July 2013 Sleevers

[rphp 5]

I was sleeved July 24th, so 5 weeks out now. I am feeling like I have very bad reflux and it's all the time. I often get hiccups and I frequently feel like I have a lump in my throat, some burning and recurring nausea. I can only eat a few bites of pureed food or 6 ounces of Soup at a time and very slowly. I used to drink lots of Water but can't force it down now! I hate sweet drinks like gatorade or Protein Shakes. I have been drinking skim or 1/% milk with unflavored whey Protein. I am at a stall with weight but not concerned except that I feel like I'm getting smaller everywhere except my middle! I wonder if I will always feel this way. I do not get satisfaction from food as I used to in the past. I guess that's a good thing but it's kind of depressing. The problem is that I am eating so little and my normal life duties as a mom to 4 and working full time have resumed and I have little to no energy at the end of each day. I have not worked exercise into my routine yet. I need to but I am starting from zero-a flight of stairs exhausts me to no end. Any advice on how to start small and move up from those who have done it? Saving lots of $ from not eating out, and enjoying cooking for the family even though I don't eat what I make!

[onememory2 2]

Dear Debbie - my surgery was on July 25. And YES I'm having horrible time eating anything! Burning pain I chest/ throat most of time! I've even thrown up blood because of intolerance to food!!! Made emergency call to doctor and they didn't seem worried- just said to stick with "soft" diet !! I know your frustration- if you like we can email each other for help... I will pray that all will be better soon!

[farmer49 11]

Dear Debbie - my surgery was on July 25. And YES I'm having horrible time eating anything! Burning pain I chest/ throat most of time! I've even thrown up blood because of intolerance to food!!! Made emergency call to doctor and they didn't seem worried- just said to stick with "soft" diet !! I know your frustration- if you like we can email each other for help... I will pray that all will be better soon!

Hello, I had my surgery on July 11th, I was eating anything I wanted after two weeks of surgery but I have a stomach of Iron. But I found out the hard way is that you may be eating a little to fast because I went through the same thing and eating a little more than you can handle. Your stomach can hold 30-40 ounces before surgery and 3-4 ounces after surgery. It will get better with time and the weight loss is amazing. I have lost 28 pounds since surgery but could of lost more if I had stuck with the system.

[SkinnyScrapper 57]

I was sleeved July 24th' date=' so 5 weeks out now. I am feeling like I have very bad reflux and it's all the time. I often get hiccups and I frequently feel like I have a lump in my throat, some burning and recurring nausea. I can only eat a few bites of pureed food or 6 ounces of Soup at a time and very slowly. I used to drink lots of Water but can't force it down now! I hate sweet drinks like gatorade or Protein shakes. I have been drinking skim or 1/% milk with unflavored whey Protein. I am at a stall with weight but not concerned except that I feel like I'm getting smaller everywhere except my middle! I wonder if I will always feel this way. I do not get satisfaction from food as I used to in the past. I guess that's a good thing but it's kind of depressing. The problem is that I am eating so little and my normal life duties as a mom to 4 and working full time have resumed and I have little to no energy at the end of each day. I have not worked exercise into my routine yet. I need to but I am starting from zero-a flight of stairs exhausts me to no end. Any advice on how to start small and move up from those who have done it? Saving lots of from not eating out, and enjoying cooking for the family even though I don't eat what I make![/quote']

It might be a good idea to add unflavored protein to some of your foods such as soup or pudding. You have to do this when the temperature of the food is below 130 degrees.it helped me a lot in the beginning and I still do this. I hope it gets better.

[kimberlyu 12]

I had reflux. My doctor prescribed Prilosec. I take one every other day. No reflux!! I get hiccups after eating... Just a few. Talk to your doctor about the reflux.

[SharonAdams 0]

I have been at a stall with weight loss for several weeks now. Nothing has changed in my diet and if anything, I have increased my level of activity. Of course, the old fears return, what if this is it? What is the movement down doesn't start up? Is there anything I can do to move the scale

[ElyQuint 446]

Stop getting on the scale daily. Journal your intake, buy ketosis test strips at Walmart and test daily. If the stick turns pink or purple your burning fat. This way you can ensure your on track without obsessing about numbers. Have faith in science if not in yourself.

[MumtazG38 86]

Wouldn't the ketosis test strips turn negative if I've eaten? I thought ketosis was only during a fast?

I've been at a stall for the last 3 weeks, and the stall is worse than any I've been on. I'm actually running around crazy trying to NOT GAIN right now, it's that bad. I'm at 500-530 calories, and under 20g carbs, and over always 85+g Protein and every single time I've gotten in anything NEAR 600 calories I've gained 3+ lbs this whole stall! I'm losing my damn mind here. How in hell can I be restricting calories and carbs and fat so much and still be losing my mind trying not to gain! I thought the weight was supposed to be falling off!!! What I wouldn't do to have even a fraction of a pound a day come off, or even every 2-3 days.....I thought the ridiculous gain cycle was over with now that I've had this surgery! I'm not even eating how much I can easily eat. I've portioned everything I put into my mouth because I know I can't starve, and I know I can't exceed my calories for some reason or I end up gaining. Exercise is only making me feel stupid right now. I workout like insane for 3-5 days, check my weight...and oop....we're stuck, or up. I realize muscle gains etc....but I promise you its not that. I measure, among many other things.

