MinaT

It's not as though your doctors are trying to punish you by making you lose weight during this six months. Also, it's not like you "can't" lose weight or will get denied, they go by your first weight. Trying to actually follow the program only sets up you up for success after the sleeve. The sleeve is a tool not a guarantee. I think you do a disservice to yourself by not attempting to follow your doctor's plan. Sign up for myfitnesspal.com and at least chart your food even if you decide to eat whatever you want to see where your issues lay. Stop closing your eyes to what your pitfalls are. Start working on getting 64 ounces of Water in. You WILL have to give up caffeine and pop - start working on that. Try working on getting 80 ounces of Protein in. Eat your meat first, your vegetables second and your carbs third. Have your fun days where you eat doritoes or cake. But decide on doritos or cake not both. The sleeve does not guarantee you permanent weight loss, and YOU need to change the way you do things, why make it harder on yourself when you are stuck doing pre-op shakes and still addicted to pop or coffee and then can't do the shakes because you have a headache every day due to caffeine withdrawal. There are people that go in to get sleeved and get opened up and then closed because their liver is too fat because they didn't follow doctor's orders. The doctor's aren't expecting you to lose 100 pounds in the pre-approval stage, but at least make some behavior modifications. Getting sleeved is a psychological whirlwind. You have to be mentally and physically prepared for the challenges you face after surgery. They take out 85% of your stomach, there is pain involved, there is restriction involved, there are a lot of psychological changes that occur and for you to put yourself through this and to not spend the time wisely to learn to chew chew chew your food, learn to get your water in and learn to chart your food and be able to look at 3 ounces of meat and recognize it compared to a 12 ounces is something that you should want to start working on. Start dropping some carbs out of your diet, so you don't end up suffering during preop is important. Learn to chew your food at least 20 times, learn to not drink 1/2 hour after you eat, is something you really should be working on. Good luck.

Congrats. I am almost 3 weeks out and I actually started having some emotional moments. I guess it comes with the territory, even happy emotions have made me a bit weepy is is odd for me. Congrats on the loss and good luck with the rest of your journey.

Congrats and good luck. I hope each day finds you feeling a little better.

If you need something for pain you can use Tylenol (either liquid tylenol (which is hard to find) but I use regular tylenols and I split them to make them easier to swallow). Use the binder when you have to and if you get a chance to sit with your belly out in the air (if nobody is around try it). I quit using my binder because it was making my incisions itch. Just keep working on your Water (try warm or cold) some people tolerate each a little different, try some decaff tea or crystal light and if you have a med cup use it or a shot glass because it makes sips much easier. Liquids flow through so you can a lot more in so don't be surprised about the 8 ounces of chicken soup. I did a little test to see how much I can handle so I took the one ounce med cup and poured water into it and basically i sipped each cup (usually 2 or 3 sips) and I was able to get 3 cups in comfortably in a row, my 4th cup I could feel full. so I could pretty sip 3 ounces of water in pretty quick succession but the 4 ounce was too much. When I get up in the middle of the night I usually have 3 med cups of water and then get into bed and then wait a little bit and have another cup before I go back to bed. Everyone should perhaps try that when they are comfortable to know when their stopping point is. It usually takes me about 20 minutes to get 2 tylenols (cut in 1/2) my plaquenil and ppi and optisource in every morning and about 1/2 hour getting all my night time meds in because I need so much water to wash it down.

I think you really need to relax a little bit about this or you are going to have a lot of upsetting moments like you are going through right now. I got sleeved on June 4th I weighed 229 on June 9th I weighed 235!!! I gained weight and I only had water, peppermint tea and one or two sips of isopure, one bite of jello and wasn't getting in more than 75 calories a day. For the past two weeks I am at about 200 calories just started to handle a protein shake yeterday. I have lost about a pound every other day. I have stepped on the scale in this time and was up a pound and tried back later or the next day and went down. I know the rapid weight loss IS going to stop. It's going to stop because now I'm starting to get some calories in and I have to adjust and I'm going to have ups and downs. I can weigh myself at 3 different times of the day and weigh differently. The sleeve is only a tool, and immediately going into it you think you are always going to lose weight, every day you are setting yourself up for a lot of depressing moments. The issue you are having at this moment, isn't the fact that you gained a pound (because it's not fat gain, it's just a slight fluctuation in water weight), it's the actual time where you start having emotions from after surgery. I cried twice this week and I NEVER....I mean I never cry about things, and the things I cried about were ridiculous. Please just give your body time to heal, give your stomach time to heal, I'm further out than you and my stomach is still swollen, I'm still experiencing gas pains, and my sleeve is still swollen. I'm still on liquids from my doctor.

