Kindle

I gained 3 pounds and then sat there for a month between weeks 7 and 11. I was super nauseous from a medication I was taking and could barely eat or drink anything. As soon as I was off the Meds I doubled my Water and calorie intake and lost 8 pounds in one week. In the meantime, while I wasn't losing I dropped a whole pant size. That's just the way this WLS thing goes. As usual, my best advice is drink lots of water, get in all your Protein, take your Vitamins, eat healthy, exercise and stay OFF the scale.

I went from a 44DD to a very droopy 34A/B. (I'd be a firm A if it weren't for the extra skin I have to stuff in the cup).

@@VSGAnn2014 your post should be required reading for ALL members. You ought to just copy and paste it as a reply to every newbie post on here (you know the ones I mean ) Change what you can and buck up over the rest of it.

Besides everything on smf8396 list (except #15) I asked about .. 1) the anesthetic protocol, what drugs are used for nausea and pain and what drugs I would be sent home with. 2) What are the preop and postop dietary requirements 3) bougie size and oversewing technique 4) postop recommendations for bloodwork 5) option of having my gallbladder removed at the same time 6) specific protocol in case of an onsite emergency (bleeding, clot, leak, pulmonary/cardiac complication) 7) make/model/expiration of staplers, suture, laparoscopic equipment, etc. 8) sterilization protocol and techniques

Good for you! Glad you found something that works for you and that you enjoy.

It's because the liquid flushes the food out of your stomach quicker, making you fell hungry sooner and potentially eating too much. There are You Tube videos that demonstrate the phenomenon. I followed the rule probably for 10-12 months, but now I drink and eat at the same time all the time with no problem. I'm going to be hungry and eat every 2-3 hours whether I drink or not, and it doesn't bother my sleeve, so why not?

I had a headache for the first 3 days. That finally went away, but I never "got used to" the liquid diet. I was hungry the whole time, and got pretty cranky by the end of the 16 days. But I never cheated once, I lost 22 pounds and had a safe, complication-free surgery and recovery. (And then another 18 days of liquids). I say just suck it up and keep doing it. It's just part of the process. Stay focused on why you are doing this, look towards your final goal and don't get wallowed down in the "now". It's all just temporary. There's a reason they say this isn't the easy way out, and you need to be committed to the WHOLE journey, even the bad parts.

Like natalie080, I tried to NOT limit my calories. I didn't want my body and metabolism to get used to a low intake. However, I did not count or measure anything, either. I never let calories dictate what or how much I ate. I just concentrated on eating healthy....a balance of Protein, veggies, fruit and eventually grains. But I do know in the early days, some of my protein smoothie concoctions had 300-400 calories each (and I was drinking 1-2/ day in addition to eating other stuff). I'd say I never got less than 500 calories, and was up to 800 calories within the first month and 1000 calories by 3-4 months. And as for your rate of weight loss, don't worry so much about the numbers. They don't mean shit at this point. I weighed exactly the same on day 11 as I did on surgery day. I didn't weigh again until 7 weeks. The scale didn't help me lose 100 pounds. I did that! so stay off the scale for a month and discover the thrill of NSV's!

I'm 18 months out and Mine did not. When I was fat I thought I just had cankles, but when they were still "fat" after losing 100 pounds, I was seen by a specialist. it turns out it's venous insufficiency causing all the swelling. the compression stockings they gave me REALLY helped, but not a fan of wearing them in the summer. I'm currently waiting for insurance to approve my endovenous ablation.

So this is for all the successful veterans out there....for those that lost what you wanted to lose, have made all the necessary lifestyle changes to be successful and continue to maintain your weight loss..... Why couldn't we do this without surgery?! The surgery was on our stomachs, not our brains. So how are we able to stick to whatever changes we've made and continue to be successful? For me, I haven't made as big of changes as a lot of others. I simply eat healthy, eat smaller portions and drink way less alcohol. I don't track, I don't measure, I don't exercise, I don't see a therapist. So why can I do this now and not the dozen times I've tried in the past? I've had some horrible emotional hits since surgery...I had to put both of my dogs to sleep, my best friend committed suicide and another good friend was just diagnosed with cancer. I exist in a fog of grief and anger and confusion over my best friend. I am overwhelmed with emotions and some days wish I could join him. I should be stuffing my face and getting drunk every night. That's how I've always coped in the past. Why aren't I doing that now? How about those of you who count calories and carbs and track everything in MFP and go to the gym and run C25K, etc.? Those are huge changes and yet you've made them. Why couldn't you simply do that before surgery? Why are you so good at the healthy lifestyle now? I'm asking because I have no answers to explain my changes. What about you?

Discharged about 16 hours after surgery. No pain. No pain Meds needed. Walked a couple miles that day and the next. Was shopping, flying, driving, plowing my driveway, feeding horses, laundry, etc in the first 5 days. Back to an active job in one week.

BTW, check for them in your local health food store. They often sell individual packets you could try before buying a whole jug.

I like them (all flavors) but not everyone does. The biggest thing different from other Protein powders is the texture. Since the protein comes from sprouted seeds, it will not dissolve. It is more like a suspension and its best to mix them in a Blender Bottle so you can shake it up before taking a drink. I add insoluble Fiber (ground flax seed and apple fiber) to all of my protein smoothies, so I get this texture no matter what Protein powder I use and I don't mind it. I also use the Raw Protein and Raw Fit to flavor my plain Greek yogurt. The texture isn't such a factor when mixed this way. From a nutritional standpoint they are an excellent choice. I'm a big fan of whole food based supplements, so I also take their Vitamin Code for Women as my Multivitamin as well as their Raw D3.

