berkeleyandbrownie

My dirty little secret is this: I will sometimes take bites of stuff like buttered pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches, and other nefarious foods. Then I chew the crap out of it and enjoy the taste and mouth feel. I then spit it into a napkin or paper towel and throw it away. I don't do this anywhere but in private, and it satisfies the craving for taste and texture without hurting my stomach. I also drink diet soda with a straw. I started using a straw at 5 days post-op after ending up in the ER with dehydration. It's the only way I can drink fluids without getting overwhelmed and gulping. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Mine is noisy when I lie down. I don't hear it otherwise. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have a Protein smoothie for Breakfast on most days. I eat solid protein the rest of the time, but the smoothie (protein powder, milk, fruit, ice, flavoring) gets me off to a great start. I do not like Water and still struggle to stay hydrated, so the protein smoothie helps with that, too. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had some "buyer's remorse" for the first few weeks after surgery. Then, when I realized that I was actually losing weight, I got over that (mostly). I am now almost two years post-op and am 119 lbs lighter than at my highest weight. I have a normal range BMI, and I am able to buy and wear fun clothes. I feel amazing and am no longer headed down a path of poor health like my parents. Even with all of those successes, I still occasionally "miss" comforting myself with food. Food was my drug. I was addicted. I will always be in recovery. I have had enough successes now that I can see that, but sometimes the regrets are still there bc it is so different from the way everyone else around me eats and lives. So, buyer's remorse is common. Most of the time my only regret is that I didn't have the surgery sooner. But every now and again I miss the seemingly easy act of eating to solve almost any problem. You are not alone. If you are anything like me, those feelings will come and go. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I can't address travel out of the country, but GI illness does seem to hit me harder now than before I had my VSG. I also have GI responses to stress, so it could be a combined effect when I get a stomach bug. I wonder if that's what you're dealing with. I hope you feel better soon. I do travel a lot, but I haven't been out of the country since before my VSG. Travel in general was very difficult for the first several months. Are you pretty far out from surgery? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@NTL44 How far out from surgery are you? I totally get the feeling that a day without tears is a victory. I cried often during the 6-12 month post-op time frame. Peace Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I don't tell everyone about my surgery, but I get those stupid comments from people all the time when they do know. I have always said that this is a matter between my physician and me. I have a very supportive PCP who calls me his "rock-star weight loss patient." Now that I'm 22 months post-op, I get comments about being too skinny or asking when I'll stop. The food police are also out in force now. So, you aren't going to comment on the pile of fat and carbs that our 250 lb coworker is eating, but you're going to make a snarky comment about what I ate or how little you think I ate? Blows my mind. Unless I go out for lunch, I usually eat in my office at my desk so I don't have to listen to the crap. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This thread really hit home for me. Starting around 6 months post-op, I felt that I was being constantly attacked at work and home. I was very irritable and sad, and I attributed it to feeling like I was being treated unfairly by many people. In retrospect, I think that I probably stopped trying to overcompensate for my size and was more willing to stand up for myself. People didn't like that and responded negatively. I also think that some of my colleagues at work felt extra threatened by me once I began to get my physical health under control. In other words, they could feel superior to me when I was enormous, but my weight loss disturbed that. To be fair, I had also stopped taking my Zoloft a few months post-op bc it gave me raging diarrhea. Now that I am again on a very low-dose anti-depressant/anti-anxiety med, things are much better. I also agree wholeheartedly with the comments about not being sedated or medicated by food. That loss of my former coping mechanism (food used as a drug) is still a source of anxiety for me. During that 6-12 month time frame, it was a monumental stress, but it is better now. I am now almost 22 months post-op VSG and believe I am at my goal weight. Way back at my surgical consult on March 6, 2014, my surgeon asked me how I would feel at around 145 lbs. I said that I couldn't even imagine it. Well, here I am. I wouldn't change the journey for anything-even the anxiety, attacks, and sadness at seeing previously hidden truths about humanity. HW 267 SW 261 CW 145 Thanks for this thread. B&B Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Stress has been an interesting factor for me in the last month or so. I am in the midst of a very stressful time that will last for around another month, and I found myself with severe headches and vision changes starting around one month ago. I finally went to my PCP and got checked out, and also sent me to an opthamologist. In the end, they determined that everything was a result of cluster migraines probably from stress. I never used to have migraines. I wondered what was wrong with me now and why I couldn't cope like I used to. Then, I realized that I no longer use the drug of food that I used to use. Basically, my way of coping with stress before May 2014 is no more. That realization was very freeing, since I know that my migraines from stress aren't because I am less capable of dealing with stress, but because I am more capable of taking care of myself. I have worked to find new ways to reduce stress including exercise and adequate sleep, and I have taken some other measures to reduce visual strain. In reading the post about not eating due to stress, I'm not quite there. I still mentally crave the food I used to medicate myself with, but none of them are very appetizing. If I do take a bite or taste of a carb-heavy comfort food, I either spit it out bc I think its disgusting, or I only take one bite. My excepition and downfall is Club crackers, so they are no longer allowd to live at my house:)

