Newfoundlove

I did for the first three weeks, but was allowed to swallow them whole when I hit my fourth week.

I like Crystal Lite Mojito Flavor and Margarita Flavor. I also like Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice Tea. It's great both hot and iced. Because its decaffeinated I usually have a fullest in the evening after work. It's so soothing and with that spicy flavor (cinnamon, cloves and such) it tastes sort of like a treat without being sweet.

I was drinking about the same. I drank a 12 ounce bottle of water before I even left the surgery center and I had out patient surgery. Some people really have a hard time drinking, and others don't My surgeons and the nurses were actually glad to see me drinking like that. Fluids go right through you. Some of us are able to drink more than others. Fluids are good for you! If you're worried though, call his surgeon.

I have never had much caffeine, even before surgery, but thanks for the suggestion of Smart Water.

I've been waking up in the morning with a headache. Even though I get more than 64 oz water a day in, I thought I might need water, so I tried drinking some, but that didn't help. It's not TOM either. Tylenol doesn't help either and I can't take NSAIDS. Anyone know of a magic potion for headaches?

I have not, but that's a great suggestion. Thank you!

Liisa -- you look fabulous dahling!

I took Colace before I went to bed and by the next morning, the eagle landed, so to speak.

I'm in for my first challenge! HW: 253 SW: 233 CW: 220 GW: 210, but hope for less

Great job! I was also sleeved on 5/3 and am down exactly 33 pounds (including pre-op) - same as you! It does feel great!

I didn't tell my PCP as I rarely had to go to see her and didn't need her referral and honestly, i didn't really care what she thought as she isnt a bariatric surgeon so its not her specialty. One week after surgery, I did go see her because I have been having issues with peri menopause. So, of course I had to tell her then. She was very supportive and I also found out that she has several patients who have had weight loss surgery with my same surgeon!

I took two weeks away from the office, but worked from home answering emails and participating in a few conference calls week two. Week three I went back full time, but was at work by 6:30 am so I could leave early as I was pretty tired by the afternoon. This week, though (week four), I feel great, but I'm also eating a few more calories so I have more energy.

Do you like cottage cheese? That is my go to food. I started out with a quarter cup and chewed it, even though it was small curd. I use salt and pepper and a small amount of chopped ripe avocado. Cottage cheese has lots of protein too, even with 1% milkfat. Chobani Greek Yogurt with fruit was allowed on my soft diet too lots of protein too Get nonfat at the start a quarter cup went down fine I was on soft foods after two weeks too, I just took it slow. Some people have a hard time with ground meats in sauce and chicken, even in chicken salad. Do you like other types of fish, like Tilapia? There are great recipes out there for Tilapia on myrecipes.com. Just know you'll probably only be able to eat a quarter cup to a third cup at a time to start. All fish and shellfish, including shrimp, cooked is considered soft food at least in my NUT's plan.

Oh, and my surgeon let me take 5 - 10 cc's every two hours if I needed it. I took 10 cc's every two hours for the first 24 hours, and then was able to take it every four hours.

Hopefully they gave you some good liquid pain medication? If they did, don't be shy, take it. If they did not, call your doctor and get some - you'll be glad you did! I had to take it for four days and then after for a few days at night until the pain subsided. The other thing that I did was to press a small pillow to my abdomen when I got in/out of bed, or up/down sitting. I saw a post a while ago where someone used a stuffed animal for the same purpose.

My NUT said that Multi-vitamins are not effective unless you take them with food. Therefore, I take one of my Bariatric multi-vitamins with breakfast and with dinner. I take them usually when I am half-way through each meal. I've not had any problems. I take my Iron at lunch with my food too. The other vitamins I take are Biotin (because there's only 25% in my multi-vitamin), Vitamin D, and my PPI. I take all of these during breakfast too. I have always found that my vitamins go down better with my food. I have two others that I haven't added in yet because they are so large - Fish Oil and Evening Primrose Oil (for hot flashes). I'm four weeks out so I'm going to wait a week or more before I try to get those down.

Well, yogurt is considered a fluid actually so you will be able to eat more. I'm four weeks out and can almost eat a 6 oz carton (not quite, but almost). Cottage cheese may be similar as it is not really that dense and consists of a lot of liquid. I can eat four ounces of cottage cheese but I tend to eat it a little too fast probably so I get full on it.

