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I saw my surgeon today. He asked what Vitamins I was taking and I said a multi-Vitamin and a B12 in pill form. He said you have to take the B12 sublinqually (i.e. under your tongue). He had a patient tell him they got drops at Wal Mart for 88 cents. Not sure if that's the case as I haven't been there yet but it sounds good. I still take a nap every day and crash at night and I'm a few months out from surgery. He said it was probably due to low vitamin B 12. I'm getting blood work done soon to verify. You definitely want to get on a vitamin regimen soon, though, if you're not on one.

I had the exact same thing happen to me. 15 pounds after surgery and not another pound until at least a month later. Your body is freaked out completely. You just put it through a major trauma of having MAJOR surgery and now you're barely feeding it. It's freaking out. So, it's holding on to everything. I promise - PROMISE - it'll come off. I went to see my nutritionist two weeks after surgery because I was so upset about not losing more weight. She told me to stop weighing every day (I was obsessed) and only weigh once or twice a week. If you can't control yourself, ask someone in your house to take the scale so you can't. Put it in your trunk so it's a pain in the neck to pull out of the car and weigh. Your body will adjust to the new lifestyle and so will you. Once the hunger came back for me, it came back with a vengeance. I was eating more than 3 times a day and never felt satisfied. I thought I was going to be the first sleeve patient to not lose weight! But, about 2 weeks ago, things evened out. I ate only when I was truly hungry and never got to the point where I felt like "Oh, I am STARVING!". I feel happier, more satisfied, and I am losing weight steadily. It will even out for you. You'll have weeks where you lose and weeks where you don't. The end result is no matter when or how you lose, you will never be that old weight again. Never.

Ree, I'm with you. My sister is the exact same way. In fact, we had over 15 years where we didn't talk because she got bent out of shape about something stupid. She didn't talk with my mom and never reconciled with her before my mom passed away. The fact is, family triggers our stress. As food addicts, we turn to food when we're stressed out. And, we allow these folks to sabotage our success. What gives them the right to have that much power over us??? If you continue to give her power, she will continue to take it and you will continue to be miserable. You can detach with LOVE and just set some very strict boundaries. Just because she says or does something "out there" doesn't mean you have to accept it. You don't. Let go of her crap and take care of yourself. Don't give her that power. I think you'll find once you take that power back you'll feel so much better and realize that she wasn't "all that" like she thought she was. I hope that helps you. Hang in there!

I asked my surgeon what I wouldn't be able to eat/drink after all the surgery was healed and I was okay. He said I could have everything EXCEPT CARBONATION. I was a revision from a band to a sleeve, so I haven't had a soda in over 7 years. I don't miss it one bit and didn't miss it before. I drink Arnold Palmer 1/2 and 1/2 in my Water bottle (you can buy them like crystal light in the grocery store) and it's so good that I don't even think about a soda. If I go through drive through, it's diet lemonade or tea always. It's more of a pain than a treat. I'd probably just say no if I were you.

I got the lap band 6 years ago hoping it would be the "be all end all" of my weight loss. I did well the first year and lost 60 pounds. But, I had a prolapse and had to have surgery again. After that point, I gained back the weight and never could seem to lose it again. I felt like such a failure. I knew that the reason the band didn't work was because I didn't do what I was supposed to. I ate mushy foods that were easier on my band so that I didn't have the discomfort. Fast forward to November 26 and my revision from band to sleeve. I lost 3 pounds pre-op and another 15 within the first few weeks after surgery. I've lost an additional 12 since then. I'm 2.5 months out with a total loss since surgery of 24 pounds. Can't say I'm thrilled with that. I'm eating what I should but find myself wanting sweets and other treats. I've indulged a few times with unpleasant results. I'm working out and trying to drink all of my Water. Perhaps I'm just a slow loser. But, I can't shake this feeling that I'm a failure in my weight loss journey. I failed at the band, could I fail at the VSG as well? I did so much research before I decided on this and it looked like everyone loved it and did well with it. Why aren't I? Does anyone else feel this way?

