PdxMan

Yup, what they said ^^^ Just take it easy. Don't stress too much about getting all your Protein in at this point, but be sure to try to get your liquids in. Dehydration could mean a trip to the ER for an IV bag of fluids.

From my research, it depends on how long you've been overweight (how long has your skin been stretched out), genetics and health. How long have you been overweight? Did your mother or sisters ever have loose skin after weight loss or repeated birthings? Do you or have you ever smoked? Do you wear hats and sunscreen when outside? How quickly you lose the weight will be a factor, too, but if you have good elasticity, determined by the above factors, it should rebound after some time. I believe these are the factors for saggyness. I have lost just over 100 pounds and I do have sagging skin, but as time has gone by, it is getting better, but I am sure when all is said and done, I will have some excess skin. I currently use some compression shirts and pants/shorts when I run to keep everything held together.

Don't worry about counting calories or carbs at this point. You just had 85% of your stomach removed. You are not going to get in too many calories. Least of your worries. Like Kimmy says, have more soup. Have another Protein shake. Grab a popsicle or two. Again, 85% of your stomach removed ... an excess of 3,500 calories make up 1 pound of weight gain ... do you really think you are at risk? The weight will come off ... trust me.

As the wise Wheetsin said, your stomach swelling has pretty much gone all the way down now, so there will be that extra room which you didn't feel immediately post surgery. You also can tolerate foods with it hurting, so, where before you took a couple bites and waited or stopped because of discomfort, you now take another bite. It is all normal and fine. But one thing that can cause increased quantity is fluids while eating, whether it be directly through having a glass of water/juice/whatever, or by having meals which contain liquids: Soups or already mushy stuff: hummus, refried Beans ... Also, are you eating the lean Protein first? These are things that are going to change how you feel the restriction. Use MyFitnessPal to track everything you are eating so you can take a look back. Back to basics ... avoid fluids half an hour before & after and of course, during. Know that you can eat more (size) soup/salads than you can tuna. If you want to feel the most restriction, this has worked for me.

Yes, take some time inbetween. 10-15 minutes at least for starters.

Wow! 52 pounds. Congrats. Just do what your medical team tells you to do, listen to your body and come here to read and share the experience. The work you put in will relate directly to your results. Good luck!

You may still have a lot of swelling in your stomach. I was on clears for at least 3 weeks and then pureed for 3 weeks because of discomfort. Everybody is not the same, for sure. You have to listen to your body and do what is comfortable. Pain/discomfort is your body's way of telling you, "WOA! Slow down there partner!" It is up to you to listen and comply. Can't imaging what good pushing yourself too much would do ... Listen to your body. It will know when it is time to progress.

Goodwill has been my friend through this. Garage sale season starting up soon, too!

It occurs when we eat/drink too quickly or swallow too big of bites. It goes away only when our behavior changes.

Yup, sounds about right. It was a couple weeks before I could feel full or hunger ... and that was something totally different. As my surgeon told me, "You will not have the same hunger signals, but your body will learn new signals for when it needs food." For me, that was true. So, do what you're doing. Small amounts. Don't eat (drink) more than a couple ounces. I had to set a reminder alarm because I would forget to eat early on. You and your body will learn. Don't worry. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I had my hiatal hernia repaired during my surgery. I didn't even know I had one or that if I did, it was going to be repaired. I had issues with reflux prior to surgery and didn't really even know what a hiatal hernia was. The Dr repairs it by pulling the stomach down back and sewing the diaphragm back tighter. So, it really isn't a big deal. I'm guessing that gramaof4 must be talking about an abdominal hernia as loose skin wouldn't really affect this type of surgery(hiatal hernia). At least, I don't think so. Please correct me if I am mistaken. I was a self pay, so insurance wasn't brought into the fold, but, according to my surgeon, it is a 5 minute fix since he is already there and yanking on the stomach, anyway. He just had to close up the gap in the diaphragm. I noticed some difficulty swallowing after for about a week or so, but it was so worth it. I now have no relux issues at all. I think doing it at VSG time is smart because you are already going to be on liquids and limited quantity at that, so what better time to heal from hiatal hernia surgery, too.

