MinaT

I was on 3 shakes a day and sf Jello or popsicles and I did not cheat. Use the time wisely to keep busy, clean out your closets, prepare for surgery, up your Water intake, take walks. Day 3 & 4 were hard. If you used to be a pop or coffee drinker, many of your issues may be caffeine withdrawal. If you cheat you are only cheating yourself and since you are going into such a major life-altering surgery try finishing this time out giving 100% dedication. It's not easy, but nobody said it would be. Have faith in yourself that you can do it and go into this the best you can. If you cheat, dust it off and then realize you need to put in 100% effort. You can do it.

I'm built different than you, I'm 5'3" and I was over 300 pounds. I thought about surgery a few times and last summer hit about 330. I had pneumonia twice the year before. I walked in my pool daily and started doing a lot of salads and I upped my Water, and I lost during the summer. I had been on steroids and went off, so I dropped some weight, but with age & weight and Lupus the weight on my frame was already doing some serious damage. I had a heart monitor because I kept passing out when I laughed. When I laid down my lungs hurt and my heart flipped and I slept with oxygen because I couldn't handle c-pap. My normal weight body I was a size a cup, was then a 52-54 DD, which was too much for my heart & lungs. I contacted the surgeon's office but this was my 2nd time trying to get through their office, I quit after a month the year previous because I caught pneumonia and truthfully because the thought of having to write out calories, Protein & carbs and chart everything was something I didn't want to do and because I was ticked at the audacity of them expecting me to do a six month pre-op diet and worse...go into group meetings etc. I for some reason thought I should get a pass - go right to surgery, but it doesn't work that way. If your mind doesn't like the plan, the diet, the rules, it's not going to work for you. This time I decided I had no choice, and I called. It took them a month to get me in. I had the old pamphlets so I re-read them and all the stuff I hated about the program. 80 grams of protein, low carb, and worse...writing everything I ate down and NO CAFFEINE. I sat on my couch and realized if I kept this up I was going to die because of my weight and if I am going to do this I am going to follow their rules. I never ate Breakfast, never ate lunch, and only ate dinner. I was also on ambien would which wake me up in the middle of the night and I would end up eating popcorn, or an apple or wanting something big like slim fast. I decided to work hard before my first appointment and see if I could do it. I decided if I was going to do this I was dedicated 100% to it. I got to 299 and I used myfitnesspal.com to chart my food. I did give myself days that I treated myself, but I used myfitnesspal. I started on my own and made it through the first holiday which was Halloween. I had my first appointment in November and I tried to follow the rules through Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Birthdays, Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter. I made it through. I lost 70 pounds pre-operation. It can be done if you decide to do what you need to do. I had special days where I went out to dinner, I had days that I went out with the family and had a cocktail, I wrote everything I had down and I kept to about 800-900 calories a day. Of course except the special days. There were days I would be at 800 calories, I would exercise and I would have 80 grams of protein and about 45 carbs and I would get on the scale and I would weight 3 pounds MORE....I would shake my head and say really??? Then my husband and I would go out to eat and I would order the lobster appetizer, and a Lobsterita (which I think is like 1500 calories and a Lobster dinner and eat that stupid cheesy roll of deliciousness and the next day I would be down like 6 pounds. Then I would go back to my normal 800 calorie diet. It was hard but it was worth it. Realizing I went into surgery 70 pounds less on my own I would have backed out of the surgery and said, wow I did it on my own, but I am a yo - yo dieter, I can fluctuate between 200-300 every year if I let it, and this time I'm done. Since surgery I lost 20 pounds, I am now down 90 pounds since I started my journey (I haven't weighed myself in a few days). I wasn't concerned that I would go under the 40 bmi because I know what my bmi was before surgery and I also had two comorbidities. Most places are 35 bmi with 2 co-morbidities or 40 with one. I figured if I got under 200 pounds without surgery, I would then cancel the surgery on my own. I have read stories and heard stories at my doctor's office about those that spend their 6 months making every dinner their last dinner and him making them stay on the pre-approval phase longer, I have read countless stories here of people that gained weight once accepted into the program. Bless their hearts, but you know the though of having major surgery, and all surgeries come with risks, including death, to remove 85% of my stomach, and knowing that is a life-altering decision, is something that should not be taken lightly. The attitude of the person going into this type of surgery, especially those that claim that this is their Last Hope, should be of 100% commitment. I had some severe complications during surgery and I kept a positive outlook throughout mostly because I think I went into this entire program with 100% dedication. I have hard days, I had buyer's remorse the day after surgery after the gastrique and I had an allergic reaction to the stuff, I had buyer's remorse for about 4 seconds after I found out I have 5 weeks of full liquids and I thought I would be on pureed food by at least 4th of July. I am not tolerating the shakes that I had for breakfast for the pre-approval phase and they make me gag, but after everything I have been through, I would do it again. I am going to be 49. I will most likely never reach 130, don't even think I would look right at 130 again, because I am older and I can't exercise like I used to but I consider myself a success right now. Good luck to you, keep a positive attitude and give it 100% effort and you will do great.

