gypsyjolie

I'm feeling the same way... But at least you've lost substantial weight. I'm almost a month out and I have less than 6 pounds loss to show for it, so feeling like a failure. I am trying very hard not to think that way, but that combined with the constant struggle to get in enough water and protein and the low energy making me unable to do much exercise. I'm so emotional and frustrated.

I feel this often too - especially after "food", ie not a protein shake, meals. I'm 3 1/2 weeks out. It's a problem at work!

I'll chime in with my thanks too. I'm 3 1/2 weeks out and the scale this weeks shows that I gained 4 pounds, and I am freaking out a bit. I really hoped for significant losses in the first month. I'm trying to stay positive ... it helps to see that I am not the only one that is frustrated.

I got the syntax unflavored and mix it into Soups ( broth, tomato, hot and sour, egg drop (blended in the egg bits until smooth), cream of chicken). Many Protein powders are too sweet to me post surgery. I do like the Dymatize Elite vanilla though.

The day I stepped on the scale and weighed 306. Crossing the 300 mark scared me senseless.

puritainspride.com has great prices and a money-back guarantee if you don't like them.

I'm taking 5000mcg per day. Other post-op patients in my Support Group told me it takes 4-6 weeks of takign the biotin to see it slow the hair loss/promote new growth, so be patient.

I started with the Centrum liquid and am going to the Alive! liquid next. I used to take the Alive! regular tablet Vitamins and loved them pre-op. I find that I tolerate vitamins much better if i take them at lunch with food, not first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I also sometimes put them right in my Protein shake (the Wellesse calcium liquid too). Then I don't notice them at all.

I couldn't stand the narcotics, so i switched in the hospital to acetominiphen (Tylenol), and then I only took that for two days after I got home. Pain wasn't an issue for me once the gas pains were taken care of.

You're doing great and you look amazing! You are very inspiring!

Yes, stir Nectar instead of shaking - it helps. I loved the Lemon Iced Tea and the Grapefruit flavors. I did not like the Crystal Sky (it's BLUE), Cappuccino (weird fake coffee taste), or Caribbean Cooler (too coconutty) flavors, but the Vanilla Torte and Lemonade were okay.

eat and drink (nothing major just water)? I had to do a six month diet pre-op and one of the things they taught us to practice was to separate drinking and eating: no drinking 30 mins before and after a meal), so I got out of the habit of drinking while eating. it really helped to not be fighting that urge post-op. It was hard at first. drink alcohol? my doc says no alcohol for a year. 1 drink acts as if you had 4, so you get drunk very quickly (no driving!) and you make worse decisions when that intoxicated. I plan to stick to it, maybe a sip or two of my husband's drink now and again. eat fried foods? Haven't tried - trying to put off that temptation for as long as possible on that one! I'm telling myself not to waste my opportunity with junk food if I can resist for at least the first six months. go out to eat? yes, I've shared with another person or got a cup of Soup or something. I eat very little still at 3 weeks out. I was oddly not tempted by much of what the other people ordered. Spicy foods? No problems at all, in fact I've been adding hot sauce more frequently to my food. Pasta/rice/bread? Empty carbs, my nutritionist says not to eat it for tha first 4-6 months at least. I plan to try quinoa soon. smoke? weed? cigarettes? cigars? Nicotine causes ulcers in your healing stomach. The doc was very clear that if you use nicotine, you get ulcers, sometimes bleeding and leaks. We all had to test nicotine free for 6 months before surgery (and definitely not for the first year after, but preferably never again) in my program. That includes e-cigarettes and chewing tobacco (all nicotine). I wouldn't chance it, personally. Pot makes me puke, so I avoid it. I don't know anything statistical about usage after surgery.

Thanks for all the inspiration everyone! You are making me smile SO BIG reading along!

Week one: I could barely handle Protein shakes and soymilk or baby food. Plus Water or G2 Gatorade. Week two: Protein Shakes (sometimes with a bit of Peanut Butter or banana blended in them), Greek yogurt, sugarfree pudding (with nonflavored Protein powder mixed in), baby food (with nonflavored protein powder mixed in), broth or tomato or cream of x soups (with nonflavored protein powder mixed in), applesauce, and a tiny bit of hummus. I drank water with lemon, G2 gatorade, soymilk, and iced mint tea. Week three: all the above plus pureed chili, pureed chicken salad, cooked butternut squash, and egg drop soup. I even ate two bites of baked rhubarb! I'm still finding mostly it's protein shakes. the "real" food - two tablespoons is all I can handle at a time (1/8 cup). liquids are much easier!

No pain, just pressure and burping and hiccups. lots of burping. Ugh!

The first week was a real struggle trying to sip water and protein shakes. I'm starting week 3 and, it does get easier, physically and mentally. Take it easy on yourself - get sleep, rest, walk, and keep at the water and protein shakes. I found I was better still on liquids even though I could eat some soft foods (yogurt, pureed chicken, etc.) Solids made me really tired after I ate. I'll add them in next week slowly and see how it goes. hang in there

Plain water is such a struggle! A bit of lemon in it seems to make my stomach accept it better. Iced Mint tea is the only thing that it seems to like ( I never could stand Crystal Light or other aspartame sweetened drinks). I even drink plain almond or soy milk now. Dairy still a no for me at 2.5 weeks out.

I am 10 days out and I had to go buy liquid calcium, D3, calcium, and B complex with B-1 because I could not handle chewables. Vitacost.com has great prices on them.

Greek yogurt and egg puréed with mayo and a pickle. Tasted amazing after all the sweet stuff on liquid phase!

I had really bad nausea from the narcotics, so I switched to Tylenol and found I didn't need that after day 3. The gas pains dissipated in a few days after lots of walking. My incisions are healing with hardly any pain or itching. I did have a hard time eating - small amounts and liquids only for almost two weeks.

I found that mint tea (no black tea, just mint leaves) made into icd tea was a godsend and helped me drink enough. Plain water doesn't go down well and everything is too sweet.

Are you getting your Bcomplex? I took 5000 mcg b12 sublinguals before surgery even and those helped me to feel mentally sharper.

I was sleeved on Friday and the narcotics made me so nauseous that I am switching to Tylenol in suspension or crushed. I'm not in much pain other than gas pain and walking seems to help more with that than painkillers do.

My date is Friday 5/24. I'm getting excited since I am so close now.

My date is Friday 5/24. I'm getting excited since I am so close now.