BarrySue

I'm picky and miserable by nature, so the surgery only made it worse food is such a big part of social gatherings, satisfaction, daily decision-making, and self-reward. So yeah, depression is pretty common among a lot of us. Personally, I didn't feel better until I was out and about again at work/school. But connecting with people on the internet who are going through the same stuff as you can help take the edge off of things. Once you start feeling physically better (and yes, I promise, it will happen), things will gradually get easier. I will say though, if you are still having *extreme* pain immediately after eating, check in with your doc. I had a lot of pressure/discomfort after eating for the first month, but I only had pain if I overdid it. Like you, I also couldn't tolerate anything, and I was already picky before. The first month is the worst!

Protein shakes made me ill, and I was super picky, so some of the following helped me get closer to protein goals: Fat free fairlife milk (lactose/sugar filtered out, tastes like regular skim milk, fortified with protein/calcium) Fairlife milk mixed with either sugarfree strawberry/chocolate syrup, or served hot with diet cocoa mix Mixing a tablespoon of vanilla Protein powder with sugarfree vanilla pudding (I never added too much because I hated the aftertaste, but it was a good way to still add some protein) cottage cheese with just a tiny spoonful of tomato sauce (tastes like lasagna!) I also used the hershey's sugarfree strawberry syrup and added it to plain greek yogurt to make it taste like regular yogurt I'm seven weeks out, and these things have been a godsend! Soft food stage will open up a lot more options for you. It gets better!

I ate tomato basil soup five days out. It was my reward for progressing to full liquids! I could only eat a little, but it was a nice change of pace. I've only had it once more since then, but it caused me no issues. Just make sure you strain it to prevent chunks.

Toning can help a little, but ultimately skin is skin, and it will not magically disappear. Surgical intervention is one option, but learning to accept yourself is another. Unfortunately, there is no miracle treatment (and anyone promising you that is either mistaken or trying to sell you something). It took many years of abuse to bring your body to this point, so don't get discouraged when it can't be undone. I've heard good things about the arm surgery, and the recovery time seems to be quick.

I ate paneras soup without straining, but left out the bigger chunks during full liquid.

Some itching is normal. Mine itched a lot as well as it healed! Just be careful not to open any wounds, and wash your hands frequently to keep from getting an infection.

Never heard of it, but it sounds interesting! I just ordered a pack of the vanilla to try it out. Thanks for the link! **Edit: Aw, shoot. They advertised vanilla, but actually only have chocolate in stock for ordering

Honestly, given the severity of the situation and the amount of money, I would recommend you stop asking strangers on the internet (if only because we can't possibly know the complexities of the contracts, your policy coverage, etc) and go see a lawyer. Paying a very small nominal fee for a consultation may save you a lot of money. Go to an expert who does this for a living. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I got stuck with an additional 700 dollar bill and was upset, but your case definitely puts things in perspective. Good luck.

Given the shells, kernels, small size, and ability for all those crumbly bits to get stuck in your new sleeve, I'd say wait for clearance from your doc. At minimum, I would guess 2-3 months.

That includes 2 1/2 weeks of semi-serious pre-op dieting (I cheated a few times, to be honest).

Almost 60 lbs down! I haven't done any kind of exercise yet though. I wish Florida weather wasn't so awful, because it's too hot and sticky to take walks.

I'm saving a lot of money. Like, ridiculous amounts. My food budget went from 400-500/month (I was a HUGE binge eater who would order 2-3 meals at a time) to under 100 bucks. And honestly, if I wasn't "experimenting" with buying things, trying a bite, then feeding it to the dogs because I hate it, it would be even lower.

7/13 sleeve here. Almost 60 lbs down! The first month was miserable, but I feel much better now. I'm struggling to meet my Protein needs (but trying hard), and eating feels like a chore! I do feel like a lot of the cravings are gone now, but I still don't feel safe keeping many types of food in the house because I spent so much of my life binge-eating/fantasizing about whatever was in the pantry. I just wish I could sleep on my stomach again I really miss that. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will finally be able to get back to my favorite sleeping position.