Understandable. I lost 60 pounds pre-approval and only 10 pounds during the 14 day preop and was allowed only 3 shakes a day. I didn't cheat. I had surgery June 4th also and I was 229. I came home on Friday June 8th and when I weighed myself Saturday June 9th, I weighed 235! Six pound gain there I didn't eat at the hospital and only drank Clear liquids. I've lost 20 since, so yeah, that's 30 pounds since the pre-op shake diet, I think it sounds about right, I would love for this to just pour off me too. Good luck and be proud of those 32 pounds.

I started dieting during my pre-approval stage doing 80 grams of a protein and low carb and I walked, did the gazelle and did some light weight lifting and I lost 70 and since the surgery on June 4th I lost 20. I am going to be 49 years old so I am worried about the excess skin, but so far so good. I have yo-yo'd 200-300 for about 12 years. I once went from 330 - 128 but I exercised hard core, jogging 10 miles, lifting weights, The Firm, step-aerobics etc, but I was 33 at the time. I eventually gained all the weight back after getting sick 5 years later. I'm hoping that I can tone up and be fit at 49 but I have Lupus now and other issues and I know that I will not be able to work out like I did before. So far so good though - 90 pounds, but I have about 80 something more to go. Good luck to you. By the way, there is a section called June 2012 located here with posts from those all sleeved in June 2012 located here if you would like to check it out: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/forum/198-june-2012-sleevers/ We also have a list of people that were sleeved in June called Updated New June Sleeve Compilation and you can see it located here f you would like to check it out: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/42535-updated-new-june-sleeve-compilation/

