S@ssen@ch

I'm with Matt. 32 lbs in 1 month is awesome! Why fret about something before it happens? I also was never advised to monitor my macro nutrients. Here's what I was told: Get 45-60g of protein every day. *Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I don't sweat it. Try to keep complex carbs "low", but they didn't specify what that is. From others, I set my own threshold on that at 25-30. Get minimum of 8 glasses of water per day. *again, sometimes I hit that, and sometimes I don't. Matt's also right about 400 calories being mighty low. Aside from my immediate post-op recovery, I don't think my caloric intake was ever THAT low. Eventually your body will think it's in some sort of starvation mode and stall your progress. I try to NEVER compare myself to others. My journey before, during, and after has been my own and unique to me. Comparisons only set me up for emotional distress and lead to failure.

Not sure it's healthy to compare. Everyone is different. There are too many factors that come into play when we're talking about weight loss. Personally, I'm OK with the slow weight loss. Would I like it to be faster? Certainly, but I accept the consequences of the fact that I'm probably more relaxed with my diet plan than most. I feel great, my clothes fit better, I have more energy and ambition. I'm just all around in a better place, and isn't THAT what it's all about? Health and happiness? If you must compare: I had gastric sleeve revision surgery about a month after you. I've lost 40 lbs since surgery. Not to harp on the not comparing theme, but our experiences may be different. I didn't have a direct revision. I had my lap band out in 2009 and tried to go it alone. I was doing well maintaining until I had some major life events that had a devastating effect on my waistline. I also noticed that my starting weight was much higher than yours.

There have been times that I ate Tums like candy. My husband thought I liked them so much that I was just eating them for fun! Never got kidney stones. I think the key is to make sure you're also getting enough fluids to flush the kidneys, but that's just my rationalization in my mind. I also started getting heartburn around 3 weeks that developed into some pretty uncomfortable night time reflux. Nexium keeps the heartburn at bay, but the night time reflux remained. So, I did some research on natural ways to manage GERD and discovered that there are a lot of options. I never tried the lemon juice/baking soda above, BUT I do regularly drink hot water with lemon (like a tea) not only because it's good for health, but I genuinely like it. Aside from all of the supplements that have been shown rather effective, I'd say the thing that made the most difference for me was sleeping on an inclined bed. I'm not talking about sleeping sitting up or propped up, I mean put bricks under the feet of the head of your bed. I upped the head of my bed 5 or 6 inches and suffer no more! Seriously, can't advocate more for IBT https://inclinedbedtherapy.com/ Here's another link I used to help develop my GERD fighting regime http://doctorakil.com/heartburn/ I highly recommend DGL for effective rescue relief. I'd say it's better than TUMS. I'd say that it's OK to take Tums as a rescue relief, but you'll want to look into long term treatment.

7 months! I'll be bald at this rate!

I have the same issue. Hair loss started at 3 mos. I'm at 5.5 mos out and it still seems to be going. Almost every time I wash I get a handfulls, handfulls fall onto my shoulders and gather on my combs/brushes. My loose hairs are everywhere! I dread washing my hair because I hate seeing it and every once in a while I'm rewarded with minimal loss. My hair looks terrible. I am running out of creative ways to hid the thinning hair. I can see my scalp and as much as I like having shoulder-length hair, I think I'm going to have to cut it off to a bob.

Advil is a NSAID, NSAID's increase your risk for gastric ulcers. With your smaller stomach, the NSAID itself stays in the stomach longer and increases that risk. Most bariatric surgeons advise against use of NSAIDs in sleeved and bypass patients. But, every surgeon is different and has different post-operative advice. So, double-check with your surgeon. Other NSAIDs: aspirin, naproxen (Aleve)

Right after surgery, I was a little afraid to take pills. So for about a month or so, I did everything I could to avoid. I did the vitamin patches, tried to get chewable or gummy anything else I had to take. I even crushed things or opened capsules and put the powder on pudding/yogurt to swallow down. By the time I was on regular food again, I was taking normal size pills. At first, I took them 1 at a time, but now...I just put them in my mouth and swallow them down. I usually try to take them with food or within 15-20 minutes of eating. I find that if I take them on an empty stomach, I regret it: I taste the pills, I burp up medicine burps, get heartburn, or even get nauseated. The largest pill I take is a gel-cap that's 3/4 inch long. The most I take at one time is 5. That's 2 reg size capsules + 2 small gel caps + an iron pill. Right now, I'm still doing gummy MVI's, but when those are gone, I think I'm going back to my normal size multivitamin.

