iggychic

Susan, you have just as many people who have been here for some time who are leaving because they find the hugs and rosy support to be dangerous and frustrating. As a forum, I guess you have to chose who you want to be here for, or let the forum do so naturally. On another site I participate in there is a common complaint that they just can't take this site for long because it's so frustrating. I am all for supporting people are needing to TALK about their issues, but I will be one of those people who is hated I guess because I am not going to be quiet and let another reader think it's not a big deal to eat popcorn week two. People should be afraid to post that they broke their doctors rules. They should be so danged afraid that they DON'T BREAK THEM! Such is life...you have to decide what demographic you're after I guess.

You are making a smart choice, and please don't see this as the last time you will ever enjoy food again! You will eat again and enjoy it, but hopefully in a better shaped body, and probably less of it....but every bite will be savored Life isn't over with this surgery...it should be beginning

Actually that was an example of someone choosing to ignore their doctor's advice with a clear picture (one should get one) of what could happen if they did so. People can't see the raw shredded stomach stapled together so they break the rules. If a shred of chicken were to get caught in one of those sutures it could cause infection which leads to leaks. Leaks are life threatening...I know, I had one. She wrote that she advanced. If that was not the case and it was her doctor's choice, great! But post it that way so that people understand that you aren't making a bone headed move, you're just advancing because your DOCTOR told you to. People can only read black and white so to not say so encourages people to make bad decisions. This is never a good thing, would you not agree?

Worse choice than wine hun. It's carbonated which is NEVER a good choice for a new stomach. You could easily cause a leak.

You can buy more of those silly girl This is a step in the right direction!

Actually she clearly said she introduced foods a week early. This is not a good choice for a healing stomach. My comments are hopefully intended to make her think about this poor choice so that she can continue to lose, and not have to deal with weight gain via TPN (the food of choice for leak victims). I broke my leg last week...I can't see the pins doc says are holding the bones together and I'm feeling nifty, so I'm going to enter the pole vaulting contest tomorrow....cuz I'm probably fine right?????? Same thing!

REmember...it's the end of this year A new beginning for you in 2013! Not the end of the world! If It were the end of the world I'd invite you over to help us empty out the cellar....but it's not. Ring it in by following your docs orders and making good choices

Yup I forgot to add "good" to the Nurse I must admit that with two docs, two nuts, and a hospital as well involved with my care, I heard kind of the same thing you did Just get in the liquids (my first goal was just 8 oz on day one, then double each day if possible). Protein was just a bonus, but they pushed me pretty hard to get that in by week three and I was reading you weren't getting that push I guess so I wanted to push you myself LOL The low to no calorie thing...that's going to rule out even natural fruit juice though. Likely because the fruit sugar is still sugar and it can make diarrhea worse (which most of us have issues with during the liquid phase). So just take that in carefully or watered down so you don't make your tummy upset! Best of luck...and you'll get through these ugly weeks soon!!!!!

Nurse, are you absolutely sure you are understanding your doctor about the protein requirement (or lack thereof). That would be the one thing that is pretty much 100% with anyone who's had this surgery (that we have a protein goal, not what that goal is). It's important because your body will start breaking down proteins if you don't provide it with enough, ie your heart My doctor said no sugar added drinks by the way. So many people see "apple juice" but don't look to see that the number one ingredient is corn syrup. That would be a high calorie drink (as would be an orange julious heh heh) But apple juice made with apples and nothing else, would be a low calorie fruit drink. Anything with fake sugar is typically allowed as well. Just skip the corn syrup or high fruitouse stuff. But do check again on that protein requirement...I get the no carb issue (mine also does not limit them) but I MUST get 60 g's of protein or he beats me with a wet (whole wheat) noodle when I see him. Oh and don't advance your diet The doctor is smarter than you in that regard. You don't want to end up back in the hospital because you thought he didn't know what he was doing!

Two months is pretty much the minimum. What did your doctor advise?

I have not had weight issues since a child, but I wanted to chime in about stalls. I'm four months out and a month or so ago I had a huge loss...7lbs in 48 hours, then stopped losing entirely...plateau for a MONTH! This was after a steady and constant loss daily. But I have stuck with the program and finally am seeing the scale move again. In that month of nothing I lost three inches around my waist, 2 in my chest and half an inch on my neck. (I don't measure anything else). I've gone down two sizes in that time oddly enough, yet no weight loss, so don't fret that. It will come. For the OP, The stats on the sleeve are that you will lose (likely) 60% of your excess weight in the first year..so I am not sure where the doc gets 50% total. There are SO MANY people here who have exceeded that average it's hard to count them! Butterthebean strikes me as one who's lost (I think) basically everything you are trying to lose in a year and his lifestyle changes are keeping it off. But that's just one story...there are many more I wouldn't get hooked on the doctor's 50% number hun. Just stick to the program and it has to come off. It may take time but honestly, pure science says it will come off if you stick to it.