I have retaken over the Compilation thread as of June 15th and just got it up to date. Please realize I had surgery June 4th and I'm still struggling a bit. If anyone sees someone post in the section that is outside of June mainly a thread called "Any June Sleevers" which is located in the preop section and not June section, please post their name at the end of this thread or direct them here. It will help me keep up. Unfortunately, I can't be online as long as I used to presurgery. Thank you so much. My prayers continue to go out to those that had surgery and to those that are coming up on their surgery. Best wishes for speedy recovery to all. June 1, 2012 BigGirlVee -- Dr. Coirin, Modesto, CA 2thenewme -- Dr. Jose Rodriguez, Mexico AChristie -- in Juarez SouthernDonna45 -- Dr. Alvarezta ta1020 and comfortably numb - Dr. Kelly June 2, 2012 Dizzle Ready2Bthin -- Dr. Aceves Mexicali June 4, 2012 ptprincess93 DcMak72 Furby036 -- Emma Patterson Portland,Oregon 6-4-12_sleever Karenb4729 Teasha1 -- dr. Ponce de leon, Mexico Tlaff79 -- Dr. Blaine Nease Angelakay2 -- Dr. Brad Waggoner IrishSoul -- waiting on okay from insurance Dkna2 -- Dr. Garcia, Tijuanna MamaM -- Removal/Revision Mina T -- Dr. Paul Stanish labubakari Ready for the new Lay-Lay -- George Woodman, Memphis TN Sallyincincinnati -- Thegoddesszili Calicolea June 5, 2012 shereebarb Chichis77 Bubblesbgood -- Dr. Michael Nusbaum Kstalvey -- Dr. Nick Nicholson from Plano Miss scarlet Back­­~To~Amy -- Dr. Nick Nicholson from Plano ShannonK Aznoel -- Dr. Stephen Burpee New_Hope -- Dr. Stowers, Decatur, Tx. txdee -- Dr. Nick Nicholson Amom2twins -- Dr. Aviv Ben-meir raindrop Erica E Cat Scratch Fever Redbottoms82 IlyssaDel newnin - Abington, PA Dr. Fernando Bonanni June 6, 2012 Sunshine08 -- Atlanta, GA Kmaskery SylviaMom -- Dr. Aceves – lap to sleeve MadisonPA kfitch Soon2bhotmama -- Dr. Ryan Heider Pooh Krystina kiki green June 7, 2012 Giselle3264 -- Dr. David Kim, Dallas LULU TAT justsleeveme23 -- Dr. Minkin, St. Louis Lovingmeforever -- Dr. Almanza butterflylegacy -- Dr. David Kim MsYoYo -- Fl. Alp50 -- Dr. Kelly Debbiesclipper Bigzoe32 TCBunny - Atlanta GA Jennifer SoFla June 8, 2012 Mari6257 Cristal602 -- Dr. Jaime Kelly Jenz531 Crystalaine -- Dr. Kelly TinaP -- Dr Jose Rodriguez Moms3boys June 9, 2012 cissiesue June 11, 2012 PEvette Vanb0052 -- Dr. Svendsen, Methodist Hospital in Minnesota! Readytobeslimxoxox -- Dallas Blondeej Dr. Aceves, Mexicali -band to sleeve revision KamloopsMom -- Mexicali w/sister surgeries Healthy Mama Kat1 -- Dr. Garcia Pam2011 -- Dr. Orlando Icaza bogeydog blackdahlia -- Dr. Clark celticharpist -- Dr. Brock Borderlon Detroit_Tom cindyandhersleeve - Houston karrina-D cissiesue June 12, 2012 Eager12 -- Dr. Robert Wegner, Memphis Iwant2Bthatgirl need2change -- Dr. David Kim Dayo -- Dr. Robert Casillas Denalisa -- Dr. Wittgrove CRosa -- Dr. Pavlos Papasavas glsun0612 Wolfgirl1978 -- Dr. Keith Chung Joy00 Newme_38 - Dr Babak, Maryland June 13, 2012 Gene1970 JRoybal Slimwithin DuranFan1969 -- Dr. Christopher Hart, Atlanta New Orleans Lady -- Dr. James Redmann, Slidell / Covington, La SweetSusie1 -- Dr. James Davidson NJHANIBAL rherrera Kiloalphatango - Australia Wolf3749 - Dr. Patterson, Portland OR ZoobDude - Dr. Lopez June 14, 2012 Ssilian -- Dr. Anthony Terracina, VA Karma84 Finding Myself -- Dr. Kelly in Tijuana Mexico Goofycathy -- Dr. Kelly in Tijuana Mexico thinmymind -- Dr. Kelly Estrovan - Dr. Bauman in Charlotte NC Pdubbaya23 - June 15, 2012 TLC223 HolyCow1234 Territravel -- June 16, 2012 june16 -- Dr. Jorge Daes, Columbia, SA June 18, 2012 ChrissyDeex3 VeronicaH Pteri -- Dr. Srinivasan at Emory innerme Naturals -- mommieof3 Kymwalla June 19, 2012 Sunshine25 -- DFW area DadTo2 -- Dr. Nicholson, Dallas, TX Littlebits Zoobdude -- Dr. Almanza Lehg520 - Dr. Kristin Noonan Katrina8l Katelynrose June 20, 2012 Ready! Set! Brandy Riggen nmg4unj5 JRoybal - Dr. Garcia jonamarie2012 June 21, 2012 Angie_Musgrave Skinnytata - Dr Le at Kaiser South San Francisco MDZNCSLIM June 23, 2012 MirandaK -- Dr. Almanza, Mexico June 25, 2012 Looking Ahead Ready Rudy Artichokes -- Dr. Lautz Brigham & Women’s in Boston Jubjub07 -- Dr. Aceves anais02 -- Dr. Garcia Skane10 -- Dr. Garcia Janedeaux3 Lose4good2012 -- Dr. Billy (may use spider surgical tool) aled carolinagirlz 136HereICome- Lawerance hospital in NY ChristianMomma7 CRichard1107 SMP1126 June 26, 2012 locoladi Trista1975 -- Dr. Almanza-reyes, Mexico JTmoas s.ledbetter17 -- Dr. Edwards and Lane – mcg. Nardelkn cherryseven chuckles -- Dr. Keith Gersin Misslorlor MsPerry 1920-Zeta tumblersmom glocks90 suzilouise rudekitty ShrinkingBellyKelly June 27, 2012 herewegoagain Edward Mun -revision GivingItMyAll pkehrer mcsleevy - Dr. Sherman Yu in Houston, Tx Joyce Ellis-joy686 - revision MoreganK Praldous - Saranac lake NY Dr.Hill Carlashooter- Aworkinprogress - spider single incision with Dr. Robert Marema Ris26 June 28, 2012 kkm23 -- Dallas Iwannabslim -- Dr. Jaime Ponce – sleeve revision Sleevertobe Mina05pit - Philadephia, PA Apricot111 ready4change79 June 29, 2012 EileenFrances -- Dr. Subhash Kini Robin33 -- Costa Rica tonibugg -- Dr. Rod Juarez SunnyCox - Dr. Kelly in Mexico TinaP - Dr Rodriguez June 30, 2012 lil lee -- Dr. Aceves in Mexicali Mrslittle -- Dr. Alvarez

