MinMin

It's starlitrealm :-)

I tried to add you on myfitness pal, but it said my email didn't go through - I'll try again :-) Good luck!

I didn't have a drain tube either. Maybe you could call your Dr. office and speak w/the nurse or a staff member who could tell you if you'll have one

Same thing happened to me the first week or so home... I got the "foamies" - water just bubbled up - my husband looked it up because it was so bizarre! Now at just over five months out I can drink more at a time, but still have to take it slowly Hang in there!

I was allowed tomato or V8 juice until three days before surgery. It may sound gross, but mixing V8 or tomato juice with beef broth and warming it up like soup was really good. My cousin did it and she put chili powder in it, I just liked it plain. I was also allowed jello, hard or gummy life savers, five a day. Good luck, after the first few days it is was a breeze for me

Hi - I'm Sue, I am 52 and I had my sleeve done on 10/13/11. I have lost a total of 84 pounds since about July when I got serious about losing some pre-op. I feel I'm losing slowly, but my surgeon's PA was very happy at my four month check and I go back in April for my six month check. I did this for myself, but also for our son who was injured in Iraq almost two years ago - he lived with us for over a year and I was having a very hard time w/helping w/his health care. The kids asked me if I would consider WLS so last March I started the required six month supervised diet, all the appointments, and our insurance required my BMI be 50 or above... unfortunately I was in that category. I still have almost 100 pounds to lose, but I am feeling so much better - our son and his fiance moved out of state in January and I visited them in February for almost two weeks and was able to do sight-seeing and shopping w/our son's finance almost every day! It feels great to be able to do so much even after losing 1/2 of what I need to. I am so glad I did this

I took my own robe too, it felt so much better than the hospital gown. I listened to my MP3 player a lot - the hospital I was at has you up and walking quite a few times a day - I watched TV and dozed off a lot - I think I was too groggy to read. I didn't think the pain was too bad, I had morphine, then liquid vicodin but didn't use it. Good luck!

They told me up to two weeks and it was less than a week

Cold drinks constricted my stomach in the beginning... I am now finally able to drink ice water!! Tepid drinks were the best for me in the beginning. Hope your surgeon or his/her assistant will help as much as mine has. I just needed a crunchy and did a "no-no" and had about 10 of the Special K Cracker Crisps - chewed them to mush, but I am almost five months out. I have learned to appreciate food in such a different way - I do NOT eat diet foods. I eat what I want to now, no fast food, no fried food, but meats, cheeses, and other Proteins and soft vegetables I like. It is a new way of life, but you'll figure out your path as you go. I change from day to day. Keep us posted! I am eager to see how you progress :-)

My Surgeon wanted me to use Isopure Protein drinks, but I could never get a whole bottle in during the day! Take it slow, push the Water and as much clear protein like Isopure as you can and you'll be surprised how good you'll feel in a week or so :-) I posted my Surgeon's guidelines for another person, don't know if the phase 0-2 weeks will help you at all, but anything to help :-) http://www.wheatonio...-nutrition.aspx

I was the same way. Give it time. I had to stay in the hospital a bit longer so they could be sure I could handle the protein they gave me. I'm almost five months out, 84 pounds down since early fall, so hang in there! Some of us have a harder time than others :-)

This is on my Drs. page, I am at four months out. My surgeon's PA explained at each appointment what I should and should eat and gave me a handout of the phases. I had a one week follow up, two week, then six week, then three month. In two months I have my six month follow up where blood work will be done. Maybe this will give you a guideline if you don't have a clear one from your surgeon. http://www.wheatoniowa.org/programs-services/weight-loss-surgery/patient-education/diet-and-nutrition.aspx

Welcome, Brielle! You will find tons of information here and some VERY good advice! I had my sleeve on 10/13/11 and since July of 2011 am down 82 pounds. I feel like I'm a slow loser, but I'm losing nonetheless :-) Sue

I had surgery on 10/13/11 and can never get 80 gms of protein if I don't drink a 20-30 gm protein shake in a day. I had a stall in losing and once I started the drinks I also started losing again :-)

Will keep you in prayer, recovery is rough enough for some, so praying this will go easily for you. Bless you!!

Sasha, I started with my six month Dr. supervised diet in March 2011 and in those six months I met with the nutritionist, cardiologist, had upper GI test and colonoscopy, met with a psychiatrist, and finished all the required tests by the end of September - I then scheduled my surgery for 10/13/11. I don't work and I was kind of out of it for about two weeks - just recovering from major surgery and trying to get in my Protein so I had energy, etc. was hard. I was on the computer from the day I came home, and used my phone in the hospital :-) Within a month I was feeling good! I had two weeks prior and two weeks after surgery of a liquid diet, then went to purees for four weeks and then soft/normal foods at six weeks out. I couldn't have handled kids or a lot of physical stuff the first four weeks I'd say, you do have to be somewhat careful because of the incisions and I wasn't allowed to lift 10 pounds for some time. Everybody's body is different, I know people who went back to work a week after surgery! I hope that was of some help :-) Sue

I was sleeved on 10/13/11 and this is a sample day for me: Breakfast: 1 egg with 1/2 English muffin Lunch: 4 oz of meat or fish (I don't eat beef) 1/4 cup shredded lettuce or a vegetable Dinner: Same as lunch Snacks: Yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese stick or individually wrapped cheese (Kerrygold), egg, carrot juice, milk I love milk and carrot juice and probably drink two cups of milk a day and a cup of carrot juice (100% juice) It varies day to day, some days I have a cup of coffee before breakfast, some days I eat more, some days less, I don't really feel hunger, but will get an odd feeling if I need to eat :-)