I am pretty open about my surgery with many people, but I have a sixth sense about who I shouldn't tell and who gets the "drastic diet, exercise, high Protein, low carb" truth without information about the surgical tool. I work in a small department and had to tell my co-workers early on. I made it clear to all of them (including the blabbermouth that i was concerned about not keeping my business to herself) that this was my story to tell and that I would choose who I told. Perhaps that is one of the things that you should tell your friends if you choose to share your story. If they know that you are telling them because you love them and need their support but that this is YOUR STORY to share and not theirs, it might help. With that said, we are going to my in-laws for Christmas and I have no intention of telling my in-laws the whole truth. My mother-in-law cannot be trusted to keep inappropriate comments to herself. My kids all know that I had surgery and know that it has helped me be healthier, but I have not focused on or discussed the weight loss issue with them, and I don't want my mother-in-law to destroy that focus. She has a history of saying very inappropriate things, so I have good reason to be wary. Trust your gut on who to tell and not tell. When people ask me, I get a feeling about wheteher or not I should tell them. Often, it is an obese person who wears the same sadness and despair that I used to wear. I finally got my sleeve after several generous people trusted me with their sleeve stories, and, since my surgery, my success and contagious joy has been part of the motivation for at least 3 other people to have the sleeve themselves and begin their own transformation. Good luck

My doc set a 25 limit for one month.

I will have to use that if I ever get up the nerve to wear a bikini and expose my stomach. i don't see it happening, but it's good to have the retort ready just in case.

I had a similar experience right before I had my sleeve in May. I was at a gathering with a lot of nurses, several of whom are nurse practitioners. I was on my pre-op full liquid phase at the time and I shared my upcoming surgery date and procedure with a few of my closer friends and colleagues. One of the nurse practioners overheard and started in on how drastic that was and how he had worked with many patients with "body dysmorphia" like mine and that he had great success. Wouldn't I consider working with him instead of having surgery? Well, body dysmorphia is a mental illness in which someone obsesses about flaws in their appearance. My problem wasn't that I was dissatisfied wtih my appearance other than that my appearance represented the truth of being around 120 lbs overweight!! I politely told him that my medical team and I were convinced that this was the best course of action for me but thank you for the offer. I wanted to tell him off for labeling me as body dysmorphic (no, I'm really just a food addict), but I decided to take the high road. To his credit, he backed off and didn't bring it up again. Best of luck with your journey!!

I was also sleeved on May 20th and know without a doubt that this is the best thing I have ever done for myself. My family, coworkers, friends and everyone else are also benefitting from a more energetic, more positive me. I started at 251 lb and am now down 55 lbs at 196. It was a fantastic coincidence that I crossed over into ONE-derland exactly on my 3-month surgiversary, and I cried when I saw that number that I haven't seen in over a decade. I have been pretty open about my procedure, particularly when I talk to someone who is also obese and I can see the pain in their eyes that tells me they are really desparate. Since my surgery, 2 good friends have had the surgery and another has a surgical consult scheduled. I have lost a ton of inches as well and am fitting into large T-shirts and size 14-16 pants. I don't have anything smaller than 14-16 into my closet, so I'll have to go shopping pretty soon. Up until now, I've been able to "shop in my closet" and have a great time doing it. I started out wearing sz 22-24 pants and 1X-2X shirts, so I couldn't be happier and prouder. I work at a university, so it has also been pretty fun to get comments from returning students who last saw me 55 lbs heavier. I still have trouble with fairly frequent nausea, but I am able to get in my daily protein and my labs were good at my 3-month post-op visit. Just the thought or smell of carb-heavy foods make me want to gag, whcih is actually a blessing at this point. As I read somewhere recently, I can honestly say that I do a lot of things very, very well, but weight loss did taking care of myself did not used to be one of those things I did well. Thanks to the great tool I found in the sleeve, I am living a different life. Best, B and B

