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For the past week i've been on protien shakes and clear liquids. I've worked up to three full protein shakes per day 33oz...and about 33oz of clear fluid. So only getting about 480 calories. Today we added cocoa wheats, oatmeal, cream soup and greek yogurt....and lifted hourly restrictions on fluids. I think I can get get up to 700 calories this week, and then on to mushy foods. I seem to be tolerating everything really really well.

@CaliforniaCandy I had VSG done. The only problem I had was right after surgery I would get dizzy and light headed after standing up which they attributed to some bleeding going on. Once that stopped, I was up moving around and feeling good. Since then, I've had no issues. My energy is far beyond pre-surgery and now I feel great. The scale is dropping and I'm buying clothes in smaller sizes. I can get my fluids in without a problem and protein as well. Doing one shake a day for a snack, yogurt for breakfast, and then a fish or chicken for lunch and dinner to make sure I hit my protein goals. When eating, I have enough room for about 3 oz of protein and maybe a couple bites of vegetables. I had to lose only 4 lbs preop since I had lost about 35lbs prior on my own, so I didn't have a true preop diet, with the exception of full liquids two days prior, and clear liquids the day before.

Right now, you can eat a full cup of soup easy, or a full yogurt pretty easy. That’s because it passes through the pouch into the intestines easily. Once you move to solid foods that won’t be the case. So, I wouldn’t worry about it.

@Roadrunner 1 recovery is going good! Finally starting to feel normal. I was really tired and nauseous last week but I got thru it 😀. Finally had some real "food" -- yogurt and some cream of chicken.... nice change compared to all clear liquids and protein shakes. 😉

The first couple of days at home I was only able to drink 24 to 28 oz of water and they were not happy with me. I was also eating yogurt and protein shake but they were concerned about blood clots and told me to skip yogurt to get more fluids. It’s so tough bc if you wake up a little late or take a nap you are derailed for the day. How much are you getting? It helped me to lay out a schedule for the day to make sure I could meet my 48 oz goal. The other thing that helped was having a small water bottle (8oz) in bed with me when I woke up in the middle of the night. I couldn’t sleep through the night for the first week so drinking for an hour in the middle of the night helped me reach my goal.

* I eat dark chocolate morsals with greek yogurt * Sometimes I use a straw * I down play my weight loss around jealousy prone friends * I use pure maple syrup and raw honey while cooking * I think about sex way too often now because it's fun again

I noticed your surgery date. Hang in there... it's still very early for you, Lainey, and your new stomach is still healing. My surgery date was 11/8/17 and for me, right about last week (at 4 weeks post op), I started seeing an ease with eating things - still with the restriction, but not feeling awful after eating. Different surgeons have different post-op programs, but I will say my surgeons program post op (although it was tough) actually helped ensure my stomach was ready to take on progressively thicker foods over a 4 week period. Week 1 (clear liquid diet), week 2 (true liquids like protein shakes, yogurt, etc), Week 3 (pureed to soft diet (eggs, tuna , soft meats, etc.)) and Week 4 (add 1 new food at a time). Nevertheless, I had similar reactions you did during my week 3 (when I first started eating soft foods like egg and soft meats) and I too also became scared to eat. It's all in the process I think. Just remember you (we ) November sleevers are still healing.

Congrats on your surgery. I was sleeved on the 6th as well. First the yogurt didn’t sit well with me either until I blended it with a tiny amount of non fat milk to make like a smoothie texture. I just take small sips of that and it’s fine. Try it. I have started writing down what I eat and drink. I use an app to keep track of it all. I wouldn’t do the chew and spit thing because that can develop into an eating disorder or other unhealthy habits. Hope you have a great safe recovery sleeve buddy!!

