Search the Community

Have you tried having some ginger tea or chamomile to try to settle your stomach too? I agree with others though of taking it with some food. Call your doctors office and see what they suggest. I would think a protein shake or some yogurt (which is good to have anyway w/ antibiotics) may help.

I have to agree with what most people are saying, which is that you should stop blaming outside circumstances that could be changed and instead look inward, being very blunt and realistic with yourself. Alcohol should not be consumed by people who have had a sleeve for ideally 6 months to one year after surgery. There is a special digestive enzyme in your stomach that processes alcohol. Since 85% of your stomach has been removed, there is very little of that enzyme (if any) to process alcohol. You could actually end up with alcohol poisoning and be in the hospital getting your stomach pumped. If cereal is a "trigger" food (a food that you can't seem to stop eating once you start) then don't buy it. There are a ton of things that I just can't buy because I know I can't control myself and I will eat all of it! Grocery stores sell pre-cooked chickens, usually for $5. If you want something quick and easy, you could get a chicken and eat off of that for a few days. Also, Protein shakes with milk will give you protein and what your body needs to feel full. I tried Isopure Water for the first time today. It smells kinda weird but tastes OK... and dang, it filled me up. I'm actually burping! (TMI) Support groups work when you work the program. Do you think it would be acceptable for an alcoholic to attend an AA meeting if they just kept drinking and drinking, week after week, year after year? Just going will not help someone until they actually hit rock bottom and make the decision to stop. The point is, it is horribly difficult... horribly horribly difficult to stop eating... (I am literally fighting it every minute of the day) but it is something you have to fight just like any other addict. Your stomach is not likely stretched all the way out, but you could be doing damage to your insides. Your hair is falling out because you are not consuming nutrients. The majority of people who get a VGS will have hair fall out - this is because your body is working to keep the more important parts of your body working (like internal organs and muscles) and ignores things like hair, nails, and skin. I've noticed in a lot of your posts you mention things you can't do, such as not being able to cook. I can't cook either, and that was a big fear of mine. So, what am I going to do? I'm going to sign up for cooking classes. In the meantime, I look up stuff on youtube that looks basic enough for someone who can burn water! My nutritionist gave me smoothie recipes that use frozen fruit and yogurt. The frozen fruit doesn't go bad for ages (cuz it's frozen) and the yogurt isn't anything fancy. Then I just add Protein powder and put it in a blender. It literally takes 5 minutes and you can't screw it up. To conclude, it's easy for anyone to tell you what to do; however, you sound very depressed on top of everything else, so anything people tell you to do will seem unrealistic. I have been through therapy myself and was on antidepressants from the time I was 15 up until last year when I finally got good therapy (I'm 33 now). So, I do understand depression... everyone is just like, "Well... don't be sad. Think positive." Gee.... why didn't I think of that? I'm cured! haha. The point I'm trying to make is, PLEASE reach out for help... either to your primary doctor to work with you on getting the correct type of medication for you, or to a licensed therapist that can help you through this. If you can work through some of these issues in a non-judgmental environment, you will feel more positive about your outlook in life, then things kind of click into place slowly but surely.

Pre-op was actually significantly harder for me than post-op. Pre-op... oh that's just a sandwich. or two. bah that's nothing. Post op.... Oh that's a Whole thing of yogurt? sigh. Maybe in an hour or two. Keep at it

I agree "withlovethenewme", you need to keep the chicken moist as much as possible. There are many ways to do this, like said chicken broth. You can also simmer it in marinara sauce, lemon juice/chicken broth, bbq sauce, lemon juice/plain yogurt, low fat condensed Soups such as cream of mushroom and chicken, they even make light alfredo sauce now. My chicken always comes out most and tender because I slice it very thin before cooking and while simmering I 'cover' the pan with a lid to keep all the moisture in. Pause inbetween eating chicken when you start to take your next bite of whatever foods you are eating with it. Take very small bites, and mince in your mouth. OMG< I litterally chew food till its mush in my mouth before swallowing. As said, it is a learning process that takes a while to get use to ....

I'm really supposed to be on full liquids stage weeks 2-3, I find it so strange how different each persons diet can be even though we're only on second post-op week. I couldn't handle just liquids anymore so I tried the applesauce & cottage cheese & Greek yogurt & have handled all 3 well. I can't do soups or juices because of my acid levels & trying to heal an ulcer. I need to buy unflavored protein- can you find it at GNC or Vitamin Shop would rather go pick it up then have to order it & wait? Thanks everyone - it's been so helpful reading all the comments from others!!

