Lissa

Jeff (may I call you Jeff?), It is frustrating to only be able to eat a tiny amount of food. That restriction will ease up as you heal, although never to the same volume that you could eat before. Take a few deep breaths and focus on why you had this surgery. That should help with your immediate uneasiness. As you progress through the stages, you will soon come to the solids phase, where you can eat whatever you like ... and all of your favorite foods will be waiting for you, just in smaller amounts. I can eat anything now that I enjoyed pre-op, including steak and veggies and taters and ... the list goes on and on. I make very different choices now than I did pre-op, but that's part of working with the tool (my sleeve). I'm going to my family reunion in a few days and I anticipate having a biscuit and gravy. One of my cousins makes them just like my granny made them, which I cannot do. I may only eat half a biscuit and one spoon of gravy, but I'll enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed a full plate back in the day. You will enjoy all those foods you liked before again, just in smaller portions. What you're feeling right now is normal. In a few days you'll be feeling much more normal and you'll be living as if you'd never had surgery. As long as you keep up your Protein and Water intake, you'll do very well. Good luck!!

You'll be sedated, if not asleep, for the endoscopy, so it's not a big deal. I suspect that your brain is just in panic mode right this second and is focusing on the endoscopy because that's what our minds do to us. They play games with us! Everyone goes through some form of doubts and second thoughts, especially at BIG moments in the journey. You've just set a date and made a big decision, so naturally your brain is reeling from trying to absorb all of that. Give it a few days and see if you don't calm down some about the whole situation. if you still have worries, do all you can to minimize the risks from them, then turn the rest over to your higher power if you have one. Good luck!!

Suggestions? Yes. Stop it! Easier said than done, I know. You're going to have to really watch yourself when you eat. You need to eat until you are satisfied (not hungry) rather than until you're full. You already know that you will get sick if you eat too much, so slow down, chew (purees, I know) well, and taste your food. Try waiting a minute or two in between bites so that your sleeve will have time to let you know that you've had enough. There is a lot of head work ahead of you, but some of the things I've discovered are: I don't have to eat the whole serving. I can put the food away and have some more later if I want it. The food WILL be there later. I don't like being sick, so I try to stop before I'm hurting. If I'm hurting, I'm probably going to be sick, not something I like. You may want to talk to a therapist about food issues, even if it's only a couple of times. Just laying it all out on the table and looking at the issues can help you move past a lot of those issues. Also, especially early post-op, it's easy to miss the cues that tell you that you are full. I've heard of people whose full signal is now a sneeze, a runny nose, or a burp. Mine is a burp. If I eat enough that I burp, I immediately put down my fork and push the food away because I've actually eaten too much. I will literally spit out a bite of food if I'm chewing at that burp because I know that bite will not go down and I will be uncomfortable for hours. It takes awhile to transition to the "new" version of eating, but you will get there. Good luck! I don't know whether you're eating too much because you think you're hungry or if it's happening accidentally, so I've tried to address both sides of that coin.

Good luck to all of you!!

So sorry about the problem, but thrilled it was discovered before you were into surgery! Good luck!! This isn't your day for surgery, but it will happen soon, I know!

That's wonderful!! So, instead of being "thinoneday", you should be "thinTODAY".

You're not going to stretch your sleeve with liquids only, so long as you don't keep drinking until you're in serious pain. Then you wouldn't stretch it, the damage would be much worse. I keep saying that I think we should all be required to have some mental therapy before and after surgery because there is so much mental work to be done after any WLS. Not just about food, but about body image and how to deal with other people. I seriously ate my problems before surgery. Now that I can't do that, I'm getting feedback from some of the problem-causers that I have an attitude problem. I've been talking to a therapist about this, because I try to be pleasant. What I'm learning is that pleasant does NOT have to mean doormat. That's just as an example of what I'm talking about above. We don't have a lot of choice but to deal with the issues that we used food to self-medicate before, unless we want to step into crossover addictions like drugs and alcohol. I've always wanted a clear head, so I'm having to really work on my issues. However, the work is worth it in the long run. As for being successful, you'll be just as successful as you want to be. There is definitely work to be done post-op, though. There is nothing easy about WLS, IMO.

