Shae

I am 30 days post-op today so I thought I might post about the things I have learned about myself in the past 30 days. 1. I am way stronger than I ever thought I was. I can walk past foods that I never could before and be happy about passing them up rather than dwelling on a missed opportunity. 2. My love affair with food is an addiction that I will grapple with for the rest of my life. However, I am no longer controlled by my addiction because I control what I eat and my sleeve controls how much. 3. I lost a part of me when the surgeon took out 85% of my stomach. Her name was Fat Lady or Fat Girl and her name only came out of MY mouth. I would joke about her as a defense mechanism. I got divorced from her and will never see her again. 4. I lost my best friend, my confidant, my protector, and my crutch: large amounts of food. I went through a grieving process and went through every stage. However, I went through it and didn't get stuck in it. "This too shall pass" was my mantra. 5. No matter how well prepared I thought I was, I was not prepared for most of the things that I have gone through in the past month. You think you know how to tell when you're full - nope. You think you know how to sip - nope. You think you know how to judge a measure of food - nope. And the list goes on. 6. I did this for me. I am happy with my decision and it was the right one for me. Here are some sleeve specific things I have learned: 1. You will probably need a PPI at least for a little while. 2. Crushed pills are the nastiest thing ever so try to find liquid versions pre-surgery. 3. Too much Protein is just as bad for you as not enough. 4. Too few calories = no weight loss 5. If you don't walk and move around, it takes longer to feel better. 6. Don't compare your weight loss with anyone else's. 7. You don't have to finish what you served yourself. You can save it for later. 8. The "slimies" suck. One more bite WILL hurt. 9. Let your food settle in your sleeve for a while before laying down (yuk). 10. Miralax is your friend! Take it every day and all will be well. 11. People who have never been overweight are ignorant of what you are going through, even those who try desperately to be helpful and understanding and supportive. 12. It will get better! It has been a rough ride so far but I wouldn't trade it for all the chocolate or Dorito's in the world! Shae

Your body goes into starvation mode and holds on to everything. You know when your body does this because you feel dragged down, tired, moody, and possibly a bit depressed. I went through it, tracked my calories for a few days, and realized that 500 - 600 calories a day was not enough for my body. I added a few calories by having a little less Protein, more veggies and a few complex carbs. I got up to about 800 a day and felt great. In one week on the increased calories, I dropped 9 lbs whereas on the 500 - 600 calories, I gained a pound. Sounds insane I know, and had I not experienced it myself, I would have called it a bunch of hooey! Shae

One of the main reasons I went for the sleeve rather than the GB is due to the malabsorption of nutrients that is experienced by GB patients. I think that you having the sleeve is way better than the GB. The following is just what I understand to be true. I did research over the course of a few years but I am not perfect in my memory. Anyone, please correct me if I say anything that is incorrect. The difference between the two, VSG and GB, really boils down to how your body absorbs the foods you eat. With the VSG, you pretty much get all your nutrients from a balanced diet. You have to take Vitamins as you should anyway and you have to watch what you eat to make sure you feed your body. With the GB, you wil not get all nutrients from your foods and will need Multivitamins and other supplements, some of which may include shots. Another difference is that with the GB, you experience much more head hunger (generally speaking) and often feel hunger. The reason for this is that the portion of the stomach that produces the ghrelin hormone or hunger hormone is NOT removed. With the VSG, it is removed. Some people experience no hunger at all with the VSG and actually have to remind themselves to feed their body. In my opinion, it would be horrible to be hungry all the time and never be able to satisfy the hunger. The GB has a lot more areas that have been cut and resewn. This increases the chances of complications and infections. The VSG is one line doen the side of your stomach pouch. The pouch that is made for the GB can be stretched back out fairly easily. I personally know of four people that have had the GB some years ago. One is back to her presurgery weight, two are heavier than their presurgery weight, and one is maintaining a healthy weight. I also know of two people (of course not including those who are here) that have had the sleeve. One is 25 lbs below goal and has been maintaining for two years now and another is about 15 to 20 lbs above goal and still losing at 1 to 2 lbs per week (last I heard). My doctor says that you can stretch your sleeve but not by much. The stretchy part of the stomach is the part that they remove so you really have to work extremely hard to get back to your presurgery weight. I think that getting sleeved rather than the GB is probably the best thing that could have happened. Some pointers that I have are to move and sip and move and sip and move and sip and ... I agree with Brook that you should worry first about fluids at this early stage then as you progress, work on fluids and Protein because protein helps you heal. The first couple of weeks can be challenging both physically and emotionally. This forum has been a life saver for me and has opened my eyes to behaviors that I didn't realize I had. I come here daily just to read what people are saying and try to help others as best I can. I learn something new every time I read. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are always here for you and welcome you with wide open arms. Ask us anything, share your bad times and good, vent if you need to, and share your triumphs! If you have a question or problem, someone here has either been through it, is going through it, or will go through it!! Shae

