Today is 3 weeks post-op.......

[JMYERS NOLA 2]

Hey everyone....Haven't posted since surgery buy I am alway on here looking for motivation, so thanks to all of you that post your questions..concerns, and victory stories!

Well...things have been going "OK", and thats where I will leave that. Don't get me wrong its not the lack of weight loss progress because that has been very steadily dropping. Here are my stats so far......Since surgery I have lost 23#, but if you include the week of my liquid diet prior to surgery, it is a total of 33#!! Not only that, I have lost at least 2" in my waist...hips...neck & chest. I have had to go do some shopping to say the least! LOL!

However, with all the good news, there is some not so good news. First off, from the get go I was unable to drink my Protein Shakes. I had been drinking these before surgery and had no issues, but from the first sip after surgery, just the thought makes me wanna puke! Just yesterday I started trying to drink them again, and they are still pretty tough to swallow! This must be common because I have seen it in a couple threads on here, so good luck to you all!

That said, I started my pureed foods at about 8 days post-op to try and get my proteins/calories and my Dr seemed to be ok with that, but pushed the shakes. Its had to find the right food with the proper calories/proteins to keep yourself even close to what the Dr wants, mine being 800cal/120 pro. Anyone else find this difficult to do at this stage? I am not a cottage cheese eater and can snack on yougurt for a little bit. What do I do?

Secondly, are my mornings. I wake up feeling nauseated and I am not sure if its really nasuea or just starving. (My mornings start at 5:30) My last meal/snack in the evening is somewhere around 7:30-8:30. Not much of anything, maybe a pudding or yougurt. So I am pretty sure 9hrs later, my stomach is empty. Has anyone delt with these moring time issues? When do you finally start feeling "normal"? My wife and I just had a baby and she reminds me of the mornings that she would have morning sickness and she reminds me that it is all worth it at the end, and she is 100% right!

Finally, Energy level. This is a no brainer but wanted to throw it out there. The more calories/protein you get in your body, the more energy you should have.....correct?

Sorry this is so long but since I havent posted anythng in awhile, I figure I would make it count!

The picture I posted is just one week post op, I need to take some new ones I guess!!

Thanks everyone!

[PdxMan 4,292]

For me, at 3 weeks, it was difficult to understand the "hungry" feelings. Even in the morning. I had to set alarms to remind me to eat lunch early on. I ate not because I was hungry, but because I knew my body needed it. So, I would suggest you eat at regular intervals. Every few hours. Since my surgery and even this morning, I start with a Premier chocolate Protein Shake (Costco - $23 a case) whether I am hungry or not, feel great or lousy. After not eating for 10 hours (and that meal being small anyways) how can you expect to wake up full of energy? On the topic of energy, mine dwindled quickly post-op. After talking to my NUT, she suggested I incorporate more carbs in the form of soft veggies in my meals. At three weeks, I was eating pureed Soups, so I just added more veggies in them and it worked for me. Complex carbs are the best source of energy. I was starved of them and it took its toll.

[JMYERS NOLA 2]

Thanks for the info PdxMan......I do make my self eat every couple hours. Like you did early on, I have a hard time reconizing a hungar pain from some other kind of pain or uncomfortable feeling, and I am leery of eating and getting sick. Sometimes I wonder if I am eating too much at one time and other times I wonder if I am eating enough. Its a strange concept to grasp. For example, I know pudding is coinsidered a liquid, but I can eat a whole pudding cup at one sitting and not be sick or feel over full. Some people on here say they can only eat about 4-5 bites of one and done. I know we are all different, it just makes me wonder if I am doing somethng wrong.

Thanks for the help!

[suez383 1]

I was honestly miserable the first few weeks, but kept hoping it would be worth it in the end. I am about 5.5 weeks out down 30 pounds and pretty much eating normally. I too am still struggling with what I can eat, if it will sit ok and when my full feeling kicks in what it will feel like or what will be the signal. I dont' know that yet, like last night, we ordered chinese because I got out of work late. I had 2 shrimps and 2 pieces of broccoli and they didn't sit well and here I was in the bathroom suffering. I ate pretty slow, chewed really good but it just didn't work. I have had broccoli a lot and never had a problem before and I have had shrimp too before with no problem. Maybe it's how they cooked it, or maybe my sleeve just didn't want it last night. Who knows?

I wouldn't worry too much about what's normal, everyone is different and you kinda just gotta look to yourself and what will be normal for you! You ate a whole pudding cup, but while we think pudding is thick, it's not as dense as say Protein which would make it easier for you to eat the little cup of it. I wouldn't worry too much, especially since you say it didn't make you sick so I wouldn't think your stomach couldn't handle it.

I know another guy at work who had the sleeve and when we compared our portion sizes, he was able to eat more than me. Now I wonder if the surgeons make men's sleeves a tad bigger just because men are bigger in general. (I don't mean fat either, I mean taller, stockier, more muscular).

Like I said, I am still struggling and I am sure I will be for a while, but it does get easier and your body and mind start to adjust. I know the bigger problem for me is mentally trying to stop myself from over eating, because mentall I know I only had 3 bites but I still want to eat more like I did post op. I have been pretty lucky with not over eating, I really do listen to my stomach, but I am still bummed sometimes if something is really good and I can only eat a few bites. Kinda depressing, but I just keep telling myself I want to be skinny, so I really don't need more than a few bites, especially if it's something I am not supposed to be eating anyway.

Hang in there and good luck, you are doing great!