Lissa

Great job!!!! You're gonnna have to change your name to Smallie soon!!

YAY!!! So, maybe your bad gallbladder was affecting your weight loss as well?

More importantly, are you drinking at least 64 oz of Water a day and getting in 70g of Protein? Both of these are more important than calories, although you may need to add more food to your diet. Most of us have a stall at 3-5 weeks where our bodies are readjusting to our new eating habits. Also, you started at a lower BMI, so you may lose more slowly than some others lose. Really, you should ignore the scale and pay attention to your measurements and how your clothes are fitting. Muscle weighs more than fat, so, if you're exercising, you are trading icky fat for healthy muscle, even if the scale isn't budging yet. It will happen. Have faith!!

Congrats!! It's an awesome journey!!

PNW, I think you've got a career opportunity there. If you're that good at dealing with insurance companies (AND YOU ARE!!!), you could help others wade through their insurance hurdles. I'm sure others would pay you to help them save thousands on their surgeries!

My nurse friend actually warned me about this pre-op. I have bad knees anyway, but they didn't hurt as long as I didn't walk. Since I've been dumping weight like it's a bad habit, my knees ache, my balance is off, and I sometimes run into walls. It is getting better, but it's all because they are adjusting to their new, lighter, loads. I still feel kind of dumb when I hit a wall, though. LOL

My new energy level has been my biggest surprise post-op!! I can and do accomplish more in a day than ever before!

CSCake, yes, stay off the scales and don't worry about the numbers. You do need to work on getting in more Water. That's the single biggest factor in whether the toxins and fats get flushed, and it makes a HUGE difference in the number on the scale. The Cream Soups probably have a lot more calories in them than you think, so maybe work on getting some other mushy Proteins into your sleeve. Also, you are still VERY early after surgery. Most of us get a stall at 3 weeks, plus the docs cram iv fluids into us, and we're still swollen and healing. All of these things could affect your weight loss. Did you measure before? If not, do it now and see if you aren't already losing inches. The first few weeks, and any stall time, are tough. We need positive reinforcement to mentally get past the stalls. Are your clothes looser? Do you have more energy? These are signs that your body IS doing the work and you WILL lose more weight. Good luck!!

I use My Fitness Pal and I keep my food diary public. It will track your weight (Progress), what you eat, whether you are getting in the daily RDA of vitamins, and your exercise. I keep my diary public because it keeps me accountable. Looking at other people's food diaries also gives you ideas for food you can eat.

ATeam, that was the best laugh I've had in a while!!

Now I'm confused. In one post NoJess says she is a revision from a band to a bypass and in another she says it's RNY. Are both considered a bypass? As for taking 7.5 warfarin a day, do you have clotting issues or is the warfarin for afib? I'm on long-term coumadin (generic for warfarin) therapy and I don't take that much, although yours may be higher because you're at a higher weight. I was actually recommended sleeve over gastric bypass because of the malabsorption issue. Because of clotting issues, I also had a filter/stent installed before and removed after surgery. The filter caught 2 clots, so it saved my life. I still think that Lacie has been very clear and very fair in her postings about what happened to her at Hospital MI. She has not made any aspersions against Dr Garcia's abilities as a surgeon. I agree that she posted "in real time" about her experience in Mexico. Maybe it wasn't sanitized to the sweetness and light some wanted about the hospital, but it was her real and honest experience. I can honestly say that I'd have raised cain had someone approached me wanting to reinsert the needle she showed. I actually cried before my filter removal surgery because they had such a tough time finding my vein. I had 6-8 sticks before they got one that actually worked. Had I posted that day, I'm sure people would not have liked my post either. I'm also certain that I was somewhat dehydrated on the day I had that last surgery, which made it more difficult for the nurses to find a usable vein. BarbieB, I think you'll be well cared for when you go for your sleeve surgery, no matter which surgeon you choose. I also think that Lacie's experience and willingness to speak out about it will help others in the future.

You're normal, but you should call your doctor. It sounds like you need an acid reducer. And, yes, that hurt in your chest means you're full. That's how I figured out I was full when I was first sleeved. Wow, it sounds like that was so long ago! LOL Dorrie is right, liquids do tend to go right through our tiny little tummies. Once you start mushies and solids then you will definitely feel the restriction on how much food you can eat. It's better to under eat the sleeve to avoid stretching and other problems, but I doubt you have stretched it already. Good luck!!

I had a drain for 8 days and don't remember feeling any movement after it was removed. It may be normal, but I'd call the doc just in case.

NoJess, what did Dr Garcia do about your clotting issues? Since you're a real patient and all. What meds are you taking now?

