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Our heads are often our worst enemy. Making you crave certain foods, flavours or textures, making you want them more simply because you can’t have them, trying to convince you that this tiny portion of food simply can’t be enough for you to function, … In time you work out strategies to help you manage this but it’s not easy at first. Many of us find distraction helpful. Read, craft, check social media or this forum, ring a friend or family member, go for a walk, play a game, clean out a drawer, cupboard or pantry (get rid of the clothes that are too big & foods you can’t eat or may be tempted by), etc. Even sipping a warm/hot drink can be helpful. The change in our tastebuds & sometimes sense of smell can make it challenging to find foods you can tolerate for a while. I found the shakes disgusting (too sweet & grainy), bone broths too salty. Thank goodness for cream soups. I also diluted my shakes so I could tolerate one a day. Try making your own smoothie with yoghurt, milk, protein powder & an appropriate flavour. The change in your taste buds can have the reverse affect too & foods or flavours you didn’t like before suddenly are okay so don’t rule out something because you didn’t like it in the past. All the best.

Another thing to remember is a lot of nerves were cut during your surgery so signals to tell you things like you’ve had enough, eaten too much or doing damage just aren’t getting through or aren’t getting through clearly. You getting sick is a sign you’ve over done it. As I always say all because you can doesn’t mean you should & at the moment you really shouldn’t. It takes 8 weeks or more to fully heal & the staged return to eating is in place to protect your tummy & all those sutures & staples holding it together, & support your healing. It’s also important to follow portion size recommendations. Plans & requirements are different but double check how much you are allowed for a meal. I was allowed 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purée slowly increasing to about a cup at 6 months but that was my plan your’s could be different. You’re right about the head hunger trying to convince you you’re still hungry. You can always tell if it’s head hunger if you’re wanting to eat a specific food, flavour or texture. The desire for solid food or anything you can actually chew is a head hunger that is challenging for many from the liquid stage. Plus not being able to have something always makes you want it more. Recognising it for what it really is a big part of doing that head work & learning it to manage it Many of us find distraction helps with head hunger. Read, craft, play a game, phone a friend or family member, go for a walk, check social media or this forum, etc. Sipping a warm drink can be helpful too. (I could count green or decaf tea in my fluid intake. It may be worth double checking if you can count your decaf tea.) All the best.

No I don’t but as I said I only have small amounts. A sliver as my grandmother used to say. I chose to eat very little sugar (including sugar substitutes & artificial) not because I dumped or it upsets me, I just feel better without it. By product benefit is that it keeps my calories down 😁. If I’m looking for something sweet, cause we all have those days, I have a little fruit. Usually fresh but I have some dried cranberries & apple in my cupboard at the moment which I’ll slowly work my way through as I’m in the mood. Artificial sugar is the hardest one to reduce because they seem to put it in every darn thing. I’d rather use/have a little real sugar than artificial. Generally I make most of what I eat from scratch which helps control a lot of what I may be consuming. Of course there are things I’m just not going to make like yoghurt or hoi sin sauce LOL! I made a red wine vinegar on the weekend & initially omitted the sugar but it needed it so I added a scant teaspoon (the recipe said a tablespoon). If sugar makes you ill, i.e. dumping, it likely always will. However many seem to work out how much & how often they can have a food that causes them to dump without them actually dumping. Remember not everyone dumps.

I was in the large family that celebrated/soothed everything with food. Sad? Have a cookie you’ll feel better! Good grades? Have some ice cream! Birthday? Don’t forget the cake! Going to a reunion? Make sure you bring the potato salad and pink stuff! Oh someone died? Don’t forget the luncheon and the funeral potatoes and pie. But dinners most week nights were my responsibility after age 10 so we ate a lot of latchkey ability dinners- spaghetti, white people tacos (tortillas, ground beef, shredded cheese, iceberg lettuce and sour cream), and Mac and cheese with peas and tuna mixed in, and potato surprise (mashed potatoes, ground beef, peas, and shredded cheese). Now? I’m still the one cooking even for holidays and such. I don’t regret it but I do make better choices now that I know better…. Most of the time.

Honestly 3 days out I was in the zone! 🤣 I missed chewing things, and other people's food smelled amazing, but I had a variety of shake and broth flavors, prus flavored waters, so I was doing pretty good! I was nervous about the surgery but excited! I was working on getting my house in order for post op life and I spent a ton of time pinning recipes for the post op phases. 🤣 You are almost there!! Good luck!!