For the 1st 2 weeks after my liquids stage I'm only allowed to add cottage cheese, yogurt, refried beans,creamy soup. No eggs or cheese for me until the next stage. So maybe stick with really soft thru the transition?

I'm 9 mths out. I am also vegetarian so my meals are different from most people. I eat Beans, quinoa, seitan, FAGE 0% greek yogurt, and eggs for my Protein. I typically have protien shake that I make with greek yogurt, Protein powder and whatever I have on hand for breakfast. That can be fruit, almond butter, leftover coffee that I freeze into ice cubes, spinach or cacao powder to name just a few. I also eat small amounts for fresh veg, particularly dark green veg since they are the most protein rich. Favorites are broccoli, kale, and spinach. My dinners are are often light; low sodium vegetable broth, vegetable soup or a small salad with egg,a bit of shredded cheese and black beans. I don't eat foods with food dyes or artificial sweeteners since I am allergic to nearly all of them. That means my coffee is usually sweetened with raw honey or sugar. I limit the amount of white, processed carbs and rarely eat breads or crackers. Overall I am mostly eating what I ate pre-op but in much smaller portions. I keep my protein at 70 +. I typically eat Breakfast, lunch, snack & dinner. In between I try to focus on drinking plenty of Water.

Great thread! I have 5.7cc's in a 10cc band. I'm EXTREMELY tight. I find it difficult to eat almost anything before 4pm. Protein shakes and broth are about all I can handle. Night time is also a challenge - I might need a slight unfill. Here are my big NO-NO's (no matter what time of day it is!) 1. rice (seems to just expand in my pouch) 2. chicken (all types!) 3. steak (all types!) 4. doughy bread My staples: 1. Protein Shakes 2. cottage cheese 3. ground turkey 4. fat free frozen yogurt (at least 1 per day!) 5. Peanut Butter Like I said, I probably need an unfill. It's so hard to find that "sweet spot". I miss real food, but, like the results of restriction. I'm very curious to see what everyone else says!

I am about three months out now and have gone thru different phases of likes and dislikes with foods. Right now I have coffee and a protein shake with a half of bananna in it for breakfast, usually chicken salad, egg salad, ham salad or seafood salad for lunch w/ a tomato and dinner is usually a Greek yogurt with granola and almonds. I find my cut off time for dinner is about 5pm or else I'm no longer hungry, not sure why but whatever. Snacks are usually cheese, nuts or protein bars. Good topic, I like reading about what others are eatting so not to get bored with my choices.

Nope, they aren't noticeable at all! Most folks don't even notice the scars unless you point them out. I can find my port with my fingers if I press and dig around in the general area, but that's it. Yeah, try the different Protein Drinks. I wasn't on them long at all, and my doc was more worried about carbs. I was an unhappy camper during the pre-op diet, but it was SOOO worth it! Really, guys. Bear up. It's temporary. I made Soups and broths, then froze half of what I made for my Liquid Post-Op Phase. Use Jello and sugar free Popsicles to give yourself treats. Go hunt up Torani and DaVinci Sugar Free Syrups to flavor your coffee, tea, and yogurts. You miss your old bad diet a whole lot less when you have flavors to enjoy. Really, sprinkle glitter in your hair and call yourself a circus poodle for all the hoops you jump through, but it's really worth all the effort. Do it now and enjoy this coming year! Lena

i had my first fill this morning under fluro...it took all of 15 minutes and i was a nervous wreck prior...it proved to be all for nothing. the worst part was having to have all my piercings taken out prior to the procedure! here's what went down... i laid on a table and had a pic taken of my belly that showed up on a small screen beside my bed i saw my port and the how it was attached to my abdominal wall with hooks (that was weird) i saw my band which is nowhere near the port and in between all sorts of other inside stuffs! i was given a shot of lidocaine to the numb the area-it burned a little like the heparin shots the NP stuck a needle in my port area and felt for the pockets on the band (which i did not feel but could seen on the screen) the needle was attached to some tubing but i could not see what was in the end of it... the bed was placed in a standing position and i was given a cup of contrast that i watched flow freely down my esophagus she injected some saline i think about 1 cc and i drank some more contrast...the flow was a littler slower she injected another cc and i drank some more contrast...the flow was slower still... she injected another cc and i drank some more contrast...i felt like it was going to come up... she removed a 1/2 cc and i drank some more contrast...i felt like i had to burp... she removed another 1/2 cc and i drank some more contrast and then some water...and i felt ok... so i got a 2 cc fill today on top of the one from surgery...so 3 total in my 10cc band i felt like a had a lump in my throat for the first hour afterward, but i feel better now... i am now back to mushies for two days...she said it appears i am tighter in the morning and i should try to drink a shake or yogurt in the mornings... that's it:) now the fun begins...i must remember to chew...

