Katie713

I was told wait at least 1-2 weeks for abdominal healing. You should be good to go, but watch out for pot holes and speed bumps, they really jiggle your stomach and you want as little stretching/movement as possible during healing of your internal and external sutures, etc.

This is to avoid excess air in your stomach when you swallow, but even drinking normally allows air during swallowing. Many people are able to use a straw or prefer to use a straw to make drinking easier. Sometimes I prefer a straw, like when I make my Protein frappacinos and I have no problem whatsoever. And yes, I drink caffeinated coffee too. My bad?

I've had 3 c-sections and an open gallbladder removal. All of my surgeries went fairly well without complications. The same with the sleeve, I had very little pain, just some discomfort from gas which dissipated in a couple of days. The harder part is the dramatic change in diet...but this is what we sign up for right??

You will probably move thru clear liquids quickly -for alot of us just a few days, then move to full liquids. Might want to go ahead and get your protein powder or ready-to-drink protein, creamy soups, hot cereal. This way you won't have to go out and pick stuff up, you will stay on this for a week or two before moving to mushy/soft diet. Good Luck!!

Do you have to take tiny sips? I found this way of drinking made me MORE uncomfortable. I was doing this right after surgery...sip, sip, sip but with each sip air is swallowed. When I finally let myself actually take a sustained gulp - just like I used to, not putting the bottle down, more of a guzzle...it worked so much better. I do have to burp a bit after, but I can get more down in each drink, at least 3-4 times as much as the sip approach. Some people actually do better with a straw...it is not recommended because of taking in air, but everyone is different, and some can tolerate it quite well and manage to get more liquid down.

Atkins has a few "Daybreak" protein bars that are REALLY good and only 2-3 net carbs, 150 calories and 10-15 grams of protein. The ones I love are cranberry almond and peanut butter fudge crisp. They fill you up perfectly and you can buy a box of about 6 for about $6 at Walmart or Target. I go back and forth between these and 1% cottage cheese & fruit for breakfast.

I started trying those items at six weeks per my doctor's recommendation. I had no problem with salads and they are a mainstay now. I also enjoy steak cut really thin and chewed well, like carne asada or any tender cut like prime rib or rib-eye. Strangely, bread is much harder for me to tolerate. Try new things, but go slowly and chew well.

The best advice...give it time and go easy on yourself. The weight WILL come off and your body is going through a huge adjustment. I stalled around the 4-6 week mark as well but eventually my body caught up with the changes and the weight loss resumed. I experience lots of stalls...it is just the way my body loses...I stay the same for up to 2 weeks, and then drop 3-5 pounds overnight. Over and over. You will start to see how your body loses weight over time, but it will happen. Stay the course and eat good healthy food in small portions. Try to avoid empty carbs as they offer you literally no nutrition. Good luck!

I'm a shorty barely 5 feet and very busty, at my highest weight I looked like one of those little statues very round at almost 280 pounds. When I was a teenager, weighing about 135 I would say I was very curvy - busty but petite. My body is changing but in proportion...my boobs have gone down, my stomach is down over 10" and my hips and thighs are down too, even my legs and my feet! I now have a neck and everyone says my neck and shape is showing itself! I feel great about my changing body...even though I still have a long way to go...I feel so much stronger and positive about my ability to change!!

I am also 4 months out...and I can eat about 4 oz at a sitting and I do have hunger, but it is nothing like it used to be and I am easily satisfied. I would talk to my nutritionist and see what they think about your intake and can you expect to be able to tolerate more as time moves forward? How many calories are you consuming daily? Are you losing alot of hair? I have been for awhile, but I see a whole new undergrowth of hair coming in so hopefully it will level out soon.

Just try and stick to softer foods during this time, nothing too crispy or well done meat that is overly firm. Alot of people say crock pot meals are perfect for this stage of eating. Fish is also a good choice as it is so easy to digest. I enjoyed shrimp cocktail (still do) and ceviche, talapia and salmon, even sushi without the rice or nori. Eggs are perfect and high protein, and also make sure you eat yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit for extra protein. Good luck...you should be ok...just don't push your limits!!

I also had a relatively easy experience with my surgery and the post op recovery. I woke up feeling a little nauseous from the anesthetic, but it was only a few minutes later they gave me an anti-nausea med via IV and it took care of it immediately. I stayed in the hospital overnight and was released the next morning. I felt well enough to walk the halls that evening, and only used the morphine pump to make sure I would sleep comfortably. In the morning I did not use the pump at all, and was given about 10 little 1 oz cups to drink Water from within one hour. If I could manage that I would be released, and thankfully, it was not a problem. Once home, I allowed myself plenty of rest and followed the doctor's recommendations, clear fluids for 3 days, then full liquids, then puree, mushy and finally solids at six weeks. My energy level was great, although after eating I would have to rest and allowed myself plenty of naps. I was out walking everyday after I got home and continue to do so as well as now doing strength training and workout DVD's. I took a month off work, but I probably could have gone back at 2 weeks, but I was elated to have the time off to focus on my nutrition and healing. I have no regrets...even now, I am losing slow but steady and am able to tolerate small meals, but many of the things I loved before. I can go out to dinner and enjoy a meal with family and friends, but of course I usually have a to go box for lunch the next day !! I love my sleeve!!

