Malagal

Easy way out, LOL......I'd quite frankly love to know what these people think is EASY about major abdominal surgery. I've been selective about who I've told, but so far no one has said that to me... if someone does, they WILL get an earful, LOL. The people close to me who know I've had WLS are seeing first hand that it's not a magic bullet, that I'm still having to do the work. Don't let anyone rain on your parade; it's challenging enough to go through this process without being judged by ignorant people.

This is the reason I force myself to weigh only once per week. Your weight will fluctuate up and down daily, just as it did before surgery. Don't be alarmed by this, it's normal.

I got the sleeve for the same reasons as inner surfer girl. Less drastic than bypass, less maintenance than lapband. I hated the idea of having to do the fills with the lapband, plus my surgeon isn't really doing much lapband anymore because he says the sleeve is more effective for most people. I'm two months out and the sleeve is doing what it's supposed to do (helping me be satisfied with less volume of food). It's also come with some unexpected benefits... it's so much easier for me to avoid bad crap now (such as the donuts my helpful coworkers bring to work constantly, LOL). My recovery was quick and uneventful (your mileage may vary). Best of luck!!

Me too, alindsey. For me, it's longtime habits interfering. I always did my snacking and overeating at night, so it seems my body is programmed to get hungry at that time. One way I'm getting around this to be sure I eat dense protein for dinner. This is probably not possible for you right now since you're only 3 weeks out, but when you're cleared to add more solid foods, try having 3 oz. of chicken or pork for supper with steamed broccoli. This is very dense food that stays with me while giving me protein without a lot of calories. I cook up a few chicken breasts or pork loins at once, cut them into 3 oz portions and store them in the fridge. If I find myself getting unbearably hungry after dinner or later, I eat one of these slowly...for about 120 calories, it takes care of the hunger issue quite nicely. If I don't want those extra calories, I use pickles or baby carrots (some bariatric patients have a hard time tolerating these, but I do just fine with carrots).

Thanks for these excellent suggestions. Perhaps "full" is not the correct term... I'm not expecting to constantly be "full." Satisfied for a good while after each meal is probably more descriptive. What I want to try to avoid is grazing, so protein foods that stick with me for a while rather than sliding right through are ideal. JamieLogical, what brand of turkey sticks do you like? Love the idea of jerky, tuna packets, pistachios. I do use the low-fat cheese sticks and greek yogurt, as well.

Hi folks, I was sleeved 4/30 and have lost a little over 30 pounds so far. I'm finding that a boiled egg is super for bumping up my protein and keeping me full for a good long while. However... I track everything I eat on myfitnesspal, and I think I may be using eggs a bit too much from the standpoint of cholesterol. What are some other easy-to-prepare protein foods you use? I also use cottage cheese (which doesn't stay with me as long) and chicken (prepared in the microwave, flavored with Lawry's seasoned salt), but I need some other options that really keep you full. I'm trying to keep it simple as I'm constantly on the go and I'm not much of a cook, although I'm trying .... It's too easy for me to rely on packaged foods that have too much sugar and carbs. Thank you!

Hi there, I had my VSG surgery on April 30. From reading these boards, it seems the experience is different for everyone! Since I'm only about a month out, I share some of my experiences. I had very little pain... the worst was the drain, and even that was mostly just a dull ache. The catheter (you might not have one) sucked--it makes you feel like you have to pee all the time. But that's just overnight, then it's out and you're on your way home. In the hospital, be careful with the ice chips... you'll want them, but don't take in too much or too fast or you might dry heave. Do just a tiny bit at a time to wet your whistle. Don't hesitate to use your pain pump if you need it--don't try to be a hero! The nursing staff will wake you up every few hours through the night to check your drain and your catheter, and check your vitals. Be as active as you can but don't overdo right after coming home--you might feel really good (especially if you're taking pain meds) BUT you also may tire easily. Overall, I had very few problems with the procedure itself and the immediate aftermath at home. A little constipation, but it wasn't bad--just know that it can happen. As for the weight loss, the biggest thing I've had to learn in my short time since having surgery is not to compare myself to anyone else. My body will lose at its own rate, just as it gained at its own rate. I'm learning to have faith that as long as I'm following the program, it'll come off over time. I've also learned NOT to weigh every day---my body gains one, loses two, gains a half pound, loses one, gains two--you get the drill, I'm sure. Instead, I weigh weekly, and that gives me a truer picture of what's coming off over time. That said, I've lost about 20 pounds since day of surgery and about 30 since my all-time high at my presurgical appointment. I'm happy with that; it's going in the right direction! Best wishes to you and good luck. You will be fine!

I'm very sorry that you feel you were treated disrespectfully. Remember that hospital reimbursement from Medicare is tied directly to things like patient satisfaction scores. If you feel that the care you received was lacking, you DO have the power to help them see the error of their ways by reporting it. In addition to writing a letter, contact the hospital and see if they'll get their third party vendor to send you a patient satisfaction survey (they typically send them automatically to patients who had major procedures, but I'm not sure about things like tests). Then, share your experience. Many of these surveys supply space for the patient to give specific feedback on each question, and the questions always include one about the performance/bedside manner of a specific subset of staff (such as nurses, etc.).

Thanks Bufflehead... I am so confused. Math is not my forte. You're right, and six ounces sounds a lot better than ten. Phew!! Believe me, I'm not overeating in one sitting. I DEFINITELY know when I've had too much. I'm trying to eat only meals, and not snack or graze.

I'm about 19 days post-op and I'm surprised by the amount of food I can eat. I did the "cottage cheese test" (from "Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients" by Colleen Cook) and according to the test, my stomach can comfortably hold 10 ounces (3/4 cup), which shocked me. I thought it would be half that. I plan to ask my surgeon more about this on my next visit, but is this unusual? I lost quite a bit of weight before surgery on the liquid diet (one week), but loss has been slower than I expected after that. I've decided to weigh weekly instead of every day, so I don't get discouraged by the inevitable up-and-down of daily weights. I know the surgery isn't a magic bullet and it's up to me to make this work, but the sluggish weight loss is a little discouraging. I'm still learning how much I can and should eat, and I'm tracking my intake on myfitnesspal to make sure my calorie counts are reasonable. I'm taking in between 800-1,000 calories on most days, sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.