Hawk7775

Sorry for late post. 329

Others have explained what head hunger is. The trouble is recognizing it because it feels like real hunger. They say that if you are really hungry eating just about anything will "sound good" but if its head hunger the healthy foods won't be appealing. What I do is set meal and snack times and tell myself that if I heel hungry its all head hunger.

I tried to research this before surgery too. What I concluded was that there are a lot of variables. It depends on age, how long you have been that size and genetics. I was 415 before surgery and at 6 months out I am at 329. In the past I lost 60-70lbs without noticing loose skin. I was 10 years younger then. I notice it in my upper thighs and arms now. I am lifting weights and I hope that between that and time (further weight loss) things will tighten up. However, I couldn't care less about the loose skin. I am so happy with my weight loss that a bit of loose skin is not a big deal. I'm married. If you're single and worried about what women will think, I gotta say the older I get and the more weight I lose I have come to realize much of my "trouble" with women when I was fatter and younger was in my own head because of lack of confidence.

Does anyone know if antibiotics cause Water retention or something? I've gained a pound and a half since I started some.

I didn't find any suggestions. According to what I read antibiotics kill all bacteria including the good bacteria in your digestive system. The article was about how the future may hold a probiotic that targets weight loss. The article referenced how they feed animals antibiotics to help them build fat. The bottom line or better yet, my conclusion from what I read is that antibiotics throw things off. My plan is to take a probiotic asap, drink more Water and stick with it.

So I had to do some research here because I was on program and the day after I started antibiotics I gained weight. It's not Water retention. The articles I read indicate that antibiotics mess around with the bacteria composition of the gut and could cause weight gain.

332.5 Boo antibiotics.

To use before surgery? If your surgeon told you to use it, then my suggestion is follow the directions. I wasn't told to do that and didn't before mine. Everything was fine. If It wasn't something your surgeon told you to do my suggestion is take it back or throw it away. From what I read its unnecessary and per Mayo Clinic's website could cause problems.

Me too. I didn't say it was his or his wife's fault. I said that it seems to me that its always the man's fault. It shouldn't be that way. I said it isn't fair for people to basically tell him that it is his "fault" because he is approaching things the wrong way or should wait longer. His thoughts, feelings and needs are just as valid as hers. I said she isn't considering them like he is trying to consider hers. I said that was a problem. Problems do not equal fault.

At two weeks out I was back at work. I did feel drained by 2 or 3 in the afternoon though (my job is mentally taxing) for the first month. As far as eating, you'll want to plan ahead a little but you can be as "on the go" as you want. You can buy the pre-made Protein shakes or what I did was buy the powder keep bottled Water handy and used a funnel to get the powder into the bottle. Other things that worked for me was getting a small cooler and grabbing a greek yogurt or individually wrapped string cheese (that was later) or without the cooler those tuna pouches with packets of light mayo.

You make a good point. Between the time I was approved for surgery and when I was to start my pre-op diet I went hog wild and gained something like 15 lbs. Before my surgery and immediately after I would have argued with you - that what I did pre-surgery would have no effect on what happens after - but I would have been wrong. WLS is not about losing a bunch of weight really fast and then going back to eating bad food. With the Sleeve especially you're most likely going to be able to eat bad food much more quickly than you think. Also, you may not feel restriction from garbage food like chips and ice cream. You can also graze all day long without feeling a restriction. Beyond losing this extra weight to be able to go forward, I'd advise you to get your mind in the right place. You've got to commit to truly changing. You've got to understand that WLS is only a tool. You've got to be ready to challenge yourself to make the right choices every day.