Just to keep you on schedule Steph...you are allowed to post as to the size of your thighs, what kind of sexual positions you desire in the future, and what size underwear you wish to buy. All other posting is not allowed until you get closer to your date. Heh heh Though cuz you're smart I'll give you a special waiver to say "what the hell" on occasion when you read stupid thoughts

We all heal at different rates hun. My guess is that you probably have more swelling than so many people you read about here (and that's a good thing because you aren't doing anything stupid!). I wasn't able to eat more than a few bites five weeks out of my second surgery either and if it was dense...maybe even a couple was too much. My doctor advised I go backwards and stick to less dense foods like cream Soups, (I ate a lot of chowder) cottage cheese, etc. Perhaps that's what you might want to do now and then wait a couple of weeks to advance further? Advancing too soon is dangerous, but advancing slowly is never unsafe as long as you're watching your Protein. As to the crackers...they were allowed on mine as well. My concern in reading that you were only able to get those down is that even in tiny amounts if we have a carb heavy meal (like bread or crackers) it goes through us too soon and we don't get to that full feeling, thus wanting more food sooner than we would have with half the amount of food if it were a denser protein like cottage cheese. (Did that make sense?)

And today another thread pops up with someone eating a week ahead of their doctors schedule (two weeks out...chicken sounds great!) Gad what makes these people smarter than their doctors????? Argh...time to clean house LOL

I had several complications during and after my surgery which resulted in another surgery, multiple hospital stays and half a million dollars in extra costs. You are quite right in saying that most insurance companies DO NOT pay for those costs if the initial surgery or the root cause of the complications was elective surgery. I always like to advise people who have this surgery self pay or in Mexico (often there are specific clauses in insurance policies to rule out coverage for complications stemming from any procedure completed outside of your natural country) to look for supplemental coverage just in case. This surgery almost took me away from my small child forever. He needs his mommy and he'd have been better off if I didn't have it. He still suffers concerns because of the trauma he went through when I was sick. I was such an idiot to have it but hadn't seen many complication stories either, and my doctors assured me constantly that I wasn't one of those risk factor patients anyhoo because I was so low BMI and had no other issues. It's a great sales pitch until you find yourself feeling so familiar in an ambulance you can get your own oxygen mask. There are many stories in these threads if you look of horrible complications. Mine has been removed because it caused my dear doctor so much stress (eyes rolling) but they are here in spades. As the procedure gets more and more popular we will see more and more people sharing their stories of pain and suffering sadly.

You look almost as cute as that baby (I'm a baby lover though so she distracts me LOL) I had my surgery the 23rd of Aug. You're doing really well

It's hard to give advice without more details. First I'd say crackers aren't your best choice so you should move away from that option (which you are probably trying to do hence this post). But when you say you can't eat much, what do you mean? At five weeks out of surgery a meal for me was about 1/4 cup of protein and that left me feeling quite full, often uncomfortable. At three months past with the swelling you still have down, I still am often uncomfortable with a 1/2 cup (which is what my nut wants me on). So, what's a "meal" to you?

I had my surgery in Washington State Stacy. And thanks But as to the silly questions...I don't mind them either. Questions are always ok. Moaning and groaning about another Protein shake is ok Getting frustrated with your husband eating pizza is ok...post away and vent here or ask questions but just don't post "I had popcorn half an hour out of surgery and I'm still alive" or expect someone like me is going to respond in a less than supportive manner Are you freaking nuts often comes to mind when I read those posts...and I temper that down on occasion heh heh

Curvy I make up a big pan of carmelized onions (to which I like to add mushrooms as well) and just keep it in tupperware. They easily keep a week fresh. They're great on eggs, over chicken, etc. Add a thin slice of Swiss cheese and you have the costco version without a storage issue heh heh

Carmelizing onions is very easy...just drop a bunch of thinly sliced onions in a frying pan with some high quality olive oil and cook til brown and carmelized I use walla walla sweet, which gives you a gorgeous mouthfull of flavor when cooked down. I then throw in a bunch of sliced mushrooms and use this as a pizza topping with a good aged balsalmic on whole wheat crust with motzerella and parmesan cheese....to die for! But it's also delish over a chicken breast or on a piece of whole wheat toast with cow cheese spread on it. But if I was feeling lazy I'd love those burgers (and I feel lazy alot so I"m going to get some LOL)

The thing about popcorn early out is that it can get stuck in your sutures just like it does in your teeth, so something like a popped pirate booty wouldn't have that problem, but I would think it's akin to cheeto's...you have to watch how many you have I didn't have this surgery to remove food from my life. I had it to lose weight and to learn to eat better. Regular meals are a killer for me (I often didn't eat for half a day and then ate too much cheese and crackers...and wine ) Portion size, etc, is my focus, but I am only taking highly processed foods from my life, which really, do any of us need? I'm as happy with whole wheat bread as I am with white, so why white? So popcorn is allowed, but I limit my serving to a cup at most (I haven't actually eaten that much, I seem to be full at half a cup of anything). I also eat potato chips on rare occasions...but only a very small serving. I am not a huge snacker, nor do I sit and eat a bag, so I feel ok with this. For others this might be as dangerous a path as a cheeseburger at macdonalds (something I must admit I'd eat prior but don't now). My doc does not believe in following any program except within healthy healing guidelines, and he encourages you to avoid processed foods or learn to limit them significantly. No limit on carbs, just a calorie limit and a goal for Protein (which I have to work at). I like this approach but can see it wouldn't work for all. Right now my sleeve does not like sugar much at all. Which is a great thing because if I did have a weakness it's for charleston chews and hot tamales, which I have zero desire for. Because I know they can be a problem for me, I'll continue to avoid them...my sleeve is actually teaching me that candy isn't everything I thought it was...I don't even crave it anymore. But champagne and wine are allowed (within reason LOL) which is the perfect program for me heh heh