lark60

When I start eating for stress related issues, I leave the kitchen and pick up a craft to keep my hands and mind busy. If that doesn't help, I get online and surf this site for encouragement.

I try not to drink while eating but find that food feels "stuck" after 2 bites so I take sip of Water to get past the feeling. I find I can eat my alloted amount of food with a drink and only 1/4 to 1/2 without the liquid. I understand the theory that the sleeve can only hold so much but the reality is the "extra" will stay in the esophagus until the stomach empties. The other theory about avoiding liquids during a meal is to prevent dumping by "washing the food through the stomach". I am not trying to suggest drinking liquids with meals is "ok", only that I have not been able to follow this particular "forever rule".

I too have hypothyroidism and had problems with stalls. I had to decrease my dose of medication by half after loosing 100 lbs. This did slow my weight loss but usually only for a few weeks. When I hit my 1 year mark my weight stalled big time. My current weight has fluctuated between 150 and 158 for the past 3 months. I have recently had my labs done and everything is within the normal limits. I have tried "going back to basics" to try and restart the weight loss but has not had any real success. I know this has not given you any helpful information but I do understand your frustration with stalls.

Which firming lotion are you using?

I have just started having a new problem and wanted to know if anyone else had experienced this after VSG. For the past 2-3 days I have been having mid back pain (not really the back muscles but deeper) and the pain is like an electrical shock that pulses for a few seconds. At first the pain seemed random. Today I noticed the pulsations start seconds after I swallowed a bite of food. I waited for the shocks to stop and took another bite of food, chewed longer than usual and swallowed. The pulsating shocks started up again. The only way I can describe this sensation is like someone is jabbing me at the lower rib area on either side of my spine with electrical shocks that pulse for a few seconds. The pain actually causes me to sit up straight (hurts worse if I am sitting with my back against a chair) Movement does not affect the pain, drinking is ok and I cannot reproduce the pain with pressure at the area of my back that hurts. At first I suspected kidney problems but I am working on staying hydrated and do not have any other signs of a kidney issue. Since the pulsations are with eating food, I am concerned the pain is from the stomach but not sure why I would be feeling this in my back. Anyone else have a similar experience?

Sorry I haven't been online for some time (internet issues). The pain seemed to resolve on it's own for me. As for back pain related to giving birth, I never had an epidural with any of my 4 children so I don't think that was the cause for me. Since loosing the weight, I do notice that my posture has changed and I have to work on core muscles for better back support.

I have been trying to get my total Protein up but have not had much success. I take in 60-70 gm of protein daily and have tried to boost everything I eat so the protein is 3/4 of the meal. I have tried supplementing between meals with a Protein shake (20 gm protein low carb and low fat) but still have a low total protein (todays check was 5.7 with a normal above 7) I am getting discouraged because I have gained 7 lbs with the extra shakes. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for the input and questions. I don't count calories because the NUT instructed the class to focus on low carb high Protein. I have looked back at what I have eaten for the past week and the calories are around 1000. I swim laps in the community pool (big) and alternate the breast stroke, side stroke, back stroke and don't coast after turning. My main concern is the low protein (yes the weight gain is bothersome but if I am not absorbing the protein consumed I worry that I will become malnourished) I am not against increasing my protein intake, actually I have tried adding addition protein Snacks to get up to 100 gm of protein. I managed to get to goal one day but I was eating almost constantly. I had to stay aware of the time and make the snacks in advance so they were handy. Eating constantly is not a lifestyle I want to adopt and taking food with me when running errands is not especially convenient.

exercise routine is walking 3-4 days a week (3-5 miles) and swimming 2-3 days a week (30 min of laps)

How do you get 100 gms of Protein in daily? I was told by my NUT that the body can only absorb an average of 20 gms at a meal so "extra" is wasted. If my math is right, to get 100 gms a day you would need to eat 5 meals with 20 gms each. I am not trying to be difficult about this, actually I am asking for tips on how to get to 100 gms a day. I have been trying to get my protein intake up and am getting frustrated with this issue. I feel I am becoming obsessed with food just to get healthy, loose weight and I don't want to constantly worry that I am not getting the protein I need daily. Since the sleeve procedure there are days when I am lucky to get 30 gms because I am not hungry and when I do sit down to eat, I barely eat half what is on the plate (and my plates are so small a 2 year old would want seconds! I know because I have grandchildren that have commented on how much I put on my plate)

