Holly5.3

You hit the nail on the head! I've been taking my head hunger out on my daughters big time! They're 18 and 19 this Feb. and know everything about everything! Lucky me! First I used food to shut my mouth and stuff my feelings as a child, now I was doing it again with my own kids as the parent! Can't stuff so now I've got to really mind my words. Think before speaking...and typing/texting!

Pre-op - 8/11/12 - 278 lbs. Post-op 12/11/12 - 219 Today 1/8/13 - 208 Total loss - 70 lbs. 4 months! Yippie!

That's a good point, about increasing cals. I'm at my first stall, but I started exercising so I figured my body is adjusting. I've been at 600 cals. since my surgery, 10/11/12, maybe I should increase cals to 700 now. Hope it works!

Awe, don't leave us Russell! I was involved in a heated 'chat' with an aggressive poster early on in my journey and was chided because I didn't want to 'get into it' on this site, I dont come here to debate, I come for the collective community of Verticle sleeved patients' support and advice and once in a while it's nice to be able to post a response that can also help someone. Some stories are pretty scarey and some advice is pretty hard-knocks, but I'ld like to think everyone means well. P.S. I checked out the chat room once and thought it was a singles match chat room! It really was like 'get a room, already!'-serious "flirting" (and I use that term loosely!) Maybe some of the battle of wits occurring is really some feeble attempts to get attention and maybe find 'mr right' (or right now). Just a thought after reading thread!

Thanks, Cheri, for the advice about changing Ppi. In addition to my prescribed one each morning, I started talking Pepcid OTC at night, but I'm starting to realize I may be misinterpreting the gurgling as hunger when I should address the ant-acids I'm on. I have my 3 month post-op visit this Friday and my prescription needs refilling, maybe we can change brand or increase dosage. I'm trying to keep the protein as my focus and since I'm still struggling with meats, dairy is my go-to for at least one meal, besides a shake for breakfast. Maybe my gall bladder is acting up. We'll see.

Hi there! My hunger doesn't feel like hunger, pre-surgery exactly. It's more like an emptiness. At 3 months post-op this Friday the 11th, I'm still amazed at the tiny amount of food required to settle down my new tummy. I do have to be careful as I've experimented lately with holiday treats (I know, I know...a big no-no! I didn't have surgery so I can eat like I used to - unhealthy foods. Once I found that I could eat a cookie, I was like "Noooooo!) Getting in my protein has been a challenge, but I do find when I eat enough protein, it's easier to say no to the taste of cookie. (I haven't had bread or crackers since August, though. I really don't want to open up that flood-gate!)

I cant find the "Halloween Challenge" thread, so I thought I'ld start a new challenge to help us through the holiday season! I'm on stage 2, so I have no idea what I could lose so I'm guesstimating (hoping and praying, too!): DOS 10/11/12 - 255.5 Today10/2/12 - 242.5 Goal 1/1/13 - 220.0. (22.5 lb. loss)

I don't feel "hunger" the same, but my stomach gets loud and I'll burp! (so adorable! Please..I have 2 teen daughters, need I say more?!) when I'm hungry, empty actually, or full-I burp. It's my new alarm clock. Listen to your body, it may be talking to you too!

You'll feel better ever day, I promise! I'm almost at 3 months and also had hiatal hernia repaired. Besides swollen stomach, which you really can't feel, the hernia caused the most discomfort for me. I wasn't prepared for the recovery - it's rough, I know! I still have to drink my water with additives and need at least one shake to get protein in-solids still get stuck, even well chewed. (cookies and sweets go down fine, I found! My protein has been low so I succumbed to some holiday treats/back on track today-this was the first week I didnt lose anything since surgery in Oct.!) Keep sipping protein and water (I added unflavored protein -10 grams-to a my water /crystal light bevs. to get protein in-Unjury brand is great. Getting some more so I stop sugar cravings!) Good luck!

I agree-it's the tone, or sense of humor, that gets misconstrued. People really do try to help. I can't imagine this journey without my daily VST check-in. Also, people have to remember they don't have to post and we don't have to read everything posted! The last 'battle of wits' disgusted me, so I stopped reading...I noticed it went on for days! Some people use this forum to exercise various rights (free speech, etc.), but sometimes good intentions run amuck and bad feelings are the result. Don't like-don't read! It stops fueling the fire! Positive thoughts, energy, and results to all in 2013!

I purchased Vitamins created for sleeve and bypass patients through "unjury.com". Chewable multi-vit. and chewable cal/mag. supplements. Are they tastey? No, I chew real good then chase with tiny bit of Crystal Light. Between 3 cal/mags, I multi and my B-12, I chew these over morning hours as my snack. I may not get enough solid food every day, but I make sure to always take my vits. and get my Protein and as much Water as possible each day. I wish there were liquid vits. to add to one shake in morming and get it all done. They do get chalky tasting after a while.

