Anyone else have a diva sleeve?

[Elode 8,093]

Sometimes I wonder about "diva lil"? My eating is so all over the place. Some days I can eat 800 calories but most days I will be lucky to get 600. I'm 5 months out no hunger and I haven't experienced any "stalls" yet that I'm aware of . I don't weigh every day though, maybe 1x a week or biweekly . At my visit with my surgeon the time before this last one he said he wants me to eat 1200 calories (not gonna happen) up my carbs (no thanks) and eat 8 times a day, small amounts (Yeah right) I'm not trying to be non compliant I just can't force myself to do it ! I feel good. My labs are fabulous. I drink 80-128 oz of Water a day. I am losing hair but so are people eating more ect..it's just kinda odd that it's so moody. I think most days if I didn't drink shakes or eat Quest bars I could just not eat and not even miss it. For some reason my stomach will feel yucky and miserable if I eat a couple soft crab legs but I can eat a dense quest bar at a normal speed and it never hurts my stomach. I guess I'm just curious as to other people's eating habits and if you go through these stages? I'm still thrilled to death so I'm not complaining just curious.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Elode

[CanyonBaby 1,852]

@@Elode

WOW, kid! Are you getting in enough nutrients to keep you going? Did your labs show any Vitamin deficiencies? Do you think if you got a little more in your mood would improve? I know that when I am hungry, my mood is to be feared! I try not to get to that point for my families' sake! What if you ate a little more often, how often are you eating now?? Do you follow the 2-3-2 program at all? It really helps me keep it together. I went to my support group meeting last night, and one of the nurses said that sleeve sizes were not regulated in any way, so the size for one could be way different from another, and that a lot of those done in Mexico tended to be really tiny. Possibility? Maybe you have one of the tinier ones. She said the super tiny ones tended to cause an uncomfortable quality of life. I can believe that! Super interesting meeting, that one. Are you getting enough B12? Should I be worried for you? Am right now, I hope you feel better...keep us informed!

[Elode 8,093]

@@CanyonBaby No I feel great! I'm happy! My brain is functioning well because I'm still making the grades! My labs were spot on! I fell good over all, everything is functioning that's why I'm wondering how. I usually eat a Quest bar for Breakfast, go to school (college) for a few hours, drink Water. I get home and have a shake. Hang out with the family...eat a small dinner (usually 1/2 cup) Study and somewhere in the night I have another quest bar or shake. I do take all my Vitamins religiously and I do drink a ton of water food just doesn't interest me so much. I have energy. I'm sure my hunger will kick in somewhere down the road. I had my surgery here with a award winning bariatric and trauma surgeon So I don't think he's the problem. he doesn't seem worried about it even at this last appointment I told him I haven't changed anything as far as eating more or even wanting to and he wasn't freaking out. Our bodies can do some pretty amazing things so I'm not worried about it. If I start to have any issues or symptoms I will defiantly check it out. So no worries for me! I feel the best I ever have!

Edited March 20, 2015 by Elode

[Jennifer2322 10]

I live in Missouri too! Where did you have your surgery and who was your surgeon?

[CanyonBaby 1,852]

@@Elode

I am so glad, and relieved! Feeling good is so important, especially as I think it has so much to do with our emotions... I know when my sacral joints are out, NOBODY is havin' a good time! All the best...

[bikrchk 1,313]

I'm not a metabolic expert, but, the only thing I'd worry about is will the 600-800 calories per day that works for you today still be enough to keep you satisfied (plus a few cal added on for maintenance) in, say, 2 years? If your hunger returns it may be hard to maintain if you've established a "happy place" under 1000 calories. I got the same speech at the doc's at my 1 month follow up and took the advice to add Snacks and shoot for 1000-1200. For me, it was good advice because as the weight came off and my confidence grew, I started going out more which lead to more calories. I don't eat out all the time, but when I do, I know it's a "high" day. It's been fine. I maintain well these days on about 1300 calories. I don't count anymore. I just eat what I like in small quantities. Not sure I wouldn't be struggling not to gain now if I hadn't taken that early advice. Every week I get on the scale I'm SHOCKED when I happily bounce around within my maintenance zone. How can this be when it feels like I eat ALL the freaking time? LOL... I don't care, I'll TAKE it!

Edited March 20, 2015 by bikrchk

[Elode 8,093]

@@Jennifer2322 Hi! I my surgeon is DR Mathew Simpson in springfield Mo.

[Elode 8,093]

@@bikrchk I'm going to try to fit in a few Snacks. They say not to snack. It's confusing at times. I do track everything I eat. I've heard other people who didn't have hunger and it came back...who knows? I made some beef Jerky last night so I've been eating on it a little. I couldn't find a good jerky that wasn't full of sugar so I made my own. It's good!

