So far, I'm underwhelmed...

[MegInNOLA 531]

Hey y'all:

So I was sleeved on April 18th (this is day 19). I'm not really enjoying this much at this point. It's early, I know, so maybe I'm just being a whiny baby, but...at this point, the cons definitely outweigh the pros, and I guess I'm just wondering when that ratio turns around!!

Pros:

1. No incisional pain and relatively fast healing.

2. Lost 18 pounds in the first 2 weeks.

Cons:

1. STALLED for 5 days and actually gained a pound, not hormonal...I know, I know, it's normal and expected. Still feels awful.

2. My sleeve seems to have a really limited menu of acceptable food: yogurt, Soup, milk. Other stuff gets rejected emphatically and thoroughly, which is really disheartening.

3. Mornings are the worst...my sleeve seems much smaller and sometimes even yogurt doesn't work.

4. Energy levels wrecked, mood shot. Some of this may be caffeine shortage (former coffee addict here!), but I tried a tiny bit of coffee in milk one day and got horrible acid, so no more of that!

5. Dehydration...can't drink much at a time, and remembering to sip is challenging. I have yet to make my daily Water goal.

I know a lot of folks have been through this exact same thing, so please share when things turned around for you! I know I'm in this for life and I want to figure out how to make it work, but it seems to be getting more challenging as I go instead of easier, if that makes sense. And it seems like at some point, my body would say "uncle" and start losing weight (I have a LOT to lose!), since I'm eating probably around 300 calories a day max, but that hasn't happened yet. Any advice or encouragement welcome!!'

Thanks! Meg

[ybnormal 21]

Dehydration will make you feel horrible, sip sip sip and get all your Protein in, even if you have to choke down nasty stuff, you'll feel better afterward. Really from everything I've read, just hang in there and don't scale watch. It gets a whole lot better as you go along!

xoxo Renee`

[jeffrey 3]

Meg, I was sleeved on the same day. I am a middle aged woman with a 40 BMI before surgery. My BMI is now 36.

I have no trouble swallowing as long as I sip. You have to sip constantly and resolve to do so even if it's a bother. Locate Protein powder that you like--I use Jay Robb. High quality in every way, tastes great, mixes so easily with anything. Sweetened naturally with Stevia, though does not taste of Stevia. They sell it on line, Vitamin Shoppe, and I think GNC.

I haven't tried to eat anything yet, and it sounds like you have. I am on full liquids for another week or so. I have sipped baby food pureed fruits, greek yogurt (no chunks of fruit), very pureed Soups (strain if in doubt), sugar free puddings and Jello, soupy cream of wheat, and one very soft scrambled egg. Maybe you are moving too quickly towards more normal food. It is best to let your stomach have a solid month of healing with nothing but liquid, then slowly move into mushy food. If you try something and it doesn't agree, step back and try again in a bit. When you first start food chew, chew, chew until it is liquified before you swallow. You have a major organ healing from being divided and stitched together--don't stress it! Though I have lost weight, it has jumped up and down by as much as a few lbs in a day. I think it's fluid--getting a little more sodium on Soup heavy days, less on smoothie days. And, you need to flood your system with Water to wash away the fat burning up.

I have continued to enjoy my coffee each morning, though a smaller cup. I know some doctors say no caffeine, but mine didn't. Go to a coffee shop or Whole Foods or something and buy some low acid coffee. Sumatra often is. See if that helps. I also drink tea which has the caffeine--green tea is really healthy and has some natural, gentle caffeine.

Are you taking your chewable Vitamins? sublingual Vitamin B-12 (the methylcobaimin version is best), Vitamin D and hopefully liquid fish oil (Barlean's is amazing and can be squeezed into a Protein smoothie--awesome flavors and does not taste at all of fish). All of these can have a big impact on your energy level, particularly vitamin B-12. ( You may even need shots--easy to get from a natural medicine or complementary medicine doctor. I get little tiny prefilled ones with the tiniest little needle to shoot in my butt once a week--easy.) I open a whole food enzyme capsule and a probiotic capsule into a morning smoothie and it is stabilizing my digestive system. All of this adds up to some $$$, but I am not buying much food. I think overall I spend less, though different.

Hope this helps. Let me know how you are doing, ok? I am pretty happy with it, but think I went in expecting at least a month or two to be like being on Optifast or something--the real food would come later. I truly believe that my relationship with food will be more subdued in the future--I think I will continue to enjoy food, but not be so fixated. Hope that happens for you as well.

[jeffrey 3]

Hey y'all:

So I was sleeved on April 18th (this is day 19). I'm not really enjoying this much at this point. It's early, I know, so maybe I'm just being a whiny baby, but...at this point, the cons definitely outweigh the pros, and I guess I'm just wondering when that ratio turns around!!