My surgery was Dec 6, 2017. I am on the full liquids still until the 28th. It feels like anything other than liquids (ie plain nonfat yogurt) sits in my throat. I have realized I need to take smaller bites and drinks of everything or it hurts. I am really pushing to get in 64 oz of fluids. That is counting every liquid. I cannot tell if it is reflux or not but I am having some burning/discomfort at the bottom of my ribs. It feels like the hole to enter my stomach is smaller and cannot fit through. Not sure what is going on there. Incisions looks alright and I am healing fine. I keep trying to overdo it though. Baby steps seems to be the only successful way to accomplish anything right now in working and eating. Also, I have realized I need to write down times when I drink and eat. I thought I can keep track of it in my head but it was not a success. One other thing that has helped me be successful on liquids is if I feel I really need something and I am craving it then I put it in my mouth and chew it until it is like a pulp, get disgusted at the texture then spit it out. That way I have all of the flavor and none of the guilt. I hope this does not set me up for problems later though. Any one else feeling like this or having the same discomforts I am? I hope I am doing everything on the right path so far.

I wondered the same thing.....because when you start that two week liquid diet it's a big ole slap upside the head of reality....THIS IS HARD! My personal theory? Eliminating meat is not physically necessary to shrink your liver pre-surg.....but it IS psychologically necessary to make sure you're gonna survive the restrictive diet after surgery and not do something stupid that could HURT you. Yep, that two week diet feels like torture. Guess what? So does the post-surgical diet. Except with the post surgical diet, you don't get to change your mind. If you cheat you can end up needing emergency surgery. My doc recently had a case of someone eating on Thanksgiving 5 days post op and getting their sleeve impacted. They tried to shift the clog with an endoscope and couldn't....needed to do surgery to unstick a wad of turkey. Maybe that is why we have to prove our metal with the liquid diet. Just to know what we're getting ourselves into and making sure we have the courage and tenacity to make it through. Doctors really don't like their surgical complication rate to tick up....and they have to trust you not to sabotage yourself. Do your pre-surgical diet as written. Don't cheat. They do it that way for a reason. It's hard. Yes. Yes, it is. Very hard. (says a woman who has eaten nothing but clear liquids and protien shakes for three miserable weeks...two pre-surg, and one post surg) But guess what? I had a terrifically easy time in surgery, no nausea, little pain. Tomorrow, I should be cleared to eat yogurt, oatmeal, soup and pudding. Looking very forward to that. Around Christmas, I'll get mashed potatoes and soft meats....which sounds like heaven. You're hitting the hard part. Buck up and do what you're told. DONT CHEAT! The success of your sleeve depends on it.

Thank you so much!! Honestly I don't even stick to a day to day diet or eating plan, I just try to get in protein daily (salmon, chicken, beans, egg whites, yogurt) and I drink 3 bottles of 30.4oz core water a day. I had sleeve on 12/14/16. SW: 316 CW: 177. [emoji176][emoji176][emoji176]

I’m doing so much better today. I’m post op day 8. I’m able to sleep on my side some now. Every day I hurt a bit less and get more range of motion back. Tomorrow I go back on full liquids and I can’t wait to eat a damn yogurt and some soup. I’m getting better bit by bit and it helps to read the posts of those that came before and have been through it. Thanks again.

Hi. My preop diet only allows yogurt, popsicles, protein shakes, milk and jello. I start in two days and am really gonna miss chewing!! I read about liver shrinking diets online and it seems meat and cooked veggies are fine. We’re you allowed veggies and meat? Why can’t I eat anything that requires chewing?????