@@Dad - I did not have a lot of pain at all. My plan was to stay ahead of the pain. I am not the type of person to feel like I need to apologize for taking pain meds. I was given dilaudid and made sure to get it every time I was due. I wasn't given much grief for this at the hospital. I also took anti nausea meds every time they were due for the first day or two. The only time I felt nausea was when one of the nurses pushed the pain meds too quickly. I was walking the day of surgery and was taking multiple laps around the wing on my second day. I was in the hospital 3 nights. 5 days after surgery I walked about a half mile. I was given liquid pain meds to take home. I took them every time they were due for the fist 2 or 3 days at home but probably didn't need them and then only took them at night until they were gone. I had to sleep in a recliner as sleeping in my bed was uncomfortable. I think I did that for a week or two. As far as hunger - I remember having tomato soup at some point in the fist two weeks and it tasted so good. I was not physically hungry when I finished my measured portion. In fact I was quite full. However i was not mentally satisfied with the meal. I wanted more. It took some time getting used to the idea that I didn't need more. it wasn't mentally torturous or anything but it was a little frustrating at times and at other times I was thrilled. 6 months out I still battle with mental hunger. I have a greek yogurt for Breakfast and get busy at work and not think about food until 3pm without feeling any hunger. However, an hour after dinner sitting on the couch I often "feel" hunger and want to eat. I try and keep myself busy because when I am not focusing on hunger I am not hungry. I don't feel deprived at all and I don't regret the surgery for one second. I went out to watch football with a friend recently. Instead of ordering 24 wings and a basket of rings, I had 4 or 5 wings and was stuffed. I went out to dinner with my family and instead of ordering the biggest thing on the menu, I got a small filet, ate half, a few bites of veggies and a few bites of a baked potato. Only you can decide if going through with surgery is right for you but I felt the same way you do before surgey and I don't regret it at all.

You don't have to do liquid only. Limit calories to 600-800 per day. Eat only lean Protein and low carb vegetables (no carrots, corn, Beans, beets). Drink half your body weight in oz of Water every day. Walk for at least 30 mins but shoot for 60 every day. It won't be easy but you can do it!

My two cents - You posted in the guys room but have welcomed the opinions of the women. I posted something in here about my marriage and fears I had about how me getting the surgery might affect my marriage and I got lambasted by women so I know that there is no safety in "the guys room." I don't care that I am going to be attacked for writing what feels like the truth from my perspective. I hope it helps you. From what I have read in your posts you are missing more than sex with your wife. You are missing intimacy. There is nothing wrong with wanting intimacy and nothing wrong with wanting sex. You love your wife and want to have a complete relationship with her and that is completely and totally normal. It sounds to me like you have gone above and beyond in trying to be supportive and compassionate towards your wife. I don't think its fair for posters - men and women - to tell you that there is a problem with your approach or that you need to change or need to wait longer or be more supportive. Frankly, I think that in marriages where the woman wants sex less than the man it is always the man's fault and where the wife wants more sex than the man it is always the man's fault. You're thinking of your wife's needs and it sounds like you have put her needs before yours for quite some time. She needs to think of your needs too. She isn't. That is a problem. Her lack of sex drive may have nothing to do with her surgery. It may have nothing to do with your approach. It may have nothing to do with her feelings about her body. It sounds like she isn't willing to talk about it with you. That is a problem. Before getting surgery myself I did a lot of research about its affect on marriage. boiling it down to one sentence, WLS makes strong marriages with the right foundations stronger and weak marriages with the wrong foundations weaker. Is it possible she settled for you? Did she marry you because she felt that she was fat and ugly and she better marry the first guy that came along? Does she love you now? Did she ever love you? These are things to think about and to talk with your wife about, It seems to me that if you love someone you do thinks to make them happy even if you don't want to do them sometimes. For example, I took my wife to an opera because she loved it. Why should sex be any different? It is one thing to be constantly be pressured to have sex when you aren't in the mood but giving it up when you aren't in the mood once in awhile should not be seen as completely unfair. You should be asking yourself why she doesn't seem to have any interest in pleasing you. You can't make anyone, your wife included, love you, be attracted to you or want to have sex with you. You have to take things as they are with open eyes. You said that you feel like it isn't a marriage but is a roommate situation. You have to evaluate this marriage. You have to express your feelings to your wife in a non-judgmental and non-accusatory way. You have to tell her that you don't feel loved. You have to decided if you want to stay in this marriage if things don't change and you have to tell your wife if you don't want to be in a marriage like yours currently is. You have to do whatever you can to fix things - propose counseling etc but its possible she is just passively agressively pushing you to leave.

