CanyonBaby

Have you ever turned to eating because it is something to do? Do you find yourself reaching for something (it used to be food) but nothing is there? Maybe it's time to re-focus your attention to something other than that bowl of chips or that latte that keeps calling your hands! Hobbies don't seem to be as popular as they once were, sad to say. I like to watch TV in the winter (not much else to do when it's dark, cold and snowy out), but when I do, I usually have something in my hands (I especially enjoy crochet and cross-stitch). They say if you don't have a hobby that you do by the time you are 40, you won't ever have one. I don't know if that's true, but it seems I see a lot of folks over that age that don't seem to have anything to do but sit there and watch that TV, unless it's eating. My husband enjoys model trains, N-scale. He loves to read. We garden and ride the Harley in the summer when he gets off work. Things to do. Fun things! Find one! (or two or three....)

@@jenn1 Sounds like a blast, haven't kayaked in years (since we lived in Wyoming), miss that a lot! Maybe this summer...AFTER we find them!

Well, then, me thinks it is probably too soon for such dense meat, even ground. Give it awhile, then try it again. You could freeze your leftovers and keep trying it out. It will dry out some in the freezer, so reheat it in some foil in a regular oven, at a lower temperature. Good luck with it!

Just asking, what else was in your meatloaf (for me, green peppers, which I LOVE in meatloaf, hates me...no really. It HATES me!)? Could it have been something like that? So sorry for you, I love meatloaf.

I'm at 3 months out, and am down 49lbs (includes pre-op loss), and according to the dietician, am right on track. The sleeve is supposed to help people lose about 65 percent of their excess body fat, if that helps. And that would be in the first year. After that, I understand it is up to us. Good luck to you!

My dietician's recommendations are 20 grams of carbs, 800-1200kcals per day. More calories are allowed if you are exercising at an extreme, but by her counseling only. This is pretty much a quote!

Gall bladder symptoms can present themselves in a number of ways, including sharp back pain (that's where my pain was at). If you are concerned, check with your Dr. as soon as you can. My gall bladder symptoms lasted over 10 (yes TEN) YEARS before they figured it out! Talk about a pain in the - - - ( I mean BACK!)!!!!!

Go for the 64 ounces of fluids, as best you can. If you're having trouble getting plain water down, try the water enhancer drops with it. Saw my nurse yesterday about the hydration issue, and that is what she suggested. And it DOES go down easier! As one of the previous folks mentioned, if you take other medications, they may have changed how they affect you now that you are well into the recovery mode. Probably best to see your Dr. as soon as you can. Best to you...

I didn't have any bruising, but my nurse told me that if I did, they may be huge, and they would follow gravity, kinda "sliding" down your abdomen. If you are unsure, definitely ask about it. Good luck to you!

This will take time, so be patient with yourself! Measure your food. You should have been given instructions on how much you should be having, per meal/snack. So get out the kitchen scales and the measuring cups and start weighing/measuring what you are eating. You are really going to have to FEEL your sleeve, when it feels like food is at the top, you are too full. Chew your food thoroughly and very slowly. Do one bite at a time, feel how it sits in your sleeve, then try another... put your fork/spoon down between bites. I started with about 2 ounces of food/liquid. Then over the months I'm at about 4 ounces max (I'm 3 months out now). Remember, you don't want to be full, but you DO wanted to be sated. Full is too much. If you don't have guidelines, call your surgical team and ask them for them. Good luck to you!

So awesome! YOU did this...YOU! Awesome!

Any specific reason for this, do you think? Are you referring to your life where you are, or on this website? I'm assuming you mean in your life, so I'm thinking it is because they see a change in you and may not be able to place it yet. Can you see it as a good thing? Although you may be uncomfortable with it, can you smile at them and make small talk until you become more familiar with them? People like to see positive changes other people make in their lives, and you may be an inspiration to them! And congrats on your weight loss, well done!!!

OH! And tell us what your hobby is, some of us may want to try it!

Ah, adenoids! Been there, done that (twice, and they've grown back yet again! When WILL it end?! But seriously, we are here for you, don't lose heart! If you want to, write everyday so we can help you along your path. Write down everything you're eating, including portion size. Start a new hobby, something else to focus your attention on. Something you will love coming back to, time and time again! And don't laugh, but how about eating what your little one is? Just measure it, that way you know what you're supposed to have. And use a smaller plate (looks like a larger portion that way). Then do the dishes immediately (kinda like brushing your teeth after eating, puts a stop to it!). Always with you....

Prunes and or prune juice! Works like a charm! If you are on soft foods only, try baby food prunes. I actually love prunes, I don't know why so many don't...maybe it's because I grow plums!!!

Is there any way your daughter can eat what you eat, instead of the other way around? It would be good for her, too! I am amazed (and don't take this the wrong way) of what you are getting in, measurement-wise. Have you tried slowing down your chewing/eating, to get back to the ability of sensing when your sleeve is sated, and not full? This will help you recognize when you have had enough, but not to the point where your sleeve is over-full. Remember to put your fork down after every bite. It's just getting back to the basics, really. It's all so easy to forget, afterall, we had decades eating the old way, and only a short time on the new way. Especially when our lives get so busy. Easy to fall back into the traps that got us here in the first place! Try 1 egg and a couple spears, all of the Protein, little or no carbs, no wrap with the fajita, and definitely no juice! Just try, then go on to something else...get your mind off the food. Put on your daughter's plate realistically what she is going to eat, even less, if necessary, she can always have more. Have her throw it away or put it away (if she is old enough), don't touch it if you can help it. All tiny tricks that should help, and remember, we're here for you!