I think low carb would be very good for you. Dumping is about sugar not fat. I have been so surprised to learn that over 50% of my calories come from fat. I lose a couple lbs a week. I’m 5 months out. I eat about 30-40g fat a day. I focus on protein, animal and whey (which I can only stand mixed into plain full fat greek yogurt). I only use plant protein in emergencies by keeping protein peanut butter packets in my purse if I am not near any animal protein. I have vegetables including potatoes after I’ve had protein. I eat 1-2 servings of my own granola recipe (2 Oz a serving) made with oats and seeds a day to keep fr9m constipation. Breakfast is a scrambled egg in butter. During the day I eat the mixture of whey (grass fed, plain no sweetener) in full fat plain greek yogurt, with some groundflax seed and a splash of coconut water to help mix it. Dinners are meat with some veg. Fatty meat is fine. Fatty fish, mayo, etc. I eat tons of fat and it’s is very satisfying. No sweet anything - my granola isn’t sweet though it has a bit of maple syrup. And my dessert is 85-90% dark chocolate. Avoiding sweet tasting things is absolutely key for me. No breads or pastas. First 4 months, no fruit. Now I will allow myself onebite of fruit a day, not every day. I’m good without it. I believe that sugar and eating sweet tast8ng things are our downfall. Once those things are out, the cravings are gone.

They're gonna need to do a stomach transplant. (OK I'm kidding) But in all seriousness are you post op? And it's yogurt still so I don't see what the huge deal is. Unless there's like huge massive chunks of coconut and you're like day 1 postop. In which case you'd likely feel pain by now

I accidentally ate coconut yogurt instead of vanilla, am I going to be ok?

I know I can't eat it...and I didn't. I really just kinda mashed it with my finger and tasted the juice on my finger. Tiny taste of juice...nothing solid. God, I'm hungry. First three days after surgery, just non-caloric clear liquids. Past two days I've added 4oz of Protien shakes every other hour.....and I'm getting seriously hungry. Tuesday, at my one week check in, I'll get the green light on adding 4oz of strained Soup, or watery cream of wheat or oatmeal, or yogurt, or pudding. So...that really should help. I was losing weight reliably on 1500-1800 calories a day. (lost 30 pounds in 6 months and never ate under 1500) Presurgical diet was around 800 calories a day and lasted two weeks....then three days of zero calories...then two days of about 400 calories. My brain feels like it's full of cotton. I forget everything and I'm just kinda...nutty. My energy is pretty good. I'm getting 10,000 steps a day without trying (I walk a little every half hour as directed...it adds up!). But I feel like I'm starving. I know I have to protect the new sleeve, and go by the book....and I am. I am not cheating. I want to. God, I want to. But I'm not. The stuff I'm craving isn't naughty...it's my old diet stuff. I'd kill for avacado toast on whole wheat with some low fat baby swiss and canadian bacon. Half a slice, and a cut up tomato. I'd kill for all my diet food recipes that I've learned to love and miss dreadfully. I'd kill for a bite of an egg mcmuffin, or a steak salad, or some Thai stir fry. The Protein Shakes are making me twitch. The Mio has grown boring. chicken broth tastes like a chicken's sweaty armpit and I can't stand it anymore. Jello is my nemesis. Not today, Satan, not today.....

You will feel like like you are eating constantly for the first few weeks, it gets easier. My ability to drink more at a time increased quickly. But yeah, it’s a chore at first. I ate a lot of Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, refried beans or pea soup and usually 1 protein shake a day. I couldn’t do puréed meat so I depended a lot on dairy during that time. I bought a little insulated lunch bag w an ice pack so I could take food with me if I was going to be out of the house for more than an hr or 2. I also recommend Cooking eggs in the microwave as opposed to on the stove, they come out much softer and more moist than the stove top. Good luck!

12/8/17 (three years out) breakfast (2) dannon light n fit yogurt (2) Jimmy dean turkey breakfast sausage links snack (1) al fresco sweet apple chicken sausage Lunch (3.4oz) canned chicken (3oz) dole bag salad (2oz) avocado Snack quest BBQ protein chips (2oz) mozzarella cheese (3oz) salsa Dinner (4oz) Smoked salmon (3.5oz) steamed french green beans (.5 oz) sliced almonds 577 calorie burn workout - Snack after workout: (1.2 oz) PB2 (1 teaspoon) Hershey's sugar free chocolate chip minis

