RaginCajun

Hi Carlie - Don't be so hard on yourself. Appreciate that most of the newbies on this site would think - if they weighed 180 - that they had died and gone to heaven. Thats why its called "OnederLand". The great news is that your body is set up to help you loose weight AND your mental state is that you have realized that there is a problem and YOU want to control it, not let it control you. So, reset your mind to back when you were sleeved, and do all the right things you did then. Don't worry about the past or yesterday - you can't change that. But, YOU are in complete control of what happens today and tomorrow. -RC-

SO GLAD YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION! Before I sleeved, one of my problems was that I never felt full to the point that it was uncomfortable. It was never a feeling of being stuffed or feeling sick, I just sort of felt like I had eaten a lot and stopped. I honed this skill by eating at way too many Chinese Buffets (LOL!). Post sleeve, my experience is same as yours. I can eat, say 3 oz of Roast Beef sliced Deli meat, and 2 slices of 2% american cheese. At only 4 weeks post-op, I should actually feel uncomfortably full after eating that, but I don't. I can stop, and may have a feeling of a little unsettling in my tummy, but its not a pressure that makes me feel like I will throw up. Also, immediately after being sleeved, I could drink no problem. Heck, I could down 8 oz of Premier Protein drink in under 15 secs. Probably only 6 or so back-to-back swallows to finish it off. No discomfort. I soon figured out that was not good - in general sense, no problems for me - so I backed it off a bit. I still do only the 6 swallows to get it down, but space them out with maybe 30 secs in between. Taking 4-5 minutes to finish it off. At my 1 week post-op, I discussed this with my NUT. The advise was to force myself to take (at least) 30 mins to eat my lunch & dinner meals. Of course chewing well and not swallowing any big chunks. My 4 week post-op is in two days, I hope to get more advice on this topic. I am finding myself to be able - with no pain, discomfort, or spit/throw up ... to eat 3 or 4 oz of protein and maybe 1/4 cup of veggies for dinner. I had been told this was what a sleever should be eating at 3-mos or 6-mos post-op. Interested to hear from other sleeves with this same 'When am I full?' dilemma. -RC-

My Doc/Nut JUST updated their Vitamin recommendations and included either of Flintstones Chewables or Centrum Chewables. They used to say NO to those. Of course, you have to take other things, with these - D, Calcium Citrate, B-sub, etc. So, contact your NUT and ask what else you should take. It seems as tho yet again we have another issues of significant variation from Program to Program, Doc to Doc, Nut to Nut. Always best to follow what YOUR Nut and Program advise. -RC-

Wow! Thats a long time to stay on liquids. In contrast, my Doc/Nut have sleever do an 'egg test' on Post-Op Day 7. If you can eat a whole egg - scrambled or poached or soft boiled, you get moved directly into soft foods. Of course, you have to take about 20 mins to eat the egg! And, the initial soft foods (fish, veggies, etc.) have to be soft enough that you can reduce to a paste in your mouth before swallowing. But still, its pretty quick to move into this stage and most patients do. Your Doc must be ULTRA conservative. Perhaps he doesn't (as mine does) over sew the entire suture lines for the stomach cut to make the sleeve. He may be worried that you need to go very slow to avoid stretching and leaks. Good luck, but man thats a long time! -RC-

I take the fusion Bariatric Complete Multivitamin. Only have to take (3) a day, spread out. The are chewable (start out solid, not gummy-like). They break down quickly in mouth, which helps to aid in absorption of the nutrients. I like the 'Orange Cream' flavor. Its funny, I start to chomp on them and they break down, and JUST when they might start to taste tart, it doesn't and the taste is quite OK. Note: My preference for these is that its only 3 pills a day vs. many several times a day. Re Protein, I prefer Premier Protein. You can buy them at costco for only $23 for 18 bottles. I prefer to mix the Vanilla and Choco in 50/50 mix, and it sort of tastes like Choco milk. Either by themselves, very strong ... but the 50/50 mix tastes quite ok. Also, you can go to unjury.COM and they have very good liquid Protein mix solutions. One of the best is 'chicken Soup' flavor. You mix with warm Water, and it does taste like chicken Soup. Stay away from Bariatric Advantage (IMHO). They are nasty, worse if you mix with milk. I had them for my 2-week pre-op. I did then and do now refer to them as 'Franken -Shakes' - LOL! -RC-

PS Sorry about the (3) posts. I clicked on POST and nothing happened. Did it again, same result. Ditto. Edited and removed the duplication. -RC-

