MoreganK

There are other noodle alternatives out there too! If you go on amazon and search for "tofu noodles" you will lots of different brands of tofu noodles, and other types of 0 carb/low carb noodle alternatives. I found one brand at my local grocery store in the health food section in the produce area where they sell the tofu. I'll also give using green Beans a try! More healthy options are always better.

I was sleeved on the 27th too. I'm down 37 pounds, and so happy with that. My doctor, I'm learning, is really, really thorough in making sure you're healed and ready. I have 2 more weeks of mushies.

Freezer. Spend a free weekend afternoon cooking and freeze things so you have grab and go for the week or a couple of weeks at a time. Hard boil some eggs, they keep for a while and make great grab and go additions to lunch bags. I've found lots of great bento sites that do talk about being too busy, and they have short cuts and tips like that to help. I figure if I invested in this surgery for me, investing the time to make sure I'm happy and well feed after is just as important. I hope you find some helpful tips! If you're interested in any of those websites, let me know and I'll pass them along.

I try not to eat anything new at work. I do all experiments and reintroducing foods at home, and once I know something agrees with me, it goes to work with me. I won't really eat out for a while, brown bagging is totally the way to go.

It has been one whole month since my surgery. I unfortunately still feel like I'm a sick person recovering though between eating mushies still, taking liquid omeprazle, and pulling an internal stitch 2 weeks ago. However, today my stomach (where I pulled that stitch) is finally not bothering me as much. I can finally sleep on my side, which has begun to help my back pain a lot. And, so far any mushie food I've feed my sleevie has agreed with me. I went through a phase about 2 weeks out where I was freaked out over the amount of liquids I could handle in one swallow. I didn't need to sip anything by week two, I could take pretty regular sized drinks. I was worried I did something wrong. My doctor assured me, I just healed well and fast, and was happy for it. Now I freak out sometimes when I can eat what feels like it should be a lot, like 1/2 cup of fat free re-fried black beans, and I only feel full there at the end and can eat it in 30 minutes. Like... wow. Um, I thought that this was supposed to be harder? I guess maybe in the end, when all the healing is done, and I'm on regular food again, that I might be happier that I can eat most things. I've been super careful and slow when I introduce sleevie to something new. I take micro bites at first, sort of testing the waters, and then I'm like ok, we're good. And another food goes into rotation. I'm going to be trying tuna and chicken salad this week. I had to mentally get past the mushy meats idea. But, I do want to introduce meats to my system again before I'm eating real food again. I think I forgot that its a actually a goal to be able to eat a little closer to "normal" portions by the time I'm totally healed. I will be able to handle 2-3 oz. of meat, 1/4 cup of veggies, and a couple of tbsp. of brown rice. This amount of food sounds absurd to me in one sitting right now. Speaking of food...I've become pretty on top of healthy alternative recipe hunting. One of my post-surgery changes is cooking more often from home, making clean & healthy whole foods, and experimenting regularly with new recipes. I found cauliflower pizza crust! Protein donuts?! Yes! So long as this stuff tastes as amazing as my head thinks it does, (after 5 weeks of mushies and 3 weeks of liquids it will all taste good! LOL), then we're ready to rock and roll. I'm going to do my best to follow for the most part a low glycemtric diet for the rest of my life. Because I'm human, there will be "normal" food days, and I'm not going to feel food guilt those moments ever again. Food guilt is ridiculous in my life, and I don't need it. I felt guilty when I ate. Period. If I had a healthy sandwich, whole wheat bread, smoked turkey, low fat mayo, loaded with veggies... I'd feel guilty. That is something I feel I'm past now, and I don't want to ever feel like that again. I'm slowly getting past my, "Buyer's remorse." It has been harder than I anticipated for me post surgery. Not the food, I've been disciplined and not even thought about challenging my post-op diet at all. Its been physically not being where I am capable of being mentally. My pulled stitch has slowed me down, and it has frustrated me so much. I still have to take it easy, when I want to go walk a mile. I want to grab my hula hoop and just go nuts dancing, but I can't do that for another 4-5 weeks. Heartbreaking for me. I want to pick up my little dog and cuddle him like a baby, and I can't do that for a while either. I miss drinking while eating more than I thought I would. I was sad to think I can't drink milk and eat a PB&J sandwich at the same time. Is that forever? In a year or two, can I do that again? I'm just mentally past the healing and change part, and feel stunted in my ability to go forward because of this injury, and my back pain I've been suffering since I've been having to lay on my back so much. I'm back at work, but still can't bend over or reach up or move as fast as I did before... I'm ready to feel like myself 100% again and I'm pretty sure I still have a few more weeks before I will. I am rather pleased with my 37 pound weight loss, and don't even mind that I'm in a stall right now. Ah. This getting my thoughts out thing feel good.