Thank you Chris! :blush5: My husband's family lives in Tacoma. Next time we are planning a vacation up there, I will let you know! Maybe we could meet in the middle somewhere in Seattle. :seeya:

LOL! Me too! My family usually takes the "That's all you're going to eat?!?" approach. I can see it now... They will tell me that they feel sorry for me because I can't enjoy Thanksgiving no matter how many times I tell them that I am enjoying myself. Then they will turn it around and claim that I don't like the food they serve because it's not good enough and on and on and on. I think I will have a great laugh once we get home. Oh well, I'm losing weight, not my sense of humor. Shae

I would lean more toward it being a virus unless you have previously been diagnosed as having IBS or have had this happen before. Be sure to keep the fluids going so that you don't get dehydrated. I hope you feel better soon! Shae

The first two days are nothing but liquid. The next two days are soft foods only and then the fifth day is back to solids. It is supposed to wake up your body and reset you so to speak. If I were you, I would try the myfitnesspal.com calorie tracker to see if you are getting too few or too many calories. Just a few days of tracking will show you what you need to know and you can adjust accordingly. Please don't be discouraged (I know, easy to say, hard to do). Think of your journey as one that takes you over rough terrain with ups and downs and switchbacks and ... you get the point. You will eventually get where you want to be. Enjoy the drive! Shae

I am really happy for you and your SO. Your post tickled me. It's funny the things we notice. As a woman, my life in that area has also improved because my husband can now get ... um ... closer to me and ... (well you know). Thanks for the post! Shae

I am a slower loser than you. I am one month post-op and have only lost 16 lbs. But in thinking about it, I lost an average of 0.5 lbs a day. Wow! now lets see, you lost 47 lbs in 60 days... that is an average of 0.8 lbs a day. Perspective is what we need sometimes. Are you walking? Have you tried increasing your calories by trying a different kind of shake that has more calories in it? Maybe you need to snack on fruits and veggies between meals to get some extra stuff in. You can always do the "5 day pouch test" to get the scale moving again. Are you losing inches? Have you allowed yourself to notice any NSV's? Relax and enjoy. Don't be hard on yourself and certainly don't compare yourself to any one else. There is only one you and no one else is like you. You are one of a kind! Shae

Hi. I hope your surgery went well and you are doing fine. I am in Biloxi and am also looking for someone here on the coast. I am actually looking for a support group or a meeting for us sleevers to get together and share our stories. Do you know of any? Shae

Do any of you on the coast know if there are any support groups close to Biloxi? I have only met one other person face to face and am really wanting to just meet other people. Sorry if I kinda sounded weird by asking two of you to pm me :angelsad2: . I just really want to get to know some people in my area that have gone through the surgery and share similar thoughts, emotions, physical changes, etc. This board is really great and has opened my eyes to things more times than I can count; however, nothing compares to human contact. Shae

I have to concur with the popular opinion that not drinking while eating is the hardest thing. I tend to spice things up a bit and sometimes, you just need to cool off your mouth. My solution is ice chips. I take a chip of ice and let it melt in my mouth which cools it off without adding too much Water to my meal. Shae

I have to concur with the popular opinion that not drinking while eating is the hardest thing. I tend to spice things up a bit and sometimes, you just need to cool off your mouth. My solution is ice chips. I take a chip of ice and let it melt in my mouth which cools it off without adding too much Water to my meal. Shae

I'm really glad I read this post. I realize now that I too am "grazing" or "topping off" mostly at night. I just started cooking again (the family was tired of quick fixes and soup and sandwiches) and find that I am back in the habit of tasting a bite here and there while sipping my Protein shake. I guess I knew full well that what I was doing was a no-no but I was just in denial about it. This post brought it to the forefront of my brain so now I have to acknowledge it and correct it. Thank you DebiC! Shae

I have occasional chocolate cravings but I found Viactive Milk Chocolate calcium chews. I can (should) have two a day to get my Calcium in. They taste sort of like a softer, creamier, tootsie roll. Yum and they are just enough in your mouth to make you feel like you had something sinfully bad for you :blush5: . Shae

Hip Hip Horray!!! I cannot wait to get there myself. The last time I saw onederland was in 2007 for about 2 weeks and before that was in 2000. I am so happy for you!! Keep up the hard work and determination. Shae

