Jane_J

Hi Dan, I am so glad it's working for you and thanks for telling us your story. Jane x

I notice overweight people more now for some reason. It's like when I was pregnant in reverse, I suddenly saw loads of other pregnant women everywhere I went. I remeber recently I was waiting at the railway station and for 5 minutes everone who came through the entrance was very overweight. Apparently 30% of adults in the UK are overweight now, I don't know why. When I was young I was unusual being fat, now I feel unusual being thin! I do want to tell complete strangers about this op sometimes but I have always chickened out. It makes me sad that they are in that state, as I know only too well how it makes you feel. I never want to become a holier than thou sanctimonious ex-fatty though, I felt the same when I quit smoking. I hate cigarettes, not the smokers. Jane x

I found that my cravings did stop. I have eaten chocolate a few times since the op and TBH it left me cold. I really have lost the urge to eat junk. I guess I am a very lucky person. Jane x

I find if I 'confuse' my body by having a few high calorie days, like the weekend, now it seems to unjam. but in the early days for me it was just head down and low cal all the way and the stalls eventually unstall. I think I did nearer to 1000 cals a day than 800 though and thats nett cals too so all exercise burns were adjusted for. Jane x

Hehe, Oroboro, don't turn into a tart now LOL !!! It's so good when these things happen mate. Jane xx PS I told you you were lookin hot, listen to the Janenator!

hi Fleur, I decided on the sleeve after researching and reading other experiences on forums like this one. I didn't fancy a port under my skin and having to go back for expensive fills plus some of the sleeve stories about sliming etc were quite frankly revolting. As I could see no possible reson I would want my overlarge stomach back ever I decided the one off VSG was the way for me to go. It allowed me to achieve my weight and health goals and I am extremely delighted with it. i would make the same decision again if I had to. Good luck with your WLS whatever you decide and I hope your insurance comes through OK. Your rellie sounds horrible to do that to you BTW. Jane x

we call them fish sticks in the UK. They shred quite well into spicy soup too. And they are cheap and protein-i-licious. Jane x

Hi Blackberryjuice, my experience was like Qureds, I had a short period of milk really not being nice to me so I stopped it, and when I tried again a few weeks later it was fine. Dunno why! Jane x

Hi Globie, I found my friends changed over my life, slowly but surely. The friends we see most now are part givers as well as goers if you get my drift. I have had my fair share of friend who let you do all the running in the past. I *love* my friends that make the effort becasue it shows they care too. Plus they are grade A hoots and make mean cocktails. One of my daughters is in the process of sloughing off a couple of so-called friends now. She has come to the conclusion that they only drag her down and never support her when she needs a shoulder to cry on. I am really impressed that at nearly 19 she has seen this, it took me far longer to work it out! (My other daughter takes after her father and has always chosen friends wisely). She is so excited about going off to university in September, she is looking forward to meeting new people and has been deciding who she wants to make an effort to continue seeing in her school and vacation work friend groups. All the best to you. Jane x

Aha, but when you have lost the weight the heat becomes your friend. I used to hate reallhy hot weather but now I crave it like a lizard! Do you have access to a pool at all? I would love to have that sort of thing here with a good climate. We are off to Portugal in a couple of weeks because I just can't stand the grey excuse for a summer we are having here. Jane x

Hi David, welcome to the group. I have found these lovely people to be invaluable in my journey and I am sure they will be of great help to you too. I agree 100% with TexasT, I am the same and I have recently even managed to drop the acid reducers too. So now I only medicate with vitamins and supplements to try to stave off age and wrinkes LOL. Losing battle but hey ho. At 41 you are in your prime and in any case it has not really been available that long. You are doing it at a good time because there is plenty of long term data now and lots of other people in the same boat to support you. All the best. Jane x

Hi Vixen, welcome to the clan. I told everyone whether they wanted to hear it or not :biggrin0: Seriously if being open about this encourages one other person to turn their lives and health round it is worth it in my book. But I have never much cared what people thought of me, in fact I quite like being viewed as a oddball, life is too full of conformistas IMHO. Will look forward to reading your blogs. Jane x

