cindymg

Sugar-free jello and Popsicles have negligible calories. I think s/f pudding has 70-90 calories, so it was NOT on my pre-op list. Save for post-op puréed and soft food phases. It's calming and easy to digest.

I actually think the Cinnamon GasX strips better. Can't find them anywhere but online now and I hate to pay shipping. Anyone seen the Cinnamon flavor anywhere?

GasX strips help eat up the gas bubbles -- get them at Walgreen's or CVS. And PPI's help prevent gas buildup in the stomach. My doc gave me prescription Prevacid in liquid form, but once I ran out of that I got over the counter chewable Pepcid (also at Walgreen's).

By the way, shortness of breath could be caused by gas -- either the gas used during surgery or caused by the liquids. Are you using GasX strips? Or a PPI? Both will help with the gas.

Yeah, the liquids get tedious after so long. I was on liquids 2.5 weeks before and 3 weeks after. Are you adding in broths? That helps break the boredom. I also made sugar-free Jello and added unjury Protein powders just to have something to chew. My surgeon allowed Greek yogurt smoothies at weeks 2-3 if you didn't have any problems with the clear liquids. It was like heaven! Stick with it. Soft foods will be here before you know it.

Having a pain in my right side, waist level and above. Just had gall bladder removed (5 days ago). No fever. Hoping it's gas, so I took some GasX pills and am trying a heating pad. But I fear that it's something more because it's been getting progressively worse over the last few days. Two surgeries in 6 months. Not interested in another.

I used to go to Overeaters Anonymous and found it very helpful. I haven't been to a meeting in years and certainly not since my sleeve surgery, but it has been on my mind lately. Let me know if you find a group that you like.

Thanks for the reminder about mindful eating. Lately I find myself eating because I am "entitled", not necessarily because I am hungry. Promise to self: eat mindfully.

Walgreens and CVS have the GasX strips.

Welcome JD. What were the reasons you had surgery? I think maybe if you focus on those, things will get better. Walking also helps. My philosophy is that if I just keep moving, maybe I can outrun the depression. And when you are back on solid foods, I think you will be less emotional. Good luck on your journey. It's going to be amazing!

At 3 months out, I started having nausea after eating. And I hadn't had ANY nausea or vomiting at all after my surgery. At my 4 month checkup, I casually mentioned this annoying nausea to my surgeon, who jumped on it. Sent me in for gallbladder tests -- ultrasound first, but no gall stones discovered. Then he sent me in for a HIDA scan. This measures the functionality of the gallbladder. So evidently my gallbladder was barely functional and full of sludge which is what was causing the nausea. Sludge can turn into gallstones, so it was time for the gallbladder to come out. I had the gallbladder removed last week, so I am now recovering from a second surgery in 6 months. This surgery was not nearly as difficult as the sleeve surgery -- no liquid diet before or after, no overnight in the hospital. No real pain, no problems, just a little tired. If your nausea continues, say something to your surgeon. And don't settle for an ultrasound. Make sure you have the HIDA scan.

I'm 5'11" and was sleeved 6 months ago. Starting weight was 258. Weight now 199. My goal is 180. But I only ever wanted to be below 200 so I am happy. These last 20 lbs are going slowly. My body keeps changing, even if the scale doesn't. Starting to see a waist for instance -- it's been at least 20 years since I have seen that. What a journey!

You do realize that statistically you have a greater chance of dying during the car ride to the hospital, right? I prepared for the worst before my surgery. Made sure "my affairs" were in order, my family knew about my insurances, etc. I was convinced that I would have every complication I had read about. None of it came to pass. I had no pain, no vomiting, no nausea, no complications. It's been 6 months since my surgery, I am down 60 lbs, and I feel fantastic! Good luck on your journey. It's going to be amazing!

Great! Good luck on your surgery!

Another thought: people commenting on what you are eating is a bit of passive-aggressive behavior. A response could be just as simple as "jealous?" It reminds me of the treatment of women in the workplace. I am in IT and for many years of my career I was always the only woman in many meetings. Invariably there would be at least one jerk who after an off-color remark, would look at me and say something Jerky like, "excuse my French". The real purpose behind the comment was to passive-aggressively point out that I was different -- and not one of the boys, not welcome. Analogy here? Could it be that sticking to your eating plan, eating small quantities is not welcome here? Just a thought.

Back at home after having my gall bladder removed today. Same day surgery. I now have 4 more little scars on my tummy, so with the 5 from the sleeve surgery I am now hosting 9! What fun! Anyway, same type of procedure, and the gas pains are so far the worst part. GasX strips and capsules are helping. Haven't taken the Vicodin yet. I'll see if I can get by on Tylenol. I'll be just Laying on the couch for the next few days.

