Disco

I am onnnnly 3 weeks post of and let me say this first: I AM IN NOOOOO WAY TRYING TO EAT STEAK ANNNNNYTIME SOON!! I have just seen varying "timeframes" on when you can eat/try it again..... I know that red meat stays in your stomach ( regular stomachs) for days..... But,i was just wondering what others doctors recommend? I've seen some say their doc said 3 months.... while mine said 6 months..... And if some can "try it" after 3 months ( and we both have the sleeve...), would it be bad if I did? Seems like docs just have "personal preferences".... Thoughts?

I have always had that "fat stomach", i.e I have a huge bulge UNDER my belly button that "hangs" down (i'm only 4 weeks sleeved... and am losing slowly, so I havent seen much change yet". I have (even when I was a KID... I was always overweight all my life... and I can look at a pic as an 8 yr old and I had that "under belly button-fat bulge". Now, ABOVE the belly button, it has always been pretty flat (strange, I know...) I have always been sooooooo jealous of the heavier women who still, by the grace of God, had a "flat stomach" pretty much. If I had one wish, it would be to have a flat stomach after all this! (something I have NEVER had in all of my almost 43 years of living! I have never been able to "tuck in shirts", because even as a size 14 (this is the smallest I can remember myself being.... and that was since middle school)..... I STILL had that FKIN bulge! Now, I am praying that I go down waaaaay below a 14 (currently a 20, hope to be at LEAST a size 8-10!), but my question is...... if YOU have this body type and HAVE lost weight, does this bulge go away... at least mostly ? ( and for the record I do NOT believe that this "buldge" is something that excercise can take away either .... just like guys with chicken legs will NEVER have Arnold Schwarzenegger calves, unless you are so constantly trying to focus on that stomach and honestly..... that just doesn't sound appealing. I will and have been walking and will work out, but that just seems like it is fighting an uphill battle.....forever) After this surgery though,......... I am reticent to potentially even THINK about a tummy tuck though (eek!), wven when the time is right (i.e. when close to/at goal weight). Thoughts??? Is plastic surgery my best bet once i lose weight?

All I will say is.... 1. Lottttttttts of empathy for those who have ( i will speak for my "rants") felt any of what I felt. Thanks. It was ex-TREEEEEEEMELY helpful. 2. Hope no one with negative comments eveeeeeeeeer finds themselves in ANY situation where they didnt know every nuance of "what to expect" though they did do research. spectacular!!

Girl! I totally understand!!! And yes, you are sooooo not alone! :-) Your husband may or may not understand, and yassssss ma'am! Marriage is work, lol.... but I also know that you will be fine in the knowledge of why YOU did it.... that is the most imprtant thing, after all....... this is for YOU, not for anyone else :-)

I'm soooooo jealous......

You look awesome!!!! I hope to get there too!! I feel like the only option to TRULY get what i really want ( a flat stomach at SOME POINT in my life...) is to get surgery, and since I am definitely not having anymore kids, I may look into it as time goes.... Lol In the meantime, since I am verrrrrry well versed at "hiding" my bulge, if I look like YOU DO, I think that's pretty dang great!!!!

First , CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That is awesome!!! I am praaaaaaying to be where you are!! I have a girlfriend who went from a 20 to a 6 as well, and I am hoping I can be there..... But am trying to be "easy" with that expectation..... So I won't be disappointed if I don't get to a size 6, too. But you are telling me EXACTLY what I was afraid of..... Because of how my body "makeup" is..... Excessive attention to the abs and such or plastic surgery..... will be my only damn option

Girl, I am so sorry that your husband doesn't have the ability to empathize with you in your situation. Though my husband was suppoortive of my surgery, while I was going through HE.LL (i.e. the 1 week pre op liquids & mess and the post op, 4 days of Clear Liquids and then another week and a half of full liquids) his A$$ had the nerve to bring food to eat upstairs in the bedroom (he always eats in the bedroom..... he is NOT a person that likes eating at a "table".....retarded, I know...). And I went OFF. I was like "if your ass doesnt eat that **** QUICKLY, you need tro leave or I need to leave. period". He looked at me like I had grown 4 heads and 2 tails. I don't give a S&!T ! They will NEVER know how VERRRRRRRY difficult this is (for some......i.e. ME) to see you eat and smell good food and NOT be able to eat it!!! (yes, I know we are "choosing" to do this, but that doesn't mean it's ANY dang easier I have alllllllllllways been that person that, if I was hungry..... I am exTREMELY E.VIL ! SO, I had been doing well to not go off but one time! lol But I agree with others in terms of the gym thing...... don't wait on him.... go yourself and work it on out. You can do it

