Shanny

I like the Atkins Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar. It's got 19 grams of protein and only 2 net carbs. They're pretty tasty and aren't too sweet! They have other flavores but the peanut butter has the highest protein.

I've been on Pristiq for 3 years. I also take Topamax at night. When I had my surgery I was switched to Xanax and Topamax in the hospital because it could be crushed. When I came home I was able to resume taking the Pristiq and Topamax. It was only for 3 days so I didn't have any side effects. Hopefully that'll work for you, too! Good luck!

I had my surgery 3 weeks ago. My surgeon had me on Clear Liquids for one week, then full liquids for a week, then puree for 10 days, now soft foods for 2 weeks and then slowly introducing solid foods after puree. NO carbonated drinks for 1 year, no tomatoes for 4 months and no raw veggies (salads) for 2 months. It's pretty strick, and I've tried to push the envelope a little. Jumping the gun gaveme horrible indigestion and push me back to full liquids. I'm listening to what he says from now on. You can't eat and drink at the same time. Your stomach will not be large enough to handle it. It'll give you a horrible stomach ache! I've been living off of Campbell's soup. First the broth, now the Chunky kind. It seems to fill me up and I eat about 4-6 oz at a sitting. Laughing Cow cheese goes down smooth, too. So does that chicken in a can, put that in a blender with a little fat free mayo, and some seasoning and you have chicken salad. It's pretty tasty and fills you up. Best of luck to you!

This is my first challenge, but I'm going for 25 pounds. I've already lost 3. By Easter, I want to be at least 180. Here's hoping we make our goals! SN.......................Starting WT....................Current...................Goal.................Lbs to Goal Shanny...................205..................................202.........................180......................22

I'm 3 weeks out of surgery, I'm 5'1" and was 247 pounds when I first entered my program - I was 228 my surgery date. While I don't regret having it, I've had my days where I've cried and asked what have I done to myself. Mainly it's because I ate too fast, or ate something that I used to love but now I can't really digest it that well. It's hard getting used to this new stomach - learning what you can and can't tolerate anymore, how much you can have, understanding what you're body is telling you. Indigestion sucks, so does the new feeling of hunger and getting used to the feeling only having about 600-800 calories. I don't regret it, I just wish I was more prepared. I went to classes and group meetings for 6 months, and I even got a binder full of information. Nothing prepares you for it like doing it though. It's a learning curbe, and for me, the type that wants to understand everything right away, it's frustrating as all get out sometimes. Days like yesterday I love my sleeve because I felt great! Today, not so much because I don't think I drank enough yesterday and I'm dragging today probably from dehydration. Research, ask questions, and talk to post sleevers. Find out the good the bad and the ugly. I only heard wonderful things. It wasnt' until I was sleeved that I found this board and found out some of the uglies. Luckily, they're the same uglies that I face, so I don't feel so alone. It's a life changing learning process. In the end it's worth it, but getting there can is a journey. Just becuase we're sleeved the problems don't go away. Real life is still there, waiting to get me alone so I can eat my problems away. I am still in therapy and will continue to be until I learn other coping skills besides food. You have to be willing to put in the work not only during the operation, and care thereafter, but on you, on the inside...as well as exercising and working your body on the outside. It's a tool. You have to use it. I think if you decide to do the surgery you'll find the good days outweigh the bad and the end result will have you feeling like it's the best decision you've ever made. Good luck!

I still get hungry, but it feels different. It doesn't growl, but it feels like a huge gas bubble and it makes me want to throw up. I hate that when I'm hungry I get sick to the stomach. It happens about every 2-3 hours. After a few bites I'm full until about 2-3 hours later when it comes back. I crave everything though! Even things I don't like. TV sucks because every other commercial is about food and it makes me want everything. I've never been impulsive so I don't have head hunger that much.

