Foxbins

How much you can swallow right after surgery depends on the swelling in your stomach. You can swallow a tablespoon but will it go down? I dunno. Some people have a lot of swelling and need to take tiny sips with a few seconds in between. Other people can swallow almost normally soon after surgery. If your Protein supplement is 2 tablespoons/day and you can't swallow a whole tablespoon at once, take a teaspoon six times a day. As for what protein supplement to take, I can't help you, I drank shakes.

Liquids in, liquids out. After you start eating real food and some fiber, things should change.

Any kind of milk was fine for me during thin liquids and beyond. I just have been drinking non-fat for so long I kept using it. I put half-and-half in my coffee, though.

Stacy160 is right--whatever fluids you can get in, the better, and don't worry about how fast or slow fluids are. For mushies i liked things with flavor after all those sweet protein shakes--mostly mexican flavors, but I did whiz up some Indian food (spinach and chickpeas) in the blender. I liked soft-boiled eggs, too but couldn't finish the whole thing.

I flew Southwest out of Oakland to San Diego. I went alone and I did fine. I did not have my surgery in Tijuana but from what I have read, you are picked up at the airport and taken to the clinic. Loads of people on this forum have gone to TJ alone and have done fine. Pack light, lifting your bag into an overhead bin is a little bit hard when you're tired after surgery. Make sure it has wheels, you won't want to carry it. I will let others tell you their tips for your particular surgeon and clinic.

I am eighteen weeks out. It took me until day 10 to get 60 gms of Protein in and they came from 2 shakes of 30 gm each. (I was on liquids of varying thicknesses for a month.) After I could eat real food, I was probably at 8 weeks before I got 60 gms of protein most days. I hated Water before surgery and still hate it, so I average about 40-50 oz. a day. I ate between 300-400 calories the first month, 400-500 the second month, 500-600 the third month and I try now to keep calories below 700. I am still writing down every morsel I put in my mouth. I found that calories were creeping up (some Peanut Butter here, a glass of milk there, you know how it goes) and since I am a lightweight and lose less each month than someone heavier, I want to turbocharge through the weightloss as fast as I can and get to maintenance. I find that writing stuff down helps me because I do forget what I have eaten if I don't write it.

My next-door neighbor and I have very different schedules and rarely see each other. She last saw me in February walking my dog past her house. I saw her this weekend and took off my hat and sunglasses to say hello, and she said, "Oh my God, I didn't recognize you without the dog!"

Yes, I could eat salad at three months. Had one, it was fine but I'd rather eat meat.

My hair has fallen out twice--once from hypothyroidism, and once after sleeve surgery. It started falling out post-surgery about 4 weeks ago (at three months) but I know it will grow back. I never stopped coloring it-- the follicles are in a resting phase for the hairs that fall out and coloring doesn't make a difference in the amount that comes out; it's not breakage, it's a whole hair from root to tip. I would rather be thin than have thick hair--I can buy wigs, hairpieces, and weaves if I have to--or shave it off and let strangers think I had chemo.

I use measuring cups and weigh the meats. I can eat 3/4 of an egg, 1/3 cup chicken or tuna salad, about 3 oz turkey, 2 oz. beef, 4oz seafood. I stop before I feel full. If you post a typical day's intake we can help you figure out what's going on. I seriously doubt that your stomach has stretched, but you can put away a lot of food if you are grazing all day.

I remember that post! She had eaten an entire fresh coconut over the course of a day, if I remember correctly, and some of the coconut fibers formed a bezoar in her stomach and she became obstructed. Somehow I doubt that the amount in an Atkins Protein bar would have the same effect. I am getting an Almond Joy for my birthday next year, I love those things.

My surgeon recommends a PPI for the first three to six months. I stopped at the three month mark but had reflux issues within a few days so I am back on it. I am hoping that as my sleeve matures I'll be able to stop it eventually.

Are you taking a PPI? If not, try taking one and see if that makes those feeling go away. I stopped taking mine at 3 months post-op and started again a week later as my stomach woke me up growling in the middle of the night and I knew it was acid, not hunger.

Okay. The Prilosec might take a day or two to kick in but should help--1 tab in the am, with water, 30-60- minutes before any food or shakes. If one tab doesn't work, take another before bed but let your dr.s office know you are taking two. If two don't help, ask for something else--Nexium or Prevacid. Sometimes you have to try a variety of PPIs before you find one that helps. The PPI should stop a lot of the acid so you won't need the Tums or Zantac as often.

Have you called your doctor or surgeon? I would do that right away.

RevmeUp is right--your body is adjusting. Keep eating, drinking, walking, and taking your supplements according to your plan and the scale will start moving again. Don't sweat it.

I'd find another surgeon if I were you. He sounds like a jerk.

Centrum Adult Chewable Multi-vitamin 1 daily, sublingual B-12 2400 mg 3x/week, Reviva Calcium citrate liquid (form Costco) 1200 mg/day.

Just be patient. I know that's hard to hear, but it's impossible not to lose on so few calories if you let your body adjust. Some people will tell you to shake things up by drinking more water, getting more exercise, or eating more protein but whether you do or you don't the scale will eventually move. I have had several plateaus and then the weight starts coming off again. You are not doiing anything wrong, your body is making changes.

I agree with Lily's description except I came home on the morning of the 4th day: 1/12 arrived SD, drove to Mexicali, had tests, checked into hotel. 1/13, had surgery, don't remember the rest of the day, slept lots. 1/14, walked a bit , slept some more. 1/15, leak test, got broth and juice and tea to drink.1/16, left Mexicali at 7 am, took flight home at 1 p.m. No pain, no nausea, no complications, easy recovery, and Dr. Aceves fixed a big hiatal hernia I had for free!

If anything, the protein stops me up...but I am low-carbing and so few fruits and vegs for me. My calcium supplement has magnesium citrate in it--if it weren't for the magnesium I'd be stopped up. How much water are you drinking? Added anything new to you diet recently?

I try not to feel restriction; that is, I measure my food and undereat so that I am not filled to capacity. That said, twice I have eyeballed a portion in public and eaten it only to find out it was too much. Restriction for me has felt like I had food in the back of my throat on one occasion and on the other I was distinctly uncomfortable--there was a tightness in my chest and it hurt. I had the sense that if I tried to push through the feeling (although why I would, since I paid a lot of $ for the surgery) I would really, really hurt and probably vomit. I hate to vomit. I don't think you can eat through restriction, though you can wash the food down with liquids and fit more in.

Way to go, Kris! You have done wonderfully so far--

Most days I am around 600--one day I went to 740 (ate almonds 3x that day) protein 60-70 and carbs below 40, usually below 30. I want the weight off quickly and this way seems to be working for me.

Consumer Reports did an analysis of some in their July 2010 issue and found some bad stuff in some of them. You might try finding the article at your local library.