Dajones

I'm 16 weeks post op today and I have come to the conclusion that I eat to live. I used to enjoy eating too much which caused the problem. I really don't enjoy food or eating anymore, which is ok.

That is VERY cool! I had mine the next day and had to swallow about 4 ounces of what tasted like unsweetened lemonade, which I promptly threw up.

I'm down to 199 pounds!!!! I began this journey on October 10 and as of a few days ago, I'm down 56 pounds! I don't get rid of my old clothes so I'm actually wearing clothes I wore in college! I have been donating my bigger sizes now to an animal rescue group that has a resale shop and the proceeds benefit homeless animals. I'm not keeping the bigger sizes anymore BECAUSE I'M NEVER GOING BACK THERE!!!

Hi Gena! I was sleeved October 10 and I may have some insight into your questions. I started this at a weight of 255 and I'm down to 199 now. I've been told to expect a stomach size of 5-8 ounces, or thereabout, but I seem to get filled with 1/3 of that, or less! Does this change in time? Yes, this will change over time. You'll gradually get up to 1/2 cup and eventually 1 full cup. I have a VERY hard time meeting my nutritional goals (specifically 60 G of Protein a day) and would like to know what else y'all might suggest, aside from shakes? I drink those daily. I try to get in a protein "shot" every morning. They're only 3.8 ounces but they've got 28 grams of protein! If you drink one first thing in the morning, it boosts your metabolism, according to my surgeon. Also, it's kinda pricey, but Isopure is also really good. The 20 ounce bottle has 40 grams of protein! My weight loss from the pre-op diet (started 2 weeks before surgery) to today (almost 3 weeks after) has been close to 40 pounds. Is that average? I was on a clear liquid diet for one week pre-op and another week post-op. I think I only lost about 30 pounds though! Congrats! The loose skin is a cause for concern, as it's already started to show. Upper arms and tummy, especially. Have you been successful at bouncing back from that, or is this something I have to face for life? (If it matters, my peak weight was 280 lbs, 5'7, 38 y/o female) I've heard all kinds of stories for flabby skin fixes. I'm using a lotion that has Keratin in it that supposed to promote skin elasticity but I haven't noticed any improvement yet. I've also heard using aloe vera daily. My long term plan is to get down to my goal weight of 150 and visit with a plastic surgeon. I think that's the only true fix. Ladies - how much of your breasts did you lose? Forgive such a vain question, I just wanna keep 'em, haha. I've gone down 4 bra sizes already and I'm frustrated. I bought 4 fairly expensive bras about a month ago and they're already too big. I went from a 44DD to a 38C now. Breasts are made up from a lot of fatty tissue so it stands to reason, you're gonna lose a bunch of them. Do you find yourself having trouble sleeping? For side sleepers and tummy sleepers, how long until it stopped hurting and you could be comfortable again in those positions? I'm a tummy sleeper and it was tough for me because I had a stomach drain post-op for two weeks. I slept on my sides until I was able to sleep comfortably on my stomach. Speaking of pain, I will assume that does eventually go away completely, but I still feel twinges when I twist and move certain ways. Normal? Yes. I'm 13 weeks out and completely pain free. What's more important is that I'm pain free from my formerly aching knees, feet, hips, back, etc... Good luck on your journey!

I had a drain in for two weeks after surgery. My surgeon was absolutely adamant about it and said not to even think about asking him to remove it prior to 2 weeks. He said it could save my life if there was a leak. It collected about a tablespoon of Fluid everyday, looked like urine towards the end of the 2 weeks. It was a pain when I was sleeping but I would tape the collection bulbs to my stomach when I'd go to bed and they moved with me. The drain incision was above my waist so I could just tuck the bulbs in my pocket if I went out. It was definitely a pain but I trusted my doctor and didn't complain...much.

I was sleeved on October 10 and my doctor is a very "militaristic" style man. I had to do the clear liquid stage for a week before and again a week after surgery. He put my on a statin drug for a week prior to shrink the liver even though I don't have cholesterol issues. I spent two nights in the hospital instead of one because my potassium level dropped too low for his comfort. I had a stomach drain put in and had to keep it for two weeks post-surgery (Don't even think about asking to have it removed!!). I'm now 9 weeks post-op and I'm on a very strict Atkins-style diet with another follow-up appointment in February. My follow-up appointments last an average of an hour talking about problems I may be experiencing, diet, exercise, etc... I have a friend in a nearby city that was sleeved in early November and no stomach drain. Her follow-up appointment, two weeks post-op, lasted about 10 minutes. She had 1/2 day of Clear liquids pre-op and her "phases" of liquids lasted 4-5 days each. 5 days post-op she was eating potato soup! I tried to give her advice and support before her surgery and what to expect but our doctors differ greatly on EVERYTHING! My doctor really pushed (and still does) a Protein shot first thing in the morning to kick-start the metabolism and get a big protein boost for the day. He even pulled from his cabinet in his office a particular brand as an example. I told my friend about it and she bought some. She took one to her doctor and he told her NO, don't do that. All in all, I am very pleased with my doctor and the surgery. I even thanked him at a follow-up appointment for being a "hard ass" with me. I'm very glad she hasn't had any complications but I've got to wonder why her doctor is so lax about everything. I understand liability issues related to poor medical management and that is why I give kudos to my doctor and his pre-surgery routine and his post-surgery care. I'm just dumbfounded with my friends doctor and his obvious lack of concern, pre and post-op.