I have opened up more as the weeks have gone by. I am more likely to share my surgery story with someone who is heavy after they comment about my weight loss and ask how I am doing it. Frankly, I would not have made this awesome decision if others hadn't shared it with me when I asked how they were losing weight. I feel that I need to "pay it forward" some. Since I had my sleeve, one other friend decided to have the surgery and did so 6 weeks after me, and another friend has a pre-op consult in 2 weeks. A third friend is in the contemplation phase and says she is planning to set up her pre-op consult once she finished moving into her new house. If an obese friend or acquaintance asks about it, I know that they are hurting as much as I was and desparate to find a solution. My solution may not be the same one they choose, but I am willign to share my story and the reasons I made this choice. If my friends and acquaintances hadn't gone out on a limb and shared their surgery story with me, I would not have taken this step. I am proud of my decision to boldly take a different road than I was on before. My children know, although I have focused on the getting healthy part of the surgery rather than weight loss. My sister is not supportive at all, says its cheating to have surgery, and refuses to talk to me about the weight loss or the surgery at all. I am headed to a family reunion next week on my husband's side, and I will likely not share my story with anyone there. When they comment and ask, I will tell them that I am being monitored by a physician and eating very high Protein, very low carb and exercising. I haven't seen most of them in a long time, so they are not likely to be struck by the rapidity of the weight loss. My children may tell someone at the reunion about the surgery, because I am not going to make them think it is something to be ashamed of. If that happens, I will deal with it. I am proud of my decision. All of my co-workers know, but I will likely not tell the university students I teach about my procedure. I have seen some of them this summer and have given the "seeing a doc, high protein, low carb and exercise" answer since they comment on the drastic change in my appearance so quickly. Telling them just seems a little too personal. Everyone has to consider their own situation about how much and whether or not to tell. Each person has to decide what will work for them in their own environment. Peace

Hello all, I had my VSG on May 20 and now 6 weeks and 4 days post-op. After a severe illness as a toddler, I became very obese as a small child. This was partly due to a medication I was taking and prtly due to obese parents with horrible health habits. We were clean plate club members, ate huge portions all of the time, and often ate at restaurants or fast food establishments. I lost a lot of weight in middle scholl and became somewhat normal-sized through college. Gradually, through three pregnancies and the stress of being a mom to 3 kids while working and going to graduate school, I gained up to a heaviest weight of 250 lbs. Over the last 3 years, I watched several friends and acquaintances lose weight after bariatric surgery. I was intrigued but fearful, and I never got up the courage to talk to my sweet husband about it or talk to my doctor. Then, one more friend had the sleeve done and started losing. Our kids were in the same class at school, and she was very generous with her experiences and information. Her PCP was a big advocate of the procedure and for her during the process of insurance approval, and this as very encouraging since my PCP was the same as hers!!! I finally called the surgeon's office for information back in February during a snow day when I was off from work. When I talked to my husband, he was very supportive after being educated on the procedure, the statistics, and the health benefits. He has never been large, so my experience was foreign to him. However, he sees my mom struggle with chronic illnesses and disabilities that are a direct result of her lifelong obesity and self-neglect. He agreed that I did not need to go down the same road and has been willing to do whatever is needed to support me in my journey. Fortunately, my insurance covered bariatric surgery since I met the medical criteria. My BMI was over 40, so I did not even have to have a comorbidity to qualify. I had my VSG on May 20, 2014 with a pre-op weight of 250.6, and I was 215.6 this morning. It has been exciting and challenging at the same time. I struggle with eting slowly enough and with eating small bites. Occasionlly I take that extra bite that makes me sick, and I am constantly challenged to get enough fluids. I started doing some cardio and resistance training after 1 month, and it is rewarding but very hard to keep as a priority with small kids at home. So, that's my story. I am looking forward to learning with each of you as we move into the future. Peace

jking, Those early days are really tough. My surgeon told me that the first month is hell, but after that I would start to feel human again. He was right. I will tell you about what I did and what I was instructed to do, but you need to clarify your diet questions with your surgeon's office. Surgeons have slightly different guidelines based on their own personal experience and things they have discovered about their patient population. For example, my surgeon has different guidelines for someone who is diabetic, and my friend who is diabetic and had the surgery 4 weeks after I did has a different diet schedule that keeps her on liquids and softs longer than I was. My surgoen does this bc he saw that every one of his patients who had a staple line leak was diabetic and he is taking steps to try to account for a slower wound-healing process in those patients. My personal instruction were Clear Liquids for a week post-op, then full liquids. I did puree a few things during my full liquid week. I got a chili cheese potato at a fast food joint and pureed it in my blender and added Protein powder and milk, then strained it. I had a very yummy chili cheese potato soup. That met the requirements for full liquid bc I puree, added liquid to the proper consistency and strained it. I checked with the dietician at the office to make sure it was ok and she was very happy that I was being creative with it. I also blended other Soups that had chunks in them. Then, I was on soft/pureed food for weeks 3-4. I only ate soft foods, which are defined by my surgeon as being able to mash with a fork. The thought of anything pureed besides soups grossed me out, so I didn't do any of it during my soft/pureed weeks and stuck to cottage cheese, soup, chicken salad, shakes and other liquid stuff I had during the previous 2 weeks. If you are confused about soft vs pureed and if soft is appropriate, then please check with your surgeon's office. But, if you have a choice between soft and pureed, then you literally have a choice and don't need to feel like you have to puree stuff. I know that was a long answer. I hope it helped. Don't be afraid to call the surgeon's office for any questions you have. Their ability to continue doing surgeries is based on good outcomes for their patients, and you need to have your questions answered to ensure a good outcome. Plus, you hired them-they work for you:) Best of luck to you. Peace

Thank you!