I've lost 24 pounds in 19 days. That's great! I'm excited about it. The only thing is I'm worried it's coming off too fast. I know 1/2 of it is because my stomach still is healing and I don't eat much, don't want to eat much, and can't eat a lot of things. My friend asked me how do I stop after I reach my goal weight. I really don't know. If I continue to eat right and exercise, won't it make me keep losing weight? I want to be about 135-140, which is still bigger than a 5'1" is supposed to be. But, I don't have the bone structure to be that small. I want some meat on my bones still. Is there a brake or pause button on this sleeve? I don't see my doctor until next week, and I'll ask him them. In the meantime, I realize that I was excited about losing weight that I never before questioned how do you stop?

Thanks!

That's awesome! I spent $18. Yogurt, Campbell's Chunky Soup, and Carnation Breakfast Essentials. That's it. I'm set for the week. I'll make up the difference in the new clothes I need to buy because I everything own is now too big! Here's to the new us!

I'm only 18 days out of surgery. I know that I can't have tomatoes until I'm 4 months post op. I'm struggling because I love them so, but it's what I have to do. What I didn't realize is how many foods have tomatoes in them. This weekend I went I had pureed fish, that was really soft so I had a bite, chewed it like 400 times and swallowed. I never once thought about the fact that cocktail sauce is tomato based.That little taste of cocktail sauce is what started the worst acid reflux that I've ever had in my life. My throat has been bubbling, and I can't swallow. Even liquids are getting stuck in my throat because of the indigestion. Now, I love tomatoes, but I've made a serious effort to stay away from them. I totally wasn't thinking when I did that. In fact, none of us at dinner were. We were talking and laughing and going on as business as usual. Not only do 1/2 of my favorite foods have tomato sauce in them, but I really have to mindful about Soup, stews, ketchup, A1 sauce...everything. Hell even the Laughing Cow cheese has sundried tomatoes in it. My favorite food is trying to kill me! First baby food brocolli and cheese, now this. Now I have to take Maloxx for 2 days and be on Clear Liquids until it passes. It's not that I can't stay away from tomatoes but I honestly didn't think about it. Now that I know how much tomatoes hate me, I KNOW that I'll think and rethink and overthink everything I eat to make sure it doesn't have any tomato in it!

My doctor's plan says not to have tomatoes until 4 months post op. I don't know why, but after the cocktail sauce incident, I will NOT be having them anytime in the near future!

I'm sorry that you're feeling so horrible. I had surgery almost 3 weeks ago, and I'm still asking myself the same question. In fact, until I saw your post I was thinking about writing about my regrets. The pain gets better after about the 3rd day. I stopped taking my pain killers on my 2nd day home from the hospital. In the beginning you'll have good days and bad days, trying to relearn how to eat, and remember that it's going to take your stomach time to learn how to digest things. That's the problem I'm having. This is a life changing tool. Hang in there!

You can buy it at Amazon.com, or at Neighborcare Pharmacy, too. I get it at the pharmacy because they sell it for $15.99, and there's no shipping. Chocolate works well for me. I don't like the unflavored at all!

Since I have a bit more energy, I decided I want to start exercising. I'm not comfortable with the idea of going to a gym. Still have that fat girl fear that everyone there is looking at me. So, I decided I'm going to do it at home. Since it's cold as all get out, I'm not walking around the lake yet. When it warms up I will - when it gets too hot, and the bugs come out, I know I won't be doing that anymore. I only get a good 2 months in with the walking thing before nature and my allergies put a stop to all that outdoors stuff. What else was there to do? Buy some stuff! I got my tax return, I'm worth a few dollars, aren't I? I started off small. I got the Gazelle, and the Gold's Gym mini stepper. They should be delivered by Tuesday. I'm so excited. I would love to work out at home, while watching TV, or listening to music. Since my son moved his computer in his room and out of the den, I have the whole room to do whatever I want. Since I got two pieces, my girl and I can workout together. She's been doing the exercises she learned in the Navy with me, and now we'll have some eqjpment to really push ourselves, too. I'm excited! Wish me luck!

I had this problem, but post op on the clear liquid diet. My doctor said it was from the protein deficiency. Hang in there. It gets better.