Thank you Missourie-Lee's Summit. This is good information and in-line with my personal experience. I have more GERD symptoms after lying down and I have had to change my dietary habits to combat GERD, but it's much more manageable than it was with the lapband. Besides, making dietary changes isn't much of a hardship when you're already making so many to adjust to the bariatric surgery.

I had lapband in 2005. Had it removed in 2009. Sleeved 4/10/18. My immediate post-op experience after being sleeved was rough. Surgeon said I had a lot of scar tissue from the lapband, which took him almost twice as long as a normal sleeve to take care of. That means I was under anesthesia longer than usual, so I was REALLY groggy for about 12 hours after surgery. I had no energy to get up and walk like the others on my hospital unit. I had no desire to sip-sip-sip and I think I looked a bit like I'd been hit by a truck. I certainly felt that way. Once I got through the immediate post op part, I returned to normal pretty quickly. Other than some fatigue, I was feeling back to normal after about 6 days. I went through the normal progression from clear liquids to full liquids to mushies to soft, etc. When comparing the two, I'd say that the sleeve has a lot more restriction. After a certain amount, I simply cannot eat. If I do, I suffer with discomfort and a lot of foam/saliva/slime. I was never able to tolerate fills in my band, so this was something relatively new to me. If you have any sort of GERD, I caution. The sleeve tends to make GERD worse. I'd say it's a little hit or miss in that department, but it's certainly something to discuss with your surgeon. I started getting heartburn about 3 weeks out and I've had some times where I was really worried about nighttime reflux, but I seem to have it under control right now. As a revision surgery, it is likely you will lose slower this time around. I read it on here and I read other information on the internet, but was still disappointed at the slow weight loss. I'm certainly happy it's coming off, but it is much slower than first timers.

I'm more than 5 months out and I still like yogurt for breakfast. Granted, I spruce it up with chia seeds, granola, and unjury. On weekends I change it up. Eggs, oatmeal, cereal, cottage cheese. If my husband treats me to a breakfast out, I might have a bite of muffin or pancakes with my bacon and egg. To keep from getting bored with the yogurt, I only eat it on days I work. Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

For the 8 days you're not cleared to drive, the most advanced diet you'll be in is probably full liquids and you won't need a whole lot of it. Besides, most of us experience a change in tastes after surgery. I myself loved Premier Protein shakes pre-op and willingly drank them every day. Now, I can't stand looking at them. Suggest, get yourself some SF jello and a broth that you like. Have a couple varieties of protein shakes so that you have a choice. Consider maybe some frozen items like SF Popsicles and SF ice cream/frozen yogurt. You will likely get tired of sweet things and crave savory, so get a couple cream-type soups to have on hand for variety. As a priority, make sure you have a plan for getting fluids in. I'm OK with water and I tend to drink a lot of herbal teas, but if you don't, get some water flavorizers like MIO or crystal light. Do not stock up like you're planning on the apocalypse. You won't need much for those first few days.

I'm wondering if you might have a stricture. Yes, it could be all those infectious things like GreenTealael posted above, but if you've never been able to eat certain meats or certain carbs and you can't get your fluids down, I suspect a stricture. ER is OK if your immediate concern is dehydration (and it sounds like it might be), but certainly f/u with your surgeon.

