MegInNOLA

I was just thinking about this last night--I haven't stopped mine yet, and I'm at 4 months, 1 week.... Maybe I'll go to an every-other-night trial and see how that goes--kind of wean off of it. I do sometimes get that acidy hunger, but only if I wait too long in between eating something. If anyone else does stop yours, please post results!

I agree with BlackBerry... I mean, I was over 300 pounds, and I knew exactly how I "should" be eating. Doing it was another thing entirely. Combo of hypothyroid and poor discipline (and lack of exercise), and there I was. Overweight status can happen for any number of reasons. I understand your reluctance--I'm always a little surprised when I see someone in the medical profession smoking, for example--but if I were getting good advice, I think I'd sort of try to ignore the size of the messenger.

Oh, I remember that feeling well! Hi from another small, picky sleeve. I have to say it definitely gets better--measure everything, though. Even at 4 months out, I still measure by volume so I don't overeat--because those of us with picky sleeves know what happens when we do--it just comes back up and it's not pleasant. But on a happier note, you will be able to eat without pain. It may take you longer than some (it took me a LONG time), but it will happen. I totally celebrate with you about feeling a little more "normal." Hang in there!!

Congratulations! You look fantastic, and I bet it feels wonderful. Way to go!!!!

Greek yogurt and iced coffee for me. Really, at that point, 1 container of yogurt was like 4 meals, so I was set for the day. Other ideas: You can take your shaker cup with Protein powder already measured in there and just add Water or milk and ice and shake; I can't tolerate the shakes, but if you can, that's a simple thing to carry. Now, when I go back to school in a couple of weeks, I'll be taking my 4-months-out food, which is anything that sounds "safe" and will go down easily. For me, that's still dairy (yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese) with some fruit and definitely my iced coffee. I'm also stocking up on soup, which I can take in a little microwaveable container. I know I'm allowed to eat whatever I want, but this is food that I can enjoy AND that my sleeve will tolerate on stressful work days--I can't imagine having to be sick at school, and I am actively planning to NOT have that happen. Reintroducing foods sometimes leads to rejection (as I found out a couple of days ago), and I just am over the whole food rejection thing. That's the one thing I hate about my sleeve--if it doesn't like something, it just forces it right back out, even if I haven't overeaten or eaten too fast--it's just SOOOO picky!!! Anyway, simple, easy-to-tolerate foods are the way to go for me. Happily we've stocked up on portable containers; they do make individual servings of most stuff nowadays, but it's a lot cheaper to carry your own--I have a lunch kit with an ice block that is reusable, too.

Ditto what Kelly says above. We're not eating much these days, or at least in comparison to what we were eating before! I worried like crazy about this, because it is hard to imagine that one can go for a week without "going" and not feel bad--but it's true. At this point, I'm able to eat whatever, and I've been enjoying fruit, and things are a bit better in the "going" department. You might try adding some sort of fiber supplement (not medicine or stimulant, just fiber), and see if that helps things along. Just be sure to be extremely well hydrated--dehydration is almost a sure-fire way to become constipated. It does get better with advancement of diet, I have found.

Wow, congratulations to you!! What a fantastic milestone. I agree with everyone else that it's going to be too big. Keep on losing those inches fast!

I wondered that, too! I think their weight loss is actually quite a bit slower than a surgery patient, and that may account for some of it--slower weight loss can mean less loose skin. But yeah, I'm interested to see what others say. I just started noticing nasty flab on my arms, which shocked me, since I never thought my arms were particularly "fat" before, and I use my arms all day at work (I'm a music teacher and I conduct!). Now I'm kinda grossed out by it and am reevaluating wardrobe choices!! So what is their secret???

And I'm completely hooked on my favs, "Think Thin." The creamy Peanut Butter tastes and feels EXACTLY like a Reese's peanut butter cup, and 1 bar usually lasts me 2 "meals" and a bite or two for a snack...one bar has 230 calories (please, like I could ever eat a whole one!), 20 g Protein, and 23 g carbs. Not low-carb, but there are 0 g sugar and they are gluten-free. These things have saved my hiney because I can't tolerate protein drinks--none of 'em--I just got some Click Mocha, and it's just as gross as the others--it's the smell, like feet! So the bars fill a really important void for me. I definitely don't eat a lot of "junk" food or concentrated carb foods other than these bars, so I feel comfortable including them. I am going to try some of those Power Crunch bars, too, since I find them almost everywhere I shop, and that would be really convenient--the Think Thin are carried at several major grocery chains around here, but they're not as common as the Power Crunch.

Congratulations!!! I know exactly what you're talking about, and isn't it a great feeling!!! Yay you!!!

