Sunnyway

I struggled too so I diluted (almost doubled the liquid) the one I had every morning & sipped on it for ages. I had Soup in the evening also diluted. Try bone broths or consommés (e.g. just the liquid in pho or wonton soups) as alternatives to only shakes. Add milk to yoghurt drinks to thin them down more too as another source of Protein.
All the best.

These are my favourite questions on this forum! I love reading everyone’s replies 🥰

My bucket list is:

- Go to a trampoline park/playground for adults (they look SO cool!)
- Visit Florida and go to a crazy waterpark
- Take surfing lessons (on holiday somewhere, the North Sea isn’t very appealing 😆)
- Run a 10k in Disneyland Paris
- Go on a canopy walk with a tour guide in Costa Rica
- Go on an ecological/animal friendly safari
- Hike down and back up the Grand Canyon
- Take some sort of martial arts class to learn how to kick some serious butt 😄
- … 


This is nowhere near complete! So I have a lot of dreaming and saving up to do 😁

I had reflux before my sleeve surgery but because it was not frequent, I managed it mostly with diet & only took an esomeprazole occasionally. I still have reflux but it manifests differently now (less severe hiccups no bad taste in my mouth). I do take esomeprazole every day now & it manages the burning for most of the day (get some late at night fir a couple of hours). My understanding was that heartburn alone is mild & can be managed a lot with diet. Reflux is worse but again diet can play a big role in easing symptoms but gerd is more severe & generally needs regular meds to help manage it. If you have gerd sleeve is not your best bet.
As everyone above has said, Protein is essential to a healthy body. It will aid your healing after surgery. It’s used as building blocks in our bodies (bones, muscles, etc.) contributes to hormone & enzyme production & is a source of energy.
it does seem odd that your surgeon doesn’t require the consumption of protein post surgery. My surgeon was okay if I didn’t met my 60g a day protein goal to begin as long as I was working towards it & I’m glad as I physically unable to eat (drink) more than I was. It easy easier when I got to purées & soft foods (weeks 3 on). It would be worth a conversation with your surgeon as to why he’s a no protein advocate from early on post surgery & why he pushes fruit juices (even diluted).

Congratulations on your sleeve. First I’m going to address the issue of Protein. In the beginning Protein is super important. It helps heal, Hair loss, muscle building, skin elasticity, etc. My full liquid diet consisted of 3 Protein Shakes a day with a list of other fluids in between my shakes. My surgery center let me know it was imperative that I got in at least 3 protein shakes a day. I went home with a 30 day supply of Bariatric Fusion protein power and Vitamins. Along with prescription for nausea and pain. So not having any protein for two week properly isn’t a good thing. They also gave me a list of approved bariatric protein shakes and powders so I can order more once I ran out of what they sent me home with.

Now to address the negative, I don’t recommend anyone go abroad or go for a cheaper version. I actually feel sad for you because we went to a place that didn’t give you the correct information to be successful in the long run. This surgery is about so much more than have someone reputable to cut into you. It’s good to have a surgery team to be there for you before and after the surgery and to let you up for success.

Everyone’s situation is different. Your starting weight was like mine in the 200s, so I didn’t have to undergo some of the things that others have. I must mention the I had RNY and not sleeve.

There are a couple of things that I see that I know my surgery center in the US would have caught. Assuming you had heart burn before your surgery, RNY would have been the way to go instead.
Also I started my surgery journey in August and I had my surgery in November in the US. During the months leading up to surgery, I was taught a new way of eating not only food choices, but also how to chew, eat slower, and take smaller bites. This made it easier for after surgery. I was also accustomed to ending this new way.
I had several tests done just to ensure I was healthy enough handle the anesthesia. During the coarse of these tests it was discovered that I had sleep apnea and an irregular heart beat. Had I gone aboard and settled for a cheaper option, I could have died one the table because the anesthesiologist not know of these issues and we hadn’t worked to correct them as much as possible before hand.
I had to work with a psychiatrist to work through my emotional eating. Now I turn to prayer or journaling instead of a bowl of ice cream and potato chips.

So I said all that to say, YES you need protein.
And to discourage anyone from taking a short cut or cheaper option. As you can see you can easily be given misinformation or left without the necessary info and tools to be successful after the surgery.

