SuzanneRoupas

I am 6 weeks out. Started (pre-op) at 256. Lost to 246 day of surgery. First 2 weeks, I lost 15 lbs, to 229. In the past month? 2 pounds. I eat 4 meals generally. Yogurt. chicken. Shrimp. Fish. Hummus. SF popsicles. coffee, crystal light, Water. No intolerances. No I am not writing down every bite I eat. I have been on a diet since I was 12. I don't need to look to see that 2 slices of deli turkey is a serving and weighs about 1 ounce. Been there for 40 years. I know how to do this part. No sugar. Few carbs - 50 ish/day. Occasional bite of veggies/salad I have upped calories. Lowered calories. Upped Protein, lowered protein. Upped fluids. Upped carbs, lowered carbs. I do water exercise 5 days a week. I have lost 10 inches. I really don't drink as much as I should. But I try. I'm done. I think I am one of the true sleeve failures. So, my choices now? I am trying to just let it go, eat like a regular person - have always been a "clean" eater, just way too much. Not now. 3 ounces and I am full. I will just live my life. I put the scale in the car. Sooooooooo sad.

I had a pretty low impact team. I went home from the hospital on fulls for about 10 days, then soft foods. Now (6 weeks) I am able to eat easily with no intolerances. My team had me start protien drinks the day I went home. I returned to exercise class 2 weeks post up but was up to my usual level of activity (dog walks, house cleaning) right away. Vitamins/calcium/B12 started at 2 weeks out. Good luck.

Thanks for the support and suggestions.

I'm in the same place! Twenty gone immediately post op (March 20th), then nothing. Have lost 10 inches, nothing to sneeze at though. BUT I cut out the protein shakes yesterday - dropped a pound today. The first pound in 4 weeks. I have read confliciting reports about OVER-doing protien - your body uses that, not fat stores for energy and to meet BMR. I also gave myself permission to eat like a real person. Healthy protein and veggies, good fats. So, we'll see. I have been feeling like a failure too. Hope that this direction is the right course and good luck!!

I hate them as well. What has worked for me is Carnation Instant Breakfast (no sugar), skimmed milk and 1/3 cup of dry milk powder. About 20 grams. The best??? Decaf cold coffee, sweetener of choice, half and half and a big scoop of unflavored whey protein. Blend it up with ice - no protein taste at all!!!

Okkkkkk my name is Suzanne and I am a food Addict. I was sleeved on March 20th. Lost 8 lbs pre-op, 22 post-op for a total of 30. Lost 10 inches. Have not lost an ounce in the last three weeks. Was at 229 at the 2 weeks check up, now 227. Saw 226 briefly. Eating too much. Today, Protein shake. 2 oz hummus. 3 inch eggplant roll up with sauce. 2 oz hummus, 10 pretzels. 2/3 small bag of pork rinds. Few bites of avocado. Probably 6 sf popsicles. Drinking but not as much as I should. WHY WHY am I soooooo resistant to doing what I'm supposed to do? After eating what I did today I finally feel like I have been full in the ""old" way. I can see how people fail. I can see how to "eat around my sleeve". Yes, I'm in therapy. So mad. So sad. I want a magic wand.

Thanks again for the love and support. Re the Pi/Yp/Chi....it's through my local YMCA. A 45 minute class that includes yoga, pilates (lots of core work) and Tai Chi - breathing and movements designed to slow your mind and relax. Awesome for me, mostly for the spiritual aspect. Have loved the core toning as well. That's 3 x week. The other two I do the Arthritis Foundation's water class. I have just seen a Y class for restorative yoga - you are propped, pillowed, bolstered and cushioned into position. It's designed for ppl with health issues and obesity to get them ready for floor yoga. The Y also has a "chair yoga" for "active older adults" meaning all the ol' ladies. Now,, I would be thrilled to take it but it's at 7:30 in the MORNING!!! What are they thinking???

Thanks for the love Feed.....I think I am scared to death to fail. And scared to death to succed. I am like a toddler having a tantrum. I knew that this surgery would bring up ALL of my food issues, and it sure has. I know that this will pass. Trying to breathe in love and exhale fear. I have never had any success with any sort of discipline around food. Stirs up all the depravation crap from childhood. I do exercise, water yoga/pilates/pi yo chi 5 mornings a week. The othe thing that has happened is a huge uptick in physical pain this week ( I have a chronic pain syndrome, fibro and arthritis). Today I was given the ok to start mobic for a week, and have taken extra neurontin and 2 hydrocodones today. FINALLY not in pain. So I'm hoping breaking the pain cycle will help - pain = inflammation = hanging onto weight/fluid. Geesh, I have rambled on. Think I needed to get this out of my system? Thanks for listening.

Thanks for all the support. I did talk with the NUT, gave her a sample menu, and she told me to get a grip. I need to continue to be aware of portion sizes. She does want me to increase fluids.