added you to the Updated June Compilation cajugirlbecky. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/42535-updated-new-june-sleeve-compilation/ I hope all the June 29th sleevers are doing well and good luck and best wishes to the last of our June Sleevers. Tomorrow we welcome all to the Losers Bench! June 30, 2012 lil lee -- Dr. Aceves in Mexicali Mrslittle -- Dr. Alvarez

Added you to the Updated June compilation Janelle

You look absolutely wonderful. Congrats to you. I agree our eyes and minds take a while to catch up to where we are and where we were and sometimes makes us doubt ourselves because we are so busy thinking about where we want to be. Be proud in your accomplishment, you look great and I agree, I love that dress!

I was on Clear liquids only until 9 days out. Now I am on full liquids until I'm 5 weeks out then I will go to purees. At 3 weeks out I tried a bite of a poached egg and I suffered...I spent 2 hours praying not to barf. I wasn't suppose to, but I couldn't get a shake in and I was struggling with the shakes. The stomach pains you are feeling are not necessarily hunger pains. I can't tell the difference between being hungry, being full, having gas, having bloating, and....HEALING pains. They all feel alike. So every time your stomach growls, flips, twists, you have a wave, if you think you are hungry, then you are going to be hungry, but the truth is, you could actually be having acid reflux, it could be healing (like a throbbing cut as it heals), it could be hunger (if you haven't had enough liquids) or after you eat, it could be you are full. Try changing your perception of the stomach pains and work on getting your 64 ounces of Fluid in. Your stomach is still healing and I can't even imagine trying to get food in the first 3 weeks in.

