ChaChaBurch

Yesterday afternoon, I suddenly became ravenously hungry! It was like I hadn't eaten in 3 weeks -- which I really hadn't. It was such a surprise. I also noticed that I could drink without any issues. I guess maybe the swelling in my stomach has gone down . . . I just don't know. I ate some tuna fish salad, and avocado AND some cottage cheese with pureed peaches.It seemed to take forever to begin to feel any sense of fullness. I ate slowly, and it took me about 45 minutes, but I finally felt satisfied. This morning I woke up, and I was back to "normal" -- not the least bit interested in eating. Well, I have a TON of errands to run today, and I will be away from home for about 7-8 hours, so it remains to be seen how the day will progress. I am taking my cooler with snacks and drinks just to be on the safe side thought. CONFESSION - After the "eating binge" I seemed to have had last night, I stepped on the scale . . . terrified that the needle had gone the wrong way, but BEHOLD . . . more weight loss still.

Had a really great weekend! Did some walking, and visiting with friends. On Sunday, our church had a cook-out (hamburgers, hot-dogs, all the trimmings) to celebrate everyone who had a birthday the 1st quarter of the year -- and a HUGE cake. My name was on the cake too, so I felt like I kinda needed to attend. I took my food (tuna salad - just tuna and LF mayo; mashed potatoes w/ gravy; and avocado mixed with LF mayo), and I wasn't even the least bit tempted. Even by the cake! I have lost 19lbs at this point, and really find it amazing. I was worried that when I had the surgery, I might be one of the folks who weight loss was really slow to start, but so far, so good. I certainly don't expect to keep this up, but will enjoy it while it lasts. I'm sure that as I progress through the food phases, and eventually get back on regular food, the weight loss will drastically slow. I noticed on Sunday that I can drink more than "baby sips". While I don't want to take large gulps, I'm thankful that the swelling in my sleeve has obviously been reduced. I don't really know exactly how much I can eat at any given time. I eat something (very slowly), until I get a "full" feeling. For me, feeling full means I just don't want any more. When I do eat, I take several minutes between bites. I've seen how others take that "one bite too many" and then have to pay the price, so I really don't want to over do it. Especially at this point! So, once I lose interest in whatever it is I'm eating, I stop. Obviously I'm still struggling to get in the 60 - 70 grams of protein, but 2.5 ounces of tuna get me 21g, so between that and one of my shakes, I'm getting close!

Just be super, super careful with the tuna. Make sure it's the kind packed in water, and make it as "pureed" as you can with 2 forks. Just take itty bitty baby bites, and make sure you wait a few minutes between each bite! Good Luck.

After spending some time this morning reading around on the site, I have to say that I feel especially blessed today. It breaks my heart hearing about those who have had some really serious issues with their sleeve. Either from the surgery, or adjusting. Needless to say, my prayer list is getting longer. So far, my experience has sheer joy -- I know, can you say "Honeymoon Phase"? I'm gonna enjoy as long as it lasts. Also, those who have had some very serious issues with their sleeve in the past, but have fought through it, have been inspirational to me. It takes a tremendous amount of courage and determination to go through what some of these folks have been through -- AMAZING! I am so blessed, and so thankful that I found this site. It really helps when I have questions, or concerns, or whatever. I don't always post on some of the forums, but if I have a question, or a concern, I can just look, and find something that really helps!

Thanks! So far it's been a real blessing,

I am! Just started it last week -- haven't used it as faithfully as I should, but am trying! I'm "MommaChaCha".

I too, can't believe the month is over, and I am really excited to watch everyone's progress!!

So glad you found us! It's great having some "sexy silver sleevers" to talk to. At least I know I'm not the only "more mature" lady trying to do this! The support is great!!

Best of luck to you today! You are in my prayers! Let us know how you are doing!

I know that at my age, sagging skin comes with the weight loss. About the best way to reduce it (naturally), is to work out with weights. Build muscle (which will replace the fat), and you will have less sagging skin. I remember when I did Weight Watchers, our "Leader" had lost over 200lbs, and she used her clothing to help "camouflage" her sagging skin (longer sleeves, etc). I think the best way is with plastic surgery - and at this point I am not even going to consider another surgery. Might change my mind in a year or two, but who knows. I knew going into this that sagging skin comes with the weight loss, so the sagging skin is one of those things that I just expect.

I had both the Unjury and the Revival shakes. The Unjury were good, and the Revival shakes were disgusting!

You will be added to my prayers as well! I am so sorry you are having to go through this. Please, Please, Please, keep us updated! Also, I see you're in Dallas. I moved FROM Dallas in 2009 after living there my whole life - family reasons. Would you mind sharing who your Doctor is? If you don't feel comfortable with that, I can certainly respect that.

For me, my Doctor had the following for my Post Op Dy 1 - 4: Clear liquids Dy 5 - 8: All Liquids - which includes runny oatmeal, runny cream of wheat, and FF Small curd cottage cheese, applesauce, FF Cream Soups, Protein shakes (my choice of what kind), FF Yogurt, SF Jello. Day 9 - Week 3: Pureed/Blended Week 3 - 4: Moist/Mushy Week 5-6 - I will start eating regular table food, but have to start with the really soft stuff, and SLOWLY - over time - start adding other stuff As for your heartburn with the skim milk, I've read on quite a few posts that some folks develop a lactose intolerance after surgery. Some of them said it went away after a few months, and others said that theirs stayed with them. You might look into that.

I had the band in 2007, and had the band to sleeve revision just 9 days ago. DON'T GET THE BAND! It worked for about 4-6 months, then years of issues. Go to the forum on Lapband Revision on this sight. The stories are all the same. No matter what the Dr tells you about the band, they don't tell you EVERYTHING!

