PdxMan

When you have nothing but liquids going in, what should you expect going out? Until I got on the thicker of the mushy foods, it was liquid out, but that is normal. Now on solid foods, I actually have to eat prunes daily to keep everything moving along, but I like prunes, so that works for me. You will find what works for you, too. Chronic diarrhea ... no, but set realistic expectations for what is going on in your body ...

Well, I can only speak for myself, of course, but my BMI was 39.5 and I have had no hair loss. But, that being said, I can't see how the two could possibly be correlated. Hair loss is more of a nutrition thing, I believe. From what I understand, though, I am in the minority. I have a family history of very thick hair, so genetics probably play a part in it as well.

I used to be the warmest person ever! My wife always cuddled up to me because I was so warm. Up in the mountains in the snow, we would rotate gloves because mine would be so warm. I am now 4 months out and freezing all the time, but as the previous poster said, I would rather be cold than obese. But, we do have one method to get us both warmed up together, wink, wink. :kiss2:

Four months out here and things have started to taste like they did before. Started ... I got by by eating foods with BOLD flavors. Extra sharp cheese, blue cheese, chili ... the bolder the better. I was in severe ketosis, which, I think we all go through in the beginning. It will cause acetone to form in the mouth. That is why food in the beginning tastes like (rhymes with grit). Upping your carbs will help with that, but be sure you are getting your Protein in as well. I don't think some foods will ever taste the same, though. I had a spoonful of mashed potatoes and gravy the other night and it was terrible. So sad ... but, in reality, it is a good thing. I could do terrible damage to a pan of mashed potatoes and gravy pre-op.

There is no way to spot tone, but you can build muscles to give the underlying parts some structure.

I hit goal 3 days ago, 1 day before my 4 month surgiversary. I'm guessing most would say (and I would agree) this was really fast. Faster than I expected for sure. I'm sure you all have read these things, but to re-iterate: You will have stalls. This is normal. Some folk really get down during this time and the old stinkin' thinkin' comes back. "Oh, why should I even try anymore. I'm a failure ... where is that tub of ice cream?" You actually want stalls. This is a signal your body is progressing and adjusting to your intake. Don't stop doing what you are supposed to be doing. Moreso now than ever. Excercise. Walk. Lift weights. Do something ... anything. Most of us led a sedentary lifestyle, so this may be new. Try to go for a walk everyday. And don't try to justify it. "I went to the mall and walked around, so that qualifies as my walk today." No. Get the stretchy pants on and that cool sweat wicking shirt and go for a walk around the neighborhood. That way, when the neighbors notice how skinny your are getting, they know you've been working hard! Get your Protein and liquids in. I loved my Protein shakes during my pre-op. Tasty-tasty. Then, post-op, I couldn't stomach them at all. I spent over $100 searching and testing different drinks until I found one that worked for me. (costco Premier chocolate & vanilla) $100 investment in finding what worked for me; I didn't give up. Keep searching until you find what works for you. Your body needs protein to do this right. Don't weigh yourself everyday, especially you female types out there. (Y'all are more prone to Water retention and other whatnots) You will only drive yourself crazy and for what? Talk to your dietician about what is going on. After 1 month, I had no energy. Slept 9 hours a day and was dragging my hiney around by 2:00. It was terrible. Couldn't think and was not a nice person to be around. Called my NUT and she said I needed more carbs. I had been focused sooo much on protein, I wasn't eating hardly any carbs. I mixed more cooked carrots, Beans and a little potato in my diet and voila! Energy came back. Weight loss did slow, but as long as my calories burned was more than my intake, I knew I would lose. The bottom line is calories in vs calories burned. If you are honestly eating 800 calories a day, and burning 2000 calories a day, you will lose weight. (I bought a BodyBugg and I was burning around 3200/day) It is not going to show up on a daily basis, though, and you are silly to believe it will. I want to reflect back on a word in the previous sentence: Honestly. I could easily convice myself I was not eating more than I was. I tracked everything in an app on my iPhone. My workouts and my eating. I saw everything. This is how I do it. No great secret. I did what was suggested to me and was honest with myself. It isn't easy, but nothing about the sleeve has been what I would call "easy". I struggled with protein and still struggle with my liquids, but I keep trying. Getting on solid foods was a chore, but I keep on trying. It is raining here in the Northwest and it is difficult to motivate myself to go workout, but I keep on trying. I praise myself for my success and when I fail, I don't get down on myself ... I JUST KEEP TRYING!!

BTW, don't worry about stretching your sleeve. I asked my Dr this question and he said, "You can't stretch your sleeve. It is too small and not as elastic as a normal stomach". I looked at him funny and he said, "Sure, you can stretch it a little, maybe 10 percent or so, but 10 percent of 6 to 8 oz doesn't really count as stretching." It may seem like it is stretching as time goes by, but that is just the swelling going down and your body adapting to your new stomach. I, too, had a fear of eating solids, but that was because it hurt. I could only get one or maybe two bites down and then I was beyond full. I'm 4 months out and I am still cautious and eat really slow and chew, chew, chew. I can eat anything, but it is still a ridiculous small amount. Went to costco the other day and was full after 3 samples. Now that is a cheap date! You will lose weight. Just think about it. Your stomach is soooo small now. My advice would be: Go ahead. Try and stretch your stomach. Betcha you can't. :biggrinjester:

*** ADULT *** TMI *** Having my wife crawl on top of me and saying, "Ouch!" :Banane55:

I used neosporin. Caked it on and put a bandaid on it. Not only did it help with itching, but it also healed soooo quickly.

What kind of exercise are y'all doing? You may want to change things up in that department. If you aren't doing any, that would be just what you need to kick start things again.

