LT1002

I give you guys credit. There are a lot of things I've eaten that I have no problem giving up, just not the DC. I remember, after my band, talking to my doctor about DC and the band. Even he admitted to having a DC addiction and drank more than I did! From that moment on, I loved the man - he's human, just like the rest of us.

Good idea. A few years ago I found a chicken wandering the streets of NYC near my office (odd, right? Thinking it was an escapee from the butcher). Not wanting it to get mowed down, I put it in my car and brought it home, then drove it to an animal sanctuary upstate. It was easily 3x the size of the other chickens. While I may not be using this as an opportunity to cleanse my body of DC, I am thinking of going vegetarian. My spouse is a vegetarian and we plan on bringing our kids up vegetarian.

LouiseC, what you posted is fine - you weren't judgey, you weren't cutting anyone down, and that's fine. As for all those artificial sweeteners, that's exactly what's in a lot of the substitutes that our doctors and NUTS are telling us to eat and drink now. Going through the literature from the hospital NUT, they even say to use those substitutes in place of regular sugar. And yes, soda has chemicals. So do a lot of other foods we eat. Unless we go on a completely natural, organic, straight from the earth diet, we will fill our bodies with chemicals. And believe me, it was the cheese fries with ranch dressing at the Outback, the deep dish pizza at UNO's, the chicken marsala and Oreo cheesecake at Cheesecake Factory, and the Asiago cheese bagels at Panera that made me fat.

Actually, I'm a trial attorney. There's a major difference between being criticized on a message board for drinking a few ounces of diet soda, and critique in the professional arena. While these forums have been an excellent source of information, it never ceases to amaze me how a few hyper-judgmental posters can ruin the forum for the rest of us who are trying to get through this. Being sleeved sucks. The diet sucks. The emotional and mental toll sucks. And when someone comes along and posts about one little thing that has made this miserable journey just a wee bit more tolerable, there's always that person (usually the same few people), who think it's their duty to come along and cut people down, offer their opinions and "expertise." Give it a rest. I have support at home from my loving spouse and friends, I have a doctor and NUT whose opinions I trust more than a few former overweight people on a message board who, like me, couldn't control their weight and ended up needing one or two surgeries to do what the rest of the world can do with a little diet and exercise. It's sad that the only people who can understand the pain of being overweight in a thin society feel the need to cut each other down over food and beverage choices.

I figure it this way... Diet Coke didn't make me fat, ranch dressing, bacon cheeseburgers and French fries (washed down with a Diet Coke) made me fat.

I wish I had found this forum before making the decision to have surgery! My doctor's office gives everyone a booklet that gives all the info you need for the procedures they do (band, rny, sleeve, switch), including the diets. I had my band done there so I was familiar with the practice. When I looked at the post-op diet, I thought, "hey, I can do that!" Then, in the hospital, I got a different post-op diet. Called the NUT about it and she said she just realized it a couple of weeks ago and they haven't reprinted the books yet. Seriously???? I feel like suing for neglegent infliction of emotional distress (I'm a lawyer...). Or maybe just force-feeding her Protein shakes and mush.

Morningstar Farms just began production again on their veggie dogs. Still on liquids, so no dog for me yet, but my spouse is a vegetarian and loves them!

I'm 8 days post-op, down 13 lbs since I came home from the hospital 6 days ago. Don't expect to notice it in my body, but can definitely tell in my face!

1 week out here too. Have lost 10 lbs since coming home from the hospital on Thursday. I didn't weigh myself on the scale at home before heading to the hospital, so I'm not sure where I am from there. I'm finding it extremely tough to get through these liquid weeks, hard to get the Water in, hard to find anything remotely appetizing to drink (and by appetizing, I mean not causing me to gag from just the smell). I'm exhausted, have zero energy, and no ability to concentrate. I cry A LOT. I'm miserable. My back hurts (I have herniated discs and am off my NSAIDS). I just want my normal life back. I really hope it gets better.

When I had the band in 2010, I was also having a hernia repaired, so I said that to people. My plan this time was to tell people I was having another surgery for endometriosis (I've had 2 already) and that it affected my intestines (not uncommon). I work with a bunch of catty skinny women (and catty skinny gay men), so naturally I was wary of saying anything. Ultimately, I said screw it and came out in a post on Facebook. The amount of support I have gotten from friends, family and people I haven't even seen in years has been astounding! Even those catty skinny women and gay men have been awesomely supportive. It's not like people didn't know I was overweight - wearing black and Spanx aren't magic - and the idea that I'm doing something about it has made these folks rally around me. Maybe if I had that support when I had the band, I could have been more successful.

I was also a 7/17 sleever. The day I came home from the hospital, I was in the back of a cab on the pothole ridden NYC streets. I thought I was dying! But it hasn't been terrible since then, mostly difficulty breathing and chest pain, which the doctor attributed to the diaphragm being irritated. I'm still doing my Spirometer and I'm able to go a little further everyday. I still take a Percocet a day, crushed and put into a bite of pudding, but I had been on that prior to surgery for two herniated discs and an acetabular tear in my hip. Since I'm off my NSAID post-op, the inflammation is out of control and the Percocet is more for that than surgery-related pain. Everyone heals differently, but if you think this is abnormal, let your doctor know - could be an infection or irritation.