HI Cara - Well, I have a similar story to tell you, and it all worked out. Also, some details on the Stress Test you may find helpful. My story starts in October 2014. At 385 lbs, I was literally on the table in the OR to have left knee full replacement. The Anesthesiologist looked at my EKG and noticed a heartbeat arrhythmia. Oddly, I explained during the Hospital Pre-Op assessment that I had this condition, and that it was known. However, she (the Anesthesiologist) said "I don't know about that, I can only go by what I see"! Soooo ... she canceled the surgery and had me wisked to a side curtain and called for a Cardio Consult. She thought I was going to have a heart attack in the next 30 mins (which I certainly wasn't). So, the Cardio Consult took place and they did an Echo Ultrasound. While waiting for results, they discussed to admit me and do a Stress Test first thing the next morning. WTF!!!! I said no, everyone didn't understand >>> because I knew about this condition and it wasn't critical. Well, the Echo Ultrasound was NORMAL. I told them I would make appt with Cardiologist and get the Stress Test done. Soooo ... I go to the appt for the Stress Test, and found out that they wanted to have me slide into an MRI like tube for the NucMed Carmera to do the pictures before/after the chemical stress test (no treadmill, I have bad knees). And, I had to lay there for 30 mins with my arms above my head. At my size, I looked at that contraption and said NO WAY. Then >>> one of the wonderful techs informed me that they had a new mobile unit that was in my home town the next week, and had an opening. And, this new mobile unit is a sit-up chair where you just sit still with your head down across an arm board in front of you, and in 8 mins the entire procedure is over. Its a 3-head NucMed camera that takes all the shots and rotates itself, while you just sit up in the chair. In comparison to the 'old technology' this is like nuclear weapons instead of sticks and stones - LOL! Of course, after all of this, the Stress Test was NORMAL. I then want back to my Ortho Doc and was discussing the situation and he said that he would do the knee surgery as planned. I then started thinking about the situation and he then mentioned that my BMI was over 50 and he preferred to do the surgery with patient BMI closer to 40. From there, he referred me to my VSG Doc and the new plan was to do that, get weight off via Sleeve, and then go for the Knee Replacement. It would be much better for my rehab on knee (require for both knees, one at a time). So, this is not all that unusual to be required to get Stress Test and Clearance from Cardiologist. Best of luck to you >>> it will all work out!!! -RC-

Not that I have any personal experience (really, I don't) but if AA meetings were anything like this thread and the vast majority of replies, no one would go to meetings. Having said that, I think that the most prudent take aways are: 1) No 'one size fits all' experience. The proof is the variation of how Docs handle pre-op. 2) Following the rules given by your Doc and Nut are key. They will support you if you follow the program. 3) Variable réponses by each of us. I had no pain, and was able to drink immediately, and was moved to soft foods on Day 7 post op. 4) We all are passionate about why we did this - to fix a problem we COULD NOT CONTROL OURSELVES. Its also funny about how folks tolerate (or don't) the Protein shakes. My Doc had me on Bariatric Advantage Shakes Pre-Op. Nasty nasty nasty. Had to hold my nose when I drank, then flush my mouth with Crystal Light afterwards. I did then and do now refer to them as 'Franken-Shakes'. But, now Post Op, I start each day off with Premier Protein Shakes. I found that making a 50/50 mix of vanilla and Choco makes it more palatable, sort of like Choco Milk. Either by themselves were too much and I didn't like. The Strawberries and Cream is terrible (MHO). So, its a blend of following your program and listening to your body. It was news to me that when eating too much solids too soon that you can cause damage to sleeve that may not show up as symptoms until weeks later. Thats a bit scary and actually is causing me to throttle down what I am consuming, having heard that. So, just remember ... things will get better ... One Day at a Time ... One Meal at a Time ... One Bite/Sip at a Time. Best of luck to us all! -RC-

No gas pains here. No pain either. Was up and walking nigh of surgery. The one thing that stands out, both here, and the 'other board' is that there is no one-size-fits-all experience. Variables include pre-op diet to know pre-op diet; how long post op on liquids (I transitioned to soft foods on Day 7 post op; level of restriction of sleeve - some folks cant even drink, yet some can drink no problems immediately after surgery (me) ... and some folks have a very hard time getting any food down post op. But the common thread is that over time it all works out ... you see SO MANY success stories when folks post 6mo, 9mo, 12 mo post-op. All say one thing in common "Best decision I ever made". It will all work out: one day at a time ... one meal at a time ... one bite at a time. -RC-