I was on a liquid two weeks before surgery and two weeks after - I lost minimal weight right after surgery then gained three pounds when I started the puree/mashed diet, which lasted four weeks. During those four weeks, after my body adjusted to food again, I lost over 20 pounds. Hang in there, it will happen :-)

I had the exact same regrets, I cried every day for over a week and a half :-( My husband reminded me I felt the same way after having both knees replaced five weeks apart in 2008 :-) I had the "foamies" every time I'd drink - it just bubbled up no matter what I dranl (Liquids two weeks prior and two weeks after surgery). So, I got back on my antacid. It really helped. I started baby foods (because of my lifestyle it was more convenient than trying to blend meats, etc. on my own). I'm currently at 3.5 months out and have feel fabulous. You have to find what works for you - a lot of good advice has been given - know that you are not alone! I had to sleep sitting up for about five weeks also - I couldn't eat or drink within an hour of going to bed. Hang in there and good luck! Sue Sleeved on 10/13/11 Total weight lost: 78 punds (53 since surgery)

I can eat a variety of things, my surgery was 10/13/11 and 11/23 I went to soft/solids. I cannot eat pasta. I tried just 1/4 cup and it just felt heavy in my stomach. I eat an egg for breakfast, or cream of wheat w/milk, I ate turkey, potatoes and cranberries for Thanksgiving, the stuffing just felt too dense. I use My Fitness Pal online to track all my foods and average between 5-800 calories a day with up to 80 gms of protein if I drink a protein shake (Premier 11 oz, 30 gms protein, 160 cals. and 3 gms of fat) I have to drink it early in the day because it fills me up - but canned salmon, tuna, chicken or turkey are soft enough - I just tried a salad yesterday and it was wonderful. My son laughed when I said "I had 1/4 cup shredded lettuce ONE mushroom and TWO grape tomatoes" I am glad I could tolerate it because I was so sick of the pureed foods. I love rice but haven't tried it yet. The thing I like about the sleeve is that we go through the full digestive process, so if we're careful and eat right, there aren't very many restrictions, except those you find you can't tolerate. I have no desire for any type of fast food whatsoever. After the two weeks prior and after of liquid diet, then four weeks of purees I wouldn't jeopardize all I've been through to get here. I've lost 40 pounds since surgery and a total of 63 since July, with 110 to go. I'm excited as I got cleared to start using my Wii. I ride a stationary recumbent bike for exercise. Good luck everyone :-)

I only told family and very close friends - so many people have a strong opinion on WLS and want to offer advice. A few people have guessed because I'm losing the weight, but I felt it was for my well being not to have people judge me, etc. I hope you guys have great success - I'm six weeks post-op and have lost about 38 pounds - I hit a stall for three weeks. Had surgery 10/13/11, but since July 2011 I've lost 60 pounds. I was able to eat a little Thanksgiving food yesterday but I preferred the fresh items over anything heavy :-) Good luck!

Hi all, I'm with Saints, focusing on liquids and Proteins is hard. My Dr. has a strict two week liquid diet before and after surgery. In the those four weeks they want you to get 30 gms of Protein, I know, sounds very low, but after surgery there is no way of getting much more! I started purees a week ago and am still struggling to get 80 gms now. I found some 11 oz Protein Drinks at Sam's, they're 160 calories and 30 gms of protein. I am now allowed dairy so am adding that because I am getting about 45 gms of protein with my food intake. I didn't really have pain and didn't take anything when I got home, I think the worst pain I had was stretching my incisions. Now that has gone away also. Sip, sip, sip, and if you have to stand up to do it, that's what my Dr. said to do. It isn't easy for some of us and others seem to breeze through it getting all the things in they are supposed to. I had my surgery at Sartori in Cedar Falls, their website has all the phases of eating on the site and I refer to it often to try to figure out how I'm supposed to get two cups of milk, all the Water and then the pureed food! I was told to sleep in a recliner for a month - I also have had to stop my liquids before 10 pm because it creeps up on me... ugh. I'm a gulper when it comes to drinking water, this has been the hardest part for me. I have to swish water around and spit it out sometimes just to get the cold feeling of ice water because my stomach doesn't like cold much either. Best of luck and take care!

Yay! Glad to hear it. My name is Sue :-) I had to have a floroscopy (?) the morning after surgery. I had to drink a lot of liquid and they watched it fill my stomach and made sure I didn't have any leaks and also that it was leaving my stomach. I lost that w/in a half hour of getting to my room and threw up all day and into the next day. Not fun. I couldn't start Proteins in the hospital until Sunday, so came home Monday - normally my surgeon releases patients on the Saturday after a Thursday surgery. I seem to be able to drink a lot at this point. My surgeon's PA told me at my two week check to 'SLOW DOWN'. So, now that I'm on purees I'm eating a Protein pudding recipe they gave me, applesauce, blended Soups, mushed up canned turkey, chicken and tuna. Vegetables come last as I have to get my proteins in. I bought some really pretty measuring cups and am able to eat just about the allowed 1/2 cup of food in 30-50 minutes. I'm on pureed food for four weeks, so Thanksgiving Day I go to semi soft/solids and beyond... I have lost a total of 54 pounds since July, 28 since surgery but have been at a stand still for a week, which I'm reading is normal. I'll be excited to see how we do - I started with a total of 185 pounds to lose, so at this point I'm still looking at 130. My son is getting married in June 2012, so I'm excited to be healthier for this. No one in this community has ever seen me thin, not even my kids. I have been super morbidly obese since the '90's. Sue

I hope your surgery went well on the 25th. I had mine on October 13, 2011. I am on pureed foods for two weeks, and so far so good. I am from rural Waterloo and Dr. Glascock was my surgeon at Sartori Hospital in Cedar Falls. Good luck and hope to hear how you are doing. The first few days were a little rough for me, but things are good now :-)

I had my surgery on 10/13/11