So frustrated with this damn sleeve right now. It's not even that I can't eat. THE WORST PART is the fact that I can eat probably however much I want, just haven't let myself test the limit cause I'm terrified of having too many calories and gaining again. But I know this, my stomach could easily take 1-2 cups of whatever I'm eating since day 1...literally the first day out.(beef, turkey, salad, chicken...any form...any consistancy....everything goes!). Almost as much as before, just a teeny bit less really. I just avoid eating high calorie/fat stuff so I don't gain.

Why after the surgery am I having to work just as, or twice as hard to lose weight....or better yet....keep myself from gaining for the past 3 weeks?

Yeah....I'm pissed.

Sorry for the rant. I suck.

[ElyQuint 446]

Stay calm. Breath deep. Think about Brad Pitt. Ketosis happens when the body burns fat. I get purple every day and I eat many more calories than you are now. It takes calories to burn calories so cutting them might be a poor choice of self sacrifice. The same folks who posted about stalls a year ago are posting skinny pics today. Keep hope alive!

[ShayLeigh 62]

I was sleeved July 1 and am able to take down solids' date=' although, one of my challenges, as prior to surgery is eating too fast. Instead of waiting a few minutes between bites, I may eat three fully chewed bites and then immediately have extreme pressure type discomfort in my stomach. often, it leads to involuntary vomiting. The shakes, puddings, soft foods do not pose problems. I am quite discouraged. If one could live on shakes, no problem. I also have hunger pains, despite Prilosec and Tums. Although hungry, I am starting to hate the thought of eating anything.

[/quote']

I am struggling with eating too fast as well. I am training myself to take one bite, put my fork down, and not take another bite for three minutes. It's a pain but timing my bites helps tremendously. Best of luck!

[Patti K 98]

Stay calm. Breath deep. Think about Brad Pitt. Ketosis happens when the body burns fat. I get purple every day and I eat many more calories than you are now. It takes calories to burn calories so cutting them might be a poor choice of self sacrifice. The same folks who posted about stalls a year ago are posting skinny pics today. Keep hope alive!

How many calorie are you eating? My Physician Asst said sice i had only lost 18 lbs in the firr moth that I was eating too many calories at 800. However, allthe stall posts seem to work out more with an INCREASE in cals than a cut in cals. I cut to 500 which is where she said I should be eating now and I lost 5 more lbs and then stalled again. Gr!

I hate feeling "not good enough". Why can't the fact that I have lost anything be a positive? Gr again!!!

[Justkeepswimming37 31]

Stay calm. Breath deep. Think about Brad Pitt. Ketosis happens when the body burns fat. I get purple every day and I eat many more calories than you are now. It takes calories to burn calories so cutting them might be a poor choice of self sacrifice. The same folks who posted about stalls a year ago are posting skinny pics today. Keep hope alive!

Where are the ketosis strips located at Walmart?

[Daydra 345]

How many calorie are you eating? My Physician Asst said sice i had only lost 18 lbs in the firr moth that I was eating too many calories at 800. However, allthe stall posts seem to work out more with an INCREASE in cals than a cut in cals. I cut to 500 which is where she said I should be eating now and I lost 5 more lbs and then stalled again. Gr!

I hate feeling "not good enough". Why can't the fact that I have lost anything be a positive? Gr again!!!

800 calories too much?! For your height/weight?!?! Your PA isn't doing you any favors. I would like to bash some of these "professionals" over the head with a cast Iron frying pan. I'm only an inch taller and a year younger than you and weigh less. My nutritionist wants me to fall in the 900-1350cal/day range. Many will say that we can't expect to have the same loss results as a "normal weight" person on a similar number of calories, but I believe that that's a-not true for all of us and b-at least partially because having this surgery is basically just a physical alteration that allows us to maintain a VLCD ("starvation diet"), which can decimate our metabolism without significant care and effort regarding nutrition and muscle retention. I do not consider telling a 5'7" woman at your weight to only eat 500 cal/day to be good advice. I would consider finding another PA or doing your own research and going your own way.

My most successful experience with weight loss prior to surgery was a 115lb loss, primarily relying on calorie counting/macronutrient distribution using a bodybugg to measure my daily calorie usage. Through that experience and using that same technology while I lose weight now, I have learned that my resting metabolic rate is about 1900 cal at my current weight and that my average calorie burn right now is about 2500 cal. I believe dropping to 500 cal/day would not benefit you in the least...

Best of luck to you. The stalls do pass, as long as your are focusing on the things your need for your health.

[Daydra 345]

And... I should have included that the first month, you are healing. They shouldn't really even be considering critiquing your weight loss at this point.

And... You lost 23 pounds in about a month! Congratulations! Screw what your PA says!

And... At my 1 month followup I started to poo poo myself because I had only lost 16 pounds. The nurse about had a fit and told me I was being way too hard on myself and that they were expecting a 1-2 pound loss/week, so not to even stress over it, that I was doing great.

[ElyQuint 446]

I eat about 800 to 900 daily. Its high Protein low carb (50 or less). I have lost 28 pounds since surgery exactly 5 weeks ago. I stalled at weeks 2-4. Not being good enough is a paralyzing feeling. One I used to heal with food. But this, isn't about me. Its math, science and time. All I have to do is wait.