I felt like a kid on their first day at school today! Excited AND nervous. I started my Pureed/Blended Soft Diet. This morning I had 1 super soft scrambled egg, and for lunch I blended tuna (in water) with low-fat Mayo. Both went down easily, since I was eating teeny weeny bites, and chewing, chewing, chewing. Both tasted wonderful! But the most interesting thing to me, is that I am not the least bit hungry. After I got up this morning, it was still about 3 hours before I cooked the egg. Either I'm no longer able to tell when I'm hungry (which would be a good thing), or I've never really known what TRUE hunger is (probably a true fact anyway). I don't know if it's because my sleeve is still new and in the healing phase, or if it will stay. But if I had my choice, I would choose that it stayed this way. Still sipping water, and protein shake in between the meals -- still have to get all that in. SLEEP -- I can't sleep more than 4 hours at night, and then NONE during the day. I'm getting really, really tired, and would love nothing else than to lay down and have a nice long nap, but alas, the sleep just won't come. Prior to surgery, I could nap at the drop of a hat. If I'm still not sleeping better by next week, then I am DEFINITELY calling the Doc. WARNING - TMI Coming up - Okay, I've been wondering this, and I haven't seen it anywhere on the boards, so I thought I would put it on here -- My pee has been super concentrated since the surgery, but today it wasn't. I have to say I'm relieved. I was beginning to worry about it, and didn't think to ask the Surgeon about it.

I had a lapband revision - to sleeve - done two weeks ago. I can tell you EVERYTHING about sliming, and copious amounts of saliva . . . . I lived with it daily for 5 YEARS! The sliming is actually your bodies way of trying to "wash down" something (food) which is stuck, The longer it's stuck, the more saliva your body produces (it thinks you may choke on the food). The reason your getting is stuck is a bit trickier. For me, it was almost always due to me not chewing my food until it was liquified. Also, if/when you over eat, your food will begin backing up your esophagus, Just slow down. I know it seems hard, but you're not doing your sleeve any good with regurgitating. Don't force yourself to eat more. Like "Spatters3" said, take a bite, put down your fork/spoon, chew, chew, chew, swallow, look around, chat a bit, or read a page of a book or magazine, then take another bite. Most importantly - DON'T GET TOO DISCOURAGED -- you'll get there.

With weekend coming up, I plan on getting out and doing some walking down by the lake -- the weather is really nice here. Anyone else have anything special planned for the weekend?

It's hard to believe that a week ago I was in the hospital getting my lap band removed and my sleeve done. This past week has been really amazing, and in some ways really surreal. I'm feeling really good, not having any issues with anything that I've eaten so far, and I get to start my "blended/puree" phase tomorrow (1st thing on the list is soft scrambled egg). If it weren't for this website, and the friends that I've made, I don't think I could have been nearly as successful. Really looking forward to week 2 and the new things I'll learn!

Congrats Sexy Slim! Welcome to the world of the sleeved!

Congrats! Glad to hear everything went well.

For me, my protein comes from pre-made shakes (Myoplex - 42g per shake), and unflavored protein power (from GNC). According to my NUT, I will need to consider the protein drinks a part of my daily intake, until I reach the "all foods" phase, and then after tracking what I eat, I may need to continue at least one protein drink a day, or not, if I'm getting in enough protein through my regular eating.

Hey Joni! Congrats on your approval and your date! I'll be cheering you on all the way!!!- ChaCha

Didn't sleep but 3 hours last night, so after DH went to work, I took myself right back to bed! Slept about another 2 then just got up. When I weighed this morning, it showed I had lose 15lbs since my pre-op liquid diet! I will start the "mushy/pureed" diet on Friday, and then from that point I will only weigh on Fridays. Don't want to become too obsessed with the scale just now. The Surgeon hasn't set a weight goal for me, but the NUT did ask me, when I went to see her, how much weight did I want to lose. I told her that I didn't really have a good idea yet of where I wanted to be. I want to focus more on my over all health, and not just a number given to me by a square piece of metal that I stand on. I'm thinking I'll set a goal weight in about 3 months -- we'll see. My follow-up with the Surgeon went great! They removed my drain (just burned a little), removed all my bandages, said the incisions looked great. They were really amazed at how well I'm feeling. Told me I had 2 more weeks before I could begin to resume my "usual duties" - riding mower, gardening, and all the other things I do around here on our little homestead. So, starting tomorrow, I am going to focus on smaller goals: 1) Get as much protein, liquids, etc that I can each day, and sticking with the Post-Op eating plan; 2) Learning better/healthier ways to cook - being from the South, if it ain't fried, smothered in gravy, or slathered in butter, we just don't cook it -- going to search online for some great cooking classes (via DVD's). 3) Work on increasing my activity and working out sessions. For my 50th BDay, my girls got me the Zumba fitness DVD's, and a beginner's Yoga DVD - that's that I told them I wanted. So I can start the Yoga now, but the Zumba has to wait at least 2 more weeks. I'm still struggling with eating enough, as I am not ever hungry - not even head-hunger pains. It's a really strange feeling, but I know that as my tummy heals, those things will start coming back.

So far, so good. I got in a 17oz protein shake with 42g of protein, 2 bottles of water, a small coffee, 1 packet of cream of wheat, and a SF pudding yesterday, all with no issues. Just have to take my time and do baby sips. Slept for 4.5 hours straight last night! That's a record since the surgery. Woke this morning feeling pretty good. I still have brief moments of feeling a teeny weeny faint, but then it passes and I'm good for a while. Don't know if that's lack of food, lack of sleep, or just from the surgery itself. Today, again I'm going to focus on getting in the nutrition, liquids, and just all around resting. The weather is absolutely beautiful, so the windows are open, and I will go for a few short walks later today.

Congrats! That's awesome news!!