Agree with the above advice--I tried mashed potatoes as one of my first "mushy" foods, and they worked just fine, but I only had 2 bites and I was SO full! You might try new foods with a baby spoon; seriously, that way you are sure you're not overloading your sleeve with potentially unfriendly food (unfriendly for the time being, that is). I'm suffering today from cherry overload--so I'm right there with ya!!

Hey Beth, way to go on your losses! Scale, schmale. It's 100% true for me, too, that when the scale isn't moving, the shape of my body is changing. I don't know how or why it happens, but I'm glad it does! Yay for you for measuring--I didn't measure before surgery, but I can tell when the fit of my clothes begins to change, and now I know to look for that to happen during periods of slower pound loss.

My standard restaurant order is now Soup. I cheerfully smile and say something like, "Wow, it all looks great, and I'm sorry I'm not very hungry. Please just bring me a cup of soup for my entree," and then, again, break eye contact with the waiter, look at the next person, and say, "What are you going to have?" and that shifts the attention off of me. Most of the time, my husband or close friends will offer me a bite off their plate, but if I say, "No, thanks," we just move on with the meal. So far, so good. I always take stuff home, too--today at lunch, I ate about 1/4 of my French onion soup (after surgically removing the soup-soaked bread, which used to be my favorite part, but which now my sleeve doesn't tolerate).... When the waiter asked if everything was okay, I said, "Yes, it's delicious, thanks! Can you please bring me a go container?" and that was that. I packed the rest up and now I have probably 3 more meals to enjoy of that delicious soup! I definitely need to investigate reusable go containers, because let's face it, we are going to need them on a regular basis if we eat out much at all, and carrying a clean butter tub isn't necessarily going to cut it in a nice restaurant! LOL

Congratulations! It's a pretty awesome feeling. I travel a lot for work, too, and had basically resigned myself to forever driving or taking a train--my husband said he thought I was afraid to fly, but that wasn't it at all--I was sick with worry that I would be embarrassed at having to purchase a 2nd seat.... We recently flew to Florida for a training course, and I was thrilled to discover that I not only fit in the regular seatbelt, I had to tighten it a bit! It is such a huge relief!! Just the thought of not having that to worry about is very freeing. Yay for you and for NSV's!!

I eat pickles all the time--I can only eat 4 little round pieces (I like the bread and butter variety), but I put a little cheddar cheese on top and chow down. I eat the peel, too, but I'm 3-1/2 months out. I didn't eat them until a couple of weeks ago but I had a sudden craving--and no, not THAT kind of craving! LOL I eat nuts daily, probably around 2 tablespoons or so of mixed almonds and cashews. They are delicious and healthy (get them without added stuff!) and are a yummy part of my diet. Most importantly, my sleeve tolerates them well and they are portable--I have a few in a baggie in my purse, along with a Protein bar, for times when I need something to eat away from home. My hunger pretty much stays away until it's desperate times, if that makes sense--I have no hunger, or I'm ravenously hungry all of a sudden. Portability is a good thing. I never really liked olives before surgery--too strong a flavor for me--but never say never. :-) I'm with Kathe--I don't deprive myself, I try to get protein first, and I'm completely satisfied and losing weight.

Irene and FeedYourEye--wow, y'all look fantastic! What inspirations you are--I wear SO much black for work (as a musician) that I have gradually been getting rid of it all as I lose weight. I noticed in my closet this morning that I only have a small, tiny section of black stuff, and more "bright color" sections than I ever have, period. But I think I need a LBD when I hit goal--y'all look so great in them!! Thanks for sharing!

I'm 6'2", so most of the height-weight charts for women stop before they get to me. I wasn't fat my entire life; I was a sort of athletic, curvy teenager and college student. I remember when I first broke 200--grad school... I was wearing, I think, size 16's then. I also have a series of goals, but they're rather loose and flexible. Honestly, at this point, if I didn't lose another pound, I'd still be so much better off than before that it is already worth it--the surgery has paid off in longer, healthier life. Since I'm only at 3-1/2 months out, I know I have more time and will lose more, and I'm really excited about it. Goal 1: Weigh less than my husband, who bounces between 220-225. I have never weighed less than him, and he is a big guy. Goal 2: Break into Onederland. At 194, my BMI goes into the "normal" range--I know you're jealous now, but I'm 6'2"!!! Goal 3: 190. At this point, I should be wearing size 14/16, I hope! Goal 4: Wherever below this that my body feels comfortable without horrible maintenance required. I confess I don't really like exercise, although I do it when I need to. When I hit 190, I'll see if I like how I look and feel and go from there. Mostly, seriously, I just want to be healthy and comfortable. That could be at any point in a very wide range of sizes/weights. I don't think I'm a vain person, and if I'm healthy at a slightly higher weight than the "perfect" spot and my body just doesn't want to go past that, I probably won't push it. Seems like, though, my sleeve is small and picky, so I'm still really limited in the amount and type of food I can tolerate, so I may have no problem at all hitting goal. We'll just have to wait and see.