For me, at 3 weeks, it was difficult to understand the "hungry" feelings. Even in the morning. I had to set alarms to remind me to eat lunch early on. I ate not because I was hungry, but because I knew my body needed it. So, I would suggest you eat at regular intervals. Every few hours. Since my surgery and even this morning, I start with a Premier Chocolate Protein shake (Costco - $23 a case) whether I am hungry or not, feel great or lousy. After not eating for 10 hours (and that meal being small anyways) how can you expect to wake up full of energy? On the topic of energy, mine dwindled quickly post-op. After talking to my NUT, she suggested I incorporate more carbs in the form of soft veggies in my meals. At three weeks, I was eating pureed soups, so I just added more veggies in them and it worked for me. Complex carbs are the best source of energy. I was starved of them and it took its toll.

I also have a desk job. I took off 4 days, Thurs/Fri & Mon/Tues. Back on Wednesday no problem. A little tired, but able to make it through the day. Went to bed early for about a week or so. Slept a solid 9 hours.

My Dr had a little sponge stomach in his office with half of the lobe stapled with real staples. These are not the type of staples you use in the office. They are smooth, tiny and tight. They are not going to scratch or interfere with any other organs.

Yes, I used a straw. As mentioned above, they say not to use one because of extra air going in and that take room in your small tummy which is needed for liquids ... Protein ... food. But I think it depends on how your own swallow mechanism works. For me, using a straw actually allowed less air to go in. I think I must have been a gulper when I inhaled my food pre-op. When I used a straw, I sucked the air out first, stopping the staw with my tongue, and then drinking the liquid down. No air at all. If I just drank out of a glass, I always got air in. So, I think you just need to experiment and see what works best for you.

Hmmm ... I'm two weeks shy of 4 months and haven't had any hair loss, but I have to say I'm pretty anal about getting my protein. Perhaps that may be it? I get my hair cut at the same intervals as before, so ...

Tillamook extra sharp cheddar cheese. Man ... it is good!

Call your Dr immediately. This is nothing to mess with. It could be something simple as fissures/hemrhoids which can happen with firm BMs, but it could also point to something more serious. Don't take any chances.

No, you are not cheating. My pre-op consisted of shake for BF/Lunch and veggies and Protein for dinner. My Dr complemented me on how good my liver looked when he was in there. Veggies are good sources of carbs that your body needs. You will be going through a drastic shortage of carbs soon enough after your surgery. Take your medicine and eat your veggies. You and your liver will be great.

Try to get yourself mobile. Walk as much as you can. I know this helped my recovery and getting the gas to absorb. Yes, the sipping is hard, but you have to know your stomach is so swollen right now. It will get better. Try room temperature Gatorade. That is what got me by. And take your pain meds, but know this can "stop you up", if you know what I mean. I also sipped down Milk of Magnesia, because the first one won't come for a few days and can be difficult, but everyone is different.

Again, to reiterate what I said above, the ASTYM treatment was a godsend. Have your Podiatrist prescribe a few physical therapy sessions with someone certified for ASTYM. Google it. Check it out. It did wonders for me. Yes, I still had to do the stretching, but it made it so much more productive. And yes, the shoes. Running shoes are good to use for when you are working out and whatnot, but for day to day walking around, check out the MBT series. They are god awful expensive, so if that doesn't work for you, Sketchers makes a similar line. The ones with the rounded bottoms. It keeps your foot from over stretching when you walk.

I sure hope this happens for me. I have been one of those fast losers, but believe me, I am not bragging. Eating is a chore for me. I can get about 2 bites of anything in before I feel lousy. Pre-op, food was a central figure in my life and I was hoping this would not be true post-op, but alas, it is. Before I ate for indulgence, but now it is for survival. Every time I eat, I feel lousy. Yes, I have tried all the tricks of avoiding milks, sweeteners ... It is my stomach that hurts. Too much food. I eat all day long to get 700 calories in. Yes, it is nice being at goal so quickly, but this is not what I thought it would be. I was fine with it taking 8 months to a year. This is not a race for me. It took me years to get obese and I did not expect or want it to change in a couple months. I don't regret my decision, but I didn't think life would be such a task over 3 months out. Thanks for sharing your story. It makes me optimistic that I will eventually have a better relationship with food.

I had this as well ... had ... I went a different route, though. Physical therapy, which was ASTYM scrapping. A new approach. Always wear shoes and not the cheap ones. I bought 4 pairs of MBT shoes, two dress, a tennis and a sandal. When wearing the shoes, it was incredible. No pain at all. My podiatrist complemented me on making that decision. Since this, I have lost 85 pounds and now I have no pain. At all. Even if I end up walking bare foot for awhile. But, you are taking a steriod, so you will gain some, but think about it. Are you adding fat? No. It is Water weight caused by swelling. Is it permanent? No. Once you are off the meds, your body will release the water. Your going to be taking in around 700 calories a day. Do you really think you are going to be adding fat? Do you really think it is going to be permanent? Don't worry, you are going to be fine. The weight will come off and your foot will feel great again.

Since you like the gym, invest $50 in an hour with a trainer. You usually meet with them before, so you can tell them your story and what your goals are. Ourborus is correct, you cannot spot reduce, but you can work out more effectively. A trainer will help you do this better than getting a dozen different hints from a public board. The $50 will be well worth it.

Breads, rice and pasta expand in your stomach as it mechanically breaks them down. You don't want the capacity of your stomach reduced because of this. Now, if you already have your protein for the day in, then go for it. I avoid them still as I am trying to get my carbs in through veggies and these three items tend to sit like a rock in my belly.