Finding_Stacy

Congratulations and welcome to the community!

This weekend I'm going to try making cauliflower pizza crust. Only 2 net carbs a serving, but for us, 0 carbs since we would eat a quarter of that. Gosh, I love this restriction.

I'm currently--well, was--enjoying a deep dish pizza right now. I think I ate two ounces of mozzarella cheese and I'm done. Still didn't try the crust or anything. So you didn't feel any ill effects from the garlic bread?

There should've been a warning label that came with this surgery: No longer taking people's **** is a major side effect . Have you tried eating bread, or anything starchy like that, yet? I read and heard that can get stuck in your throat. I haven't yet. I still live under a great fear of so many things going wrong, or me losing my way, that it keeps me eating what I know is easy. I'm not that adventurous. I probably eat 1 1/2 chicken breasts a day because I know I can. For some reason I can eat three ounces of chicken but only half of a scrambled egg.

This sleeve queen is down 29 pounds today since surgery and 43 since 4/15. It's funny, my husband wanted to know what I wanted to do for Mother's Day and everything I thought of, because we did before, revolved around food. I'm in strange territory. What did you do Sunday?

FYI, I upped my fluids yesterday by 20 oz and dropped two pounds. Now, if it's connected, I don't know.

I love you too and you make me laugh. Sleeve Queen . I am doing well. You never realize how bad you used to feel until you suddenly start getting better. Hell, my big butt tonight was pulling weeds for an hour. Bending over and everything and I didn't even topple over once! How are you doing? Oh, I made the most delicious dinner tonight. I made an aluminum boat and put a Perdue Italian chicken breast in it with a pat of kerrygold butter, garlic powder, pepper, and a few frozen green beans on top. Sealed it tight and baked it for 40 minutes. So tender and flavorful!

My surgery was the same day and I lost 25 pounds the first week and a half, and only two in the last week. Even if I don't lose another pound in the next week, I'm pretty proud of losing 27 pounds since 4/24. That's crazy. No wonder the body's taking time to figure out what the hell is going on. Also, when we're not seeing the loss on the scale, it doesn't mean you're not losing fat. When fat gets depleted, the cells fill with water before getting flushed out. That's why you may see inches lost but no change on the scale. To flush that water out you need to up your liquids--I know, it's hard as it is but it's effective and necessary. But from here on out, the normal weight loss per month is 5-20. I wish we could lose every month like that first. I guess if you want to stay on liquids you probably could--but who wants that?!?!

I can't wait to work with a personal trainer. For right now, I'm walking a mile a day. Soon, I'll work up with a mile in the morning and a mile after dinner, then move up to 2 in the morning and 2 after dinner. Also right now, I'm doing 20 flights of steps (takes me all day) at home. I didn't think anything was really working, but last weekend I was at an auditorium in our city and I ran up two flights of stairs to get to the second floor. Two months ago I would've been doubled over after one flight. It's amazing how fast the body heals and moves forward.

Some of you may already have tried this, but this morning I threw in my magic bullet a Bananas and Cream Premier Protein shake, 3 teaspoons of Jif's peanut powder, and 2 teaspoons of Benefiber--and it was DELICIOUS. It's a nice changeup from the standard flavors I've been drinking for the last month.

I've seen on YouTube's vsg videos that some people struggle with lunch meat. When you're feeling brave again, see if you can eat that deli ham by itself. That' might've been your culprit.

Every doctor and hospital does it differently. They had me on clear fluids two hours after surgery and purees by the second day--including scrambled eggs. I'm three weeks out today and had four bites of a hamburger patty last night and totally fine. It's just different doctors, different strokes.

I'm 3 weeks out today and I guzzled three big drinks of ice cold water this morning. Soon you'll put your sipping days behind you.

Wow, you poor thing. You have been through a lot. I'm sorry you're feeling like this. To answer your question about the pain in your upper right side, it sounds like your gallbladder. If I were you, I'd shoot the doctor's office an email or call tomorrow morning and let them know. I had my surgery 4/24 and some days I hit my water intake and some I don't. It's life. It's hard and all of this is a learning curve for us. All you can do is wake up and try to do better the next day. That's the easy part. The hard part is the emotional side with your husband leaving and I have zero advice for that, but I do lend you my sympathy. Hopefully, everyday will get easier than the last and make sure you vent your feelings often. Try to do one thing just for you everyday and put any and all sadness in a letter for him. You don't even have to mail them, but once you write it down you get a release. Good luck and I'm pulling for you. And, if you're a momma, Happy Mother's Day

I hit it last week and stalled for six days. Try drinking more water if you can and up your exercise. I think that's what jump started it for me.

I did. I had my surgery three weeks ago tomorrow and I'm so glad my gallbladder is out. I guess I had so many attacks in the past that it triggered pancreatitis, and now I have scarring on my pancreas. It was a mess. But this is the first time in four years where I don't hurt, so it's so worth it. If you've had problems with your gallbladder, get it out. If you don't do it during surgery, there's a good chance you'll be having a second surgery within a month to get it out.

Wow, you guys have done incredible! I had my surgery 4/24 of this year, so it's neat to see you guys just had your one year and you've lost an obscene amount of weight. So, how does the restriction feel a year out? Is it harder to stay on plan?

Wow, what a unique case because you're not really over weight anymore. So, I guess the question is, do you feel the band is the reason you were able to keep your weight off? If so, having it taken out and having nothing in it's place could propose a major problem. On the flip side, if you feel like you need restriction in order to maintain, the sleeve is a great choice. I'm actually a little surprised insurance will pay for it, now that I'm thinking about it. Good luck to you. I can't imagine this is an easy decision.

What multivitamin are you on? I take two Centrum for women gummies everyday and they're delicious!

I had my surgery at 364 and in three weeks I'm already 338--and I'm only 5'5. Try the 20 net carbs again. Like someone else said, the sick feeling you had was more than likely the crap detoxing out of your body. When you know that, it makes it a little easier to go through. It should only last five to seven days, but afterwards you'll get energy like never before. Try drinking a premier protein shake within an hour of waking up or eating a high protein breakfast. I think many of us fat people skipped breakfast, and other meals, which lead to a poor metabolism. By getting protein in your body within an hour of waking, your revving up your metabolism for the rest of the day. Also, make sure you're taking a B complex-50. It's a metabolism support vitamin which helps a lot. You can do this. Good luck!

I just had my vsg surgery at the University of Chicago last month. Where are you having your surgery at?

Completely normal. Like everyone else said, educate yourself thoroughly going in, and also, stay away from what can go wrong. I, myself, never read any of that stuff because I didn't even want it in my head. I watched a ton of before and afters on YouTube, so as on surgery day, I was actually giddy with excitement. Yes, I was still nervous, but I was 95% ready to start a new life and reclaim myself again. So, I say, hit the YouTube's before and afters and that will reenergize your decision, pushing those wayward thoughts to the back of your mind where they belong. Good Luck!!

So, I'm currently enjoying a decaf ice brewed coffee with an unsweetened vanilla shot in it. My future self answered my old self's question 😏. Actually, I've been drinking 2-3 oz of decaf after the first week.

I'm curious how soon after surgery have some of you drank coffee again? I love my coffee. I don't drink it all day, maybe two cups at most a day, but am sad that this might be it between my delicious warm beverage and my morning hands. Also, if you drink coffee, what do you use instead of half n half, or do you use half n half still?

Carbs will only cause you to crave more carbs. That's why I can't believe mashed potatoes, oatmeal, and cream of wheat are on the pureed diet menu. For puree, make yourself some cream of broccoli soup with Fairlife milk or something similar. You probably need something satisfying to calm the head hunger down.