The liquids start quickly passing through your pyloris (the muscle at the bottom of your stomach that processes the passage of liquids and solids to your small intestines) that is why you don't feel the restriction much, yet. As you move to full solids you will feel the restriction as it fills up your little stomach quite quickly. Go really slow when you begin solids. Also, if you are tall, your stomach may be longer that some other people and you can tolerate more food and the bougie size the doctor used on you to determine your stomach size may be a factor. Good luck on your journey !!

By the way, evenings have been difficult for me too....I had a few weeks where I was throwing up in the evenings and I had to move back to mushys to tolerate dinner...and sometimes I would just have a few reduced fat wheat thins and thinly sliced cheddar cheese for my evening meal because solid Protein was not tolerable and I can only stomach one Protein shake a day. Slow and easy...that seems to work, and listening to your body....

Kat....what a wild ride this surgery turned out to be for you. The scars will fade over time, but you will never forget your ordeal, I'm sure. Still, you made it through!! My weight loss is slow, but it is steady, I often hit stalls and then lose 3-4 pounds overnight. I try not to get discouraged but sometimes it is hard not too. Let's be there to support one another!! This is our journey!!

joyv...I'm a little over 4 months out, and I still have to really watch how much volume I try and take in. I over ate at Breakfast on vacation last week, and even though it was maybe two bites too many, I had to take a quick walk, and then head to the bathroom to throw up. I immediately felt very relieved. Just a reminder to me not to try and test the limits... I can eat about 1/2 of a 6" flatbread sandwich but cannot tolerate any other bread products. I rarely eat bread, Pasta, rice or potatoes at all but once in awhile it is nice to have a light sandwich for a picnic at the Hollywood Bowl!!

Wheetsin....I've heard that the area leftover after surgery is the tissue that is more fibrous and not as stretchy. They cut the "bulbous" side of the stomach out. I know from working with tripe at times (cow stomach) the tissue is relatively thin and membrane like, not like steak at all. When you work with tripe in the food industry, there is tougher tissue near the fold and very stretchy tissue at the other side so I can visualize it is similar in our bodies.

Dorrie...do you feel comfortable with the weight you are at now? At times I wonder if i will be able to get to goal? I have over 40 pounds to go and it is slow going, but I am still very committed. One thing about being in menopause is not experiencing the water weight gain around that time of the month..

Welcome Isobel...you've made a strong decision for yourself, I hope you are already proud of yourself for that. My primary reason for WLS was definately to increase my longevity. I was classified as morbidly obese and had every precurser to heart disease, stroke or diabetes which runs strong in my family. Last Fall (2011), I was getting winded just walking from the parking lot where I work to my office building right next door...the writing was clearly on the wall. I simply decided that was it and I prayed for the strength to commit to a healthier life. The next day, by chance I found out Kaiser covered WLS. I always thought only PPO's covered it. I made an appointment with my primary for my annual physical with the intent of asking if I might qualify for WLS. Amazingly, after my appointment, I asked my primary, and she agreed this would be a great option for me, and she referred me that very day to the Options program at Kaiser. Fast forward....I had surgery 4/6/12 and I have no regrets whatsoever. This has truly been life changing. I saw on your profile your stats, and we are both shorty's and started at a similar weight. You will be amazed at how much better you will feel as you move forward on this journey toward better health. I am down close to 80 pounds since last summer and I feel better than I have in decades! You are already a beautiful woman....but imagine yourself seeing that beauty peeking out in a size 6 or 8 outfit?? Good Luck on your journey!!!

meat, fish and poultry will have to be your staples as well as eggs and milk products, maybe a hot decaf latte in the morning and an iced one in the afternoon or evening. Try soft scrambled eggs or poached eggs if you can tolerate them. You can cook the meat and poultry in a crock pot to get it really tender for the mushy stage of eating. Cook the fish on the stovetop with sauce, or in a foil packet in the oven or on the grill. Canned meats work well too - canned chicken drained mixed with chicken gravy and tuna mixed with mayo/sweet relish. Some people like canned corn beef too and it is very soft. You might be able to tolerate ground meats too - ground turkey or beef chili without the Beans? Good luck!! Later on you can add Protein bars - some of them are great like the Atkins Protein Bars and Power Crunch.

It could be your gallbladder, which is very common with WLS. If this continues, you should contact the doctor. They can quickly diagnose this with an ultrasound. I had my gallbladder out years before WLS - but I had these episodes of incredible pain and spasms which radiated, they also made me heave, even though I had nothing in my stomach to speak of. I had to double over in pain at times and wait for the episode to pass. If this keeps reoccuring call your surgeon, it could be something else as well, and better to be safe than sorry. Good luck.

I thought it was my phone. I have T-Mobile...glad it got fixed. Just logged on and didn't expect it to work, but was pleasantly surprised!

I get hiccups when I'm full. Usually its just two hiccups almost after every meal. For some reason alot of sleevers get a runny nose or hiccups after eating. They don't last long. They make me giggle a little.

I personally just put off having a tattoo done for this very reason and have decided to have it done when I am close to goal so that I know exactly whether excess skin will come into play. It is permanent - none of us would be happy to have a lopsided tattoo because of changes to the elasticity and draping of the skin. What are you planning on getting, if you don't mind me asking?

It feels so good to be on the path toward health instead of how it used to be, always wishing and hoping for something to change. I can't tell you how many seasons of The Biggest Loser I watched hoping that it might stimulate me to get my own situation under control. Shopping for the biggest sizes and always hoping they would adequately cover up my problem areas. Now, as I pitch those items into the bags for donation, I can reflect on my success thus far...I am doing this. Bravo to all my fellow April losers!