I was LITERALLY just thinking about this last night! I have actually thought about just "telling" the dang waitress to avoid stupid looks & questions, because I am like 4 weeks out and I KNOW my husband and I can literally share 1 entree... (don't want to have to go OFF on someone for acting like they have an attitude because their "tip" will be less...... you know that's what it boils down to..... because I literally CANNOT eat more than 4-5 bites at a time!). I truuuuuly do NOT want to deal with servers constantly asking or bugging me.... Soooooo, I may just "say it" outright, which may cause less drama (for me) and allow me to enjoy my day without fear of bad service because they do not understand.

Great idea! I'm going to adopt this.....

I swore I THOUGHT I researched it..... but no one "told" me allllllllllllllll of this stuff! I consulted with my doctor, my friends (i have 3 friends who were sleeved) and NO ONE gave me the type of detail that I am finding now....... I promise I tried as best I could....but just like I said previously...... I don't know what I don't know! And if I don't know that lets say, constipation, is a problem, how the heck could I know to ask about it???? I just feel that as "internet/tech" savvy as I was, I had done the best I could to find out, but obviously....... i didn't know what I didn't know......

Thank you SOOOO much!! You make me fel like I am not so crazy after all to have these frustrations :-) I am oon the right path in some ways: 1. I have a pill box (had one lying around for trips out of town, but just told my husband that I needed to start using it because I couldn't REMEMBER if I took alllll the pills or not! SO, I have implemented that. 2. I bought the MIralax at the suggestion of a girl in my drs office who, she herself, is about 7 months sleeved, becuase she said she too ALWAYS has to take it a few times a week to prevent constipation and that she "stays consipated"....lol.... I took a dose 2 days ago after my "suppository incident" and I probably need to take it again today...oy! 3. I have been really JUST trying to JUST get to 60g.... 80 is too much for me to even consider seeing as though after 4-5 bites..... I am done. Also, I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE every.single.protein shake I have tried (Isopure unflavored-powder, Isopure Fruit punch (ready made), Isopure Grape Frost (ready made), Boost Calorie Control, Pure Protein- chocolate, unjury Chocolate (too sweet post op and just don't like it because I am TIRED of "drinking" crap....... and Premier Protein.... I can only HALFWAY tolerate the Premier Chocolate.... the vanilla is disgusting and makes me wanna vomit. I truly WANT to get ALL of my protein from food since I am now on soft foods, but my limited ability to take in more than 3-4 bites is not helping. Add that to the fact that for the past week and a day.... I have been stalled (further adding to my aggravation..... hell, if I could still SEE more than the 12lbs I lost, I would feel like allllllllllllllllll this frustration was worth it! lol) 4. The good thing is: I LOVE TO EAT THINGS THAT HAD PARENTS ! lol I have allllllllllllways been a meat eater.... love, love, LOVE meat!!! (problem is.... right now, i can only do 3-4 bites whch makes it harder to get the protein in, in that way). I do like edamame and have some in my freezer that I am going to pull out today , and I do NOT have a sweet tooth, so dessert is no biggie to scratch off of the list.... I could take it or really..... leave it (thank GOD for small miracles!!! LOL) 5. Also, the bad thing is : I am a loooooooooover of bread, Pasta, sauces (guess that's what brought me to this point, huh?) So, it is hard with allllllll the comercials and food out there that falls into THOSE categories, to figure out how/what to cook anymore...... I don't want to have my whole family be devoid of pasta,etc. just because "I" am! So, I know on some days that I will prob have to make two seperate meals...... Also.... have you heard of the pasta by Quest (sepaking of them...) I want to try them, but don't know if they are the same as regular pasta for our systems.... see link --->http://www.questproteinbar.com/pasta/ what are your thoughts on this?? 6. Protein bars: I have ALREADY stocked up on about 5 that I want to try (doc said cant try it until 8 weeks, so I have a little ways to go, but in trying one pre-op, they were seemingly "heavy" on my stomach even THEN, because they are so densely compacted! I needed water and to chew it real well.... PRE OP! lol But, I will try it..... if it gives me less mess to drink..... I will try it!

