MichelleInCA

Thanks for the Torani rec -- I'm getting some tonight for sure!

I eat the Trader Joe's non-fat, organic Greek Yogurt. 1 cup is 120 cal, 22 g Protein, 7 g carb, 0 fat. I add Splenda for sweetness. Does anyone try other add-ins for flavor to plain yogurt?

Speaking as a patient, I really dislike the look of suspicion on nurses' or doctors' faces when I've asked for pain meds. I feel like I have to apologize or explain myself. I've never abused and sure don't want to be on the drugs. I can't imagine getting surgery just to score meds, does that really happen? I went to the ER with a herniated disk once and it was only when the doc could see my back muscles spasming that he was sure I wasn't just trying to score drugs. I was in agony with my arm up in the air. That's a sad state of affairs! What surprised me for the VSG surgery was they didn't have any prescriptions to help me sleep, yet they told me not to use the button unless I really needed it, even though it did help me sleep for a bit. The effect being I was awake most of the night, with people coming in to change IV bags, check vitals, take blood etc. I lost count of how many times I had to ring for help -- IV alarm is going off, I need to pee, etc. Everyone was very nice, but wow, I couldn't wait to get home for some sleep!

Just out of curiosity, how do you know if the patient is in pain while they're under anesthetic? Is it by heart rate or something? When I woke up I recall complaining about pain in one of the incisions. I told them it was a 4 AND that I wanted some pain medication. That probably didn't make sense, 4 not being very high, but the surgeon checked on me, and they gave me a 'bolus', whatever that is! They gave me IV Tylenol and an advil-like anti-inflammatory during my stay. Those worked better than the pain button. Surgeon said it sounds retro, but it's 'very 2014' that they're reducing narcotics and going more toward traditional pain meds. I took Loritab for 4 days after surgery, then it was fine. Maybe I'm in the middle. I worked out a lot before surgery and was at work 8 days after.

MadamPrincess24 Are you drinking your Protein shakes and Water? I don't think eating some liquified food is going to ruin your sleeve, but the fact you're so hungry makes me wonder if you're eating what you're supposed to first. I was very shaky and hungry for about 8 days, but now at 11 days out I'm feeling much better as far as hunger. I know I needed to tell myself not to eat anything I shouldn't for 1 more hour or even 1 more minute. Just take it a bit at a time and don't throw it all away for a couple of mistakes. That's my advice anyway.

Thank you StayingStrong, I'm nearly 2 weeks out and your experience is very encouraging to me! I have terrible head hunger and cravings, even though physically I'm adjusting really well to the low calories. I really want something to chew on. What pureed foods are you enjoying now?

It's amazing how every surgeon defines the food stages differently. My currents stage is 'full liquids' but includes yogurt, pudding, etc. My next phase (I hope Tuesday) is pureed foods, not solids yet. Still I'm looking forward to it so much, never thought I would. Today is my best day as far as feeling less tired and also less hungry. Yesterday was rough that way, I think because I had a Protein shake as breakfast/lunch together, with a pudding snack. I didn't want to bring two shakes to work! I hope with pureed food I can bring a tasty lunch. I also worry about eating too much because liquids are going down easy for me and I'm afraid food will too. But most people report they're full on a few bites so I'll be positive that I'll have the same reaction. So far the sleeve is helping me be committed to my food plan more than I ever have before, even with the gastric band. Yay sleeve!

I did -- I had them both done last Wednesday. That's typical for my surgeon. I've VERY happy I didn't go through two surgeries, two hospital stays, two rounds of pain. Ironically the largest and most painful incision was the one to remove the port. I had a Realize band, which has a large port, and it had some (normal) scar tissue around it.

You've done far better on the band than I ever did -- I lost just 40 lbs and gained it back over 6 years. It just didn't work for me to curb hunger, at all, and I had horrible reflux. I'm only 1 week out from the conversion to sleeve, but I feel the sleeve has a more natural feeling when I drink (havent' eaten yet). I don't have to force it down my esophagus like I did with the band. But the big thing is I'm not hungry like I was with the band. Really barely hungry at all on 600 cals/day! Maybe you'll find it easier to lose the rest of your weight. Of course it's your decision, but I think you'll do great with the sleeve.

I think she was aiming at behavioral factors and what's she's seen in her practice. After a year she feels the weight loss tapers off whether the person has reached goal or not. Maybe because of stomach stretching, maybe because some hunger hormones return? I'm not sure. I had the band and it didn't work for me. She was telling me not to waste this second chance, to go at it hard and get it over with. Some tough love

Yes, drinking right after eating can wash the food through, leaving you hungry. My program teaches no drinking 1/2 hour before to 1 hr after eating. I guess this is more important once you're eating more solid food and are healed.