I do 1 c 3 times a day and if I need a snack I track everything and stay within my calories . If you can eat more then 1 c per meal you need a fill...I am satisfied all day but I plan for head hunger with good snacks yogurt, apple, one serving of crackers but still stay within my caloiers for the day. I think the band is magic, for the first time in my life I am not hungry all the time, food doenst call me, and I can eat like a normal person. If you do the work your band is a great friend

I had a really good fill in December. My problem is now, for about the last month or so, whenever I eat just about anything, I end up "sliming". It can be the first bite of food, solid or soft. I did it yesterday on yogurt! So to me it does not have anything to do with the "chewing" part. It does not happen everytime but probably about 85% of the time. It could be the 1st meal or the last. What do you think this means? Am I filled to much? I do not PB just slime. I have been stuck at the same weight since about January and I think it is because I can not get in enough protien, etc. Some days I have no problem eating a meal. It just is so nerve racking not knowing what will happen. My friend took me out to lunch the other day for helping him with something and I ate about 3 bites and had to excuse myself from the table about 4 times. I just told him the food was to spicey and it was upsetting my stomach but I was getting rid of the slime. It is horrible not knowing what will happen when I put some food in my mouth!! What do you think?

I am doing good. I had my post op appt today and he said everything looks good.. I really have nothing to complain about...i have had no heartburn, no nausea, no vomiting and no hunger. I was never in pain..just sore and i stopped taking pain meds on Sunday/Monday. I was cleared to start full liquids today thank god because i was crying last night as nothing i was "eating" was satisfying me anymore. So i added greek yogurt and SF pudding today. I am down 9 lbs and a total of 33 with pre-op. I sometimes feel like i am bragging on here but i guess not everyone has issues ....sorry. I am glad that everyone is doing good though now.

1 oz cheese? I too like the greek yogurt and have one at work almost always. Nuts, a Protein bar-watch the sugars.... Good luck!

I'm doing fairly well. It's still hard to swallow. I can eat three spoons of clear Soup and get pain up my throat and chest area. Doctor thinks its just swelling and advises a go slow approach. Strangely enough I can eat yogurt fine and my Protein shakes go down well enough if not too cold. I do seem to be sensitive to both hot and cold. Fudge sickles are yummy but painful. So is hot soup i was sleeved on the 4th and went back to work a week later. I have an office job so it's not bad. I go to bed early though. I'm off pain meds except to sleep. I find that I wake up every two hours without the assistance and I know my body desperately needs sleep so I'll do what I need to to get it. I'm eating almost nothing - maybe 300 calories a day and I feel like I'm eating nonstop to get that much in. I'm also having a terrible reaction to aspartame. That's new. Yuck. I advance to puréed foods this weekend and I can't wait. I'm not at all hungry but my mouth is bored. I've lost 21 pounds so far. The first 15 were pre-op. I know I'm still swollen so I'm delighted with the progress. My pants are really loose. It's annoying but good because otherwise my incisions would be bothersome.

you have no idea how much i agree with the being over shakes...i am getting my Protein in with the greek yogurt and Isopure Zero Carb (has 40g).

That's awesome that we had our surgery the same day.....I drink my Protein shake in the morning, I've been eating cottage cheese, tuna, yogurt, sometimes I'll eat as much of a high protein lean cuisine as I can. I was trying the protein Water, but it's awful. I don't know what else to do other than up my fluids, plus I get really cranky, but I think it's just because I'm really tired. I'm hoping my body just needs to adjust and that it happens soon. Sent from my SM-G930V using the BariatricPal App

Thanks, Ladies! I just got moved to phase 2 of the liquid diet which includes yogurt, pudding, & cream Soups. I feel like I've just won the lottery!!!!!:thumbup: I still get extremely hungry, but these seem to help curb it for an hour or so. Good luck to both of you...I wish you continued success!

