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Yeah, chocolate, pizza, Mexican food, etc I can use mind over matter. My prob is cocktails. I’m finding myself fantasizing about wine pairings with holiday food (and then having just 1 bite of, or skipping the food altogether) I did tell myself zero alcohol between now and next Thursday, so it’s a delayed gratification on that. I’ve already bought my wine and am allowing myself 2 glasses, and instead of dessert, I’m going to have a glass of tawny port I found this weekend.

That’s good advice. I had my sleeve on 11/11 and experienced very little pain at the five incisions for the scopes and I also had a hiatal hernia repaired. The worst part for me was gas on the left side for the first 48 hrs. It eventually subsided after I started passing gas and going to the bathroom. The other incision points only ache mildly at this point, but overall it’s WAY Less than what I expected going into this. Best advice is stick with the liquids slowly throughout the day, avoid anything with sugar or even sugar alcohols, try to walk at least once or twice daily and above all, pat yourself on the back for having the strength and courage to get the sleeve done! You’ll do great.

What type of Protein shakes are you using? I had my sleeve done 11/11 and when I tried Slim Fast Advantage again, I had major discomfort and pain, likely because of the sugar alcohols. Give Premiere Protein a shot and stick to only sipping out of a one oz medicine cup at a time. Slow and steady is the best way. I assure you that it will improve greatly as the days pass. Good Luck and Hang in There!