@@Jb1176 The 90 min after guidance by your Doc is a bit extreme. Not sure have ever heard of that duration of post-eating wait time to drink. Many say 60 mins, many say 30 mins, but 1.5 hours is a long time. Oddly, your Doc is in the camp that says drinking almost all the way up to feeding is no problem. Lots of variation across the Docs out there. This and also the pre-op liquid diet of Franken-shakes (hated them). But, I did loose almost 30 lbs just with 2 weeks pre-op liquid diet. I am personally waiting for 1 months post-op for my next weigh in. Can tell weight is dropping just by how clothes feel, so I wanna experience the BIG NUMBER loss -RC-

@@macman Do you eat that amount of food because that's all you can hold comfortably, so it's a capacity issue? Or, do you eat that amount because you know that's the portion sizes to maintain/lose weight and you won't feel hunger later. Just trying to gauge if it's a capacity restriction due to sleeve, or your choice. Thanks for helping me understand better what my future holds. Cheers! -RC-

It's a small world, I'm from Franklinton which is in Washington Parish. Only a stones throw from Pearl River! Moved to Atlanta in 2006 to be around extended family. Plan to retire in six years and will move to Florida, Pensacola specifically. Love the beach area, it's back in the central time zone, and no state income taxes -RC-

@@lynneanne VSG on 16-April, transitioned to soft foods on 24-April. No problems with small quantities of shellfish, so far - shrimp, crab, crawfish. BTW, I live in ATL now. -RC-

AMEN! I want to eat the gumbo to both enjoy the roux and to enjoy the crawfish, shrimp, crab, sausage. All of which I can eat in small quantities with no discomfort. So, a small bowl of gumbo no rice will hit the spot for a meal. Yum yum! So, to clarify, the question was about any dish that has a broth associated with solids. Isn't that the same thing as drinking while eating? -RC-

Hi LynneAnne (and Geaux Tigers!) ... It is universal that every doc and all literature says to wait 30 mins before drinking after eating. There is a great YouTube video where the guy does a visual demonstration. Basically, he fills a small funnel (about the size of sleeve) with apple sauce. You can see it go drip-drip-drip SLOWLY, because of the dense mushiness of the apple sauce. That is a visualization of how food sits in stomach while it is in the early stages of digestion (important for nutrient absorption). He then adds about a table spoon of Water on top of the apple sauce, and you see the drip rate quicken noticeably. Then, to fully illustrate what happens when you drink substantial liquid while or immediately after eating - he adds a good bit of water on top of the apple sauce and you immediately see it FLUSH thru the funnel. That is to illustrate that if you drink while or immediately after eating, you really cause food to flush quickly from the stomach into the intestinal tract - which is a bad thing. A very good visual reference to understand why all the chatter about waiting 30 minutes after eating, before drinking. Note: One of the posters here and I have seen elsewhere for longer term post-op folks will/can drink while eating. On the matter of drinking before eating, you will see a lot of variation. You will see guidance to stop drinking 30 mins before eating, or stop 15 minutes before eating. I have seen some Docs say it doesn't matter how close to eating when you stop drinking (which makes sense to me, btw). Now, because you and I are both from Louisiana, its interesting to consider the case of eating gumbo (or Soup in the general case). My question is simple >>> if you eat something like gumbo which has solids in it AND has a high liquid concentration, then how is that any different from drinking????? In general case, same would apply for Soups (regular soups, no strained or cream soups). Perhaps someone can answer that questions, because I am 2 weeks post op and REALLY WANT ME SOME GUMBO -RC-

My early experience (10 days post-op) is that if you eat slowly and chew rigorously before swallowing is the key. Be watchful for any situations where you speed up (to talk, or interact with others). That can cause premature swallowing when food is not chewed well enuf. Also, if you don't chew the food enuf, when you swallow there may be feeling of a lump in your throat/stomach. That happened to me with my first attempt to eat string cheese. I got a little cocky because it was cheese and soft, so I thought didn't have to chew lots. I was wrong One great approach I learned from a sleever on YouTube, when eating a 'new food' always take a bite and wait 10 mins or so to see how your body reacts. Even a few bites may be too late and result in extreme discomfort if your new tummy reacts badly. -RC-

It should be clear for anyone who reads this forum that there is no 'one size fits' all result. In my case, there was little pain, I was able to drink with no problems immediately after surgery, and at 10 days post-op, I am able to consume soft foods with no problems. Heck, I am even able to eat shellfish (shrimp) only 10 days post-op. Most of this is result of my sleeve doc, who I believe to be one of the best on the planet. One sleever on a YouTube video shared a GREAT approach on post-op feeding ... which was simply this: When ever you consume a 'new food', take one bite and then wait 10 minutes. See how your body reacts. If its ok, then your good. If you have a negative reaction, stop but come back to that same food (w/ 10 minute test) after a few days. Everything just takes time ... one day at a time ... one meal at a time ... one bite at a time. Cheers! -RC-

