LL15

So, I am 16 months post-op and yes, I do indulge in whatever I want to eat SOMETIMES. I think that is key. This is not a diet for me but a forever way of life now. With that said, I can't imagine never again having a slice of pizza, a cookie or glass of wine. I do, however, plan these things and make the meals before and after super strict, increase my water intake and activity, etc. If I find cravings triggered, which they do, I get strict again. I do not find the occasional indulgence as much of a problem for me but the grazing. I have to constantly kick my own butt with that, although I graze mostly on fresh veggies or cold shrimp. It is still a bad habit that will derail my train. I think mentally planning for an occasional treat helps. I do not indulge just because someone brought a treat into the break room or something looks yummy in the check out isle. I also do not bring left overs of an indulgence home or cook anything more than we will eat unless my husband swears to eat it immediately. Once is a treat, twice is a really bad choice for me.

I was sent home the morning after surgery from my sleeve. The post op pain was not bad at all, mostly some soreness and gas pain. I took nothing for pain for 2 days and then had soreness at my upper incision so I took a dose of my pain medication at night for two nights. They only sent me home with 3 doses of liquid pain medication so they don't expect much problem with pain either. If you avoid it and take only acetaminophen, which I think is completely doable, do not take pills. You will need to buy the liquid children's formula and convert your dosage. And NO Advil, ibuprofen, etc. Only acetaminophen. I could have totally done it without any meds but wanted a little more comfort to sleep.

I recently went on a 2 week vacation and had already decided that I would do the best I could do but would also enjoy myself with food and drink. I made smart choices most of the time, like fresh peel and eat shrimp, grilled foods, etc. But I did have several drinks, fresh margaritas, wine.....all of the really bad drinks. I had a 19 hour car ride each way and arrived home to about a 2 pound gain. I was pleased. 2 days later I was down 5 pounds, which was also a 3 pound drop from the stall I had been in prior to vacation (I had stalled for about a month). I am a firm believer that my body sometimes needs a kick start or a break, so if I stall I may have a little cheat day on occasion to give my metabolism a slight kick start.

I was 8 or 9 days but did not have pain or bloating. I had to do a bowel prep the day before surgery so I was not surprised in the 9 days. I was taking in nothing of significance and my body was just using it all. I started a stool softener after a couple weeks but that did not seem to help. Milk of Mag does if you need to go. My doc told me that I can expect to go about every 3 days or so from here out, which he feels is normal. I was sleeved in October.

I think you will find that you will not miss some of these things as much as you are already missing them now. I was worried about wine the most, knowing that beer was off limits. I drink it on occasion, no where near the quantity I did before and guess what.....I don't really want it anymore. A glass or two over a weekend is a lot for me now. Before, I would have a bottle a day with my husband and a couple bottles to myself on the weekend (my husband is a musician and we spend a lot of time in bars and wineries). I would rather have some water or Gatorade. And what is a sandwich.....the bread has little taste and just holds everything in place. Waste of calories. I have not yet enjoyed pizza or pasta but I will, just not often. I eat like a bird but am only about 5-6 weeks post-op. What I dreaded before surgery and mourned the first couple of weeks after surgery, I now embrace. I don't focus on food anymore, I eat because I need to. Not because I want to. I would love for it to remain this way! The mental aspect of this is hard at first, but physically it was really easy (or much easier than I expected.) I don't focus on what I can't have anymore because honestly I can have just about anything I want. I just don't want it like I did. Plus, you learn really fast how to feel your full trigger and stop!

I was sleeved on October 17th and can tolerate eating just about whatever I want....in tiny amounts, however. (I get to try salad in 2 more days and can't wait.) Last week, I had a bout with a stomach bug and was pretty nauseated for a few days. The only thing that sounded good to me to eat was a DQ cheeseburger. So I had two last week (different days). With unsweet tea. Nothing else, no sides. Of course, I couldn't eat the whole burger but it did taste good to me when nothing else did. I will not avoid fast food totally, it is a convenience in life when traveling. I do hope to be able to plan around it and choose well.

My surgeons office has only had one other patient do the patches and reported to me that they had good results. They are ordering some labs on me early to see where my levels are at the 3 month mark as opposed to waiting 6 months if they are not enough. I think a large nutritional variance can come with oral vitamins and minerals as well. Some just make expensive pee. I will let you guys know! I hope they work for me because they are so easy!

I heard it the week I came back to work at about 9 days post-op. I was only down about 10-12 pounds but I think I had lost a lot of bloat from my face. I could already tell in my belly as well.

I am using the patches but was only sleeved in October. I wear 3, a multi-vit, B12 and D vitamin. They are a cloth patch and I find that they can wear off kind of easily under a sweatshirt if they are on my arm so I am cautious as to where I place them. I like the convenience because I hate taking pills and knew that I wouldn't. I have not had labs yet so I'm not sure if they are doing the job and my surgeons office basically had no opinion on them good or bad.

I was also sleeved on the 17th and have slowed down and stalled and go up and down daily now. I am at about 22# total since the surgery date. No problems with my recovery and went back to work in a week. Everyone notices my weight loss which gets awkward because I have told only a handful of people what I had done. I guess in that sense I'm glad the weight loss is going slower. Clothes are fitting better and my belly is much smaller! I too had a lot of "hunger" the second and third week, but my surgeon reassured me that this was impossible since he had essentially removed my stomach. He said it was stomach acid and juices which makes sense because as soon as I take a drink of anything it stops.

I am the 17th also! I do clear liquids on the 16th and then ready to go!