PdxMan

Yeah, I saw that picture of him the other day. Wow We all know what he looked like before ... so, do you think he lost fat or muscle? He has the luxury of being able to easily put that muscle back on after the movie shoots. It is a little more difficult for common folks and even more so for us sleevers.

Yes, you can. But what is your point? It's good to be in starvation mode? I think it is an unavoidable consequence of having 85% of your stomach removed. The trick is how you manage it. I went from consuming at least 4,000 calories a day to 500. Of course my body is going to go into starvation mode ... several times. Yes, I lost a lot of muscle mass, too. But I would like to think I mitigated the situation by consuming a lot of protein and doing a lot of core exercises which included some weight lifting. I follow my workouts by consuming protein, as recommended. So, yes, you are going to go into starvation mode. Expect it. Now, how are you going to manage it? Lose as much muscle as fat? Damage your internal organs along the way? It's up to you. This is not a magic bullet but a tool. How are you going to use yours?

Just know that the body will utilize whatever resources it needs to maintain energy reserves, i.e. fat. So, the body will begin to canabalize itself. Muscle tissue being one of the first to be used. Remember, Protein, just like fat, has 9 calories per gram. You will lose muscle tissue (protein) in starvation mode. One of the reasons we need to maintain the recommended protein intake. So, the bottom line is, what are your goals? To lose weight or to lose fat?

I have gone from wide to normal width, but if you search the site, you will find a few threads on this topic saying people have gotten smaller.

Just want to echo the same thoughts. I wish I would have done this sooner. I think waiting until Christmas break is a good idea. There is recovery time, but there is also some time needed to find your new "groove", too. Your relationship with food is going to change and its not like flipping a switch. But, you are doing the right thing by coming on here and posting questions and reading. Keep it up and best of luck.

Everyone symptoms are going to be different to some degree. I assume at this point you have done the obvious and Googled it, so it is time to call your Dr. You don't want to mess with this, do just call them and go in.

For the most part, I told people that I got rid of my dinner plates and bought a nice set of slightly larger salad plates (true). This has helped my family with portion control, so, we all eat less, but I, especially, concentrate on smaller portions. (True). I also have started an exercise regimen where I run and do high impact interval aerobics (true). I felt no responsibility to tell them about my surgery, just like I felt no responsibility to tell them about my LASIK surgery to help me see, my vasectomy to help me enjoy sex more without worrying about pregnancy nor telling them about my hemorrhoidectomy to help me ... well ... you know. Now, I did make exceptions for those who directly inquired whether I had WLS or those who I knew struggled with their weight. I wasn't going to directly lie and I do feel we need to help others who struggle. I have never lied and those who need to know, know.

Why, thank you very much. I'll tell you what, I hate to sound vain, but I never get tired of hearing that. Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.

Slimes is the over salivation that occurs when you have eaten too fast, taken too large of a bite, or not chewed well enough. You oversalivate like you have never done before. I mean ever. It happened once to mean and it was streaming out of my mouth. Crazy. It happened only once to me because you learn your lesson. You don't want that one repeating.

You have to remember High School biology. I know, a long way back for some of us. the stomach is the mechanical part of digestion. The acids are thrown in there and the stomach churns the food around. There is, for the most part, no absorption going on her. Pure mechanics. Now, you just had 85% of that stomach removed. The stomach's ability to churn the food and do its mechanical thing has been greatly reduced, as you can imagine. Chewing it more is going to replace that 85% a bit. Chew more and it is going to replace that functionality even more. I know when I don't chew enough, I can feel that clump in my intestines and it is not good.

Well, screw the weight loss. Don't worry about it. That is secondary, here. My advice is two part. First, why are these types of foods in your house? A lot of folks in the same boat respond to this question with, "My kids/husband enjoy these foods and I don't want to take it away from them because of my issues." That one makes me crazy. IMO, it enables them to have bad habits and obviously, is a temptation for you. But, i think there is also something else here. Just my opinion, but I remember in my days of alcohol and drug use, the before and moment of purchase was thrilling. Driving back home with my product knowing I was going to use was exciting. Now, I'm not saying it is the same for you ... I don't know. But what I do know is there were a lot of parallels for me with all my addictions. food included. Have you eve hidden food or what you were eating? Get the garbage can out and dump them. Second part, the consumption. We know we're not supposed to do it, yet we do. We all have our moments of weakness, for sure. There is that moment when we sit there with that item we are trying to not have: cookie, joint, shot glass, syringe ... You fill in the blank. I don't know what it is or what it takes to put that item down for everybody, but in my early days, it was an understanding of a higher power which I learned through a 12 step group. It worked for me, but we all have to find our own path. I sought help and you can, too. By no means am I perfect. I am a work in progress, and I keep on working everyday. Sometimes, every minute. As I first said, don't worry about the weight loss. Get back to doing the right thing and sticking to it and the weight will come off on its own. We have to get to the root of our relationship with food in order to conquer the demons that are associated with it. IMO, only then can we live free. Good luck and keep us posted