My NUT wouldn't give a number either, but I'm at about 650 cals/day 1 week after surgery. That's less than half of what I ate before the pre-surgery diet. I'll be very happy if I can stay satisfied on < 800 until I'm done losing. I think the low calories is to make sure your body stays in ketosis -- where you're really burning fat. My surgeon told me to think of this as a sprint, not a marathon. That I have 1 year to get most of my excess my weight off, and her experience is if you don't get most of it off in a year, you aren't ever going to. So she said just push through it and know it's not forever at this level. So far the sleeve is keeping me from being anywhere near as hungry as I would have been before. I feel a bit shaky but not hungry. I want to ride this as long as possible...

I would suggest you consult another surgeon, honestly. Your condition sounds very unusual to me and rather unsafe as well. Maybe make some calls to a different hospital or university surgery department to get consultation? If I were you I would start finding other experts to help me asap. 86 lbs in such a short time is really extreme. I wish you well.

I can't believe we're all within 20 miles of each other, we should meet up some time! My surgeon is Dr. Foster from Mills Penn. hospital, but she works at El Camino too which was great since it's 10 mins from my house. As far as time off, I could've taken several weeks, but then I know what would be waiting for me when I got back. Plus I told most colleagues I'm on vacation, so I can't be gone too long. Actually I've already been answering email all week so it's like I'm telecommuting anyway. Sigh. Was a bit hungry today, but got through it okay. Hope you're doing well!

Hello, fellow Bay Area folks! I live in the South Bay and my surgery was at El Camino Hospital, which was great. They told me I could have yogurt, kefir, pudding, etc. It was my idea to try hummus -- it's so smooth, what could it hurt? Haha, now I know. Thanks for the tip on frozen Protein shakes, that sounds pretty good! I can't do Stage 3 until I see my doc next Tuesday. At least I think that's what I'm supposed to do, I find it hard to keep it all straight. Can't wait to puree some tuna and veggies, or anything besides protein powder! I can't imagine what I'd do at home until May 29, but good for you kpay10 for having a whole month off, that's great!

My surgery was April 30th too, hello everyone! First day was rough, I was so out of it. Hated having to ask a nurse for help to pee every hour all night, so I really wanted out of there. Got out the next afternoon, and I've been feeling better each day. I'm off work still, but I'm really bored so I might go back tomorrow, which is silly I know. But having free time gives me more time to fantasize about all the foods I want to eat, lol. I'm so sick of Protein shakes, my word. I'm having 2 per day and tomato Soup for lunch, which hasn't bothered me. But today I had a bite of smooth hummus mixed with low-fat sour cream, and wow, that was a mistake. Straight to the bathroom - so I guess I'm one who will have dumping syndrome. But that's okay, the more trouble I have eating the better for now. I've lost 5 lbs since surgery and lost 7 in the 2 weeks before, so I'm happy with 12 lbs. Most of all I'm happy I don't have the starving feeling I used to get when I didn't eat much. It's far easier than before, and I had the band in before so this is definitely better for me so far.

Hi MissyP1, I had the exact same problems with the band, which I got in 2008. I never felt full -- just pressure and stuck like you. I gained back nearly all of the 40 lbs I lost, so last summer I got it unfilled and then started working on all the steps to get the sleeve. I just got sleeved Wednesday 4/30. So it's too early for me to say how it's going to work. But so far, sipping Water and Protein shakes, and protein pudding, I'd say it's already easier to get down than it was with the band filled. And that's just 2 days after surgery. My doc told me it would simply feel more natural and it does so far (aside from the recovery pain of course). Also I haven't felt hungry yet and I'm eating very little. So that's a very short bit of data, but your band experience resonated very strongly with me!

