Eureka-C

I can't even imagine 45+ staples. How long was the incision?

ask to see the nutritionist, keep a food log/track your calories, Protein and carbs, make sure they see that you are trying. If you are brave, call and ask what will happen if I try and still don't lose?

2 multiple-vit w/ Biotin 1000 mg calcium citrate w/ D B12 1000 every other day -sublingual 60 g Iron - my iron was so low at surgery, I was given an iron transfusion post op. Otherwise my doc doesn't require iron PPI - as long as I take this I have to take the calcium I also drink vit Water because I like it.

8 weeks post op. I eat 3-5 times a day. 800-1000 calories. They are specific times, not just grazing a bite here or there. I don't try to limit my time, but it is usually 15 min. I try to pay attention to my body. I don't try and wait so I can eat more. I also don't feel guilty if it's a little more than I expected. I usually eat about what would fit in a 1/2 c to 1 c. I've noticed I eat more than others and maybe I lose slower, but as long as I keep losing, I think I will do it this way.

That was a beautiful post. I feel like I am losing so slowly at only 7 weeks out. I can't wait to look back in 9 months and see all the little things get better.

For the short version, here are some of my reasons. 1) no equipment lasts forever. I remember my mom needing knee replacement surgery in her early 30's and the doctors refused to do it because they only last about 20 years (at that time). No matter how long they are suppossed to last, it isn't long enough. I don't want it breaking down inside of me. 2) VSG gets rid of the stomach, and reduces the ghrelin. Less hormone = less hunger. 3) The sphincter is a natural muscle that closes and opens to let food in and out, it stretches and shrinks as our body needs. The gap that the lap band makes is one size. If it is too big, food slips through and you don't stay full. If it is too full, food gets stuck and even liquids make you sick. Its hard for many to find the "sweet spot". 4) when I am done with surgery, I want to be done.. no fills. 5) I can eat normal food, just smaller amounts. I am a volume eater. This is very important. 6) No malabsorption. - Except the intrinsic factor produced by the stomach that helps you absorb Vitamin B12. 7) I want a permanant solution. 8) There is little to no stretch in the stomach. Anyway, that is the short of it. I like my banana stomach.

I don't remember exactly how much poundage I gained, but I measured myself before surgery, and every week after. 1 week after surgery and my waist was still 2 1/2 inches larger than before surgery. I didn't get to my pre-surgery waist measurement until 3 weeks after surgery.

I know for a lot of people that the weight fluctuations can drive them crazy to the point of putting away the scale. I on the other hand like to know what my body is doing so I don't beat myself up on it. I sometimes weigh myself several times a day, just to see how much I fluctuate. I noticed a pattern. BTW, my weight varies 2-5 pounds throughout a single day. If I get up early, I weigh more. I weigh the least about 8 AM. Around mid afternoon, I gain some, again around late evening I gain some. As long as I keep losing, and the scale keeps going down each month, I will be happy.

i can only eat bread if it is toasted, then only small amounts. I can also eat it with meat, like a foldover if I chew it well so it mixes with the meat. I have to take the crust off. If I get too much bread, it turns into a little gummy ball and sticks, making me feel aweful for hours. I also cant eat tortillas unless it is a teeny amount mixed with something else for the same reason. BTW, I am 7 weeks out.

They make an anti-nausea suppository. If you are really suffering, or worried about dehydration. It is worth it. You might want to ask your surgeon's office when you call. Don't wait until you are dehydrated.

"my nutritionist said it is the number 1 reason for re-weight gain after weight-loss surgery." I would love to see some research to back this up.

I think she meant 20g carbs.

I noticed that too. I think that all the chewing and tiny swallows resulted in me swallowing a lot of air.

Do you track your food? It might help to see a typical days foood for you along with the protein/fat/cab numbers. Also, how is your Fluid intake? There are sooooo many variables. Some of this info might get an answer from one of those with a sleeve for a long time. BTW... You have done awesome so far. I hope I am where you are at 5 months!

The sleeve is definitely the tool for me, as I was a volume eater. Still, I would track what you eat for a couple of weeks, logging everything on one of the free sites, and see what you are really eating. Also look at a cup of food - measure, and see how little that really is. That is all I can eat at most in one meal, usually less than that. Is your volume that low? How does it feel between meals? Do you graze a little here and there all day long? Grazing all day keeps the sleeve from working. I believe the sleeve was right for me, but it is not right for everyone. Do your research and be sure.

Think about this! You ate one slice of thin crust pizza. Hooray. I would have been ecstatic to limit myself to this prior to surgery (happy and starving). This is what thin people do. They eat normal amounts of good food on occasion. This is why I personally had the surgery - to eat normal and feel normal afterward. Do you track your calories? Did you go over your allotted amount? Even if you did, I bet it wasn't much. Prior to surgery I could put away 3000-4000 calories on a "lost" day where I made a mistake. Now my mistakes are usually no more than 100 calories. I don't think I could eat 1500 calories if I tried, much less 3000. The sleeve works just like it is suppossed to. I decided that when I did this, no more dieting! Yes, I will work the sleeve. I will eat Proteins first. I will keep my Protein intake high and my carbs low. I will choose veggies for my starches, BUT I refuse to be a slave to food guilt anymore. Be gentle with yourself. You deserve it.

I think you are doing great. I looked at your food journal, and it fits your docs plans to a tee. I know how frustrating it is to work so hard and not lose or even gain with no sense. Look at my weight chart on fat secret. It goes up and down wildly. Even after surgery, I stall and sputter my weight loss like an old run down car, BUT it is down. I am at my lowest weight in 12 years. Your body may not work like others before or after the surgery. stick it out, follow the plan, and your own ideals. The surgery will work. My heart ges out to you.

I added stage one baby food meat, garlic powder and pepper to broth. My doc & nut said as long as it was thin enough to pass through a straw it was ok for liquids.

Let us know what they do and how it works out. Sorry that you have had such an awful experience, made even worse by not being listened to.

I started taking benefiber 3 times a day with my protein shakes at 2weeks. At 6 weeks now I take it once a day, but if I go three days w/o a bm, I take it 2-3times a day again.

I added benefiber three times a day to my protein shakes

I was put on 2 protein supplements, a meat and veggie dinner, and 2 high protein snacks, I only had to do pure liquid for three days. I had a beautiful liver for surgery. I was on the diet for almost 5 months.

I agree with you about some of that. Telling a kid stop eating, or just that "look" or little comments definitely make it worse. My grandmother used to make me dread eating at her house because she laid the guild on so heavy. What we do talk about at my house is the mistakes that my hubby and I have made. We talk out loud about stopping because that is a good amount, enjoying a few bites or say something like "I think I will stop for now and see if my brain catches up." its not about doing right and wrong, just about paying attention to our bodies. I want to be a good role model, but I also know that I might have to talk out what I am doing for my kids to get it. My problem is I eat bad when I am not around my kids. They make pretty good decisions most of the time, but I can see it will be a struggle for my daughter just as it was for my hubby and I.

I always look at him in amazement when this happens. Daily. If he didn't look so much like us, I would wonder if he was switched at birth. The crazy thing is he was a really chubby baby and toddler, then around 3 he just shot up and got skinny.

I was just thinking. The doc put me on a starter diet of two meals replaced with protein drinks, one high protein and veggie meal, and 1-2 small protein snacks from Jun until almost surgery. I did a three day liquid diet before surgery. The great thing is that in Jun, my palpitated liver felt enlarged and soft (fattty) by the time of the surgery I had a beautiful liver. I have photos to prove it. Also, you get to eat. That all liquid stuff pre surgery is a killer.