My surgeon only wants me taking in 55 gm of Protein daily. He is not "worried" about the low serum protein but I am. I have not lost any weight in 3 months (actually have gained 7 lbs but have not changed my ticker) I do count the veggie Proteins with meals. Breakfast is a 20 gm protein shake, I add fruit 2-3 times a week and once a week make the shake with fruit, veggies and flax seed. I have an ounce of cheese as a mid morning snack. lunch is meat (luncheon deli meat) with cheese as a wrap with kale or spinach leaves or an omelet with cheese or cottage cheese. Usually 15-20 gms. afternoon snack a Protein Bar (10-15 gm protein) dinner is a Soup or chili with extra meat to make 20 gms. Sometimes I will take a can of soup, add a can of chicken or beef (depending on the soup) and a can of mixed veggies. This makes 6 servings so I can package them to have in the fridge to make meals easier. I don't count calories but choose meals with high protein, low carbs (less than 10 per meal) and low fat. I avoid bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes and grains. I have a 48 oz pitcher that I use to measure daily Water intake and fill it 2 times a day. I plan on trying to up the protein to 80-100 gm a day by making sugar free Jello using the New Whey (42 gm protein) in place of the cold water. I add cottage cheese to up the protein of each serving to 15 gms. This will be split into 4 servings and used as my Snacks between meals. The trick will be fitting "more food" in my day since I already have 3 meals and 2 snacks a day.

I too am in the "rare" group that dump post sleeve and a sugar addict. Once I start eating sweets I find the only thing that stops me is the racing heart and nausea/vomiting. I do not want to feel this way and try to remind myself of the bad feelings that come with over eating sweets. That being said, I still find myself slipping up at times. If you choose your surgery based on "the bad side effects" to keep you on tract to loose weight, you are fooling yourself that the surgery is the "fix" for your addiction. Any weight loss procedure can "fail" if you do not change your current habits. There are numerous stories of patients upset that they are gaining weight and the surgery "failed". The reality is the surgery is a tool for weight loss and each person has to change how they eat (what and how much) and exercise to get down to an ideal body weight. The surgery will not cure you of an addiction (sugar, carbs, overeating ect).

I just need to get a few things off my chest. I am currently unemployed and so I bring in money by donating plasma. This "donation" is paid based on your weight. When I was over 175 I would get 60 bucks a week. When I hit 174 lbs the fee lowered to 54 bucks a week. Granted 6 dollars is not that much and I was determined to get to 125 lbs (my goal). Well, now I am at the next weight cut off of 150 lbs and when I weigh in at 149 the weekly pay out is 42 bucks. So for those who are keeping track of the monthly drop (not to insult anyone but I am very frustrated) my monthly "income" will drop from 240 to 164. Granted I am getting 216 at the present and that is enough to pay the utilities but 164 is not. So.... I must decide if 150 is a weight I will be happy with until I can change my financial situation. I am unable to work at the present due to a bad case of PTSD and I am in therapy. I have a panic attack just thinking about finding a job. My shrink just blew me off and doubled my medication. He tells me I will be able to work again but I am not so optimistic.

I too have the same feeling that you do at this time. My surgery was May 2013 and this month is the first month that I tracked a weight gain. I seem to bounce between 150 and 155. Today I am 152. I have tried the tips already mentioned (tracking food and Water, cutting out the "junk" and getting Protein first.) I find that I can get 50-60 gm of protein a day. I manage to take in about 72 oz of water. I have decided that 150-155 is an ok weight for now. I am wearing a size 8 (which is a size I have never worn as an adult) I am staying positive that the last 25 lbs will come off with time if I stay on track. If I stay this weight for a while, my body must need the break from weight loss. I am hoping that my skin will tighten up while I am working off the last few pounds. I do not look at this as a failed surgery because I am 115 lbs lighter than when I had the surgery.

