MinaT

Well, the longer just the food stays in your stomach, the longer you will remain full. Also, the better the food will be digested in the belly before it travels on. If you eat and drink Water, it can push the food through much faster, which means less nutrition and the longer the food stays in your belly, the more satiated you will be. This is how it was explained to me. Best bet is to start practicing it long before surgery. I am a choker. I used to eat and choke a lot so I always had water there. You know what happened when I took away my water? I spent more time focusing on what I was putting in my mouth, and chewing my food thoroughly so I didn't choke. I was a quick eater. All people are different, but eating was never really enjoyable to me. I liked to eat and get it over with, so I woofed down the food fast and drank and got up and started dishes while others were still eating, because if I didn't hurry and stand and do dishes, I would get a tummy ache. I learned during my pre-approval phase to chew my food when I took away my water. This way I didn't choke.

We're almost through our month. It's been quite the month too. Good luck to all those that are preparing for tomorrow. Best of luck, best wishes, quick healing and my best advice is go in with positive thoughts, a smile on your face to all the nurses that you will be dealing with, stay upbeat and know we'll all be saying a prayer for you.

I am sorry that you are so stressed but I agree, take your stress and anger out on the treadmill. Take a walk. Take a kick box class, a zumba class. Exercise is the best way to get rid of stress. I spend 50% less time on the internet now than I used to. I contribute a lot of my weight gain to sitting on the internet.

I worked hard through my pre-approval phase on my diet and lost 70 pounds in 7 months. However, there were days that I gained 2 or 3 pounds and then the next day lost them, and I just dealt with it. It's how you look at it. Stalls and sometimes Water retention happens. Weighing yourself daily has it's ups and downs, so does weighing yourself weekly. What if the day you decide to weigh yourself is the day that you had an issue with water retention. Stalls happen, that's when you take out the tape measurer, and you use your own intuition, is your clothes fitting looser? It's when I don't weigh myself daily that the next day becomes easier not to weigh myself then the next week, then 60 pounds later you are like what the heck happened to me. If you can't deal with a stall or a one pound increase, then don't weigh yourself once a day. It happens to everyone though and it's really on how well you can deal with the reality that you can weigh yourself 5 times a day and sometimes your weight can fluctuate 1-3 pounds depending on the time of the day.

I was also told 6 weeks (or until my surgeon says so). I have a swimming pool and it's my favorite activity and I have a pool sitting outside. I also realize, getting into and out of a tub, even though I'm 3 weeks out, would not be very pleasant or comfortable to me right now. My incisions are starting to heal but I noticed my large one pulling a little bit. I can't believe I still have a few stitches, I thought they were dissolvable, but on Wed. he's going to have to take these suckers out, my clothes are irritating a few of them and one keeps poking through my clothes.

Good luck GIJane, and Little bits every day is a little different than the day before that's for darn sure. Keeping you in my prayers. Each day does get a little easier. I am actually very tired out today and probably more sore today than I have been in a few days. Wednesday can't seem to get here fast enough because I have questions for the surgeon, and I'm really hoping to advance to pureed food. I really am praying they don't make me wait another two weeks. It's not that I'm hungry, it's that I want to get more protein in and the shakes are not cutting it for me still.

Stretching the stomach as in making a whole lot bigger, I can see it being an old wives tale, bloating the stomach and causing un-needing gas and bloating, it's a fact. Carbonation does bloat the stomach, bloat the stomach a few too many times....then who knows. When you have 100's of doctors saying not to do it, and a few saying it's a wive's tale, I guess we all have to use our own discretion.

Congrats and good luck to you. 2 more days!!!

Mctrisha, good luck to you. I have had a lot of ups and downs since surgery and I'm June 4th. I was doing pretty darn good I thought and all my tape fell off my incisions and some of my incisions (inside belly button) the one to the right of my belly button and the large one has stitches. The other day I went for a walk and my undies and my pants (light spandex type) seemed to irritate the stitches a bit. I see surgeon on July 27th (wed) but I honestly thought I had dissolvable stitches and this is wigging me out. Just thinking of him pulling out the stitches from inside my belly button makes me gag and I thought I was a tough cookie, I was able to handle the drain removal but for some reason my incisions are hurting more today than they have in days.

That's wonderful, that's a major non-scale victory!!!

I learned something from my doctor. No doctor should give "barium" after surgery. The liquid they use is called "Gastrique" it's a liquid form and not barium. Using "barium" is very dangerous after getting the sleeve because it can harden up in your tummy and in your intestines. I have had many barium swallows in my day and after the Gastrique, I would rather drink a gallon of barium than one ounce of Gastrique...that was the worst part of my entire hospital experience, even the drain. I had an allergic reaction to it and my face, neck and chest turned bright red, I got dizzy, nauseated and wow...luckily most people don't have the same reaction to that stuff as me

With physical therapy maybe you are gaining muscle. 3 Protein shakes and 3 small meals...not sure what that equals in carbs and calories and protein a day. Diet Soda 5 months out, the carbonation could potentially stretch your stomach and I'm glad you quit that, it's not worth it. Keep an eye on things for now, you may have excess bloating from switching up your diet, you may have Water retention, if you gain any more, talk to your doctor again. A gain of 3-4 pounds and then a quick loss is natural, especially for women because of hormones, a steady gain of a few pounds a week is a problem, he may need to adjust the food and throw some cardio in with the weight training.