I saw this on another forum and thought it worthy to share as it has all the great information and advice we all need for the journey! it is written by Mellissa Gangi and what I had wished I had been told from the very beginning. Sleeve Tips: I'm 10 months post op today and along this journey, so far, I've seen a lot of the same questions or concerns from many. I thought these tips could help! 1. Take preop photos... you'll want them! 2. Protein shakes...I used isopure protein powder and scooped it into 2 oz. of water (u can add ice and blend too) to drink in my immediate postop period. It was much less to drink at a sitting and you still got in your protein. It would take me over an hour to drink each one, but way easier to me. Plus, isopure has multiple flavors and it was reasonably priced. I bought off Amazon. Also, Genepro is an unflavored protein powder that is very popular. It can be added to pretty much anything. The scoop is tiny and it gives 30g of protein per scoop. I use it daily in my morning coffee but if adding it to hot liquids you have to add creamer 1st to cool it down or it will clump up or dissolve in a little warm water 1st then add... the directions are on the bag. It is not completely unflavored and it has a smell to it, but most of us get used to it quickly. Your body can only absorb up to 30g of protein per serving, so anything more than that at once will be wasted and it doesn't count towards your daily goals! 3. STALLS happen...stick to your plan and the scale will move again! You most likely will be losing inches during that time. They can last a few weeks...especially the 3 week stall. The further you are out they may even last longer and at that point you may have to shake things up a bit, maybe a day or 2 most increase your carbs then go back to your plan. Don't get discouraged and try to just be patient. 4. No NSAIDS (aspirin, ibuprofen, aleve, motrin, etc...) they can cause ulcers...tylenol products are ok and Excedrin Tension is ok (great for headaches) it has tylenol and caffeine in it, no aspirin like the other excedrin products. Also, peppermint oil rubbed on your temples help for headaches. 5. Fluid intake...atleast 64 oz of non caffeinated, non carbonated, sugar free fluids but the rule of thumb is drink half of your body weight in ounces. 6. Caffeine and alcohol...follow your surgeons orders. They both can dehydrate you and cause ulcers in the beginning of your journey. And alcohol may affect you differently postop, so be careful. Absorbtion changes postop. 7. Transfer addictions...a lot of bariatric patients give up food for other addictions like shopping and alcohol. Be mindful. 8. Increased chance of pregnancy after surgery. You can be much more fertile. Even if you had problems with it preop. 9. Increased divorce rates postop...I have looked into this because I was curious as to why. I have found that it does indeed increase, but the majority of the couples that do have had issues preop and the spouse that had surgery loses the weight, increases their self esteem and simply won't stand for the same behavior anymore. 10. Sugar/Carbs...1st and foremost, follow your plan. There are reasons why your surgeon and/or nutritionist gives you one, especially while healing and it takes approximately 6 weeks for your tummy to heal. After you are advanced to a "regular" diet, usually about 2 month postop, yes you can eat some sweets or carbs but in moderation. Always try to get your protein in 1st, though. I have chosen to stay away from sugar and certain carbs. I don't crave them, so why reintroduce them. I know me, and moderation is hard for me. 11. Everyone's weightloss journey is different. Try not to compare yourself to the next person. It's hard not to, I know! But their weight, height, sex, medical history all plays a part of it. If you do what you should be doing, you'll lose! 12. Dumping and The Foamies... Dumping occurs when your new tummy just doesn't agree with something you consumed. Dumping occurs more in bypass patients but it can occur with sleeves, also. Symptoms can include sudden vomiting, diarrhea, and increased heart rate and last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. The Foamies... you'll know what this is if you get it. It's a lot of phlegm that is produced in your esophagus all of a sudden. It can happen if you eat or drink too fast, or take in too much, or drink right after eating...wait to drink atleast 30 minutes after eating. Plus, if you drink with eating or too close afterwards you flush the food through your belly too fast and you're not absorbing nutrients. 13. Take your vitamins and get in your protein daily! This will not only help your weightloss and prevent vitamin deficiency but it will help with the sunken in look when you lose weight. I was told 60-90g of protein daily, but follow your drs orders. I take 2 flintstones with iron chewables a day because I couldn't tolerate the prescribed multivitamin, in addition to calcium with d3, and magnesium and b12. 14. Gas ex chewables, heating pads, and walking help big time for your gas pains. When I woke up from this surgery I thought I was having a heart attack because the gas was causing chest pains. Also, use the incentive spirometry in the immediate postop period. Anesthesia affects your lungs and it takes 72 hours to completely wear off so the breathing exercises help strengthen them and prevent pneumonia. 15. Heartburn...omeprazole works so well for me. My surgeon prescribed it from day 1 and I love it. 16. Postop hormones... your body almost goes into shock in the 1st 6 weeks or so after surgery from the major changes to it. You may feel different mentally...it does get better but if it's bad talk to your dr about it. 17. Medications... your body can change postop. The same medications you were on preop may be absorbed differently postop so if you notice changes talk to your dr. They may need to be adjusted. And extended release meds may not work as well. 18. Tracking your intake keeps you honest. I love the baritastic app. It also has recipes for all the stages and reminders. 19. Head hunger vs real hunger. This is a lifestyle change, your body needs much less calories postop but you have to retrain your brain. It may take time and that's normal. If you fall off the wagon one day...oh well...get back on it the next. We are all human. Don't get discouraged. Just pick yourself back up. 20. Complications can happen. If your body starts feeling different...new onset pains, nausea, vomiting, passing out, food feeling stuck in esophagus, etc...call your surgeon. You're always better safe than sorry. 21. Abbreviations... HW your highest weight SW what you weighed on your surgery day GW your goal weight CW what you weigh currently NSV non scale victory Nut nutritionist VSG vertical sleeve gastrectomy (sleeve surgery) RNY roux-en-Y (gastric bypass) DS duodenal switch surgery 22. Hair loss or thinning happens. But, it will grow back. I thinned starting at about 4 months. It can last months. Many take biotin supplements for it, I didn't. 23. Get ready to be cold! You're body is changing, it's almost in shock so invest in a Comfy, like me, or electric blanket to keep warm lol. 24. What to bring to the hospital for your surgery stay...a long phone charger, chapstick, your phone, comfy pjs, slippers, a robe, earbuds, and a list of your medical history, surgeries, allergies, and medications with dosages. Others add gas ex chewables but I'm an RN and don't recommend taking any meds from home without the nurses or drs knowledge. Some also say a heating pad to help with gas pains, but walking is best. Also, remember to hug a pillow if you cough or sneeze. It will help! 25. Constipation! It is a part of this journey, unfortunately. The only thing that helps me, and this is not conventional, is sugar free hard candies. A few of those babies (no more than 5 or you'll hate me) and you'll be going within 12 hours. The sugar alcohols do it for me. But, more conventional approaches are benefiber packets, smooth move tea, or miralax. And there's diarrhea in the beginning...liquids in, liquids out. But your 1st bowel movement may take awhile...its all normal. 26. Ketosis...when you cut out sugar and go low carb you're body goes into a state of ketosis. This is a metabolic state that now uses fat for energy, instead of carbs. It aids in weightloss, but has some side effects like bad breath, body odor, bowel changes, fatigue at 1st but then increased energy the longer you're in it, and insomnia. Those side effects will decrease over time so just invest in mouthwash for the meantime! I know this is a lot, but hopefully it helps! If I missed anything, feel free to chime in. Best of luck to everyone!

Day 17: What about your job are you most grateful for? I am grateful for my job as a pediatric nurse/nurse practitioner because it has been such a rewarding and sweet career. I can think of so many special people and moments that I have been privileged to share over the past 37 years with the wonderful kids and families that I have worked with. Sure, there have also been some sad, stressful and heartbreaking moments as well but those have made me develop skills to be helpful in those situations. I could not imagine anything else being my life's work. It is truly a blessing to take care of kids. How are we doing Team? Mostly okay except for failing on exercise due to the frigid temperatures (not a valid excuse because I have a nice elliptical and a weight bench within 5 feet of where I am sitting🙄) and overindulgence in alcohol. A few minor slip ups with food...I have lost about 2# since the challenge started. Need to do better.