Thanks girl! JESUS! I wish you COULD give me a hug too! lol It's just alot..... healing, getting my WHOLE life/routine, EVERY.THING turned 180 (literally) overnight! I am just struggling....... and it was not anticipated or expected for it to be THIS trying (at least for me....) And you are right..... had they told me... I would probably have thought "well... maybe it's not THAT bad......". Just like when people say "kids are alot of work....get your rest now".... 1. you can NEVER rest enough to compensate for how damn tred you are in the first few months and 2. I woulda STILL chosen to have a baby anyway...lol I hope that this "new habit" becomes more routine and I get better at it over time.

OMG, OMG, OMMMMMMG !!!! I think you just reached into my brain and pulled out several frustrations that I am havng too! I just didn't have the courage to post them, as I didn;t want to seem like 'negative nelly" when this IS something that I "asked" for!!! BUT..... and this is a BIG BUT..... I had NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO F*$N CLUE about alllllllllll of the changes that I do NOT like. Allow me to vent: 1. The fact that I will never be able to eat more than a 1/2 to cup of food (maybe thaaaaat's not too bad...LOL) 2. The fact that I will have to FOR.EVER try to get "60-80 g" of Protein EVERY DAY! FOREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVER. That is F&$& HARD to do 3. That I will probably be constiapted (already had a bout with it, wherein, I wasn't "paying attention" to how long it had been since I went and since I have NEEEEVER been a "go every day" person)..... it was 5 days, I had to give myself a suppository, and I felt like my @$$hole was being RIPPED in two (felt worse than giving birth, I swear it did!) I am not used to having to take "supplements" to ensure my bowels move......but it seems that NOW,.....NOW...... I will....foreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeever. And with alllllll the stuff to keep track of (how much protein, Vitamins, Calcium, how much liquid i'm imbibing.....) &H!T is HARDER for me on a day to day basis and I haven't even gone back to work!!!! WHat happens when I am "busy" and "forget" to eat..... forget to drink (I have NEVER been a "drink alot of liquid in a day" kinda person) 4. The vitamins. I was talkign to my 78 yr old mother ( who is and has alwasy been thin....her BIGGEST when I was probably 12 or 13 was a size 14, mostly due to her being "hippy") who takes a PLETHORA of pills every day for everything from estrogen, calcium, HBP meds, multi Vitamin, Insulin pill.....blah, blah, blah), that it was frustrating to have to "keep up" wth when I can take this.... oh, don't take calcium near the time you take the vitamin pill......etc". Well, she said " honey.... I have to do the same thing.... I have to remember to eat, watch what I eat, remember to take my pills at certain times", and as much as looooove my mother, I wanted to scream to her: BUT YOU ARE 78!!!! I AM 42!!!!! I am not an older person! Yet, my "routiine" is that of someone OLD! I did this to make my life simpler, NOT MORE COMPLICATED........ and now I am stuck". Top that off with the fact that she has NOTHING. TO. DO, but to keep up with vitamin regimens, figure out what to cook on a whim...... I work, have a husband and 9 year old and simply do not HAVE time for more complication! But..... that is my life now..... I am totally venting..... I hope I feel differently at some point..... I also feel that NO ONE TOLD ME what I could expect and I have THREE.... THREE friends (not super close friends) who have gone through this and those chicks never told me of allllllllllllllllll the WORK that this entails! (one is 2 years sleeved, one is 1 year and the other is 7 weeks)....... when I asked my 2yr sleeved friend she was kinda like "Ok..... so what do ya wanan know?".... I hate that damn question...... I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW!!!! TELL ME EVERYTHING...... and truthfully..... when people say "tell me about the surgery", they want to know the "bad stuff" to expect..... we can allllll see the "good"!!! But no one, NOT even the one sleeved 7 weeks ago, told me of all the WORK that is now added to my life just to keep LIVIING. So, again...... i feel like you do..... if i had known this, in THIS depth.... i am pretty sure I would not have done this...... #learningtolivewiththisdecision

