PdxMan

Pretty much everybody has had constipation to varying degrees. My Dr told me to use Milk of Magnesia (MOM). Worked like a charm. I took a bit everyday to try to stay ahead of the game. No strain.

I just want to be sure I understand ... We're talking about a Hiatal Hernia here ... right? You have already been sleeved ... what was your sleeve date? They did NOT perform the correction when they did your sleeve ... correct? I did not know I had a hiatal hernia and my surgeon fixed it when he was in there doing my sleeve. It is a little bit tight on the swallow, but not really a big deal. Who did your sleeve? Do a search on this site for Hiatal Hernia and you will get lots of information.

Yup, started losing at 4/5 months out and it stopped at around 9 months. Now at 11 months (Today!, Yea!) I can say I see where it is growing back. Definately not as thin as it was, but not as thick ... yet. But I do notice it is thicker than 4 months ago, for sure.

I'm guessing I wait at a minimum 30 seconds on my first couple bites. As I progress through the meal, it gets longer as after each bite, I am fuller and I am looking to gage where I am at. It takes me longer to assess what my fullness factor is towards the end of the meal.

I put my utensil (fork, spoon, chop sticks ...) down after each bite. I chew more than I think I should and then I assess how each bite made me feel and whether I should have another.

Are you using MyFitnessPal or some other means to track everything you eat? That can help to get some perspective when you look at everything over the past week. Exercise is great, but that is only half of the equation. What are you eating and in what portions? Are you drinking with you meals? Even a sip? Protein first?

I think that is a tough question to answer. It depends upon how much extra skin you, personally, are comfortable with. I'm close to 120#, but I am going to assess at my 2 year surgiversary as to where I am at. I work out a lot hoping to tone my muscles enough where I won't need additional help, but I am guessing I will do some. I have a turkey neck and I don't know if any exercises that I am comfortable with doing to solve this area. I don't want to look like a meat-head weight lifter, so ...

Woo Hoo! Nice job. I'm sooo excited for you.

That is just ONE of my jobs here.

Butterbean, I was the same way ,.. -TOM ... Just keep walking and sipping. Wife built me an embankment of pillows in bed that I slept in for 2 weeks. MOM was the cats meow for constipation.

Wow

My Dr said the hernia correction takes just a couple minutes to do. Basically yank the stomach down and sew the diaphragm tight around the esophogus. So, as far as additional pain associated to gas, I would say there wasn't any as I'm already inflated for the sleeve. But he told me I may feel some tightness when swallowing and he was right. There was some uncomfortableness ... I wouldn't call it pain, but it was difficult for the first week to get what I would call a good swallow in. But since we're drinking liquids only, it's really not that big of a deal. I'm elated he repaired that. I didn't know I had a hiatal hernia. Since my surgery, I have had zero reflux issues which, for me is awesome. I used to eat tums, prilosec and baking soda almost daily to deal with it. Now ... nothing.

What are you snacking on? I was and still am a snacker, but what I snack on has changed. Turkey Jerkey from Trader Joes is a protein snack that keeps me satiated for awhile. Perhaps some deli meats or a protein bar? I use these and I think they are a good alternative to my pre-sleeve go-to snacks.

Well, I'm 6'1" and have a 30" inseam (short stubly legs), so, my stomach, in theory, should be longer than all y'all. I have crazy restriction 11 months out. As long as you follow the rules of not drinking with your meal and eating your Protein first, you will feel the restriction, too. Don't follow the rules ... your results will vary. It is up to you, not your sleeve. As pointed out, the size of the bougie really doesn't matter. I can see where a person with the largest size and a longer stomach might be able to eat 6 small bites of dinner where a person with the smallest size could eat 5 bites ... do you really think that 1 additional bite is going to make THAT big of a difference? If you think so, then walk 10 additional minutes each day and there you go.

Yup, count me amoung those who already posted. I have the turkey neck which I will assess at my 2 year surgiversary. I figure by then I will have lost whatever I am going to lose and my skin will have rebound as best it can.

I scheduled mine two weeks in advance with Dr Umbach in Las Vegas. Cheap airfare to Vegas (baby!), cheap hotel room (Golden Nugget - $45/night) and $10,400 for the procedure at a Bariatric Center of Excellence. Get to stay in the US and a great surgeon who has performed 1,000s of Bariatric procedures. And it's Vegas(BABY!) No brainier for me.

Where are you having your procedure? It was very easy for me. Called and scheduled a couple weeks prior to surgery. No hoops to jump through at all. There are a few folks on here who did have coverage but opted for self pay to avoid the hoops.

Don't do a low carb diet post sleeve. I was fatigued, told my NUT and she advised me to increase my carbs. I did so and my energy came back and I was fine. So many sleevers believe you have to do low carb to lose weight, but I believe that is old thinking ... pre-sleeve thinking. When you move more, as a lot of us do post sleeve, you need carbs. It has worked for me and I am at goal.

I'm guessing bonbon hasn't been sleeved yet, as she is only 2/3rds of the way through her 6 month class for insurance approval.

Hello!

Hmmm doesn't appear to be working for me today ... IE9, Firefox nor Chrome ...

Well, for starters, don't lie down! It's the old joke, "Doc, my arm hurts when I do *this*. Well ... don't do *that* with your arm anymore!!" j/k But seriously, I have read here where most people early out cannot lie down. My wife made a little embankment of pillows that I laid and slept in. I know a lot of people live in a recliner chair for the first week. So, not uncommon and totally normal. Did you have a hiatal hernia repair, too? I did and I know the pain in the chest is probably going to be a little more pronounced because of this. I also know a lot of people also use Gas-X. Right now, your stomach is all swollen and it is not in its *normal* position. This is going to cause stomach fluids to ride a little higher and gets more pronounced when lying down. When the swelling goes down, your stomach will settle ... in position and being uncomfortable. First couple weeks are the hardest, but you will get through it.

I'm 11 months out and I eat the same way I did after day one. I think it is a good method and has been working for me. I take a bite and put my utensil down. Chew well and swallow. I assess how that felt. If all feels good, I go for another bite. If it doesn't feel good, and I have only had one or two bites, I wait. If it was a new food I have never tried post-sleeve, perhaps I am not ready for that and move on to something else, but if it is a familiar food, then I wait and give my stomach some more time to settle. If after taking another bite, I don't feel well, I am done with that meal. How long does it take? Sometimes quite awhile. Last night having Rotisserie chicken and fried potatoes was about 45 minutes for about 3 oz of chicken and 6 oz of potatoes. First one to start eating and last one to finish. No big deal. It was tasty. Had ice cream with berries about an hour later. That was about a 10 minute snack with about half a cup. I have to admit, though, I did not put my spoon down while eating the ice cream. I KNOW my tummy can handle that!! I know I go slow and I am OK with that. So ... how long should it take? It depends ... it takes as long as it takes. Don't push it. What's the point?

Oh, I knew what you meant, but the problem is, and as Bloneej points out, people are going to interpret this differently and I sure don't want someone to read the statement and think this is all they have to do to get skinny. As you continue to participate in the forum, you will see what I mean. I have to take breaks from the forum every once in a while because I get so frustrated by people stating they are not losing weight, but are also not following the rules explicitly. They truly think that the sleeve is going to take care of everything. The sleeve is not going to teach you how to eat properly. It is only going to help you eat less at a meal. What you choose to eat at that meal is still up to you. If you have joined MyFitnessPal, take a look at the diaries of your fellow sleevers ...