It's hard to eat out on solids, still. I can't tolerate chicken so I'm safest with soups. Panera has great soup-I don't get bread, of course. I think it's hard fir WLS patients to eat out regardless of stage. We have natural limitations now-what we can tolerate and digest well.

The only place I've successfully ate a out was Panera Bread. Cheddar broccoli soup-on liquid phase through solids, it was fine. Only about 1/4 cup, if that, of course! If I get 1/2 sandwich, it's usually a Cuban and I take one bite's worth and my husband finishes it, but with the soup, I feel like I ate out and am very satisfied.

I did it! Made my mini goal weight of 207 my most recent lowest weight - 2 years ago on Jenny Craig! I started JC in Feb. 2010 at 272. 10 months later Dec 2010, my lowest weigh-in was 207 lbs.I was working out (walking and videos) 5-6X week, plus I spent an average of $400/month on JC food! So excited to get back to where I should never have left-I worked so hard to get there only to plateau, stop going to get weighed (and I was getting sick of the food) and poof- weighed 278 this past summer. I'm working hard now, but it's different. Maybe it's the hunger factor, I just don't think of food the same way as I did before. I can't wait until next month...I've ordered my one way ticket to onederland!

You look so cute and little! Love the new hair-do!

I tried tuna, but like chicken and eggs, my sleeve just doesn't like the texture (chewed until disolved, practically, and still no!). My dr. recommends avoiding all breads (crackers included) until 1 year post-op. He said "avoid", he didn't say I couldn't have them. He said it would slow my loss and reintroduce my "white flour craving" which I've worked so hard to get that monkey off my back since August! I did try some stale (they were soft, I figured that would be better!) Special K crackers (2 or 3). I felt like I ate a brick. Not worth it. I would avoid the crackers and tuna for a while. If you get that over-full feeling after only a tiny amount of it, I would avoid that food for a while. I know it's hard. Some days I'm ok with cottage cheese and yogurt but other days I wish I could eat an egg and some chicken. Forget salad -- I drool over the thought of a crisp, fresh salad they way I used to drool over pie a la' mode!

I'm 12 weeks post op and solid food doesn't like me at all yet! I can nibble on Pure Protein bars (Costo or GMC) throughout the day and I have at least one shake a day and a Greek Yogurt. Meals are still challenging for me. Some days I can have the shake and yogurt before lunch then just have a couple slices of low sodium turkey and a slice of cheese between lunch and dinner. Dinner is also hard, today I had about 1/4 cup of a turkey-pot-pie (just a bit of crust, mostly turkey and veggies). I keep cottage cheese (the new ones that have about 1 tbl. of fruit on the side), low-fat string cheese and sugar free chocolate pudding on hand. If I didn't make my 60-80 gram of protein goal, I'll have another mini-shake (1 glass of skim milk w/ 1/2 scoop protein powder) before bed. If I don't get enough protein in my stomach growls like a son of a b.... until morning. Like "they" say, protein first (and vitamins and water) before other nutrients. If you focus on the protein, your hunger will be satiated and you will survive on low calories (I'm still at 600/day) until you can eat more and exercise.

Look at you, girlfriend! Sooooooo tiny! You are absolutely adorable! Thanks for posting the photo!

I agree with VST addict above - the sooner you begin to change your diet eliminating flour, soda, reducing sugar, cafeine and fats the better you'll be prepared for the post-surgery diet. I truly can't imagine what the withdrawals would be like to go from eating whatever I wanted to a few days pre-op diet. I really needed the two months it took from my Nut. appt. until my date of surgery to get my appetite and cravings under control. I also lost over 20 pounds so I was enthusiastic for the surgery knowing that those high numbers on the scale would be diminshing never to be seen again, unlike the rest of my life when I would see the scale drop down, then eventually go back up - even higher! When you are ready, you are ready. If people want to play mind games with themselves, having food funerals, etc., that's fine, but why continue to postpone that first step to making your future about living life, not about what's to eat.....

That's so great Sleeve Master! What a way to start the new year! Thanks for the inspiration that keeps us newbies going!

Don't worry Big Frank - we are here! Although I didn't have any serious complications, etc., I hope that a few of my posts didn't needlessly worry or scare any one, this has not been a walk through the park! The way I try to explain it to my family, is that no one can tell anyone what it is like to be pregnant, deliver a baby, and raise another human being. For every "miracle" there is a matching "horror" story. This journey is the same. I know posts can be disconcerting and scary, but the information is given with good intentions. Everyone should weigh the pros and cons of WLS for themselves. It took me over a year of investigating types of procedures, talking to other patients of my surgeon and deciding for myself, complications or not -- this was my last chance if I wanted to take control of my body and my life once and for all. I've since reversed diabetes and my sleep apnea is cured (before surgery I didn't know I had sleep apnea, but my snoring and stop-breathing episodes were getting worse. I thought it was my asthma so this surgery saved my life!) Good luck to you and have a much happier and healthier New Year!