Best wishes 💛💛💛💛

Congrats! I feel what you're saying.
Before my surgery my diet for the 11 days prior consisted of 4 Protein Shakes a day and 4, 1 cup serving of non starchy vegetables. NO MEAT!
Then after surgery my diet was 2 weeks FULL liquids, followed by 1 week PUREE, and 2 weeks SOFT FOODS, then finally normal foods.
So yeah, between the 11 days pre-op and two weeks post of of liquid, that was almost 4 weeks of nothing but liquids (but for the veggies in the pre-op stage). The Protein came mostly from the shakes in those stages. It seems almost impossible but it works. I was so happy when the puree stage came. LOL
And YES, protein is VERY important!! Not only to keep you losing weight but also to help you not lose so much hair or at least to shorten to Hair loss phase. I recently, and inadvertently, put myself in a month and a half long stall because I was so inconstant with protein and ingesting LESS than the recommenced amounts of it (plus a few other things I was doing wrong as far as my macros goes). So again, YES, protein IS important for many reasons.

I love cruises but shore excursions have always been difficult for me due my weight. I took a cane and a rollator on my last cruise (to Alaska), but I still had to sit out some outings.
My first bucket list item is already booked: a solo 6-week-long trip four months after surgery. The trip includes two trans-Atlantic crossings by ship and two weeks touring England.
Bucket list 2: I want to be as fit as possible so that I can WALK on the excursions. I'm already building endurance by swimming up to 1/2 mile 2-3 times a week. I'm hopeful that the weight loss will enable me to walk a mile or two without pain or shortness of breath.
My third bucket list item will be to buy a new wardrobe that will fit my new body.
The fourth thing on my bucket list to figure out how to pay for all this!

Pre-surgery, I am down 3-4 sizes on bottoms (size 26-28 from size 32). I'm wearing big baggy tops for now. I've stitched up the size seams of all of my underpants and bras and swimwear so I won't have to buy new during the immediate transitional period. Surgery is just a week away, so I will have to buy more soon and also take a trip to Goodwill to buy pants and tops. I think can get by with my winter sweaters and coats.
Best NSV of all, I went out to lunch last weekend and sat in a booth, with room to spare between my belly and the table. That hasn't happened in years.

If you had heartburn prior to surgery I'm surprised that your popular doctor performed the VGS instead of the RNY gastric by-pass (which usually resolves reflux, heartburn, GERD). Many of the sleeve patients on this board have had revision to RNY a few years after their first surgeries.
While your first 14 day diet does sound alien, your new stomach is healing. The Clear Liquids won't harm it, and you are getting calories from the grape and apple juices. (Most of us are told to avoid fruit juices, which contain more concentrated sugar content and lack Fiber, which would make fresh fruit a healthy choice.) Two weeks of clear fluids sound daunting.
Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

I love cruises but shore excursions have always been difficult for me due my weight. I took a cane and a rollator on my last cruise (to Alaska), but I still had to sit out some outings.
My first bucket list item is already booked: a solo 6-week-long trip four months after surgery. The trip includes two trans-Atlantic crossings by ship and two weeks touring England.
Bucket list 2: I want to be as fit as possible so that I can WALK on the excursions. I'm already building endurance by swimming up to 1/2 mile 2-3 times a week. I'm hopeful that the weight loss will enable me to walk a mile or two without pain or shortness of breath.
My third bucket list item will be to buy a new wardrobe that will fit my new body.
The fourth thing on my bucket list to figure out how to pay for all this!

Many people on here say they sleep in their recliners. If you do not have one the medical supply makes a bed wedge that helps you sleep elevated.

I had to sleep fully sat up in bed for almost a month. I had no pain what so ever. Every time I tried to go lower, I had vomiting and foaming all through the night. It left me so dehydrated every morning. I wished I had a recliner chair.
It feels like pure heaven now I can lie in my fav position. I hope it happens for you soon

I did my surgery 13/12/2021, It’s post op day 6 now. Every time, I try to sleep, I get hiccups, nausea and stomach growling over the night so I try to sleep in semi sitting positioning. is there any recommendations for other comfortable positioning to sleep?!

Yeah I just ended going without. What offered the most relief for me honestly was Gas-x

I took this online test that I think went about an hour. It seemed to ask the same questions over and over, using different wording. I think, like ShoppGirl said, they're looking for signs of untreated mental illness, addiction issues, etc. I talked with the person one-on-one afterward. I think he also wanted to make sure I had realistic expectations from the surgery.

