MissErika

Hi everyone, and wow I did not know verticalsleevetalk turned into bariatricpal! I haven't been online in ages because I've been so busy in "real life" with work and school. I was always in denial, and still am, about my weight loss. I always put on clothes and ran off without even looking in the mirror so I rely on pictures to remind myself of what I used to look like. I am still wearing clothes that I did at my heaviest but instead of being so tight my skin looks red when I take them off - they are much looser and I can pull them off without unzipping LOL. Here is my first progress - 71 pounds lost since August 15th. I took this second photo a week ago -

I think we just get burnt out on foods really. I've never been a big meat eater (unless it's fried...heh) and I preferred a high carb diet (like vegans, which I used to be. :/) which is centered around fruits, vegetables and healthy grains and fats. Sadly my body prefers me on a higher fat/high protein diet...I bloat the second I eat carb and don't lose for a week, even if it isn't much. I got high protein greek yogurt as well and have been eating that. It's delicious! I just have to be careful as well because sometimes when my sleeve is "more hungry" I don't get satisfied. I find myself trying to wake up and think, " Okay, am I going to need real food or can I just have Soup and yogurt today?" Oh well. Hopefully we can all find what works for us soon enough....and not get sick by it.

Good luck!!!!!!!! What shakes are you using? I loved the Optifast ones but the Bariatric Advantage shakes made me sick too. Which sucks cause I have a huge bag of it at home and I don't even like how it tastes.

Oh yes definitely... this happened with me. I still feel that way. It is GOOD that you are "snobby" to toxic food! That will keep you eating clean and doing what is healthy! The important thing is to not shove it down other people's throats...even if you mean well, it will push loved ones away and make people very uncomfortable.

How long is your pre-op for? Are you walking with it? I know I didn't have to exercise with my pre-OP but that could be something you can do. Also, are you doing Protein shakes? Your body is probably just adjusting to the changes, if you know you are following it, it is just up to your body now. A possibility is you might not be eating enough? Are you satisfied on the pre-op diet? I know even after the sleeve if I don't eat frequently, even just a bite, I don't lose weight. I would talk to your surgeon or NUT and reach out for help. Show them you are doing everything exactly the way it says and ask for help and see if maybe you should change things up. If you reach out to them before your surgery date, it will show them you really care. But if you wait until that morning, or the day before, they may be like "Oh she didn't follow it." Good luck and keep us updated...

Yes - WHY?? I am very curious...

I drink decaf tea (both hot and cold, all different flavors) I drink Vitamin Water zero (4-5 carbs though, be careful and limit) Powerade zero (my FAVORITE!! Be cautious of sodium) All crystal lite flavors (I like lemonade mixed with crushed ice in a blender, that helped me a lot after surgery) Diet snapple (peach tea) <- This probably has caffeine You mentioned you can't have apple juice - what about cranberry? They make a "diet" cranberry which is zero everything except 1 carb for a glass. It tastes delicious. 15 calorie minute maid fruit punch - 3 carbs though, be cautious once again. People always stress "don't drink your calories!!" And that's true but there is so much on the market nowadays that is 0 calorie. I may be getting in *some* sodium or a couple of carbs. Of course water is the all time best drink for you to have but what's more important is not getting dehydrated. A lot of the drinks above save me from being dehydrated because I too get sick of water and I am 3 months post OP. I have to have it very, very cold or very hot. Nothing in between. It sucks. You can also put cucumber slices in your water, or lime and lemon, but be cautious of seeds since you are very early on. As always, ask a surgeon or your NUT when it doubt...

Is it stomach or incision? I had incision pain for about 2 and a half weeks and mild "stomach" pain. You are still early out so your body is trying to adjust but if you feel like something is wrong I would call a doctor. It's better to be safe than sorry.

You never fail to amaze me...THANK YOU FOR THIS! I love pumpkin and this will make my holidays easier...

This may sound stupid but doesn't Tofu give endocrine problems? I was a vegan ages ago but my thyroid levels went down (I have hypothyroidism)...my doctors said it was from soy but I never knew if that was actually it or not. I love Tofu and would love to eat it because I don't like meat. I find myself eating Beans but the carbs rack up very quickly with that... I don't mind meat in Soups though (you can try that?) I hope to see some more advice on this thread...thanks everyone for replying to this. I'm in the same boat, lol.

Thank you!! Good luck on your journey and I hope you have a complication-free and fast recovery! Do you have a date for your surgery?

Awesome, Gamergirl! Congratulations!!! I've been away from this site for awhile but I'm glad to see you are still on here - I always enjoyed reading about your journey and recipes (yum yum!)

Nuts are considered a slider for some. My NUT and surgeon recommends counting them out and not getting into a habit of eating them because they may not fill you up. They are similar to chips - you chew them down to nothing and they slide right on through, no dense protein. Back on topic, I find myself in your position too. I prefer to drink than eat (teas, water, powerade zero, etc) but don't want to eat and if I do it's not an actual meal but rather a few bites of a quest bar or some fruit. It kinda sucks but meat makes me sick now. I'm hoping that goes away soon.

