E-girl

I am 4' 11" and was a 210 at my heaviest, size 20/18 pants, XXL top. My goal was just to be in the single digits (size 8 / L) before my one year anniversary. Well, I am 8 1/2 months out. I was a size 8 for about one month back in July. I am a now 113 lbs, size 00/0/2 pants (depends on the maker), XXS top. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever thought I would be a size 0. It never occured to me that my sleeve would work so well! In my head I still think I am big, which is why I have to do a double take when I see myself in the mirror.

Calorie wise, you are total normal. You should be getting 32-64 oz of water/fluid in a day and protein drinks count. I am 8 months out and I get 2-14oz protein shakes and 1-22 oz bottle of water but in the earily days it was more like 2-8oz protein shakes and 1-8oz bottle of water. Popsicles helped and hot decaf tea.

Good Luck, carly81! Wishing you a speedy recovery. The first 4 days is the hardest but it gets sooooo much better after that!

I am Asian and I can't eat these. LOL. At 6 month out I was allowed to eat bread, rice, and pasta again. I just use whole grain pasta and only have 2 strands.

Every doctor is different. I had to lose 5-10 lbs by a certain day or go on the 2 week doctor prescribed liquid replacement diet. So I lost 7 lbs and had to go on 2 days of Clear liquids before surgery (to clear my digestive track). My husband had to go on the 2 week liquid replacement diet because he couldn't lose the 10-20 lbs by his certain date. The reason is to try to shink the liver. When the liver is too large, they can't get around to do the surgery. Unfortunately, my husband cheated a couple of times and his liver did not shink as much as expected. As a result, a 2 hours procedure took 3 1/2 hours. We were lucky...the doctor could have stopped the surgery if he wanted too.

My doctor told me that at one year I will be able to get in about 1 to 1-1/2 cups of food and thats where I should be for the rest of my life. However, that does not mean that my stomach will not be able to hold more but it will never go back to its original size. He stressed that if you constantly over eat it will stretch a little bit more. I am 8 months out and I can get in about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup, depends on the food. Remember this is a tool not a curse. The first 12 - 18 month is what they called the "Honey Moon" phase. Its called that because no mater what you eat you will lose weight. However, you are suppose to take the first 12-18 to work on breaking old habits, work on making better food choices, incorporate exercise, and work on changing your relationship with food. You can still cheat the sleeve and gain weight for example 8 oz of a blended McD's cheese burger (300 calories) goes down just a easily as a 8 oz of a Protien shake (100 calories).

I was wondering this myself because I started happening to me very recently. I usually sleep on my side and it really freaked me out. It don't happen all the time but it is a weird felling. I have a follow up in two weeks but I think I just going to call on Monday.

I am 8 months out and still burping. It's annoying.

cottage cheese, oatmeal, smashed banana with peanut butter *yummy*, hummus, eggs, sweet potato, winter squash,

Congrats! My husband was sleeved on Monday.

My doctor told me not more the 6 g of ADDED sugar per meal. Naturally sugar doesn't count like in fruit.

I have done the same thing with my kids...avoid rides and things at amusement parks. We even left a park earily because I couldn't keep up with the walk due to the knees and feet and the heat! I felt bad because we took 2 hours to get there paid out the nose only to stay for 1 1/2 hours. We didn't even get 1/3 of the way though the park last year. That was it! That was the last straw. I had my sleeve in Feb 2012. We went back to that amusement park in May 2012 and rode every non-water ride we could. It was a great feeling. Kids had a blast and so did I! I felt like a kid again. We stayed for 5 hours! That was the same day my husband said he couldn't wait to follow in my footsteps. (He had to skip a lot of the ridies because of his size). He was justed sleeved on Monday. I can't wait until next summer!!!! We are going back but this time, we are going on the non-water rides and water rides.

My husband just had his on Monday the 22nd. The first 4 days are the hardest. The nurse said that by friday he should be feeling just tender/sore and no extreme pain. Because he is in so much pain, the nurse said to increase the dose and frequency on the pain meds and she'll call in a refill if needed. That really made a difference. Make sure you time your pain meds...don't wait untill you feel pain to take the meds...by then its too late. It takes 30 minutes for pain meds to process. I wish you the best. It will be over before you know it. Mine was 8 months ago and a can barely remember the hard parts. I had to asked my friends and re-read my blog to remind me of how hard it was. After day 4 or 5 it was suddenly soooo much better. That's the great thing about the human body...it doesn't remember pain...thank GOD!

What flavor protein powder? I assuming chocolate?

That sounds so good. I think I will give it a try. Thanks for the idea.

Caffeine also will dehydrate you, which in not what u want in the very beginning because dehydration can be life threatening. I have been caffeine free for 7 years and I had to quit suddenly do to a heart thing. The first two weeks were the worst. I had a constant headache and was really tired. My husband was just sleeved yesterday and was a big Pepsi and Ice tea drinker. He slowly cut his caffeine intake. Started with only having 3 drinks for the first 2 days, then 2 for the next 2-3 days, the 1 for 2-3 days, then he was have half a can and dump the just under a week. The last 3 days he did t have any thing but water. Then he did the 2 week liquid diet stuff. He said that he didn't really have that bad withdrawal but he did get headaches when he switch to the half can.

OMG! Doctor wants me to eat more!!! Really!?!? I am 8 months out. I past my doctors goal by 5 lbs. I know I shouldn't complain but I had the surgery to lose the weight not try to gain it back. I just can't seem to eat enough though. I am suppose to eat 1200 calories but I am lucky to get in 800. Just the smell of food make me feel sick. Anyone got out there been told to gain some back?

My doctor did not want us to eat bread, rice, or pasta for first 12 months. Its to help maximize weight loss during the first year. Your start off with about 4 oz. At 12 months, you should be at 1 cup and thats pretty much it. Some people can't eat white bread, other can eat bread but only toasted. I don't have a issue with white bread but I limit my intake to once or twice a week. One slice only though. In the beginning you cannot have bread, rice, or pasta because it can expand and open you staple line.

Did ur insurance cover any of it? I have an appointment with a surgeon next week. Trying to get an approximate cost. I am 9 months out and trying to plan out for the next 12-18 months for lower body lift and arms and boobs. The doctor said that some insurances cover the skin removal but not a tummy tuck.

Acid reflux is not that big a deal. I take a med with my vitamins and I am good all day. As far as being scared, it normal. Its a big change. Only you can tell if this is right for you. I had a panic attach the morning of my surgery. I had buyers remorse for 6 months after. Now 9 months out, it was the best decision I have ever made.

I don't go to the support meeting although they are offered by my doctor. Its a distance thing. Traffic in Northern Virginia is bad and I have kids in grade school to tend to. I use this website as my support group.