Catherine707

The gastric sleeve helped me realize that I experienced two types of hunger pangs. One was the real hunger of and empty stomach and the other was "head" hunger where my brain told me I need to eat and often something unhealthy or in large quantity. The restriction of the sleeve helped me learn the difference between the to, and now a year post surgery I only have hunger pangs when I am truly hungry. I still have to be smart and make good choices, but before the surgery I was constantly hungry and would never feel full. This surgery was a miracle in helping me control the quantities of food and to be much better at making healthy choices. Good luck on your journey to health!

I fortified Greek yogurt with unflavored whey Protein (GNC Pro Performance), I also ate cottage cheese, pureed Soups (yum butter nut squash soup!) Egg Drop Soup from the Chinese restaurant. Scrambled and hard cooked eggs. I also had corned beef hash. It is really high in sodium so don't have it too often, but it had such a different flavor and was just what I needed to get me past the "I can't stand it anymore"! blahs!

I belong to several different support groups for bariatric patients and while everyone is losing weight, the ones that have the least complications and the best overall health are the ones that prepared for the surgery by dealing with their food issues AND have an ongoing relationship with their surgeon. I suspect that you had an "Eureka"! moment and see the VGS as the solution to your problems, but I fear that your quick jump to surgery to control what is disordered eating will cause potential problems for you. If you don't understand why you over eat and how you rely on food to deal with emotions having the sleeve surgery can put you at risk for serious complications. What medical doctor is going to help you if you have a leak or other problem post surgery? Are you going to be a compliant patient and eat the foods that your doctor recommends? When you have a "bad" day how will you cope if you can no longer use food to sooth your emotional pain? I'm not saying the sleeve won't help you. I'm suggesting that a slower preparation and understanding of your eating issues will ensure you will be successful and happy with the end results. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

I use the unflavored GNC pro performance whey Protein to "fortify" Greek Yogurt and other foods. I try to get 30 grams of protein in my Breakfast, and sometimes it still takes me 2 hours to complete that meal. By starting my day with half my protein it gives me more energy and ensures that I will get all my 60 grams eaten during the day. Initially I alternated between Protein shake and Greek yogurt each day. After 6 months I added some Protein Bars and egg dishes into my breakfast rotation, but those days I am more challenged to get all the protein in. I believe that adequate protein is one of the keys to being successful with this surgery. I also tried a bunch of different protein shakes and found the Premier Protein (chocolate and Strawberry) from costco to be the best one for me. Also I was never "hungry" for the first 6 months, but I ate because I knew my body needed that nutrition to function properly.

Yes! Be patient with yourself! It takes 6 - 8 weeks to figure out what works best for you. Having experienced that horrible too full feeling I can agree, that you don't want to go there again! You are learning to listen to your body in a way that is new and different, of course there will be a few "bumps" along the road.

Probably EVERYONE has those thoughts at some point! I wasn't willing to seriously consider WLS until I knew I had "really" tried to lose weight through more conventional means. In 2012 I was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and tried the low carb diet. I lost 10 pounds but ended up with gall bladder surgery. After recovering from the surgery I tried Medifast Meal Replacements and ended up with a bad allergic reaction to all the soy in the products. I was honest with myself and realized that I couldn't lose the weight I needed to via diet and exercise alone. My weight continued to balloon and I needed surgical help. I can honestly say that I tried everything.... after years and years of failures, the VGS was my ticket to success. I think that having bariatric surgery is a huge step, and not an "easy" path. If I only needed to lose 40 pounds I don't think I would make the permanent changes that come with this surgery and the risk of complications. My reality was I needed to lose 50% of my body weight and over 150 pounds. Those numbers meant that I needed surgical assistance. Each person has to weigh the benefits and risks out for themselves. Only you can say if you have really tried EVERYTHING and have no other method to weight loss success. Good luck on your personal journey!

