docangtx12

That is super awesome!! So cool!! Congrats!

I'm not done yet... But forgot I took a picture the day after my surgery March 1, at 254 pounds. Today is July 16 and I am 193.4 and am stunned with how much better life is in a smaller size. My ultimate goal is 145 or so, and I am steadily losing about 2 pounds a week right now. The sleeve is awesome.

Congratulations- you look awesome!! I bet you are even slimmer then you appear in the "after picture" as your clothes look baggy... I'm having a hard time breaking that habit too- all my clothes are baggy as I've hidden behind them for such a long time!

Can't believe I have lost 60 pounds ! I am 4 1/2 months postop..., starting weight of 254, today at 194! I am now in the smallest clothes I had held onto from about 8 years ago, and really need to do some shopping as the styles are definitely dated, but I don't want to buy any until it's a smaller size! I had the lap band initially in 2007, and it never seemed to work right- think I lost 30 pounds total and was always getting "stuck" before it finally "slipped" in 2011 and was removed. The sleeve is far superior in every way, and I could not be happier!! Another big difference this time is this message board- it is so full of encouragement, so full of good information, and has kept me motivated and on the right path!! Thanks so much!! Also, I am devoted and faithful to myfitness pal - and I believe it has also been pivotal in my success and encourage anyone to try it!! You can also friend me DocAngTx12 !!

I did not stay overnight, just out patient surgery, and did fine. But I did need quite a bit of help at home the first few days getting up and down, and such! Hospitals can be dangerous places, and of you can safely stay out of them, all the better!

I love my fitness pal! I use it with my fitbit and I have the wifi scale that is made by the fitbit people. It really keeps me on track , and I have lots of very supportive and motivating friends from this site! I used to use the live strong app, and sometimes reference it if I can't find a food on myfitness pal, but I like the overall interface better in my fitness pal. Feel free to add me- docangtx12

I'm at 3 1/2 months out and can eat small amounts of most anything. Because I have been on a low carb diet, I don't find I have much craving for sweets... But I do allow myself a few indulgences now and again. I always have a protein shake for breakfast and one for lunch, and usually an afternoon snack of lunch meat and cheese. Dinner usually involves a salad and a protein, but this week I did have some stock velvet Thai dynamite chicken from Pei Wei (no rice)... Mmmm! Not bad at about 300 calories for what I ate ( not an everyday food). I also 2-3 x a week will have 1/2 a skinny cow ice cream sandwich (75 calories), or a small bowl of popcorn. I find raw cucumbers are an excellent snack that really fills me up and has almost no calories too. So far I'm down 53 pounds, and really don't feel I'm depriving myself- I tend to eat what I want, just in much smaller quantities, and I log everything on myfitnesspal (docangtx12) to keep me on track!

My worst overweight child story was also on my pediatrics rotation in med school... Was 150 lb 3 year old whose parents gave him a candy bar whenever he cried. He had to have a tracheostomy tube placed in his neck just to breath because of all the fat on his chest and neck, and was in a wheel chair because his limbs couldn't support him. Child protective services removed the child from the home because at this extreme it was child abuse. Definitely too young for surgery at 3, but i feel so bad for the uphill battle this child already has to face.

What it really tells you is that there really isn't a "right answer" to what the best post op diet really is. Essentially, there have been no objective studies that prove one diet is better than another. Maybe this is because we are all different and there is no way we are going to achieve identical results with this type of surgery as there are too many variables (ie, exact amount of stomach remove, relationship of esophagus to removed stomach, scar tissue formation, location of hormone receptors on remaining stomach, ect). Because of this, a small amount of people will be able to rapidly return to normal foods without trouble, a small amount of people will have tremendous trouble returning to normal food, and a vast majority will lie somewhere in between. Most surgeons will repeat whatever habits/diets the surgeon they learned from used, and as time goes on, they may make their diets more restrictive or less restrictive based on their personal patient experiences. If they have a bad outcome (maybe nothing they did, just patient had a rough time) they may make the diet for all their future patients more restrictive just to avoid this again. Personally, what I did was to research many different surgeons post sleeve diets (found them online) including my own surgeons diet, find the common "no-no's" and common time lines for advancement, and carefully let my body be my guide. I did liquids for 2 weeks, puréed for 2 weeks, soft for a week, and then pretty much normal food except no Pasta, rice, or untoasted bread until 3 months (I'm actually at 10 weeks now). Everyone's progress and plan will be different, and it is best to follow your surgeons advice because, after all, if something goes wrong, it will be your surgeon who will need to take care of you.