My god 3 more days seems like a lifetime away! Today i had a literal mouthwatering craving for one of my favorite foods. It came out of no where honestly and it took all my will power to tough out that episode. Thankfully it was also close to my next feeding ( thats what i call my "meals" lol ) and that definitely helped kick out that craving from my mind whew! But it was definitely a close one let me tell you. Also had to switch broth flavors because the same old really DOES get old after a while. How is everything going with those of you who are currently in your diets? How did those who have done it feel at this point in yours if you can remember back? Lol.

Is anyone else still having trouble eating real food. For the most part I am still eating soft foods. When I try to eat anything else I get that feeling of the food being stuck and end up in pain.

Double check with your team but I remember being told that every liquid you consume (without caffeine) can be counted towards your hydration goals. Good luck on the food stage progression!

Same!!! My BF used to ask why can’t I just finish the two bites I’d leave?Because I did want to, I had enough! Then it became I should order less (I only order apps and small plates). He really tried to manage my food portions until I chewed him out. Sir, why are you so obsessed with me 😂 JK I realized I didn’t grow up in the finish everything on you plate type of home (and truth be told I’m now realizing I have been a picky eater my entire life so it wouldn’t have worked well on me). But he absolutely was forced or shamed into a clean plate. It’s really damaging long term especially if your parents don’t prepare healthy choices (or just don’t cook well 🤣) I glad you got to break free of the cycle ❤️

Congratulations on your surgery and great progress. You are over the worst. The liquid and puree foods go through your new tummy really quickly. Are you remembering the no drink rules? Your tummies nerve endings have been severed and your full signals are missing. I would sneeze when full. So as they say on here just because you can eat it does not mean you should. When your new tummy stitch line has healed and you begin on real foods your restriction will kick in and oh boy will you know about it. Its like a long lost friend coming back but now it has rules of its own. Over eat at your peril, it feels awful for hours. This is what we mean when we say bariatric surgery is not an easy option.

Choosing a surgeon and Days 1-3 It's Sunday night and my surgery was Friday morning (1/12/24). My gastric sleeve was 3/24/23. I lost almost half the weight before my Gastric Sleeve surgery. I chose to have my surgery in Tijuana, Mexico because of the cost and I have a friend who lives about 45 minutes away in Mexico and my father lives about 2 hours away. I started my research reading about medical tourism in general to get advice on what to look for and what questions to ask. I started my search with Realself.com and chose surgeons with 4+ stars,10 or more years experience, and who said they were part of the American Board of Plastic Surgeons or the American or International Societies of Aestetic Plastic Surgeons. I read all the reviews I could find, noting all the bad things said, and verified they were actually listed on the board or society sites. One of them wasn't. I made virtual appointments with 3 and chose Dr. Rodolfo Casillo Calderon, who is listed on both the American and International Societies. He originally told me I had to wait until a year after my surgery, but I reached my goal and my weight stabilized in early October so I was able to move the date up. I uploaded a bunch of pictures to myTouchMD and when we did our call he explained in detail what he would do, complete with drawings on my pictures. He explained possible problems and what could be included in my package and that I would have a patient coordinator to walk me through it and answer questions. I had told him I wanted a 360, breast lift with gummy implants, and a BBL (i've always had dents in my butt and got called board butt in high school). He told me he didn't think I had enough fat in the area he was working for a BBL, especially since some of the transferred fat would die, but he would see what he could do. I asked for the best medicine package and told them I didn't need transportation to/from the airport since my dad and friend would provide that). I also told him in the future, I wanted my inner thighs, maybe my arms if I could get a good price at the same time and a face-lift. He told me that was too much to do in one surgery, that the face-lift would be one and the thighs and arms another, and they had to be at least 6 months apart. He sent me a quote for the 360, breast lift with implants and lipo and said it included the mons reduction and lift but not the BBL. The quote included the surgery, labs, cardiology evaluation, compression garments, meds, hospital stay of 1 night, and 6 nights in a recovery home that has 24/7 nursing staff and food. $12,699. I paid a 20% deposit and paid the balance during my pre-op lab appointment. I also filled out paperwork and met my coordinator. When I talked to Dr. Castillo in person, he took the pre-op pictures and told me again that he didn't think I had enough fat for a BBL, but he would see what he could do. I was disappointed, but trusted his judgment. I woke up after surgery in recovery, and they took me to a room and bolstered me well with pillows. I had a catheter, so I didn't have to move. My right toes felt numb and I couldn't feel my left toes, The nurse said it was from the anesthesia and would wear off and it did. I could feel and move my toes again. I had good service ar CER Hospial and spent the evening eating, drinking and watching TV. I asked for a snack and they got me some crackers (the cafeteria was closed and I didn't want jello). The next morning (Saturday) Dr. Castillo came in and talked about my surgery. He put 320cc in my right breast and 240 in my left and explained it would take a while for them to drop. He also told me he did a little fat transfer to my butt and gave me instructions to reduce death of the fat and stressed that there wasn't enough fat for a ful BBL, but he did what he could and it mostly came from my hips. Then his nurse came in and gave me my meds and instructions for aftercare. My patient coordinator from his office also came in and told me I'd get picked up by Casa by Linda's driver at about noon and asked if I have any questions. Shortly before noon they took my catheter and IV out and the nurse helped me sit up and helped put the compression garments on me, then I got dressed. The drive was a bit scary. The driver said it was like driving in New York with people pulling out and changing lanes without enough room. He told me interesting stuff about Tijuana and prohibition, how the margarita came to be made, and about Rita Hayword's history, getting discovered, and changing her name. I was helped out of the car and to my room, which has a queen hospital bed. The head was inclined and my space was pre-padded. I got in bed and they explained the remote and how to call them and asked if I had questions, needed anything, and if I was hungry. They brought me lunch and my friend came with my backpack and snacks. I was able to get out of bed and put my stuff away. My laptop, tablet, and snacks are all in reach. Sitting up is the most painful. Lying down in my nest of pillows is not as painful, but hurts pretty bad. To get up, I put the foot of the bed down, the head up, and roll to the side, then use my arm to push myself up. To get back in bed, I get on the bed on my knees and position my knee at the far side of my nest, then lower myself sideways and roll into the in the nest. My breasts aren't hurting at all. The compression garments has an open crotch, so you don't have to mess with it to go to the bathroom. The staff here respond quickly to requests and bring me my antibiotics and pain meds, and so far the pain is tolerable and I've been able to walk. You walk hunched over and slow. Linda has come in several times to check on me and see if I need anything. She is originally from Canada and is a US citizen, married to a local. This morning, after breakfast, I took a shower. One of the staff helped me with my compression garments (it hooks down both sides) and got the water ready. There is a seat in the shower with the shower head within reach. I hosed myself down and she handed me a washcloth and put soap on it. I didn't have to ask her for help as I was able to bring my legs up to wash them (it wasn'teasy). After I rinced myself off, she put antiseptic on gause and applied it to my incisions. I dried myself and got into bed to wait for the return of my compression garments (they washed the blood out). When she returned with my compression garments, she put gause in my new belly button and over the incisions in the back that had bled, then she helped me hook the garments up, putting a square of gause over my nipples. Nothing else to report. Unlike Friday and Saturday, I slept most of the day.

