then I had issues that required me to use a stool softener for a while. You just gotta roll with it.

I'm down 53lbs and have started only weighing once a week. I lose on average about 2lbs/week and that is just perfect for me! I'm down from a size 20 to a 14, which is what I wore in high school. I'm tickled pink at the thought of dropping even more. I am disappointed in my exercising efforts, but now I'm planning a trip to Yosemite so I'm using that to motivate me to strengthen my muscles and build stamina so that I can go and enjoy the new me! I am so thankful I made the leap and got this done. I will never regret or be ashamed of having surgery.

I think setting goals like that will set you up for disappointment. Try not to "expect" any milestone in any kind of time frame. Instead, celebrate your individual experience. The weight doesn't always come off in the way we would like but it does come off. Try not to compare yourself to anyone else.

Definitely stay hydrated and I would call your doctor if it happens again. I've been on this board for a long time and I don't think hallucinations are common. There might be something else going on with you.

Eating slowly is the hardest part for me, but only because I don't always have 30 minutes to an hour to eat! I take an hour long lunch break at work and I love it because that's the pace I feel comfortable eating. It's often difficult when you're on the run because you can't just grab something and scarf it down in the car anymore. So, it's not that eating slowly is hard to make myself do (it was at first, but I've gotten used to it), but that you have to really devote time to your meals. The other thing that annoys me is that I always have leftovers, whether I cook or go out, so I eat the same thing four or five times a week. I'm single, no kids, so I can eat on a restaurant meal until I have to dump it because it's gone bad.

I do a mixture. I have been dieting my whole life so there are some things that are just normal to me (fat free milk, for example). Sometimes I choose ff or low fat cheese, sometimes not. I try to make my drinks sugar free. Because this is a lifestyle change I'm trying to make healthy choices, but I'm not obsessive about it like I once was. Everything in moderation.

Yup. All normal. You're doing great! The gas still happens to me sometimes when i drink or eat too quickly. Mine don't often come all the way out, but I can feel it traveling up inside me. The weight gain is from the fluid from the IV. It will come off quickly. And your sore incision is probably where they removed your stomach. Mine was pretty sore for a couple weeks and was the last to heal up. Again, all normal! Good luck.

I agree with Coops! It's more about how you feel. If you feel it's bouncing back and so does your hubby.... isn't that enough?!

I'm just over two months out and I could totally do Europe (take me with you!). I think your toughest challenge will be staying away from all the yummy bread and pasta!! As long as you get in your protein you'll be fine. Have a blast!

I have some days where my restriction feels tighter than others. I think sometimes I am really busy and only have time to squeeze in a few bites here and there, and my stomach shrinks a little bit. Has this been consistent for you for a while?