Warning: This is disturbing. I was sleeved on 10/19/11. At the end of September, I interviewed for a new position in a different department within my company and they made me an offer on 10/13. I accepted and my time out for surgery was part of my two week notice. I started on Halloween so, no one here knew anything about me or that I had just had surgery. So, before the first week is out, the secretary in the building puts out an email about a pot-luck. Not wanting to seem unfriendly, I signed up for a fruit and veggie tray. The day comes around and I am still on mushies so I didn't get a plate. The secretary pulled me aside and asked if I was ok. I told her I had had a type of WLS called the Vertical Sleeve and that I was not able to eat solid foods yet. Here is the disturbing part... She said that her best friend's daughter was 350 lbs and decided to have the sleeve done. She said that the young woman was not prepared for the changes she would have to make and could not cope with the inability to eat large quantities of food. Then she told me that the young woman commited suicide. I was not quite sure how to respond. Why was she telling me this? Was she just sharing her experience? Was she, in her own way, telling me that she was against WLS? I really feel for the family of the young woman and wonder if she had any type of support group or if she had to do a psych eval as part of her pre-op. I am really disturbed by what she told me so I thought I might share to get it off my mind. I know that sounds selfish and I am sorry. How do you take this sort of news and just continue on your merry way? Shae

I would have to say no to doubling up on the acid reducer. You need some acid to digest your food. Switching does the trick sometimes. I am one who cannot take pepcid or prevacid or zegrid because none of them work for me. Only nexium 40 mg works for me. I would get with my doc and see if he can try you on a different one. He/she should have some samples so that you don't have to pay for something that doesn't work for you. Shae

I get the hicups too, regardless of how fast or slow I eat or drink. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with them - strangest thing ever. Walking helps me or sometimes a slow stretch. The dry skin thing may be due to not enough Water intake. I don't know on that one but I had to buy some curel for the first time. My hands look old and cracked if I don't use it a few times a day every day. As far as the question about the child with dry skin ... Aveno makes a soothing oatmeal bath that works pretty good. There are other over the counter things you can add to bath water like bath salts, bath oils, or bubble bath. I would stick to unscented because the perfumes in them tend to dry out the skin and they smell girly for the most part. Just be sure that he understands how slippery the tub will be if he uses any of these and that it must be rinsed out for the next person.

Thank you to all of you for your insights. I know there will be times when people are ignorant of the way they make others feel and I should ignore them. My guess is that she needed to share the only experience she has with someone having had WLS rather than just be accepting of what I was telling her. You have all given me great ideas on how to deal with these issues in the future. Shae

Are you maybe Anemic? Look at your gums in the mirror and if they are pale pink, maybe you should get your doctor to test your Iron levels. Other than that, i don't have a clue. I know that people look at me funny here in South Mississippi because I have my heater on at work and am always in a sweater. My nose, fingers, and toes don't get cold but I understand what you mean when you talk about that deep down cold. Shae

My post-op was a bit different than those listed above. Week 1 turned into days 1 thru 4 and that was Clear Liquids only. Week 2 was actually says 5 thru 8 and it was mostly liquids with a few really mushy things like wheat ritz that turned to near liquid if chewed long enough, yogurt with Protein powder added to it and "cream of ..." soups. After the eigth day, I needed something to "eat" so I started with half a scrambled egg and was able to go nearly 3 hours without something other than Water going in my mouth. I slowly added chicken, cheeses, and lunch meats as tolerated but kept up with the protein shakes and tried my best to get in enough water (I still don't get enough). I am at the end of week 4 now and still eat soft foods. I have not tried pork or beef or raw hard fruits and veggies (I have had peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, and grapes). I was released by the doctor to eat normal foods as tolerated at the beginning of week 4 (or was it the end of week 3) and have not been very bold. My go-to's are grilled chicken, tuna, shrimp, scallops, fish, cheeses, and lunch meats. My favorite so far has been cottage cheese "dip". Put a couple of spoons of cottage cheese (I don't like cottage cheese but i like this) in a bowl and add chives, bacon bits, and garlic powder to taste. Mix it all up and add whatever else you want to flavor it with. Being from south Mississippi, I add a seasoning called "Slap Ya Momma" or Tony Chacheries. I put the mix on a wheat ritz or slice of cucumber. It's so good that my 11 year old wanted me to make her some for snack! Shae

Congrats on keeping your spirits up. Sometimes that is hard to do in the first few days. We all deal with our issues differently so don't be hard on yourself. Keep us posted! Shae

I don't think any of us can stress enough how important it is for you to walk and sip, walk and sip, walk and sip. It seems so simple that you're probably thinking "No Problem" but it is actually tougher than you think. Oh but it is worth it. I hope you have a speedy recovery. Keep us posted. Shae

Ok, y'all are scaring me! I was a huge clothes person before my surgery and I had trouble finding things in my size. In just under a month I have dropped two sizes (only 13 lbs which is odd) and had to get rid of 10 bags of clothes that were too big already. I have refrained from shopping because I saved my smaller clothes in anticipation of one day getting the surgery. Right now I have 3 pairs of dress pants and two pairs of jeans. I only have three work shirts that fit right, one that is still snug, and a few t-shirts. I have some in 18W but I'm not quite there yet. I am trying desperately not to go out shopping.... Shae