Free2B

I haven't tried it, but the recipe sounds delish and I don't see anything wrong with it. I did drink warm apple juice while I was on clears and having trouble getting down enough calories. Apple juice is a relatively high in "empty" calories and I was instructed not to "drink calories" so it is now a rare treat.

Hello Sleeve Friends, Like everyone else, when I began my WLS journey, I had several goals in mind other than just reaching a certain number on the scale. This week I attained two of them that are very dear to my heart! First of all, as of today I weigh less than my perpetually fit husband. We are nearly the same height (5' 8"/9") and when we first met in the mid 1970['s, he weighed 165 and I weighed 135. Over the years, my weight crept up and up while his remained just the same. By the time I started my pre-op diet, I outweighed him by 65 pounds. Today I am wearing size medium clothes and we look like we "match" again - a real dream come true. Secondly, I am once again wearing my original wedding ring, which I had to put away about 15 years ago because it no longer fit. I hope and expect that I will never again have to take it off due to "fat finger syndrome". All of the years that I have struggled with my weight, my sweet husband has been supportive and kind. This has continued throughout my surgery and recovery. Now he is reaping some of the benefits of his kindness and patience, as we two 60-somethings are acting a little like teenagers again. (Hope that doesn't gross any of you out! ) These two dreams-come-true are making today a very special Valentine's Day for me. Best wishes to you all, Bonnie

Today I am having a total knee replacement on my left leg, just one day before my three-month sleeviversary. My knee surgeon is delighted that I have lost about 55 pounds since I saw him last summer (27 pounds on pre-op diet, 28 pounds since surgery). Since I have been unable to exercise after the sleeve surgery, I am looking forward to being able to get walking again over the next few months and hopefully my weight loss will pick up a little bit. I've been losing about 1.5 pounds per week since I started solid foods, which is certainly acceptable, but tries one's patience! It will be interesting to me to see the differences in recovery from the two surgeries so close together. I think I'm a little less scared this time and am hoping I won't have complications like I did with the sleeve. This is the last big step in my grand plan to regain health and mobility. Hooray for me! :smile1: P.S. I have been unable to find a forum as wonderful as this one that pertains to knee replacements - you are all the greatest!

Congratulations to you - you are an inspiration!

Congratulations, Lissa! Your hard work has really been paying off.

Yes, I did it once on purpose with a bit of crispy chicken skin (just like you, Sleevie), but I also did it once with a piece of ground beef that just wouldn't chew down enough to feel safe to swallow.

I am 62 and was sleeved four weeka ago today. I had a couple of complications, but they were not related to my age. I lost 27 pounds on my insurance-required pre-op diet and another 19-20 pounds since the surgery. Like most everyone, I have had some difficulty getting in the desired amounts of Protein and fluids, but it is getting easier every day. I haven't had any problems with food tolerance except, perhaps, for eggs which is pretty common. I have no regrets whatsoever and want you to know that as far as I can tell, age is no barrier to having the vsg. Good luck to you!

I am nearly four weeks out. My experience with this is that it happens when you eat too much or too fast. It is not like vomiting, in that there is no "upheaval". Rather, there is pain in the chest and a kind of foamy saliva slowly comes back up your esophagus until it reaches your mouth and you can spit it out. In my case, the first time was with a popsicle. It took about ten minutes for all of the popsicle to come back up - a foamy, purple substance (grape popsicle). It was very uncomfortable and unpleasant but to me not as bad as vomiting because there was no nausea. You just knew it was coming up and waited it out.

I was sleeved October 25. I've been on "mushies" for a week and it's going pretty well although I cannot eat the 1/3 cup of food my nutritionist suggests for one setting. Still, the Protein and fluids are going down fairly well though not in the recommended amounts. Haven't tried any restaurants yet. I've lost about 20 pounds since the surgery and gone down one size in clothing. It's been fun to clean out my closet!

Congratulations on your decision to have sleeve surgery and your successful first week post-op! Thanks for sharing your story. And, as we like to say, welcome to the losers' bench. May your journey continue to run as smoothly as it has so far!

Best wishes to you on this final step! Know that there are so many of us thinking of you and sending good thoughts your way.

Are you on an acid blocker? Some folks find that what they are experiencing as hunger is actually the result of excess stomach acid. If you aren't taking a blocker, you might ask your doctor if you should be taking something like Prilosec. It seems that many post-ops (like me) are put on it automatically for up to six months after surgery. Good luck to you!

Sometimes folks have stomach growling because they need to be taking an acid blocker like Prilosec. But I don't know if that applies only one day after surgery. For the gas problem, you might try Gas-X strips, which melt on your tongue. Walking around also helps. Good luck to you!

I wonder if it could have to do with the reduced caloric intake. My understanding is that calories are actually a measure of heat.