This is a hot topic here on VST and has been discussed many times. If I am not mistaken, the last thread ended up being deleted because it turned into a yelling match between those who interpret this as judging obese people, which I understand it isn't. Those who where upset were being judged as not being sympathetic to the plight that got them there, which it wasn't. An emotionally charged issue, for sure, so I ask the readers to please take caution and read the posts from an objective, non-judgemental perspective. I, too, am guilty of sitting at a restaurant and staring at morbidly obese people shoveling food into their mouths. I know they don't want my sympathy, but it is just hard to sit there and recall the days when I sat there doing the same thing.

At a year out, your body will not have finished bouncing back. I'm 15 months post, been at goal for 7 months, and things are still shifting around. My plan has been to wait until 2 years post. That way, whatever elasticity my skin has will be done as well as whatever my body can re-absorb. I think a year post is just too early. Your insurance will only cover it if it is causing you health issues. Google the topic.

Don't worry. Someone with a higher BMI also has a higher BMR, so you can't equate the calorie requirements of a high BMI person to a low BMI person. A person who has the surgery who only needs to lose 50 pounds is not going to lose 85 pounds in the first 6 months.

You will be fine. Just keep breathing and know that you are starting the rest of your life tomorrow. The sleeve was the best decision I made and I know it will be for you, too. Just keep breathing and relax.

MissMeaow, that is what I did and I never saw a stall. The scale never got me down and I was inspired the whole time. The scale is evil. It lies. It only measures weight, not fat, and I needed to lose fat.

Yup, pretty much any veggie ... as long as it is cooked.

Yeah, skinny people never indulge when in N'Orleans on vacation. Wow, you almost sound like a normal person. Who would have thought that might occur with the sleeve?

Sleeve was the right decision for me, I'm sure it will be for you, too. If you have any doubt vs the band, go over to the band to sleeve revision forumm here and read all the band nightmares.

I added enchilada sauce to mine. All good.

I think the OP said they are just going to tell friends and family she is going on a little Mexican vacation. Sounds good to me. I had mine in Vegas and told friends the same thing. Heading to Vegas, baby! Do a little gambling, lay at the pool ... I just didn't tell the what I left there. Actually, I made $ on the casino tables but lost stomach tissue on the operating table. Fair trade for me and it WAS a nice little Vegas vacation. Tell who you want whatever you want whenever you want. It is a personal decision.

Couple weeks post-op, after reading soooo many threads from people getting upset about their rate of loss, I decided to weigh once a month. Never saw a stall. Pretty much every time I weighed, it was less than the last time I weighed. So, I never stalled.

If you're doing creamy soups and cottage cheese, then I believe you are in the pureed stage ... at least those were on my list when I was doing purees. I think you are there, but, as always, you should give your NUT a call. Only takes 5 minutes and then you'll know for sure.

If you have a hand blender or the like, I would take a little mashed potatoes, gravy, peas and dark meat turkey and blend it up. Avoid the dressing as that will expand in your stomach. Grab a plate and put all the foods on it. Make a bowl out of your mashed potatoes, go to the kitchen, and pour your mixture in it. Eat just that while pushing all the other food around your plate. I did a similar thing last year and it was no big deal. It was noticed that I didn't eat much, but I just said I was tired of being so full after eating and I really wanted to save room for a homemade pumpkin pie I made. No big deal.

I just came to this thread to post the same question. I'm hoping it isn't something more serious and is just dehydration. But, as I have posted so many times, you can end up in the emergency room due to lack of liquids, so make sure you meet those requirements before all else. However long post-op ... doesn't matter. DRINK!