I'm curious about how this affects the system, since alcohol gets you intoxicated quicker after the procedure. I'd like to be able to continue partaking, in lieu of empty calories...but if my desire for it is gone I will accept it.

Hi there! Thank you for the kind note. Doing really well. Quite honestly it was much better than I had prepared myself for. Pain was minimal, had some gas pressure and some reflux, but extremely manageable. It’s been four days and I’m still working to keep my fluids up. Haven’t been able to continue using Slim Fast Advanced due to dumping from the sugar alcohols. Premiere Protein shakes have been the answer for me. Also, I’ve become a big fan of Gatorade Zero for fluids. Right now I’m up to two to three12oz bottles of Gatorade Zero and one bottle of the Premiere (30g of Protein). Need to get that doubled over the weekend.

Loving that you’re inviting friends to do a variety of activities. Trivia night, lectures, a coffee. Anything that changes the dialogue from food weight alcohol. One of my favorite things is to connect to look at all the holiday decorations as they go up! Previously I attended craft and art events, plays, festivals, outdoor concerts, kayaking and various 1 shot classes enjoy finding new events and letting the creative juices flow

I'm at the end of day 3 of my pre-op diet and these protein shakes are constantly filling me up to the point where I've missed one today. But then the kids wanted pizza, and I was sipping beef broth in another room. And now my stomach is roiling and I'm legit hungry for the first time all day and want to go raid the fridge. Good thing I have to drink another protein shake instead... On the flip side, doc had me cut out diet soda, coffee, and alcohol back in early September, and this morning I actually weigh as much as I claim on my driver's license. LOL. Surgery is this Monday!!! Sent from my Pixel 3 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi All, Had the Gastric Sleeve done on Monday morning 11/11/19 at NYU Medical Center in NY. I’m super pleased to report that everything went extremely well and that I was really surprised with how manageable the discomfort has been post-op. For those of you considering it and nervous about the pain and suffering after surgery, don’t let it be the reason you cancel of postpone. Go through with it and take your future health in your own hands. My procedure was at 7:30 am on Monday. It lasted about 1.5 hours. During the surgery the doctor fixed a hiatal hernia and also took a biopsy of a small growth on my liver which thankfully turned out to be fine by pathology. Basically speaking, I ended up with 3 for 1 and honestly, had that liver thing shown up on a CT scan I would have wanted it biopsied anyway, so this was a blessing in disguise. Immediately after surgery, I was taken to PACU and stayed there for about an hour or so to recover from the anesthesia. Zero nausea, pain or vomiting. In fact, before going up to my room they had me walk several laps, which I did without any difficulty. In the room, the only issue I had was gas pressure (a sort of dull cramping feeling) on the left side of my stomach. Zero pain on the right side where the stomach pouch was stapled and removed. They had me up and around, walking and sitting in a chair for most of the day sipping ice chips and water out of those little one oz plastic cups. Zero hunger, despite basically fasting for 48 hours before surgery and a liquid diet for the two weeks pre-op. They were ahead of all my pain and symptoms by giving me Zofran for nausea, Levsin for inflammation and 10mg of Roxy (Hydrocodone w/ tylenol). The monitored all vitals carefully, had me walk every few hours and made sure that I was peeing. The gas pressure persisted, but it eventually got better. Still had not passed gas. The following day, the goal was for me to complete a drinking challenge, which consists of drinking 4 one ounce cups of liquid every hour for 4 consecutive hours (basically 16 oz of clear fluid). On the first try I got through the first three hours, but couldn’t complete the last hour so they had me wait. Ended up completing it later that evening, so they decided to keep me another night. Finally started to pass gas and even had a movement, so they discharged me today. Only real problem last night and in the morning was some reflux that they gave me Protonix and some Malox to counteract. Moving around and walking is basically normal, but I’m being very careful not to bend down or lift anything heavier than 5-10 lbs. When I got home I did feel a bit hungry, so with the Doctor’s clearance, I attempted small sips of Slim Fast Advanced High Protein. The first ounce went down good, but the second one caused a sharp pain which might have been my first experience with dumping syndrome due to the sugar alcohols in the Slim Fast. Still experiencing some lingering reflux, slight nausea and a bit sore, but definitely progressing. For those of you who are further along, what have your experiences been transitioning with liquids and diet? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Today, Tues, Nov. 12 Maintenance : 5'2" / 1yr PO Sleeve / 114.5 lbs ...had some friends drop by tonite bearing bottles of wine and snacks...I consider it a win I limited my wine intake to only 2 glasses. BTW, my self-imposed alcohol ban has been permanently lifted. My PPI-wean-off expirament seems to have proven that alcohol doesn't bother me as much as spicy foods, citrus, and laying down too soon after eating does. 10:00am - coffee w/ stevia + 2 earl grey teas w/ stevia 12:30pm - * ate about 2/3 of this * Salad greens + vinaigrette + 1/2 an avocado + 2.3 oz Air-fried Porchetta leftovers sans skin + Curried Chicken salad (2.8 oz grilled chicken + 0.8 oz gala apple + red onion + 1 tbsp homemade mayo + 1/2 tsp curry powder) 3:30pm - * ate the rest of the 12:30pm meal * + 1/2 cup full fat cottage cheese + 1.5 oz blueberries 6:30pm - Salad greens + vinaigrette + 1/2 avocado + 1 oz gala apple + red onion + 3 oz grilled chicken + 1 oz chicharron 10:30pm - 3 oz various cheeses + 3 oz various cured meats + 8 red grapes + 2 glasses of red wine Totals: 1882 cals - 125g Protein - 39g NET carbs - 113g fat

