SMO

One of my friends who was sleeved a few years ago had a bit more of a struggle. But she has struggled with eating disorders. I think that complicated things for her. If physical hunger was your primary motivation, I think you will find that it has lost it's power over you. If, however, your primary issue is emotional eating, you will have to find new ways to deal with the emotions when eating is removed as an option. My friend had a few difficult days. She said it felt like drug withdrawal.

I woke up in recovery with a total absence of hunger. It is hard to describe. I really struggled with compliance during pre-op diet because I thought I was starving. I have not felt any such feeling since surgery. I have some sensations in my tummy that I think might be my new "hunger" but they are not the same nagging, insistent feelings. Food smells good. I was shopping yesterday at a store next to a KFC. The smells coming out were pleasant. They did not cause me to want to run over and buy a bucket. I don't start softs until tomorrow. I really am anxious to do that because I see moving on to food as a release from the every 15 minute schedule I am currently on. I am really surprised that I am not greiving more for my old friends: pizza, bread and butter, donuts and diet coke. They just don't hold any appeal for me right now.

2/4/13. Just 13 days ago. I have lost 18 lbs in those 13 days. A total of 34 counting pre-op.

I guess this is the place to tell you the good things, Jacee. I am 13 days out. I am 47. 5'2". I also webt from a 125 lb 20 year old to a 250 lb 45 year old i am sick of being a fat girl too My HW was 257. SW 241. CW 223. 34 pounds. 18 in the last 13 days. I have been on a CPAP machine for the last four years. Within 10 days of the surgery, I no longer needed it.

So true, Gamer. My stomach feels like a fragile little bird. I hope I get to kick it's sorry butt out if the nest soon. I have a life to live.

Jacee, Yes. There was a moment for me when I grasped that I had figuratively gnawed my own arm off to escape the trap that food had become. But I will tell you that, despite the little frustrations, my overwhelming feeling is RELIEF. I am free. And as far as never eating again. I have friends 4 years out who eat like normal people only in smaller amounts. I am not afraid.

Cowgirl, The NUT is the one who has me chained to an every 15 minute schedule right now. I am only 13 days out so I know this will improve when I advance tomorrow. It is just impossible to do my work when my entire waking day is occupied - in 15 minute increments- with taking in nutrition of some sort or another. I also understand the rationale behind it. It takes awhile to get used to understanding the needs of your new body. I was expressing frustration that I had not anticipated having to be more fixated on food than I was before.

Ok, here is one thing I did not expect. I though that the surgery was going to free me from having food be the center of my life. I thought I would shed it and move on. So far, that is not so. Physically, I probably could have returned to work a few days ago, but instead, I am having to stick around the house and monitor my fluid and protein intake like I am a fragile machine. It has been a full time job just getting 60g of protein, 64 oz of fluid and all my different vitamins in. My husband and I are both doctors (not MD) and this has taken our combined efforts to work out. I believe this situation will get better but so far it is frustrating.

Oh boy. I know what you mean. I dont know that I could drink that huge container of stuff now. I would definately be getting my surgeon and my gastro together to work that out.

I am only 12 days out so I have no idea what will happen with me - another foodie. However, I have two friends who were sleeved 4 years ago. I went to visit them last November. We went to all my favorite places. I witnessed them eat lasagna and enchiladas, etc. But maybe just a couple of bites. They ate off of my plate most of the time. They have maintained their weight and it is clear that they ate foods they liked but not in the amounts they used to. I saw them eat bread once. I think they pinched off a tiny piece but they enjoyed the tiny piece. After visiting them, I had no concerns about being able to eat the things I love without fear of overeating. That being said, right now I am so unhungry that you could put a banquet in front of me and I would not be able to do more than pick at it with disinterest. That is the beauty of the sleeve.

That is black pepper. Pastrami is smoked or cured. Maybe that process added something that disagrees with you.

I am on day 12. Yesterday was the first time I felt queasy. Even though today is better, the protein drink (all I am allowed to have besides water until Monday) looks like an insurmountable obstacle to me. I have cried a couple of times today. My body feels sluggish and my brain feels dull. I am hoping that when I can eat something, I will feel more normal.

I will say that if I was an insulin dependent diabetic, I probably would have gone with the bypass. It is supposed to address that issue for them immediately.

Is eating one slice of pepperoni cheating? I was under the pression we could eat anything we want to. Admittedly, your little sleeve might have been overwhelmed by fat and rebelled but if you had been able to tolerate it, couldn't you have just counted the nutitiomal value and moved on? Maybe you are being a bit hard on yourself.