Definitely worthwhile touching base with your surgeon. I wondered if it could be bile, so I googled and found this
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319403#:~:text=Diarrhea speeds up the digestion,or after a bowel movement.
Stomach acids, digestive enzymes, and bile
When food enters the stomach, acids and digestive enzymes attach themselves to it and begin breaking it down.
The digestive system adds bile to food when it passes through the small intestine. By the time food passes through, these acids and enzymes should no longer be acidic.
Diarrhea speeds up the digestion process, so foods often do not break down fully. This means that stomach acids, digestive enzymes, and bile may still be present in diarrhea. These can damage the tissues and cause a burning sensation in the rectum during or after a bowel movement.

Fortunately, my December 21 RNY to RNY Revision is still on. I have had my prep calls from the hospital and am getting my COVID test this afternoon, after which I'll self-quarantine until going to the hospital.

I also found a two-week Liquid Protein doable. The hard part was the withdrawal from sugar and carbs. Once the withdrawal faded away, the second week was fine.

My pre op diet was similar- 2 meals of Protein Shakes, dinner 4oz of meat with a half cup o non-starch veggies....I know it's what the surgeon says to do but SOoo many others talk about going full clear liquid at least the last day or 2. My surgery is supposed to be Dec. 20th (1 more day of prep) and I'm a bit torn. Per the surgeon I'm just supposed to switch it around and ha e the meat and veggies for breakfast the day before surgery, then the protien shakes for lunch and dinner and nothing at all after midnight. Then post op. Im supposed to start pureed food on like day 3 after surgery. My own instincts here are to do only liquids tomorrow, only Clear Liquids after 5pm, then post surgery liquids up through at LEAST day 7....I don't know about going outside of what's recommended tho...

Post your food log. (No editing!)
Are you very active? I stalled and stalled HARD at around 1000 calories a day because I work out a lot and I work outdoors. I was actually expending more energy in a day (beyond the calories required just to exist in stasis) than I was taking in and my body literally went into "we are starving, conserve every pound possible" mode.
I now eat about 1500-1600 calories a day (three months out) and it's still slow loss, but it's not stalled. The problem is, I literally can't eat enough to get where I need to be (per my NUT) without eating junk food, which I refuse to do.

Achieving any goal takes discipline and desire.

What do you really, really want? What are you willing to do to get it?

These are tough questions in any area of life, including health.

As we examine ourselves carefully we may see areas where we excel and where we need to make changes.

Wishing you wisdom and courage as you discover who you want to be.

