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Today is post op day 4. Today I am having food cravings and feel like my hunger is not satisfied. I want pizza. I want garlic bread! Surprsingly, I don't want my typical cravings like chocolate and frosting and ice cream. I am allowed to eat three 2 oz "meals" a day plus protein shakes. Fill in with jello, water, broth, sugar free Italian ice. When my husband went through this 4 years ago he didn't have any cravings and was never hungry. What is this? Is it all mental?

Hey all, I am getting close to 4 months post op and I am only taking in 400-600 calories a day. I don't feel hungry, even when I do, since I don't crave anything I don't want to eat. I know I've not been taking in enough protein and when I remember to try and 'catch up' its later in the day. I can't eat at my desk at work and my work never gave me any accommodations to help with meeting liquid and food intake which makes it a lot harder. I feel like I've gone off the rails but also having a bad mental night so focusing heavy on the negative which I was doing well at combating the last couple weeks.

40 days to surgery.... and I've been keeping myself busy so that time doesn't stand still. Keeping up with caring for my skin, trying to improve it. My Clarisonic Mia came in and i've used it twice. pretty cool. Using my Ambi and Garnier lightening creme on the dark spot on my face. Not seeing much yet but it's been just a week, so I have a ways to go before I see something. My parents are coming to visit next month... they said they were coming, I just wasn't sure when or IF they were coming for sure. They will spend Christmas Eve and Day with me and then go spend time with my Aunt and the rest of the family. They live south of town, about 45 minutes from me. I didn't even have a bed for the guest room so I had to scramble to order something. I also ordered a table and some chairs since I didn't have that either. I'll be putting that together this week and finishing up the bedroom. That will be RIGHT AFTER surgery! My mom had Bypass in 2001 so she gets that I don't plan on being the life of the party. At least I will get to see them. I have no idea what to get to have here at the house... I won't be able to eat any of it. Is it bad that I am kind of relieved? I don't really like holiday food. I stuff myself with the few options that I like and then hate myself for it. This year I won't be able to do that. Anyway, on with the preparation...I tried the Celebrate NS vitamin powder you mix in with a drink........ewwwwwww. no. No way I am doing that twice a day. As far as I can tell, Dr Alvarez only requires his patients to take a multivitamin. I got some Wellesse liquid multi and also one with vitamin c and D vitamin, and also some liquid protein. I figure I'll take all of that that I can get and if I can add it to something else, that would be great. I ordered a couple of genie bras, an electric kettle (for making unjury protein soup) and a cup warmer to keep it warm since it gets cold so fast. I also ordered a warming pad... is that what you call it? I can't remember. I got one, anyway. I want to also get a binder because I heard that it helps, especially when on the plane. I am liquid dieting Sunday through Wednesday this week. Actually I started yesterday but I went to brunch first. Dinner was soup and later on I had an Atkins shake and I've been drinking my water. Thursday is our company Thanksgiving dinner and I want to have some of that but I will probably get back on mostly liquids. I still want to hit the 230's by the time I get on the plane. I will be on full liquids by December 10th.

Hello fellow Banders, I am celebrating my 2-week post-op mark today! Honestly, it feels like more than that. I am down a total of 25 pounds since my surgery date weigh-in. I am actually having to wear a belt with everything because I'd be sagging like no tomorrow if I didn't. I have been eating good and getting around so much better this second week. I am returning to work on Friday. It will be nice to get back in the routine. Cheers and God Bless everyone, Jason "The Nightshift Nurse" St. Louis, MO

I was sleeved July 2015 but within a few month acid reflux so bad but took till 2020 to get surgeon to run lots of test. Well I had a hernia at the top of my stomach so even swallowing saliva the acid would shoot up into my mouth. Well still thanks to covid had to fight to get surgery done plus fight insurance saying it was 2 nd wls and they refused. Now this was January 2020 but by time insurance would pay half it was covid and hospital wouldn’t allow surgery as was cosmetic. Well my fillings in teeth feel out than I lost 7 teeth and dentist wrote letter to insurance saying it was from stomach acid. So finally got mini bypass on Dec 23,2021. Been a nightmare since because I lost so many more teeth that I have dentures and I had great teeth before surgery pearly white straight from braces years ago to none on top and 4 missing on bottom. Plus 4 more hernias all in intestine and a 1” tear in my intestine landing me in hospital for 6 weeks. I can’t eat much and also afraid what I eat as those 6 weeks in hospital scared the garbage out of me. I was in a medical coma and had 2 surgery’s to fix tear. I’m afraid to do the scope to check since tear happened 3 days after the scope to see if any more hernias.

