Taels2013

I had some one say to me the other day, "what did you do to your face? You look different." One of my friends chimed in and said, she's lost some weight! The face questioner responded, "oh." Ha. My good friend then said I look even more beautiful than before...put that jerk right in her place. Loved it.

I think Ely said that she was told that miralax is like drinking cement, or something to that effect. I completely agree. I took it everyday for a week and it made my issue worse. I would love to go in for a colonic right now. On the upside, I feel like I have a pumpkin stuck in my lower half, but I've still lost weight this week. Go me. the milk of magnesia will make you go, that is certain, but it's pretty intense stuff. I'm going to ask about taking psyllium fiber. I want roughage! A big bowl of broccoli with lemon and pepper on it sounds like the best meal ever to me right now.

Excellent post. Thank you!

I was told by the surgeons nurse to take 2-4 tablespoons of milk of magnesia. I wish I hadn't taken the full 4 tbls yesterday. I was able to go, just water from the medicine, but it was hours of getting up to go every ten minutes. and today i have had the worst cramps all day. If I ever get that backed up again, I'll take 2 Tablespoons. This has been really uncomfortable and worrying. Can't wait to just be sort of regular again.

You will feel so much better when that drain comes out, I promise

I have not gotten sick since the hospital. I've been sticking to basics too. And eat very slowly. Are you on an antacid? When I skip a dose, I feel sort of queasy and cannot eat anything at all. Food just sticks in my throat and I get all hiccups and burpy. I take Prilosec once, sometimes twice, daily. It helped me so much. Also, if you can't do whey, my nut suggested adding dry skim milk powder to everything you can to up the protein count. It's not as many grams as a protein shake but it helps. And is not gross and constipating.

I dont know...I think the nutritionist is being realistic and honest. this surgery will help with learning moderation. It sort of forces you to be happy with a little bit of things we enjoy. Like dark chocolate. Or a slice of pizza. Its the not being able to stop that is the problem. I know I will avoid the scary foods, those things that I could not stop eating once I started...I'll only be able to have a little because of my sleeve and the cravings and wanting will be horrible. I plan to very much enjoy going out with my friends for coffee and sharing a nice dessert, or really enjoying two chicken wings instead of two dozen. I am learning moderation already...by not letting myself feel guilty or paranoid over a spoon of peanut butter. Those days are over. I want to remake my relationship with food. That means, for me, that I should be able to nourish myself with good healthy meals and enjoy an occasional treat without beating myself up about it.

Talk about changing mindset! This is embarrassing but I'll tell you anyway...one of the things that I used to do a lot was stop at McDonald's when I had to drive more than 30 minutes...my commute was 50 minutes each way so it was mcDs sometimes twice a day. No wonder I gained 60 lbs in 3 years. Anyway, I'd get a double cheeseburger and coffee. Two weeks after surgery, I had to make a two hour drive. I found myself at a mcDonalds drive through with the coffee and the cheeseburger. Here's the thing, I did not wake up to what I was doing until after I paid and drove away. I opened the burger, it smelled so rank and disgusting, and I couldn't eat it even if I wanted to! I pulled over and tossed it in the trash. The coffee went too. The point of my story is that habits are hard to break, especially the ones that were comforting. Eating, then feeling like crap about it, is also a bad habit that needs to be broken. I ate a tablespoon of peanut butter the other day and enjoyed the hell out of it...and got the guilties so bad! Then I acknowledged that with the peanut butter, I had only 300 calories the whole day. I decided that it is ok for me to enjoy the food I eat now, because I should enjoy nourishing my body. It's pretty hard and painful to overindulge with the sleeve, right? Hope this helps.

I could drink water with no problem right out of the gate. was so incredibly hungry too, that first week home. i started taking prilosec which stopped the "hunger pangs." The rest of my hunger was in my head. Wait until you get to puréed and soft foods you will feel FULL like you never felt full in your life. My first puréed meal, I ate some refried beans too quickly and I thought the discomfort would never go away. I'm one month out today, started soft foods. Got full on half of a scrambled egg this morning. Had some chicken in curry sauce with canned green beans for lunch. So good, omg, I could get in maybe 2-3 oz before I was no longer interested but not too full. I subsisted on mostly yogurt, protein enhanced sugar free pudding and tiny bits of peanut butter, along with the horrible constipating protein drinks for the last month. So glad I can eat real foods again. I reiterate the other commenters who said to not rush it. Good luck!

Omg, I hear you. Does anyone know when we can start taking fiber supplements? I'd love to drink some Metamucil or psyllium every day but I'm afraid to hurt myself. I'm one month out. Thanks for sharing. I had a full day poop drama last week and it was hell.

Have you tried True Lime and True Lemon? It's powdered in little packets and tastes like the real thing. I imagine that it not as acidic as the fresh fruit. You could sprinkle over food, put in your water, just to help with craving until your stomach is ready for citrus.

Thanks for replying, Cindy. I'm doing fine since.