Thank you so much. You are very right about looking at the positive. Sometimes I have a hard time doing that. Thank you all for all of your words. Just reminds me what I need to do and what I need to look at!

Yep, it sure is. But, I do feel like I'm working at it. I ate around the band by eating slushy foods. I am eating solid sources of Protein but, like you, I'm hungry within 90 minutes after eating. I wonder if I'm going to sabotage myself with the sleeve like I did with the band and I SO don't want to.

My doc said 3 months. I haven't had any and I'm due at the end of the month. I'd just like a glass of wine but don't want to sabotage my recovery. I'll let you know how it goes when I get to that point.

I agree with everyone. Your body has to adjust. Right now IT'S freaking out wondering where all the food has gone and if it's going to get any more. So, it's holding on to everything. Don't be surprised if you don't change for a week or two. It's all perfectly normal. I went to the nutritionist after I started pureed foods because I was so freaked out. Just follow your high Protein diet like the doctor says. Eat when you're hungry (really hungry) and don't when you're not. It will level out. I know you're reading these responses going, "Oh sure, but you don't know me." I know because I did the exact same thing. I still struggle with it. Keep up the good work. Any weight lost is GOOD weight lost. Any weight not gained is phenomenal. Remind yourself that you'll never be "that weight" again - you won't. It will come in time. Let your body get over the "WTF" phase it's currently in.

I love your humor! You put into words what I have definitely been feeling. I think for me it's funny when people say, "Oh, did you get your hair cut?" or, "Is that a new outfit?" because they can't quite put their finger on what's different. And no one wants to say anything about your weight because they'd be embarrassed if you said you hadn't lost any. So when people call out a non-descript change in me I just let them go on guessing. I haven't changed that much but enough for people to notice. My huge belly is reduced and that helps a lot. People who know I had the surgery are forever asking me how much I've lost which gets exhausting. And, they want to know what I can or can't eat all the time. Seriously people, you've never been this interested in my eating habits before - why now? It's an interesting journey we're all on and I love that we can share it with each other. I like having a somewhat anonymous forum with people who are a lot like me.

Been there, my friend. We all have. Your body needs to readjust and is likely in a little bit of shock after all this craziness. Put the scale away. It'll drive you crazy at first, but you'll be happy you did. Bring it out once a week to weigh but no more than that. If you don't think you can do that, ask a family member to hide it or put it in the trunk of your car - somewhere that it's difficult to get to. You're doing great! It's taken me 2 months to get down 26 pounds, so you're ahead of me! Hang in there!

The nutritionist and the surgeon have much different views. If you're concerned, called your surgeon. If the nutritionist is part of the surgeon's practice, then I would definitely call the surgeon and let him/her know what the NUT said. It sounds like, from what you've said, you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. Just keep up the good work!

It's funny because I don't feel like I have lost much - only 25 since surgery 2 months ago. But my daughter and best friend both told me they felt like I LOOKED like I had lost a lot more than 25 pounds. So, I'm curious if you think, like I do, that maybe the scale isn't showing the loss but the body is?

I have to say, I'm the same as everyone else and I was freaking out about it. I do find that if I eat multiple meals throughout the day I never feel satisfied. But, if I have a strong, solid Protein meal, I only eat about 4 times a day and not as much. It's very weird. Some days I just seem to have a bottomless pit. Others I can't eat more than a few bites. I wonder if some of it has to do with the barometric pressure outside and the fluids inside our bodies? Thanks for posting this topic! It made me feel a lot better!

My step mom, when seeing a picture of me recently (she hasn't seen me since before the surgery) said, "Wow! You've lost quite a few chins!" Really? REALLY?!?!? So if I get down about not losing enough weight, I'll know that I've lost all but 1 chin.

Just like Phramd08, I LOVE Power Crunch bars! 14 grams of Protein and only 8 grams of carbs! 200 calories! And, they taste like the sugar wafer Cookies we used to have as kids!!! I found them at Trader Joe's and I'm going back for more!!! My doc said that carbs traditionally shouldn't exceed 50% of protein and I haven't been able to find that in any Protein Bars, including Pure Protein. Power Crunch is the closest I have found!