Sending my thoughts and prayers out to the following June 21, 2012 Sleever's. Best wishes for a wonderful surgery and quick recovery. Angie_Musgrave Skinnytata - Dr Le at Kaiser South San Francisco MDZNCSLIM

Try drinking out of a med cup (like a one ounce cup) don't drink, just take little sips. Did they give you med cups (little one ounce cups?) If not see if you can get a shot glass or something small, put your liquid into that and take tiny little sips. Sorry you are having problems with sipping. Maybe call the doctor and tell them you are having nausea and they can give you something for a few days. Try to sip something that is room temperature and until you are feeling better stick with Water. Good luck to you.

Surgery June 4th. I'm still on full liquids. Started the optisource Multivitamin first day home - 4 a day, they used to take a long time to get down. I take a sublingual b12 and today I started the Biotin (probably it's too big but I started it anyhow because I have fine hair.) I drink as much of a Protein shake as I can for Breakfast, I still try the Isopure for extra protein. I will try a sf pudding for a night snack and dinner I try to get in cream of chicken, mushroom, asparagus or some sort of low fat cream Soup strained. I can only get in about 4-6 teaspoons of soup. I was at around 20 grams of protein a day and somehow I got 54 in today. I mainly care about getting my 64 ounce of Water in though and I'm trying to built up my tolerance to full liquids.

Congrats on the solid, Karen, I'm so sorry about the problem with the pureed. What did you try?

Oh bless her heart. My father and mother will be married in December 50 years and they are the same, goofy & lovable. My father has been my biggest supporter, until the time of surgery. He became so nervous he decided not to come to the hospital until I was already in the OR. He wore the blackest dark glasses when he visited me and he was a mess. As I progress and I start feeling better he seems to have adjusted. Your Mom does not want to see you in pain, does not want to see you go through a drastic surgery out of love and concern for you. She will be fine once she sees that you are fine. Good luck to you!

Okay, for some reason I lost the ability to edit my first post. On June 25, 2012 there is an addition of init4me so far, and I do not see the "edit" button. I'm really sorry maybe it's a glitch and I'll try back later.

Did you use their insurance or did you self-pay? Can you get a Dr.'s note.. If you have any lifting I think that would be way too hard. I was sleeved on June 4th and I honestly think I would have a hard time going back to work next Monday. Good Luck. ps - did you have a hernia repair or adhesions removed during surgery? If so, why not just explain you had a hernia repair and some adhesion issues. This is what everyone but my parents and husband and son has been told. It's the truth, I just left out the sleeve part of the surgery.

I had surgery on June 4th at 229 and June 9th I was 235 and I was consuming about 185 calories a day. It comes off, it's gas, bloating, inflammation, Water retention from IV fluids. Good for you being able to get in 400-600 calories in so soon. I just turned a corner it seems. I had been only getting in about 200 -230 a day and finally I'm starting tolerate full liquids. I had my first Protein shake today that didn't make me nauseated and didn't taste like elmers glue!! I loved Pure Protein 100% Frosty chocolate pre-surgery and I got to the point I can't tolerate any and today I decided after a week of trying others I hate so much to try it and I got an entire serving down!!