The stomach ache is the cramping from the sugar alcohols causing a stimulant laxative effect when you eat more than your body can handle. Sugar is addictive. Can you find a lower sugar style candy that at least provides vitamins/minerals/probiotics so you will have to limit your intake. In the States there is this product https://smartsweets.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAqqTuBRBAEiwA7B66hRdJyvSKmdcZ6Gg6FAZo-DjaRj6GI5utdXr8jPF9B2YkEspwrhn2-hoCDWgQAvD_BwE

Yes absolutely! Even though today is technically still part of my "food up" weekend where I'm trying to eat more cals and macros, I'm back on the straight and narrow about eating meals or organized snacks and not nibbling, and I'm going to try to make all my choices healthy foods, just eat more calories (real dressing instead of my calorie free stuff + avocado, nuts, etc. ) And definitely no alcohol S-Thurs. It's working so far. Will be interesting to see if my weight holds through to tomorrow or goes up. Still waiting on the #2 trains to make it down the tracks so I predict a bounce up. hahaha And yeah, we all kinda pushed back and told RD that we are all straight shooters with each other and that we took what she was saying very seriously. And she told us that sure we could hold accountability, but we have to do it in a more gentle way. 😕 SMH. ROFL. I know I'm very black or white about some things and can be hard. So I will try to think of better ways to say things...

It's definitely the sugar in both the mixers and the alcohol itself (i.e., amaretto is my nemesis right now) And yeah, anything straight and distilled I can drink all night (incl. moonshine, lol).

Sorry to be Debbe-Downer here, but I used my preop time to get RID of the addictive foods - alcohol, caffeine, sugar, processed foods, refined carbs. I cleaned up my eating a lot. I did not want to struggle with any of that afterwards when recovery itself would be hard enough. I figured I did not have to wait until surgery day to decide to make the changes for life. Just saying.

Does alcohol alone make you dump? So straight moonshine would be OK?😀 Is it just sugary mixers that's the problem?

Vodka cranberry is usually my drink of choice. I often order a double which gives the same alcohol content as two drinks but with half the volume to accommodate my smaller stomach. A double will also reduce the cranberry ratio which is good because of all the sugar in juice. I tried a vodka collins the other day. Loved the flavor but I think the carbonation really bothered me.

Day 9: I am doing fine on the food part of this challenge but continue to indulge in more alcohol than I should if I want to be losing. No idea why this is so hard for me. I really do not generally feel any type of food temptations since I do not keep anything here that is bad or off plan. But the vodka and tequila though..... The place that I have the most fond memories of traveling to is Lake Tahoe. I learned to snow ski there in the late 1980s and we spent a week there every year for about 20 years. Haven't been able to go since about 2002 but actually talking about going back this year. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen and my only real experience being around massive snowfall.

Next weekend I'll be trying alcohol for the first time since surgery. I'll be in a safe environment surrounded by people who know of my surgery and my new alcohol restrictions, so no worries there. I was never much of a drinker, I maybe partook 3 or 4 times a year, but beer was always my preference. This is no longer an option per my plan, so I'm wondering what everyone else drinks that's carbonation free and not filled with sugar. Alcohol is actually forbidden by my plan forever, so no guidelines are available from my practice since I'm going against their plan. I was thinking chilled gin or vodka with a splash of diet cranberry juice? Something I can go slow and sip since it's my first go around.

