Deigh

I have the app but I am barely able to make 1 mile right now. How out of shape do they expect you to be at the start?

I'm so glad you posted this, Debbie. My job is crazy right now (I'm a CPA and it is tax season) and the first thing I let fall to the side is taking care of myself. I've been lazy about my food diary and I haven't walked in several weeks. It's hard to get motivated when I'm at work from 8:30 until...well, I'm still here now and will be a few more hours. Early is leaving at 10pm. I saw my doctor today and his comment was I probably waste more time complaining about not making it to the gym than I would spend if I just went outside and walked around the block. Also, he pointed out, my clients will survive the 10 or 15 minutes and I'll be more alert and able to do more returns if I do this. I just need to do it, but it's so hard and I feel so whiny about it. I hate that I won't just get up off my tush and do it. So my goal as of today is to keep my food diary every day this week and walk at least 10 minutes on three of the next 5 days. I hope to make it all 5. Next week, I'm going to aim for 15 minutes. Eventually, I'd like to get to 15 minutes twice a day. I am taping a big sign to the back of my door that says, "Get up and Walk!" and hopefully that will remind me to do it. When I was at my heaviest, I couldn't walk more than 100 ft without losing my breath. I was on oxygen fulltime and they weren't sure I was going to make it. (I have PAH and my weight exacerbates it.) I should be grateful for the fact that I can walk now. I should do it more often and get stronger.

I had my sleeve on December 8th and started on the 10th. That one was normal but around the 28th of December, I had a two week one start that just kept going and going. I haven't gotten another and I should be due already. Today, I've wanted to eat everything in sight and It's only by the physical pain I have right now because I tore through a Chobani 2% that I am not eating. I MUST be PMSing. That or I have a mental tapeworm that thinks i need to eat more. I sincerely hope I get my next one soon. I can't take many more days like this.

I'm http://www.myfitnesspal.com/RobinDeigh if you want to add me. I haven't made my diary public because I'm still dealing with a lot of food issues but I like feeling accountable to y'all. I missed a day last week and actually thought, "Oh no! All the people on VST are going to think I'm not doing well!" I'm a lurker but I like having someone I feel accountable to. Lately, I don't feel like eating at all.

I have had a big NSV day... I am on the United Way board and we were doing site visits. The people on my panel didn't know me heavy and didn't now my situation at all. They don't know that two years ago I was in pulmonary rehab and couldn't walk more than 100 ft. Today, I walked myself all over the Y, a huge homeless shelter with a Soup kitchen and transitional dorms, a developmental daycare, and finally an adult daycare PLUS vocational campus. When we finished at the adult daycare, the tour guide wanted to take us to see what the United Way funds paid for the prior year - a walking track of about 1/3 miles in the woods that's paved so wheelchairs can go. We walked about halfway to the lookout and then back to the facility up a huge hill. OK, huge to me but still...a hill. Anyway, I didn't sit down except when we were in conference rooms and everyone else sat. I stood or walked for most of the almost four hours I was on these visits and without this surgery, I never would have been able to do it. I sent an email to my program director thanking her for this. Really, I feel like I'm slowly getting my life back.

I'm RobinDeigh and I added everyone on here. I'm a CPA and it's tax time so I'm really fighting the stress eating. At least I'm keeping a record of everything with MFP.

My surgery was December 8th but this happened three weeks ago. I conquered my fear of restaurant booths. I sat in one with friends the other day and FIT. I tried to get a chair to pull up at the end but couldn't and ended up just sliding in. Much to my surprise, I fit with a little extra room between my stomach and the table. Next up, I will conquer my hatred of exercise.