It’s day 5 post op and feeling much better. Just have to get used to sipping my liquids slower. Although, watching the NFL playoff games and seeing all the tasty food commercials has me wanting to start chewing again. Can’t wait for my first real food meal, no matter how small the portion size might be in the beginning.

I just had surgery on 1/4/24 and I am struggling. I never used to be obsessed with food and now it's all I think about. I am so sick of the Protein drinks and jello because everything tastes too sweet for me now. It feels/tastes like I am drinking sweetened condensed milk from the can. I am limited with broths I like, so that's an issue. I couldn't take it anymore, so I broke down and has refried beans yesterday (I'm not supposed to start pureed food until Tuesday). I regret having the surgery, and am resentful about not being to eat the foods I want. I have been on the liver shrinking diet 1 week before Christmas, which was awful watching everyone eat all those delicious Christmas treats, while I just watched. I think between that and the liquid diet post-surgery has broken me. I am emotional and miserable. Am I the only person to feel this way?

I'm 6 days post op and I'm experiencing that as well. I'm literally just craving "food" in general.

I’m about 2 1/2 almost 3 weeks out of surgery. My doctor said to go ahead and move onto the purée stage for about a week. My concern is that I have no problem eating. I can eat 4 ounces without any hesitation I can drink an 8 ounce glass of water without any hesitation. it almost feels like I didn’t have surgery. Now if I drink too fast, or I tend to eat something, maybe a little bit more than I should’ve maybe like 5 ounces I will get sick. Or I will just feel sick. I guess that’s how I remember that I had surgery and I’m not supposed to eat so much. It just seems so weird outside of surgery so soon that I feel like mentally I could sit and eat a burger and fries. I know physically I can’t eat a burger and fries but it’s getting my mind to correlate with my body. I know there’s a lot of mental work that has to be done after surgery and I thought I got myself prepared for that before surgery. so I guess I just need to work harder on the mindset of eating 4 ounces every couple hours to keep myself from being hungry. Because I do feel hungry at times. I do however recognize when I’m just bored hungry. So I’m hoping I can start moving out of that board hungry state And into not being hungry even when I’m bored. I know this week I noticed that I didn’t lose as much as I had been losing and I think a lot of that has to do with moving onto the purée stage and actually eating food. Also, I noticed that I didn’t get all my water in. The most I’ve been able to remember to drink has been like 48 ounces instead of 64. So I have to be better focused on getting my water in .

