girlnamedNikki

Anyone hungry after eating just the 1/4 cup of food? I'm having a really hard time sticking to it.

Wow you're supposed to eat 65 grams of protein?

You look amazing! How often do you work out? If you don't mind me asking how much skin access do you have? I'm so excited, I am 18 days out and lost 28.2 pounds. Exciting times ahead and woman like you inspire. Thanks for sharing!

So it's been a while since I posted because... I ended up back in the hospital, unfortunately I wasnt able to have a bowel movement for 2 weeks and it ended up being obstructed. Not a fun process to fix btw. One thing I would recommend to anyone going to get the surgery is go have an enema before surgery. Would have proven very helpful for me. Anyway I'm back on my recovery path, having a very hard time with puréed foods and the five hours between meals. A few questions: Does everyone else have 5 hour period between meals, seems more for a person who wakes up at 8am, I get up at 10/11 cause I work late. I'm hungry! I'm eating dinner at 11pm - sad face. Waiting on dietician to call me back but I was curious what everyone else's dieticians say. Anyone else having headaches? I'm sure it's the lack of carbs but it is annoying. Has anyone consulted with a dietician that wasn't your doctors Bariatric dietician? Anyone know why we are required to do sugar-free, other than the obvious? I prefer to eat very natural organic foods so these chemical products aren't fulfilling. And last but not least what did everyone's Dietician tell them their daily calorie intake should be? Anyway 18 days post op and I've lost 28.2 pounds!! So excited. Sweet dreams all. N Xoxo

You should buy one of those make your own soda things out of regular water. It permits you to determine how much fiz you want. Just be careful, we all have our vices, but I was told soda stretches the stomach. However I also know if having your little bit of soda makes this process easier than maybe you do a bit more excerise. We all have to be able to live comfortably once the healing process is done.

Not sure if you're a sushi fan but something I did was get sushimi pieces and finely chopped it - it looked like spicy tuna they put in the rolls but it was just the raw fish finally chopped and is really good. (kind of made me feel normal regarding eating too) I also do egg salad, tuna fish salad, chicken salad, baked fish, boiled cabbage (cut very finely). I find cutting things into mush isnt as gross looking as pureeing it with a blender. (i agree on the blended meats, gross!) Going to try some of the above ideas cause they sound yum!

CONGRATULATIONS! I'm 1 week, 4 days post op and you're a true inspiration!! Regarding the amusement parks, I do know it's on size not weight but you should call and ask! You'll get there if not this summer or fall, next. But from the sounds of it I think you may be able to this summer.

How long did it take everyone to start feeling somewhat normal, ie no pain. Not talking about eating. I went from feeling great after surgery to intense pain now that my muscles are starting to heal. They even increased my pain meds. Any advice on how to strength my core muscles, especially since they haven't been used in ages ha! I just would like to be able to walk around, drive, not be on oxygen or pain killers. Kind of looking for a "after x number of weeks I started to feel better" kind of answer so I have a goal to look forward to. :-)

Cart wheels would be awesome - especially since doing that an a summersault is on my bucket list - was never able to do one as a kid cause of my weight. :-)

Ladies! Stand up and fight for you! Remind your husbands that you made promises to each other for better or worse, in sickness and in health and that YOU are doing this for YOU! You want to be healthy, happy and around to spend the rest of your life with him. Be proud of yourselves!

Oh sweetie I can relate! I felt what you are feeling leading up to my surgery and truly felt no one could relate and what's worse is the month prior, I had to travel every weekend for work. Arrgh. Traveling on planes is the worse, nothing worse than being asked if I purchased 2 seats or if the person next to me minds that I am spilling into their seat. (could have stabbed a b***h flight attendant for saying that) But the one thing you have to give yourself credit for is although you may have tried other things or not tried other things - you are tying this! And this is the next step to the rest of your life. Be proud that you are making this step. I'm only 1 week from post-op in a ton of pain and haven't lost any weight yet (altho I didn't weigh myself on my scale before surgery - and if I went by my doctors scale I've lost 15 pounds but I'm only going by my scale for consistency) anyway the point is I am trying! I have made this the thing I am giving my all to. I even started to cheat 4 days out and then 6 days out realized I'm only cheating myself and how horrible is that so I cut myself off and went back to my liquid diet. You have to give yourself a break. Be confident that you can be successful and you are worth this life change and worth success. I do think you will need therapy because you don't want to live your life beating yourself up every time you slip up. We are all human and no where near perfect. I hope you take what I'm saying to you to heart, applaud yourself for taking this step, it's not a small one - it's a huge life change and you are doing it!

Sending you go vibes! Here is to a new beginning!