This is a tough question and hopefully your surgeon and nutritionist can provide you with guidance that is appropriate for your personal medical situation. That being said, I decided that a few bites of high carb foods would be ok so long as I continued to lose weight. I had fruit and carbs in my diet after 2 months and it didn't seem to affect my weight loss which stayed pretty constant at 2 pounds per week for months. I have been at a stall for about 2 months, and I am considering removing some carbs from my diet, but I think I will wait until I have my next apt w/ the surgeon before making any huge changes. The beauty of the gastric sleeve surgery is that the restriction really keeps you from being able to over do it on any foods. (Of course there are people who will try to cheat the sleeve, but really what is the point? Are we getting healthier or not!) For me a cookie or piece of candy on occasion didn't seem to be a bad thing, for someone else it might be like taking a little bit of heroin.... Most important is to know your body and relationship with food!

I felt like crap for 6 weeks after surgery, and it took me that long to find the optimal balance of Protein, Water and calories. You might be slower to heal, so going back to liquids for a few more days might be a good idea. Make sure you are getting enough water, as being dehydrated will also slow the healing process.

I couldn't function on less than 850 calories per day and that was right after surgery. Now 1 year out I have been eating 1200 calories per day and my weight loss has also slowed. I am upping my calories to 1400 per day to see if that helps. I think our bodies need time to catch up and it sounds like you are doing all the right things. I hope your doctor gives you some options to change to jump start your weight loss again.

I recommend trying different Protein shakes until you find one you like. You will be drinking a lot of them during the course of your gastric sleeve journey. I like the Premier Protein (chocolate and Strawberry) from costco. GNC has a lot of different flavors and will exchange any that you don't like the taste of. Having 60+ grams of protein per day is important for weight loss and healing from the surgery! Good luck on your VGS journey!

It sounds like you have a great surgeon and are getting yourself ready to succeed! Good luck as your start your journey!

I agree nobody seems to be able to hit those goals in the first few weeks. My doctor said to have Water in one hand and a Protein shake in the other and sip back and forth between them for the first 10 days. Realistically, you can't have both hands full of beverages all the time, but in theory it is a good idea. Other words of advice from someone who is one year post surgery.... don't over do it activity-wise. Give your body a chance to heal this was major surgery and it isn't a race to see how fast you can lose weight. Making the lifestyle changes is going to serve you best in the long run! I was off work for 8 weeks and it took me a full 4 weeks to find a balance between water, calories and grams of protein that worked for me. I had a bout of vertigo at week 3 that was scary, but got resolved when I upped my calorie count to at least 850 per day. I lost 2 pounds per week for most of the year.... except for the dreaded stall that seems to hit everyone between weeks 2 - 4. When it happens to you just keep doing what the doctor has told you to do. Your body will get past the stall in a few days or a week and then the long term weight loss process will begin! Good luck to you!

I fortify my Greek Yogurt with GNC unflavored Protein powder. It raises the protein to 30 grams and the calories are under 300. This way I get half my protein in first thing in the morning. Makes my day go much better!

I returned one box of the chocolate to costco because of the clumpy issue. I have been using these for the past year and only in the last 2 boxes have I had the clumping / curdled problem. I started mixing them in the blender with some ice and Water. Shaking them didn't help. I think I will call customer service tomorrow to see about exchanging the boxes I have. I haven't had any problems with the strawberry ones at all.