I’m three weeks out of surgery. I’m feeling kind of the same way technically. For my tracker I weigh twice a week on Sundays and Wednesdays. I noticed this week from Wednesday to Sunday I didn’t have the weight loss that I was kind of expecting. I’ve also started the purée stage where I’m actually eating stuff now. One of the Support groups that I’m in there is a woman there and she said that this is normal and I talked to my doctor and he said it was normal so I guess it’s normal. I know I’ve heard of the stalls that happen within the first few months. you’ll have stalls as your body adjusts to the new eating habits. Just make sure that you’re eating your protein, getting your water, taking your vitamins, and eating foods that you should be eating, such as puréed vegetables, or soft foods, or whatever that are healthy. Your body will adjust as time goes on and will all feel these kind of oh my God moments. But we got this we’ll get through this. I’m not gonna start worrying about the stalls until I’m six months out and not losing any weight by then, your body should be on the role of losing. I hope that helps.

Be gentle on yourself. You’ve never done this before so of course you have doubts & worries & questions & … Walk, walk, walk for gas pains. And yes arm movements will help too. The surgical gas is in your abdominal cavity (not in your tummy or intestines so gas-x doesn’t really help & neither does trying to burp or fart it out) & rises to sit behind your lungs putting pressure in nerves causing the shoulder pain. The gas is then absorbed into your lungs where you breathe it out hence why the activity is helpful. It’s usually all fine within a week. While you are healing (takes about 8 weeks to fully heal) & while you are losing, it’s important to follow your plan. You’ll have the best success that way. And ask questions of your team (or here) if something doesn’t make sense to you or you’re confused. Go slowly with your eating & drinking (sip, sip, sip) especially now & for the next months. Your tummy is healing. It’s very sensitive. Yes try different temps - I found warm drinks more soothing as cold drinks made my poor tummy cramp. You may find for a few weeks your tummy is very fussy & doesn’t like certain foods, flavours or textures. Even the smell of somethings can turn you off. It’s temporary & passes after a couple of months. In the long term you may choose to eat a lot of your old favourites. Smaller portions, less frequently, or variations of a favourite (ingredient swaps or changed cooking methods). That’s up to you & how you want to eat in the long term. In a few months you’ll look back & realise what you’ve achieved & how worth it it’s been. All the best.

The first year is where you will have the most success setting a new baseline weight, so avoiding excess sugar is important. I will say from personal experience, and recovering from Type 2 diabetes, if I have sugar like I did over the holidays (cookies, egg nog, cake), I would start to crave it constantly. It would take about 2-3 days of avoiding it to stop being "hangry". If I didn't make myself focus on high protein and savory foods, I would crave sugar, bread, and starch constantly. For special occasions you can have some after your restrictions are lifted, but just be aware it will temporarily make you crave more, and can get out of hand if you let it.

Hi all, is it normal to be craving fast food 4 days post op? I will definitely let my surgeon know about this soon

Hi all, is it normal to be craving fast food 4 days post op? I will definitely let my surgeon know about this soon

Hi all, is it normal to be craving fast food 4 days post op? I will definitely let my surgeon know about this soon

yes. Eventually all your food restrictions will be lifted. Some people have issues with sugar, however (I don't - which can be good OR bad!)

I think you might need to talk with your surgeon and be really detailed about when you can’t hold down food. All the time? Only in morning? Before bile movement after BM, certain food triggers, etc. I got the Revision from the sleeve to the SASI bypass. I had the sleeve in 2017. There was a balloon at the top of my sleeve stomach and for the past 2years I was wondering why after I took a BM, I felt bloated and I always had gerd with a little regurgitation. It took my new surgeon to tell me that I had a balloon/bubble. So, basically I didn’t know I had that until my 1 day post surgery follow up on my SASI procedure on January 10, 2024. Long story short, I think you can do a revision surgery. I haven’t heard of a reversal. There’s the SASI and the SADI bypass.

