My experience so far

[klk1959 7]

I had my sleeve done this past Monday 1/22/18. pain has consistently reduced since then and I was discharged from the hospital Wednesday morning. I really only take pain eds at night at this point but have noticed that unless I take extremely small sips of Water that I get a very brief cramp so it is impossible to get 64 ounces of water down in a day. I think I had the normal regrets and questions about whether I did th right thing and even started resenting things when I saw the oversized steak or hamburger commercials on TV. I even had the f...its yesterday and decided it would be a good idea to have a small piece of ham, because I wanted it. Well that entitlement didn't last long and I found that pain and throwing up was a pretty good means of letting go of those resentments. New day today, I made a Protein smoothie this morning with greek yogurt, some Protein Powder and some frozen fruit in my Nutriblast blender. It seems to be going down pretty easily. I'm intending to go back to work this monday. I run a treatment program so I'm not digging ditches. No difference in my mind between sitting at home and sitting at a desk at work. I am also finding some very amazing similaraties between the things I am mentally struggling with and the process the clients in the program I run go through in their recovery journey.

[James Marusek 5,244]

Congratulations on your surgery and progress thus far. Many people find it difficult to meet their daily Fluid and Protein requirements. This is because there bodies are in a major heal mode. Just keep working towards those goals and at the end of the first month you should be there.

[Danny Paul 761]

1 hour ago, klk1959 said:

I am also finding some very amazing similaraties between the things I am mentally struggling with and the process the clients in the program I run go through in their recovery journey.

My feeling is that I'm a recovering food addict. My addiction is to food and it will not go away. Each day I have to make the choice to not let food run my life. In the past my world was centered on food. Going out to eat 3-4 times a week, getting together with friends at restaurants, looking to eat that next dish I saw on the food network. Today my focus is on my health. The main reason for my WLS was due to all of my medical conditions and the amount of medications that I was taking to control them. Eventually, the medications would have caused me to have liver and kidney problems and the underlying problems would only progressively get worse.

WLS has given me a jump start to better health. I know that eventually I must make the changes needed so that I don't let my food addiction take over take my life again. I'm trying each and every day by trusting in the process, trusting in me and most of all taking it one day at a time. If I break up my recovery by a single day I seem to manage it well. I don't want to overeat one day and say I'll make it up tomorrow. My mindset has to be that I need to stay in the parameters set for the day and to reach that goal. 80 plus of Proteins, 64 ounces of Water, 30 or less of carbs, 1,200 or less calories. To do this I stay pretty much regimented as to what I eat. I don't stray off the plan and I don't experiment much. As I said in the past I'm the guy who can't just have one so I decided on taking none.

I go on multiple WLS forums to get the expertise of the those who have succeeded over the long run. I don't look at how others have failed since I have many ways myself to fail. I need to see what others have done right and try to incoroporate those things for long term success. So, you're right to say that there are similarities to others who are addicted to other things.

[Mattymatt 491]

2 hours ago, klk1959 said:

I had my sleeve done this past Monday 1/22/18. pain has consistently reduced since then and I was discharged from the hospital Wednesday morning. I really only take pain eds at night at this point but have noticed that unless I take extremely small sips of Water that I get a very brief cramp so it is impossible to get 64 ounces of Water down in a day. I think I had the normal regrets and questions about whether I did th right thing and even started resenting things when I saw the oversized steak or hamburger commercials on TV. I even had the f...its yesterday and decided it would be a good idea to have a small piece of ham, because I wanted it. Well that entitlement didn't last long and I found that pain and throwing up was a pretty good means of letting go of those resentments. New day today, I made a Protein smoothie this morning with greek yogurt, some Protein Powder and some frozen fruit in my Nutriblast blender. It seems to be going down pretty easily. I'm intending to go back to work this monday. I run a treatment program so I'm not digging ditches. No difference in my mind between sitting at home and sitting at a desk at work. I am also finding some very amazing similaraties between the things I am mentally struggling with and the process the clients in the program I run go through in their recovery journey.

That's very insightful! food is also a strong addiction. One of the advantages to this surgery is that it kind of forces you to break that addiction. This will make you so much better at your job because you will be able to identify with your clients on a whole new level. In some ways, your newly developed insight will help you to have long success.

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

With addictions, it is never the substance that is the issue, it's just the vehicle to numbing whatever you aren't facing. I can't speak to what that particular set of issues are, as it is as varied as we are - but often we feel like we are never good enough, or always waiting for that future perfection when everything will finally be okay to live the way we want to or be accepted for our true selves. It is a deep painful issue rooted in childhood oftentimes.

[Mattymatt 491]

1 minute ago, Sosewsue61 said:

With addictions, it is never the substance that is the issue, it's just the vehicle to numbing whatever you aren't facing. I can't speak to what that particular set of issues are, as it is as varied as we are - but often we feel like we are never good enough, or always waiting for that future perfection when everything will finally be okay to live the way we want to or be accepted for our true selves. It is a deep painful issue rooted in childhood oftentimes.

The substance is at least partly the issue because the substance is doing something to alter your brain's chemistry. Sugar is shown to be almost as addictive as heroin. There is a reason that heroin is sometimes cut down with table sugar.

[kandywolf 161]

I was very nauseas for my first week out of surgery. I was sipping propel zero (no coloring) and Vitamin Water zero. You can do propel zero and gatorade zero. If they taste too strong add half water. Dont push it, because throwing up is defeating the purpose. Try to increase by an ounce or 2 every day. It does get easier!


SW 350 (11/15)
BSW 260 (10/17/17)
CW 217.6 (1/22/18)
RGW 199
GW 175

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

5 hours ago, Mattymatt said:

The substance is at least partly the issue because the substance is doing something to alter your brain's chemistry. Sugar is shown to be almost as addictive as heroin. There is a reason that heroin is sometimes cut down with table sugar.

They cut it w sugar for more profits. I'm not arguing the effect of the chemical properties of food, that is a component of food, yes. I am making a case that food/drugs/xyz is not the initial problem. It is to escape the feelings/situation etc - the root cause of the addiction in the first place.

[KMO1961 3]

I had surgery on 1/22/18. Sharing a few tips from my dr just in case you're interested.

He recommended Protein Shakes with whey Protein 4 oz a a time sipping every 15 minutes. He said the whey protein is more rapidly absorbed into your body and will help with Hair loss and overall nutrition. I like the muscle milk drinks and the Premier Protein shakes. I'm trying to get in at least 60 oz of protein each day but if I can't then I'm not beating myself up..

I too have been finding it difficult to get the Protein Drinks in and the amount of Water needed. Gatorade G2 is great and he recommended that as opposed to propel and Vitamin water since G2 has electro lites. I find it easier to drink than regular water.

The other thing I've been doing is walking as much as I can to help remove the gas from my body. I still nap during the day because my body is still healing but try to move as much as possible.

Just take it one day at a time. Keep us posted on how your doing.

[klk1959 7]

I agree with what you are saying about Whey Protein. My nutritionist is saying that there are two types of whey protein, whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate and in his opinion, once you had surgery, isolate was more completely absorbed.

[M_1989_xx 9]

Hey all
I am 8 days post VSG I had surgery on 18th Jan... I was doing ok as far as liquids go but today...well I haven’t managed to fit anything in at all...all day I feel bloated and full.. so worrying - sorry for the TMI but I haven’t done a number 2 today..so my husband said it may be because I haven’t emptied my stomach?

Has anyone else had this issue at all?