I started a binder with tabs before my first pre-op visit. I have a tab for my doctor's visits and a blank piece of paper in the front. Everytime I thought of a question, I'd open the binder and write it on that blank page. I think my doctor got sick of it. He would be explaining something, stop, point to my binder and ask me if I had anything to ask on that subject. TOUGH!! I had my questions and got answers. My follow-up visits ended up lasting more than an hour!

I had to give myself Heparin shots for two weeks after surgery, and I HATE NEEDLES!!!! My needle fear seemed to subside a bit in the hospital as they kept coming in to draw blood to check potassium levels. The at-home shots weren't really all that bad but I did bruise a bit. I told myself that the incisions were from a bar fight where I got stabbed and the bruises were from the punches, but you should see the other guy!

When asked about your weight loss, just say "I'm on a medically supervised low carb, high Protein diet." It's the TRUTH and anything more is no one's business.

I had stitches, staples and tape. When I would change the dressing and remove the old tape, it felt like I was taking a layer of skin off too! It got very red and irritated. I only covered it because I was afraid the staples would catch on my clothing or sheets in bed. I begged my doctor to remove the staples after 10 days and the tape irritation areas went away after a few days.

I have a desk job primarily. I went back after three weeks. But, I had to beg my doctor to release me. He wanted me out of work for 6 weeks! CRAZY!!!

I look over the kids menus at different restaurants and can't find anything I could eat if I wanted to! Everything is fried and the grease kills me! Grilled cheese sandwich (can't have bread), corn dog (fried), macaroni and cheese (can't have pasta), spaghetti (pasta), French fries (no potatoes, no fried), hot dog (no bread), etc.... So, I end up ordering a grilled chicken Caesar salad and eat about 1/3 of it, or a bunless hamburger and also eat 1/3.

YAY for you! There will be ups and downs, but try to keep a positive attitude and you'll feel much better! Instead of thinking about it as a weight loss tool, think of it as a lifestyle change!

I looked at the BMI Chart and for my height, I'll be in the "normal" range at 150 pounds, not overweight and not obese. As of about a week ago, I am obese, not "morbidly obese."

I used to drink 3-4 cups of regular coffee per day, pre-op. I thought, no big deal after surgery. I can still drink coffee. I can't. To experiment, I made regular coffee and drank it. HEARTBURN DELUXE!! So, I made some decaf. No heartburn. I had to prove it to myself.

When I was doing the clear liquid diet (2 weeks), I'd get some regular broth (Swanson's in a box), and boil it for an hour with some celery, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, etc... and then strain all the solids out and drink it. MUCH easier going down than straight broth.

Wal Mart actually carries them. They're in the produce section, refrigerated, near the egg roll wrappers.

I love them! I rinse them really good first though, they stink like fresh mushrooms. I just open the package, pour them in a colander to rinse them and heat them up in a pan of Water on the stove.

I drink 6 oz. of soy milk for breakfast, beef jerky/nuts for morning snack, inside only of a ground beef taco for lunch (ground beef, lettuce, tomato and a little grated cheese), 1/2 chicken breast for dinner. Sometimes I make spaghetti with lean ground beef and marinara and Net Zero mushroom noodles. On the weekends I like to drag the grill out and do up some chicken wings and eat them throughout the week. YUM!

I'm down 45 pounds since being sleeved October 10, but I'm at a stall that is now into it's 3rd week. When I weigh (first thing in the morning), I could be up a pound or down a few ounces but overall, I'm holding steady. I've been increasing my walking since I haven't been cleared (YET!) to go to the gym.

I was sleeved on October 10, my new birthday! I started at 255 pre-op and as of yesterday morning, the scale reads 211!! I'm loving seeing my feet again! My seatbelt fits the way it should, I can climb a flight of stairs without getting winded, my feet don't hurt, etc... In short, this was the best decision I've made so far! I've been on every diet known to man over the last 20 years. I've lost 50 pounds only to gain back 60. The choice to have this surgery as opposed to some of the others is that IT'S NOT REVERSIBLE. I'm forced to stick to it, no choice.

My insurance didn't cover my sleeve surgery at all, so it was self-pay. Can I use that cost as a write-off?

I'm 6 1/2 weeks post-op and I throw up about once a week. I threw up yesterday after eating the first few bites of lunch too quick. I'm just amazed at the amount of mucus! I was eating a grilled chicken breast and ate the first few bites too quick. I figure I'm still developing a relationship with my new stomach. I need to learn what, when and how much it can tolerate and until I do, it will let me know.

I've taken Omeprazole for intense heartburn for years before being sleeved. Post-surgery, my doctor put me on Carafate in addition to the Omeprazole. He said the Carafate "coats" the stomach. I was still having bad heartburn post-surgery until I read the fine print on my prescription bottle that said to make sure you take the Omeprazole at least 30 minutes before the Carafate. No problems now!!

I did some research and it turns out that there's an enzyme secreted in the portion of the stomach that is removed that helps break down the B-12 so pills won't do any good. So, I'm doing the sublingual drops too. I'm wondering though - how much and how often? I got some at a Vitamin store and it's 5,000 units! I'm only doing it once a week now. Is once a week enough? Too much?