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That's an odd one. Maybe your tastes have changed enough that it's causing an issue? Have you tried switching brands or is it all toothpastes? The only time I gag when brushing my teeth is when I'm pregnant. Hope you figure it out! ~Cheri

Prevacid is the one pill I took that made no noticeable difference. If you can, try taking generic Prilosec (omeprazole) and see if it makes a difference. ~Cheri

I kept hard ginger candies in my purse at all times during my twin pregnancy and they really helped with the early queasiness. Congrats on making it all "official" with the doctor! Only a week and a day for your sonogram - that's great. I just scheduled my beta (blood test) for Tuesday, with a follow-on test on Thursday, assuming we get a positive. Right now it's just too early for me to tell, or to test. And all of the possible symptoms I'm feeling could be caused by the estrogen and progesterone I'm taking! I'll do my first home test on Saturday...uh, if only it would get here sooner! Congrats - and I LOVE the name. It was on our list of possible girl names for this go-round but my sister-in-law snatched it up and used it on my gorgeous little niece. We'll have a heck of a time picking a girl name (or names!) if we have a girl. Too many kids in the family! Too many girls, honestly! Best of luck. You'll be having your ultrasound before you know it. ~Cheri

My favorite way is to mix with my morning coffee or some tea. I'll brew, say, coconut coffee or chai tea over a little ice (I like it warm but not scalding hot) in my shaker cup and add a teeny bit of cream. Then I'll add in two scoops of Protein powder - vanilla, chocolate or unflavored (I prefer Syntrax Nectar) and shake it up, popping the top once or twice so it doesn't explode. No lumps or clumps! I pour it into my reuseable straw cup and voila! Protein Shake + caffeine fix, and I'm a happy girl. I also make my own soymilk and use that, coconut milk is a nice once-in-a-while treat, almond milk is yummy and I like mixing unflavored or vanilla protein with juice, too. I use cherry juice, orange juice, pomegranate juice...whatever I'm in the mood for that day. Oh, and the Nectars are good mixed with Water, too! I struggled to get my shakes down until I started mixing with coffee and tea. Now I'm two years out and still not sick of them. I guess the point is that it's always possible to find a Protein Powder and a liquid to mix with that works. Milk can make folks queasy immediately post op, so if that guy hates his shakes, he might try skipping the milk and trying some different shakes out. I can make all the difference in the world. Best of luck, ~Cheri

I'm so sorry to read these stories. Some of them really cross the line and are absolutely hateful. I'm sorry anyone had to go through those things and I hope that nobody is giving any of those hateful and ugly people space in their heads by holding onto the hurt and shame those people caused. My "lightbulb" moment was when I broke a wooden dining room chair that was part of my friend's antique set. We were at a large gathering of my husband's coworkers and their families. I was already the biggest girl in the room and this just cemented things for me. My husband was already asked on occasion if I had put on a lot of weight after marriage or with my twin pregnancy - as if people just couldn't believe he'd fallen in love with a fat girl! In any case, I was beyond humiliated and was even more embarrassed when she refused to let me apologize and tried to blame the chair and tell me it was okay. She wouldn't let me compensate her or anything. It was horrible. I knew I was big but I never thought I would damage furniture! I had been researching surgery for more than a year at that point and made the appointment for my sleeve less than a week later. It was very difficult for me to accept invitations with work people for a long time after that. ~Cheri

Try a new brand! Buy various samples online and try them with something other than milk. Protein Shakes aren't absolutely necessary but they are by and far the easiest way to hit your nutritional goals. I'm two years out and my daily goal for protein is 90+ grams. I still drink a shake almost daily to achieve that goal. ~Cheri

You'll do just fine! No worries - really! It's a big choice and it will definitely change your life, but for the better. Best of luck! ~Cheri Yes, popcorn is something I never cared much for preop but LOVE now. Watch it, though, because it slides. And I do think a lot of folks avoid it for at least a few months while healing. But yes, popcorn can be in your future if you'd like it to be. ~Cheri

I should rephrase - none of those foods (except dairy - I am lactose intolerant) are things I CANNOT eat. I can eat all of them. I do, sometimes! But why would I choose to eat a big salad made of iceberg and have loose bowels later? Why would I choose to eat a wrap with tortilla knowing I'll only get two bites in before I feel uncomfortable and full, when I could have half a grilled or toasted sandwich instead? All of my food goes down easily. I've overeaten only a handful of times in two years and yes, I've had to urp back up those last few bites a few times. But my life is NOTHING like what I've read about the band. I was sure I wanted the band until I saw so many revisions and complications during my six months of research. I eat nuts, I don't need meat to be slathered in sauce or gravy and for the most part I eat like a totally normal person. I avoid the foods I do because there are other options available that don't come with the risk of some form of discomfort, that's all. You can't count on having NO food intolerances and you can't count on having them, either. Unfortunately, there is no real way to know what's going to happen to you until after surgery. Let us know how your appointment goes on Friday and what your ultimate decision is. I can tell you that I'd rather avoid tortillas for the rest of my life and be so effortlessly maintaining my goal weight than to be where I was two years ago. The boards are FULL of people like me, and there are only a handful of people that are more than a year out with a persistent food intolerance. Best of luck, ~Cheri