Thank you! Thank you for taking the time to write that for the benefit of others. I truly appreciate it. I am only 3 weeks out and this is such an adventure and so much to learn. That was some great perspective.

Well I have been in a stall for about a month. I am about 3 1/2 months out. My carbs are 30 or under and I am drinking lots of fluids. i am getting some fat calories.... maybe those need to go really low? like under 20 a day? Trying to exercise but the stamina I used to have just isn't there. When you finally make it through the stall, do you go back to losing about 2 lbs a week? In the last month I have lost maybe 2 lbs. I have tried cutting carbs even more but it doesn't seem to help. Am hoping my weight loss will start again soon. Khy

I luv this blog! Speak whats on your mind. It will get you and us through this process much easier. I love hearing the truth. So happy for you. Praying that you make it through each week much more healthier than the last.

I was banded 1 1/2 years ago. I'm doing well. I'm leaving for a two week vacation to the coast of Maine and am REALLY looking forward to eating the wonderful lobster there. I was there two years ago and know how awesome it is. I eat a lot of seafood, including crab, and don't have a problem with it, but lobster tends to be a little "tougher" or more rubbery than most seafood. I wondered if any of you up there have a problem eating it now that you're banded. I have trouble eating tough or dry white meat chicken so I'm concerned. I've read that lobster is a very low fat, superior source of protein, so I'm hoping the texture won't pose a problem.

Good evening! I had band to bypass revision on May 3 and I LOVE IT!! I am so happy with my "decision". Mine wasn't so much of a decisions as it was...if you ever want to eat again you need to get the stupid band out of you. I was very successful with my band and lost 110 pounds in 9.5 months but then right around my 3 year anniversary I started having major problems. I was completely unfilled but I kept throwing up quite regularly. Any time anyone would question it, I just made one excuse after another without realizing it: The food was too tought, I ate to fast, I didn't chew enough, etc. Finally I had resorted to eating three things: Hershey's with almonds, cheese puffs, and Pasta with alfredo sauce because those were the only things that would go down with out being rejected by my band...which we soon nick-named the "anti-gravity band"...cuz what went down was inevitably coming up!!! (TMI...but any of us revisioners have been there and done that!) After craziness with my insurance company I finally had my revision done by Dr. Stowers in Decatur, TX. The recovery was very easy for me. I was back to work as a high school science teacher 6 days after surgery. The first two weeks were pretty easy because it was just liquids. Weeks 3-6ish were a little more difficult as I transitioned to soft foods and then to real foods. I was getting nauseated all the time. Every time I ate I felt like I was getting car sick. However, that has seemed to fade unless I eat too much fat. I have avoided sugar at almost all cost except for the piece of cheesecake on my birthday which sent me over the edge. Dumping for me is a lot less about running to the bathroom (though I was in there for a while) and more about my the heart pounding in my chest. From what I have read everyone's experience is a little different but for me I know when I have too much fat or sugar because my DH can put his hand just barely touching my shirt and feel my heart beating. I can feel it in my ears and it is awful. This might sound bad but I am done counting calories, grams of Protein, and everything else so I don't. I eat things that are healthy (though I am having a really hard time even wanting meat...it disgusts me right now!) and I eat small amounts but I don't fret like I did with my band. I have lost 27 pounds in just under three months. However, I was fairly close to goal and only have 13 pounds to go to get to goal so my BMI was not very high. Both my doctor and I agreed that I would take the weight off slowly because my rapid weightloss with the band caused me some medical issues. I will tell you that your tastes buds are going to change. I thought they were crazy when they said you wouldn't crave sweets, but I haven't wanted a candy bar, doughnut, or ice cream since surgery. Salt on the other hand...that is my new "transfer addiction". I can't get enough! Please let me know if you have any questions. I still feel like a newbie myself but I will do my best to answer any questions you might have. Good luck!

