2 weeks to go, and I am really nervous...

[JerseyJules 862]

I am really nervous and have 2 weeks to go till surgery...I want to know a few things to expect.

Just curious as to your portions when eating? What fills you up and how does it feel exactly??? Do you still want to eat and just cant physically? Do you throw up all the tme?

I hope I will not regret the way I look and feel.. I would like to see portion size and the types of foods you can still tolerate..Please tell me you can still eat pizza occasionally.. Im just really nervous that I will miss food..

[BeagleLover 1,020]

I was sleeved on Sept. 26th. I eat around 2 - 2 1/2oz. meat and a very small amount of veggies for my meal, unless I'm having a Protein shake. I don't have any desire to eat any more. I can only speak for myself, but I don't really have big cravings. I feel fine so long as I eat very small pieces and take awhile to finish. Then I wait at least a half hour before I have something to drink. I never have thrown up. I don't eat pizza because of all the carbs in the crust. Don't crave it though, so it's all OK. I eat to live rather than live to eat. I would say that's the major difference.

Edited December 29, 2014 by BeagleLover

[JerseyJules 862]

Well 11 days to go and still nervous, but I also cant wait to get started on my road to recovering from basically being a food addict. I feel like shit after the disgusting foods I have consumed with the holidays and am glad that they are over. I have to think of this surgery as a one time "reset button" on the way I have been eating my whole life.. I just wish I could fast forward 4 months away and be well on my journey. I really hate getting surgeries and hospitals, they make me really nervous, Im usually OK with the recovery process, but the whole leading into the surgery gets me all crazy...

Im also scared about changing something in my body so permanent...But I also know the alternative is to get fatter and fatter..

[Wendyfm 494]

I was sleeved in July and can eat up to a cup of food at a time. 3oz of meat 1/2 cup of veggies and usually cottage cheese or sometimes baked potato and brown rice. I eat pizza on occasion and can manage one small piece,but that is a treat not a normal part of my diet.

[JerseyJules 862]

I was sleeved in July and can eat up to a cup of food at a time. 3oz of meat 1/2 cup of veggies and usually cottage cheese or sometimes baked potato and brown rice. I eat pizza on occasion and can manage one small piece,but that is a treat not a normal part of my diet.

As long as I know I will be able to indulge occasionally. Its a mental thing..

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

@@JerseyJules - Try to think of it as making a new normal. It a chance to no longer have your life ruled by food addiction. For example I am finally at a place in my life where I can take one bite of chocolate and not only be satisfied, but I can walk away. Before if it was in the house I wasn't just eating a bite, I was eating it all! The physical change of having a new, smaller tummy is not bad if you treat it right. It wants small amounts of good, healthy foods and reasonable amounts of indulgences. It's may be hard to wrap your mind around that until post-op but you'll come to actually prefer it that way.

My portions are small but I am full and satisfied when eating them. Tonight I had 1 cup of vegetable Soup with 3 ounces of beyond meat chickenless strips added to it. My belly is comfortably full. I'll wait 30 minutes and finish drinking Water for the rest of the evening. I have no desired to snack or munch on anything.

My meals are typically anywhere from ¼ to ½ cup. Soups make be a whole cup but most of that is usually broth.

[JerseyJules 862]

@@JerseyJules - Try to think of it as making a new normal. It a chance to no longer have your life ruled by food addiction. For example I am finally at a place in my life where I can take one bite of chocolate and not only be satisfied, but I can walk away. Before if it was in the house I wasn't just eating a bite, I was eating it all! The physical change of having a new, smaller tummy is not bad if you treat it right. It wants small amounts of good, healthy foods and reasonable amounts of indulgences. It's may be hard to wrap your mind around that until post-op but you'll come to actually prefer it that way.

My portions are small but I am full and satisfied when eating them. Tonight I had 1 cup of vegetable Soup with 3 ounces of beyond meat chickenless strips added to it. My belly is comfortably full. I'll wait 30 minutes and finish drinking Water for the rest of the evening. I have no desired to snack or munch on anything.

My meals are typically anywhere from ¼ to ½ cup. Soups make be a whole cup but most of that is usually broth.

So do you find that you no longer eat with your mind? Thats my problem, I eat out of boredom, stress, depression,anger,excited,ect...I used food for comfort for years..Does the surgery help stop this??

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Yes. There's simply no room to munch out of boredom or as a way of eating my emotions. For one thing you get full too fast, for another, typically I am sipping Water if I'm not eating. I do occasionally relax in the evening with a cup of tea and I use real sugar or honey. I'm allergic to the fake stuff. Yesterday I didn't go to the gym and because I've promised myself to to at least 30 mins of exercise of some sort everyday, I treated myself to 1 mini Reese's Peanut Butter cup. I was actually satisfied with just that one. If you allow it to, this surgery can help you change how you view food.< /p>

[JerseyJules 862]

Yes. There's simply no room to munch out of boredom or as a way of eating my emotions. For one thing you get full too fast, for another, typically I am sipping Water if I'm not eating. I do occasionally relax in the evening with a cup of tea and I use real sugar or honey. I'm allergic to the fake stuff. Yesterday I didn't go to the gym and because I've promised myself to to at least 30 mins of exercise of some sort everyday, I treated myself to 1 mini Reese's Peanut Butter cup. I was actually satisfied with just that one. If you allow it to, this surgery can help you change how you view food.

