joatsaint

I have been drinking coffee and taking caffeine pills since about the 2nd month post-op. I've never had an issue. My advice is to pay attention to how your body responds to caffeine and if it becomes a problem, then limit or stop.

From what I've seen on Youtube and in threads, wait at least a year post-op because your skin is still shrinking. I'm 2 years out this month and just now feel like my skin has stopped shrinking and that I'm a my maintenance weight.

Some say that heartburn is a sign of being hungry, but I only experienced it when I lay down to sleep. It went on for me for weeks and weeks. I'm not sure when it stopped. I'd drink a little to get it to ease up some, but it was rare to go a night without some burning at the point where my throat meets my stomach.

In my own experience, I have found that even eating the smallest amount of sweets/fruit/sugar will cause me to have head hunger every few hours. And that would cause just enough overeating to stall my weight loss. It took a long time to realize this. So I eat low carb foods and meat most of the time. Most anything I eat that is sweet is now made with artificial sweeteners or gets it's sweetness from fat.

I think you may have one heck of a drive to get more. Premier Protien's website lists the closest seller at 500 miles from Puerto Rico.

The only powdered Protein I've used is the unflavored Isopure, but I've only mixed it in with food. Never tried to make a drink with it.

When your dad (who's been needling you how overweight you are for the past 30+ years) starts telling you you're losing too much weight and you need to stop. As an added bonus, I am now able to wear one of HIS coats that he's too fat to wear anymore!!! NSV!!!!

Congratulations and welcome to the board. I've found Bariatricpal to be a great place to get answers and be kinda therapeutic. Welcome to the Loser's Bench!

Congratulations and welcome to the Loser's Bench.

Here's my favorite Mexican dish. It got me through the puree stage and for weeks afterward ( Frankensleeve was very picky for weeks and weeks - so this was my primary food.) http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/9018/entry-31168-my-favorite-mexican-food/

I can't remember how long the burping and other gas expulsions went on, but eventually your new stomach will adjust to food again and things will calm down.

Congrats on reaching Onederland, I'm shooting for it myself in the next few weeks.

Thanks for sharing your story. When I was thinking about getting the Sleeve, I wanted to read all the real life experiences I could find - both the good and bad sides of the story.

I haven't experienced dumping syndrome, I have the sleeve, but if you're still not feeling well, I'd call my doc immediately and/or go to the hospital immediately.

My doc's guideline was to stay around 800 calories per day - 75% protein, 25% carbs (low-glycemic carbs in vegetables (squash, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli... basically any high fiber vegetable)). And try and stay away from any processed foods, they usually have high fat/sugar/sodium counts.

I had terrible pains when I ate yogurt too. chicken, eggs, milk... all caused a lot of pain and discomfort for months post-op. Hang in there, it will get better. It just takes time for your new stomach to adapt to food again. I ate Cream of Mushroom Soup for about a month, then moved onto refried Beans and finely chopped turkey hamburger. They were my friends for weeks and weeks.

I have to bunch up the comforter between my knees. I guess I got bony knees too! P.S. I forgot to add a 2nd NSV experience in bed! About a year ago, I was laying on my side and woke up with this hard poking sensation in my side. I thought I had rolled over on one of my books or something. I reached under my side to pull out the offending book and there was nothing there!!! It was my rib! I could feel my ribs!!!

I try to fill up on meat first, then green Beans or any other vegetables. If I just can't resist dessert, I allow myself 1/2 coffee cup full (a real coffee cup... not one of those Starbucks' Grande cups!! ) of whatever I want. I may do that 2 or 3 times during the day. I always remind myself that I'm choosing to eat empty calories and ask myself if I accept the consequences (my weight may stall or gain a little and I'll delay reaching my weight loss goals) - the one good thing is that now (post-op) I have the choice, pre-op my head-hunger would have driven me crazy till I overate on everything.

I eat carbs - but I try to stick to foods that are low-glycemic - vegetables, Beans, lentils. I normally try to eat 75% Protein and 25% carbs on average. But I do eat things like Pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, donuts (at most 1 per day... err, on a stressful day, sometimes 2 ), Rasin Bran (I fill a 12oz cup halfway and eat it dry), and the occasional cookie or small piece of cake - but I had to learn how much of each I could eat without causing carb cravings or slowing my weight loss. It took time to figure it out. Whenever I see my weight going up, day after day, I cut back on the sugar, flour and pasta - and stick to protein and vegetables. And monitor my portions more closely. That gets me back on track. There's nothing I can't/won't eat, but it's all in moderation and I choose what I'm will to accept (think weight gain) as a consequence.

If you're feeling okay, I don't believe you stretched your sleeve. If you had stretched your sleeve, I think your staple line would be hurting like crazy right now. I got the hiccups the day after surgery and stretched my new sleeve a bit. I thought the pain would never end. Flavored Water is a slider food for me. I can easily drink 8 to 12 ozs very quickly without feeling full. From my reading and research over the past 2 years, it is very very difficult to stretch the sleeve, as it is made up primarily of the tough, non-stretchy section of the stomach. The research says you can stretch your sleeve, but you have to deliberately work at it and it's painful, but it can be done. Overeating once or twice won't do it.

I hear lots of good things about eggface. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ I don't eat a big variety of things and tend to eat the same thing day after day, but I've seen lots of recommendations for eggface's website. Tons of food ideas and recipes.

OH! GREEEAAAATTTTTT!!!! Now your dog is going to need bariatric surgery too!

Welcome to the Loser's Bench! And yes, I feel your pain about the bitchy nurse. Been there done that, got 85% of my stomach hacked out.

I can only speak for myself, but Pasta, bread and rice all trigger my carb cravings and make me want to over eat. Those types of high glycemic carbs are quickly broken down and turned into glucose, which spikes my blood sugar. Just a few hours later, my blood sugar comes crashing down and I'm craving carbs again. I don't get those blood sugar highs and lows by eating Protein or low glycemic carbs. My blood sugar levels stay even or rise at a slower, more moderate, rate and my head hunger doesn't happen as often.

Congrats on a great NSV!