I start with a Premier Protein drink (costco 18 for $23) I then have Soup for lunch (Turkey chili, Chix Veggie, Ham & White Bean) dinner is a salad with tuna/chx/shrimp, cheese and veggies If, for some reason, I am short on protein or am having a seriously long run/workout, I grab another shake or have a Premier Protein Bar. It takes me awhile, for sure, but I eat at my desk and at home I start eating before everyone else and finish after them. No problem. I used to woof down my food, but my sleeve does not allow me to do that anymore. I learned that lesson the hard way.

I would take a small bite, chew at least 30 times (yes, count each chew) and then wait a minute to see how that bite went down. If it was good, I would do it again. If I didn't think it was OK, I stopped. Yes, sometimes it took me half an hour to eat 3 ounces of food, but I got through it. Good luck!

Oye, 4 weeks out ... Chinese ... well, no rice, for sure. Start with the tofu (protein) and have a few bites of steamed veggies for starters. Just take it slow and listen to your body. It is easy to over-indulge on cravings. Let us know how it goes.

Unless you're in High School coming out of a biology class, I don't know how we would know about metabolism. I sure had to do some research on this. But from what I understand, it is a balance with your body to prevent it from going into a starvation mode, of sorts. It is also not just eating more ... it is also what you are eating and giving your body what it needs. Sure, you can increase your calories with a tub of ice cream, but that is a ton of fat and sugar. A lot of people try to do low carb, but that can zap your energy, lowering your metabolism. So, you have to find what works for you. Just ensure your carbs are quality carbs coming from vegetables and the like. If you've been sleeved, your medical team most likely has a nutritionist. Talk to them. They will have a plan for you. Follow it.

Nice! I love it! Yes, I used to brag how I always won: watermelon, pie, corn ... eating contests. Not anymore. Now it's my race times. Change is good. But things only change, if you change.

I loved eggs pre-surgery and they still make my tummy get funny. cheese I can handle fine. But looking at the other stuff, one thing pops out. Nitrates. These cause my wife issues, but she is not a sleever and as a whole, they are not good for you. I have heard of folks developing all kinds of different issues post-sugery. Perhaps try a few days of non-processed foods. No BBQ sauce, deli meats, sausages or hot dogs. You will not notice a difference after one meal. It will take a few before you will notice.

Have you tried a variety of foods? Are there any common ingredients in the foods you are eating? Could be a lactose intolerance thing. Perhaps a gluten thing ... wheat allergy ... something. You may need to dial back to mushies/pureed foods for a bit ... Tell us what you are trying to eat typically.

Dee, trust me. 85% of your stomach has been removed. There is no possible way under the sun to eat anywhere near what you did. I used to eat huge meals and now my 125 pound wife can eat double what I can. I know it can be difficult to wrap your head around, but things are going to change. It was the change I needed to help me change my relationship with food.

I remember transitioning to new stages was a little scary, but just try to do what your medical team has told you to do, listen to your body and come here, read and share your experience. It does get better and easier.

Common concern, but utterly impossible early out. Check out my earlier post on this topic.

Remember that it is only a guide ... not necessarily the size of your stomach. If you Dr sewed tight to the bougie, then that would be your size, but if they don't, then your actual size would be larger. There is also the concept of the oversew, which would make it tighter. The bougie just ensures the sleeve isn't too small and/or actually doesn't get cut across all together.

Funny I should read this today. Last night someone sent me a link to a video of people crashing on treadmills. Man, those things are DANGEROUS!! LOL! After viewing that, I would say to wait at least 6 weeks ... the same as recomended for bike riding. This is because if you crash on your bike, you run the risk of damage to your sleeve. I'm not saying you are going to have one of these bad treadmill experiences, but you sure would hate the consequence if you did. Can you walk outside?

I have an explanation HERE.