I've had two really scary experiences since my surgery two weeks ago. One night last week at 4:00 am, I jolted awake, wheezing and coughing. I felt like I had something in my lungs and was coughing so hard that stomach acid came up in my mouth (omfg). I could not breathe and I had to really try to get ahold of myself. I have an inhaler for allergy related asthma so I used that and calmed down. I finally coughed up a huge amount of mucus. Saw the doctor the next day. She said that it was probably because I didn't have any productive coughing after surgery, though I used that breathing exercise thing. Great. I honestly thought that I was going to die right there on my bathroom floor. That was pretty bad, but last night was worse. I woke up at 3:00 am with the most horrible stomach pain, like the worst diarrhea ever. I tried to let it come out but it would not. I was in so much pain for at least 30 minutes. Finally, a lot of really hard pebbles came out, then the flood, like citric magnesium all over again. I have never experienced anything so awful and painful ever. I have never sat on the toilet sweating and crying, begging for divine mercy. Why am I telling you guys this? Because there's no one else to tell. I have no idea how to prevent last night poop tragedy from befalling me again. Does anyone else have problems with alternating constipation and diarrhea? Oh, after the breathing/mucus event, I have felt a lot better and less tired, I can breathe easier and my chest doesn't hurt. This piece of my story is a cautionary tale to those of new people who don't bother with the deep breathing exercises. Do them! Thanks for letting me tell someone aside from a doctor (who kinda just shrugs with a "well, you lived" sort of attitude. Haha)

I wonder if any of the July 30 peeps would like to share on my fitness pal? If so, friend Taels2013. Thanks!

I've read that sleeved stomachs do not stretch all that easily, even after years post op. You might be able to eat more food comfortably, or you might gain from eating too many foods that slide through, like ice creams and milkshakes. It seems you are worried about messing up your post-surgery restriction by drinking too much Water. I wouldn't worry about that. Clear water is good for you. Unless you are guzzling down huge amounts all at once, which i don't think you are. Just don't drink within 30 minutes of eating food, you'll be just fine. Of course, I'm not a doctor, i'm just a librarian who has read everything about this surgery. . My only worry right now is not eating enough. I can only get in about 500 calories a day, including two Protein shakes. I know my weight loss will really start once I can start eating more calories and exercising. Right now, I'm too tired to do anything more than walk my dog twice a day.

I've been eating one tablespoon a day. Unsweetened and unsalted. It's been a lifesaver. It gives me a little boost especially on days when I can't bear to eat anything more solid. Surgery on 7/30.

I had surgery on 7/30. I was also drank a lot of water before. I can drink almost as much as before too. I feel fine. My biggest fear was dehydration after surgery. I figure water just slips right through my sleeved tummy. It doesn't make me feel full. Also ice water is very soothing to me, so I drink as much as I want. I think I'm getting at least 64oz a day.

Barbie, can you have one more protein drink a day or maybe make a pudding or frozen treat with the cappuccino mix? That would be an easy way to get your protein grams in. Even if you only have half of a full serving of the protein, it's boosting your grams per day. I try to get 60 grams from two premier protein drinks a day since I can't eat much yet.

I stopped checking the scale because I was making myself nuts. I lost 20 pounds last I checked, which thrills me to no end. I wish I could get some more food in, though. I feel like I won't really start to lose until my body realizes that I'm not starving. I ate a whole yogurt in one sitting today, but I feel like yogurt and pudding just slides right down. I tried to eat a scrambled egg with cottage cheese tonight..got in maybe two bites before I felt like it was all lodged in my throat. I know this is temporary and my stomach is still swollen. When you all eat, do you feel like it is in your chest and throat? Frankly, it's kind of great to not be hungry. Man, I couldn't go five hours without a meal before...and my dog is totally digging eating my leftovers. She got almost a whole egg tonight. Score!

I'm two weeks post op and have about 4 oz of regular coffee every morning. I was so crabby without it. Going from three cups before breakfast and one after lunch everyday to 1/2 cup daily is a good thing. Plus, having a coffee in the morning makes me feel normal. Yeah, I know that's weird.

I'm alright, thank you. I really can't eat much yet. I do two protein drinks per day and have a cup of chicken soup in the evening and a half of a yogurt for a snack. I can have a little peanut butter...that is about it. Aside from having a couple of really bad days, I'm doing alright. My doctor gave me another week off work to try and get some nutrition in and for the diarrhea to resolve. I am taking in a lot of water, which I'm thankful for. Are you back to work? How is that going for you. I'm nervous about eating and bathroom stuff away from home!

Hi July 30's! How are you all feeling?

P.s. I didn't use gas x and my doctor about had a fit when I mentioned it. The point is to pass the gas not try to get rid of it with more drugs. Your intestines need to wake up, not be calmed down. Just my two cents.

Hi, I felt the same way. Like fast forward this NOW! Just walk as much as you can and don't stress about the gas. It will come out and you'll feel so much better. Just keep walking. I don't know if you are at the hospital or at home. If you are at home, you should try to walk outside for at least 5-10 minutes every hour. And focus on drinking water. Warm water was easier for me and relaxed my belly. I feel for you, I really do. I'm two weeks out and I feel pretty great, considering. Remember you just had a big surgery and chill the hell out.

I am also really fatigued. I pray this will go away once I start eating solid food again. I can't get anything done.