lilbearzmom

Wow, if they aren't bad for you, these would be my dream come true! LOL -Kendra

This has got to be one of the best NSVs ever! Congrats! -Kendra

I have tried several ways of making these things palatable, but I haven't been able to do it. I hate them. I have turned them into pizza, made "burritos" out of them, and wrapped lunch meat and cheese in them. They are nasty. The next thing I'm going to try is spraying them with butter flavored cooking spray, sprinkling with garlic salt, and baking til crispy, then dipping them in hummus. At this point, I'm just trying to get rid of them. Any ideas? How do you eat them? I'm either not eating any bread products at all or going to whole wheat tortillas in small amounts and saying screw the carbs. -Kendra

eggs are very nutritious. As with anything, moderation is the key. And who are more moderate eaters than people who are sleeved? No one! LOL When I'm in the mood for eggs, I can only eat one and it's whole. I'm actually rather picky- only scrambled or omelet. -Kendra

My NUT said the no straws thing is old school. I had a straw with my lemon Water when we went out to eat last week, it was fine. I have not had gum, but I get that it could be bad if you swallowed it- I have accidentally swallowed gum a few times. -Kendra

Yes. Don't waste an egg. If you're still hungry make another one, but you won't be. Let us know how it goes.

I agree with everyone else- also you are in the pureed food stage- it's not until the regular/soft food phase where you are eating the dense Protein that you won't be able to eat more than 2-3 oz. Pureed foods like the ones you mentioned are all slider foods and you will be able to eat alot more of those and not feel full. Don't worry! It's normal! You will see! -Kendra

Do/did you have sleep apnea? If you did, you may not have been dreaming. Dreams take place only in REM sleep, which people with sleep apnea never reach because they wake up before they get there. Your apnea may be resolved or almost resolved, which means you will be back to dreaming... -Kendra

Thanks for the responses! I bought the "La Banderita" low carb tortillas because that's what walmart had. They are awful! I will look for the other kind. I also bought Aldi's Fit & Active wraps, which are almost as bad. I'm going to try the "chip" thing and if they are still awful, I'll just throw them out. There is a really good whole wheat tortilla that I have bought in the past. My 8 year old even likes them- I would make quesadillas out of them. Not low carb, though.

I really don't think going back to liquids is a good idea. We are supposed to be training our tummies to tolerate regular food. I was also stalled briefly (about a week or so, but seemed like forever). My NP suggested being strict about making sure I got 64 or more oz of Fluid per day and adding more exercise. Try examining your daily habits- fluids, exercise, menus, maybe there's something you can tweak slightly to get the scale moving again- even the littlest change/or improvement to your routine can help! -Kendra

I read these things and wonder if they had the same surgery I had. 1) I could barely "stomach" the thought of real food right after surgery; 2) I had NO desire for anything like what you are describing; 3) I have had very few issues tolerating my food stages, but that early on I would have caused a leak by vomiting. I don't care- I'm judging. It's flat out outrageous behavior. Where is this Mariott? -Kendra

I only took 2 weeks off but I have a pretty easy job physically.

One dose of Miralax should dissolve in 8 oz of Water, juice, etc. It doesn't matter if it takes all day for you to drink it. Only problem is that it takes a few days to work and it sounds like you are pretty uncomfortable. I took it and it worked like a charm within about 3 days- 1 dose per day. You could also try Milk of Magnesia. -Kendra

Sometimes I wonder if it's harder on the people around us for us to change or on us. People who react that way are either uninformed about the surgery or sabateurs (sp?) who don't want us to change because of their own insecurities. This is why I told almost no one about the surgery. My mother-in-law's horrified reaction AFTER the fact made me realize my decision was right. -Kendra

Loved reading your post. Welcome to the forum. Welcome to the possibility of a pain-free and more active future. -Kendra

I love meatballs (beef or turkey) but oh my- for some reason I can only get down 2 very small ones, less than any type of meat/protein I have tried! I don't know why that is...LOL Great idea to make & freeze. I have been thinking about buying store-bought meatballs, but I eat so little that I am still trying to eat up things I bought a month ago! Expensive surgery but you certainly save on your grocery bill! -Kendra

Sounds like a stomach bug unrelated to your sleeve. Can you get fluids down? That's the most important.