Hey, hope4momof4, great idea with this thread, really cool way to keep us all getting positive messages each week. I'm now just over 2 weeks after procedure and down 14 pounds. I'm still primarily doing a liquid diet with protein drinks and soups. Have added yogurt and tried some small portions of chicken and fish (both ±2 ounces). Lots of chewing, so far so good, no reactions from my new stomach. Average 600-800 calories a day. Lots of water. I'm down one size in pants and that feels so much better, moved all my "larger" pants out to the garage and will be donating them to charity. I'm not going back. I just don't get hungry like I used to, sounds difficult to believe, but I have zero urge to munch at the end of the day before/after "dinner". This used to be the worst hours of the day for me, mentally I look back and think it was more like grazing (emotional not physical eating). I'm going to try going back to the gym next week and building up my cardio and strength, will let you know how that goes. Have a great weekend!

I'm 8 days out. After day 4 or so I could drink quite a bit of water or broth in one sitting. The same isn't true for the thicker foods my plan allows (yogurt, cottage cheese, scrabbled eggs) so I've been doing those for meals instead of broth. For broth I've been going to Whole Foods and getting the broth from their market soups, and giving them a once over with an immersion blender just incase there's anything chunky hiding in there. So much more satisfying than plain broth.

Protein jello, sugar free popscicles, sugar free pudding, and soup. Ask your nut if you're allowed some soft protein rich foods like yogurt or string cheese.

I was the first surgery on Tuesday with my group, so with an arrival time of 5:30, I was up at 4am. Got there and it all went very smoothly. They wanted a little last minute blood, they wanted a pregnancy pee test, then on to pre-surgery where I got a couple of shots and an IV catheter in my forearm. Everyone wants to know your name and birthdate...lol. Had already taken the Emend pill for anti-nausea. Was given an antinausea patch behind my ear, and a motion sickness med. Also, a med for preventing blood clots. Surgery went well. Woke up and learned that I'd had a small hiatal hernia that my doc tightened up to help prevent acid reflux. Surgery was 7:30-9:30. I spent 9:30-12:30 in recovery. Was ready to leave at around 11, but there was a little delay getting my room ready. Got a few ice chips in recovery. Around 12:30, I was wheeled up to my room. The pain from the surgical sites wasn't bad. The trapped gas, particularly in my shoulders, hurt like the dickens, though. Miserable feeling, but tolerable. As soon as I got to my room, I asked to go to the bathroom. Got up without any problem, took myself to the toilet. (nurse did stand outside the door at first). Got out and said that standing upright made my gas pain feel much better, so asked if I could walk. Nurses seemed very enthusiastic about my willingness to walk and took me for a walk. I did a couple laps of the ward and wanted to sit down again. So, then, I was given a little one ounce cup of Water to drink slow. Got some pain meds, some more anti nausea meds, some meds to encourage my guts to keep moving. I drank my little one ounce cup without any issues for a couple hours in a row and they advanced me to drinking FOUR little one ounce cups per hour, and sucking on this plastic breathing thing ten times an hour. After a bit, they helped me put an order in to food service for some broth, Jello, and other Clear Liquids. But here's the routine I had to follow (and am still following today) 10 sucks on the breathing thingy per hour, One or two small walks per hour. Four ounces of clear liquid per hour....drinking one ounce every 15 minutes in 10 little sips. Yesterday at 6pm, they sent me home, and I've been doing the same schedule. Tomorrow, I'll alternate hours, and do 4 ounces of Protein Drink, then four ounces of clear fluid...alternating like this for at least 10 hours of the day. The goal is at least 40 ounces of Fluid per day. I'll remain on Protein drink and clear fluids until my recheck a week from surgery. At that point, if all is well, I get cream of wheat, yogurt, pudding, and oat meal back in the rotation. The toughest thing for me has been getting comfortable in bed. I'm a side sleeper and it's kinda painful...but wedging enough pillows around me helps. Also, I have a little narcotic medication in liquid form for home, that so far, I have only had to take at night. Am feeling pretty good today! Still pooped, but getting my walks in. One funny thing....they loaded me up so much with IV fluids that I actually gained about four pounds while away having surgery! All those swollen tissues must be holding a lot of water. I was told this is very common and not to worry about it. Could also be a function of them taking me off my diuretic for a while until fluids get easier to swallow in bigger volumes. Anyway...I'm doing great and wanted everyone to know the sleeve isn't that bad. The hardest part for me is all the meticulous measuring and making sure all my little recovery jobs are getting done. Walk, sip, suck. Rinse, repeat. Good luck to everyone on a safe and effective outcome!