I told my coworkers and honestly the worst reaction I've had has been from one coworker who is also heavy and another friend who is heavy. The coworker has made it her business to watch everything I eat, comment on it, and then compare her "diet success" to me on a regular basis. For example, she just called to tell me she's lost another 3 lbs in two weeks. That's great but I don't want to compete with her and I hate feeling like I'm under a microscope around her. I can't say anything, though, as she ones of those people who thrives on drama and conflict and I hate that. As for my friend, she was very negative about the surgery and when I said something to her, she said it's because she worries I'll try to make her have it. I said that it was a decision I came to after many years of considering it and I wouldn't try to rush or even sell her on it. It's her choice to make. I'm careful to not comment on how awesome it is and she's careful to not be negative. I think we'll pull through this time with a solid friendship because under it all, I love her and she loves me. I think she was scared of how I would react to her not wanting the surgery and I wanted her to be excited for me about something she doesn't believe in. I can remember feeling that way when another friend of mine had the bypass and I knew it wasn't for me. It's funny, my friend who was so negative is the one I feel the most comfortable calling and saying, "Holy crap, I just tried to eat X and boy did my sleeve let me know that wasn't a good move." She's the one I call to complain that the liquid diet has made me want to chew on people like a rabid dog. I think because I know she isn't looking for it all to be golden, I feel free to tell her when it's a really sucky sleeve day. I sent her a note the other day thanking her for this. Only you know how the people around you will react. I work in an office of eight people. I had no choice but to tell them. If I had a choice, I probably would have waited until I did it and told them after because it would have saved me the months of drama my competitive coworker created. The other side of that is, all the drama preop made me realize I can't control her and if she wants to sit and be a witch, then that's her problem. I ignore her now and try to just not talk about it if she's around. If she brings up how much she's lost and wants to know my numbers, I tell her I have a long way to go and I would rather focus on how I feel and not how much I weigh. If she pushes, I walk away without answering.

I am so sorry about your friend. My sympathies are with you and her family.

Hiccups when I near full or eat too quickly. Burp when I reach the top. One more bite and I'm over the edge. Learning to hear my stomach cues has been one of my two biggest struggles since the sleeve a month ago.

I have my followup with my doc on Wednesday at 9:45am. There's a support group at 6:30 that same night. He's about 30 minutes from me. Would you go in the morning for followup and go back in the evening for support? I feel like I'm ok but I enjoyed the last support group and learned stuff. I just don't like driving that much at night - it's in a really traffic-y area. I get weighed Wednesday morning. Ugh. I'm trying to repeat that whatever I've lost, I will be happy about. I know it's the best my body can do. I think I'm worried because everyone keeps saying how much they can see that I've lost and I'm scared it won't be "enough" no matter how much it is. So I'm trying to find a place of gratitude.

My stomach gurgles now constantly. I had it when I was only drinking Water, when I added mushy foods, and when I haven't eaten. I use it as a sign that I'm either near to or at my full point for food or water and back off. I'm only a little over 3 weeks out, though, so I'm not sure what it will do longterm.

Just checking in. I had my two week appt last week and I'd lost 21 lbs. I couldn't believe it. I was thrilled. That put my BMI FIRMLY under 50 - in fact I'm within a few lbs of breaking the 45 BMI goal. I can't get over it. I am still struggling with my calories and protein. I have never worked so hard to eat. I always worked NOT to eat. This is really new and hard. I have had several times when I haven't been able to keep food down, either from eating too much or just eating the wrong things. Liquids are still my best friend. Yogurt slips right down and greek yogurt is my savior. I did get tilapia down one day but the next day, it did not go at all and everything came up. It's such a learning process. I was glad I had started the food diary habit because I've emailed it to my NUT a few times and she has had good suggestions. That's been kind of a savior for me. I'm up for a challenge if someone wants to start one. It's amazing how much knitting I'm doing now that I can't eat. :-)

Aha! NSV makes sense now! I'm with you, blackanese25. I was sleeved 12-8-11 and my pants are falling off me now. I had to go scrounging for underwear this morning because yesterday, they fell down in the middle of a client meeting and I had to excuse myself. Thankfully I had pants on but it was still a strange sensation.

It sounds like the gas but I would definitely ask. I felt a general bloated pained feeling when sipping too much after surgery. Best of luck to you both!

Using myfitnesspal, also. I love that it syncs between my droid, my iPad, my laptop, and my work computer. It's really easy to use. The only thing it doesn't do that I wish it did is track my blood sugar. I'm robindeigh on there if you want to friend me. I'm still in the liquid stage and boring but I've been using it for a few weeks now to get into the routine of it. It isn't easy for me to stick with a food diary so I'm trying to keep doing it and make it a habit.

I'm eleven days out and can eat a full 6oz yogurt in about 45 minutes but can't eat more than 4 oz of Soup in a sitting. Yogurt just seems to slide right through which is good because I'm struggling to get in enough Protein. I have noticed my stomach makes the weirdest noises when I'm full. It sort of growls or ...I don't know how to explain it. It's strange. It is a nice "alarm'" system, though. I don't think there's a chance in heck I would be able to eat an entire hot pocket. The thought of something greasy like that makes me cringe. I am sticking with simple foods for now - greasy stuff just doesn't sound appealing.