I keep forgetting that I can button my pants AND put my shoes on! I used to have to leave my pants/jeans unzipped/unbuttoned while I bent over to tie my shoes -- otherwise I would knock myself out not being able to breathe. I have to retrain myself to button/zip my pants before putting on my shoes, otherwise when I stand up my pant fall town!

According to this recent article the ACA will cover weight loss surgery: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/04/obesity-disease-insurance-coverage/2447217/ You will be able to get ACA coverage but you will need to compare the cost of the ACA compared to the employer-subsidized plan your husband has. Here's a link to the article: https://www.healthcare.gov/what-if-i-have-job-based-health-insurance/ Good luck on your journey!

Dear LumpySpacePrincess: A little tough love here: give yourself a break! If you are following your post op program, you will succeed. One day soon you'll find that you have gone through four sizes of pants, two bra sizes, three blouse sizes. Be sure to hang onto at least one of your truly large outfits. That way when you are discouraged you can try on that outfit and see how much progress you have made! Good luck on your journey. It's going to be amazing!

How sad is it that people have nothing better to do/talk about than the quantity of food you are eating? I guess because all of my family and friends know that I have had sleeve surgery, no one really pays any attention to what I eat. But it's also real easy to play the anorexic's game and move food around on my plate to make it look like I am still eating. I try to sample a little of everything like the appetizers to make appear like I am normal. When a waiter questions if I enjoyed something that I didn't eat, I respond that if I eat too much of my soup/salad/appetizer, I won't be able to eat my dinner. What I can't eat I wrap up and take home. I don't eat bread or Desserts and haven't for many years, and if anyone questions that I respond that I am diabetic and that's enough to shut anyone up.

LOL! I travel a lot so I am catch as catch can (there's a boomer phrase for you)! I'll try to keep up. Having gall bladder removed Wednesday, so I may be sleeping a lot for the next few days.

Thanks for the kudos. I don't own a scale either -- it's just one more thing I am compulsive about. I weigh every couple of weeks at the gym. Works for me.

I started at 600 calories. At month 2, went to1,000, then 1,200 at month 3. When I started running 3x a week, and going to the gym 2x a week, 1,200 just wasn't enough. At 5 months I went to 1,500 calories. I am now 6.5 months and down 60 lbs. and 4 pants sizes. Keep in mind that I am 5'11" and built like a linebacker, so ultra low calorie diets just don't work for me. My scale weight loss has slowed to about 5 lbs a month, but I am only 20 lbs from goal. And my body keeps changing even when the scale doesn't. My waist (my real problem area) is finally looking smaller. And now my bras are too big AGAIN. But, better than being too small, right?

A slider food just slides right through your stomach and doesn't give you that full feeling like dense protein does. So you get the calories, but since it doesn't fill you up, you can just keep eating more and more. I tried popcorn at about 3.5 months. I was amazed how much I could eat without feeling full. Wish I had never tried it. Now it's really the only thing I have a problem with. I can't stop eating it if I buy some. So I tend to save popcorn for when I really need to crunch something, measure it out, log into my MFP diary and throw out a lot of it (if it is in my house, it starts to talk to me).

Does your nut work for your surgeon? If yes, why would he get mad? Two reasons for the pre-op liquid diet: 1) to shrink your liver to make it easier for the surgeon to perform the sleeve surgery; and 2) get you ready for the post-op liquid diet where you will NOT BE ABLE TO SUBSTITUTE other Proteins for the liquids. Well, not unless you want to blow a staple or 2. Some other sleevers have said that their surgeons didn't require a pre-op liquid diet. Or maybe just a few days. Others have said that day 3 of the liquids are the worst -- because you are going through carb, sugar and caffeine withdrawal by day 3. I sure wouldn't want to be going through withdrawal AND recovering from surgery at the same time. I am not a perfect person. I did 2.5 weeks of liquid diet before surgery. I did have a few bites of chicken about 1 week in, but then back to the liquids. My withdrawal wasn't too bad as I had given up sugar and caffeine years ago. My surgeon said my liver was really small, and he had no problems during the surgery. Indeed I had no complications, no vomiting, no nausea, no real pain. I followed the post-op diet well. I couldn't handle the puréed diet, so because I was complication-free, my nut let me go right to soft foods. Whether or not you tell your surgeon about your pre-op diet is up to you. I wouldn't want to hide anything as I was putting my life/health in his hands. But definitely I think you should go to all liquids starting NOW. Good luck on your journey. It's going to be amazing!