Yes, your meds might be bumping you down too low. Get in to your doc ASAP, this is very serious. You do not want your sugars to fall dangerously low while you're sleeping. I stopped my meds immediately post op and had I stayed on them I would have had a problem. Within just a few days of surgery my sugars were high-normal, even though I had actually gained weight from the IV and travel! Drink some apple juice in the meantime and get to your doc! Update us and let us know you're doing alright, please. Best of luck, ~Cheri

Nah, you'll never be able to eat again. Those of us in maintenance are starving to death. Ok, you know I'm teasing. Hey, you just transitioned from clears to full liquids and added in Soups, right? They're thicker and your poor, healing stomach is still swollen. It takes a while to hold a decent sized meal. And by decent sized I really mean 4 solid ounces! You're also feeling frustrated by your limited diet, I'm sure. You're uncomfortable, can't eat, food is less appealing and your entire life is changing - but this will pass. And it really does pass more quickly than you think it will. Before you know it, you'll be posting your three month update. So hang in there. Focus on hydration and healing. Nutritional goals can wait. Nobody hits them right away. It's frustrating but you'll be onto soft foods soon. Sure, you'll only get in a bite or two at first but that gets easier, too. Focus on avoiding dehydration and relax. Best of luck, and congrats on your new sleeve! ~Cheri

It's normal, so work it to your advantage! Some tastes do come back but most of my aversions have stuck with me. I used to LOVE fries or greasy chips and can't stand more than one or two now. It's nice to kick that habit. I used to crave french fries and it led me into the drive thru cycle more than once. My time off dairy (lactose intolerance) left me with a dislike of heavy, creamy sauces and cream Soups. I can eat them now, they just aren't as satisfying as they were prior to surgery. I had a Protein shake I bought a two pound tub of because I loved it pre-op, but it tasted awful to me after surgery. I'm a cook and a serious baker and for the longest time food held absolutely no appeal for me. It wasn't until sometime around one year out that I had my first meal where I sat back and said, "Wow, that was good." It comes back, but that huge break where I didn't care for food really taught me how to handle my portions and how to eat in moderation. I'm grateful my tool gave me that extra perk. I'm better adjusted in maintenance because of this. I can bake six dozen Cookies or five loaves of bread in a day and have them in the house without feeling like it's a constant temptation. It's just food, and I can eat a little if I want, but it doesn't control me the way it used to. Best of luck and swift healing! It gets easier. ~Cheri

You're on track. It's pretty normal and of course it gets easier. If we had to live that way forever very few people would be so happy with the sleeve! Don't beat yourself up. You'll get better each day, and as you get used to the drastic change in diet the fatigue will go away, too. Good luck and congrats on your new sleeve. ~Cheri

I have two of these and used them post op with no problem. I would keep one in my lap all day long so I'd never forget to keep sipping while healing. If you don't have one, the straw cleaning brushes you can find online are a big help. I love mine! Oh, and if you ever need them it's possible to get replacement straws and tips, too. ~Cheri

When I was on clears the only Proteins I had were unflavored added to broth - my list of okay foods didn't include Protein shakes at that point. Only you know what you'll like but unjury was foul to me. The smell was awful and I was only able to tolerate a Tbs. or so of powder in my Soup, which defeats the purpose, anyway! I LOVE Syntrax Medical Unflavored. It blends well into hot, warm, room temp and cool liquids with no lumps. I use a shaker cup and have no trouble. It has no real flavor or funky smell. I wish I had known about it in the clears stage. A lot of people like Isopure but I couldn't tolerate it. Maybe try to have a few different flavors on hand for post op to try again. My tastes changed immediately post op and the things I thought I was going to love because they tasted good to me prior to surgery tasted awful. You never know what will happen until you're there! Immediately post op it's more important to focus on hydration and healing than hitting protein goals, but every little bit helps. You'll want carbs in the early days because you're going to be dragging until you adjust to a very low calorie diet. I didn't regularly hit my nutritional goals until a few months out. It's a real challenge early on, so don't get too discouraged or frustrated if you have a problem, too. Good luck, ~Cheri

If my cycle worked, I'll be due end of March - so we'll have to start a pregnancy thread at that point! Girl, get in to your doc for a beta. It will ease your mind to see the numbers. Congrats again! ~Cheri

Oh yum...too bad I live somewhere I can't find quality avocados OR turkey bacon! Thanks for sharing! ~Cheri

Congrats! Do you have a beta scheduled? I'm sure a lot of my cramping past the early weeks was due to having twins, so I wouldn't worry that it'll happen to you. ~Cheri

