Rev Me Up!

Hey, you did it!!!!!! You'll be in a size 2 in no time :-) Keep us up to date on the surgery!! I just don't know if I will have the energy for a plastic surgery after all this, but I can use you for inspiration...

Hi, I had a tough pregnancy and a c-section, so I think I can relate. Surgery-wise, no contest - VSG is much easier. I was completely off pain meds of any type within 4 days. The only residual discomfort was from where the drain was. It was a weird ache in the morning when I got out of bed and lasted a few minutes. The duration got shorter and shorter. Gas pains suck, but I lived with my heating pad on me 24 hours a day and it absolutely made a difference. It felt so comforting - I slept with that heating pad for weeks :-) The hard part is the fact that you can't eat anything. I had really bad exhaustion (not everyone has this) for almost 8 weeks. So bad that I could barely hold my head up at work - seriously. Your tummy will sound like it is fighting with you when you drink Water. You may or may not like the taste of your liquid nutrition. This makes it mentally tough, but not painful like a C-section. Even though you do not have pain like a c-section, it is important to remember that your insides have significant incisions that are healing. Pay attention to the post-op diet and if something you eat makes you feel bad, stop eating it and try it again in a week or so. Good luck--

Everyone is so different :-) I am also 5'6", but I carry my weight in my stomach and my boobs. The stomach always means my pants have to be a much bigger size than anything else. I just bought a casual dress with an empire waist in a size small (?!?). Great because I am skinny on top (except for the boobs) and it skims over my stomach. I couldn't get close to a size 12 pants till I got down to 150 pounds. In underwear, I still wear a size large and my tummy can still overwhelm them. Just a fact of life for me... Nice to know we are not alone.

Hi Loou, Maybe I didn't catch it in your first post, but how long have you been battling with this 3 or so pounds? My first thought when I was reading your post is that you may need to add some carbs. It is excellent for the Fiber to clean you out and keep your brain sharp. Some people are more sensitive to carbs than others, but it really woudn't hurt to change it up a little. I have a little flax oatmeal and a couple of multi grain crackers or a little organic granola every day. Also, I don't really count calories, but I know I come in at least 900 and sometimes more. It sounds like your body has gotten used to your routine and you need to change it up. Also, never weigh yourself twice in one day. In fact, you should only weight once a week at the most. Your body can change daily from Water alone - it isn't a true measure of progress. I only weight first thing in the morning, after I go to the bathroom and before I take a shower. That way I know I am consistent. Hang in there!!

The first month is hard for all sorts of reasons. food longing is different for everyone. My shock was more about how I was terribly exhasted for up to 8 weeks after surgery. It was depressing. And, yes, I have had very frustrating moments when I wanted to eat something for an emotional reason and I knew I couldn't. It is hard because the sleeve forces you to do the RIGHT thing. It makes you do what you could not otherwise do on your own. This causes some emotional strain, but it is different for everyone. Good luck---

Honestly, I think every one of us had that fear at some point. I had never really been able to break 180 in the past. I breezed by it after surgery like it was nothing and a month after that I was in the 160's. At this point, being close to goal, I have really stopped thinking about myself as a weight "number". I am a little more concerned now about working and toning the parts of my body that are lagging behind. I am really happy at this weight and I now have faith that my body is going to settle in at a weight that is right for me. Stick to the program, Celebrate your little victories, and enjoy the ride :-)

I think it depends on the individual. Some people lose a lot of weight one week and then don't lose for a couple of weeks and then lose big the thirsd week. They may continue that pattern all the way through. Mine has been a consistent small amount every week. I have had a coupe of stalls, but they always break within a couple of weeks and I go back to my steady pace. I think it has more to do with your physiology than anything else. Good luck - it will start coming off again!

So sorry to hear about your dilemma. I found that, after my intial fill, I lost weight slowly for about 5 months and then it stopped. That was it. No amount of fills / unfills would do the trick. I always had a type of restriction that made food feel weird when I ate it, but then I could usually eat fairly normally after the first couple of bites. Of course, I couldn't eat anything healthy like chicken or raw vegetables. Dr Aceves was my revision surgeon and he is an exceptional physician. The tool is flawed. Make sure you check with the doc and see if there any any other suggestions they have for you. You can try more aggressive fill and see if it works. Hang in there!!