I'm almost 18 months out and I eat when I'm hungry...every 2-3 hours. Always have, probably always will. I just eat healthy and don't overeat. The problems arise when I go 4+ hours without eating then I'm STARVED and I tend to eat crap and too much of it. So my advice...if you're hungry, eat.

Make it yourself. I make shrimp green curry all the time. And Check out Saffron Road simmer sauces. I just made lemongrass basil chicken and veggies. Only 2g sugar (probably less since my serving size is so small)

Very interesting data. Thanks for sharing. I see from the time of your post you don't sleep much, either BTW, please let me know if you find that wand of yours!

Thanks all for the replies. I know my question is too complicated for a "right" answer, but it's nice to get some theories to ponder. Being the scientific person I am, I definitely think the changes in our metabolism and GI biome do play a role. As a fecal transplant recipient, I can personally attest to the actual physical changes that occur when you all of a sudden have a different population of GI flora. And the instant (not weight-related) changes seen immediately postop in many diabetic patients is well documented. Mentally, I think the "ready for a change" theory also plays a part. For those that don't succeed at this, maybe that's a big missing piece of the puzzle. But it was a significant factor for me. I really hit rock bottom as far as my weight-related and alcohol dependence mentality goes. I had no control at all. And like many other addicts maybe that's what it takes to finally get your shit together. The positive feedback loop, self reinforcement and getting a handle on our mental health no doubt also plays a part. Even though I've lost a lot of weight in the past, (almost to surgeon's original goal) there was always something missing. For some reason I just lost the incentive to maintain those successes. Why it's different this time remains a mystery. I think there are too many factors to really be able to explain my original question. And I'm sure it's different for everyone.....I guess success is just a matter of your personal "perfect storm".

Suck it up and be patient. You will be eating normal food soon enough. If you aren't on a PPI you should be because acid often feels like hunger. I was hungry most of my 34 days of pre/post op liquid diet. But 17 months later its all just a minor blip on my radar. It's very important to stick with your surgeons instructions at this point. Try and focus on your goals and why you did this. Don't get so bogged down in the "now"....it's only temporary.

Oh, I'm SO gonna try this!! Carbonation is the only thing my sleeve can't do. Wonder how frozen beer tastes?!?

I am 5'5" and had several milestone weights along the way. As I was losing, I was thrilled at 170 and would have been happy at that point. My doctor's goal was 160...passed that easily. I remember being fit and healthy in my 20's at around 150....passed that, too. I finally landed in the high-130's and more or less stopped losing. I gave myself a 5 pound bounce range from there and have stayed within it for over 9 months. I actually started eating at "maintenance" levels back at 160 pounds, but my body found its new normal on its own. In the end, the numbers didn't really mean that much. It's not like this game ever ends, reaching whatever goal you end up with is really just the beginning. Good luck. Just keep up the healthy habits you have made and enjoy the ride.

I've lost over 100% of my excess weight and I have not exercised postop at all. Sure, I have a physical job and active lifestyle, but it's no different than preop. So in my case, my weight loss is due 100% to diet, 0% exercise.

Oh yeah, I did forget about the swollen belly. I looked like I was pregnant and my sister thought it was hilarious....made me pose for profile pictures. It was almost three weeks before I could fit in my jeans. Had to wear elastic waist pants. As for the gas they pump in, it's actually in your abdominal cavity, not your intestines and stomach. It migrates around your body until it can be absorbed and expelled. that's what causes the pain...especially shoulder pain because the gas settles in the highest spot.

My surgeon, too, removed all the gas and I had no pain post op. I also had no nausea...in fact, first surgery ever that I didn't wake up nauseous. I received no narcotics either in the hospital or to take home. I was given sublingual NSAIDS to use as needed but I didn't need them. I was shopping and walked a couple miles the day after surgery. The only discomfort was from the drain and that was more of a cramping feeling than anything. Went away as soon as they pulled it. Overall I basically just felt like I'd done a ton of sit-ups. Traveling, shopping, laundry, feeding horses, running errands, etc all with the 1st 5 days. Back to work within a week. No problems sleeping in my waterbed with two dogs and three cats for company. I did get dehydrated enough to require IV fluids three times, but that was due to severe diarrhea from an unrelated illness 2 months postop. My BP was in the basement and my resting HR was over 100. I barely made it to urgent care one time. Do whatever you have to to stay hydrated...dehydration sucks! I wish you as smooth of a recovery as I had!

For sweeteners and baking I just use raw sugar or honey straight from the hive. Never worried about the calories. I can tolerate stevia and erythritol in Protein powders and bars, but other sugar substitute taste gross and often causes me pain. I've always drank real fruit juice and regular sports drinks/vitamin Water rather than the low cal/ sugar free versions. Hasn't seemed to hurt my weight loss or maintenance. BTW, for any of you using products containing xylitol and have dogs, make sure you keep it out of their reach as even a small amount is very toxic to them.

I took full advantage of many tasty broths during my liquid stage. Cream of asparagus, hot and sour, wonton, tortilla soup, portobello mushroom, Thai curry, broccoli cheese, french onion, lobster bisque, etc. I just diluted with water or milk, strained and even added unflavored protein powder. Once I got to soft foods, I stopped straining.