I am three weeks post op today. I was unable to sleep anywhere but my recliner the first 15-16 days or so. I am a "side sleeper" and found that lying on my side caused pulling inside that was uncomfortable. That pain is now 99% gone. It did help, as I transitioned back to my bed, to hold a pillow against my tummy.

I will be three weeks post-op tomorrow. I, too, longed to be able to sleep somewhere other than my reclining chair the first two weeks, as I am used to sleeping on my side and it has always been uncomfortable to sleep on my back. I have been able to sleep in my bed for two-three hours at a time only in the last four-five days. For some reason, it is more uncomfortable to sleep on the left side than the right. Like Lissa and his2my2our4, I find that hugging a pillow to my tummy is helpful. Every day is better, so hang in there!

Congratulations to you and your husband! And thanks for continuing to share your long journey and this tangible result of your hard work, faith and persistence. She is absolutely gorgeous and you continue to be an inspiration to us all!

Hello Sleeve Friends, I was sleeved October 25. I had a minor complication with internal bleeding afterwards due to the surgeons having found and removed a (benign) spot on my liver. The day after surgery I had a blood transfusion and after another day they determined the internal bleeding had stopped. As a result of the bleeding, I didn't get what I now realize is pretty standard - a blood thinner such as Heparin. I actually noticed, around that time, comments from several folks on the forum talking about shots in the tummy and thought, hmmm - I'm glad I didn't have to have those! Yesterday, I called the doctor's office because I was having so much trouble with acid reflux. I really only expected to hear that I should take a second Prilosec each day for the acid. Instead, the doctor said he wanted me readmitted to the hospital, which was discouraging because my husband and I live more than three hours away. When I arrived, I casually mentioned that I had woken up in the morning with an odd little cramp in my left calf. I assumed it was due to a little dehydration or lack or potassium, which in the past I have solved by eating bananas. At my ripe old age, odd little aches and pains just seem to go with the territory. The acid situation, after a barium swallow, was treated the way I expected. But an ultrasound revealed the little cramp in my leg was actually a blood clot. It is a small one, which I think makes it relatively less dangerous. Never the less, I am being sent home tomorrow with 180 syringes of Lovenox, which I must self-inject for the next 90 days. (Oooh, and I'm such a needle wimp!) After that, it has been implied that I will take Coumadin (sp?) indefinitely. How this will impact my planned knee replacement surgery early next year remains to be seen. Why did this happen? No one has said so, but I can't help thinking that I didn't move around enough when I got home the first time. It was easy to excuse myself because of severe arthritis in my left knee and the additional surgical insult to my body (liver, sleeve, hiatal hernia repair = 8 incisions, additional swelling and pain, etc.); I let my sweet, sweet husband wait on me every time he said, "can I get you anything"? This time, no excuses for me! I will be moving, moving, moving, I wanted to share my little story in the hopes that someone might be able to learn from the Voice of Experience and not have to take the little detour that I did on this weight-loss journey; my planned one-night stay in the hospital has now become five nights. Move around at least once an hour while you are awake and don't dismiss any little cramps/pains in your arms or legs! Thanks for reading - the forum means so much to me, it's like a friend who never sleeps and is always ready to listen and share. By the way....I AM losing weight! Bonnie

Thanks so much for your good wishes; I really appreciate it!

Interesting article. I haven't always been overweight and I clearly recall that when I was quite slender, I always had on a sweater when others didn't. Now, 10 days after surgery, I find that my thermostate fluctuates quite a bit. Thanks for sharing.

Are you on a narcotic pain reliever? I believe these can cause headaches in some people. Another possibility is caffeine withdrawal, if you were a coffee drinker right up until surgery and haven't resumed it. If I had that problem, I would give my doctor's office a quick call. Good luck to you!

Congratulations, Sweetie! I remember last spring when you were having so much trouble, back in the hospital, etc. I hope that's all a dim memory to you now. You look so beautiful. Best wishes for getting that dizziness resolved real soon!

One week today since surgery, (hooray!) I am finding that my internal temperature seems to fluctuate pretty wildly. Sometimes it seems I just can't warm up; other times I wake up in a puddle of sweat or feel like I'm back to having the hot flashes that stopped several years ago for me. My poor husband is having deal with my changing the heat setting up and down multiple times a day. Is this a common problem?

Hi Chris, It's good to hear from you and know you are well. I checked out your blog post, too. I'm so impressed that you've been able to return to work so soon! The restriction of our various diets is all relative, I guess, because I was sleeved on the 25th and must have nothing but four Proteins drinks per day with 64 oz of non-caloric additional liquid for three weeks before moving on to full liquids and some purees. Congrats on the weight loss! BTW, I live in Washington State as well, splitting time between Leavenworth and Mill Creek. The distance over which we can send each other "good vibes" is minimal.

Sophia, I agree with everyone else. You were beautiful before and now you are the cutest Crayon in a box of 72 colors!