Hi Kendra, Nice to meet you. My First week has been a roller coaster. Initially I was shocked how easy things were, very little pain, didn't feel full, was hungry all the time but couldn't consume large amounts in one sitting. To be honest I was aggravated, I want the feeling of full, no longer able to eat, I even want the dumping syndrome because to me that would make me obey my body and forgo over eating. So what did I do... Cheated. Started with some saltines then went to blending stew so I felt fuller. I was frustrated and hungry. So then I spoke to my doctor and he graduated me to puréed foods. So I pushed that, ate black Beans, ground taco meat and a tortilla. The next morning I felt stretched and tired. Slept most the day and then ventured out, I threw up but very little - this I chalked up to the fact that I get motion sickness very easily and just needed to relieve that feeling and minimal Water in my stomach. But then I cracked, I needed potatos, so I went to a deli and got a loaded baked potato with broccoli soup on top. Justified this by blending 2 large scoops with milk and making it mush. So Sunday I woke up very unhappy. My drain was painful, my stomach was hard, sensitive to touch, my chest hurt, I was still hungry but not happy. Several calls to my doctor, him reassuring me I was fine, I was starting to feel pain. Yet, I was still eating soft foods, not even puréed. I was pushing myself, and for what to feel full? For a craving? So dinner came and I ordered Thai food (really!!) and literally 2 bites in I started crying and realized I am risking my life, not only because I could hurt my new sleeve but also because I just spent $20k and am disregarding it like the surgery never happened. I vowed then and there to go back to liquid diet and follow my diet starting immediately. (Hun, pain killers are kicking in, I'll finish my last 24 hours in another post) :-)

Hi Kendra, Nice to meet you. My First week has been a roller coaster. Initially I was shocked how easy things were, very little pain, didn't feel full, was hungry all the time but couldn't consume large amounts in one sitting. To be honest I was aggravated, I want the feeling of full, no longer able to eat, I even want the dumping syndrome because to me that would make me obey my body and forgo over eating. So what did I do... Cheated. Started with some saltines then went to blending stew so I felt fuller. I was frustrated and hungry. So then I spoke to my doctor and he graduated me to puréed foods. So I pushed that, ate black Beans, ground taco meat and a tortilla. The next morning I felt stretched and tired. Slept most the day and then ventured out, I threw up but very little - this I chalked up to the fact that I get motion sickness very easily and just needed to relieve that feeling and minimal Water in my stomach. But then I cracked, I needed potatos, so I went to a deli and got a loaded baked potato with broccoli Soup on top. Justified this by blending 2 large scoops with milk and making it mush. So Sunday I woke up very unhappy. My drain was painful, my stomach was hard, sensitive to touch, my chest hurt, I was still hungry but not happy. Several calls to my doctor, him reassuring me I was fine, I was starting to feel pain. Yet, I was still eating soft foods, not even puréed. I was pushing myself, and for what to feel full? For a craving? So dinner came and I ordered Thai food (really!!) and literally 2 bites in I started crying and realized I am risking my life, not only because I could hurt my new sleeve but also because I just spent $20k and am disregarding it like the surgery never happened. I vowed then and there to go back to liquid diet and follow my diet starting immediately. (Hun, pain killers are kicking in, I'll finish my last 24 hours in another post) :-)

It may be a silly question but its 4:37AM and my brain won't stop asking the question. Has anyone ever done this surgery and not lost the weight? Scared of the answer.

So as some of you read in previous posts, I definitely was having an easier than expected recovery. Which bothered me; I didn't want this to be easy, I wanted to throw up if I ate too much or the wrong thing, to me that seemed so much easier than the alternative - everything feeling the same. But that is what I got, stomach feels the same, I really don't feel a feeling of full and wasn't in much pain. This unfortunately led to me eating regular foods 4 days after my surgery and pushing my limits. I posted on here that it worried me that I would disregard my surgery and myself so easily. But alas even after confessing to my doctor he bumped me from liquids to puréed foods in hopes I would feel fuller and start feeling the feelings of fullness & discomfort I was hoping for. Nothing happened so i pushed a bit more, never in size but just in product. This time it was a loaded baked potato, only 2 tablespoons and mushed with milk, but still this was only leading to a bad place. Then day 5 I fell asleep without draining my drain and awoke to a very painful stomach, my container had filled up completely and hadn't drained in several hours - the port is irritated, my stomach is hard and sore and I feel icky to say the least. I went all of day 6 stressed out that I had a leak and bugged my doctor numerous times. He reassured me none of the symptoms I have are leakage related but more drain irritation. I confessed to my potato eating and that I was eating "soft foods" not puréed, he again said it was fine and to be aware of my Fluid intake, the drain coloring and whether or not I had a fever. None of which have changed, still can eat, still very little feeling of full, only difference is I now feel bloated, have painful stomach muscles, have not passed a ba and definitely feel like I should. And i was scared, is this the feeling of stretching my stomach? Did I have a leak? And then it hit me. What the hell am I doing!?!? I spent $20,000 I really don't have, I want to change my life and be healthier, fitter, sexier, smaller me and I couldn't even last 6 days!!! So I put down my dinner, grabbed my stash of saltines, called my two closest friends and told them not to take my **** and to yell an scream and to help me. I am starting over, I'm back on my liquid diet, until Thursday which is when I can switch to puréed foods. I'm following my plan, retraining my brain, walking, and doing as I am told. I'm praying that I didn't actually do damage and that this pain is as the doctor is telling me and that I am lucky. Tomorrow is another day and I'm sure it won't be easy but I have to try. I wanted to write this all down so that a) I'm accountable I can reassure myself c) maybe help someone else who may be in the same place as I am. If you've fallen off the horse or cheated or pushed your limits at any stage of this life change just know, tomorrow is another day, you deserve better for yourself, this isn't going to be easy but we will prevail! xoxo