I'm so glad so many are coming over to the losers bench! We're almost there! Good luck to those still waiting! We'll save spots for y'all!

I was nervous with my PCP but I went in armed with all the information I could find. She took it home and read it - she hadn't heard of the sleeve before. She called me that night to say she was thrilled for me. She asked if I needed anything from her and offered to help out any way she could. It was a really positive experience. I used to go to a PCP that kept suggesting WLS and anything to get me to lose weight. I once went in with a sprained arm after falling and he went off on how my balance was affected by my weight. I felt like if I showed up with an chainsaw hanging off my leg, he would still say something like, "Well, if you weren't so obese, it could have cut right through you!" I was so frustrated because I wasn't ready for WLS yet and just wanted him to help me be the healthiest I could be at that weight. I switched to this PCP and at the first appointment, I basically told her that I knew I was obese and I was trying to eat healthy but if I wanted or needed her help, I'd ask. After that, she never brought it up. I think she was shocked when I went in to see her about it since I'd been so adamant that I wasn't doing the bypass/band.

I finally hit full liquids yesterday at day 11 and I am so glad. I had a four week liquid preop and then 10 days of clears plus 3 days of full. I agree it stinks but I just had to push through it. I was allowed SF popsicles like Lissa and those helped A LOT. I emailed my NUT and she was really nice about giving me some good suggestions about how to get a little variety into my clear liquid diet. She said even though you have to strain them, to get a variety of Soups so you get different flavors. That was helpful because I felt like I had nothing different to eat. She reminded me I could have hot chocolate which felt like a treat. You can do it. Soon we'll be on mushy/pureed!

I second the warm beverage suggestion. I had trouble getting in the liquids but hot chocolate and broths were easier. I am trying to break 60 oz and I am on day eleven. I am up to 58 as of today.

I thought the Jello Temptations were sugarfree and when everyone was having desert, I took out one of those. They are NOT sugarfree, they are 100 calorie. My sleeve was not happy and let me know it. I felt like crap for the rest of the day and had to lie down, like you. At first I couldn't figure out what was wrong and thought I was getting the flu. I called a friend who had the sleeve before me and she asked if I'd eaten sugar. That's when I figured out they weren't sugarfree. I am glad you posted this, Mim. We just got See's candy from a client and if I were tempted, I'm certainly not now. I hated feeling like that.

I'm struggling to get in 64 oz a day. If you're up to that - Congrats! I'm impressed. I'm excited - I get to start puddings and yogurts tomorrow. Last night I had some strained pea Soup and it was amazing. Possibly because I haven't had anything but broth for all these weeks.

I'm on day 7 and I still get tired easily. Probably because I'm struggling to get in enough Protein. I think it started to get better day 4 or 5 and yesterday was a good day. I still can't go more than 50 ft from a bathroom but I have less pain and stuff. I'm walking and I couldn't walk preop and that makes me feel better.

Rosy, I am soooo with you on being sick of this. I had a four week liquid diet preop and now I'm on another two weeks of liquid? Seriously, I could scream. I want to chew on something, you know? I told my family I may start gnawing on them soon if I can't eat. Ha! Honestly, I didn't need this surgery because I have AWESOME willpower to start off with. But, I just keep focusing on why I want to eat. So far it hasn't been because I'm hungry. It's been because I'm used to eating while I do a certain activity or because I think I should be eating because others are. Those aren't good enough reasons to eat, IMO. I'm counting down the days to mushy foods (day 14 for me). Heck, at this point I'm counting down the days to pudding (MONDAY!). If I cheat and injure my sleeve, I will have to do this thin liquid thing all over again. I can't do that. I just can't. If it's really bad, I go walking and try to focus on how I do not want to go back to the beginning and just prolong this. The therapist at my doc's office said she expects her patients to be 90% good 90% of the time once we're healed. I can do that. This part isn't forever, it just feels that way. Feel free to pm me if you want to commiserate. I totally agree that this period sucks. But each day has sucked less than the prior one. Today, I managed to walk further than I walked yesterday. I managed to get more fluids today. I'm looking at the little things that I'm able to do and trying to ignore the great big desire to take a huge bite of something with texture. Anything with texture. I'd eat gravel if I could. Hang in there. We're going to make it! :-)