I have had the same problem. I drank Pure Protein 100% Whey Frosty Chocolate for about 7 months pre-op. Every day for breakfast and sometimes for lunch. NO problem. During the pre-op phase, I was put on "New Direction" and they were horrendous to me. I bought a few "Muscle Milk Light" to switch out for them and it was tolerable. After surgery I was on the Isopure, (they are not that great). The Green Tea was doable if I added MIO to it. When released back to Protein shakes I was so happy & excited. As it slid down it would come back. The taste changed, it became like drinking the most horrible thing, almost like a disgusting chocolate Elmers Glue to me. Even brushing my teeth made me sick. I tried GNC Protein Shakes, I tried, Unjury chicken stuff, Unjury Unflavored and made my own shakes, I tried every muscle milk light or non-light. I tried stuff called Lean and each one, was horrible to me. I just started being able to tolerate (barely) the Pure Protein Shakes. My taste buds changed, something changed, but I understand. Right after surgery it got the point I was in tears because I can't really afford to keep buying and hating new Protein Shakes. I have two HUGE tubs of the Pure Protein. It's disheartening. I am hoping eventually I'll start liking them again. As I can, I'll just buy small amounts of different brands until I can find something that doesn't make me gag. Sad but true, I used love my shakes so much and I never thought my tastes would change that much.

i have taken prescription zegerid for several years due to acid reflux and I am not allowed back on it, unless I open it and put in yogurt or sf pudding. I took it twice a day. The surgeon put me on pepsid twice a day and it helps and it's a tiny little pill. I can't wait to get back on my zegerid though. I also take chewable Gas-x. Unfortunately the dissolvable gas-x isn't strong enough. I have to take like 3 or 4 of them to get the same as the chewable gas-x.

It's a diuretic. It can also causes stomach upset. Not sure what your pre-op diet is like. Mine was only 3 shakes a day, sugar-free Jello or sugar-free popsicles and crystal light. There are some people that actually got some food and suffered. Pre-op diet - during caffeine withdrawal - is a double whammy. Take my advise and quit the caffiene now. (I LOVED my coffee). I switched to decaff then when I realized decaff was going to be hard on me after the sleeve, I decided to switch to decaff Bigelow Peppermint Tea with Truvia. Best decision I made (I say it almost every chance I get). The most soothing, calming thing after surgery was the Peppermint tea. It was easy to go down warm (ask nurse for a styrofoam cup) and I truly think it was what helped me be able to handle the Water. It actually tasted great though it cooled off during the night and it helped me train myself to be able to handle cooler water. Some people have issues with cold water after surgery. I made it in the morning and then before bed - but I drank it all day with my water. It has been my saving grace during my hospital stay til today. Unfortunately, in the hospital when the tray comes they usually give you a cup of hot water, served in a coffee cup with a side of generic sugar-free sugar packet and the hot water tastes and smells like coffee and is gross. You are not allowed coffee after surgery because of the diuretic effect. Dehydration is one of the worst things that can happen to you after surgery, and coffee is hard on your sleeve. I have tried decaff about 1-1/2 weeks after surgery and it made me sick to my stomach.

I didn't dream about my surgery pre-op - I didn't think about surgery at night, I just acted like every day before surgery was another day. I was calm, cool collected. Remember go into surgery with a positive attitude, keep a good thought, a picture or a favorite song running into your head. Be happy and positive and maybe you will be lucky enough to wake up with the same positive attitude and spirit. It makes the doctor's, nurses and those that are with you happier and in a better mood, and that's always a bonus

I think getting in and out of a regular bed at first would suck, but I had some complications. I stayed 5 nights in the hospital though. I also had a hernia repair and other things though.

In the beginning - right after surgery I would say counting it would be absolutely fine, but eventually 64 ounces should come directly from water, decaff tea, crystal light etc.

Sign up for myfitnesspal.com and try to get in 80 grams of Protein - stay around 800 calories, and about 45 grams of carbs. Please remember 64 ounces of Water a day. I lost 70 in 7 months during the pre-approval phase.

I went from 330 - 128 before and there were times at 128 I actually felt like I was fatter than when I was 330. I have been 300 and thought I looked good >.< what a nut. Unfortunately, this is where some sort of positive reinforcement and perhaps some psychotherapy could come in handy. Being at goal and thinking that you still look fat is not a good thing. You have to start finding ways to actually see yourself as you are and not being so harsh and critical on yourself. Sometimes when we are so overweight we don't tend to look at ourselves as a whole in the mirror, we look at our eye when we do our makeup, we look at the chin, our earring, our hair, but we tend to glance briefly or not at all at ourselves from the top down. After we lose weight, we become hyper critical and look at each piece and evaluate it much harsher. This is something we have to overcome. I went from 128 back up to way over 300 again and I'm on my climb down. I can tell you I'm a little harsher on my stomach now, that I loss 86 pounds than before, but because I didn't look at my stomach before, I shut down when it came to my weight. Now I try to keep that same mentality that I had before I lost the weight and say...okay, I'm breathing good, my clothes fit good, I look good and let it go at that. Every day give yourself some positive reinforcement. Sometimes the mirror lies and we are our harshest critics.

