iegal

I love my coffee, which was really hard for me to give up when I first had surgery 2 years ago. So, I found a protien that was not sickenly sweet or overly think. Cappucino Protein from Family Bariatrics.com. 7 packets for around $12 ish. I still drink them when I am on the go and can't meal plan. Now I make with half decaf coffee and half fat free milk. Shipping can be expensive so maybe search your local area health stores or bariatric stores to see if they carry any. Finding the right protein is essential to weight loss and keeping healthy. Sound to me like you have lost a lot of weight so far. Quit beating yourself up and move forward. Maybe walk a little more or lift weights in the comfort of your own home. Internet has great videos on firming up those saggy arms, legs or for me, my non existent rear end. Good luck and keep searching. Know I spent hundreds of dollars finding the right protein but when I did, it was all good.

Never the band. Ever. Look at statitics and you will clearly see why most surgeons do not even recommend anymore. 70% of patients have a revision or complete removal in 10 years. WHAT? That is crazy. Plus you get fills every three months which you get to pay for. You live like a bulimic and throw up most of your meals. In my SoCal support group there are several revisionists who initally had the band. One of the admins on this board had her failed band removed. Yikes. Take a look at the forum on here called Band to Sleeve. Read all the horror stories. Sleeve is not perfect but so much better than bypass or band. Just know that the sleeve is not reversible so do not have surgery unless you are 100% positive. Confident you will find what is best for you. Good luck!

Almost everyone is nervous before surgery. I know I was but it was about be laying out all this cash as I self paid for surgery here in US. Could I financially survive my decision to have a large portion of my stomach removed? HECK YES> I am thrilled and no regrets. Can I make a suggestion? Write down 10 reasons why you are getting this surgery done and seal it in an envelope just before surgery (read morning of surgery to remind yourself) Then when things get tough, and this road is not always perfect, you can then reread why you did this. Hugs! Be sure to write when you can about your recovery.

Yep, ketosis is like something crawled up and died in your stomach or mouth. Dry, sticky tongue with a whiteish film and you can smell your own breath. Great weight loss stage to be in preop and post op. Keep a toothbrush nearby and since you are preop stage, you can chew sugar-free gum to battle. Congrats on your upcoming surgery.

I never took fiber supplements. Are you have BM issues? This journey is not always easy and sorry to hear you are miserable. I agree, to be healthier you really do need to stop smoking as this will not help your skin as you lose the weight. The way I looked at the first six months was I would eat/drink anything I had to stay healthy and lose weight regardless of the tedium or horrid taste. I stuck to under 30 carbs a day and over 60 gms of Protein. Took my Vitamin supplements and Calcium supplements daily too. You need to keep reaching out and finding things you can eat. I have more Protein shakes I couldn't stomach that I ended up throwing out. Figured out that I was lactose intolerance at a month out until about four months out when I could stand milk again. Also, I took a PPI to reduce stomach acid. Are you on a PPI? Eating slowing is also key. Try a clear protein, like Isopure. Not delicious but yet they provided 40 grams of protein in a single bottle. So I drank half in morning and half in afternoon. Again, not delicious but I only ate/drank for my health. So, why does your surgeon feel you MUST take fiber?

I was not smart enough like you to measure inches. Dang, but good for you. Glad you remember than pounds are not everything. Know there was a time when I lost down a full size in a week yet my weight only fluctuated under 5 pounds. Keep up the great work! Congrats on working that new sleeve of yours.

No, she is not correct. I started with a 33 BMI at around 223ish pounds depending on scale. Lost the weight my surgeon wanted me to in 5 months and then another hit my personal goal in 6 months. Now I was hard core VSG diet plan too. Each of us lose weight differently. Sounds like you are doing great! Keep your chin up and follow the plan. Don't let naysayers derail your new healthier you. I believe you can do this...and know you believe it too. No regrets, I love my sleeve.

No staples, no cathedar, no drain, no pain pump, no leak test, and no overnight hospital stay. I did this as outpatient and couldn't be happier. Sorry to hear staples are bugging you...call your surgeon Monday to see when they can take the dang things out. Sounds like you are healing to me. Congrats on being sleeved!

Two years ago today I was sleeved. You can follow my posts through the last two years to see that yes, I struggled but I never once regretted my decision. Feel free to contact me directly if you ever want to discuss what life is like "after VSG". I am amazed still. Thank you to my many supporters on this great support site, my surgeon and my SoCal Support group. Hugs - I have no regrets. IEGAL

To steal a quote: The journey may not always be easy, but it will always be worth it.

You can do this! Your surgery date is so close & I'm excited for the new you soon to emerge. Congrats.

You can be in starvation mode as a sleever. Dangerous to be below 500 calories a day even after newly sleeved. Most people recommend between 700-900 calories a day those first few months. Depending on how you get your calories you can enter a state of ketosis. Talk to your nutritionist about how to best eat your calories. I got mine from Protein mostly severely limiting my intake of carbs. Highly recommend if you do not have your own surgery center's post op diet plan that you "google" sleeve post op diet plan. I found several, some with conflicting information and followed middle of the road info. But never did I go against my surgeons advice. Best wishes!

Wishing you the best of luck! Let us know how you are doing once you are able.