I've sat on this one for awhile, and while I applaud your decision, I think a lot of folks took it the wrong way. It takes so much internal fortitude to go with sleeve surgery, it is not for the faint of heart. Yes, you can lose weight a number of other different ways. There are other surgeries to consider. But I will tell you one thing; if you can't have the patience to go through the hoops insurance requires of you, you certainly won't have the strength to do what sleevers do everyday, and it is not the best choice for you. It would be wise really research the surgeries before leaping into them, and actually ask how others who have had the surgeries cope, day in and day out. It is not an easy or ridiculous route we take. It's just not for the weak.

@@DisforDavid Seems like I get to talk with you a lot today! Your hernia may be the cause of your pain, but my hernia repair pain is/was mostly in the are where the esophagus joins the stomach. That juncture is where the repair for me was done, and the pain (which is now minimal) is mostly when I swallow. How many weeks has passed since your surgery? If you are feeling sharp pain in your chest area, you should probably get it checked out. Just like LuvJaky (sorry if I got that wrong!), you could have other issues going on. Don't wait for it to get severe. At minimum you should call your surgical team about it. Good luck to you and let us know how you are doing! (As a side note, it was you who asked about if you were eating too much, right? This might also be why your side hurts...if you're putting too much food in your sleeve, you may be putting too much stress on the staple line, and that could mean trouble! Call your surgical team!)

@@DisforDavid You probably are eating too much, because at this point you won't be able to tell too well where your "full" level is. I have been told by my surgical team you should feel sated, not full. Full means up to the top of your sleeve, and we don't have to have it that full! May I suggest that when you eat, eat really slowly, chewing thoroughly, and after each bite, determine where the food is at. Try to sense where the "fill line" is after each bite you take. I can usually have about 4-5 bites, then I am sated. More than that and I feel like it is over the top point of my sleeve, and is still in the esophagus. Not good! There is not much to stop it from coming back up at that point! If this is difficult, or even if you have success with this, measure how much it was you ate, then use that as your guide post. Start with say 1/4 cup of food, determine your fill status, then if you still feel you need more, add a spoonful at a time. Full is too full! Your stomach is not the same as it was, remember. It takes some time to get used to this, and over time you will have to remind yourself again and again to slow down and check your "fill line". We have had MANY years eating until we were full, now we have to break that habit to eat the way our sleeve was made to accommodate food. Good luck to you all! And feel free to ask about anything, that's what the site is for!

So I told you I would ask about this at my appt., and I did. She said that less than 10 percent of insurance companies have a supplement program, and to call mine to see if they do, she will call in a prescription with whatever I take. I need to do that today. My Ins. is such a poop (no other way to say it!!!) I will be surprised if they do it. Hope I'm wrong!

The biotin does not grow hair, but will make it look better! Just saw my nurse and dietician yesterday and asked about this, they suggested Nioxin shampoo (what chemo patients use) to stimulate the follicles. Am going to try this as soon as it arrives!

If you're not sure, I think the best thing to do is start measuring your food. You should have been given an idea as to what you should be having in ounces or cups, per meal. If you haven't been given that information, ASK! Call up your surgical team and get this information. You need to know what is required and what is too much. Good luck to you!

You're right, everyone's pain tolerance is different. I have had 22 surgeries to date, and the sleeve was the least painful of all of them. Compared to having a rib removed, and having the "wonderful" chest tube removed that went with the rib removal, the sleeve was a PIECE OF CAKE!!!!!!!! ! ! But others have said it was extremely painful for them. I'd say to mentally prepare for the worst, but don't go overboard and assume it will be horrific, either. The thing is this: yes, it's going to hurt. You will, more than likely, have gas pain in your shoulder area, but it will dissipate with time. You may or may not have incision-site pain, and pain throughout the abdomen. But I can honestly say I never felt abdominal pain. Or gas pain. And for the most part, just a little pain where the incisions were made (5 total for me). It may be because I've had so many abdominal surgeries that nerves were cut that never repaired, so I have no sensation in some areas. But my husband said he has never seen me recover so quickly after a surgery that was so serious before, so I think that says something! Just remember this, it WILL pass, especially if you follow Dr.s' orders. Don't overdo afterwards, and take it easy. I wish you the best, and let us know how it goes!

Of course there are no guarantees with diabetes, but if you stay with the program, your numbers should go down. Make sure to exercise regularly, eat your protein first (maybe focus seriously on the protein, and maybe reduce your carbs even more), drink ALL you water, and you should see some improvement. But these things take time. If you aren't seeing any improvement, talk with your doctors about it for additional suggestions. Good luck to you.

I am so relieved, and I bet you are, as well! So glad you went! Feel better soon....