A better choice would be Healthy Choice frozen Greek yogurt. Low sugar, low fat, and 4gr protein. After surgery it's even more important to avoid empty calories - we can eat so little we really need to make every bite count. I go for anything w/protein - the more the better. And I like that it comes in little hoodsie-cup sized cups. I eat one and done. No chance of eating more than the single serving.

Hi. My typical day is a protein shake for breakfast (I like Unjury, but am right now stuck on Extreme Smoothies RTD). For lunch most days it's a light Yoplait yogurt with some Cheerios or Kix mixed in. Dinner is generally whatever I fix for my husband only way less of it. I bought some small plates so that it doesn't stress me out to leave a lot behind (I still have trouble with figuring out the right portions). Lately, though, my restriction has been really good, so I'm not eating much at dinner at all. I always start with my protein, but I do enjoy my carbs and veggies just as much as ever. The key for me is to make the right choices, make sure I keep my portions small and take my time. I allow myself to eat "regular" food knowing that I won't eat much and sabotage myself. Good luck on your consult! Stephanie

My surgeons instructions were to be on liquid diet for three weeks- 1st week juice and broth, 2nd week puréed soups and yogurt, 3rd week mashed soft foods- no water with meals, and protein shakes everyday to accommodate our need for protein. I'm following the diet so the body can heal. They say no pastas, rice, breads, etc for the first month, as they'll expand and damage the band.

Thank you for addressing this. My husband thinks I'm bulimic. I often throw up (PB) - probably about 3-6 times a week. Mostly from eating too fast. After almost 3 yrs, I still have yet to control how fast I eat. But, even tho I know I'm not bulimic (I purge because I'm so uncomfortable and it's the only way to relieve it - not to control my intake), I did slip my band about 3 mths ago. After having Fluid taken out, letting it rest, and fluid added slowly, I still have severe reflux - so either it re-slipped or it was never fixed in the first place (they didn't do a followup xray before they started refilling). Since my slip, I've been so aware of how fast I eat. One thing that it doesn't matter how slowly I eat, it always comes back up is pudding and yogurt. No clue why those "sliders" always come back up. Since my 1st slip, I've cut way back on vomiting. I either eat it correctly, or suffer with the pain till it goes down - and it will eventually. I was caught a couple nites ago when I ate about 1/2 cup of banana pudding. I felt it stuck and it wouldn't go away. So in order to not allow my husband to hear me, I took the dog outside to potty. I threw it up in the yard. He heard me thru his office window! I thought I was being so sneaky. Can't wait till my band is fully functional again and not causing severe reflux and heartburn. Hopefully soon! Marci

I will be 2 years on July 8th. It has been an incredible journey, for sure. I have to say I don't worry too much about what I eat after I have my base, balanced nutritional needs met. I'll have a yogurt and banana for Breakfast. About 8 oz of one of a great varieties of Soups I make: turkey chili, veggie chicken, smoked ham and bean ... many others. For dinner I'll have a salad with tuna or chicken. I will snack on some CheeseIts occassionally and have a bowl of ice cream a couple times a week. I have been able to maintain for one year now with this routine. I have found what works for me. I think that is the most important thing. Find a routine that is doable for you which doesn't feel like a diet. That is not why I got sleeved ... to be on a diet the rest of my life. I love my sleeved life and everything it has helped me achieve.

omg that is great i will weigh my self on tuesday and post what my weight is now. Jewel you are doing so good hell we all are. Pete how much have you lost since surgery. Me the 11lbs and counting. tell me since being band does anyone count what they are eating. I made a yogurt w Peanut Butter in it. 1 cup size eat it to almost a .50 a half and just didn't want any more. It trips me out every time it happens. I tried eggs and could only eat 1 ozs. That was so funny. any who how much calories is everyone eating once on regular food. I was thinking 1200-1700 a day as i will be going back to the gym on monday. Just doing cardio for the next 3wks. This is what i was on before surgury and lost alot of weight moving up an down on these amounts. Seems like alot so i will see as most of you have to remember im bigger than most. Well next challenge goes up 1-2-09 until feb. 14th or beyond let me know should it be till the end of febuary. Let me know what you all think.