I didn't have to stop any Vitamins before surgery, but every surgeon requires something different. How about drinking Vitamin water, that might help. Also, check with your surgeon and see if he will allow you to take the chewable bariatric vitamins during your pre-op. I really can't see why he wouldn't let you. You would take them with a Protein drink and they absorb into the system, so I can't see why they would be of harm. They also make liquid glucosamine so maybe he'll let you take that as well. I know the B-12 is an under the tongue vitamin that dissolves and gives you energy, so I would ask that you be allowed that one too.

I am on week three and my nutrition plans for soft foods includes any ground meats with sauce. I did have a little bit of spaghetti sauce with italian sausage (1/4 cup) and had no problem and I really chewed and chewed and until it was really soft mush. I also had ground chicken patties, chewed them really well and they went down fine. My NUT says their soft plan is to help us acclimate to chewing our food really well, eating slow and making sure all foods we eat are very moist. By chewing, we add a lot of saliva to our food and it makes it easier to go down. I had pork tenderloin a couple of nights ago that was super moist, but I took really small bites, chewed and chewed (I don't count chews or anything) and had no problem with that either. I read here though that people who are in the phase of eating regular foods still have issues. Some foods are just not going to agree with you. I think if we diligently follow the plans designed for us by our surgeons or nutritionists and try different foods, we find out what works for us and what does not.

As has already been mentioned here, the full feeling is different for everyone. For me, it is burbing and pressure coming from my stomach. At the same time, something just tells me in my head, I am full. Last night, I was really enjoying the really small swedish meatballs I was eating. I ate two and a half of them and as I was eating the last bite, I was getting the symptoms above but ignored them so I took one bite to many. One of the other sleevers I follow calls it her OBTM (one bite too many) look. I know exactly what she means. I didn't get sick, but I was pretty uncomfortable for a few minutes. I never got full on liquids and my NUT said to drink as much as you can. You cannot drink too much - especially water. I know that the Protein drinks were thicker, and while I didn't get full exactly, it did take me longer to drink those. Once I started on purees, I started getting the full feelings. Now on soft foods, I totally understand the full feelings.

My surgeon had me start multi-vitamins after three days, and B-12 (sublingual) about five days after that. They are chewable biatric vitamins. I also started powder form calcium citrate which I added to my water in the morning. When I started purees I also added a chewable Iron, and B-12 vitamin at lunch time. I'm four weeks out and this week started adding back in Vitamin D, Zinc and Biotin, since they are small. I still cut the Zinc though as those tablets are still a little large for me to get down at once. I want to add in the Fish Oil and Evening Primrose Oil but those capsules are pretty large and I can't cut them or chew them so I'm still waiting to get clearance from my surgeon for those. Other than chewable vitamins, I would check with your doctor to determine when you can take them.

I'm a little bit of a slow loser I think (which is okay with me). I lost 17 pounds in the two-week pre-op low carb diet but only 15 since surgery on May 3 and I haven't had any food that are cheat foods. As long as I see the scale going down two or three pounds a week I am totally fine with that. I expect a stall at some point and I'll power through it. I haven't added much exercise yet but have an appt. tomorrow with my NUT and Fitness Consultant. I think when I add some exercise in and get my calories up a little, I might see a larger loss, but who knows what my body is going to decide to do. So far, a little peanut butter is the only thing I've tried that has not agreed with my sleeve. One of the things I have noticed is that I am much more 'in tune' to what my body is telling me. If I am a little bit down on my water, I get tired, so I up my H2O. I am pretty much able to gulp down water now too, so I can swig a glass before bed if I need to. I also had my best NSV ever and posted it in a different section. Put a pair of pants on and they promptly fell to the ground! My husband had to come in and see what I was laughing so hard at. I'm wearing clothes in my closet that I haven't worn for many years and other clothes that I wore that were tight now fit really well. It's such an incredible feeling and a great morale booster!

I'm three weeks out and my NUT told me not to be surprised if I hit a stall about this time. Therefore, I'm not getting on the scale until next Friday. Do a search on this forum for Three Week Stall and you'll see other posts about this. They can last a week or two apparently.

Good luck Newfmom. I'm assuming you have Newfies from your screen name. I do too, hence the reason for my screen name.