Ya know..... i NEEEEEEEEEVER realized just how MUCH food is in EVERY. PART. OF. OUR. EXISTENCE!!! And how MANY things revolve AROUND food!!!! It's kinda frustrating and eye opening at the same time! Geez! I mean..... I feel like I SHOULD have known this fact, seeing as though, humans HAVE TO eat to survive and so there (obviously) has to be somoe kind of focus on food in society.... but DAMMIT! I see MORE commercials (since I am stll on medical leave as I am 3 1/2 weekd out) for FOOD than anything! Food is the glue to MOST families.... I feel you.......

My "co worker" who has also become a friend said ( multiple times) " I have other friends who have had this and you're not going to be any "fun" to go out to eat with now......" Kinda pissed me off, because whyyyy is my fun level determined by how much I can damn eat??? I will be able to have SOME , just not all !!!" She is a pretty normal weight ( 5'7, size 10), so it's not because she wants me to gorge because she actually is a huge proponent of "healthy eating" and works out 2-3x a week..... Still it ticked me off when she said that. Lol

You are right! I am VERY happy that I have lost the 12 pounds, I think I got the "idea" from a friend sleeved on 4/29 who has lost like 50lbs, that in the first month (she lost like 30 + lbs that first month) I would "lose sooooooo much" as she did, so when that expectation fell short..... I have been in this "funky place" of feeling like "am I EVVVVVVER going to lose any more than THIS??? It makes me feel better to know that I will eventually feel a bit more "normal"..... lol... or my "new normal",that is So, I am truly happy that I have lost 12, and just want to get the "loss train" going again!!! :-)

I am 3 weeks PO and I , too, find it frustrating to only be able to eat a minicsule amount (end up wasting ALOT becuase you can't "cook" a meal small enough for just 3-4 bites!) And then 4 days later when you have 1/2 the meal still left..... you don't really (at least i don't) want it. ARRRGH! Of course I did this for the REASON of not being able to eat that much to increase weight loss.... but I guess I just didn;t know it would be this difficult (at least for me....) And to top it off.... my weight loss has stalled and I've only lost 12 lbs (not including the 12 lbs of Water I gained in the hospital....) grrrrrrr..... Feeling frustrated.......

hmmm..... I too, had the belly button incision though I do not have anything like you described. I think you dhould definitely call your doctor. There was nothing "in" mine, however this is day 22 with my sleeve and it has been RAW (think..... for 2 1/2 weeks inside of there on the top part, it looked like the inside of your mouth and was NOT seeming to heal..... kinda scary to me) since the operation and sore..... It is JUST now (like yesterday/today) starting to feel better. But the "green,fuzzy" thing sounds like you may want to get it checked out......

Ok, we'll youre giving me hope because I, too, am a meat eater ( i like to eat things that had parents.... Lol) and don't have a sweet tooth either. So, I couldn't WAIT to get to the point where I could eat some damn meat!!! Lol I guess the next thing is that I need to get walking..... Haven't been doing much of it since I had surgery ( 3 weeks ago today)..... Hopefully I can follow in your footsteps!!

I would say that is A LOT!! You go girl!!! You look great!!!!!

Just wondering at what point can salad be tolerated?

You look great!!!! How'd you do it soooo fast!!? You lost like 100 lbs in like 6 months !!! I would LOVE to be at that point, 5 1/2 months from now Did you exercise a lot? I'd love to know how you did it !!! Congrats!!!

Never even thought about the potential to gag and maybe throw up...( eeeek) due to the capacity of the sleeve , with all the saliva and what not....... I would D.I.E. if that happened ..... *scared*

Absolutely beautifully said..... Best of luck and I second EVERY. SINGLE . THING you said! Thank you......