jjames7118

Hey kls3214! Your doctor may not be excited by a 42 pound with loss but I am sure proud of you. News flash! When was the last time you lost 42 pounds in 3 weeks??? You are fantabulous!

Hi, I was sleeved 12/5. I had an easy recovery and am so grateful to my surgeon for cosmetically fixing my scars. As a band to sleeve conversion I've had this same lap surgery 5 times in 5 years so the scars were starting to get ropey. He did a scar revision (I didn't even ask!) and they are healing nice and flat, I can tell they will become almost invisible. I am on pureed foods now and not loving anything which is good I suppose. Nothing taste really good. I'm already stalled but then I was a pretty low BMI since I was a band conversion so I expect it to be slow. I know I'm consuming around 800 calories a day at most but I think the issues I had with the band have my metabolism all messed up. I just started Yoga and regular massage since my cranky back can't have Aleve any more. I've done weight training for the past 5 years so decided to mix it up a bit and try to deal with the back pain naturally. Because of the early stall I'm also moving proactively to the 5:2 eating plan (regular (pureed/soft) sleeve consumption 5 days a week and a modified liquid fast 2 days a week). My surgeon approved. I understand that is a good way to snap out of a stall and since I am not used to eating real foods I hardly noticed going back on liquids today. I hope this is effective. Regarding poopage....I had vicious diarrhea the first two weeks but everyone said that would change and I would get constipated. Well they were right, I think I'll get some Colace. I miss my fresh veggies and think I will do better when I am able to get some natural fiber. Best wishes for a fab. 2014 to everyone, sleevers ROCK!

For me it is a simple equation...much smaller portions, no more nagging, "can't seem to get full" hunger. I know there are lots of people who control their weight without drastic measures (like removing 60% of my stomach) but I am not one of them. I am 24 days post op and for the first time in many years not only has the burden of excess weight been/being lifted but the guilt of not being able to discipline myself is gone. I am just at the beginning of this journey but feel 100% confident that my new tool is the right one for me. I've read so much about weight loss and the difference between people's metabolism. I liken it to taking anti-depressants. I used to be embarrassed but now I just accept that my chemistry requires a serotonin re-uptake inhibitor. Frankly I don't know why I had a problem with food and portion control; I've heard a lot of theories about carb addiction and lack of senors in my stomach and ghrelin over-production. I don't know what to believe but I do know what my reality is. Obesity runs in my family. It killed my mother and oldest sister. My younger brother had one leg amputated last year due to diabetes. So my reality is: I'm fighting back and now I am armed with the right weapon. Thank you all so much for the advice, counsel and courage. Even when you didn't know you were giving it, I was voraciously reading all your posts. Warm regards and wishes for a prosperous new year, Jackie

So I've been cautioned that Aleve and Advil and other NSAIDS are forbidden. So what to do for a sore back? I've had a cranky back that acts up 2 or 3 times a year for over 20 years. In the past a week or two of Advil or Aleve and I would be good until the next time I moved furniture or weeded the garden. I am convinced Tylenol is a placebo since it has never helped me with aches or pains. What do other do for the occasional cranky back, twisted knee or tweaked shoulder?

Hi All, I appreciate all of the great suggestions. I am seeing my PCP tomorrow (my surgeon is in Dallas) and will call the bariatric NP while I am there and have a 3 way conversation. My sweetie gave me two heating pads for Christmas (isn't that romantic?); one especially designed for lumbar relief. I may consider acupuncture. I have had acupuncture in the past. For me it worked great for some things but not for everything. So again , thank you for reaching out, this forum has been such a God send. Warmest wishes for a blessed New Year to everyone. Jackie

Hi Everyone, I've been reading the posts and finding a lot of answers to my questions. I have been searching for topics about post op diarrhea and gas and while I have found several none of them so far have addressed my specfic questions and issues. So here they are: I am 16 days pos top and have been on full fluids for 9 days. I find that everytime I drink something that needs to be digested, like Protein drinks or Soups I have severe gas and diarrhea withing 30 minutes. This sounds like dumping syndrome to me and feels like foods that previously would have been partially digested in the stomach are going straight into my small intestine which doesn't seem to know how to handle it so it fills with Water and flushes it out. I did not know things could actually pass through the entire digestive tract so quickly. Since this happens with virtually everything I drink that has protein it's not like I can avoid certain foods or ingredients. I've read on other posts that this seems to resolve after a few weeks or months but I'm wondering how. Does the small intenstine become more acclimated to undigested food? Will I always have so much intestinal gas? This is not post op gas since I've been clear of that since a few days after surgery. It last for about 2 hours after I consume anything other than non- protein liquid and then is ok until the next time I drink something other than non-protein liquid. I drink non fat mild and have no problem with that by itself but mixing in protein and yowza...I'm off tot he races! I would really appreciate knowing how others have experienced this. Thank you all so much, this site has been a god send and special thanks to Gamergirl. JJ

Hmmmm, This might be a valid argument for Medical Marijuana. I'm just sayin.....

Mme. Reverie, More proof that naughty girls have more fun! JJ

Well, I thought about the content of what I was eating and can't find a trend. It happens with both sweet Protein drinks (low carb artificial sweetner) and unflavored protein added to soups. I can drink a glass of non fat milk with no after effect so I do not think I am lactose intolerant. I just hope it stops at some point. Mme. Reverie indicates that once I am on solid foods I may even struggle with constipaton. From my perpsective that is more manageable than massive gas and diarrhea but I guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence! I appreciate the input (as opposed to the output) eewww really bad joke.

I love the Sobe Water. My fav is the Fuji Apple Pear.