Surgery date: 04/18/2011 Weight the morning of surgery: 306 Weight this morning: 240 Pounds lost: 66 freaking pounds OFF MY BODY FOREVER!!!!! Still have a long way to go, but I'm very happy with the results so far!!!

Wow congratulations on all your accomplishments! You are really rockin' it!!

Yep, 100% normal. My "last meal" was a cheeseburger. I didn't have a presurgery diet, either, and actually had to gain a couple of pounds to qualify for the surgery (my BMI was right at 40 when I went for my surgeon's visit). Here's the scoop: After surgery, you will have a "new" normal--eating like a "normal person" is not what we were doing pre-surgery--at least I wasn't. I was eating ABnormally, which is why I needed the surgery in the first place. Thin people, healthy people, do not eat like I ate. Surgery is going to give you the tool to make some changes. Your body may not appreciate the same types of food the way you do now. You may emotionally miss your "friends" or favorite foods. Then you'll begin to realize it's not just about the food--there are friends and family to enjoy, there are kids to chase and play with, there is work, there are your goals, and the sleeve is going to make those possible. You will slowly learn how to use your sleeve. Food will become less a "friend" and more like what it always was supposed to be--fuel for your body, great tasting, sure, but you won't have to eat like there's a famine coming and you'll never see food again. You'll be satisfied with much less, although you will enjoy it just as much. I promise--you will enjoy food after surgery. I definitely enjoy it. I just don't eat as much of it, and that's great!! Relax. Follow your surgeon's instructions. If he doesn't put you on a pre-surgery diet, do what is healthy for you. Best wishes!!

I agree with Kelly 100%. Sometimes when I try to be "good" (and believe me, there's not really any "bad" any more--thanks sleevie!), my body hangs onto every last ounce! I'm definitely NOT advocating going for broke, but I think I am advocating listening to your body. I do try to stick to the "protein first" rule, although not every meal; for instance, today I had 4 cherries for breakfast. In a little while, I'll have a couple of spoons of cottage cheese. Balance! Sounds like something I can live with long-term, which is seriously important for me, as I never, ever want to go "back there." Congrats on the loss!!

I love and use my magic bullet all the time. Chicken salad--if you're just chopping the chicken, yes, it is a pain to stir and get it all chopped. Just add your mayo or Greek yogurt or whatever in the bottom, then put your chicken and green onion, and it turns into a paste really easily. I use it for protein shakes, too, but I don't over-process--I like mine with ice to make them like a milkshake, so maybe that's why I don't get a lot of foaming. Again, milk first, then protein powder, then whatever flavorings, then ice. I found that order of ingredients does make a difference in the processing efficiency. I do love that I just toss the cups in the dishwasher and still have others ready to use.

I had vomiting for the first 7 weeks after surgery, almost every single day--why? Because I was not on a PPI!!! My surgeon does not routinely prescribe it post surgery. Once I started taking Prilosec, it was like a miracle--suddenly, food stayed down! Now, I still can't eat much at one time, only a couple of tablespoons per "meal," but it stays down and I'm feeling so much better. If you're not already on a PPI, get some generic omeprazole and try it out. Can't hurt and might help. Use it for a couple of days and then try something really bland and really soft, like mashed potatoes, and only eat a tablespoon... see if that stays down. At this point, don't worry about carbs or whatever, just see if you can get something gentle to stay down. Tiny bites, please, and wait a few minutes between bites. I really hope you find some answers--NOBODY should have to go through vomiting every day, and I should know!!

You can use it to make a chicken salad--use pre-cooked chicken (or canned), a bit of green onion--not too much!--and some Greek yogurt--zap in the processor (I make it in my magic bullet). Delicious! You can add whatever seasonings you like, but I tend to like it sort of plain. I also like to get it very smooth, so it's more like chicken salad paste, if you get my drift, and I can eat it with a spoon or on a cracker or on a slice of cucumber.... You can also make really good deviled eggs--I can't eat eggs any more after surgery, but even before surgery, I liked deviled eggs with the Greek yogurt. Smush up the hard-cooked egg yolks with some Greek yogurt, some Creole mustard (or I bet sweet-hot mustard would be yummy), a little salt and pepper, and, if you want to get fancy, some fine-chopped pickles or olives. Stuff the egg whites and enjoy.

I got some of the Opti-Source at Walgreen's the other day just to try... I've been enjoying my One-A-Day gummies (I take 2 a day), but the Opti-Source has higher levels of stuff for bariatric surgery patients, and I think they're okay. I got the citrus flavor, and it tastes sort of like Tang from when I was little. They're not gummy, but they're chewable, and I can't taste any of that nasty stuff most chewables have (is that the B vitamins that taste so gross?). These are okay.