I can only speak for myself. My sleeve experience has been completely different from my band experience. I have had tremendous sucess with the sleeve. I can't really cheat because I feel AWFUL if I eat or drink something that doesn't agree with me. If you eat a meal and then try to drink water right afterwards, it will come right back up or it will hurt like hell until you get it out. Bread gives me terrible acid reflux. I just don't eat it anymore. It only takes once or twice with that extreme discomfort and you won't do it again. Also, the stomach is so small you really can't overeat. It gets full and then stuff simply won't go down. Completely different experience. Good luck---

I think it depends on how much weight you have to lose, but I have had unbelievable success with the sleeve that I never had with the band. I can't eat around my sleeve unless I eat tortilla chips. Seriously, its the only thing that slides. However, my sleeve curbs my appetite so much that it is easy for me to not eat them in the first place or not buy them and have them in the house. Everything else "bad" doesn't sit well with me and I don't want it. I crave chicken. I eat it all the time. This sleeve has absolutely set me up for success. I am coming up on my 6 months in a couple of weeks and I am 9.5 lbs away from my goal. I haven't really been working out and I don't count carbs / calories. I eat what feels good and I try to walk more. I really need to try and exercise to rebuild muscle and stamina but it hasn't affected my weight loss. Best thing I have ever done... no question.

Funny, I have had the same thing, but I didn't think about it very much. I don't get all my Water in so I thought it was because of limited fluids. However, I can drink a whole bottle of water in the hour and a half before bed, go to the bathroom once, and then sleep through the night without having to go again. I also don't have a huge amount of urgency first thing in the morning like I used to. It's pretty cool , actually.

I had a lap-band and it sucked. I did not have the bad complications most people do, but it didn't work and it hurt all the time. I couldn't eat healthy food. I was lucky to escape that situation with only scarring on my stomach and liver that was easily fixed in the hands of an exceptional surgeon. Did I mention that it sucked.? The sleeve has been a tool that actually works for me :-) Good luck--

FANTASTIC!! Just be prepared for the inevitable slow-down. The 3-5 week stall happens to a lot of people and you shouldn't let it got you down - you are doing AMAZING!!!!!

Hi All, I am 4 months out and have exactly 20 pounds to go before goal. I can say that, up until now, it has been pretty easy. I was eating as much as I could to get in the Protein and my restriction has kept me in check. Now I have hit my first stall and it isn't a secret as to why. Three things have happened in the last couple of weeks: 1) eating has gotten more comfortable. 2) boredom eating has returned. 3) I was prescribed one-time medication that kept me from going to the bathroom (you know what I mean) for 7 days. So let me address them one by one... 1) eating has gotten more comfortable. I knew it would happen sooner or later. What used to take 20 minutes of careful chewing now goes down in 5 minutes of fairly thorough chewing. Big difference. The discomfort really helped. I have found more foods that slide right through (shrimp chips are NOT ALLOWED in the house ever again!!). Now I have to re-focus my efforts on sticking with the stuff that is harder to eat and fills me up faster. I still love chicken, and that helps :-) 2) Boredom eating. I didn't realize it until yesterday, but I can eat every hour if I want to. When I am bored, that's what I do. My portions are small, but I can eat more often and I have a mental drive that pushes me to snack when I am bored. Bad. Really bad. I need to go back through what I am eating, pre-portion what I can have for the day, put it in a bag and have the determination to only eat what I have set aside for myself. its actually really easy when I am having a normal, somewhat stimulating day. But, lately, work has been unbelievably boring and I am straying off the path. The sleeve is still working for me because I don't really get hungry. It's my mind exploiting the fact that it is physically possible for me to eat!!!!! That's going to be tough... 3) The meds. Ugh! It was a one day thing (thankfully) but I still am feeling really bloated and haven't quite gotten back on schedule. I've been missing my daily oatmeal for various reasons and I am sure that's not helping. However this problem is a temporary one. I feel like I am going through a transition time with my sleeve. The eating comfort has changed and now I really have to dig deep to keep making healthy choices. Overall, it is not that hard. The sleeve is still doing what it has promised to do. It's the initial choice that I have to stay on top of. I need something else to do / think / say when I get bored so I don't immmediately go to the kitchen. Also, if I do go for a snack, if I grab some cold roasted chicken, I can really curb the rest of the craving. It's all about choices. What can I say... I am a work in progress.