1/2 a toasted bagel with melty cheese a piece of spam. 345 cals. basically ate it all. i've become accustomed to not eat anything just for the sake of eating it...thereby undoing a lifetime of "clean your plate" mentality. so even if it's a tiny morsel of food that keeps me from a polished plate, i won't eat it unless i actually, really, want to eat it.

I never did do a 5-yr anniversary post (which was like 3 months ago, oopsies). Here is a reply I made to someone's thread about being newly sleeved. I had alot of fun composing it - despite it going off an a total tangent - and thought it had a five-year-sleeve-anniversary type of feel to it so I'm putting it here! Am also adding my requisite swim suit shot, but this one is from vacay last month, and its NOT a full body shot, AND I'm half in the water, lol. Its too cold around here for me to change into one now and take a pic. Plus I'm lazy. So i give you: "5+ YEARS IN 1000 WORDS OR LESS": #### Begin #### Day 0: YES!! I'm alive! Weeks 1-2: Ouch, this kinda hurts. I detest all food and water! I'm sooo effing tired, im just gonna lay down here and be found in 3 weeks, half-eaten by wild dogs. Weeks 3-4: Oh wow, I LOVE water! Eating is such a chore. I don't want to do it. I lost HOW MUCH weight?? Whoa, this thing is gonna actually work! LET'S DO THIS! Those dogs will be very disappointed in eating me. Months 2-4: Am I ever going to eat like a normal person?? It taking me for-EVAH to eat my tiny cup of food. I am sick of people commenting on how I eat. Exercise is so much funner/easier when I'm not so big! Let me sign up for EVERYTHING! I LOVE new clothes! I am losing my hair! Who knew salad is my favourite thing on earth? Months 5-7: If one more person tells me to stop losing weight or asks if i have a disease I'm going to sic my wild dogs on them. I guess this is life now: eating tiny bits of food all day long...I guess I can do that, small price to pay for looking HAWT and feeling A-MAY-ZING. I wonder if anyone knows how full of myself I really am.... Months 8-10: OMG.I CAN'T POSSIBLY UP MY CALORIES TO MAINTENANCE LEVEL! HOW AM I GOING TO STOP LOSING WEIGHT! I AM GOING TO WITHER AWAY AND DIE! Month 11: Oh. So THAT's my maintenance calorie level. That's not so hard. I'm not going to die after all. Ok, Ok, I'll just take this ONE cigarette from you, handsome Italian guy in Italy...even though I quit cold turkey 10 years ago...it can't hurt, right? Month 14: Plastic. Surgery. Month 15: *cries* Month 16: Whoa, I'm looking even HAWT-er than before. How is this even possible? I wonder if anyone has ever exploded from being so full of themselves.... Month 17: Why hello carbs, I've missed you. bread, Pasta, Rice, we shall never be parted again! Oh, nice to meet you for the first time COVID! How long are you staying? Month 18-21: All skinny and plastic-ed up and no where to go. Eff you COVID. I guess I'll just do a little online shopping for stuff to wear when I am finally allowed out of the house. Sure, I'll have that martini for Breakfast. Hey, my hair is back to normal...and its even nicer than before. Go figure. Years 3-5: Huh. I stayed below goal weight this entire time and I am the picture of satisfactory health...does that make me awesome? I dunno...my closet is bursting with clothes...most of which I've worn maybe once or not at all. How am I still smoking??? It was only supposed to be one cigarette!!! I think I may have developed high-functioning alcoholism? Food intolerances? Who me? Nah, I can eat anything and everything, EXCEPT large amounts of sugar at one time cuz, you know, I may pass out on the couch. I may not eat as much as everyone around me, but I don't want to anyway, so there! But let me cook for you, bake for you, make copious amounts of food for you! And no, i AM NOT finished reading this menu in it's entirety...I'm about to order enough food for 5 people...you better be hungry! Today I take no medications other than for my acid reflux (which unfortunately came on due to my sleeve surgery). I eat carbs and (small amounts) of Desserts, I drink alcohol. My last physical/labs 6 months ago produced no concerns - other than an abnormal thickening of my uterine lining, but that has since resolved. I have ridiculous amounts of energy, I rarely fight with my husband, I handle stress and annoyance like a grown up. I'm digging life. Oh, and I still look HAWT. *mic drop* P.S. i also finally quit smoking 5 months and 14 days ago. yay me! hopefully I don't meet another handsome Italian with an extra cigarette in the future. Edited to add: P.P.S. sorry..i meant to just reply about the first few weeks after my sleeve surgery and food progression, but my fingers got a life of their own as I typed out my reply. plus it was kinda fun writing this. I may cut and paste this into a more appropriate thread if I find one Good Luck! ❤️ #### END ####