This made me chuckle because at about the same place post operatively, I felt the same way. I took it VERY slow and seemed to get stuck in a "soft" food phase because quite honestly, I liked it. For alternatives to cheese and peanut butter for protein sources, I started with eggs. SOFT scrambled eggs. Hard boiled can be a little much at first. Other choices: refried beans, hummus and lentils. In terms of actual meat: tuna or canned salmon are a good soft proteins. I enjoyed shredded chicken, sometimes from a can and sometimes from my crock pot (so soft it probably belongs in a soup). At almost 2 months out, you should be at a point where you can try almost anything. Always remember, when you're trying something for the first time to take it slow. You never know when something won't quite agree. I don't do well with dry meats. Had a pork chop this week, too dry. Managed 2 bites and that was it.

I had lap band in 2005. Had it removed in 2009. Had sleeve surgery this year, April 10th. My surgeon said that the scar tissue from the lap band was pretty bad and it took him almost twice as long to do my surgery than it would have taken without the lap band history. So, my recovery didn't start out very smooth. I had a quite a bit of pain and found it very difficult to walk or sip during my little time in the hospital. That being said, I had my surgery 2 states over and had to fly to/from the surgery center. I had a friend with me, but when we returned home, it was dark and she has night blindness. So, 2 days after surgery, I was driving home from the airport. I was uncomfortable, but perfectly capable. *I was NOT on narcotic pain medications. I would say the biggest risk factor to driving soon post operatively would be whether or not you are on pain medications that affect your cognitive abilities. If so, you shouldn't be driving anyhow, regardless of your recent surgery. Secondly, anytime you are on the road there is risk involved. If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident with fresh surgical incisions, that may complicate things more. Certainly something to consider.

I had GERD before sleeve surgery. In the past, I had some pretty bad bouts of it where it caused chest pain. I also had GERD pretty bad with the band. I'd also go long periods with nothing, so it was a mystery. When I started looking into another bariatric surgery, my surgeon cautioned me, but continued to perform pre-op testing. The doctor felt that my GERD was "situational", meaning that it was related to diet and obesity. So, we decided it was worth the risk, but he warned that there were no guarantees that I wouldn't have GERD after the sleeve. I had surgery on 4/10/18 and about 3 weeks afterwards, I started getting heartburn. I started on Nexium right away and the symptoms are well controlled with it. I wouldn't say that it's severe or "intractable" as my psych evaluator so kindly put it. It's just a little bit of heartburn and if I eat too late in the evening, I will wake with a sore throat (easily remedied by sleeping on an inclined bed). My advice, discuss with your doctor. Every person is different and every person will respond differently.

At 9 weeks, I was eating regular food with the exception of raw veggies. I usually started my day with a protein shake so that I got a big protein boost at the beginning of the day, but eventually switched to greek yogurt. Even now I don't eat a lot of raw veggies because they fill me up and I don't have room for the protein. If you're afraid of getting stuck, try soft foods for a while until you get the hang of it. Soft scrambled eggs? Beans? Lentils? Chicken (dark meat is moister, but I didn't have trouble with white meat). I think I even had steak, cooked medium and chewed well. The key to not getting that "stuck" feeling is chewing very well and not eating foods that will expand in your stomach (pasta, rice, bread). *If you know you're not getting enough protein, I suggest continuing with protein supplements until you get the hang of how to eat with your new stomach.

I started practicing it before surgery and it was a relatively easy transition. Yes, it was a little weird at first, but it eventually becomes "normal". For me, the hardest part is when you go out to a restaurant and they always want you to have a full glass. I've even tried not ordering a drink at all, but I get looks of confusion from the wait staff. I can't say how long for sure, but you get used to it.

@GreenTealael OMG! I LOVE that meme of Morpheus! Me want!

