iggychic

It is nearly impossible to stretch your stomach if your surgery was done correctly (leaving nothing of the stretchy part). That's a cruel myth that just does not seem to die. Water, and any liquid, will flow through your quickly. At this stage in the game you are over being swollen and generally heeled so thin liquids should easily go down and you should be able to drink lots of them. I had a complication and it has left me with a smaller stomach than I was supposed to have. Boy do I wish a sleeved stomach could be stretched!

I was sick for a couple of months after the surgery including one spent in hospital so I totally got my sleep schedule screwed up. I was used to them coming in and draining my stupid tubes every couple of hours, then about the time you do fall asleep out of desperation the surgeons would stop by to visit (between 5 and 6 every morning) then the rounds, then the nurses change schedules, then....well it really screws with a good sleep. It took me several months to get back into a decent sleep pattern. I had the same issue when DS was born. He was very sick so he didn't sleep more than 15 mins at a time, then we put him on a feeding tube and had to wake him every two hours 24/7....it was ugly and I gained a lot of weight! Sleep is so freaking important to good health. To get back on track after this my doc gave me some pills to help me fall asleep...can't remember what they were but they didn't knock me out for eight hours, they just made me fall asleep faster and lasted in the system about 4 hours...and I could wake up if I had to (I get up once or twice still with DS). If you're really having issues I'd ask for some help on a short term basis. You need it for your sanity, not to mention your health.

I watch Protein (have to hit 60g daily during weight loss and 50 in maintenance) but not much else. No carb restrictions, though they suggest I stay away from highly processed foods (no white bread and cotton candy). I still can't really eat bread and likely never will be able to due to complications and sugar does not sit well with me either, which is fine. I do eat a french fry on occasion, and love a good onion ring I eat corn chips with bean dip because it's a good fat bomb but given I can eat so very little, I never go over any calorie or other (carb/fat/salt or sugar) goal that MFP sets for me. I've been asked to up my fats actually so now instead of no fat milk I've been drinking whole milk, adding butter, etc. When you eat a couple of cups of food in total a day it's hard to screw it up, carbs or otherwise As my doc says, carbs aren't all bad...in fact they are part of a balanced diet and we didn't do this to live on a diet for the rest of our life did we????

I regret it big time. I know several who do, all are survivors of complications we were told we were not at risk for You know...those only happen to the really high BMI people, you're gonna breeze through this...blah blah blah. So six months later I wear smaller jeans. Nice, but I could have done it differently if I really made an effort. This seemed easy..and it nearly killed me. As it stands I am likely to have long term issues because the scar tissue has made my small stomach even smaller. I can't advance over 1/2 cup meals at all so I can't get up to a proper nutritional level. This means I'll have to supplement my calories for the rest of my life if I don't want to lose weight forever. I'm still in the weight loss phase but my doctors are very concerned about my future. I think this surgery is an option to consider under extreme circumstances. But it's not a good option for many who choose it, either because it's too easy and they never deal with their psychological issues, or it causes too much weight loss, or the complications are too high a risk...it's not for everyone and I wish I hadn't been such an idiot and thought it was a good option for me. As I come closer and closer to the maintenance phase I regret it more and more. Feeding tubes have been discussed as an option....I didn't do this so that I could go to bed every night with a pump feeding me vile liquids....sigh, not what you wanted to read, but this is reality for many people who have this surgery.

And did you really read in a post about haters that I was linking the president to nazi's and kkk members? I said hate groups for gods sake. Try reading before you attribute such vile thoughts to someone you don't know.

Do you all not have these people in your towns? They are typically skin heads and have posters with pictures of the president wearing a hitler mustash saying to impeach him, etc. They spend hours handing out hate brochures which are filled with veiled references to his color being a problem as the US president...hence the Hitler/KKK/Obama haters statement. They're a horrible hate group and completely disrespectful to our sitting president. They're most often set up outside of post offices...I've seen them in Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, and yes, Alaska.

I would genuinely find it painful and frightening to have those people in my neighborhood. I'm sorry you have to suffer them, but the gesture of the house did make me smile . A quiet hero at work! What a great home owner!! We get those nazi/KKK/Obama people outside of our house on occasion because we are across the street from the post office. They used to set up on our side, but no matter the weather I always thought their set up was a signal for me to turn the sprinkler on . I've watered in rainstorms lol. And sometimes I have to really turn it up to get their area "well watered" but it makes me smile every time. Hate groups have no place in our world.