Hello all, I had VSG on May 20 and am now nearly 7 weeks post-op. I have been somewhat unsuccessful with traveling after since my surgery. At just under 1 month post-op, I ended up pretty ill, nauseous and vomiting after a short weekend trip. I couldn't eat much and had a very hard time getting in Protein and fluids. Before surgery, I found some some pre-packaged shakes I liked, but I found out that weekend that I cannot tolerate any pre-packaged shakes after surgery. I actually cancelled a business trip out of state right after that because I had gotten so sick and felt like I just couldn't do it. Last week, I had an overnight trip and was more successful bc I was in a hotel room with a kitchenette. I took my blender and made my morning shake, and I also made a scrambled egg/turkey sausage skillet for my supper. I have another trip coming up (part business and part family reunion) and I am a bit anxious about it since I got so sick on that first one. I realize that I am further out, but I really don't function well the rest of the day if I don't get my Protein Shake in the morning because it gives me a start on my fluids and a big protein boost. I use the unjury protein powders and think they are great. So, I have a powder I like and just need help with making it work while traveling. I am also struggling to find a Protein Bar that I like post-op that isn't over the top in calories and carbs. Again, I did well with the Premier Protein before surgery but can't stand them post-op. I bought a set of the shake mixing/blender bottles with a wire mixing ball in each of them at Sam's Club, but I haven't tried them yet. Do these work? Do they mix in the Protein Powder well? I hate to sound so picky, but I don't do well with weird textures and I need my shakes well-blended. Nausea is a big problem for me post-op (even 7 weeks out) that can get out of control if I'm not careful, and weird textures (like gloppy powder) can send me over the edge. Thanks in advance for the help. Peace

Jersrose, On my short, overnight trip (second trip) I was at a Residence Inn and had my blender, a fridge and a range to cook eggs. I was more in control of the hotel selection then and was by myself instead of with kids. Both of those contributed to a better experience on that trip. On the first trip, I was at a convention hotel for an event that two of my kids were invovled with. I thought the hotel room would have a fridge, but it didn't. That really messed with what I had planned. On this next trip, I will be staying at a conference hotel that does not list a fridge as standard in the room. However, I am going to call them tomorrow and see if they have one I can use (for a fee, I'm sure) in my room. I will be flying, so I am somewhat limited in what I can take with me, but we are also renting a car, so I plan to stop at a grocery store on the way to the hotel to get anything I need. The first trip was a significant learning experience for me and I paid the price for assuming things would be conducive to my post-op needs. I know better now. Thanks

Great suggestions. I will look into those. Peace

hrlaurie, Thanks for the info about your positive experience with the blender bottle and for the other suggestions. I will try it this week so I know what I'm getting into before I head out of town for 10 days. I haven't tried the Atkins shakes. I may check those out. Thanks

I'm a May 20th VSG. Congrats to everyone on all of their success. I am down 35 lbs and feel pretty good about it. I can hardly wait until I'm under 200 lbs-it's been almost 10 years since I was there. I think I usually get around 700-800 calories per day right now. My morning shake is a lot of that. I make one that has around 50 grams of Protein with unjury Protein Powder, Greek yogurt, lactose-free milk, low-cal flavorings and ice (I just also started adding a small amount of frozen fruit). It gives me a headstart on my fluids and protein, and I usually divide into into 3 cups and drink them over the course of the morning. The rest of my calories are found in low-fat Cottage cheese, a couple of bites of whatever protein I am eating wtih lunch and dinner, and low-fat cheddar or Babybel cheeses. I have had ongoing trouble with nausea. It was terrible post-op. It was so bad that I ended up very dehydrated 3 days after discharge and ended up getting 2 liters of IV fluids at the urgent care clinic. It still plagues me if I'm not really careful, even taking the Omeprazole. I often have trouble getting all of my Vitamins down due to the nausea. I just joined BariatricPal tonight and am lookin forward to learning from the community and giving and getting support. Peace

Final straws: Trouble breathing. Trouble climbing into bed. Tired of having to buy bigger clothes. Painful joints. Enough was finally enough. Marcia