I had my sleeve surgery about 10 days ago. Saw the Doc at 1 week post-op check up. I was discussing this very topic with him, and while the article posted above goes into a lot of detail, a key aspect of early stall is simply related to the fact that while you were in the hospital, they pumped lots and lots of fluids into you (remember the frequent IV bag changes?). Well, that adds a lot of Water weight to the body and it takes some time to get the body into a rhythm of reducing. I think this dovetails into what the article says in greater detail. -RC-

One helpful hint that I read - which makes so much sense - is that when ever you add a new food, take one bite and wait 10 mins. That will allow you to see how your stomach reacts. Better than eating away only to have probs once you take several bites. Thats my plan as I start to add foods along the way. -RC-

Hi All - Below is an (incomplete) list of several options for Protein. Was making this list for myself, and thought to type it here for others to benefit. Please add to this list and offer any experiences/recipes with these or other key protein sources. Some common items missing, I know. -RC- Swiss cheese - 8g per 1oz Cheddar Cheese - 29g per 3oz eggs - 6g per 1 large egg Skim Milk - 8g per cup Pork Chop - 26g per 3 oz Roast Beef Deli Slices - 18g per 3 oz chicken Breast - 24g per 3 oz Halibut/Salmon - 23g per 3 oz Octopus - 25g per 3oz Tilapia - 21g per 3 oz Light Tuna - 22g per 3oz Sardines - 21g per 3 oz Crab meat - 22g per cup Shrimp - 20g per 3 oz [END]

I am 56 yr old male. Been big all my life, but active. Sadly, my back has issues and now both of my knees require full replacement. Ortho Surgeon for knee replacement warned me that with BMI of 50+, that really increased risks. So, had to reduce weight, but can't really do anything. I am sedentary 99.5% of every day. Recently, diagnosed with a heartbeat arrhythmia as well as enlarged heart. Was told by Cardiologist that I have taken 10+ years off my life, if I dont get my weight under control. When rationally thinking about my behaviors, I am a poster child for bad eating: 1 - Eating high carb meals, high fat meals, no veggies 2 - Eating big meals often 3 - Big bites 4 - Eating Fast 5 - Constantly Drinking when eating 6 - Always having desert 7 - Constantly snacking 8 - Eating late at night When I learned about VSG knew it was for me. I have the mental strength to stop the bad habits - cuz I don't want to die. But, need a huge jump start. I instantly made the decision and less than 4 weeks had the procedure. Marveled to have lost ~ 30 lbs just from the 2 week liquid diet before surgery. -RC-

The consensus of most posts are that eating Protein first, then some green veggies, and staying away from starches, is the hiway to success. After all, the essence of extreme weight loss for VSG is to create a small stomach and then go on an uber atkins diet - high protein and low carbs. But, its also ez to negate the situation if you: A) Eat continuously; Eat the wrong things. So, getting sleeve is a little like using the baby-bumpers at the bowling alley. Its a guard rail intended to facilitate extreme weight loss for the first 12-18 months. You can't eat much, so eating the right things is what makes the weight drop. You are at the right place to get support from all of us who are on this same journey. I am only one week post-op and couldn't be more energized and optimistic. Get your mind right, and you will be successful. RC

I felt the same way. What was most compelling on my mind was that it was PERMANENT, no going back. But, at my age of 56, and wanting to be around for my kids and grandkids, it was a purposeful decision that I don't regret. One especially interesting aspect of the pre-op liquid diet is that you can loose some serious weight. I lost 30 lbs just on the 2 week liquid diet. That jump starts mental acceptance, at least did for me. RC

My Doc also very persistent about not drinking until +1 hours after eating. No real worries about drinking before meals, in fact he tells me that may help not eating so much. The reasons not to drink, which summarize what is being said here: 1) Drinking flushes food thru the pipe (stomach to digestive tract) depicted by the YouTube Video 2) Flushing the food will reduce the amount of time food is in digestive tract, which is important for absorption of nutrients 3) Adding liquids on top of food will create discomfort and it may all come back up RC

I am 7 days post-op and feel really great. Work at home, but did take a week off just in case. For me, I drink 8oz 3x day Premier Protein (buy at Costco). Found that half-n-half mixture of the choco and vanilla makes it taste like choco milk. Easy for me to get it down in about 2-3 mins. Getting in 64oz Water each day is difficult, not because can't get down, just don't like to drink that much water all day. But, with the 24oz of PP and drinking about 20oz water and then a cup of skim milk before bedtime, that should suffice. My one week post-op appt if Friday and my Doc plans to transition me to soft foods. Cant wait, since I have been on liquid diet for 3+ weeks (2 before surg and 1 after). RC