Here's a link to the group: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/80-the-clothing-exchange/

I'm 3 weeks out, and keep having my cycle threaten to happen every few days. I'm expecting to have a period from hell at some point soon after not having one for a 4-5 months. In October, I'll be having blood work done with my Ob-Gyn, and I'm super hopeful that my insulin levels will be normal. Once I see that they are, and my testosterone levels remain normal (they were at my last blood test), then here I come laser hair removal!

Yum, this sounds nummy. I'll have to try it when I am back on real food again too. I like that I can serve that with rice or tortillas for my boyfriend, but without for me!

I have a friend who had sleeve surgery a little over 2 years ago. She took on an "all things in moderation" point of view after she hit about a year out. She regrets that decision now because she is starting to see weight gain. Seeing her go through all these different phases in front of me, has let me learn from her mistakes. I'm not saying I'm going to eat like an angel forever, I'll have a bite of my own birthday cake, but I'm not going to allow myself to eat just anything. I don't want sweets right now, the idea of eating them kinda disgusts me, which is weird because I used to be the cupcake queen! For me personally, I really wanted sleeve surgery to be the tool that helped change me. From the inside out, I want food to be fuel, not food to be comfort or reward. I don't want this surgery, and struggling I'm doing now in the beginning to be in vain. Its just so easy for us to start out with good intentions, of all things in moderation to turn into self-sabotage because its so very easy to fall back to the way we mentally were before. Just my two cents.

I've been drinking Vitamin Water Zero like crazy. It totally helps with fluid intake, has electrolytes, and has extra vitamins to boot.

Find something physical that you enjoy doing. If you hate treadmills and 'gym' life find a sport or physical activity that gets you moving that you like or love. For me, I fell in love with hula hoops! There is a whole world of hoop dancing out there. If you're curious head to youtube and search for hoop dancing. You can even find tutorials and a whole world of other people who hoop on hooping.org.

I have been having some pretty intense back pain post-op. I'm down 37 pounds in a month. Crazy, I know. I'm guessing/wondering if it has to do with my body's interior changing so dramatically. I was just wondering if anyone else had suffered anything similar?

I read an article that said, some bariatric patients can experience back pain as a side effect to rapid weight loss. The support & "cushion" it's use to changes before it has a chance to realign with your new body. It sorta makes sense to me.

This book, is actually about a by-pass patient, but she has some great points that totally reflect, I think, for us sleeve patients as well. I highly recommend it. http://www.amazon.com/Exodus-Obesity-Paula-F-Peck/dp/0972805028/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342818205&sr=8-1&keywords=exodus+weight+loss

I LOVE reading posts like this. I'm just now hitting 3 weeks post op, and reading a post like this from someone a year out reminds me that I have a great reward on its way. That I will be able to live a healthy and active life.... and that this mushie baby food will one day end. LOL

Your questions are totally not crazy at all. The mental thing happens for some people and not for others. Being mentally prepared is THE most important part of making the decision for surgery. During my pre-op liquid diet I worked hard on mentally preparing myself. And some switch in my head clicked and it wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. And after surgery, well... you can't eat as much, especially at first. There is "buyer's remorse" in the beginning, which I'm just now starting to work through myself. The mental part is a process I think that happens as you make the decision to do the surgery. Once you start losing weight after, and seeing these amazing results from your work it motivates you like nothing else to make the right choices. But, thats not everyone. Some people still struggle mentally and grieve the food they can't have for a while, or possible ever again. I admit, during my pre-op liquid diet, I almost changed my mind. Not out of fear, but because I was being successful and wondered if I could do it without surgery. Then I reminded myself, that I had tried, and tried, and tired some more and always lost and gained and gained. There was a reason I looked at sleeve surgery to begin with! With the sleeve, you will lose about 50-60% of your excess weight without doing much but, your new eating plan. If you work for it, within a year you can see yourself losing 80 - 100% of your excess weight. I'm just now at week 3 post op. And I personally, have had excellent results so far, however it hasn't been easy. The first week or so is really, really hard. But, when you read on this forum that each day gets easier, thats the honest truth. Each day does get easier. I hope you find the answers you're looking for, and can make an informed, dedicated decision. Remember to take all the time in the world, ask all the silly questions you can think of, and lurk on this forum a lot.

Glad you're ok! What a jerk face!

Oh, and I took an approved 3 week leave of absence from work. And I'm so glad I was able to do that, I know its not an option for everyone.