I spent most of my life thin. I was a thin and active kid, thin through my 20s and early 30s and then BAM! my metabolism slowed to a virtual standstill and I gained weight effortlessly. I had it tested several times - if I ate > 800 cal a day I'd gain weight. I had test upon test to see why and nothing came back abnormal. I never ate much, rarely cleaned my plate. Not a big fan of sweets (only on special occasions), not a snacker - I could walk by the office candy bowl and not even think about it. Don't like Cheetoes. If I ate fast food, it was maybe once a month and then it would be a Happy Meal. People would assume I was a closet eater, but I wasn't. Didn't drink sugary soda or beverages. My SO and I could eat the exact same thing, I'd eat less and STILL gain weight. I ate only because I had to, no to fill some emotional void. I've frequently gone all day without eating just because I wasn't hungry. My point is genetics play a huge role in weight gain. My mother was overweight and didn't eat poorly either. There is nothing that I can look at in my eating habits and say "that's it! That's the problem!l" except eating out, an unfortunate byproduct of my career and lifestyle. With the sleeve that will change (and I'll save a ton of money!). But seriously, genetics do play a huge part in weight - don't discount that.

Some of you who are being harsh on the OP are way past the liquid stage of the diet. As a day 6 post-op, I feel your pain OP! A friend of mine who had bypass a year ago kept a diary of her post-op experience and pulled it out when I needed some support during my sleeve journey. She was amazed at how hard it was - she had completely forgotten. I think some of you may have forgotten how hard this is too. It doesn't mean that OP is sabotaging herself - she said she did it once. It was a mistake, she recognized it right away, and admitted it. I've been getting tired of the monotony of eating - it's hard to get any nutrition at all if the thought of drinking another damn protein shake makes you gag. Sometimes you need to "reset" your tastebuds. Today I took a tsp and dipped the tip of it in some hummus. I felt like I ate a filet mignon! It was exactly what I needed to be able to stomach that shake for lunch. And it didn't make me even remotely ill. Cut the OP some slack. She came her for support, not to be scared or criticized.

So bizarre discussing BMs with a group of strangers - yay Internet! I had diarrhea at the hospital and for the first couple of days home. Today (6 days post surgery) I had my first almost kinda sorta normal BM. I mean, I'm on liquids - I wouldn't expect it to be normal. To the person who got ice cream at the hospital: I kind of hate you.

Is the damage concern because you don't think your sleeve has healed enough to handle the food now? Consider this - it seems like every doctor has their own timeline for advancing to the next stage, some earlier, some later. No doctor would risk the lives of their patients, their reputations, or potential lawsuits by advising patients to begin eating too early.

Wondering if anyone else experienced this post-op... I have a cat and a dog. When I returned home from the hospital post-surgey last Thursday, my dog has been by my side non-stop - I leave the room, she follows. My cat, however, seems to be afraid of me! He stares at me all weird. Prior to surgey, he was the biggest mush and would sleep on top of me every night, and come to me to be cuddled. He's still like that with my spouse. At first I thought it was the hospital smell, but that's gotta be gone by now. Then I thought maybe it was the bruising on my face (don't ask how but my eyelid is bruised from surgery). Then I thought maybe it was because I don't smell like myself anymore because of the change in diet, but he'll jump into the lap of a stranger. Anyone else find their pets react differently to them post surgery? Or is my cat just mental?

My name is LT and I'm a Diet Coke addict. If only I could find a 12 step program. I wonder if they'd take me at Passages Malibu?

I had surgery on Tuesday and while in the hospital and since I came home Thursday, I've had an intermittent low grade fever - usually between 99.3 and 100.3. I'm thinking it could be from dehyrdration. Considering they discharged me from the hospital, I'm guessing they weren't too concerned. Anyone else experience this immediately post-op?

This happened to me in the hospital on discharge day. Had no idea, got up to go to the bathroom and left a trail on the bathroom floor. I had a roommate who was practically comatose, but she had visitors. Mortifying! I could barely move, was still attached to an IV, and was desperately trying to clean myself up. On the plus side, I had no problem passing gas!

Another newbie here! Sleeved on 7/17. Married to my wonderful wife since 2010 and she's now expecting our first baby (due in November). Very difficult to follow a liquid diet when your beloved is scarfing down bagels in front of you. She's a hormonal nutcase and I'm cranky from hunger - we're quite the pair. So glad to find other LGBT folks here!

Dr Yatco did my band and the revision just a few days ago. I really like him - he's always taken the time to make sure that my questions were answered. The office leaves much to be desired. I was there for a band fill once and they were having birthday cake for one of the employees. C'mon, really? CAKE? And I hate Lenox Hill. I'm covered in bruises from the IVs and blood draws - even my eyelid had a bruise (tape during surgery maybe?). Press the call button for help and maybe someone will show up. My SO had surgery at Cornell (not bariatric) and it was such a different experience. Anyone notice that the post-op diet sheet the nutritionist gave you in the hospital is much different than the post-op diet in the booklet they give you? And maybe it's just me, but I'm not a fan of Sharon the nutritionist - she seems so judgey.