Same actually.

Hi everyone, If this was already discussed I apologize but I am curious. How do you know when you overeat? I measure my meals out and I know what I can tolerate, for the most part, and I eat until I am comfortable. However, when sharing a plate with my mom or eating a slider food (which I avoid the best I can) I am not sure how much would be too much. I don't want to stretch my pouch. That is my worry A little information about my journey with food... I have never had slimies I have never had the hard to breathe/chest pain/food stuck feeling My food always and has always gone down smoothly, even steak. I am 8 weeks out. I get "full" but never felt the "thanksgiving, oh my gosh I regret eating" full. My full is just a "Oh hey I feel food in my stomach and I'm comfortable" feeling. Is it possible to stretch your sleeve if you DON'T have those feelings? Sometimes I feel I am eating too much. Somedays I cant even eat 1 egg for breakfast but others I can eat the egg + 4 blackberries and still be really content. Maybe I am getting paranoid about it but I don't wanna gain my 50 pounds back!! So can someone explain more about overeating and how I will know when I do? Thank you

Yeah, I think we are both lucky. My mom had the surgery many years ago and couldn't have steak for like 6 months. I'm not much of a steak eater but my parents grill a lot and I take a few bites of theirs and I eat shrimp or chicken or something. And I believe the word you are looking for is Ghrelin!! Thank goodness we don't have it right??? Makes life so much easier.

Thanks for replying! I did drink after eating soon-ish and it felt like a gas pain and passed after a few seconds. I forgot about that! I try not to bother my surgeon much - but my nurse said I must be doing everything right if I don't get sick or anything. You know, the small bites, chewing constantly and waiting in between. I guess I am just nervous because I had a slider and I had quite a bit! I guess I should just stop having soft foods (like yogurt and soup) but I enjoy them once and awhile, but they don't fill me up... :/

Hi there and congratulations on taking the first step to a happier, healthier life! Are there any other offices in your area that you can go speak to? I know some places have a long waiting list but I started my first process in May (seminar) then had surgery in August. I feel very lucky but I was also self pay. You can call your insurance and ask if your plan covers bariatric surgery, and if it does and you meet all the requirements (the BMI of 40 or 35 with two conditions) there should be no problem at all. If you can't even get a consultation for 3 months - I imagine you won't be able to get the actual surgery for a very long time. That is okay. But if this is something you truly want in your heart, and you are prepared for, you should look at other locations in your area (if there is one) Good luck~

I am interested in knowing this too. My parents paid for my surgery (I am 21 and there is no way I could of afforded it myself, since my insurance didn't cover it through employer) and we were just talking about this. My parents owe about 2,000 per year, on top of all the taxes taken out of each paycheck. Someone please know the answer to this~

Thanks for all the responses.

Thanks for all the responses.

For the last two weeks I haven't lost weight. I mean really, it's not a big deal right? Except it is to me. I am 8 pounds from my first goal weight (of being under 300) which would put me at a 65 pound loss since August 15th. However, I know why I am not losing weight. I am not eating as much. I had my period which started my "I don't feel like eating" phase that lasted to last week as well. I wake up, I am not hungry, I don't think about food and next thing I know it is 3 in the afternoon. The only times I DO eat is when I am at work because I am constantly being reminded and my computer is right by the kitchen. But on school days or rest days...I can easily get myself to eat only twice and 99% of the time one of those meals is blackberries or another Low GI fruit. [Also, does decaf tea count as Water? I have been substituting my water with decaf tea and I'm not sure if this contributes or it's strictly food] WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I decided to break down and have a high Protein Breakfast which I am currently eating (and making me sick because I just don't want it) How do you guys force yourself to eat when you are not hungry? I just don't have any appetite once so ever... Someone slap me back to reality, LOL

I love that juice and I used to do it a lot before getting surgery but my NUT doesn't want me juicing because you get all the sugar, salt, carb etc from the fruit/vegetables but not the Fiber.

I love that juice and I used to do it a lot before getting surgery but my NUT doesn't want me juicing because you get all the sugar, salt, carb etc from the fruit/vegetables but not the fiber.

For the last two weeks I haven't lost weight. I mean really, it's not a big deal right? Except it is to me. I am 8 pounds from my first goal weight (of being under 300) which would put me at a 65 pound loss since August 15th. However, I know why I am not losing weight. I am not eating as much. I had my period which started my "I don't feel like eating" phase that lasted to last week as well. I wake up, I am not hungry, I don't think about food and next thing I know it is 3 in the afternoon. The only times I DO eat is when I am at work because I am constantly being reminded and my computer is right by the kitchen. But on school days or rest days...I can easily get myself to eat only twice and 99% of the time one of those meals is blackberries or another Low GI fruit. [Also, does decaf tea count as Water? I have been substituting my water with decaf tea and I'm not sure if this contributes or it's strictly food] WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I decided to break down and have a high Protein breakfast which I am currently eating (and making me sick because I just don't want it) How do you guys force yourself to eat when you are not hungry? I just don't have any appetite once so ever... Someone slap me back to reality, LOL