[liannatx 897]

That is great that your hunger is so diminished and your old (bad?) food habits are broken! I personally don't see anything bad about your intake if it is working for you, and you feel good there.

My surgeon recommends 600-800 calories in the losing stage. He calls the first 6-8 months when Sleevers lose the most weight Honeymoon phase, the Ghrelin is still at bay and our higher weight/calorie deficit ratio really helps the pounds drop at a pretty fast pace. He says to take advantage of this stage, then up calories to 800-1000 when getting closer to maintenance, and keep increasing calories in stages 1000-1200, 1200-1400, etc once you reach goal to find a maintenance range.

All that being said, a thousand different people will have a thousand different variations of the same basic plan LOL.

[jenbaby75 283]

We aren't supposed to graze, instead, 5-6 mini meals, never going more than 3-4 hours without eating. Keeps your blood sugars level.

[Grateful_Love 114]

My surgeon has three different phases. First week clears, second week full, weeks 3/4/5 puréed, week six is intro to new foods.

I met with the nurse practitioner on Tuesday. She said I was doing well, checked out my incisions, asked about my Vitamins, said I *could* take Miralax if I wanted to keep things moving. Then we scheduled a 3 month follow up.

I asked about my calories, because while I'm getting my 60-75g of Protein and drinking enough Water to drown myself, I'm still only getting like 600 calories MAX and it says to get 800. Like 85 percent of my protien is coming from shakes right now...which I guess I should be trying to wean out slowly.

The first two weeks I was super fatigued but I adjusted. I just don't know how to up my calories and keep my carbs below 20g (personal goal). Maybe it's because of the puréed stage and limited snacking abilities. But...I'm afraid to snack, because grazing and binging combined got me here. And now I feel "okay."

I don't WANT to up my calories because I'm okay. I get the rationale behind it, starvation mode, "what about maintenance?", "strive for normalcy" blah blah blah. But it's too soon! my baby belly doesn't want to be pushed a ton, and my brain is still adjusting.

I had the FIRST "regret" thought today because my husband, out of sincere concern, not backhandedness, said, "are you sure you're eating enough?"...he's also getting sleeved in June, so I think he will get it later on, but I truly feel like I AM eating enough. Right now, I can't even imagine adding in another shake or tuna or puréed something or other. I have a system and it feels like it's working.

I looked at the guidelines for later stages and it says 12-1500 calories per day after 6 months. WHAT.

Funny thing? I've had this packet of info since day one. I read it a thousand times pre-op, obsessed about reading on here, reaalllly researched. On the flip side, on the losers bench, all of it seems so brand new and foreign.

I truly truly feel for you on this.

I just hope that 5 months from now I feel and look as beautiful and content as you.

I know everyone says listen to your nut and doc..but I'm with you on this. They aren't in my body, my head. They haven't had the surgery and they won't feel my "new normal." I'm trying super hard to trust my team, but I kinda wanna trust my diva sleeve until diva sleeve proves herself unreliable lol

Edited March 21, 2015 by Grateful_Love

[kimdlawson06 141]

We aren't supposed to graze, instead, 5-6 mini meals, never going more than 3-4 hours without eating. Keeps your blood sugars level.

This is what works for me as well. I can only take in a very small amount at one sitting and 5-6 mini meals work great for me.

[VSGmary 418]

@@Elode ha! you are doing hell of a lot better than me, i struggle daily with food and Water , but having said that im not complaining, i love my sleeve - it has given me my precious life back! I take my Vitamins daily (which reminds me i have to go take them like now! haha) i definitely do not get in as much calories as you, i wish i did! i have faced very minimal hair loss (i have fine thick hair (hope that makes sense lol) so its ok for me to lose some lol). Up until a couple of days ago i could not eat meat - i found out that my sleeve definitely loves beef jerky! so thats now added daily - helps me get to my Protein goal and again i dont meet that daily either. My surgeon isnt too worried at the moment as long as i keep up the Vitamins and water'up, we plan on revisiting the food intake on next visit which is scheduled for May.' Im following his instructions but also trying to incorporate more Protein in any form that i can daily - this has been shakes and on the odd occasion scrambled eggs up until a few days ago.

wish you all the best with your lil sleeve diva and your weight loss journey xox

[Elode 8,093]

@@liannatx I agree it's all so diffrent that's why I just go with how my body feels. So far it seems to be working ok

[Elode 8,093]

@@jenbaby75 I don't graze but if I'm eating 6-8 times a day like he suggested it would be like grazing.