Robyn Owens-Miille

What's your sign? Capricorn How would you rate your physical recovery post op (1-10, 1 being miserably long healing, 10 being fast & easy healing) 8-9 How would you rate your emotional state post-op (1-10) 7-8 How would you rate your food tolerances? Can you keep things down r do you find that many food 'don't agree with you' now? High. Most things agree with me... what I can't tolerate are the typical things.. dry, overcooked meat is #1. How would you rate your general success with the sleeve. Have you made goal or are you on target to do so? (1-10). 2 1/2 months post op, lost 67 pounds. I would say I'm on track. Please if you had complications, etc please give details. None

I cannot tolerate the 100% whey shakes. I've tried 12 different brands and gag on all of them. I'm sure there is probably one out there that I could tolerate but I'm going to go broke before I find it! I'm going with the philosophy that any Protein supplement is better than none. option 1 Vitamins and Probiotics. option 2 I also have this shake and have been using it. It's not 100% whey protein and I can tolerate it. It's just a pain because you have to be a member of melaleuca to buy it and I was hoping to drop my monthly membership. http://www.melaleuca.com/ProductStore/Product.aspx?sku=1675 Thanks. Robyn

Does Rogaine help it grow back quicker? Mine is already thin and now it's falling out. Yikes!

Thanks everyone. I think the premier is the only one I haven't tried. The syntrax and unjury made me puke! I guess I just keep playing until I find something I can tolerate. Or I give up and just stick with non-fat greek yogurt every morning.

I always have a Quest bar, a single serve baggy of beef jerky and crystal light in my purse.

I just bought a 3 disc CD set at Sam's club that is top 40 music. The 3 discs are divided up by beat of the music. I also have a Biggest Loser Workout Mix Volume 2. Go to Amazon.com and you can download some of these for cheaper than buying them.

The first week isn't easy. It is a major surgery and you will have some pain and nausea. For me, it wasn't near as bad as my first c-section though. I had a fairly easy time of it compared to most. I kept something to sip on nearby nearly all the time. Even at bed time I took a "sippy cup" to my room with me so when i woke up I could get a drink. sugar free popsicles and Jello were a life saver for me starting about day 4 when the need to chew something kicked in. The not eating and drinking at the same time was difficult at first. I just don't put anything on the table for me these days. Just make sure your food is moist and that you chew, chew, chew (no dry chicken breasts or big hunks of meat).

Azle here (northwest of Fort Worth about 15 miles).

I would say that I had/have the same relationships with food that you do. At just over 2 months post-op I'm learning that food can still be a good friend but one that I'M IN CONTROL OF. I posted last week about our first experience eating out at a nicer restaurant; We went to Red Lobster where I had a few bites of salad and 6 small broiled shrimp, a few broiled scallops and 2 bites of biscuit (seems like a lot but the shrimp and scallops were really small). My old self would have #1 ordered an appetizer, #2 ordered a big entree, #3 eaten every single bite of it, #4 eaten 2-3 biscuits and then have eaten dessert (if not at Red Lobster within a couple of hours). I'm finally learning that I can have a bite of something I love and not have to eat the whole thing (or seconds or thirds). I still hang out with friends and family. Last night we went to some friends house and went swimming. They wanted to have pizza and salad. So, I ate salad first and then had some of the canadian bacon and vegetables off the pizza (I know that's backwards but I figured it was safest). I did throw a couple of Snacks and some sugar free drink mix in my bag to be safe before we headed over. My family is very supportive and I always take "safe" foods with me or we discuss where I can go if we're going to a restaurant. I'm currently learning that I shouldn't let food control me... I control it. I wish I had begun learning this lesson 20 years ago and 150 lbs ago! Good luck. I personally have not regretted this at all (at least not since the pre-op week from hell!).

Are you still doing a lot of shakes? Sounds to me like a lactose issue.

Cornstarch adds extra carbs. It's just me... I'm carbphobic!

Texas girl here too. I am fortunate enough to have joined a gym. If you can't do that, I would suggest walking at the mall or early, early mornings. Sparkpeople.com has some workout videos on their site that you could pull up on your computer and do in your living room if you have room. Good luck, it's darn hot!

I failed to mention that I ALWAYS have a quest bar and crystal light pouches in my purse. If all else fails, I can always have a quest bar for a meal (for a snack I only eat 1/2 of one).

