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Great topic. I was telling my friend the other day, though I am impatiently waiting for my March 13 sleeve surg day, I do feel kind of mournful, as if I am breaking up with a lover or something, a lover I have had all my life but now realize it's destructive to keep them around. I too hardly ever used to eat in the morning, and it has taken me almost 2 yrs to develop a new habit there and now I eat 1 6 ounce Greek yogurt w/ fruit and a cup of Bigelow Green tea w/ mint. That is about all I can choke down. It's in the evening that is the killer. Doritos or Cheetos or ice cream. I can go a month without having it in the house and then all of sudden I have to go get some. Lately I have had more control and realize how stupid it is as I am my own worst enemy. It has been nearly 4 months since i have purchased any ice cream, Doritos or Cheetos. I think the food manufacturers must put sugar in everything just to make us get addicted and keep coming back for more.

I have been drinking Propel flavored (non carbonated) water. You can get it by the case at Sams Club and in the case it has 3 flavors, like berry, grape, etc. BUT, it's not red or purple, it's clear, so it's perfect for the 3 days before and the first week after, not to mention a good way to get down 64 oz of fluids daily. Tastes fairly good, especially if very cold, so use some ice. It's very refreshing, too.

My sleeve is finally scheduled for March 13. I was supposed to have it Feb 20, so I went on my pre-surg diet, but then I came down with an upper respiratory bug everyone seems to have, so the Dr. delayed me til Feb 27. By that time, I was feeling better but had such bad congestion they further delayed me (and of course, I had to STAY ON THE PRESURG DIET since FEB 8Th), so today I weighed myself for the first time since Feb 27. I LOST 17 LBS. I am thrilled. I have also gone through the pre-surg list of things they say I need to have (or have ready) before going in the hospital and I finally feel pretty comfortable with what I have put together. I have made most of my purchases online from Walmart (which ships free to my home) and then if I couldn't get it at Walmart, I bought through Amazon. Here's some extra things I have purchased to make things easier along the way. OPTIONAL THINGS I BOUGHT Cuisinart Immersion Blender to liquify foods so I can freeze small amounts in ice cube trays and not buy tasteless baby food (though any blender will do) OXO Tot 12 Piece Baby Block Set Use to make tiny portions of frozen mashed beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, apples, mashed potatoes, etc. They have 2 & 4 oz. containers on freezer trays, also can be put in microwave frozen to warm them up – Amazon.com OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Mini Measuring Beaker Set – makes measuring so easy - Amazon.com Gas-X Thin Extra Strength Strips With Cinnamon Flavor – helps w/gas and bloating Post op in the hospital – melts on your tongue so you don't have to drag along a whole bottle of Gas-X liquid – Walmart.com HoMedics OT-TRVL Ortho + Therapy Memory Foam Travel Pillow with Carry Case, 15" x 11" x 4.5"- hospital pillows are horrid. Use 1 for your head & 1 to hold your tummy on your post surg walks at hospital – Amazon.com BlenderBottle Classic 28 oz.Comes w/ wire mixer ball makes mixing UNJURY protein powder easy to mix (get a 2 pack at SamsClub) PB2 Regular & Chocolate Powdered Peanut Butter- 85% Less Fat and Calories - 6.5 Oz Each - 2 Pack – great in protein drinks or spread on apple or banana slices when you can eat those things, plus delicious in homemade protein shakes - or put some in your Premier Protein 11 oz. protein drink - Amazon.com Pill Crusher -Pill Pulverizer in case you have a hard time taking pills - Walmart.com Listerine PocketPaks Coolmint, 24ct Breath Strips to keep breathe fresh at the hospital - Walmart.com Kitrics Perfect Portions Digital Scale with Nutrition Facts Display - counts everything you eat, gives calories based on weight, proteins, carbs, fats, etc. Amazon.com Jokari Healthy Steps Portion Control Diet / Weight Loss 10pc Utensil Kitchen Tool Set - for easy portion control once your food regimen normalizes down the road - Amazon.com Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer for home – keeps your soft mashed foods warm while you are eating them in the beginning because it takes you a while to eat them and they can easily get cold. Large heavily feathered colorful Mardi Gras mask - The Dr. takes a photo of patient in undies on the last Dr appointment before surgery. With todays internet, one of these days that sucker could end up there by hacking or some sort of accident. At my support group, they wear interesting masks when they get their photo taken on that day. One of my friends actually wore a HUGE lifelike HORSES HEAD from a costume shop. I'm just going for the feathered look that will obscure most of my face. Here's my HOSPITAL DAY List of things I am taking to the hospital. Clothes Sleep Mask & Earplugs for hospital Robe w/ snaps Loose under garments Warm socks w/ grippers (some hospitals give‘em to you) Easy slip off/on Slippers (optional) Loose fitting clothes to wear there & on way home Personal Items My Tablet My Cell Phone Chargers/Cords 1 book or a few magazines – nothing heavy Glasses cleaner 2 small pillows (1 for head, 1 for tummy when you take walks) Body pillow (optional) Camera Nose spray if you need it Prescriptions Toothbrush / Paste / Very basic simple makeup Shampoo / Conditioner / Travel brush/comb Blow Dryer (if you must) Sugar free Vita C Throat Lozenges (Check with your Surgeon) Tinted Lip Balm - Burts Bees has many colors and flavors, very soothing Gas X Strips for post surgical gas/bloating -(Cinnamon/peppermint) Astringent & facial cleanser 5 Facial makeup remover wipes Heating Pad for pain relief post surgical to use with your pillow in bed My Glasses Immonium Listerine mouth strips for fresh breath Sugar Free Ricola drops as you could have a sore throat Deodorant Disposable Wipes I can use instead of taking a shower the 1st day or 2 Tweezers & mirror Comfy Sports bra for post surgical comfort so boobs don't irritate any incision areas My own Puffs tissue 2 Light weight soft fleecy full size throws as hospital blankets are horrid. Try to take as many travel size items as possible. Use a small rolling overnight case. Mine has a pop up telescoping handle. Hope this helps somebody. I've been able to get alot of great information from this forum. So happy it's here.