Did you drink real coffee? I have been told to NEVER drink coffee again. It could cause an ulcer and is extremely bad for the stomach. Your stomach was cut, cauterized and stapled and it needs to heal. You should only be trying to get in liquids right now like Water, perhaps Isopure (some clear protein), you can have decaff tea (I recommend Bigelow Peppermint Decaff tea). Make sure it's sugar free Jello too. Start out in the morning with just getting your water, medicine, etc. down. If you are on a ppi make sure you take that in the morning. I am waiting to get back on my normal stuff, but right now the doctor has me on pepsid. Even decaff coffee was too hard on my tummy after a week out and I decided I'm done with coffee for good. Maybe in a year I'll try an Ice Decaff coffee, but for now I'm sticking with something that is soothing and healing on the tummy and that's decaff Peppermint tea. If you hate peppermint, get a variety of decaff until you find one that is refreshing and healing on your belly. Oh yeah another question....were you giving the one ounce med cups to drink out of? I still find I take it a lot less air drinking out of small one ounce plastic little cups, I sip, sip, sip (takes 3 sips) to finish one ounce cup. I have less air going into my esophagus and stomach that way. I honestly am not enjoying drinking out of a water bottle anymore because I pull in too much air which makes it uncomfortable. I was also told it takes at least a month for the inside of the stomach to heal. Good luck to you, and remember just take it slow.

I think it depends on how you go into the sleeve. If people use the time wisely to actually get into the mentality of this HUGE surgery they are going through, if they use the time to slowly adjust to less carbs and start changing their patterns in advance of surgery, those people seem to have less of a problem after surgery. It sort of stands to reason that the person that eats everything and anything up until the pre-op shake diet, seems to have the biggest issues with the pre-op shake, and more problems after surgery with cravings. That's why this process is a long process though for you to work on some of the issues before surgery. The sleeve is only a tool though and it's how you use it. I'm almost 3 weeks out. I do have cravings, I want a pickle. I couldn't eat a pickle for the life of me right now. I have a taste for Turkey Meatball, something I have never had in my life. I smelled the Taco's I made for my family and it smelled delicious, but I knew I would sick as a dog if I ate it. I'm still on the liquid phase. Of course I would like to eat food with my family, but my life isn't over. Illysa said she cried, the truth is a lot of us cry after surgery and break down for weird reasons, and though she cried about food, she could have easily broke down because the anesthesia leaving her body. Most people a week or so after surgery have some really weird emotional outbursts, which don't make a lot of sense, but it's due to the surgery itself. I cried because my 4x pants that I loved had to be packed away and now my 1x pants are too big, what a stupid reason to cry, but I even read that once the body starts actually burning fat, it can cause hormones to be released that make you more emotional. I would love to sit and eat a normal dinner with my family, I do get a little hungry, but a few sips of a shake and blah I'm done. I spend the time with my family to still do the family thing, and realize some day I will be able to eat a little bit of the same food, just a smaller portion, but today is just not that day and I enjoy the fact that every day I am getting healthier. A little Peanut Butter in a shake made me nauseated. I would love a nice refreshing crisp salad, I can't have it. I'm not craving Doritos, candy bars, (right now the thought of chocolate makes me want to hurl). I still have to cook for the family food I can't have. I really wish to impart on those that are on the pre-approval stage to use your time wisely, I realize like me everyone is going for the sleeve so you can get off the diet roller coaster, but there needs to be a mindset that this is it, and that YOU can do it, with the help of the sleeve and it's not the sleeve that is going to do it and people don't have to put any effort into it. You are having surgery on August 7th, so you have a month to start working on lowering your carb intake and getting mentally prepared for the road ahead. I wish you the best of luck.

Mine is a closed account. It's for me and me only. I don't read or care about what other's are doing on there. I know what I need to do, I use it for my records, because it's easy to print out to take to the doctor's office when I needed to for the 6 month pre-op. It's easy to chart, I can use it online or at my doctor's office. The only friend I have on there is my son. I can open it up at the doctor's office and let them scroll through it.

You look great. I noticed all the above, but I also noticed the one thing that I notice on me, the feet, wow. I have had swollen feet and legs forever and have been on Water pills twice a day until surgery. Your feet were like mine, kind of square and swollen and now, look at all the definition. You can't even tell your feet are from the same person! I love looking at my little ankles and feet that aren't so square looking, because they constantly don't throb me, and I'm not constantly have to put them up because of swelling. Also you look taller, longer, leaner and your face absolutely has changed completely, it opened up and you are so pretty. Way to go!

Pre surgery that was my go to snack, peanut butter on a spoon. At 2 weeks out I put peanut butter in a shake and I got sick. It seems too hard to digest for me and not worth it. It's one of my favorite foods though.