Don't rush into this. Do your research first. I started out wanting the band. A small amount of research made me realize that the band was the worst choice for me. I chose the sleeve for a number of reasons including, you have a normal stomach not any re-routing. There are also fewer intolerances. I feel like I eat closer to a normal meal now than I did before surgery. I'd rather have most of a 6oz filet and a couple bites of potato and veggie when I go out to dinner than have to order an app., the biggest steak, seafood on the side, potato, veggie, Soup, and a half load of bread

Oh and If you have the means and ability to invest time in therapy I would highly recommend it. I don't have the time or maybe don't want to invest the time but can confirm that there is a huge mental aspect to weight gain and loss and the sleeve isn't brain surgery.

I was concerned about similar things before surgery. Now, at times I wish I couldn't still eat some of the things I can. I am 6 months out and have eaten pizza. I also drink scotch about once per week. I don't get dumping syndrome when I eat sweets. Every person is different. Some people have intolerances and others don't but what I was told is that with the sleeve there are fewer permanent intolerances and at 6 months I have had none.

I felt the same way after surgery. I remember just dying to get to dinner time when I could have some tomato Soup. Then I remember still being hungry when it was gone. It is mental hunger. You're fixating on food. You aren't used to not eating. You aren't mentally satisfied with the meals you are having. I was and am the same way. The funny thing is when I am working or otherwise focused on something I don't realize I am hungry. You have to convince yourself that the hunger you feel is mental only and recognize that it is physically impossible for you to feel hunger right now. The mental hunger will always be a battle. I've seen someone else write "This isn't brain surgery" and the longer I am out from surgery the more I realize how accurate that statement was.

1/5/15 - Weight 333.4 Goal 28 lbs - goal weight 305.4 Thanks! Good Luck Everyone!

The first 3 days were the worst for me. I think it was caffeine and carb withdrawal. The biggest motivation for me was that I kept thinking about how guilty and stupid I would feel if I ended up having a complication that could have been avoided if I had not cheated on the pre-op diet. It felt great going into the surgery knowing that for once I hadn't cheated on a diet at all. Fight through it. You can do it.

This is my first challenge. Thanks for doing this. I need something to get my competitive juices flowing. I am shooting for 28lbs. I will post my CW on Monday. Thanks! Good luck everyone!

The short answer is that despite what many people believe, modern medicine is not an exact science. The long answer is that (and this is only my opinion) that there are many things providers take into account when they set up a post-op diet plan. The first and foremost thing they obviously consider is safety. Opinions as to what is safe probably vary. Another one of those things is that people react differently to the surgery. Some people have more swelling, more pain and more intolerance to certain foods than others. My program slowly reintroduced foods and I was told that a big part of that was because some foods are more easily tolerated than others. I believe Another consideration is that for long term success we have to permanently change our habits. It takes significantly longer to break bad habits than to establish or reestablish them. I think some programs move slowly with the post-op diet because we are most likely to strictly adhere to instructions in the time immediately after surgery and by moving slowly through the phases we are more likely to break bad habits and establish new good habits. Follow your doctor's program. You don't need anything more substantial. You want something more substantial. I felt the same way. I never was mentally satisfied after eating a 1/2 cup of tomato Soup. My advice is to do everything in your power to mentally convince yourself you don't need anything more substantial. After a few months you are going to be back to being allowed to eat whatever you can tolerate. At that point it is going to be on you to make the right choices. You are going to be surprised at how much junk you can eat if you try. Having been there and trying to get back on track right now, my biggest wish is that I had never tried eating the junk in the first place. If you focus on following the program and beating the mental aspect of not being satisfied now, it will be easier to avoid getting off track down the road.

I am just wondering how your relationships with your wives have changed since surgery if at all? I recently had surgery and am down about 50 lbs. I was really fat before surgery...pushing 400. My wife is bigger but significantly smaller than me. We talked about this before my surgery. I don't want her to be bigger than me. I am already getting annoyed with her because despite what she said, it seems she has no interest in trying to lose weight too. I am worried about the future. I love her and can't imagine that changing but I can also see myself becoming bitter if I end up the same size as her.

So when is the draft

So when is the draft?