You certainly don't have to explain it. I have had one tough experience with a restaurant giving me a hard time about not eating much. Ironically, it is in a more fancy establishment that they will wonder about it. I was at a very nice establishment one night and I ate my 6 bites of Protein and was very happy. The chef saw the plate when it went back to the kitchen and sent someone out to quiz me about the food. Did I like it? Was there something wrong with it? Is there something else they can get for me? It was embarrassing because I was with work colleagues who have no idea. I had to get stern with the guy and tell him to stop bothering me. For the most part, I only order appetizers now. Unless I am with my partner, then we split whatever he orders. Well intentioned, but very uncomfortable. Its no ones business.

It only seems like a long time because you want it so bad. The next year will go by quicker than you think and you will only be 31 - very young - and you will be more prepared for the journey to being a mom. Above and beyond the health issues, you have to also be prepared for a few months worth of sleepless nights - you definitely need your energy for that :-) Try and stick to one major life change at a time... Good luck

Such a tough one - it is a weird mental hurdle to be heavier than your man (from a womans perspective). Keep reassuring her that she looks good and that you still think she's sexy. Keep up with the affection and it will help ease her through this time. Keep it up and she'll start to accept it. Good luck--

The rice does not sit well with me - too sticky and starchy. Otherwise, it is quite healthy. I eat sashimi or special rolls, but I pick out the inside and leave the rice on the plate. Some places make "protein rolls" that are wrapped in cucumber slices - no rice. They are awesome!!!

Unfortunately, I think it is genetic. My middle has always been bigger than everything else at all sizes - even before childbirth and the sleeve. I know that my stomach will never be flat - it just won't happen. On the other hand, I am still ecstatic about the weight loss. It didn't change my "problem areas" it just made everything smaller. As a point of reference, my pants size is about a 12 and my top is a 10/8. If I didn't have the belly, I could be in a size 8 pants because I have no butt anymore and my legs are very thin. I just don't think I am up to getting a tummy tuck after all this. I have had 4 abdominal surgeries in the last 6 years and I am over it. We'll see how I feel after I am on maintenance.

No complications - my surgery went great and my recovery has had its ups and downs. It is hard to make the transition mentally to the small amount of food you can eat. I still can only eat about 5 bites of dense Protein. Bread and sweets make me feel bad. I crave chicken :-) I eat a lot of cheese. I never drink while I eat. I only drink Water, tea, and an occasional iced latte. My problem has always been water. I don't even come close to what I am supposed to drink. I don't take my Vitamins religiously. I never could get one Protein Drink down, but I eat a lot of protein in my regular diet. I don't exercise more than once or twice a week. However, I notice that all exercise is so much easier with the weight gone. Its an interesting journey, but I am really happy I did it.

My doc said I could wait 10 days before I started taking vitamins. Then I was doing chewable and sub-lingual. I still do chewables - the thought of swallowing a giant vitamin makes me gag.

Hi All, I have noticed over the last couple of weeks that I am really apathetic about eating. Nothing sounds good to me - ever. In trying to change it up a bit, I have eaten things like meat sauce, thin bagel toasted with cream cheese, different cheeses and they all give me major stomach discomfort. My acid comes to a boil on command after eating those things. The worst was the 3 bites of thin toasted bagel - holy crap that hurt for 20 minutes. I know the rules. The problem is that nothing interests me. I take 2 bites and then I don't want any more. Then I get dizzy / tired later in the day because I am running on fumes. For example, I tried to eat the post surgery staple: deli meat and cream cheese. Yuck! I ate one bite and couldn't face it any more. I used to love those... I should just put on my big girl pants, stick to the food that treats me right and get over it. At this point, I'm not sure if I am looking for advice or just looking to vent. Anyone else have general food disinterest beyond the 4 month mark? I am wondering if I need to double my PPi for a while and see if that doesn't make my stomach happier? I still take one omeprazole every morning. <sigh>

Thanks for the answers, folks - its good to know I'm not the only one. Still love my sleeve, but it is interesting how the relationship with food changes over time.

I was never able to get down the Protein drinks. I started drinking liquid yogurt and keifer to get in protein and good calories in the second week. Sometimes, all I could handle was vanilla flavored milk (the one in the juice box). Just make sure you keep up with liquids in general, the biggest problem right now would be dehydration. As you add more real food, your protein levels will go up. Hang in there---

Sip and walk, sip and walk!!! Congrats on your succesful surgery and good luck with your recovery. Take it easy, have some gas-x strips handy, and drink as much as you can :-)