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS TOPIC! I'm a slow loser too. I got my sleeve 2 days before Thanksgiving. I lost 15 pounds within the first week of surgery then nada. My doctor at my month post op appointment said many of his patients do that because they're taking in "liquid" Protein vs. solid protein. So, I concentrated on Protein Bars, deli meat, etc. I'm down 25 pounds since surgery and I feel like I've fought for it. It's winter so I'm not out walking like I want to be. Everyone says once I start exercising regularly it'll fall off. I had a failed lap band before the sleeve and I think I'm having some PTSD from that since it wasn't successful. I feel like with something this drastic and extreme I should have drastic and extreme results. It's tough but like other people say, every pound is a win. I just wish it was a little easier.

First, let me congratulate you on your decision to get healthy! I have watched this show as well and there was a recent one showing Penny who had the sleeve but sabotaged herself and didn't lose weight after surgery. I look at this show because I need to know that there are other people who are like me out there and that 1) they are heavier than I am, 2) they can lose weight and so can I, and 3) we are all human. You're right that you have gotten into bad habits like the rest of us have. The folks on this program are the exact same way. We've all learned bad habits and bad ways of destressing (i.e. eating ourselves silly). I'm a sugar lover. Ice cream, candy, Cookies, etc. Can I still eat those things after surgery? You bet. Should I? Nope. I think the primary difference between those of us with weight issues and those without (like my husband who is only 135 pounds) is that we live to eat and they eat to live. My husband only eats when he's hungry or needs to fuel his body. I eat because I'm happy, sad, stressed, relaxed, in a bad mood, in a good mood......you name it. The primary switch for all of us is to use food as it's intended which is as fuel for our bodies. If you overfill your gas tank you get gas all over the side of your car, all over the ground and all over yourself. You only put gas in the car when you need it - not when it's already full. You're going to be shocked how un-hungry you are after surgery. But your mind will tell you you're hungry. That's not going to change. Surgery only solves for 1 thing, not everything that causes us to be overweight. I don't mind if my family watches my 600 lb life because I do feel like they have empathy for the patients and have perhaps more empathy for what I've gone through, They also see what works and what doesn't work with the families of these folks. I've been very blessed to be very supported by my family. Others have been sabotaged by theirs and it helps to see that as well. I feel as though I've been rambling - sorry about that. I hope your surgery goes well and that you get to the goal you've set for yourself. I have faith!!!

I think this is a good show to watch as a gastric sleeve patient. It shows we are all human. It actually made me feel better about my journey and my motivation to get healthy. Penny is sick and her husband is her enabler. Not unlike an alocholic or drug addict. When I heard him say, "Do you want me to go get you ice cream?" when she had just been readmitted for not losing weight, I could have just screamed. We all need to find our motivators in life. For some reason Penny's motivation was being sick. I feel sorry for her and I feel so blessed for the gift I was given to be able to get healthy with the help of the sleeve. I hope she doesn't die from her illness but my fear is she will. Not everyone is successful but everyone CAN be and that's what's important. Keep to your routine sleevers! It's worth it!

Go to GNC or a local health food store. Tell them you're a sleeve patient. They will direct you to the whey Protein section. Use 1/2 Water and 1/2 skim milk (or almond milk - even better) to mix your shake with. It will help. You also may be to the point where you need more solid protein. Maybe try some deli shaved meats and/or low fat cottage cheese. I found the Atkins shakes nutritionally were not good. My doctor recommended that protein content should be at least 50% higher than carb content (i.e. 14 grams of carbs you should have 28 grams or more of protein). Eat slowly. I read somewhere "Chew for 22" and it has really helped a lot! Chew every bite of food at least 22 times. It slows you down and also gets the food small enough so that it doesn't get stuck in your stomach. You'll learn what works and what doesn't. I promise!