I don't have chest discomfort, but the back discomfort is definitely there. I was banded the 25th. Honestly I don't think that has much to do with restriction I believe it to be a gas pain. I don't think that you would be able to feel back discomfort from restriction at all times of the day even when you're not drinking or eating anything. I think you might just be sick of the clear liquids as well. I know I was pre-op haha. When you get into your mushy/puree phase start out light. Do cream of soups like cream of mushroom blended. Tomato soup would be good too. Straight out from surgery I was able to have a full-liquid diet. So I am currently having the cream of soups, tomato soup, grits, broth etc. I am tolerating them fine. In 3 weeks...(more like 2 now) I will be on a mushy foods diet. =) I cant wait to have some mashed potatoes!!!!

I am about a week ahead of you and am having similar struggles. Yogurt and poached eggs work, tuna is iffy. I tried ground beef and it was a BAD idea even though the Dr. included it in my diet. It feels like I'll be living on this for a while. You are not alone!

Thanks Terri, I am following the instructions of my NUT. My first week I was liquids, then 2nd week creamed soups. Yesterday was my 2 week mark so I guess I am actually into my 3rd week. So I don't think I am progressing to fast. I am by no means eating solid food. Everything needs to be ground and very moist.

Anyone else out there experience this? I did great with liquids, then creamed soups and yogurts, but this is day 2 of being on soft/ground foods and I feel nauseas when I eat. I have tried chicken salad, turkey meatballs with sauce, scrambled eggs. I don't know if it's the foods or what? I need to eat because if not I need to drink protein shakes, and I'm getting very tired of them! Any help, or advice would be great!

Not yet although I am only a little under 3 weeks off from my surgery. I do wish it becomes exercising, but I am a rather lazy bugger.

I am 6 weeks post op and still feel tired and fatigued . Had VSG with hiatal and umbilical hernia repair. I hear everyone saying how much energy they have. Any thoughts ???

I just read a great article about Easter; it can be found here: http://www.dailybreeze.com/opinion/articles/6877872.html?page=1&c=y Here's a cut and paste: Evidence of faith, cause for hope Here are ten reasons why the resurrection of Jesus Christ remains the most important occurrence in history. By Paul Viggiano Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church Charles Hodge, the renowned 19th century Princeton theologian, penned these words concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ: "It may be safely asserted that the resurrection of Christ is at once the most important, and the best authenticated, fact in the history of the world." Hodge buttressed this assertion with 10 arguments. Nine of these arguments would pass muster vis-à-vis any other notable historical event. The 10th is undeniable: 1. It was predicted in the Old Testament. The Christian faith began at the dawn of man with God making a promise to redeem mankind through the death and resurrection of the Christ. The Old Testament was a widespread and well-known document. 2. It was foretold by Christ himself. People have twisted the Scriptures from the very beginning. For those who doubted the promise of the Messiah, or were inclined to bend the Scriptures to their own agenda, Jesus re-announced that he would die and rise again. 3. It was an easily verified event. The Resurrection wasn't a matter of secret knowledge. It was a physical resurrection. There was no faith required to observe the risen Christ. 4. It was substantiated by abundant, suitable and frequently repeated evidence. Jesus was a threat to the religion of the Jews and the authority of Rome. They wanted Christianity to end. All they had to do to achieve this was produce the dead body of Jesus. This would never happen. 5. There were numerous, competent witnesses of the event.The Resurrection didn't happen in a vacuum where only the devout or those skilled in piety could observe. Jesus was a public figure followed by hundreds and seen by thousands for 40 days after his resurrection and before his ascension. 6. The conviction of the witnesses was testified by their willingness to suffer even to the point of death. The Christian faith grew dramatically after the ascension of Jesus, due to the spirit-inspired testimony of the apostles who all (but one) were put to death for their faith. It can be argued that people have been known to die for a lie, but it is a much harder argument to make that people will die for something they know to be a lie. 7. God confirmed the testimony of those who witnessed the Resurrection by signs and wonders seen by entire communities. Jesus conferred the power to perform signs and wonder to his apostles; this continued for years. The authorities certainly had the time and occasion to expose these apostles if they weren't genuine. 8. The fact of the Resurrection has been commemorated by a religious observance of the first day of the week from the time it happened until this present time. The regularity of millions (now billions) of people meeting on a weekly basis for thousands of years speaks toward the reliability of the data. 9. The effects produced by the Gospel admit of no other rational solution than the truth of Christ's death and subsequent resurrection. The Christian church is his monument. All believers are his witnesses. The tome of literary, archeological and historical evidence of the Resurrection is simply unmatched. Unbiased observers have taken historical events as fact with much less evidence. The truth of the Gospel, the Resurrection, in fact all of Scripture can, and always has, passed every legitimate method of scrutiny. The real question is, "How legitimate are the methods?" Using man-made disciplines and evidences to determine the authenticity of Scripture would be like using my Casio to determine the accuracy of the atomic clock. Add this to the fact that man has a propensity to interpret facts through his own grid. For example, if someone's grid doesn't allow for miracles, he won't believe the event was a miracle no matter how much evidence he is given; he'll just wait for some new explanation. Besides, it would be foolish to think that God has left us at the mercy of our own ability to do research in order to know the truth, let alone be saved. This brings us to Hodge's last point. 10. Simply put, we know the Resurrection truly took place. Jesus said that his words are sufficient to judge us -- words which we still have in the Bible. The testimony of God's word is self-evident and undeniable. When people deny the Scriptures, they are denying something they know to be true in the depth of their heart. Man's accountability to God is not capricious; it is based in something men know. And what a glorious thing God has revealed to us -- that there is hope beyond the grave. Jesus is called the first fruits of the Resurrection because those who trust in him will be resurrected as well -- this is what the Bible calls the good news. He is risen indeed!