If you are having trouble with the Water, is it because it's hard drinking out of a water bottle? I had surgery June 4th and I pull in so much air trying to sip out of a bottle. Sad but true, I still use my med cups and I am putting my water into a glass cup now to try to get used to sipping from a normal adult cup. At 3 -1/2 weeks out people are starting to come over more and I don't want to be drinking out of the 1 ounce cups, though I really truly hate drinking out of a water bottle. I also hate hate Protein shakes now. I used to love Pure Protein 100% whey Frost chocolate from Target. I had it daily for Breakfast and sometimes lunch for 6 months pre-approval and that was gagging me. I'm starting to somewhat tolerate it. I spent today looking around for something I haven't tried yet and I was blowing money left and right trying what other people liked. Eventually it will not be so darn bad. If you get that in with 1 cup of skim milk you will get 33 grams of protein in for breakfast, so I am continuing with it, though I'm having a hard time. I went back to Isopure (which I also don't like) but my health is too important. I bought the Green Tea with Lemon and I add Lemon Mio into it and I try to get at least 8 ounces in the afternoon. The rest of the day I try supplementing with other Proteins. I finally have hit about 68 grams of protein a day. My doctor and nutritionist believe in 5 full weeks of full liquid so the inside of the stomach and outside of the stomach can heal. Not all doctors do. I am doing it because I can visibly see that my stomach is still swollen (actually it's funny cause it's almost lobsided). I'm so sorry you are struggling, I am too, but you need to take care of yourself. I know you don't want to end up back in the hospital dehydrated or end up passing out. Don't force food in, but try a different approach to the shakes. I used to blend mine with ice in the Magic bullet. It whips so much air in there that I stopped using Ice and after I blend it - I throw it in the freezer just so the bubbles settle out. I tried shaker cups but again all this big bubbles, and bubbles & air = hurting esophagus and top of my tummy. I started incorporating healthy request bean and bacon Soup and mashing the Beans and straining that and it has some extra protein. I can get in about 7 teaspoons in and maybe 2 teaspoons of mashed up 1% cottage cheese. I am not suppose to be on cottage cheese yet, but because of my issues with with the shakes, they wanted me to try it to see how i do. Best of luck to you and I hope you find something that works for you soon.

You are only 8 days out. I'm not allowed this and I'm 3-1/2 weeks out, so I would ask your doctor or your nutritionist. On My fitness Pal 1/2 Sweet Potato (90 grams) is 81 calories 19 carbs 2 protein and 33 sodium This is without whipping the Sweet Potato with anything like skim milk, ff sour cream, or spray butter. I have attempted instant mashed potatoes made with skim and ff butter and was able to get in 2 teaspoons before I got full. PS - against the advise of my doctor...i know better now. Watermelon - 1 cup balled is 46 calories 12 carbs 1 protein and 2 sodium The watermelon sounds delicious, but it's 12 carbs and though it adds 1 protein (on everything I have found so far) it's just not worth the calories and carbs to sit and eat a cup of it. I went in for a three week check up and was hoping to get moved to Purees. She made me look at my tummy and said, look how swollen your stomach is. It's swollen on the inside too. Why would you want to try to push food that is not liquid in there at this time. Let it heal and it will hurt you a lot less. Some doctors allow pureed foods and soft and regular a lot quicker than my doctor. Everyone should follow their doctor's advise. After 8 days I wasn't even handling 25 grams of protein in liquid form, though I could get down 64 ounces of water and decaff peppermint tea. Some may say it's no problem, I can only advise you as to what my doctor, nurse and nutritionist tells me. All doctor's and tummy's are different.

You are definitely a success and I see how much you reach out to help others and that makes you even a bigger success. Unfortunately, self-perception is always hard. I remember being 128 and feeling like I was 300 and I remember being 330 and going out and internally feeling like I was 128. Genetics have a lot to do with weight, I agree, but also self-perception. There is a study that shows that women that were molested or raped at a young age have a tendency to weigh more as women, because they try to hide behind their weight. Depression, can lead to obesity too. There is so many things to deal with besides losing the weight. The weight is just a part of the problem. Learning to love ourselves despite the scale is hard. Being a "normal" weight does not fix what got us there in the first place. I've struggled since high school with my weight. I have genetics against me, being molested and raped against me, a terrible self image against me. I lost weight and kept it off for 5 years, then I got sick had a complete hysterectomy with a bowel resection and I had gotten sepsis due to adhesions and then the depression came. I gained it all back and have struggled from 200-300 back and forth since 1999. When I was 128 my personality was very closed off, my trust in people low. I was not the fat carefree girl that trusted anymore. I was the jaded, bitter 128 pound girl that was still just as unhappy as when I was fat. I luckily dealt with my issues, my genes are my genes, but with help and therapy I got over my other baggage and I can now go into this feeling like I have not failed and that I am NOW a success. I'm only 3 weeks out and I have succeeded far beyond my wildest dreams because if I stopped losing weight now, I know that I spent the last 7 months working so hard and that I did it for me and I am now a happy person, secure in myself .