I certainly hope I will not regret doing it. How far out of surgery are you? When did it become more "normal" for you following the surgery? Im excited and nervous about this..I want to be the thin, sexy guy I was at one time in my life, i want to be able to do everything with my kids without my knees,back or legs hurting form carrying 300lbs.. I have gotten around pretty well at 280-290 but the older I get, the harder it is to work out and do physical things..

Funny thing is, Im a fairly healthy fat guy...

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I'm 3½ months. So far I've had a pretty easy time of it. The biggest issue I had in the hospital was them not being able to get a vein for the IV. I ended up with a PICC- line instead. Otherwise everything has been easy peasy. I woke up feeling pretty good. No pain at all. My middle just felt like I had worked out really hard the day before. I as walking in recovery, didn't need any pain meds while I was in-patient, no gas pains, no nausea, no vomiting. I've tolerated everything I have eaten. Sure I got bored with the Protein shake for the 2 weeks I was all liquids, but I just pushed through. I walked everyday until I was allowed to resume Water aerobics at 3 weeks. I now do Water aerobics 5 days a week. I eaten out at restaurants 3 times and be able to manage each time. Of course I brought home a doggy bag each time, but that was fine.

I wasn't scared of the surgery at all. I had done all my research, I followed doctor's orders to a T and trusted my surgeon. I went into the OR completely relaxed.

You'll be fine and you'll love being able to play with your kids.

[alwaysvegas 702]

I was sleeved July 28, 2014. I can eat about 4-4.5 oz of food at a time. I usually eat 2.5-3.0 oz of Protein and the rest as a low-starch veggie and sauce. I'm always very satisfied and eating slow really helps me appreciate the food.< /p>

I eat 4-6 meals like that per day and my caloric intake is around 1,000 calories. As I've changed so much of my eating habits, I'm not really missing any junik foods because I'm simply choosing not to eat them.

I was very scared like you about the head hunger. For some it's a problem, but I've found so far that my head hunger is minimal. I do to graze a bit more when I get stressed, but the small tummy helps me keep that in check. It's nothing like pre-op where I'd gobble a whole pizza or a bag of chicken wings.

Keep in mind that if you eat calorie-dense foods that some call "sliders" (foods that dissolve very quickly like fries, Cookies, candies, milkshakes) you can somewhat easily put in alot of calories. Nothing will stop you from eating these things. That's a conscious choice you will still have to make.

The sleeve will help you with your portions and your hunger hormone. The rest is on you.

I am a fast eater, but working on it. I usually end up eating too fast and getting the "slimes" and making myself throw up maybe once a week. It's just a learning process and getting the slimes is nothing painful or alarming.

Having said all that, it's the best decision I've ever made and I feel fantastic. I wish I could've been satisfied with 4 oz portions years ago, but I'm still delighted I have this tool now.

Best of luck to you.

Edited January 4, 2015 by AlwaysVegas

[JerseyJules 862]

Question #1 what are "the slimes"???

Question #2 Only 1000 calories a day? do you have an active lifestyle on only 1000 calories? I was under the impression the average adult needs 1800-2500 a day.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Question #1 what are "the slimes"???

Question #2 Only 1000 calories a day? do you have an active lifestyle on only 1000 calories? I was under the impression the average adult needs 1800-2500 a day.

1) I may not be describing this well since I haven't experienced it but the slimes are when you eat too fast and the saliva in your stomach sort of backs up on you.

2) That's the recommended caloric intake for the avg adult male. I think for women it's lower. Somewhere around 1200-2000. However with the sleeve that is drastically changed. It's part of the reason why we take Vitamins & supplements. Once you get closer to maintenance your calories may increase to the lower end of that scale, but the surgery basically starts you low and then you build up based on activity level and body build.

Edited January 5, 2015 by BLERDgirl

[Countrygrrl 450]

I was sleeved on the 31st and I was terrified. My pre surgery diet was tough. I was hungry and grumpy. I slipped a time or two and was certain I was going to feel that way after surgery. I can tell you I am not hungry. The day after surgery I walked 5 miles. I still have no bruising from my sutures. My tummy is swollen. And since food is no longer my drug of choice I have to find other things to do. I keep on this web site a lot. And I love finding new broth. Yesterday Japanese broth today Thai chicken broth. Way better than canned. Also the hunt for the best Protein. I have chewed a few tiny pieces of meat I won't lie and no harm no foul. Gas ex strips are a huge must and the one ounce protein gels.

[JerseyJules 862]

Well Im actually down to 7 days to go. What is weird is my doctor did not put me on a pre-op diet, and only said do all Clear liquids the day before which will be next Sunday. Im gonna try and really cut down calories drastically this week... I guess I will be dropping down in weight then have to build up some muscle when I settle in. I dont think I will have an issue being able to supplement more than 64 grams of Protein a day and plan on eating 6 small meals a day once I get back in the gym.. I know I will lose strength but want to keep some of it.