Kindle

Just goes to show how different everyone's preferences are. To me, all the RTD shakes are too thick and too sweet. I dilute them at least 1/2 and 1/2 with milk or water. As for the powders I usually add at least 50% more water than it says on the package. It's the same for taste...just like any other food. You won't know if it's good until you try it yourself. After all, There's millions of people that would prefer to eat liver or green peppers or parsnips or blue cheese or cherries or rye bread or celery over poking their eyes out. I'm just not one of them.

Get unflavored protein powder and mix it in broths or dilute strain cream soups. Try diluting your shakes with skim milk. This is the only way I could ever drink them. I think Syntrax Nectar tastes WAY better than Isopure.

Try diluted powerade zero. No sugar. You could probably use the electrolytes and potassium. Are you getting your protein shakes in?

I have gone through several tubs of the unjury unflavored. Bluesea is right, it does still have a taste, so you have to be careful what you mix it with. During my full liquid stage I added it to diluted, strained cream Soups for a huge variety and great relief from all the sweet shakes. I still add it to any soup I eat. Further out, I've mixed it in mashed potatoes, bean casserole, pancake mix, and crab patties. With soups and other liquids, you have to be careful not to heat it over 140 or it will clump. With the baked stuff it doesn't matter. And personally, I liked the taste of the chicken broth. And the strawberry wasn't bad. I was happy with the Premier chocolate and vanilla so never ordered Unjury in those flavors.

I gained the first week postop. Fluid weight. The most I ever lost in a given time frame was 22 pounds in 16 days PREOP. Everyone is different, and you will drive yourself crazy trying to compare yourself to others.

I normally would not tell you to do something different from your surgeon's recommendations, but from reading about others experiences, the Prilosec seems to be a pretty standard postop procedure. Even with 40mg I still took Maalox a few times in the very beginning (after my surgeon said it was OK). Acid is a bitch! and you will get through this!

I'm sure the vitaleph is a good product, but I didn't use it either. Although the enzymes and probiotics are a good idea, especially postop. But if you are shopping around, make sure you read labels. A lot of "protein" drinks have more carbs and sugar than protein. Some of the best I've used are Premier Protein, Isopure, Syntrax Matrix, Syntrax Nectar, Garden of Life, Unjury, and Jay Robb products. They all have 23 - 30g protein and 0-5g carbs.

Of course it's normal...that's why my surgeon prescribes Prilosec for 2 months.

I drive a lot, too. (Actually drove myself home from airport 4 days postop and was back to work after 7). Pending complications, I think you could probably do it except for the lifting. I wasn't allowed to lift more than 20 pounds for 3 weeks.

It could take a couple days if your acid is really bad. Pepcid or Maalox or Rolaids can provide some immediate relief in the meantime. Have you talked to your surgeon about your heartburn? That who you should be talking to before taking anything.

There is a complication sub forum on this board you can check out. But in general, nausea, food allergies, vitamin deficiencies, GERD, strictures, leaks, and infections are all possible complications.

My surgeon required us to be on 40mg/day for 2 months. I weaned down to 20mg for 3 weeks after that then stopped. Haven't needed it since, but do take Maalox or Rolaids 1-2 times a week when my tummy feels sour.

I'm just curious about the major differences in the levels of post op pain people post about on here. Some people seem to be in excruciating pain that require high powered narcotics and they aren't able to get up and around for weeks. I (fortunately) had no pain, just low level soreness. I didn't take any pain meds (besides 2 days of a sublingual NSAID) and I was driving and shopping and taking care of myself, dogs, cats and horses immediately. Even went back to work as a vet tech after 7 days. And then there is everyone in between. Is there that big of a difference between surgical technique and periop drugs, or is everyone's pain perception just that different? For you health care professionals, do you see this much variation in pain levels for other "standard" surgical procedures like hysterectomies, cholecystectomy, cardiac bypass, hip replacement, appendectomies, etc.

chips?! chicken Nuggets?! Really?! If you are truly hungry, why are you choosing such crap to eat? If you are truly hungry and are going to sabotage all the good work your surgeon did, at least have the courtesy to eat something good. How about some low fat cheese or puréed tuna fish or Protein bar? Not that you should be eating any of these things at this point, but it's obvious you don't care about what you "should" be doing. But these things will satisfy your true "hunger" If not, you are only giving in to your head and trying to blame it on hunger. We all went through what you are going through. We were all hungry, we all missed food. But some of us chose to make the commitment to this surgery and make the appropriate lifestyle changes. (Guess I'm a meanie,too) For those of you sabotaging your success, I honestly don't know if I should be angry or feel sorry for you. Either you came into this knowing what is expected of you but are making stupid decisions anyways (in which case I'm a little pissed that you are whining about it on here). Or your surgeon and bariatric team is incompetent and didn't give you all the information you need to be successful. You are now in the middle of something you weren't prepared for. In which case I do feel sorry for you and urge you to spend as much time as you need asking questions to help you understand the importance of the mental aspect of this commitment. Perhaps counseling or therapy could help you adjust.