I know how you feel. I am 14 months out and this is the first month I have not lost but have gained weight. I know stress and snacking after dinner are the reason. I know what not to do but depression has a nasty way of defeating me when I try to set a goal to get back on track. This month I have fluctuated between 150 and 158, currently at 156. I have tried to keep healthy Snacks in the house to munch on but still find that I am constantly eating in the evenings. Sorry I do not have any new tips, just count Protein and drink Water. Don't have bad carbs in the house (bread, Pasta, rice and potatoes) and try to exercise.

Oh yeah, #9granny, donating plasma is the same process as donating blood. So the only pain is a poke in the arm. The main difference is the process of separating the blood cells and returning them to you while they keep the plasma (clear fluids and proteins). I donated while in school and once I qualified after the sleeve procedure (had to be 1 year post major surgery) I started donating again. For me the challenge is to keep my Protein level up so I drink the 20 gm Protein shakes at least once a day and 2 times a day if my readings are low (the plasma center checks your protein every time you donate and will defer you for a week if you drop below 6.0)

Thank you all for the comments! I am not a vet but was working for the VA at the time I was attacked by a patient. Thus the PTSD. I quit working for the VA because my supervisors would not support my request to have the violent patients (there were 3 over the course of 18 months) transferred to the Main VA campus so security could supervise them during their medical visits. I had even requested a transfer to another clinic as an option to get away from the problem but was denied the transfer, so I quit. I do get unemployment but that will stop at the end of October. This and the plasma income are the only way I make ends meet. I am "lucky" that I do not have any bills so utilities and insurance are my only monthly expenses. I also get 189.00 for food from the gov and was granted medicaide to cover medical care (and the therapy). I never thought I would ever be living on food stamps and welfare but here I am. I have applied for disability but have been denied. I am appealing with a lawyer and have been told this will take time to get approved. If I start working again, I am to let them know and the case will be dropped. I have no plans to work at the present and am trying to work through the PTSD with therapy. I just found out I qualify to become an anti-D donor so once they get me through the process each of my donations will get paid on a higher scale (not sure what yet but it will be almost double what I am currently getting) So that is good news!

When I need the miralax, I add it to my morning Protein shake. Cant taste the difference and since the shake is thick, the addition is not noticed.

I was excited the first time I could cross my legs too. Now I have noticed that not only can I cross them, but I can tuck my foot behind my calf (kind of a double cross!)

Sorry to hear you have experienced dumping. The first time I did, I also never wanted to go through it again. Unfortunately, I have also learned that this can occur when you eat "good foods". It is a learning process to know your triggers. For example, I can eat chocolate (M&M's are my weakness) without dumping but watermelon is off my menu. Also it is a quantity issue. I can have a small amount of ice cream but as soon as I have too much, my heart races and I know its time to stop.

Hiccup is my "stop" signal too!

I just bought new shoes yesterday and went from an 8 1/2 wide to a 7 regular.

I have noticed that my stall time is getting longer as I get closer to my goal weight. I was stuck at 180 for over a month and then lost an ave of 3 lb a month for a few months. Then another stall. I have made it to 150 but the scales are again bouncing 150 to 152 for the past week. Instead of focusing on the stall, I try to think positive that I have succeeded in getting closer to my goal. Also, I am wearing size 8-10 clothes. Time will tell if I will get to 125 lbs. I will be patient.

To lower the amount of carbs in the foods you mentioned, use Water for the Protein shakes instead of milk and look for the low carb yogurts. I like the Dannon light & fit greek yogurt. a serving has 12 g protein, 8 g carb and no fat (80 cal)

I was 42 DDD before the surgery. Just bought 32 B (padded) bras to tuck the floppy skin that is left for my muffies into so I at least look like I have a bust. The song that talks about things "hanging low, you can tie them in a knot and toss them over your shoulder" is pretty close to the truth after loosing 115 lbs.