I have back pains that I did not have prior to surgery and I'm two weeks out. I do not sleep on my back normally, and I attribute this to part of my probably, also you may walk more guarded or a little more hunched since surgery, so you are guarding your stomach more which is also putting more pressure on your back. Also, as you lay on the table and they work on you, you don't really realize how much pressure is used, how you are manipulated during surgery to put your gown on and off, and all of this contributes to the back pain. Lastly, gas can cause more back pain. I have been sleeping with ice packs on my back and each time I use restroom I change them out to a fresh ice pack. It has helped. It's getting better as time passes. I have a new thing both my shoulders are sore now (not gas pain sore anymore) but for some reason, my shoulders are a little more tight than they used to be.

I have to cut small tylenol in 1/2 and went on pepsid instead of my prilosec because of the big size. I will ask on the 27th when I can go back on those. The pepsid doesn't do much for me.

Wow, I love hearing stories like this. I am only 2 weeks out and I had my first real nsv on Sunday. We went to my parents and my son had my car so I had to ride in my husband's truck for the first time since last fall. It was very hard to get up and into because of surgery, but when I did my husband handed me a tummy pillow and then I panicked because I realized it didn't have the seat belt extender. However, I was actually able to use the pillow and put the seat belt on and for the first time I was able to connect it myself and there was room between me and the seat belt. Normally my husband would have to get in the truck and then click the seat belt in for me. Also when he shut the door I braced because normally the door would hit my hip and leg and it didn't. I lost weight previous to the surgery as I followed the low carb high Protein plan for pre-approval, but I had not been in the truck since before i started and I didn't even realize how I would brace for getting hit by the door, or how I would panic over not having the seat belt extender we always had to use. It was a great feeling.

Sending prayers to the following June 20, 2012 Sleever's. Good luck and best wishes and see you on the other side. Praying June 19th is doing well. Ready! Set! Brandy Riggen nmg4unj5 JRoybal - Dr. Garcia jonamarie2012

Welcome, I am on full liquid, I can't have mashed potatoes yet, and that's the one thing I am seriously looking forward to. Protein drinks make me sick, so I normally stick with the clear ones like Isopure (which taste terrible) but are definitely better than Protein shakes (I used to LOVE protein shakes pre-surgery). I tried Cream of asparagus today and of course it's very gassy, but I seriously wanted something that tasted good, so I had a few teaspoons of it and tried to eat around the asparagus. I did not buy the cream of wheat because I was worried about how high the carbs were, but I wish I would have. I bought some baby Cereal that has low carbs and will try a few teaspoons tomorrow. I basically try to get an ounce or two of something in every 4 hours at least instead of worrying about trying to sit and get 4 - 8 in at once. 4 ounces is my limit on anything including Water. After the few teaspoons of Soup two hours ago, now I'm trying 1-1/2 ounces of sf pudding. I'm hoping to start hitting 250 calories soon, because 200 calories and under 20 protein is a little too low at this point I think.

Haha!! Guess what? The peppermint Tea that I use every day is Bigelow Peppermint Decaff Tea!!!!! I told my son to pick me up the CS tea and he brought it to me and I said no that's not it, it's in a blue package lol. I laughed so darn hard because he brought it and said it's Bigelow lol. Ah, I really promoted the heck out of the wrong tea. Still, to this day it's my saving grace, it's the one thing that calms my tummy when it hurts.

Good morning June Sleevers. I know everyone has different doctors & each one of us will be expected to do something different for their pre-op diet. I started my first day of 14 day New Direction (3x's a day) pre-op diet. I picked two variety packs with chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, hot cocoa, cream of chicken Soup, plus I picked a few boxes of the strawberry, chocolate and chocolate with Fiber which may help a bit. This morning I had the hot cocoa, it was kind of whatever tasting, it's mixed with Water. I'm used to drinking the Pure Protein 100% whey Protein Frosty shake with Skim Milk, which I absolutely love and have had for Breakfast every day for the last 6 months. I can't wait until post-op to go back to them lol. I went to the grocery store this morning and picked up sugar-free Propel (Black Cherry), Sugar-Free Popsicles and Sugar-Free Jello, another box of Truvia and some Decaff tea. I weighed myself this morning after my decaff & hot cocoa. I gained three pounds since yesterday afternoon. Yesterday I had my normal breakfast shake, I had a Turkey Sandwich & Broccoli Cheddar Soup from Potbelly for dinner as my last food. I normally only get their salad but decided to actually eat bread, though I have avoided for a while now. I had a few oyster crackers for snack with Peanut Butter and was still under 900 calories and gained three pounds. Yeah...this is going to be a fun fourteen days. The way my silly metabolism works, I hope I don't gain weight within the next 14 days! Does anyone have anything special planned for Memorial Day Weekend next week? Normally I have a huge BBQ here and we normally open up the pool at my house. Since only my parents, husband and son know, and I haven't told my siblings, this is going to be the first year I don't have a party. They all know I'm having hernia surgery and getting some scar tissue removed, but they don't know about the sleeve, so nobody will be too disappointed, but I still feel bad that I'm not having a party. Next year will be here in no time though. Good luck to you all, it's getting closer. If anyone is nervous or excited or needs encouragement, please feel free to share.