I'm almost 5 months out and it's all routine to me now.

Tenshi, First, welcome to the loser's bench. Yes, the euphoria will settle in soon. The first few days are the hardest and it takes a little time to really adjust to your new reality. But, like anything else, time will make it better. Sip, sip, sip and walk, walk, walk. Once the weight starts melting away, you'll feel much better about the process. Soon you will wonder why you didn't do this much sooner. Congrats and you will rock that sleeve!!

I have exactly the same number and placement of incisions that you do, Paola. I watched a video from my doctor about the surgery and it shows several instruments inserted into someone's abdomen. I'm sure each one required a small incision, but that one under the breasts itched like crazy for me! Mine are all basically healed and just about invisible now. The drain port incision on my lower left side and the one under my boobs are the only two I can still find. Both of those are tiny and just a bit pink still.

Oh, YEAH, losing weight will help with knee pain! I had such bad pain I couldn't walk very well before surgery. Yesterday, I was be-bopping around at the hospital for our WLS support group meeting, and it's held in the cafeteria, which is always somewhere out of the way in a hospital. I had no pain and, as a matter of fact, I walked out to my car and back twice for different things. No way I'd have done that before surgery. Before surgery, I'd have made sure I had everything together to carry in at once and I'd have made my way at a snail's pace from my car to the cafeteria. Now I dont' mind walking. It's fun and it's exercise!! I have RA in my knees, or so I was diagnosed about a year before surgery. Taking 81 pounds off my knees has made it much more enjoyable to walk in the mall, walk to the mailbox, dance (okay, only at home so far), walk on the treadmill, do some leg squats, work in the yard, etc.

Jewels, May I suggest that you try a food diary like My Fitness Pal? If you will honestly log everything you eat and drink for a few days, you may find that you are eating more than you think you're eating. If the log shows that you are not eating a ton of food, a visit to your doctor may be in order. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause weight fluctuations, or you may have a medical condition which makes it hard to lose weight. But, an honest self-assessment is in order, and that starts with logging absolutely every bite of food and every sip you take. If there is no underlying medical condition, then it's time for a heart to heart with your doctor about either a supervised diet or weight loss surgery. You and your doctor can discuss and decide which is best for you. If you do decide on surgery, then I can whole-heartedly say that YES this does work. I've lost 81 pounds in under 5 months. There are a ton of testimonials here from people who have had improvement in their diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid and other medical conditions. However, NO weight loss surgery is a magic bullet. If you choose to have WLS, then you are committing yourself to eating less/right and to exercising to get the maximum benefit from the surgery. WLS is a TOOL to help, not a free ticket to weight loss. I'm sure you know that. I'm just reiterating it so that you don't have unrealistic expectations. Good luck, whatever your decision may be!!

cscake, I don't think you really need to worry about carbs when you are only on liquids or mushies. I blended up and sipped Wendy's chili in the mushy stage. It was divine, IMO!! I had some for dinner last night as a matter of fact. Use your blender, stick blender, magic bullet, or other blending tool to mush up almost any soup/food if you like it. I actually ate some potted meat with a scrambled egg in the early stages, just to get a different taste. As long as you can create a smooth consistency, it's fair game, IMO. The only things I would avoid is beef and raw veggies, because they are a bit tougher to digest. Good luck!!

Bcole, Thank you!! I'm glad you called and I'm thrilled that you're going to follow his instructions. Hopefully it will be resolved quickly. I feel much better knowing that you've been proactive! Now I can go finish raking the yard!

I don't think that cashew chicken is bad, unless the sauce has MSG or lots of sugar. Nuts are high in Protein, chicken is high in protein and you ate a small serving of it. Are you supposed to still be on clears or mushies? I remember that you had a small leak, right? BTW, I asked my surgeon about celery at my visit the other day. He said he's never seen anyone develop a bezoar from raw celery and that I should feel free to eat it as long as I pull out the strings. It's got great Fiber benefits for sleevers, according to him.

Call the doctor, please. If it's early dehydration, an IV with some liquids will make you feel 1,000 times better very quickly. If it's not dehydration, then your doc can point you in the right direction. If it's late stage dehydration, hopefully they can prevent complications like kidney failure/stones, low blood pressure, or heart damage. I am admittedly a little cautious on this right now. A dear friend of mine was dehydrated (not a WLS patient) for a couple of weeks and died because of the damage to her heart and kidneys. She was 48. I really think you should call the doctor.

LOVE that name, Cheles!!

Hope it goes well. Why is the doc concerned about your progress? Are you not able to move past clears?