Arrggghhhhhh!! I'm 4 1/2 weeks out and eating about 900 calories daily, that's including 2 protein shakes. I am down 22 lbs post op. Am I eating too much? My NUT guidelines only refer to protein - 60-70 grams/day. I'm hitting 65 or so. I think my loss is slow....but I try to reassure myself that about 5 lbs a week is rockin'. I will check it out with the NUT tomorrow, but wanted different views from y'all. What do you think?? How many cals are you eating? TIA.

Thanks for the feedback.....will report what NUT says.

I find diners the best.....and they will customize most meals if asked.....

Colace is safe to take regularly. I had (have?) IBS and took fiber pre-op. Have not had an IBS episode since surgery. After surgery, I did not have a BM for 14 days despite Mirilax, suppositories, and concoctions of all kinds. My NP nearly fainted. A couple of gulps of Lactulose straightened things out. Don't let it get to that point!!!!

So sorry to hear it is so rough for you right now. Could you think about ditiching the meats for a while? I'm told they can be the hardest thing to digest. Perhaps cottage cheese, hummus, peanut/almond/whatever nut butter, ricotta with a little tomato sauce, shrimp or soft flaky fish? Chili? Eggs - a little omlette? Good luck!

It might be the caffeine but also could be carb withdrawl, the dreaded "carb flu". Your body does not like buring fat instead of carbs until it gets used to it. It will pass. Also, try some broth as one of your liquids. Something savory, hot and with salt will (hopefully) make you feel better. Good luck!

Re protein drinks - I hated them too. Then I tried cold decaf coffee with a scoop of unflavored protein and the usual 1/2 and 1/2 and equal. Blend with ice. Perfect iced coffee, no icky protein taste.

Hi - I just read your thread here as well as another with more replies. Hope you are getting needed information. I'm curious however - you are both college students. Do you not have the option for using health insurance? Here's why I ask: folks that go to Mx do very well and report great care. What is often different for them post-op is to find a connection with a bariatric team in their area. IMHO, especially with co-morbidities, a local team is important. The other benefit I see (again IMHO) is that most insurances and bariatric centers in the US demand a 4-6 month process - with lots of testing. Most also have a pre-op weight loss requirement as well as a pre-op diet. Although in the short term these both suck, I think for many it is a good test of how well you have thought out this major life change. It takes a while to wrap your head around the whole concept. When I first started this process I was annoyed - I knew I wanted and needed the sleeve, but why did I have to lose on my own pre-op. If I could do that I would not be here....blah blah blah....and I did not want to wait - I wanted instant results! I am SO glad that I went through the process. I am not "terminally unique", I am just like every other obese person - I have a very disordered relationship with food. That's how I got this way. The sleeve is not a cure. I am NOT bashing Mx sleevers at all - just pointing out differences. And good luck!

I don"t like any of 'em but most are tolerable over crushed ice.

I have used them for about the last 3 days for shakes and some liquids. No probs. I find I drink more (quantity wise) so that is a good thing. No pain or gas.

Three and a half weeks out and no expert but.....re protein. I hate shakes as well. What does work for me is cold decaf coffee with a big scoop of unflavored protein powder. Half and half, equal, ice, in the blender. Excellent and no icky taste. There are also protein "shots" out there, about 4 oz, 42 grams. Sickly sweet so I pour them over crushed ice - snow cone! Finally, Carnation Instant Breakfast (sugar free), 8 oz milk, 1/3 cup of dry milk. Tolerable. Good luck!

My NP just told me about this on Thursday. She explained that it is common to have pain, pulling, tingling etc in your larger incision (that's the one that they pull your stomach out of) as the nerves regenerate. She told me to call if it gets bad, and that we could try Gabapentin if needed. She also said that Lidoderm patches help. They are a bit pricey with insurance, you know that 3rd tier medicine having the highest co-pay thing. BTW Gabapentin is a great medicine for nerve pain, few side effects, well tolerated by most people and inexpensive. It's used for nerve pain as well as seizure control. I have been on it for several years for fibromyalgia, but have not taken it since surgery. Hope you feel better soon!

Hey CNY folks! I was sleeved at Community/Upstate with Dr. Kim. March 20th, the first day of spring and the first day of my new life. I'm doing well, protein and fluids of course a challenge but getting there. On what they call "G2" now, essentially a soft diet. Whoever invented those protein shakes should be made to drink them! YUCK! Doing ok with the protein shots mixed with crystal light. Only problem I have had is constipation. Oh my. Have tried everything and today Maria gave me a RX for Lactulose. (I'm a nurse and we have referred to it as TNT). Hope you're all doing well!

I am only a few days post -op but for some reason I looked at my allowed list of liquids again. Skimmed milk was on the list! So, I found the NUT's suggestion: 8 oz milk, 1/3 cup dry milk, one envelope of sugar free Carnation Instant Breakfast. Shook it up....it's GOOD! 21 grams per 8 oz. Now, its a lot of fluid to try to get down and drink water too, but I'm sipping sipping sipping.....

I'm with you Colemon70 - 13 days out. Mirilax. Broke down and bought Fleets Suppositories today. Geesh. I had irritable bowel syndrome before surgery. Now I have sleeping bowel syndrome. I sincerely hope that I do not explode

Rachel, I only have used the sugar-free. Comes in chocolate and vanilla.