PdxMan

Ah, you're a freshie! Yes, this is very normal. One week out your stomach is still quite swollen. Even swallowing saliva seems like an effort. Just keep trying to get your liquids in. This will pass soon.

Amy is correct. You are right where you are supposed to be. Have you read about the 3rd week stall on here? Search the site. This is probably the most commonly posted thread.

How far out are you, Pammie? Did you have a hiatal hernia repair? Slowing down, eating less and smaller bites is always good advice, BTW.

You can eat around the sleeve, no problem. Drink with your meals, high calorie coffees ... shakes ... When I was training hard for running, I was eating in excess of 2,000 calories daily and that was healthy, nutritious foods. If I stayed on the couch and substituted crappy foods and ice cream, it would be no problem to gain weight. But as my surgeon told me, it would take a real concerted effort to gain that kind of weight back. He did suggest therapy to deal with any food issues. I haven't done that, yet, but I could see where I do have my demons with food, for sure. I am coping with them for now, but if that were to change, I could be in real trouble, for sure.

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I don't think it was terribly difficult. When you are early out and move off of purees to regular food, your restriction is so great, you are conscience of every bite you put in your mouth because they are so few and far in between compared to before. You'll be fine. It will happen.

One of the things I noticed on VST is a large percentage of folks who have some inoccuous picture for their avatar, but then, after a few months post op, they put in their real picture. It definately signals a change in attitude towards the camera.

Yeah, my wife would look at me with wild eyes. "Oye, when are you going to get out of ketosis?!!" Everything you eat tastes like $#!7. Even after brushing my teeth, it was like, "Oye! My mouth is gross!" Even your sweat smells ... used to shower twice a day. It will pass

Perhaps you should ask your Dr. They will be able to give you a specific answer specific to your individual situation. Do you have their phone number? Do you really want a bunch of random people on an internet forum to answer this question for you regarding your health?

So, early out, your body is in a state of ketosis. Do a search on this site and Google for Ketosis. Basically, your body secretes acetones (yup, the stuff you can use to remove nail polish) which is just nasty. Your sweat, mouth ... everything ... just nasty. This will continue until you can get your carbs back up to a reasonable level which is different for every person and their activity level. Your whole endocrine has been altered as well. As you may have heard, there are hormones stored in fat and these are now being liquidated into your system. From what I have read in the powder Room, this can be attributed to being bitchy and having a funky smelling whoo haw. But for the other side of things is the change in foods we are eating now and how the motility has been altered. You have changed the game intestinally. How often are you going #2 now compared to before? How long is food sitting in your intestines fermenting and doing the stuff that it does compared to before? I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, so if it is a real concern, you should contact your PCP as it may be a sign of something else.

uhhh ... yes

The purpose of the flour in these types of recipes is to thicken the sauce. Using powdered tapioca works just as well and doesn't have gluten. The amount of piccatta you are going to be able to eat isn't going to cost you that much carb-wise by elimanating the flour or using powdered tapioca. This will not be the cause of any stall or weight gain ...

Nope, I do not think that it can be measured exactly. I think the true answer is quite subjective. But given with arena we have here, there needs to be measurable metrics one must surpass. Is there a perfect answer? No. Do I really think this is possible and would be enforced ... No The bigger point here, I think, is to get people thinking of what they are doing here. Am I here to share my experience, strength and hope or am I the goofy streaker running across the field with the Union Jack painted on my hiney? Am I here to create drama or help pull the desperate person out of the freezing Water? What forums should I post to and my approach when dealing with newbies vs. veterans. I don't have the answers, but I do know we lose vets here constantly. There is so much drama and bitchyness sometimes. I hate to see forum brain drain.

Just be sure to use a good marinade. Depending on the breed, they can be a bit tough.

Whoo hoo! I have a fan club of 1. Hey, you gotta start somewhere. I think your post would be very helpful to the OP. It is on topic and shows them there are other people in the same boat. Post on, girl. Just want to echo lilbearzmom ... HUH? Really? How are you supposed to get any good carbs in? I'm not saying they didn't tell you this, but you just may want to double check with them. It has been my experience personally and from reading the boards that people will suffer from fatigue big time if they cut carbs out of their meals. As was explained to me by my team, the sleeve is going to restrict our intake. Our job is to eat well balanced meals to get all of the nutrition our bodies need. I was to eat regular meals which contain a healthy balance of nutrition. The sleeve would take care of the quantity. I have been doing what was suggested and have been at goal and maintaining for exactly one year next week. Hmmm ... time to start a new thread. Lettuce ... YUM! Add a little tuna, maybe some blue cheese crumbles ... artichoke hearts, honey mustart dressing ... oh, yeah, now we're talking. I know what I'm having for dinner tonight.

Yup, like Lissa, at 6 months I was able to eat steak, bread, pasta, lettuce, tortilla chips ... without feeling like something that rhymes with "fit". Albeit smaller bites and chewing really well, but that was my marker ... 6 months.