I will say some prayers that you love them after surgery. I loved Pure Protein Frosty chocolate so much, and I hated when I had to go on New Directions for pre-op. Right now I am not a fan of any Protein shake. I drank protein shakes for Breakfast and sometimes lunch for almost 7 months prior to surgery and I have always loved them. This is really hard on me right this second but i was told that someday I will like them again, I just had a little tastebud change for right now after surgery. I am hoping so because I have so many tubs that I bought prior to surgery.

I had surgery June 4th with hernia repair and some pretty serious complications and I still use a med cup to drink unless I have to go in public. Each cup is usually 3 sips and I have taken down one ounce in one sip but that's a little uncomfy still. At night when I get up to use restroom I usually sip 3 cups in a row and the 4th (4 ounce) usually I start feeling a little full. I normally just keep sipping all day long. I have no problems getting liquids in. Unfortunately I'm at an awkward stage where i hate the taste of every Protein shake I have ever loved. Not sure what the problem is, I even hate the taste of my toothpaste right now, but I realize it's a phase. I do not use my beloved magic bullet anymore either because it creates too many gassy bubbles. Sip, sip sip. Don't worry about trying to get in Proteins. It actually takes quite a while before you become protein deficient. Your body can live off protein stores for quite a while. Just try not to become dehydrated. For something soothing I drink Decaff Bigelow Peppermint tea with Truvia. I use the med cup still too, though I find it easier to drink this out of a glass now than I do Water. It's good warm and it's soothing on the belly and it tastes good cold too.

Worry mostly about the Water. Are you using the small medical cups to drink your water? Some people like warmer water. If water is hard try a decaff tea with some added artificial sweetener. I like Bigelow Peppermint Tea (i always celestial seasonings) but it's actually Bigelow lol. and Truvia. It has helped me a lot. I'm really struggling with the Protein. It disgusts me though I used to love Protein shakes. It's like a disgusting sticky elmers glue to me now. If i throw it in the blender or use my magic bullet it whips too much bubbles in it.

Liquid in - Liquid out. It's normal. Also, be grateful for it. Can you imagine just having liquid and being constipated, after surgery? I've heard people say how painful it is. Liquid out with the gas is a bit painful still to me, but I feel better that something is coming out. I have had several bowel obstructions in my life, and I know I'm doing okay because I'm passing the liquid. As your diet progresses so will the bm's change.

Blondee so glad we're not alone. It's been a while and I'm just trying to get down 8 ounces of muscle milk. If it's blended it's harder because of the gas, so that's why I'm doing this. It's really the taste, the protein taste, is sticky, sweet and seriously has a glue like taste to it. I'm going to the hospital this afternoon and they are going to have some unflavored protein for me to add to things to get in extra's. I'm going to order that Syntrax Nectar 14 for $14.00 plus free shipping. I thought I'd be to pureed by 4th of July, but I doubt it and we got invited next door to a party. I'm going to have to get the Optisure Green Tea and just throw it in a glass. I'm still using med cups 2 weeks later, and it's easier i swallow less air that way. I don't know how I am going to do this party, but I think I'll go for an hour then escape to my parents saying I'm suppose to have dinner there. lol