What's the nausea from? I ask because I started to put two and two together about my lactose intolerance pretty close to two months out. It made me feel nauseated and sick all day long. It's completely normal to feel aversions to food after surgery. Eating isn't fun anymore, we can't eat as much as we used to, our tastes change and very often we're on a really restrictive diet. But you have to make yourself eat something - even sipping on Protein shakes all day if you have to. Otherwise you'll get dehydrated! We need fuel. For some people it's a once in a while thing. For me, it lasted months. I didn't really enjoy eating much of anything until sometime around a year out. Nowadays I do enjoy food, just in smaller portions. Every now and again eating will be a chore or a pain but I don't feel completely repulsed by food the way I did in the beginning. Find something you can tolerate. And really - see if dairy is causing you a problem. Maybe your current Protein shake is ruining your day. In either case, it does get better. Hang in there. ~Cheri

Oh yeah! I forgot to add that the ONLY unflavored Protein I would really recommend is the nectar one. It's almost completely tasteless with no funky smell and it blends in with no issue. ~Cheri

Everyone is different. Have you noticed a change in your numbers? How frequently do you test? I came off meds right after surgery, though I did require insulin a few times in the 24 hours immediately post op. I noticed a drop in my blood sugars almost immediately and was considered "in remission" four months post op. I hope that your doc will have some insight for you! It did take longer for my A1C to come down to a normal level. ~Cheri

I just want to thank the OP and all of the other posters for their contributions to this thread. My mother has lupus and would like the sleeve but is worried about not only going off the meds but finding a new protocol to work as she loses weight and adjusts dosages. I'd really love it if you ladies could keep coming back here to update with your progress so I can show her it's possible to do this. She's watching my new life from the sidelines, afraid to jump in herself. I do have one question: how did you go about finding a surgeon? Did you simply let the surgeon you selected know you were higher risk? My mother is on warfarin (coumadin) and is very concerned about having another surgery. She had an aortic aneurysm in 2010 that left her wheelchair bound for more than a year, and she's still experiencing neuropathy and uses braces and a walker to walk. I'm sure her case is a bit more drastic than some, but I'm curious to hear about how you went about selecting your surgeons and preparing for surgery. Best to all of you, ~Cheri

If you have people you can count on to help if your recovery isn't as smooth as you like, then do it. I'm sorry but I can't imagine having two dogs in the house is more difficult than those of us that get sleeved with young children! I had two and a half year old twins to chase after surgery and managed just fine. That said, go into this choice knowing that your recovery might be rougher than you expect because of the added demand. I always say dogs are a bit like toddlers that never grow up. Obviously I'm a cat person. Best of luck either way! ~Cheri

You can do a few things. One, evaluate your diet. I'm not criticizing you personally. Make sure you're being totally honest with yourself about your intake. If you aren't tracking what you eat, start. It's useful for so many reasons! I know that I definitely let myself slip into denial about what I'm actually putting in my mouth if I'm not careful. Sometimes you need MORE food, not less! I needed a better balance of protein and carbs to do well. Everyone is different. This can maybe kick start your loss and get you going again. Finally, it doesn't matter if you lose slow and steady or fast and furious. The end result is the same: goal. None of us can guess how long it will take us to get there. It took me seventeen months, and I lost on average just over six pounds a month. That's not entirely accurate because I had two nine week stalls in there, too! If you're doing the right things with your diet the weight will come off. It's a challenge for all of us slower losers to accept that we aren't getting to goal in nine months. I was so angry and frustrated until I learned to just let it happen. Definitely be more active. It's good for the body and the mind. Walking isn't going to make you lose a ton of weight but it's going to get you moving. Embrace your new lifestyle and enjoy it. Don't just sit back and let it happen to you - get involved in your journey! Best to you, and welcome to the site! ~Cheri

The above is good advice. I just want to ask if you're on a PPI. Many docs to not prescribe a PPI as a matter of course. The feel of a belly churning with acid is the EXACT same as a hungry belly. This may be causing you to feel like you're hungry and need to eat. So yes, it's entirely possible that you're just one of those people that doesn't lose the hunger. But if you aren't on a proton pump inhibitor, I suggest you look into this because it might help you. If the PPI isn't the issue, it's really important to evaluate why you're eating when you are. If you feel out of control, part of the issue could be that you're eating emotionally or falling back into old habits despite your best efforts to work your sleeve. If the issue is simply that you feel hungry all the time the only real solution is to feed the sleeve when you're hungry, but to entirely revamp your eating habits. This way you can eat when you feel hungry but you'll find yourself limited to small meals made up of high Protein options if you want to stay successful. Best of luck. I hope you find something that works. ~Cheri

I love vanilla bean torte and chocolate truffle the best. I've used them for the entire time post op and still enjoy them. They mix well with juice, tea, coffee, Water, soymilk. I'd say the double-stuffed cookie, latte Cappuccino and Caribbean cooler are also pretty good. I don't typically care for fruity Protein shakes but I've tried the peach, orange, and pink grapefruit and think they're okay, I just couldn't drink them every day. The only flavors I couldn't drink at all were roadside lemonade and the twisted cherry. Others like them but I hated them. ~Cheri