My surgery date is October 5th-- just less than a week of this Pre-op diet- - I was feeling pretty good up until yesterday, I ended up with an awful headache- I figure it was because I didn't drink enough water- feeling better today-- I don't think I have lost much weight on the diet-- but my surgeon wanted it to focus on shrinking my liver-- hopefully that is happening!! I don't mind my Protein shakes-- however I am getting sick of all the sweetness!!! Hope you are all doing well!! (Im getting excited!!)

dianegoe, I had the same exact issue. I got a little sick on a Sunday night, and got progressively worse every day until I could not get Water down by Thursday and had to go for an emergency unfill. My stomach was swollen from getting sick and it caused a snowball effect because I would go on liquids for a while, try to progress to mushies, get sick and pb, causing more swelling in the stomach . . . and repeated repeatedly. I got 2 cc's taken out on the 29th of August, it was instant immediate relief and afterwards I could eat anything, and I do mean anything. It was like being unbanded. I got 1.5 cc's put back in yesterday and I am at good restriction again. My previous fill went from the end of April to the end of August with absolutely no problems. I was at my sweet spot. It only took getting sick one time to cause this issue. I asked the nurse and she said that it does have the ability to snowball in that if you get really sick, it can keep progressing until you need an unfill within a couple of days. My nurse also said to take Motrin to relieve the inflammation in the stomach if this ever happens again. She said Motrin is OK for use on a very occasional basis and works great to relieve swelling in this specific situation, but you should never use it regularly or for an extended period because it is rough on the stomach. She also said that I might have been able to avoid the unfill if I would have stayed on liquids for a couple of days uninterrupted combined with Motrin. My cycle of trying to get back to normal foods too soon just added extra aggravation to my already swollen stomach. I am sorry you had to go through that in Spain, it was pretty terrible here in Ohio . . . and being abroad in a foreign hospital with people that are unfamiliar must have been very frightening and intimidating. I am going to Turkey for several weeks in mid-October and I am scared to death of having a similar situation so that is why I asked the nurse not to replace my fill level 100%. I hope you feel better very soon.

Thanks Don. We have an evening out planned (well sort of but I can get out of it) a week after my surgery... so not sure if I'll be able to sit for say 3 hours to enjoy it.... I've also managed to put off having any house guests (the draw of living in Spain with the warm weather and a pool usually brings them over in the summer!!) until 3 weeks out, and then its my best friend who knows about the surgery. I'm glad you're recovering well - enjoy being at home... I know I hate being in hospital so will look forward to returning home next weekend after the event! Good luck with your recovery Kathy