Hello Hello! LoDo (Downtown Denver here) I'm 7 days post-op today! Would love to chat with you all. Say hi anytime. Nikki xoxo

Hello! I'm in downtown Denver and would love to be your buddy haha. Trust me I didn't know how bad I wanted someone else who had gone thru this until I went to pay for my surgery and the accounting lady told me she had had it done! It was like she was exactly what I needed. She got me so excited just by the fact that we could chat openly and not be embarrassed. And then again when I found this site, no one truly understands unless they are going thru it or have gone thru it. Everyone is unique but we also need to relate to someone. So guess what - you have a new friend!! Oh btw I'm Nikki, I am 1 week post op! Looking forward to getting to know you. :-)

Thanks gentlemen

Make sure you're getting enough protein and from what I read the anasethia can cause a premature period and or even make you double up. Like us ladies don't have enough to deal with during Post-Op! Hang in there!

Hi Lissa, Great advice and I shall. Being a self pay I feel like I kind of have missed all the PRE-Op requirements of therapy, classes etc. which I now know are so important. Knowledge is power. Thanks for the advice and I will call first thing. Nikki xoxo

I have discovered that one of the reasons I'm so hungry (post op day 6 and like you on liquids) was because I am not getting enough protein. I unfortunately started to cheat and have actually put myself back on liquid diet. One thing I am trying is protein powder mixed in so I am getting enough protein intake in a day. However one thing you can do is take a stew soup or chicken noodle and blend it, it will have a cream consistency which makes me feel fuller. I also drink protein drinks, isopure protein drinks, can't get enough of the sugar free popsicles and jello. If you're able to get down the 32 ounces of water without difficulty, call your doctor he may bump you to puréed foods.

So I had my surgery this past Monday, and besides gas and fatigue, nothing really feels different. Don't get me wrong the first 2 days were painful and uncomfortable and I stayed an extra day in the hospital but now that I'm home I find it really odd that I'm hungry. Really hungry. I am able to get down 32 ounces of water already, even eaten puréed and super soft foods. I don't feel full, which has me worried and although I have chest pain that is kind of like I'm full, it quickly goes away. I just expected to not be able to eat, to feel dumping, to not feel hungry to be miserable haha. Just worried. Should I be?

Practice before hand. It's not easy. My Dietician has me stopping drinking 15/20 minutes before eating and then not drinking again 1 hour after. I swish my mouth and spit if I need moisture while eating but my biggest advice is start this process earlier rather than after your surgery. :-)

Mishy, While I know there is cause for alarm, I and I am sure everyone relates to how hard this is for you. I am going on my 5th day after surgery and to be frank, I feel no change. It's actually easy. Which I am kind of mad at, I want this to be hard, a constant reminder that I can't eat things. But it's not and my doctor has progressed me to puréed foods already cause I am having such an easy go and in all honestly - I don't want an easy go! - I want to eat a piece of cake and instantly throw up, that to me seems so much easier. I have lived my entire life eating whatever I want and admittedly I chose this surgery to help me not do that, or at least dramatically help with that and maybe it will, but 5 days out and it seems like all I did yesterday was eat, just doesn't seem right. I posted on another thread about that and got great support and feedback and today is a new day. But I want you to know you're not alone, this forum is going to be a life saver for me, and I'm here if you want to email me directly ever just to vent cause no matter how supportive friends and family are they don't understand like I know these people on here do. Btw my surgery was July 9 so we are similar it may be neat to be each others helping hand. Just know I'm just an email away, cake wont kill you today but it has been one of the negatives that has gotten you to this point, so it's not helping you. You are worth more than a piece of cake. :-)