23 pounds in 9 weeks is nothing to sneeze at!! Are you drinking enough Water? Getting in enough Protein? Doing some exercise? Avoiding refined sugar and carbs? All of those things make me lose more slowly. Perhaps now is a good time to try My Fitness Pal or another food logging site. List every bite you take and see if there is a trend. Patience is also the most overlooked tool in this journey. Sometimes we just have to keep doing what is required and working towards our goal while our bodies decide to start letting go of some weight. We didn't gain it overnight; we won't lose it quickly either.

Yay! Hope you're having a great time! It sounds like it.

Is there a fee for your help? Not trying to be rude, just wondering.

Congrats! You are doing this at the right time for YOU! It's great that your hubby supports you and that your niece is being sleeved around the same time! You'll have someone to compare notes with as you heal!

Chimera, I've had several major injuries to my left knee and was Dx with RA in both knees pre-op. For a few months after surgery, I had significant pain in both legs and was having a tough time walking/keeping my balance. I make sure I do low impact exercise so that I don't injure either knee. As my weight has dropped, I've noticed that I have less pain. I hope that will be the case for you. I can't offer any advice about your injury, but I will keep you in my prayers.

Diva, we're all a work in progress! Great quote!

VST is definitely a place where we can talk about anything! I think it's great that we can ask any question we can think of here! Who/where else will you get information about the crazy changes we go through after surgery???

On clear and full liquids, I did not have to wait 30 minutes. Once you're back on solid foods, though, if you have soup for a meal you should wait 30 minutes before drinking after eating.

It's when some food goes straight through you. I have this problem with milk post-op. I can drink regular milk and be in the bathroom (TMI) pooping it out in minutes. It's NOT common for sleevers, but it is common for gastric bypass and RNY patients. Mine is because I'm now lactose intolerant.

MyGastricSleeveLife gave a great explanation of bougie sizes. All I'm going to add is a picture of the bougie sizes that someone posted here earlier:

I hope it's nothing, too, but I always worry about the combo of pain and nausea because of seeing other people's experiences. Better to check it out and be safe, IMO. Good luck!

Thanks, Nancy! I actually was looking at an iPod this morning because I'd like to not take my phone into the gym with me. This will be great because I can use it for MFP, Fit Bit and my music without having my phone ring while I'm huffing and puffing.

That first stall is a KILLER, isn't it? It can undermine your determination so badly! Just make sure you meet your Protein and Water goals and keep the faith. Unless you're dumping a ton of empty calories into your body, you will lose weight. It's great that you are working out, but exercise can cause a stall when you first start all by itself. I don't know the reasons behind it, but I'm proof that it can happen that way. BTW, your nut sounds like a NUT job to me. 60 minutes 6 days a week is a great goal to reach, but it's not practical for most people, and it's not where you want to start with exercise. I think walking during lunch at work and doing the elliptical at home is a great start! I literally started with 5 minutes at a time on the treadmill! Now I do at least 30 minutes of cardio per day, plus weights 3 times a week. I've lost over 100 pounds with my routine and I have a lot more free time than many. I don't have 3 small children at home like you do, nor do I have a traditional 40 hour a week job because I'm self-employed. Listen to your nut, to a point. You have to find a routine that works with your lifestyle, not the idealized version of life your nut has dreamed up for you. Good luck! don't let your stall get you down. BTW, have you taken your measurements yet? If not, NOW is a good time to do that and keep them for future reference. I lose inches during stalls, and during stalls is where I notice that my clothes are getting bigger, too.

Congrats on making a great decision for yourself!! I love the list and agree that you should change it to WILL instead of need. You WILL accomplish all of those goals because you ARE determined to meet them.

Thanks, Nancy!!! I like your picture too! You look like you're having fun outside somewhere sunny! It's raining buckets here today (south Florida).

My doctor says no straws ever. I use an acrylic to go cup with a straw almost every day, though. However, I didn't start using it until 4 or 5 months post-op. For me, it helps me keep my water consumption high... and I'm more willing to drink my water if it's in something that keeps it cold.