I have now read ALL the postings in this thread and FANTASTIC is all I can say. I am having my Sleeve on March 13, 2013 and have been so concerned about what to take, buy, have ready, etc. Thanks. This has been wonderful to have this resource.

My surg date was just scheduled for March 13. I was previously scheduled for Feb 20 and then 27, but I came down with an upper respiratory bug that everybody seems to have. I just couldn't get rid of the congestion and cough. I had already gone through the pre-op diet starting 2+ weeks ago and now I have to stay on it through March 9, then 3 days on a clear liquid diet just before surgery date. I lost 11 lbs. in the 2 weeks I have been on the pre-op diet and that is very encouraging. I am hoping to get down to 160-170 from my current 265 (which was 276).

Yeah, that could be what they are meaning but wonder why they have not helped her understand that? Maybe because in the past, they didn't do sleeves, as the sleeve was just Part 1 or a 2 part Gastric R-Y procedure. Could be. For her sake i hope so.

I was specifically told NOT to have potatoes! Here is the list the Dr. gave me that were absolute NOs. He is the head of the Bariatric Division of the hospital and runs the entire dept. at the hospital and has done many, many surgeries. LIST OF NO-NOs FOR 3 WEEKS BEFORE SURGERY: =========================================== Carbonated beverages Bread Pasta Rice Peas Corn Potatoes Rutabags Sweet potatoes/Yams Mayo Miracle Whip 2% or 1% milk Regular cheese Cakes Cookies Pies Ice Cream Sugar - any kind Croutons Bacon Sausage Pepperoni Bologna Salami Hot dogs which are not all beef NO FRIED FOODS food THAT IS ACCEPTABLE 2 WEEKS BEFORE SURGERY: ================================================= Protein drinks 2-3 daily with at least 30 grms of protein Crystal Light sugar free Jello 1-3 small servings daily - try to limit to 1/2 cup Sugar Free Popsicles 1-3 daily Sugar Free pudding 1-2 small servings daily - try to limit to 1/2 cup Light or Greek Yogurt 1 daily - containers are about 6 oz. Fruits 2 daily - banana, apple, pear, peach, grapes, canned fruit in juice, not syrup, or a handful of berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries Vegetables - 3-4 daily - except NO peas, corn or potatoes salad with Lettuce, tomato, cucs, radishes, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, carrots with no more than ONE TABLESPOON of light dressing. Meats: 4-6 oz skinless chicken, turkey, lean hamburger, fish, all beef hot dogs, pork chop, steak Grilled, baked, broiled, not fried Cheese - 1 ounce of 2% reduced fat cheese or 1 cup of lower fat cottage cheese Tea, coffee, no more than 16 oz daily with no sugar or cream but you can use Sweet 'n' Low, Equal or Splenda Fluids - 64 ounces daily - any combination of the fluids shown above Hope this helps.

If you had a sleeve gastrectomy, you were not given a pouch. Pouches are made for RouenY Gastric Bypass patients. With Sleeve patients, size of your stomach is surgically made smaller. The excess tissue is excised and removed from your body leaving you with a triple row of surgical staples and a smaller stomach in the shape of a banana. I would get a second opinion but when you do they might want to do an endoscopy so they can see what's going on. Seems very unlikely you have "stretched a pouch" when you don't even have one. What symptoms are you having that makes you think something is going on? Acid reflux? If so, that is normal after a sleeve. You can get a prescription for an acid reducer, such as Omneprazole, or buy an over the counter one your doctor recommends.