Pros:

1. No incisional pain and relatively fast healing.

2. Lost 18 pounds in the first 2 weeks.

Cons:

1. STALLED for 5 days and actually gained a pound, not hormonal...I know, I know, it's normal and expected. Still feels awful.

2. My sleeve seems to have a really limited menu of acceptable food: yogurt, Soup, milk. Other stuff gets rejected emphatically and thoroughly, which is really disheartening.

3. Mornings are the worst...my sleeve seems much smaller and sometimes even yogurt doesn't work.

4. Energy levels wrecked, mood shot. Some of this may be caffeine shortage (former coffee addict here!), but I tried a tiny bit of coffee in milk one day and got horrible acid, so no more of that!

5. Dehydration...can't drink much at a time, and remembering to sip is challenging. I have yet to make my daily Water goal.

I know a lot of folks have been through this exact same thing, so please share when things turned around for you! I know I'm in this for life and I want to figure out how to make it work, but it seems to be getting more challenging as I go instead of easier, if that makes sense. And it seems like at some point, my body would say "uncle" and start losing weight (I have a LOT to lose!), since I'm eating probably around 300 calories a day max, but that hasn't happened yet. Any advice or encouragement welcome!!'

Thanks! Meg

[jeffrey 3]

Also, you are not getting enough calories! Vary them, up and down so your body doesn't think it is being permanently starved. And, exercise Do what you can--even a little walk a few times a day,moving around the house or office--whatever works for you.

[MegInNOLA 531]

Thanks for your fast responses. To clarify, I haven't actually tried anything food-wise other than really mushy mashed potatoes (did okay), and scrambled egg and smushed-up cottage cheese (did NOT do okay). So I'm really still in the full liquids stage. I guess that's where I need to stay for a while. I appreciate your encouragement and suggestions for improving nutrition with supplements--I do take a Multivitamin daily but haven't had B Vitamin levels checked. Makes sense that would probably help!

Hanging in there--Meg

[AutumnLily 77]

Thanks for your fast responses. To clarify, I haven't actually tried anything food-wise other than really mushy mashed potatoes (did okay), and scrambled egg and smushed-up cottage cheese (did NOT do okay). So I'm really still in the full liquids stage. I guess that's where I need to stay for a while. I appreciate your encouragement and suggestions for improving nutrition with supplements--I do take a Multivitamin daily but haven't had B Vitamin levels checked. Makes sense that would probably help!

Hanging in there--Meg

I know it feels like forever being on the full liquids but soon enough you will be into solids and the liquid phase will be a distant memory.

For your tight tummy in the morning can you have hot Decaf tea? I found a nice tea in the morning helped my tummy to relax and by my first coffee break I had no problems with other foods.

You said you have done fine with mashed potatoes maybe add your cottage cheese to the potatoes and see if your tummy likes that. It would be a slow introduction of new food. Are you taking any Protein supplements? Your lack of energy in the beginning is due to the reduced calorie and also in part by the reduced Water intake. Just remember broths can count as your Fluid intake. Have some warmed chicken broth or what ever you prefer and count it towards your fluids.

It will get better!

[Starry 6]

I was sleeved the 6th.. Lets see I've had 2 breakdowns and bawled my eyes out in my sons arms and shook and shivered for about 2 hours... I have tried everything imaginable..I LOVE refried Beans... I eat them and I take a bite every 5 minutes and I chew, mash, etc to keep it mushy and within 20 mins I'm miserable and I only get 4 bites in... I've tried Canned chicken in Water with Cream of chicken & Herb Soup and blended it to runny soup.. and it came up in 10 minutes and I had the most awful cramps in my chest area thought I was having a stroke.. so no chicken for this gal... About the only thing i can muster to keep down is apple sauce and yogurt.. I've been on Protein shakes I really love powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury so I take a double scoop and Blender Bottle shake it or MagicBullet it into a frothy shake and that gives me double the Protein and i don't mind just the liquid I actually felt better just on liquids...

But now my Dr. says to raise it to 3 meals, 2 Proteins shakes and 64 ounces of Water a day an 800-900 calories... Ok.. HOW the hell do you expect me to do THAT? Hang on let me poop a watermelon cause THAT is what my stomachs gonna feel like after trying to get ALL that in! SERIOUSLY?

How on earth can a 3 oz stomach hold all that... I mean really! I've stalled.. haven't moved for 3 days again.. I'm extremely tired, weak, dizzy and I walked for 2 hours today around the store looking for things to create and eat to reach 800 calories that I'm beat... I was told I'd never need to count calories again... WTH? WHO LIED! LOL

Any input is graciously accepted and appreciated

And when I come back as a new person.. I wanna come back as Tiffykins... without the pregnant part I'm 50 she has this down to a freakin science!