Note to Admins -- I took a look at the food & Nutrition section and did not see a thread like the one i am writing here. This section has more views & replies, so I am hoping to keep this thread here despite .. Hi Folks, Coming into VSG surgery, my doctor told me that my relationship with food will change. Via the pre-op psycho analysis visit to his colleague psychiatristpizza place that has pizza by the slice, and we used to get a slice of cheese pizza each and sit down and eat them before driving back home .. nowadays, even if I cut the slice in 1/2 or 1/3 -- the taste isn't there anymore. I can't describe why .. I simply do not enjoy eating this food, though my memory of enjoying this food is still there. You can apply that to EVERY single kind of food and dishes that I used to eat -- the TASTE relationship is not the same. And I've come to the conclusion that what I need to do, is to expand the horizon on foods and get into eating different dishes, ones that I don't used to eat, very often, or never tried before .. Now, to be fair -- I'll go first to offer up a recipe I discovered on the internet that is a "new" dish for me, in the fact that at least -- I never used to eat it as a meal at home. This recipe came about about the first week of going from a semi-liquid diet into solid foods, and all the foods I was eating was very boring or didn't taste good . On this day -- I felt like eating salmon, but not raw as Japanese food but cooked. I knew I needed a nice and tasty sauce, so I found this recipe: *** Pan fried salmon with cream dill sauce *** - Fresh raw salmon fillet (180 grams or less, if too large -- VSG'ers can't finish this) - 1 small lemon/lime - Fresh dill - 1/2 cup cream - 1 table spoon Philadelphia Chive & Chive Cream Cheese - 2 table spoon virgin olive oil - 1/2 table spoon salt - Ground black pepper Pan fry salmon fillet with olive oil for 5~10 minutes pending your fire and temperature until cooked. Separate sauce pan, pour in cream and mix in the cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese has melted and blended into the sauce body. Chop the dill and add it to the sauce, let the dill cook a bit to get the flavor into the cream sauce. When the sauce is done, pour it over the cooked salmon fillet in a serving plate. Slice a piece of lemon or lime and put it on top of the salmon. Done .. quick and dirty. I ate this dish for a while, until I burnt out on it .. now, I'm looking for more recipes to re-vitalize my daily meal agenda .. anybody have any good recipes which you are currently enjoying, which you have tested out yourself and know that it will work for VSG'ers ?? Feel free to jump in and make your contribution. I'm waiting to try out some new dishes.

Hello everyone I'm currently 30 weeks out and have lost 75 pounds. I was wondering how much weight everyone who's about this far out has lost. What was your starting weight & goal weight. I need 25 more pounds to be at my goal weight

My surgeon told me not to weigh for 2 weeks at least after surgery. IV fluids, healing, and swelling can add up to 15 pounds in some people. In a few weeks it will seem like you are melting away.

I am almost 4 weeks post-op with gastric bypass and I would have to agree with all the comments you made. Of course, I can't speak yet about further down the road but the pre-op and right after pre-op are spot on. I too was worried I was putting my life on the line and frankly did not go ahead with my surgery 10 years earlier because of my fear of leaving my 3 children without a mother. Even though complications do occur my fears were absolutely irrational. The statistics simply did not support my "hypothetical horrors." Most of us are low risk patients and recovery is much much easier then a c-section or even childbirth. From the minute I came home from the hospital (2 day stay) I required no pain meds except for 1 single pill of Tylenol on 3 separate occasions and it was for a headache and two stupid incidents of trying to lift/push things that were too heavy on that first week home. Because I felt fine, I was forgetting I couldn't do all that I wanted to do. The biggest annoying thing at this point is getting enough fluids in. You have to keep sipping all day and I forget. This is not bad and my 33 lbs weight loss is a dream come true. I can go up the stairs without my knees hurting and my blood pressure is normal. I FEEL GREAT. Hardest day: First day of pre-op diet. I felt hungry just like you do when you start a diet, since then I never looked back. Post-op not hungry at all. Eat to live but no longer live to eat. I LOVE MY WLS (weight loss surgery).

Hi folks, this has been an incredibly smooth and uneventful procedure, to the point where I almost didn't want to say it because I hear of so many problems on here. But it's been a breeze knock on wood. So here are the two things: 1) the unanticipated great pleasure is crossing my legs. When I sit and cross my legs now the experience is completely different as my legs don't splay out, the fold neatly and the folded over leg just goes straight don along side the other leg, if you can see what I mean here. It's no longer uncomfortable. But it's something I would never have thought of. 2) Has anyone heard of people reaching their goal weight in TWO months? Well I'm about to do that. Granted because I lost 45 before surgery, I didn't have as much to lose but now I've lost another almost 35 and so in a few weeks I imagine I'll be there. Just strikes me as strange but utterly wonderful... I'm 6'2", highest was 305, and now I'm 211, goal is 195 or 200.... this is a trip!! wow