I honestly only weigh once a week. I do it that way for my mental health. People have to work out a relationship with the scale according to their own needs, both physical and psychological. It's personal. I don't have patience for measuring, but I know my clothes are baggier.

Oh my gosh, it'll be easy at the cardiologist. They just did a quick ECG right there in the little examination room and the doctor came in to talk to me about it, said he would be writing a letter to approve me. You got this! I hope your surgery goes well! -Kendra

What you're describing is normal just a couple days post-op. Are you still on an IV? If you are you don't need to be worried about dehydration just yet. The color of your urine might also be a reflection of the medications they are giving you in the hospital- like heparin for clot prevention. When you get home, Vitamin Water Zero would be OK, but I would stay away from Special K or Ensure- they are too high in sugar. Try making your own shakes with greek yogurt, milk, and Protein powder with some flavored sugar free syrup or splenda. Good luck, sounds like you are doing OK. -Kendra

I agree- try upping your water- it's so hard, I am also fluid-challenged. Also, do you exercise? -Kendra

It is so totally normal to be scared. I was too. Not only is it SURGERY with all of the possible complications, but then you have to go through the emotional aftermath. I made it through the surgery and now I am dealing with having to find another outlet for stress. I'm not sure I know how not to be fat, since like you, I have been overweight almost my entire life. I'm just trying to say (and not very well) that the surgery is so much more than having most of your stomach removed. It changes you fundamentally. And that's more than difficult. I am so happy I went through with it, and have no regrets, but I'm back to seeing a therapist to help me deal with the huge change I have made with my life. Good luck, let us know what you decide to do. -Kendra

Hi Molly! I was sleeved 6 1/2 weeks ago- I am on the regular diet which means I can have anything except fruits or vegetables with skin, nuts, popcorn, salads or raw vegetables- I will be able to add those things in mid-February. In answer to your questions, it doesnt feel weird, really, but 1) obviously you can't eat as much (and your new tummy will tell you), 2) you can't gulp liquids like before (this may change over time, although I'm not sure) 3) the feeling of fullness is NOTHING like it was before surgery- this was a surprise to me because no one told me this before surgery. The fullness feeling is hard to describe because it's different for everyone. Just before I'm full up, I feel like I need to push my plate away. If it's something I really like and I take one bite too many, I feel a lump in my throat, like it's backed up in there. I have never slimed- don't even really know what that is. I have become nauseated/vomited twice since surgery, but I honestly have no idea why, I can't pinpoint it, but it went away quickly. Yes, the sleeve has radically decreased my hunger. I don't feel hunger at all like I used to. For me, it's more of an "empty" feeling, something that is easily powered through and doesn't send you to the fridge eating everything in sight. The sleeve most likely won't stretch unless you go crazy and stuff yourself beyond what it can handle on a regular basis. I don't see how this could happen because you would vomit well before then. People who gain weight back often are making bad choices and eating a lot of slider foods, which the sleeve won't hold onto effectively, they aren't exercising, etc., bascially falling back into unhealthy habits. I would highly recommend the sleeve over the band. My experience has been stellar. I'm not a super-fast loser, but pretty happy with my results. I would say IN MY OPINION maybe one of the things you might want to consider is that the sleeve is permanent, and they are removing a body part, unlike the band. Some people I'm sure are really turned off by that. I for one wasn't sorry to see most of my stomach go- it's caused me too many issues. LOL Good luck to you, whatever you choose. This is a very personal decision, and you are doing the right thing by being as informed as possible. -Kendra

I absolutely could not stay awake while in the hospital. I would have my little cup of Water the day after surgery sipping from it, and wake up with it spilled on me. My mom came to the hospital three days and all she did is watch me sleep. Not sure if it was a reaction to the anesthesia or if I was just really tired. LOL -Kendra

Wow, you must be superior to all of us who relied on pain meds to some extent after surgery. Forgive me for being so weak as to have been in pain after they cut out most of my stomach and yanked it out of a small hole in my side. I did hurt for the first five days, and yes, I took morphine in the hospital as needed (there was a shortage of Dilaudid) and percoset when I came home. This was such a condescending post I am nearly speechless. OP, I hope you feel better soon. Despite posts like the one above, there's not shame in taking medications that help you feel more comfortable. The less pain you are in, the faster you will heal. -Kendra