NMJG

Dragonsmate, good for you! Now, when you hit the three week stall, don't get into a tizzy.....

I was UHC. They told me three weeks and "don't check back earlier." LOL. That was about how long it took. I got a phone call and a letter.

Jujube, he is your PCP, not your bariatric surgeon. This is one time I will say ignore your doctor LOL. He is not trained in bariatric procedures and has no business telling you things that he is not an expert in. You will do fine and you know what you need to to do succeed. It's too bad he is not supportive, it makes such a difference. My PCP and his nurse have been very supportive - and curious. My PCP did research on the sleeve so he could treat me properly. I really appreciated that. Now he orders a different range of tests when I see him so he can check my Vitamin levels, Iron, Calcium, etc. in addition to the regular stuff.

I still find it hard to eat small bites and eat slowly and I make myself uncomfortable after a few bites all the time. I think I will have this problem forever. (hits self over the head). It's really bad if I wait too long to eat.

I think low carb is interesting, as well. I have tried to go very low carb (from 60 g a day to 20-40 g a day), but since I eat a lot of vegetarian Protein and dairy, I just couldn't get that low. I don't eat bread or Pasta or rice, etc. but Beans, nuts and dairy have carbs (also lots of fiber). That's just me, though. Still, 60g a day of carbs is not bad. I think there is a lot of really interesting new research on relatively high fat diets, too, like half your calories from fats, while keeping carbs low. Again, been trying to go that route, but even though I don't watch my fats at all, I rarely eat more than 35 g of fat a day. Higher fats increase satiety and healthy fats are not bad for your heart or cholesterol, and can even improve it. At this point, I would say I am relatively Low Carb. Low Carb is a very sustainable way to eat, pretty easy to do, and one I plan to keep up with after my weight loss phase. I spent a lot of years addicted to carbs (bread especially) and I just don't want to go back to that.

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You will be OK. Protein shakes have enough nutrients to keep you going just fine. The human body can get along with a surprisingly small amount of food when it needs to. It does get monotonous, but you can do it. And you will lose a lot during this period. Cheer up

That's about all I lost the first month and only ten lbs a month after that. Don't despair, it will come off and you did great.

Kay, so glad to hear you are better. Thanks for giving us your news so we know how it turned out. Hugs to you.

I don't have a problem with it. Sugar is an issue, not unsweetened cocoa I think, which is pretty low in everything. I use Penzey's cocoa powder, it's awesome.

I felt like cr@p the whole first month. Be gentle on yourself, it gets better. You just had major surgery! Vitamins do make a difference. I take B12 injections once a month.

I have not, nor have I heard of it, but you may have special needs that most of us don't. Is your insurance requiring it?

It's normal, but you can easily avoid constipation. As others noted, Benefiber is great. Put it in your liquids. I also use hemp protein shakes. The hemp has great fiber in it. There are several brands of hemp protein powder and shakes. I get mine at Whole Foods..

Good luck to you. Unfortunately, not all Type II are resolved with weight loss, although it certainly helps a lot. My husband is Type II and skinny.

I think a lot of us make the decision for health reasons. One thing that is so awesome is that the health benefits of losing the weight start showing up pretty quickly. It's like our bodies breathe a sigh of relief. Then we can start focusing on other fun stuff in our lives.

Great story, so glad you shared with us. You are adorable, and I don't think you'll be back in the corner again after this

Plumb, people do feel like that early on, but don't do it. Your stomach is not healed and if you go too quickly and eat solid foods you could seriously damage yourself and end up in the hospital. Stick with the plan. It's hard, but you can do it. Ask your doctor about when you can hit the gym, you don't want to pull stitches. Walking you can certainly do, but get your doctor's clearance before trying anything else this early on. Good luck

Wonderful achievement! Best wishes to you and congratulations. Your hard work really paid off.

MizNola, You can do it, really. While you certainly have to be aware (no magic wand here) you have a great tool now that will really help you. It won't be like it was before. If you have cravings, eat a piece of Jerky and you'll be stuffed - no room for bad stuff (once you are one regular foods, that is, not during liquid phase). Now, Liquids - they slide right through. That is what you are seeing now. When you get to solids you will see the difference. Be patient and don't stress. You are doing well, just keep at it. The first month is really sucky. You'll get through. Be nice to yourself this month, get a pedicure or facial

You can ask your doctor and they will tell you. Really, it makes no difference unless it's size 60 French LOL. Don't obsess over it. The doctor makes the decision based on your individual size, etc. too small and you can have stricture complications. Too large and your restriction is not as tight. However, this is pretty rare with modern sleeves done today. Most range from 30 to 40 french. It is pronounced "boo-zhee" as another poster noted.

I'm a slow loser. It is not so bad. You get used to it. Just don't compare yourself and you'll be fine. Being a slow loser is a mental thing. Good things about losing slow: People don't think you've had WLS, so fewer questions to answer. Loose skin has more time to shrink back. Less stress on the body. You don't go through clothes as fast. I'm sure there are others.

Most stores have ginger tea, even walmart. Watch out for mint early on. It can relax the valve from your stomach into the esophagus and make you more uncomfortable. I had that early but it is fine now.

Unfortunately for me, sliders happen on occasion. I have to really watch it. Red vines (addictive) Tortilla chips

I agree with Buffle. Could well be low blood pressure or other medical issue. If you are getting your 8 cups of water in, it shouldn't be dehydration, unless you are laying roof tile in Phoenix in the summertime, or other activity that requires a lot more fluids. Go see your primary doc so they can check you out. Let us know what happens.

Third week stall, folks. Chin up, most people hit this. You'll get through just fine. just your body readjusting itself. Stick to your plan and don't despair.