Client meetings all day. Then after work, the belt and cardigan will come off for a night out with friends. I'm lifting the alcohol ban tonight. I need to buy new boots, I notice I keep wearing the same 3 pairs over and over and over again....

Hmmm I have a box of Lemon Ones, let's SEE. Rice and Tapioca derivatives, inulin, milk, soy. and Tree nuts. So I'm not thinking Gluten- bearing. Calories in each 190, total carbs 16 gr, has 4 gr of dietary fiber, 2 gr of sugar alcohols, maybe Splenda? 20 gr protein, total fats 7gr, 5 mg cholesterol and 100mg Na, the fats break down to 4gm saturated. but NO trans-fats. Honest truth why I bought my Lemon Ones? They are smooth , I can eat them sans my dentures, so many bars have barely chopped up nuts in THEM. And we owe Canada a Thank You because THAT'S where mine were produced. Hope This Helps a LITTLE, okay?🍫

Day 6: Finally had a good day yesterday with no foods eaten that are on the list, a 2.5 mile walk in the park and NO ALCOHOL!! No walking today due to several appointments and going out to see a band and have dinner tonight. It has been up in the high 70's/low 80's the past few days after dipping down to 29 over the weekend. Just enough to kill my beautiful hibiscus plants. The thing in nature that I am most thankful for is the beautiful Texas sunsets....I took this off our back patio a few years back...

We just had to take a 150 or something question test for our psych clearance. I told the psychologist about my issues with my appearance but they didn't consider body dysmorphia an issue... they were SUPER just focused on if I was a drug/alcohol addict or an emotional eater. Probably 50% of the questions were about drinking habits. I just took that test and that was it. I sorta think everyone figured when I got down to my former weight my body dysmorphia would just disappear because I would have a) experienced being actually fat and b) realize that at 140 I wasn't fat... thus solving the problem. Wrongo. My psychiatrist signed my clearance form no questions asked. I treat with her mostly for my Tourette's, however. We just recently started discussing the body dysmorphia, but I have seen a LOT of therapists in my past for it but have always been a therapy flunky. My current doc has always known about my body image issues, but until recently my biggest concern has been my motor tics so that is what we typically focus on since it outwardly affects my life (socially). But now the body image stuff is playing a more dangerous role, which is why we are focusing on that more now, too.

Same story here, in 2015 I realized I was relying too much on consuming things (both food and alcohol) for stress relief and immediately signed up for a gym membership, eventually sought out counseling, and a year later quit drinking on my own accord. My stress levels were out of control (mostly money-related) and through counseling I was able to set up a life for myself with more stability. This included quitting drinking and eating for pleasure/nostalgia. This has been a huge challenge for me—and not taking on too much work continues to be challenging—but I feel I’m better equipped now to know when I’m dipping into the stress danger zone and notice my eating behaviors change. I think with alcohol it’s very easy for us to deny problems that are really there because it’s socially acceptable (or even expected) to drink in so many occasions. For me I know it’s best to just avoid it entirely because I can skip back into denial quite quickly. Best of luck with everyone dealing with this.

Ok, Monday was a hungry hungry heifer day! Dang did I eat me some mini meals!!! Monday Menu Nov. 4, Maintenance, 5'4" F, 20.5mo PO RNY / 130.2lbs (wooohooo weight stayed the same even with eating more!) B-4oz Premier Prot + decaff coffees L-1/2 grilled chicken salad (tomatoes, romaine, rbp, ro, cabbage, yellow cheese, avocado, chicken, blue cheese dressing) D-1/2 grilled shrimp salad (tomatoes, romaine, rbp, ro, cabbage, avocado, shrimp, 3 zeroes Italian vinaigrette) + 1oz prime rib from Mr. F's plate BS-1 Belgioso fontina cheese snack (like Baby Bel), 9g raw almonds, 8 slices turkey pepperoni Here's how the day shook out. Everything beyond the PP is an estimate of size/weight. I tried to be overly generous with logging my "foods" in order to try to get closer to real consumed cals/macros. 885 Cals; 84g Protein; 51g Fat; 24g Carbs; 6g Fiber; 18g Net Carbs ***Footnote: I do calorie averaging. It's essentially something like a 5:2 plan where 5 days per week you eat normally and 2 days per week you eat 500cals. But my plan works the other way. I do 5 days trying to average between 850-900 cals-ish (give or take) + 2 days of eating what I want (about 1200-1500 cals) and more carbs, etc. If I want a little alcohol in there, that's fine. Then back to basics M-F. So far it's working for maintenance for me.