Response to SalPal; It took me 5 months to reach goal = my weight loss phase. Each of us loses our weight differently. I learned quickly that carbs were my enemy. I got into ketosis and stayed there almost my entire 5 months. My breath was HORRID but who cares since I was losing weight like a mad woman. So I follow the advice of a mentor on the site and kept my carbs below 30 a day. My Protein was above 60 a day. I walked daily even when I didn't want to. I used weights to help with my flabby arms. To Soha; My sleeve capacity it definitely different than when I was first sleeved. Two bites were the death of me in the beginning even over a half an hour time frame. Now I can eat more than a cup depending upon what I choose to eat. I can throw down anything. Pasta, rice, popcorn, chips (bad me) and the like. No longer do I have an intolerance to milk (my first three or four months) so I eat cheese often for protein. Now life is about choices. Good choices = good results and no weight gain. Bad choices I eat a lot of (like chips or candy) cause me to gain weight. While I am still well within the normal weight range, I could lose 5 pounds. I am 12 pounds above my lowest weight which I was way too skinny. Really I was looking sickly. I just told my dad - two years after surgery. My mom was told 3 months after surgery since I did not want to hear them say "oh, so sad you can't try harder on XXX diet" ARGH While I hide my identity as a sleever, I am proud of my choices. Hugs to all. Feel free to contact me. IEGAL

Hi Frenchi; I will not lie and tell you life is perfect, but it is dang close. I have a new lease on life. All the limitations of my weight are now gone. Hiking, skiing, paddleboarding, going to a beach in a swim suit, shopping for normal size closes, the possiblities here are endless only limited by my imagination. Recovery was not easy for me all the time yet I did not have complications. Reached goal rather quickly but that was because I was hard core druing the weight loss phase. Today I can eat just about anything I want to and sometimes this can get me into trouble. I am only limited my my sleeve size, thank goodness! Wishing you the best and hope I have answered your questions.

Okay - I was wrong. It was The Doctor's TV show. So sorry. Here is link though.

My surgeon - Dr Quebbemann was featured on Dr Oz's show in Nov 2010 talking about VSG surgery. I am sure you can go to Dr Oz archive and watch his presentation. I love my sleeve and have no regrets.

Hi Michelle; Hope you are finding the support you need. We are here to cheerlead you on to great success ahead. How are you feeling?

I am so sorry you had such a horrid first day. Glad Dr Braverman set you straight. Remember to sip often (I used a shot glass of g2 gatorade) every 15 minutes to get in that all important liquids to stay hydrated. Hydration and rest above all else. Hugs to you!

Love to cook but not much of a baker. If you instruct a cooking class you need to smell the food - you can instruct according to presentation, smell, consistancy and others. Then do a round robin where others taste and give feedback. Perhapys you can construct a chart - sort of like a wine tasting chart only skewed towards cooking. Like Sweet, Tart, Tangy, Savory, Plain, Overseasoned, Need .... and so on. Since everyone has a different palate - this way your students will get multi feedback on taste and your expert critique in all other areas. Good luck - I know you can figure this out

Please do not go to the dark side. Hate to sound discouraging but I want to warn you against letting back in old habits. You had surgery to lose weight, not to eat and drink junk in lower quanities. Have a friend who stopped losing due to drinking her calories. She questions why she isn't losing when all she has is protien shakes (she neglects to mention all of the drinks) Sugar with loads of calories. Yikes. Find a reasonable substitute, Mio was a good suggestion. Try to find something that add nutritional value or liquid Vitamins with taste. You are eating / drinking to survive and lose weight right now. Once you hit goal, you can add in a few treats. Best of luck and I hope your weight loss comes easy for you! Hugs.

Great job!

I am in the 5-10 lb regain since surgery almost two years ago. Although I would be more comfortable with 5 pounds down, I am still okay with where I am now. My daily weight fluxuates by 2-3 pounds over a course of a week. If I see scale up, I take immediate actions which is easier with sleeve. At my lowest I was 17 lbs below surgeons goal and way too skinny, looking unhealthy. Now I am 10 lbs above that but still 7 lbs below surgeons goal and well within Normal BMI range. Don't get used to drinking your calories, or you will gain weight back. Another sleever friend of mine lives on sweet tea. She has gained back a lot of weight and is frustrated. DUH Sleeve only restricts. Our surgeons did stomach surgery, not brain surgery. Why did I gain back 10lbs? I eat a lot of carbs and am carb sensitive. Potato salad, Pasta, white rice - with almost every meal. I also eat chips and candy too often. So with these slider foods the pounds have come back on. I am not proud of my weight gain and know what I need to do to lose the 5lbs. I do not diet anymore. What a sleever (me) needs to do is make better choices. The sleeve works.

Part of the reason you are having issues is that you are not hydrated enough. Or at least that is what my surgeon & NUT told me. Hope you aren't facing many other issues.

Grumbly stomach is normal but can be helped with a PPI. Call you doc and have him/her perscribe a PPI which is cheaper than over the counter remedies. I had something similar to prolosec and made a major difference. Took a few months ago when I needed to take an anti inflamation drug which does not do well in our tummies without a PPI. Next, try some decaf peppermint tea at room tempature or slightly warm. You can get from grocery or health food store. It is a natural was to calm tummy down. For me, drinks that were hot or cold hurt my stomach so I learned to drink at room temp or with a slight warmth like Protein chicken broth. Hope you feel better soon!