It's the "life threatening situation" clause that the insurance companies will use to screw us over. That means they don't have to pay for diagnostics or procedures for complications like GERD or balloon dilation for a stricture or even a small leak that can be managed with antibiotics and drains because they are not "immediately life threatening".

Beeteroo, thank you so much for your reply. Just what I was looking for from someone "in the trenches". My two theories were individual differences vs surgical technique and periop anesthesia/Meds. You definitely confirmed the answer. Fortunately I must be one with "dull" pain receptors and good healing properties. Not only was my VSG not painful, but I had a C4-C5 cervical fusion several years ago and recovered from that pretty well. Left the hospital less than 24 hours after surgery, and took hydrocodone and Valium for the first week. (The muscles spasms in my shoulders and back were worse than the actual surgical site) Switched to Tramadol and went back to work after 10 days. I was skiing 3 months postop.

Although there may be physical ramifications to eating stuff too soon, that's not where the real trouble lies. Eating those pretzels, that had absolutely no nutritional value is not a failure of your sleeve, it's a failure of your head. The surgery was the easy part, the mental part is where it gets hard. I never cheated one single time on my preop diet or post op recovery. The fear of a leak or other complication kept me on the straight and narrow. Those months of discipline helped me make new habits that are, so far, holding firm at 5 months out when I can literally eat anything I want. As for your hunger, are you on PPI's or taking antacids? Acid often feels like hunger. Even being on 40mg Omeprazole for 2 months I would get that feeling. Liquid Maalox took the hunger pains away. I'm not taking PPIs anymore but I will chew a couple Rolaids if I feel hungry when I know I shouldn't be. Try to start new tomorrow and don't let a couple weeks of discomfort sabotage your goals.

Holy cow, Bufflehead. I thought I was creative,...you are a rock star!

I'm almost 5 months out and still drink a Protein shake (at least 24-32oz and 30-40g) every day. It's not a chore...we need fluids anyways so I'm just doing double duty by making it a protein rich drink. it's what I sip on all morning in between appointments. Every meal or snack I have has protein....chicken, tuna, beef, crab, cheese, deli meat, Greek yogurt, nuts. I try to sneak in some veggies or V8 everyday. I add bananas or peaches or blueberries or apple to my shakes and plain Fage yogurt, so even my fruit involves protein intake. I also add unjury unflavored powder to Soups and casseroles and even pancake mix. Other than knowing what's in my morning drink, I don't track or count anything, so I couldn't tell you how much protein I'm getting. But I do know I can't physically eat any more. Try different brands/flavors of Protein drinks so you don't burn out. I've currently got Premier chocolate and vanilla, Garden of Life Raw Fit and Raw Vanilla, Syntrax nectar apple, cherry and lemonade, Jay Robb Chocolate, piña colada, tropical, and strawberry in my cupboard. I use fruits and PB2 to vary the "base" flavors.

You have to figure out why you cheated with your band. You can still eat ice cream (and cake and chips and candy and French fries, etc) with your sleeve. So in order to be successful with the sleeve, you need to be honest and figure out why you failed with the band or it will be a repeat performance. And I agree with the above post. You need to make healthy food choices from the get go. Limiting yourself and placing strict restrictions will set you up to be disappointed. "I only lost 1 pound this month and all I had was protein shakes! Guess I might as well eat ice cream"

I was 3 1/2 months out before my stomach felt "normal". But I had also been on medication that was very irritating, so I may have felt better sooner without it. I still have outstanding restriction, but things feel better in my sleeve when I do eat. How much can you eat in a sitting? I know you posted about eating 4 months out, so just wondering what you are able to do.

Just curious...what have you tried to help your reflux and do they know what caused your kidney failure? So sorry you are having such a rough time.

Sweet stuff doesn't sit real well with me, either. I've had a bite or two of deserts, but that's it. Of course they taste great but The sugar makes me very uncomfortable. Artificial sweeteners also seem to irritate my sleeve and I'm hating the taste of them. I switched to diluted organic fruit juices and have a whole cupboard full of crystal light, Mio and propel zero powders. I can't drink the vitamin water zero or Sobe Lifewater 0 calorie anymore. But the regular versions are fine if I dilute them. Actually after 3 1/2 months I was finally able to drink plain water again so that's what I mostly do.

HW 238 SW 216 CW 165 Down another 2 pounds this week and tried on a size 12 of my favorite Wrangler jeans...fit great, but I'm not buying yet. Sticking with thrift store purchases until I stabilize.

What about switching to e cigarettes? You would still get your nicotine fix but eliminate all the other poisons that are in cigarettes. Then you could step down the nicotine levels as you are ready. Otherwise I kind of agree with the others that said to stop sooner than later. It will be easier to limit your snacking or grazing or whatever you end up doing in place of smoking when you are still in this honeymoon period. Your weight loss will automatically slow down and get harder as you get closer to goal. Trying to stop smoking at that point will only make it harder. Kind of sounds like you are trying to rationalize procrastinating something you don't want to do.