It's not really going to affect it but add more carbohydrates. The issue is you are trying to avoid carbohydrates to help shrink your liver. It happened, now time to move on and forget about it. Try some crystal light when you need sweetness or a sugar free frozen popsicle with less carbs. Good luck. Day 3 & 4 are the hardest days, stay busy, stay positive, and realize you are so worth the fight to get through this.

Your nut defines a stall as no weight loss in a week? I think that's a bit harsh. I've dieted pre-surgery 6 months pretty seriously at 800 calories 80 grams of Protein and 45 carbs. I had a hysterectomy so I don't get the hormonal issues others get, I watched my sodium everything. I had days I gained 2 or 3 pounds. Then a few days later lost 6. I don't consider the gain important or a stall. If I know I'm doing what I am suppose to be doing, there are days that you have Water weight gain, or something is not flowing exactly right. There are days your body decides to hold onto everything too. Sometimes upping my calories or adding more carbs will help me eliminate the extra weight. I have a few days that go by without losing an ounce per my my scale, then I will lose a pound. I am sure I will have days that I go up 1/2 pound because of lack of bm or water retention. I would consider a stall 3 or more weeks, then before I call it a stall I will go through my fitness pal and check to make sure I am doing what I'm suppose to be doing, then I would measure myself to see if there is anything going on there.

Audrey, I don't miss the seatbelt extenders at all! It's great I still have plenty of room the side of the car doesn't hurt my hip, the seat belt doesn't dig into my left hip anymore. It's wonderful!

Spend this time telling yourself you are worth doing this. Write down the reasons why you are doing this. Realize you are probably getting better nutrition RIGHT NOW, with this pre-op diet than you got in the last several months. You are not starving to death, you are not going to be malnourished, you are doing the best thing for your heart, body, mind and soul. Use this time wisely. Learn to sip your Water, clean out your closets. Start looking for smaller clothes and getting your clothes that may already be too large into bins. Go get your Gas-X, your after surgery Vitamins (ie Optisource or whatever). Start walking more. Remember liquid in and liquid out, and be careful if you get gas, to get to the bathroom, because after a few days, you may think you need to fart and there's water in there. The words never trust a fart take on new meaning. Stay busy. Think of the next month or two as just a small obstacle to having a whole new, better life. Remember the sleeve is only a tool. Don't go into the surgery thinking the sleeve does all the work. It's UP TO YOU, to work the sleeve. Now is the time to dig deep and be proud of what you are doing. If you can make it through this next two weeks, it will make it easier to get through the following month, which then opens up the rest of your life to a new and healthier you. Believe you are worth this next two weeks and you will do it. Day 3 & 4 are always the hardest. After that it's all downhill. If anything stay positive, smile, and the happier and more motivated you go into this surgery, the happier and more motivated you will come out of surgery. I believe in myself so I didn't cheat, I went into this with full knowledge that I was going to put 100% into it. Believe in yourself.