@ Tiffykins - thanks for all the info. I had decided yesterday after the hellacious night I had that I was eating Soup today. I notice though when I only try to do full liquids, I'm hungry. Plus I have to ingest more to get the Protein. At least with the puree I'm in pain, but I'm not hungry . I guess it's a little heavier so I'm satied. Granted after about 4 bites I'm pretty satied anyway, but with liquids, I'm hungry again about an hour later. I guess I'm afraid of "overeating" with the liquids, even though I'm only getting in about 4 - 6 oz at a time, depending on how thick it is. I'm going to pay attention to how I'm taking the Nexium and try staying on the full liquids for a little longer to see if that helps. I just wish I could burp on my own. Yesterday, it seemed that drinking Water before I ate, was the only thing that made me burp, but that was more of a hunger thing. I swear, it seems like as soon as I get one stage of this sleeve figured out, it's time to be on the next stage and then I'm back to square one. Yes, I'm losing weight, but this thing is so frustrating. My body doesn't seem to be cooperating with the 'rules' that I'm supposed to follow. I'm afraid winging it is going to do some damage or I'm going to undo everything that I learned over the course of the pre-op. There's a support group meeting on Tuesday, I'm definitely going. I'm so confused about this damn thing!

I had my surgery 16 days ago. When whenever I eat, unless it's clear liquid or yogurt, I get indigestion. For an hour after I eat, no matter how finely pureed, chewed, soft, or whatever it is, or how small the bite, or how many times I chew, I get horrible indigestion that feels like I have to throw up. Everything feels like it's stuck in my chest, not even in my stomach. I still have to walk around, and a half hour after I eat when I'm able to drink I can push it down it bit, but it stays stuck for a good hour. My girlfriend usually has to rub or pat my back until I can burp, then I feel better - I feel like an infant. How long does this horrible side effect last? I have to eat, but the indigestion is so bad it makes me not want to eat at all!

With my program I am on the puree foods until Wednesday, then I go to soft foods. I only have to be puree foods until Tuesday. As much as I hate eating at this point, I wonder if I'll ever be able to go to soft foods! This crap is annoying. I'm not really paying attention to how I take the nexium. I'm going to start paying more attention to it tomorrow. I just take it in the morning with my other meds and Protein shake.

I'm on Nexium. Maybe I should switch to prilosec. I'll also try putting the fork down. I'm desperate because this is awful!

I use the Gummyvites that you get at Costco. My doctor said they work fine, plus they have 200% Vitamin D (I'm deficient). Plus, this week they're on sale at Costco for $7.99 a botttle for 200 instead of $9.99 a bottle.

So, I had my sleeve done 2 weeks ago, and outside of the initial surgery pain, I haven't had any. That is until last night. Last night my incision on my navel started hurting, and it's a little swollen on one side. Today, my stomach, right above my incision (where my actual stomach is) hurts. It doesn't hurt all the time, it's just sore when I sit. I haven't done anything. I haven't eaten anything that I'm not supposed to. I haven't been exercising vigorously. It's just irrating me. It's not bad enough to call my doctor, but if it gets worse I will. Should I just chalk it up to healing irritability?

I'm glad you can drink. I'm 14 days post op today and it still takes me about 45 minutes to drink a 8 oz Protein shake. I am able sip more Water at a time, but everything kept getting stuck and I belched a lot. When you start eating you will notice a difference. My doctor wants me to eat at least 4 oz of food. I'm still working on getting 2.5 in. Me and my sleeve are fighting a serious battle. Good luck!

In the end we waited 10 days. I still don't have as much energy as I did, but that's because I can't get the drinking and Protein thing down to a science yet, but we're still modifying things a bit. So far, so great!

I'm mostly sticking with canned tuna and canned chicken and blend it. I make tuna salad or chicken salad. Use about a tbsp of fat free mayo (I like the lowfat mayo with olive oil), and seasoning. I've also blended some brocolli florets, and used the laughing cow wedges and melted them over the broccolli. It doesn't look good, but it tastes really good. I'm addicted to those laughing light cow cheeses!

Congrats! You both look great!