Re: When will I love my sleeve?

March 20, 2011

Hi,

Maybe I have missed part of what you have written before. I have a question for you--how long ago did you have your sleeve surgery? That will give us some clues to how and why you are feeling like this. I remember thinking to myself what in the world did I do to myself? If you have pain in your chest or throat area like a burning feeling, you may be having acid reflux. Have you tried Prilosec? For me Nexium just didn't work. And Prilosec is an OTC medication. One of the other things that helped me a lot was a Popsicle ? The first few months your stomach is very swollen and you don't have much room for anything. Your new stomach is about the size of your thumb because of the swelling, so you have to consider that sometimes things are going to up set it. It has had a lot of trauma. If the bland foods are giving you some nutrition then eat them. It is important that you get enough protein also. Are you drinking some kind of Protein drink everyday? It may be something that you have to sip ALL day long. You need to try to get 70 grams of protein everyday.

What I need to know more than anything is how long ago did you have the sleeve? Remember your HEAD plays all kinds of games with your body, and you honestly think the smells make you sick and things you eat make you sick. Your head wants you to eat like you used to and now you aren't and so it is going to try to convince you that this isn't right at all in what you are doing and eating. The mind is an amazing thing and can do things that you had no clue that it could do. Just keep doing the best you can. I promise you that it will get a whole lot better.

Take care,

Suzanne

In a message dated 3/20/2011 7:33:40 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, mrsdash1966@... writes:

Hey everyoneI am still having a hard time with my sleeve. I am scared to eat anything as I feel like crap almost every time I eat I find if I stick to bland foods I am better but the smell of foods makes me want to puke. If my husband cooks fish I can't be in the house. It's like I am pregnant again and I for sure am not that. Does anyone have this issue and any advice. Will this get better. Baby said that I need to take anti acids that it is caused from acid and a sour stomach. I am upset about how I feel. Whaaaaa!

March 21, 2011

,

I think we had our sleeves around the same time (mine was Jan. 8th). I know exactly what you're talking about. For the first month, I really survived on popsicles, soup made me sick. When I was able to progress up to other foods, I couldn't. I just felt that bad. I eventually found out I had a GI infection that was causing a lot of discomfort and I've finally shaken it. But, I truly know exactly what you're talking about.

There are certain foods that I can't tolerate the smells and I have described to people that I feel pregnant again. Not exactly nauseated, but knowing there are foods out there that are out to get me. I do agree with Suzanne, that some of the time, my head is hungry and wants me to eat things that I used to. But, yesterday it took me 2 hours to eat an undiluted can of 's Vegetable Soup. I'd take a spoonful and have to wait 15 minutes before I could eat another. If I tried, my stomach would hurt and if I really pushed it, I'd vomit.

I know this will get better (in my head I know, but I'm still stomping my feet and wondering why I ever did this - despite the fact that I've lost 50 lbs so far). I keep reminding myself that I had 55 years to build up this bad habit of eating all the time/anything I wanted. Now, I'm having to retrain my body/brain that it can't eat like everybody else, because everybody else hasn't spoiled their body with tons of awful foods over the years.

I have found that the bland food diet is okay for now. I have also found that if I get the protein drink down, I feel better. Also, when I'm not drinking enough, I really feel worse and crampier. That helped me. I know that I can only eat a spoonful or two of anything. After that I have to pace myself. Usually it takes about 20-30 minutes for enough food to leave my stomach before I can eat another spoonful. I found that there are certain foods that cause more gas than others. I use the cheap Walmart version of Gas-X (little gel-caps that I pop open in my mouth and swallow). That helps get rid of some of the discomfort post-eating.

I've read this forum and it seems as if everybody just sails through this procedure and loves it. I'm revelling in the attention all my weight loss has given me, but I wanted someone else to talk realistically about the first few months and some of the adjustments that we've had to make that may not be so rosy. Does this help you?

Sally

From: mrsdash1966@...Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:31:13 +0000Subject: When will I love my sleeve?

Hey everyoneI am still having a hard time with my sleeve. I am scared to eat anything as I feel like crap almost every time I eat I find if I stick to bland foods I am better but the smell of foods makes me want to puke. If my husband cooks fish I can't be in the house. It's like I am pregnant again and I for sure am not that. Does anyone have this issue and any advice. Will this get better. Baby said that I need to take anti acids that it is caused from acid and a sour stomach. I am upset about how I feel. Whaaaaa!

March 21, 2011

Hi

I don't know when you had your surgery, but I remember feeling icky and smells were very difficult. It gets better with time. I do agree with Gaby

about anti acids it does help alot. I take prevacid (solutab) requires a prescription from your Dr. I too had to stay on bland foods longer than

most. Make sure your getting your protein drinks and liquids in. I'm 15 months out and doing great, reached goal at 12 months.

Hang in there.

ShirleyO

When will I love my sleeve?