Honestly? I'm doing this pre-op and anticipate this will continue the rest of my life. I pick my most important meal of the day (happens to be dinner for me), and that's the meal that I will put a little effort into. (Like 10-15 minutes of effort. ) That means, the other 2 meals, 3 snacks are pretty repetitious, crazy easy, and boring--designed only to fill my piehole with protein and veg/fruit. If I get tired of a meal, I'll take it out of rotation and put something up in its place. If it were me, and I was a truck drivin' man (thank you Toby Keith), I'd do the following during the week cuz I could make and package stuff ahead: Breakfasts--I'd rotate 3-4 of them: 1. Egg "muffins (portable, soft, easy to digest, dense protein). You can make these any flavor you want. They're essentially just crustless quiches (and real men DO eat quiche) !!! 2. Breakfast taco made with low carb tortilla. 3. Mixture of cottage cheese, yogurt, blueberries, Fiber One, toasted slivered almonds. 4. Green protein smoothie (frozen blueberries, frozen spinach, scoop of banana protein powder, peanut butter powder, unsweetened vanilla coconut milk or Fairlife Milk for more protein) Lunches--I'd rotate 3-4 of them: 1. Turkey or ham roll-up(s) + grape tomatoes (1 oz Boar's Head lunch meat + 1 string cheese = 1 roll-up)--eat 1-2 + 3-4 grape tomatoes 2. Little containers of leftovers from previous dinners that are pre-measured. Stop to pee at a truck stop, nuke 'em and enjoy with a spoon and a smile. Works great for things like chili, Eggface's Ricotta Bake, layered enchilada casseroles, etc. 3. Lettuce wraps (lunchmeat, sliced cheese, romaine leaves/curly lettuce leaves, cucumber spears, onion slices, etc) 4. Little containers of a meat/seafood/egg salad (tuna or canned salmon or shrimp, mixed with boiled egg, cottage cheese, green onions, dill pickle relish, low fat mayo, Dijon mustard, spices) + sliced apple or jicama or carrots. 5. Smorgasbord: 2oz leftover meat, 1oz cubed cheese, 3-4grape tomatoes or 2-3 strawberries or 1/4 c blueberries or blackberries. Snacks--KISS (Keep It Simple Sweetie) 1. Hard boiled egg 2. String cheese and beef/venison jerky 3. 1oz nuts 4. sliced apple/peanut butter or almond butter 5. My favorite trifecta satisfies me for 3-4 hours: 1 string cheese, 1.75oz GS apple slices, 8-14g of toasted almonds. So dang yummy!!! Dinner--Make something lovely for yourself and make enough to freeze 2-3 meals of leftovers in small containers. Label with tape: I make lots of "base" meats and buy pre-made/low to no sugar/low cal/low fat sauces and freeze them in ways that I can measure out an ounce or 2 into a container. I portion sauces in ice cube trays or small freezer containers. Then it's so easy to grab things and mix and match like Garanimals for food! Never a dull meal! Name of dish Qty of the Dish Date frozen (if possible, then put the nutritional information on it)

I had the same issue with anything that wasn’t bland. Couldn’t do vanilla shakes ore even my fruity vitamins mapped me gag. Fortunately I had unflavored protein powder and put it in a cup of milk with decaf coffee and that’s helped for a few days. Vanilla Greek yogurt tastes horrible but plain was tolerable. I’m one week out and can do choc shakes and vitamins are doable.