OMG! Almost to 3 weeks and easing into mushies... And I had no idea that grits and eggs could be so good!! All mixed up in a bowl... And so much like real food! Maybe I'm just desperate... But it's so good!

I don't understand how grits will expand in your stomach- you rehydrate them when you cook them in water and/or milk- they are already expanded before you eat them.

At 6 weeks my plan allows me to eat just about everything except pasta, rice and untoasted bread (have to wait 3 months for that). I usually have a protein shake for breakfast usually atkins vanilla with blended strawberries in it- takes me about 2 hours to sip it down on the way to work and the beginning of my work day, and the. I have rolled lunch meat and cheese for lunch with another protein shake for the afternoon, and dinner is usually some meat like rotisserie chicken or beef tenderloin (I don't like seafood) and a small salad (no lettuce) or veggies. One of my dirty little secrets, is that I occasionally like to lick the coating off Doritos for some flavor... And throw away the chips!! I really need to start exercising, just need to find something I can get motivated to do- maybe an exercise bike or treadmill- anyone use the ifit? Is it cool?

I am 5 1/2 weeks out... Started at 254 high weight, 244 surgery weight, and am at 217 now. I've been stalled for about a week, but find my clothes much looser and I'm digging into the clothes I boxed up about a year ago when I moved that I had outgrown. I am struggling to get in more than 5-600 cal/day, and having a hard time getting my fluids in (I just want to chug down the water! Not sip all day! And it just doesn't work!). Overall, my sleeve has really empowered my attitude over food, and I can't wait to see how far it takes me! FYI, I used to had a lap band, and it never worked. Wish I had done the sleeve first!

That is fantastic! I am 5 weeks out and been in a bit of a stall myself, I'm having a hard time tolerating fluids and foods... Only eating 500 cal/day... I'm going to use your example and try to up to 7-800 and see if I can break the stall! Again, congrats on your success!!

Ate out again today... This time at Houlihans... I felt like I was being so spoily and got the Tuscan salad like I used to get, except just the side salad portion, and could only eat about 1/3, and had a few fried pickles... Totally full!!! Amazed I am so full and satisfied on about 200 calories of food!! I love my sleeve!!

4 weeks out... Eating out for 1st time... And since I live in South Texas... At a Mexican restaurant! I can't believe how little I ate compared with what I ate pre-surgery... I found cilantro chicken skewers on the menu, and could only eat about 2 pieces of chicken off 1 skewer (2oz), and am so full! I did eat some salsa (maybe a tablespoon)... But It feels so good to eat normalish food, and feel such power over the food!! I am down 34 pound overall since pre-surg 2 week diet, and it feels great!

I did heparin, 3 times a day x 2 weeks... Didn't hurt at all the first several days, then they really started to smart!!

Weight before sleeve: 254 Weight after(now): 218 How long post op: 4 weeks Loss so far: 36 pounds

A hematocrit level of 24 is a moderate anemia... So you really do need to take the iron supplement to correct this so it will not get worse and lead to further complications. It will take about 3 months to see the improvement in your blood work as a red blood cell lives approx 90 days, and likely your doc will recheck your labs then. Make sure you also take an OTC stool softener to keep stool a soft consistency- you may need to take the softener 2-3 times a day to get there, everyone is different. And FYI, the iron supplement will make your stool appear black- don't freak out!

Thanks! All fixed up! Cool app!

I get the unjury online (just googled it). I haven't tried the broth, but did try the cheese sauce and didn't like that at all. I am almost 5 weeks out and still struggle to get in all the protein and water as I feel full so fast... I maybe get in 500-600 calories at most a day. I try to get in 2 protein shakes a day, and some real food for dinner-

I use the unjury, both the unflavored and the chocolate splendor and find it to be very good. The unflavored does not change the taste of anything for me, but does make a thicker consistency. You also have to be careful with the unflavored, as it is very temperature sensitive- cant make it too hot or else it comes out of the solution or mixture and makes clumps.

I just downloaded the myfitness pal app... I have been using the live strong app, but this one looks way better! Just wish you could go back in time to put my actual starting weight and not just today's weight... But that's ok... Add me if you like!! Docangtx12

The most common timeframe is to stay overnight and get the swallow study the next morning and if all ok, go home. I actually had surgery at 730am and sent home around 230pm same day, had swallow study at surgeons office the next day. It was nice to be home, but I needed lots of help to make it through the first 2 days ( I always get overly sedated from anesthesia... Takes 2 days to feel clear headed again!)

Congratulations to you!!! Isn't is funny? Before the surgery I wouldn't get within 10 feet of a scale... Pretended they didn't exist... Now it's an exercise in willpower to not weigh everyday (if not a few times a day!)!!