All carbs are not bad, though these are from added sugars so you need to consider that. That said, I like to make it by putting it in a hot pan and doing a quick sautee, then melt cheddar cheese on it like a crab melt I sometimes have it on toast but often just like that.

LOL honey you must be in bad shape if you love me tonight I don't think there is a cure for that though once bitten by the iggy bite you are stuck with me heh heh Really....I'm dealing with odd complications lately so I have great sympathy for anyone who is doing the same. Be it the surgery or the huge changes to our bodies, we have to realize we have some adjustment medically in many cases to the "new" us. I hope your issue isn't terribly serious Laura. I do have a dear friend who had to lose her thyroid and she actually found the loss to be the best choice she made. She was instantly better after suffering immensely for a couple of years prior. Get a second opinion as suggested...it's a major choice, but still....it's not always all bad. Then a bud light.....

I had pizza (CANADIAN BACON AND CHEESE) this weekend on vacation. I normally have wood fire type stuff (thin crust, hand made, high quality toppings) and while this was advertised as that it was actually kind of a thick crust. I enjoyed a small piece but didn't eat all of it. I have trouble with any food due to complications that left me with a smaller stomach than most, but still it was fine and I enjoyed it I count all of my calories, log my food, and didn't have this surgery to not eat again. I don't eat a full pizza or a pizza and fries or anything else silly Moderation is the key. I'm six months out though....but at two months out I enjoyed the toppings of a wood fired pizza as well. If you are sufficiently out from surgery (allowed by your surgeon to have it) than enjoy a bit and see how it fits for your tummy. BTW...one would NEVER experience problems from a food eaten a week earlier LOL That surgeon was surely pulling your leg hard!

one wants to reply something obnoxious like "Bud" but you are sick so I shall refrain....

green beer is better.....

Well first of all turn off the caps lock....its hard to read and considered yelling. So, how are you sick? What do you eat? How fast? How much? etc. if you want some help tell us more please and we will try. Knowing where you started helps as well. Low bmi will lose slower than high. What does your doc say they haven't seen before? You left a lot out.

Just to be clear, that poster was a very low bmi if I remember correctly. I also was low bmi and while I had a prediet, it was not a liquid diet nor was it terribly strict. The difference being I wasn't as heavy as people who have this surgery should be so my doctor was easier on me. I was limited to 40carbs a day (which included wine) and nothing else was focused on. Dream preop? Sure it's a nice one, but I had much much less to lose than others so my liver wasn't as badly damaged (fatty) because of it. Do not compare yourself to others. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW YOUR DOCTOR!!!! Your doctor chooses a path which is geared towards YOU being successful in this surgery, just as mine did. Your journey is not mine though and as such following my path might harm you.

What's up Laura? If you want to share....I hope thing are ok for you.

I didn't have this surgery to live like a nun. Yes you can drink after two months (anything earlier is not good for your healing stomach, don't listen to anyone who would tell you differently...talk to your surgeon). I drink wine, not hard liquor. I was told champagne (bubbles) was ok after four months but wine was ok after two. I do not get drunk easier, in fact it's quite the opposite..it does not affect me much at all, though I do drink slower than I used to. What is bad is that I lost my palate after I went two months without food due to complications so now I find I can only drink white wine (some metabolic change that makes the tannins bother me in reds) and I don't appreciate the subtle flavors as I used to so good wine is sadly wasted on me I used to be known for my palate and we collect wine so this is something I find beyond annoying. See how the booze effects you by trying it at home. I rarely drank a hard drink prior to surgery but occasionally would have a liquor with friends after dinner out. Now I can't drink those because of the concentrated sugars. They make me literally vomit...which I fortunately discovered at home with just my spouse. Booze and sugar can effect you differently after surgery. For me it's the tannins and the sugars. For others they get drunk very easily. You should figure out how you do with it at home, then enjoy you life to it's fullest after you know how you do

Cheri, great idea! OP, there is an IVF specialist in Denver who specializes in advanced maternal age. Their rates for over 45 are top in the nation. They use a form of viagra that increases the uterine wall lining (biggest issue for most of us). You don't need to live there, just fly there for a couple visits and they work with your local doc. But yes, do find a specialist that has proven success rates in the geriatric group . we have different issues than the kids do.

I think you get extra stars for not wearing a dress

Lmao now why does that not surprise me .