When I'm in doubt if my destination will offer something I can safely eat, I toss my small insulated lunch bun in my purse and put a small frozen gel pack in it with a couple of string cheese sticks, a quest bar, some sliced apples & a small cup of peanut butter, etc. I always have single service crystal light pouches in my bag too.

Suggestions... In N Out Burger has a "Protein style" burger. Hamburger patty wrapped in lettuce. I had part of one for lunch today while we were out school shopping. Taco Bueno, Taco bell, Taco casa, etc... order a bowl of Beans and a scoop of taco meat or chicken meat. Chick Fil A ... kids meal with grilled chicken tenders and a fruit cup. Grilled chicken breast from just about any fast food sandwich place. Chipotle (you can even go to their website and plan your meal ahead of time!) Chinese food... Pei Wei String Bean chicken or Mushroom Chicken We eat out way too often but I'm learning to eat right when I go out!

Egg drop was allowed for me. Just ask your chinese place to not use corn starch in it.

IT will get better. I'm just over 2 months post-op and we went to Red Lobster tonight for the first time. I ordered the broiled seafood platter. I ate a bit of salad, 2 very small bites of a biscuit, 7 small shrimp and a few of the scallops. I brought home the flounder stuffed with seafood and the baked potato (my kids will eat it). Before surgery, I would have ordered a bigger entree and eaten every single bite of food on my plate and 2-3 of the biscuits and probably had dessert! The first few days are rough... it gets better! For me, the sleeve is wonderful. It limits my portions but still allows me to have a small bit of things I love. My brain is finally learning... you like shrimp, it's your Protein and main part of your meal... don't go crazy on the salad or the biscuit. Just 2 bites was enough!!!!! That's a first EVER!!!!!

The only way to know for sure is a scan. Go to the ER if you're in that much pain, nausea, and only able to tolerate 5 oz. Please don't mess around with this. The infection can cause sepsis, meaning it has gotten into your blood stream and it can make you very ill.

Sugar free cheesecake pudding mixed with greek yogurt and/or protein powder. YUMMY!!!! You can even put a little soft fruit with it once you hit that stage.

I wouldn't say it "has to be" but you are getting calories and sugar you don't need.

I think it's both, emotional and physical. I had over-eaten for so long that my body really was used to eating frequently and in big portions. In addition, I will admit to being a food addict and so even once I got past the physical hunger on pre-op day 4 or so, I still had the emotional "need" to eat.

The old me turned to food for stress management. The new me goes kickboxing for stress management so I think I'm ok. But that is very interesting.

At 3 weeks I was on a soft diet. I could do sugar free Jello (mix it with non-fat greek yogurt to get more Protein out of it), yogurt with very soft fruit (no skins or big chunks), soups- again, no big chunks, very soft "meat salads" such as tuna salad or chicken salad. cottage cheese, boiled eggs, soft scrambled eggs, etc. Check with your doctor though... many go slower than mine did with food progression.

I think it just depends on the person and their relationship with food.

My freezer is getting stocked up! I'm not single but my husband and kids don't always eat what I do plus I try and take my lunch every day. Fish- go to Sam's and buy some fish. They come in big bags but each piece is individually sealed in a peel-package. Set it out about 15-20 minutes before dinner, sprinkle some Mrs. Dash on it, spray the George Foreman with some Pam and then "grill it up" Eggface's "bites" also freeze well. I freeze them in a bag of 4 and throw them in my bag as I run out the door and heat them up at work. Her "granola" is another staple that I make up every other week and have with my yogurt during the week. hard-boiled eggs- boil up 1/2 dozen or so, don't peel them and store in the fridge for up to a week turkey meatballs- I make them up, cook them, cool them, then freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Then scrape them off and into a freezer bag and can just grab out what I need. rinse & drain a can of Beans (let them dry). spray a cookie sheet with oil spray and pour the dry beans on it. spread them out. freeze them. Once frozen, into the freezer bag they go. Grab just what you need to make a good salad or a small portion of Soup. I freeze fruit the same way! Just cut it up in small size pieces, sprinkle it with fruit fresh and freeze it on a tray. Then put it in a bag and just grab out what I need for my yogurt. Freeze small portion of spaghetti sauce or other tomato products in your ice trays. Once frozen, pop them out, into a bag and then you can grab an ounce or two for your recipe and not waste a whole can/jar. Cook up a batch of lean ground turkey/chicken and just season it with salt, pepper and little garlic powder. Freeze it in small portions and then add other seasoning as you use it. I have lots of little bags in my freezer but it makes it super easy to always have something to eat and not reach for the bad stuff.