I had pre-surgical GERD and by the time I was investigating surgery, I had no symptoms and wasn't on any medication. After upper GI testing, my surgeon thought it was probably situational, meaning it was related to what I ate, time I ate, and obesity in general. I went through with the Sleeve, even after being warned that it may lead to "intractable GERD". At about 3 weeks post op, I began experiencing heart burn that eventually developed into pretty persistent GERD. I'm not talking just heartburn here, although that is certainly part of it. I was waking up every morning with a sore throat (evidence that gastric juices were refluxing into my throat). Nexium pretty much controls my symptoms, but I had to begin sleeping on an inclined bed (much to chagrin of my husband) and feel like I'm constantly trying to keep it at bay. On the opposite end of the spectrum is my friend who essentially "sold" me on the sleeve because before her sleeve surgery she had GERD so bad that she had developed Barrett's esophagus, but had NO GERD symptoms after the sleeve. I tell you these things, not to scare you or to even say I regret the sleeve (I don't). I tell you so that you can see that the development or persistence of GERD is highly individual. The medical studies out there are inconclusive: some say there is a greater incidence, whereas others say the difference is negligible.

Note that I said "considered". I haven't actually done it, but the thought has crossed my mind more than once. Last weekend, went out with my son and had white chicken chili. This restaurant has THE BEST and I went out of my way to get it. It's thick with lots of chicken, but even a cup size was too much. So, I got one of those Styrofoam cups with a lid. It exploded on me and in my purse. Now my wallet has a crust of white chicken chili.

My strategy depends on the restaurant and who I'm with. If it's just DH and I, we might get one of the larger (combo-type) meals and share. We're talking something with 2 or 3 different entrée items only in smaller portions. Sometimes the restaurant will separate it into separate plates as a courtesy, but I'm just happy with my side plate. I pick items and amounts that I want and hubby eats the rest. If he can't, then we take it to-go. I have also got just one item from the a la carte menu. I've looked at the children's menu, but honestly, most of those are things I wouldn't eat. If I'm with co-workers, I try to select smaller meals and sometimes even order an appetizer if I can find one that is a healthier option. If not, it's the a la carte method or soup. My biggest issue with eating out is the water/drinks. Every darn restaurant wants to offer you drinks and when you tell them no, you get the expression that says "is this woman nuts". If I know I have a reasonable wait until the meal is served, I will get water or tea, but then they're constantly trying to re-fill something I won't be drinking. I have never asked for the to-go box before my meal, but have strongly considered bringing my own gladware in my purse because those flimsy Styrofoam ones are a pain.

@sharonintx I cannot thank you enough for posting this. I'm only 5 months out instead of 5 years, but everything you said rings true with me.

@diabladepaz At 5 months out today, I still haven't told a lot of people. Same as you, it's not because I was ashamed, but I considered this a personal journey and really none of anyone else's business. My husband and only a small group of people that I trust. My adult children do not know. None of my immediate family knows. Any questions specifically about my eating (or not eating) have been directed at my husband and not me. About a month out, my children noticed that I wasn't eating very much and asked my husband if I was sick. Went out to dinner with friends and afterwards one of them asked my husband if I was OK. Other than that, no one has asked me anything other than asking me what I'm doing to lose weight! At that point, I answer honestly that I am more mindful about what I'm eating, focusing on protein, etc. All of which is true, I just don't tell them about my secret weapon. Words of wisdom: if you have to eat in a social setting, be prepared. I still struggle with it a little and have gotten a sideways glance or 2 that felt a little judgmental.

My go to during the week is a Siggi's skyr (like Greek yogurt, but less sweet) with granola, tbsp of unjury, and tsp of chia seeds. On weekends I change it up to keep me from getting bored Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm only 1 week ahead of you and my weight has been slow, but steady at 1-2 lbs per week. As envious as I am of those who are losing faster, I am perfectly satisfied with 1-2 lbs per week. I exercise, but at things I enjoy and not things that I have to force myself to participate in. I maintain my dietary recommendations about 80% of the time and I allow myself treats now and again. I know myself well enough that extremes of anything will lead to my failure. Could I walk more? Yes. Could I work harder to get more water in? Yes. But I didn't gain this weight in a short period of time and I am OK with losing it slowly. I guess I say this so that you know that it's OK to only lose 1-2 lbs per week.