After putting it off for 2 years because I didn't want to be lectured about gaining weight back, I went to see my surgeon last July. She cheerfully informed me her practice had stopped doing bands in 2010 because the success rate is so low! Based on my severe GERD she unfilled my band right then, rather than adding fill like I'd expected. It was an immediate relief. From 2 Prilosec/day to 1 every 2 days or even longer. Since then I've done all the steps and paperwork (tedious!) to get approved for a revision to the vertical sleeve. My plan said 'okay', and my surgery is set for April 30! While I'm not looking forward to the surgery, I am really hopeful I'll be far more successful with the VSG. In the meantime I've been working out with a trainer since September and am as strong as I can be, even if my weight has stayed the same. With no fill in the band, I'm grateful for no weight gain at this point. I'll let you all know how it goes, please all of you do the same!

thin2bme, thank you so much for your reply. I was worried that the sleeve will bring back my reflux, which is gone since my band was unfilled. So it's great to hear that didn't happen for you. The band has never really helped me avoid hunger, it just makes it harder to swallow. So that aspect sounds great as well. 68 lbs in less than one year is amazing -- pat yourself on the back, wow!! Anyway my insurance will pay for a second procedure if the weight loss from the first one was not very good, which is the case for me. I'm just trying to get all the documentation together, and then I plan to go for it! Thanks so much again for your story. It's very inspiring for the new year

I'm in the same boat as you, Tess. I didn't lose much weight with the band, while I had frequent issues with vomiting and stuck food. I also had terrible acid reflux even with 2 Prilosec per day. I finally went back to my surgeon, and she told me they stopped doing bands altogether two or three years ago! They found that too many people were forming strictures under the band that were keeping the passageway too small, or something like that. In previous visits she would dismiss my problems as eating the wrong foods or eating incorrectly. This time she was far more understanding. Rather than tighten my band as I had expected, she loosened it by several cc. This cured my acid reflux instantly, and I haven't thrown up since. The downside is the weight has been creeping up due to lack of restriction. I also got many blood tests and swallow tests and all looks okay. I'm doing all I can to get approved for the sleeve revision. The surgeon said they have had great success, and that it feels more natural to patients while their appetites are far reduced. I hope I can get it early in 2014 but so far it's taking forever to even learn what the requirements are. Meanwhile I've started working out with a personal trainer and am getting stronger physically. The weight doesn't want to come off, though. Good to hear from a few folks!

If you were having trouble swallowing before, it's no surprise it's worse after a fill. I'd say you should try an unfill, maybe .5 cc? You can't be satisfied on liquid food only, because it goes through the pouch too fast and leaves you empty. I'm in the same boat as you... Got fills to the point I felt some restriction to my intake, but was pb'ing 4-5 times/week, while still feeling hungry. Did an unfill of 1 cc, and now I can eat like a horse. On doctor's advice, I eat salads twice/day to fill the pouch, but then get hungry again in an hour or two. Going back this week and will ask for a .5 cc fill, am hopeful it'll be about right. In the meantime have come to realize this is just another diet program, but with a bit of physical help. That's how I see it now anyway.

I was banded over a year ago and haven't achieved much so far -- about 40 lbs lost, some of that before surgery. Lately gained a few lbs. As I got filled enough for restriction (about 8 cc in Realize band), then solid food would often get stuck in my throat and I PB'd nearly every day. Yet if I ate mushies I could eat a ton without getting full. The pattern was, either stuck food/medicine and hunger, or overeating of soft food. So the doc did a slight unfill, saying I probably have a "low motility" esophagus that can't push food down against the pressure of the band. Eventually the esophagus would have given up and dilated if I hadn't had the unfill. The 1 cc unfil was night and day -- now it's almost like I have no band. I have followed her advice to eat a lot of salad to fill up the pouch with healthy food, but still I've been putting on weight because it's so easy to overeat. So now I'm going back for a fill again, but I know I'll just be back to not being able to take pills or eat solid food. Sigh. Anyone else had this problem of the esophagus not cooperating? I'm wondering if I need to get a full gastric bypass or something... :grouphug:

Thanks so much for sharing that. Very interesting, especially since I'm not really a bypass candidate because I also have Crohn's disease (go figure). So the sleeve doesn't require such a strong esophagus, and you were successful with it? I have a lot of questions but I'll go read up on the sleeve before I bother you with them. :grouphug:

Hi all, I'm away from home and seem to have the flu or food poisoning. I can drink Water, but I can't keep it down. I keep having waves of nausea followed by vomiting (I already emptied from the other end, too). Of course the vomiting doesn't do much because the band doesn't let anything come up. Meanwhile I'm scared the violent retching is going to hurt my stomach near the band, or dislodge it or something. Has anyone had the flu or uncontrolled vomiting? What did you do? Thanks so much, I'm starting to panic a bit here.

I managed the T part of BART just fine. I'm just about back to normal now. Thanks again everyone. I'm not sure I understand how the vomiting thing works with a band in there but it still seems very tight so I guess it didn't slip! Next time I'll know not to force Water if it's not staying down. Dry heaving through a band is a brutal experience!