LOVE YOUR POST!!!!!! Keep up this attitude, keep this up until the day you have surgery. Go into surgery with a smile on your face and a happy song in your heart, and hold onto all this. I am looking forward to seeing my son get married and have children. I remember sitting on the couch last summer and I couldn't get out of it. Having a small brain tumor and lupus has been very hard on me, but the weight was pressing on my chest and lungs. I was having a hard time getting up the stairs. When I laid in bed at night, there was so much pressure on my lungs. My cousin died in her sleep due to obesity, and my great grandmother died at 49. I will be 49 this year. I haven't been to an amusement park in years. Going to the movies sucked because the seats were too tight. Sitting in chairs, I was afraid i would break them. I was fainting when I laughed due to the weight pressing on the vegas nerve. I had to wear a heart monitor for a year. As I was sitting down stairs I replayed Sally Struthers as Jabba the Hut and I realized I was what was eating Gilbert Grape. My mind became a tragic comedy of epic proportions. Every thought was a fat joke in my head and I realized, the brain tumor and lupus isn't going to kill me, my weight was. Now, I don't have those dark, cold lonely thoughts. My chest don't hurt when I lie in bed. I was so terrified I would die in my sleep and my husband would not notice and leave and my son would wake up and find me. I used to take Ambien and stay up until 3 or 4:00 am and wake up so early just to make sure I was still here. I go to bed at 10:00 am and I fall asleep (without ambien) in minutes!!! I'm not afraid to sleep anymore. I can't wait to go to Six Flags for Fright Fest. I haven't been there in well over 10 or 12 years. I love seeing my father look at me with love, not with fear for my life. I look forward to going to the grocer store on a Saturday. Every time I go I would run into people I know and leave my cart and leave the store, ashamed of what I looked like. I love being me and I'm only 3 weeks out.

tinfoil, how about just hug yourself. The sleeve is merely a tool, it did not do this, you did! There are those that have a sleeve that find ways to bug the system, and don't lose. Be proud of your accomplishments. I don't think of the sleeve as the hero in the story, I think of myself as the hero. It's a wonderful feeling to be happy, and have those nsv's!! Good for you.

It will be worth the effort. A lot of the issue is head hunger, but trust me, when you see other's eating, if you ate it the pain would be so not worth it. Give your sleeve time to heal. My doctor believes in 5 weeks of full liquids before putting food in. At 3-1/2 weeks out my tummy is still swollen, it's visibly swollen and I lost a lot of weight, but my tummy looks like a watermelon still. I hate shakes, they make me gag, but I do my best with them. Drink as much Fluid as you can. If you can find something called Isopure (not sure if they have in India) it's a clear Protein drink in Green Tea flavor, grape, orange, try those, to help you get down more protein. I avoid social occasions too. There's nothing wrong with doing that right now while we are on liquid phase, no reason to subject yourself to feeling tortured. I eat with my family now, and I grumble while they eat their steak and potato, and I'm having a few teaspoons of cream of nothingness, but in the end - it's worth it. When your tummy is all healed, you will feel better at all social functions, you will be able to eat a little bit, but you will be able to socialize more with a prouder feeling and you won't feel so inhibited. I never ate at social functions because I was embarrassed to be the fat girl eating. All social occasions, I felt embarrassed to eat in front of others. It's a month or so out of your life which will give you back the rest of your life. Get some sublingual Vitamin B12 and make sure you take all your chewable Vitamins in. Also, remember this, inside the fat in your body there are hormones, as your body burns fat, these hormones are released through your body, it will cause mood swings, you will cry or get upset easier, and it's just hormones, realize it and move on. If you ate the food you wanted right now, you would be in so much physical pain and even worse pyschological pain than you would believe. Believe you are worth this struggle right now, and you can do it! I promise!

First day I had surgery I was AWESOME!!! The second day was the worst day of all. I believe it was the only day I said What did I do. Did you have the leak test and have to do the gastrique? I was not allowed anything by mouth on the first day, the second day I was given a shot of zofran and I was sent down to get the upper gi with the gatrique. That made me ill. My face, neck and chest turned bright enflamed red. After that I was nauseated beyond belief. Tell the nurse, there are about 3 or 4 different anti-nausea drugs she can give you and a few you can be given very close to each other. She shot one in my arm, which was deep in a muscle (I didn't let her give me that one again). But she kept up with the other 2 intravenously throughout the day and the night. My saving grace (I said it here a million times) but if you have someone that can run out to the store for you, have them pick you up some Bigelow Peppermint Decaff Tea or you can do Celestial Seasonings and your favorite artificial sweetener. I only like Truvia, but everyone has a favorite. (it's better than the generic hospital crap). Ask the nurse for a styrofoam cup with hot Water. They usually serve you hot water in a coffee cup at meals with plain decaff tea and generic artificial sweetener. It's gross cause the warm water is lukewarm and still smells like coffee usually. If it was not for the Bigelow Peppermint Decaff tea and truvia, I would not have survived that second day. I sat up mostly in my chair with a throw blanket from home. Water wanted to come up. The peppermint decaff tea soothed my belly and it tasted good warm and as it cooled. Get a cool cloth and put in on your neck and one on your forehead. I feel so much for you, because the 2nd day was my worst day of all. It gets better every single day, I promise you. Also remember the anti-nausea medication will dry your mouth out even more, that's what it does, don't hesitate to use the sticks to keep your mouth wet. Use your little med cups to get down as much liquid as you can slowly. Once you can successfully keep down a little liquid, you will feel better. Rest more than anything. Walk once you start feeling better.

