Went to my first post op support group tonight (I'm pre-op) and now

[Wires 25]

I'm a lot more nervous than what I had originally thought. I have been researching this, going to my pre-op appointments now and thought I knew a lot about the sleeve.

From what I understood tonight...

1) I'll have to take B12 sub-lingual supplements

2) Must take 2 Multivitamins a day, possibly Calcium supplements as well

3) NO using a straw for a long time

4) I knew no soda or alcohol ever again, but I didn't know coffee was also restricted! This makes me most nervous...The nurse talked about having to drink enough to hydrate and with a cup of coffee it'll be 2 cups of Water just to replenish the coffee-dehyration. I can definitely give up coffee pre-op, for some time post-op but forever???

5) You have to get in 50-70grams of Protein a day...but they can't be any kinds of Proteins. The only Proteins that contain the full 7 amino acids needed by our body are fish, chicken, beef, pork and eggs. Other things like Peanut Butter have Protein but not all "full" proteins. So does this mean only eat chicken, fish, eggs etc? And is it egg white or whole eggs? What about hummus?

6) Only able to drink an ounce of Water at a time...but still need to get all that water in?

7) Not to graze, have 3 meals a day but eat slowly and you have to learn what real hunger and feeling full feels like--and while doing this you might eat too much or too fast and feel like you're going to have a heart attack...

8) If you eat fatty foods, you might not only have diarrhea, you could profusely sweat, heart palpitations etc

9) She said ice cream, chocolate, cake etc never again

Those of you who are at least a few months or a year out, would you say this is all pretty accurate? I still want the surgery but really want to know what I'm getting myself into completely.

Also, is it a good idea to cut off water while eating now while I'm pre-op?

[NMJG 1,266]

All surgeons are a tad different. It's important to be comfortable with your med team so you will follow their plan.

That said, much of what you describe is common.

For myself, I gave up coffee for the first 5 months. Nowadays I have a Decaf skinny mocha weekly. I do drink with a straw because it doesn't cause gas for me, I do not eat a lot of carbs and I do eat healthy fats. I get in all my Protein most days. No soda but champagne occasionally. I almost always get in 8 glasses of Water or I get dehydrated. I eat my Protein first most of the time.

How I eat now is different than when I was first sleeved. Was much closer to what you describe.

I eat chocolate on occasion too . I also do 3 small meals and 2 Snacks on most days. I usually keep under 1000 calories.

Edited March 21, 2014 by NMJG

[Wires 25]

All surgeons are a tad different. It's important to be comfortable with your med team so you will follow their plan.

That said, much of what you describe is common.

For myself, I gave up coffee for the first 5 months. Nowadays I have a Decaf skinny mocha weekly. I do drink with a straw because it doesn't cause gas for me, I do not eat a lot of carbs and I do eat healthy fats. I get in all my Protein most days. No soda but champagne occasionally. I almost always get in 8 glasses of Water or I get dehydrated. I eat my Protein first most of the time.

How I eat now is different than when I was first sleeved. Was much closer to what you describe.

I eat chocolate on occasion too . I also do 3 small meals and 2 Snacks on most days. I usually keep under 1000 calories.

Thank you so much! I am trying to be prepared as possible by going to these post-op groups. I appreciate you sharing your own experience.

[ziggypbang 272]

Dude, you're sweating the small stuff!! There is definitely variations in what works for folks, and you'll find what works for you given a little time.

Here are a few of my thoughts:

1) my B12 is tiny but delicious and the way it melts under my tongue is funny. I'd take it daily willingly if I needed it!

2) I love my lemon flavored chewable Os-Cal Calcium, which include some Vit D. I keep them at work and home. I consider them a mini-dessert after I eat! The chewable multi-Vitamins sucked for me the first 3 months - they did taste wierd - but now I've gone back to the non-chewable variety and it's all good! I take them with Breakfast (OK, an Atkins Cafe Caramel shake I call breakfast) and dinner. Just a habit.

3) Straws I could probably handle now but they don't really tempt me much. It's not like I'm really drinking stuff at restaurants although I do eat restaurant food very happily. If you love leftovers and doggie-bags like I do, you will LOVE the way you can make one great restaurant meal last for four days!

4) I drink Decaf every single day. There is a bit of regular coffee in my Breakfast Atkin shake though, too. I add instant decaf to my evening vanilla shake, with a bit of SF caramel Syrup. I also can drink decaf Americanos (my fave) at Starbucks again now. They tasted wierd for a few months but that's over now and I'm back to loving them.

5) Hummous is great - I dont eat often but it's fine. And you can use whole eggs, yes. I eat Beans a lot, too - especially lentils and refried Beans. You don't have to eat the proper Proteins 100% of the time. I eat some type of meat at least once a day, though. It's just so protein-dense it works well.

6) Getting all your liquids in is almost impossible early in the process. I am lucky to get to 48 oz at nearly 4 months out. I try, but there's only so much you can drink when you're drinking slowly. My office mate is 1 year out and still not to 64 oz.

7) I do 3 meals a day, but my office-mate friend is a grazer. It just works for her. Of course she's kind of battling anorexia these days, but it definitely hasn't made her fat!!

8) I wish I could say fatty food made me sick. They just don't. Nothing does, really. I have chosen to take one day a week to eat treats during two meals, lunch & dinner, and I've had no problems. My office mate eats no sweets, but lots of fatty foods (she regularly orders massaman curry for lunch!) but she nibbles at everything, like a person born thin!

9)I ate a candy bar today - very small, 115 calories, and it was great. some people find that they can't eat just one treat, or that they will overreat and not stop. If it comes to that for me, I won't have treats. Or, I'll just save them for the last day before my cycle starts, when everything looks extra tasty!

This will be a HUGE learning experience, but a very, very good one! Best to you!

[elfnow 277]

I had this amazing, well-worded, informative, and encouraging post alllllmost written and then my phone died. So what I'm going to say is this:

If you have any questions about "complete proteins" and what that shit even means (not as complicated as it sounds) then feel free to ask... The upshot is, "you don't need to worry about it if you eat meat and drink milk-based Protein shakes." And then "in the very beginning try to make the most of your Protein intake because it's so limited but later you don't have to worry as much".

Don't be scared!

[Wires 25]

Thank you all so much for easing my anxieties!