You are right, as with pretty much any thread with many posts, the intent of the original post has been lost. I don't know if it can be brought back on topic, but, let's try. My intent in posting this was to get an evaluation of what everyone thought a vet was and then suggest to the admins that a change is made to align with the general thoughts of the people. It just didn't seem the forum followed it's own guidelines posted in the description, so I assumed the definition was in flux. What do you think constitutes a vet?

Just take it slow. Lettuce is on the more difficult things to digest. I started with iceburg lettuce, then slowly added romain over several weeks until I used no iceburg at all. Then, I started adding spinich the same way. I have always loved salads and are a mainstay of my menu.

WOW! What an awesome post. Thanks for taking the time and sharing your experience.

I have taken it on occassion and was fine, but as with most things, consult your surgeon or PCP.

Thanks, Susan, My intention for the thread was to gather such information. I do not consider myself the end all and be all and by no means wish to be or even come off as the forum police. I will save that role for you. I don't know the limitations of the software but assumed, since it is in the description for this forum, that time from a certain date in a profile and number of posts were able to be referenced, hence the two parameters I suggested. erI don't see where she says this. If it was implied in any way, since the name of the thread is Vet's Forum, perhaps that may be what is being referred to, the thread, not the forum. I had no idea there was this sentiment. I have no problem refraining from posting in the Powder Room and will respect that from now on. Perhaps there should be a similar setup of restricted access Powder/Men's Room where only that gender can post and another open Powder/Men's Room where the other gender can give their perspective. I didn't know there was a problem, but this should have been communicated out to the forum. I know there are a lot of towel snappers recently here on VST. I am not one to quell a free spirit and I hope, as time passes and they become more of a Vet, they will better police themselves and help keep topics on topic. I think, for the most part, we are all good people here. If we communicate the issues, we can work together to come up with a workable solution.

Wow ... and ... Hmmm ... So, I'm just going to come out and be blunt, please don't throw too many stones my way. I usually don't name "names", but I am going to break my rule here and be direct. First off, Puja was absolutely spot on with her assessment of the thread being hijacked, but I do believe referrencing Laura was uncalled for. She did not redirect the thread, but that was done by OregonDaisy HERE. I do wish a new thread was started instead of posing a new question inside another thread and she acknowledges that in the post before this one here. OregonDaisy, I hope you know I love and respect you terribly. I mean it. I absolutely love every single post of yours. You are one of the wisest vets here ... but that was a move I usually see from newbies. And I think you recognise that in your previous post. Thank you. Susan, I don't think Puja was saying you shouldn't be allowed to post in the forum, but rather to not perpetuate a hijacked thread. Start another thread related to the topic you wish to discuss to have better responses. But what I have seen are posts from newbies and pre-sleevers jumping in on threads and making posts which are outlandish and sometimes downright irresponsible. They will ask questions not related to the original thread instead of creating a new thread. Sorry, I know this probably sounds elitist, but it makes me crazy over in the Near or At Goal forum when a pre-sleeve jumps in and posts advice or the occassional, "OMG! I can't wait until I'm skinny! How long until I get there?" response to a question. So, what is a veteran in the context of VST ... As I mentioned, I think everyone should be able to read the vets forum. No doubt about it. But I think a veteran is someone who has been sleeved for no less than 9 months and has at least 500 posts. Why so long and so many posts? From my reading and experience, 6 months is basically the point where most people are able to eat any and all foods. Drink alchohol and exercise. They have worked through all of their surgery complications and are beginning to live the "sleeve" life. So, lets have 3 months of experience doing this so when they are posting a response, they have lengthy experience. After 500 posts, the individual should have an understanding of forum ettiquette. They most likely have the ability to not create drama and their skin is a bit thicker. They re-read a post they may misunderstand trying to see the other side of it and will not reply to posts inciting a flame war. I have seen many pre-sleevers with well over 300 posts. As far as people recognizing posts from this forum and respecting that, the problem with that is these threads show up on the side panel, get clicked on and responded to. I have to admit I have posted several times in the band to sleeve revision forum even though I am not a revision ... I don't read the forum for which I am posting to ... suppose I should, but ... I do believe forums like the Powder Room and The Man's Room are titled with gender, they are by no means closed to that gender, nor should they be. I believe everyone polices themselves very well there. I'm not going to respond to a menstration question, but I will respond to a relationship question giving a male perspective which, I hope, is a desired thing. Vice verse for the Man's Room ... I appreciate the female perspective on some things. It just drives me crazy when someone with 3 weeks jumps in making suggestions on a topic such as was posted here. I know ... elitist ... if I have offended you, try re-reading the post. If you still have a resentment against me, that is your problem ... not mine. Think about it.

I remember feeling this exact same way. I was just like, "Dear God, just give me something with texture ... anything ..." It was like my teeth were going soft and mushy like all the food I was eating. I was actually nervous the first time actually having to "chew" something. Silly, but real. This too, shall pass.

I have been able to eat one regular taco at Taco Bell, but I was stuffed to the gills after. Had to make sure I chewed the shell really well. I also can eat half of a Subway Tuna sandwich. I'm 20 months out and can eat any food I wish, but I choose to go with nutritionally relevant foods.