I am 3-1/2 weeks out and I'm still swollen on the outside and inside. I still drink Water out of a med cup still , and I can do 3 med cups of sipping in a row and the 4th...is just too much and it's just water. I can get in a few teaspoons of Soup and I start feeling full. By full I mean - the gas pains I have, the hunger pains I feel the twisting or wavy stomach weird pain which could also be a healing pain, is the same pain I feel when I'm full. Each pain is not a defined pain. It's a stomach pain, which has several meanings. If I'm eating and I feel a grasping in my stomach followed by a burp, I'm full, if I haven't had anything to eat in a few hours, it's hunger, and if I'm sitting there and I feel it I think oh wow, it's a healing pain, or a gas pain. For those that had the sleeve they know what I'm talking about, if you are newly sleeved, if you think every time your stomach grumbles, moves, waves, or flips, sorta like a twists, it's hunger, then you are going to suffer a lot more head hunger. Realize a lot of the time, it's healing up, like a sore, that is healing, a cut that throbs as it's healing, or you are having gas, it makes dealing with it a little better.

I am allergic to codeine, hydrocodone and all it's derivatives. When they took me off the morphine I went directly to Tylenol. For some reason Adult strength liquid tylenol has been pulled from most shelves over the last few years and it had to be ordered. I tried child strength liquid tylenol it made me gag, I tried tylenol suppositories, really..not worth it, so the doctor allowed me tylenol pills split in 1/2. I take two (whole split pills) twice a day. It most likely is the lorotab giving you a headache. While tylenol never really touched my pain ever, I use it and I tell myself it works great. Luckily, power of persuasion works well with me and I believe what I say lol. Good luck and feel well soon.

Congrats to you both, keep your positive thoughts.

I alternated between resting and walking. The most important thing is are you getting your Water in? Are you taking the Vitamins recommended? I take Optisource from Walgreens. I am suppose to take 4 of these a day. I also take sublingual Vitamin b. It would perhaps help you more if you spread your shakes throughout the day. Instead of two big ones, try 4 smaller ones. Walking will help I had mental fog for over 2 weeks. Of course you are going to get tired out, you had major surgery, I'm 3 weeks out and I still get tired. I just got up to 400 calories, I was at 300- 350 for the first 3 weeks and I did feel I was getting a little more tired, I was also getting less than 40 grams of a Protein a day. Try not to concentrate so much on the bad, and focus on every day is better than the day before. I was on 14 day pre-op shake (3 a day only) then I was sleeved on June 4th. I'm still on full liquids until I see nutritionist again on July 9th. That a full 7 weeks of liquids. I can do it, it's doable and if I continue to tell myself it's doable, it will be. Make sure you get your vitamins in, get your water in and as much protein as you can do. If shakes are becoming intolerable, try getting in a little Isopure with added MIO to make it taste better. Icy Orange goes well with the Orange MIO and the Green Tea with lemon goes well with the Lemon flavor. My taste buds changed and I hate shakes now, it sorta gags me, but I'm getting them down. Positive thoughts and best wishes.

I have a taste for turkey meatballs myself and I never had them before, but I saw something on eggface that sounded delicious.