Chris R

I live in Jaffrey, had my sleeve done in Manchester at Catholic Medical Center on February 12. Doing great!

I hope you're not expecting a lot more than this in the long run - looking at your numbers, it looks like you've lose nearly a pound a day since your surgery! That's fantastic! Remember, this isn't a miracle, it's a tool - but your body can only do so much in a certain amount of time. you're doing great!

I'm 4 weeks out. I average 800-900 calories a day, and 80-110g of Protein, 8 -12 cups of liquids a day. I had my 1-month check in with the surgeon and NUT today - they're very pleased, and moved me to stage 4 (Yay! toast! crackers! lol). According to their official count, I lost 19 lbs in the last 3 weeks (since my first post-surgery check-in). I was only down about 2 from surgery at the first one. My complaint is that, for each of the last 4 days, I've actually gone UP a pound! And I'm eating the same, and drinking plenty! I can't believe I'm retaining Water - my sodium intake is well under what MFP says I'm allowed a day, and "Aunt Flo" just left a week ago... Grrrr...

@fyre_storm

My experience has been great. No problems with nausea, vomiting, sliming, or dumping. Had some stinging pain in one incision until the dissolvable stitches let go, since then no pain. Lost 60 lbs pre-surgery over 9 months, have lost 24 lbs in 25 days since surgery, not including the 10 I gained in water weight from IVs in the hospital.

I'm 3 1/2 weeks post, and have felt pretty much back to normal for almost a week already. Everyone's different, but I would think if you're being sleeved in April or May, you should be fine for late June, barring complications.

They took out my drain before I left the hospital, and told me to change the dressing daily until the seepage stopped. They did tell me if the dressing had a strange color or smelled unpleasant, to call them... so it might be worth a call.

Let your sleeve be your guide. Eat until you feel satisfied, NOT full, then stop. Do NOT wait 20-30 minutes until the feeling subsides and go back to finish. If 2-3 hours later you feel hungry again, then eat. That's what my surgeon told me.

Even worse is if the damage is already done to your knees, but you can't have the knee surgery unless you lose the extra weight (like me!) I'm also hoping the weight loss will help me put off knee surgery longer - they tell me at 50 I'm "too young" for knee surgery. They really don't want to do it until you're at least 60, so they don't wear out before you die. Happy thought, isn't it?

@mdonaldf - Update your ticker!!!

That's awesome! I was 450 when I started my pre-surgical program back in May 2012, and about 390 when I had my surgery on February 12, 2013. I was down to 366.6 this morning! I remember how great it felt to FINALLY be under 400! I'm looking forward to 350 and 100 lbs lost soon! Congratulations!!!!

webblarsk - I thought you said you were 'done' a few posts back... please let it go. I'm pretty sure I know which post you initially got upset about, but I honestly think it was a matter of how you read it, NOT how it was intended. I, too, am only a few weeks out, and I didn't read it as an insult to those in that position at all. The poster was simply pointing out that how we eat can change as we get farther out from surgery, so that there could be a lot of difference in what someone was saying about diet based on how far out from surgery they are. Please remember that we don't have the cues of facial expression and tone of voice on here that we have when speaking face-to-face, so it's important to give people the benefit of the doubt and to try not to take offense when reading posts, when it's entirely possible that it was not in the least meant to offend. Let there be peace! PLEASE!

Where in your shoulder? If under your shoulder blades, I might think gall bladder...

I was sleeved February 12. I was really missing real food the first couple of weeks. Not as much now since I started soft foods and purees (mmmm... scrambled eggs and cottage cheese!)

From what people who visited our support group said, it's different for everyone. Some say they can eat anything that they ate before surgery, just in smaller amounts. Others find they can't tolerate some foods that they love. As for dumping, the nutritionist said that when you take in too much sugar at once, it causes your intestines to, well, dump!

As in Steve the sleeve? I haven't named mine yet. I'll have to give that some thought.

Sounds yummy! I love mexican food! I'll have to try it when I'm allowed to have turkey burger, cheese, salsa, and onion again...

I've been burping a lot more than usual, but I've noticed it's more when I forget myself and take too big a drink or bite of something.

I don't think everyone (or anyone) is telling her it isn't right and that she should be eating more - I just think people are sharing their own experiences. That's why people post questions on here - to find out what other people have done.

I had my gall bladder out in 1994, 9 months after my oldest was born, and almost 19 years before my sleeve. I found the gall bladder surgery a breeze - didn't have trouble with pain, didn't even take the pain meds the nurses kept offering. Felt back to normal in 2 days. The sleeve was more painful for me - not horrible, but I still was having incision pain 3 weeks out. Oh - and the surgery was MUCH less painful than gallbladder attacks!!

You can do it! That's what maintaining is all about! Don't obsess over it, just get yourself back on track. I'm sure it will be different trying to maintain than it was to lose. I guess it will take some trial and error to figure out what you can have to maintain a healthy weight!

My NUT originally told me 3 meals a day, 1 snack, but my surgeon told me let your stomach be your guide. He said stop eating a meal when you feel satisfied, NOT full. If you haven't finished it, do NOT wait 20-30 minutes and eat more. He said if you're hungry again 2-3 hours later, then eat again.

Good luck! It's nice to be first. Best wishes for a complication-free surgery and quick recovery!

I was told the same thing, mainly because the predominant culture and workplace doesn't support frequent meals/snacking. I have been doing 3 meals, but usually do have something when I get home from work between lunch and dinner, because my lunch break is at 11 am, (only 22 minutes long, since I'm a teacher), and we don't usually eat dinner until at least 6 pm. I don't have a problem with this. I need the time in between to get my minimum 8 cups of water in!

I'm with lessismoreofme! I had my surgery 2 days before you, and I'm still supposed to be on soft / pureed foods. I had a small piece of quiche yesterday (mushroom/swiss) and skipped the outside part of the crust. I figured it's pretty much like scrambled eggs, which are allowed. I had to chew and chew, small bites, and took about 40 minutes to eat it. Didn't have a problem, fortunately, but I can' imagine trying to eat a burger of any kind at this point. If the discomfort doesn't abate soon, call your doctor!