I remember that point.... at three weeks I felt as you do, and I can tell you it gets much much better! It took me 6 weeks to get the right balance between Water, Protein and calories. People talk about eating 650 calories.... there was no way I could function on so few calories. I felt light headed and crappy until I found the right mix of things. Then I felt ok but not great for another 2 months. This is a huge surgery and it takes lots of time to heal. I'm sorry that your doctor isn't taking your issues seriously, and am glad that you are getting the blood pressure taken care of. You will get off all those meds, but just not overnight. Here was my routine when I was allowed soft foods (2 weeks post surgery). Premier Protein shakes (bought at Costco), Greek yogurt fortified with GNC unflavored whey Protein powder, - those both have 30 grams of protein, I alternated a shake or Greek yogurt for Breakfast every morning. My other meals were cottage cheese, pureed Soups, and creamy Peanut Butter. Plus the 60 oz of water per day and I worked my way up to 800 calories. 8 weeks without solid food seems long to me, but your doctor knows your medical history and there is wide variability in post surgery instructions from surgeon to surgeon. I didn't start enjoying food until 3 or 4 months post surgery. I figure that is part of the life changing aspect of this surgery. You don't want to eat, and have to force the protein and water in for the first few months. It gives you time to change your relationship with food. Good luck to you, I'm sure you will do very well once you get past this rough initial stage!

You need Protein for your body to heal from this surgery. Didn't your surgeon give you any instructions about what to eat following surgery? I had Protein drinks on day 3. The best Protein Drink I have found for me is Premier and you can buy it at costco. When you progress to soft foods, I ate cottage cheese, Greek yogurt fortified with unflavored protein powder, and Protein shakes. I am almost a year post surgery and I still have one Protein shake a day so that I can get my 60 grams of protein in each day. I also suggest using My Fitness Pal to track everything you eat. It will tell you how many calories and grams of protein you have eaten in a day and track your Water intake too. I suspect that the fruit is what caused the stomach pain and diarrhea, go back to dairy products and that should be kinder to your stomach. Good luck, congrats on taking the first steps in the weight loss journey!

I agree everything seems to be about food these days! When at one of these events get yourself a beverage (even if it is just Water or coffee) so your hands stay busy and people wont think you "need" something. Most people that push food are just trying to be good hosts. Second peruse the food choices and decide what if anything you can / will eat. Fix yourself a plate and follow through with your plans. If something being served is a "weakness" then either decide to have 2 bites or decide to not touch it at all. I've gotten really good a looking and smelling the food (cake seems to be the big thing at my work) and then walking away from it because I don't want the sugar or the calories. Listen to your body and when you are full (as you would when you are at home) stop eating. If anyone says "you ate so little" or "have more", just have a stock reply something like "it was very good but I am full now". Keep repeating the same phrase until they stop trying to get you to eat more. The broken record really does work even if you feel like an idiot saying the same thing over and over again....

That is an unusual symptom, you might discuss it with a doctor.... Probably nothing to worry about, but best to check to be sure.

I noticed the same thing. I don't think you can really do anything about hormonal fluctuations except know that it is coming and keep doing the right stuff during that week. I find that my weight loss after my period is a little faster like my body is either catching up or dumping the extra Water. I choose to not stress over it because in the grand scheme of things the downward trend is really all that matters.

Time to recommit to the lifestyle changes that brought you so much success so far! Congrats on losing and maintaining your weight loss. Think back to how you felt before surgery and why you did the surgery in the first place. For me the fear of backsliding is one way I stay motivated.

One egg is not "full" for you, but don't go hog wild and try to see how much it takes to be full. It is a gradual learning process and over time through trial and error you will learn how much capacity your sleeve has. Over eating can cause complications and is really uncomfortable. I also think your body needs to relearn what "full" means. Just keep following your surgeons instructions and all will be well I promise!

My doctor said to have a protein drink in one hand and water in the other and be sipping back and forth from both all day..... Your doctor should tell you how much water and protein you should have daily because both those are important for healing from this surgery as well as controlling your kidney disease. You might also need to consult with your nephrologist to get the best balance of water and protein for your condition. Good luck to you!

Giving up one's drug of choice (food) is a big scary step, and I once thought that I would never get my cravings under control.... Fast forward 11 months, and have lost over 100 pounds, and eat much smaller healthy portions than I ever could before having the surgery. Yes, there have been bad days and some bad emotions, but I came to realize that they were just moments in time, and that food really wasn't the friend and crutch that I thought it was before surgery. Good luck, I know that if you move forward you will be pleased with the results in the long run.