Hi Jamie, I think if you do it too fast your body will let you know. Liquids should just pass straight through although with the narrowing of the restriction you will get backflow if you try to pour it in too fast!! If it doesn't hurt it should be OK. I think its more important to drink as much as possible to keep hydrated and allow the body to heal itself. Your rates of drinking above sound good to me and I remember doing similar volumes at that point. I have pasted my doctors recommended diet for the 1st 4 weeks below. As you can see he is only concerned with speed of drinking on day 1. Have you had a contrast test to check for leaks yet? I had mine after surgery and it was fine but I worried too about leaking for months after because I am a pessamist :biggrin0:. Jane x Dietary Recommendations for Patients after Gastric Sleeve Resection from BMI Surgery Clinic in Brno First day diet: Usually an i.v. Fluid has been administered and a contrast X-ray examination precedes per oral alimentation Drink slowly in small sips of Water, tea. Wait in between the sips for a minute or two. Do not drink more than 50ml at once. Nothing but tea with or without sugar, or still mineral water. Wait for least 10 minutes between drinks. Your total per oral fluid intake should be not exceed two glasses or 0.5 litre in the first postoperative day. First two weeks Clear broth or Soup without vegetables or meat and not too creamy. Low fat, sugar free yogurt. Skimmed milk. Natural fruit juice or pureed soft fruit (apple, banana, pear, etc). Vegetable juices. Low calorie drinks. Sugar free Protein supplements, with skimmed milk. Water (6-8 cups / 2.0 - 3.0 litres a day). Between meals you may drink vegetable juice, milk, fruit juices & water to ingest sufficient liquids and prevent dehydration. Sample Menu - Week 1 & 2 Breakfast 1/3 cup pureed fruit ? cup yogurt lunch ? cup consomm? or broth 1/3 cup pureed fruit dinner ? cup yogurt ? cup pureed fruit Third and Fourth Week after Sleeve Gastrectomy A liquid/pureed diet for your meals during week 3 and 4 after the operation may help you to get used to smaller stomach. Remember to keep a high level of protein in your diet. You will need to use a blender or food processor. The food has to be blended until reaching a applesauce consistency. Avoid spicy foods; they may irritate your stomach. Here is a list to give you some suggestions for what you can eat on weeks 3 and 4: Liquids or beverages, and milk. ? Good options: Tea, non-carbonated drinks, natural fruit juices, coffee, water, skimmed milk, low fat and sugar free yogurt. ? Limit or try to avoid: Artificial fruit juices, soda, alcohol, all carbonated beverages, Iced tea with sugar, milk or yogurt products with nuts or seeds, chocolate milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk. Fruits. ? Good options: Applesauce, pureed pears, and bananas. ? Limit or try to avoid: Canned fruits or fruits with syrup. Vegetables. ? Good options: Pureed vegetables, vegetable juice. ? Limit or try to avoid: Raw vegetables, canned vegetables, vegetables that cause discomfort (gas forming). Soups. ? Good options: Broth, cream soups make with skimmed milk, egg drop soup, low sodium bouillon or consomm?. ? Limit or try to avoid: All other. Starches. ? Good options: Mashed potatoes. ? Limit or try to avoid: Bread, Pasta, rice and all other starches. meats or protein supplements. ? Good options: Pureed chicken, fish, tuna, veal, beef, low fat cottage cheese, baby food meats, mashed or pureed tofu, pureed egg or egg substitute, sugar-free Protein shakes, No sugar added Instant Breakfast. ? Limit or try to avoid: Peanut Butter, others. Fats, sugars and others ? Good options: Sugar free Jellies and puddings, sugar free ice cream and frozen yoghurt, low fat (slimmers) puddings. ? Limit: Others. Sample Menu ? weeks 3 & 4 Breakfast 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/3 cup pureed fruit (or4-6 tablespoons cooked refined Cereal, adding 3 tablespoons of skimmed milk) 1 hour later 1 cup fruit juice (or milk) 2 hours later 4-6 tablespoons yogurt 1 hour later 1 cup water (or unsweetened fruit juice) Lunch 3 tablespoons pureed chicken with 2 tablespoons pureed vegetables and 2 tablespoons mashed potatoes, 1 cup water 1 hour later 1 cup water 2 hours later 1 cup protein supplement (or1 packet No Sugar Added Instant Breakfast) Dinner 2-3 tablespoons chicken (or fish or tuna)with 2 tablespoons vegetables and 2 tablespoons mashed potatoes 1 hour later 1 cup skimmed milk 1 hour later 3 tablespoons cottage cheese with 4 tablespoons pureed fruit 1 hour later 1 cup broth-type soup or milky (semi-skimmed or skimmed milk) drink General Recommendations: 1. Eat small meals five times a day and limit snacking in between meals. 2. Eat slowly and chew food until it reaches a mushy consistency. (15 to 20 times per bite). 3. Stop eating or drinking right before you feel full. 4. Eat only good quality foods. 5. Drink low calorie liquids. 6. Drink enough liquids /about 2.0 ? 3.0 litres per day. 7. Drink after each eating 8. Exercise moderately, however not sooner than 2 weeks after the operation

Hi Blackberryjuice, you are right. After this surgery I reaslied how physical the thing is. It's not just in our heads. Jane x

Hi Pen this all sounds awsome. I have booken a NHS blood test for a weeks time and as I have spent the last year eating 2 eggs a day it will be interesteing to see my cholesterol scores. Maybe we should run a sweep? Dunno when I will get the results but will update as and when. Jane x

Hi Sunshine, Unless we can manufacture mass from nothing there is no way we can go every day!!!!! This is my considered opinion after a bottle of red wine;-) The most we can achieve is a reasonably comfortable even every few days with the aid of fruit, veg and water plus exercise as inputs. Failing that senna pods. Jane xx

Hi Qured, you can never tell how people will react but its better to give them the benefit of the doubt. All the changes you will experience in how you see yourself they will go through too in their own way. You are so lucky in Greece to have a summer BTW. The UK has been absolute pants for the last month!! Jane x

That was my experience too. For goodness sake we need this op because we cannot lose weight without it!! Your doctor sounds a bit cruel. Jane x

No it will get better but it feels like forever!! I eat bran cereal every day now and at least one apple a day to keep it going, but I don't go every day, its just a volume thing. Jane x

Its a tube they put down your throat into your stomach and use as a guide to stapling up the side of the stomach, removing the stretchy fundus part. The bougie is sized from 32 to 40 normally and that number is the diameter, so the smaller the bougie the smaller the stomach you have at the end. Jane x

Hi PCindy, Thats really good you are finally done. It never occurred to me to exercise before my surgery, I just did the liver eeduction thing, but that is a good idea. Jane x