Several people have mentioned that at this point 800 cal/day is too low, your body is probably in starvation mode. Try to increase to 1000 cal/day, same type of food but slightly larger portions. This will help you feel fuller while hopefully kickstarting your metabolism again.
Drink a LOT between meals to fill up your stomach too (but wait at least 30 minutes after eating before drinking anything). I personally hate drinking Water so I drink lots and lots of crystal light lemonade. It has almost no calories and is still 99.99% water. Try supplementing your Breakfast with a Protein Shake. That will help you reach your Protein goals while also filling you up. I drink one Premier Protein every single morning after breakfast (Chocolate flavor!) It feels like I'm treating myself and I'm adding 30 grams of protein every day. That usually keeps me satisfied until lunch.
You said you're logging now - are you also weighing your foods? If not, you are likely grossly underestimating your portion sizes. My wife made a chicken stir-fry for dinner tonight and I decided to have some - I weighed out 4.5 oz into a bowl and it looked like a VERY small portion - she was shocked when I told her how much it was, it was actually a little more than I've been eating lately (3-4 oz per meal). It was actually really filling though, but if I just eyeballed it I almost definitely would have eaten too much and not even realized it.
The "surgery is a tool" can mean several things. For some (most?) it provides an automatic restriction so that you physically can't eat as much as you used to without getting sick. For those who had gastric bypass, it also provides an incentive for what you're eating to be healthy in order to avoid dumping syndrome. Bypass patients also get the benefit of malabsorption. For others, it's the knowledge that you underwent major permanent surgery as a last ditch effort to get healthy and that can help change your mindset about eating.
I'm in the position to have gone through both major weight loss surgeries. I had the sleeve in December 2016 and lost about 120 pounds in about six months. I was a regular on the forums here, I tracked every single bite (my personal recommendation is My Fitness Pal - I also weighed myself every morning (which is not always recommended) and took a full body photo with the app once a week to see my progress), Then I had some personal/profession issues which screwed up my schedule and my mindset and slowly began to gain weight back. I stopped tracking, stopped eating healthy, and all of a sudden a few years later I realized I had regained almost all of the pre-surgery weight. I was depressed, upset, embarrassed, ashamed, but I decided to do something about it and I went back to my doctor (I had stopped going to appointments too) and he said I was a good candidate for revision surgery to gastric bypass. It's been just over 4 weeks since that surgery and I'm down 36 pounds so far - not losing as quickly as the first surgery, but still losing.
I still track religiously, and follow the meal plan exactly the way it was given to me (first month, soft high-protein foods with no fruits and veggies, no sugar, no bread, Pasta, etc.), just starting my second month by adding some veggies to every meal. I had a couple of brief stalls but I kept with the program and they went away. I've been slowly increasing my daily calories and that has helped as well (still below 1000 most days but I've gone as high as 1200). In order to feel like I'm not depriving myself of sweets, I have one or sometimes two containers of sugar-free chocolate and vanilla swirl Jello every day.
Last time after a few months I added a small portion of Halo Top ice cream as a daily dessert - very low calories, low or no carbs, and delicious. It's important not to feel that you're depriving yourself.
Another thing to look at is your sleep - are you getting enough sleep? When I get a good night's sleep I lose about a pound over night. The times when I don't get enough sleep are the days I notice a stall or even a slight increase in weight. Given your starting weight is there a chance you have sleep apnea? I was diagnosed with sleep apnea several years ago and started using a CPAP, my sleeping improved dramatically.
Ultimately, the surgery is not a magic bullet, although when things are going well it can seem like magic, but that happens when you put in the work. It's not bullshit, or useless, it has helped many many people who have tried everything else (myself included). You said you lost 30 lbs so far, that's great! That's 30 lbs you probably wouldn't have lost without the surgery. Now you have to figure out how to kickstart the rest of your journey.
To summarize, here's what I would do if I were in your place:
1 - Increase your calories - same healthy foods for larger portions
2 - Increase your protein - add a protein shake after breakfast if necessary (wait 30 minutes after eating first)
3 - Increase your liquid intake - drink water if you enjoy it, or mix up some crystal light lemonade or something similar, drink ALL THE TIME
4 - Get a good night's sleep
5 - Keep tracking everything - make sure you WEIGH everything you eat, never eyeball. You can get a basic food scale for 10 bucks
6 - Don't give up! I know it's frustrating but based on your posts you're in a tough headspace right now. If you keep going on about how the surgery is bullshit, useless, etc. it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Good luck!

Tiny, tiny sips of everything. Pause between. If something isn't agreeable yet, back off and return to the prior step, then try again in a few days.
I find Water is more palatable if I add flavoring, such as sachets of sugar-free Crush, Hawaiian Punch, Wylers, Snapple, etc. You can use an electrolyte drink like Gatorade Zero or Propel instead of water. Again, stick to tiny sips until you can comfortably take bigger sips. Do the best you can and keep trying. If you can get at least 32 oz, you can build on that. If getting less, talk to your dietitian or surgeon's office.

Tiny, tiny sips of everything. Pause between. If something isn't agreeable yet, back off and return to the prior step, then try again in a few days.
I find Water is more palatable if I add flavoring, such as sachets of sugar-free Crush, Hawaiian Punch, Wylers, Snapple, etc. You can use an electrolyte drink like Gatorade Zero or Propel instead of water. Again, stick to tiny sips until you can comfortably take bigger sips. Do the best you can and keep trying. If you can get at least 32 oz, you can build on that. If getting less, talk to your dietitian or surgeon's office.

THIS! one thousand percent. There are antidepressants that DON'T cause weight gain, but some doctors don't know/care enough about side effects to off those to patients struggling with their weight.
If you don't think the prescriber is thinking of this, try talking to your surgeon to see if she thinks this could be an issue. There are so many meds that you could be taking that could be adding to weight gain (but... even the cravings to eat caused by the weight gain can be minimized). Also, there are medications you can take to reduce hunger, like metformin and phentermine, along with newer drugs like Ozempic

I had surgery on a Tuesday and stopped taking pain medicine on Friday. It only hurt if I put pressure on an incision and even then it hardly hurt. I walked 10 minutes most hours after surgery when I was awake to try to get the gas out.