At my surgeons office they advertise that they do RNY, sleeve and banding, but it became clear from the very first seminar that they want to do RNY as the default for everyone. The doctor I saw on my first visit was very candid that they want to do the bypass because all us fatties cannot control ourselves and there is immediate negative feedback for life in the fo of dumping when you get the bypass. She asked me which surgery I wanted and I told her that I was leaning toward the sleeve but was willing to listen to medical reasons if the surgeon disagreed. She said I just needed to decide no later than my surgeon visit just before surgery date. It turned out, of course that I really needed to decide before all the paperwork was submitted to insurance. They called and said the surgeon had approved me for both the bypass and the sleeve. I told them the sleeve. So fast forward to my first appointment with the surgeon the Friday before my scheduled Monday surgery. He hands me the consent to sign and it says--RNY! I said, "you are going to have to get me a new consent for the sleeve". He responds, "oh, you're not having the bypass"? "No", I say, "I am having the sleeve". He then asks me why I don't want to have bypass. I told him that if I can accomplish what I want (100 lb weight loss) with less trauma to my systems, that is what I want. Our bodies work, for the most part, best when left alone. I can accomplish my goal without re-routing my intestines and without malabsorption that goes with it for life. Oh, and I told the surgeon that I was going to take a sharpie and write SLEEVE across my tummy the morning of surgery so he wouldn't forget!

I only 12 days out so I have not been allowed to eat anything yet. Right now, I miss chewing.

Hi, Everyone I am 12 days post-op. I have had an unremarkable recovery. My HW was 257, my SW was 241 and CW is 225. I have been getting in my minimums on liquids and Protein since the day after I came home from the hospital (day 3). My only little bump was yesterday. I had purchased unjury chocolate and Unjury chicken Soup in a quantity I thought would get me through my liquid phase, which ends Monday. I am an hour away from my surgeon. So it is not convenient for me get more if I run short. I did not anticipate that I would find the chicken soup totally repulsive post surgery. So I figured I would run out of the chocolate too soon. I ordered morenfrom Unjury but I fell short by a few servings. My husband went to WalMart and bought their protein. Chocolate Peanut Butter Flavor. Well, let's just say that it was a mistake. The first sip brought on the queasies. And that was it. I told my husband to pour the rest out. He wanted to argue with me, but I knew my stomach would not abide and that it would be worse to throw up than to refuse to take in more protein. So I only got in about 40g of protein yesterday. I thought I would post this just in case it would benefit anyone who is about to be sleeved. I thought I had planned well. And a question for folks ahead of me: I think I would benefit from some advice about what to expect when starting softs. Monday is my day to transition to softs. Any words of wisdom?

Yes, the gurgling will get better. I think it started to diminish at about one week out. I still have some issues with swallowing air with every drink. I burp all the time. I am hoping that when I get to start softs on Monday that it will get better.

Thanks Measure. I am fine today. UPS delivered my unjury last night at about 6:30pm. I was in no shape to drink any last night, but I began drinking it this morning with no problem. I had no idea my sleeve would be such a tender thing.

That radiating pain that wraps around sounds like my gallbladder pain. Do you still have your gallbladder?

Hi, all. I was sleeved 2/4/13. I had an uneventful surgery and so far an uneventful recovery. I have lost 15 lbs since surgery date and 31 total counting pre-op diet. I advance to soft on Monday. I am totally bored with protein shakes. I go back to work Tuesday and I am looking forward to that too. I just noticed today that my stomach spasms have stopped. First day without them and I am happy about that, too.

There are bunches of potential repercussions to not taking your vitamins: hair loss, bone thinning or softening, tooth loss, neurological damage and various kinds of anemias which can result in organ damage. At least we are not at as big of a risk as the RNY folks. But as for me, I am going to take my vitamins.

Raggmopp, we have similar stats, too. I am 47 and my high weight was 257. I lost 16 pounds during my 8 month pre-op period and was sleeved 11 days ago on 2/4/13. I those 11 days, I have lost 15 pounds. The best thing is that I am not hungry. I have some sensations in my sleeve that may indicate hunger but they are nothing like the hunger I remember. I do not start solids (soft) until Monday, but this lack of hunger is a truly remarkable thing and I hope it lasts forever. Also, I had a totally unremarkable surgery. The biggest challenge for me has been creating my new schedule of eating and drinking to make sure I get it all in. Thankfully, I am married to a nurse who is managing my recovery.

I guess this is the place to introduce yourself. I have already posted on the board a few times but just discovered this My name is Sandi, I am 47 years old and married with one daughter and a granddaughter. I was not overweight my whole life, it just started creeping on starting when I was 20. At 20, I weighed 120 pounds. I am 5'2". I was not skinny, but I was most certainly not fat. I can look back over the last 27 years and pick out like snapshots how much I weighed. Graduated from college - 145lbs. Graduate school - 160 lbs. Started that job - 180lbs. Got married - 200 lbs. Next thing I knew, 257lbs. My all time high. Along the way, I picked up some new friends: high cholesterol; high blood sugar and sleep apnea. When the doctor put me on metformin, I said enough is enough and told him to refer me to a bariatric surgeon. No one wanted me to get the surgery. Too bad. I told them to get on board or shut up. I was sleeved 2/4/13. My stats: HW. 257 SW. 241 CW. 226 I am only 11 days post op. 15 pounds in 11 days is remarkable to me. It took me 8 months to lose the first 16. I am hoping for continued success.

And for the record, anyone who wants my protein powder - husband, neighbors, cat next door - is welcome to it. Two more days and I move to soft. Mr. Scrambled Egg, on Monday, you are mine!