Short answer: you won't drop dead. Long answer: Your body is a wide array of complex processes, and not getting the right Protein and micronutrients/vitamins can set off a lot of unpleasant reactions you won't be aware of, and can ultimately hurt you and your weight loss efforts. I never really reach my nutritional goals, but when I do eat (ugh, it's such a chore sometimes, this eating thing, right?) I try to make sure I'm at least eating some protein. Here's why your body needs it: You want to break down your fat, right? It's a lot of tightly condensed carbs, which is why we try to stay low-carb/low simple-carb, because we wanna flush those suckers out of there. However, to help break down these fat cells, we need energy to do it. Where does that energy come from? Protein. Skip ahead. So you're not really getting your protein, but you figure "hey, so what? I'm losing weight anyhow!" Here's the issue: Your body will cannibalize your muscles to do it. Your scale may move, but you will be losing increasing amounts of muscle versus those dreaded fat cells you really want to go. As time passes, while you may feel great, there will be other symptoms that set it slowly. Malnutrition is a chronic beast that creeps up on you slowly, and that downing some Vitamins can't immediately fix. Your teeth might get loose. Your hair might thin a little. Your nails may not grow as fast. You walk around okay, but you head to a theme park and realize you get fatigued after long distances. Your bones, which as a woman are in a constant state of Calcium buildup and loss, will become more brittle, and it will be VERY difficult to fix this process. Do I think you can not follow the NUT's guide and be okay? Yes. Do I think you should try to get as close as possible and not simply brush off what someone has spent their entire life studying to try and help people like you? Yes. Just stick to it. Experiment with different foods. Don't give up entirely. We got fat because we were passive/lax with food choices. Don't let the same habits re-emerge now.

Belly gains weight first, belly loses weight last. It's practically a greek tragedy. Unless you're one of those pear-shaped women, in which case, I hate you (I don't actually, I'm just insanely jealous ).

7 weeks post-op, but I'm still not able to sleep on my stomach. Having 3842380 pillow and a body pillow helps a little, but some people simply aren't back-sleepers.

You're having a major organ removed! Of course you're going to worry, obsess, and overthink everything--there'd be something wrong with you if you strode into the hospital whistling without a care in the world . As far as reflux, the reviews are mixed. Mine was so bad prior to surgery that I'd wake up with vomit in my mouth. My esophagus and even my vocal cords suffered damage. Post-surgery, the problem is 100% gone. It was such a wonderful surprise. I was just hoping it wouldn't get worse, but I got this wonderful gift instead.

Strange menstruations can happen during drastic diet changes, but three periods in a month? That is something you definitely need to take up with your gyno, as this may be a result of other problems and not your surgery. Please get it checked asap!

You and food have not officially broken up! You're just on a break while you figure out how to have a healthy, non-destructive relationship. Don't ache and agonize over every meal you're not having -- just remember you can have those foods again when you've learned to eat appropriately. I hope you hear the echo over and over again of "it gets better," because it truly does! The first few weeks after surgery were the hardest for me in terms of craving. By week 5-6, food felt less important. I'm on week 7 now, and eating is a chore I must push myself to do. You got this, kid Feel free to regurgitate your woes and frustrations as much as you need. We're here for you.

It's different for everyone. A fifty-five year old woman in my facebook support group was up and bouncing around two days after surgery, sleeping comfortably on her side, and back at work in two weeks. Meanwhile, I'm half her age, confined to bed in total misery, no exercise nearly two months out, still can't sleep on my stomach or sleep very long, and hell, I had to call 911 when I was three days out of surgery because I fell and couldn't get up! Don't confuse pain, misery, and tough times for regret. They suck, and they suck worse when the people around you are cheerful and full of "advice." But that doesn't mean you've made the wrong choice. As the pounds melt away, this period will become smaller and smaller in your mind.

Don't worry, if symptoms persist or worsen, I'll call my surgeon or go to the ER asap, but I was wondering if anyone who *didn't* have their gallbladder removed during WLS experienced anything similar. I'm two months out, and for the past two days, I've had feelings of abdominal heaviness. Not pain, tenderness or even discomfort, just a feeling of fullness. I don't want to eat, I feel full faster than normal, and when I do eat, I sometimes have brief sensations of nausea (not something I ever had before). What makes this complicated is that I'm also finishing up menstruation (sorry dudes who read this ), so it's difficult to distinguish the symptoms from the usual cramped/bloated feelings from this time of the month (last month I don't remember having the same menstrual cycle symptoms, but I was only three weeks out of surgery then so everything still hurt!) Anyone have any perspective? Have you had symptoms even without a gallbladder? Anyone experience appetite/sensory changes during their period? Anyone have their gallbladder out a few months after surgery due to failure?

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm not feeling anything that acute yet, thank goodness.

Honestly, the first 2-3 weeks after surgery were when I felt hungriest. Gradually, the cravings subsided for me and I stopped opening the fridge fifty times a day staring longingly at everything. It gets better.

I was sleeved on 7/13, and I am only just beginning to be able to sleep on my side/stomach for a few hours at a time. Another person I know was laying on her side the day after! It varies from person to person.

Wow. That your doc is stating things that go so obviously against the research is a major red flag to me. I would consider a second opinion. My doc religiously pushes the duodenal switch because it costs more, has patients coming back to see him more often (he hates sleeve patients because they go on their way and he loses money on the lack of follow ups), and the weight loss can be higher (but the complications/malabsorption issues are also higher). When in doubt, shop around.