Hey everyone

I am still having a hard time with my sleeve. I am scared to eat anything as I feel like crap almost every time I eat I find if I stick to bland foods I am better but the smell of foods makes me want to puke. If my husband cooks fish I can't be in the house. It's like I am pregnant again and I for sure am not that. Does anyone have this issue and any advice. Will this get better. Baby said that I need to take anti acids that it is caused from acid and a sour stomach. I am upset about how I feel. Whaaaaa!

March 21, 2011

Hi Sally,

I think I have said many times that the first month you do is the hardest. And each month it gets easier--it is a slow and long process. You said it very well when you said you have spent a lifetime of giving you body ALL the wrong things to eat. Now you are having to retrain your brain and you stomach about new and healthy things to eat. There is NOTHING EASY at all about doing this. And for you, you found out that you had a GI infections and that is bad for you--but you now know the cause and that is helpful. For me I found out that I was very low in potassium. And that knocked my socks off for a week or so.

It takes forever to eat, because you have to take tiny baby bite and chew and chew and chew. After awhile like you said 30 minutes you just get tired of eating. This is part of the retraining--I have NEVER said it was easy--but it is worth doing it. We ALL used to shovel the food in and barely chew and talk and eat, and inhale our food. Now we are always the last ones to finish eating and I used to get so tired of sitting there and chewing and chewing and would just push my plate away and stop eating because it was such an effort. Now I look back on it and think, they were wonderful habits to have about taking so long to eat. If it allowed me to lose 105 pounds and NEVER gain it back I wouldn't trade anything that happened along my weight loss journey that makes me who I am today.

It really is a head thing, we have our old brain conflicting with our new stomach. So just keep doing what you are doing. Getting the protein in first is the best thing you could be doing for yourself. There is nothing magical about sleeve surgery, and it take a LOT of work and EFFORT on your part and that also means do not let the old brain try to trick you in your thinking.

Hugs, Suzanne

In a message dated 3/21/2011 11:50:44 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, singschae@... writes:

, I think we had our sleeves around the same time (mine was Jan. 8th). I know exactly what you're talking about. For the first month, I really survived on popsicles, soup made me sick. When I was able to progress up to other foods, I couldn't. I just felt that bad. I eventually found out I had a GI infection that was causing a lot of discomfort and I've finally shaken it. But, I truly know exactly what you're talking about. There are certain foods that I can't tolerate the smells and I have described to people that I feel pregnant again. Not exactly nauseated, but knowing there are foods out there that are out to get me. I do agree with Suzanne, that some of the time, my head is hungry and wants me to eat things that I used to. But, yesterday it took me 2 hours to eat an undiluted can of 's Vegetable Soup. I'd take a spoonful and have to wait 15 minutes before I could eat another. If I tried, my stomach would hurt and if I really pushed it, I'd vomit. I know this will get better (in my head I know, but I'm still stomping my feet and wondering why I ever did this - despite the fact that I've lost 50 lbs so far). I keep reminding myself that I had 55 years to build up this bad habit of eating all the time/anything I wanted. Now, I'm having to retrain my body/brain that it can't eat like everybody else, because everybody else hasn't spoiled their body with tons of awful foods over the years. I have found that the bland food diet is okay for now. I have also found that if I get the protein drink down, I feel better. Also, when I'm not drinking enough, I really feel worse and crampier. That helped me. I know that I can only eat a spoonful or two of anything. After that I have to pace myself. Usually it takes about 20-30 minutes for enough food to leave my stomach before I can eat another spoonful. I found that there are certain foods that cause more gas than others. I use the cheap Walmart version of Gas-X (little gel-caps that I pop open in my mouth and swallow). That helps get rid of some of the discomfort post-eating. I've read this forum and it seems as if everybody just sails through this procedure and loves it. I'm revelling in the attention all my weight loss has given me, but I wanted someone else to talk realistically about the first few months and some of the adjustments that we've had to make that may not be so rosy. Does this help you? Sally

From: mrsdash1966@...Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 02:31:13 +0000Subject: When will I love my sleeve?

Hey everyoneI am still having a hard time with my sleeve. I am scared to eat anything as I feel like crap almost every time I eat I find if I stick to bland foods I am better but the smell of foods makes me want to puke. If my husband cooks fish I can't be in the house. It's like I am pregnant again and I for sure am not that. Does anyone have this issue and any advice. Will this get better. Baby said that I need to take anti acids that it is caused from acid and a sour stomach. I am upset about how I feel. Whaaaaa!

March 21, 2011

Don't worry, it will get easier. I am 4 months out and am finally feeling

better. Be sure to take your Nexium, it really helps with the sour stomach. I

would always say that the payoff for feeling so cruddy was the weight loss. But

just in the last week or so, my stomach doesn't hurt after eating. It will get

easier. You are in the really hard part still. Don't worry. It will get

better. You will learn to work with your body as all of us are. I know how

you feel. I never regretted the surgery because I knew it was the tough love I

needed. But the adjustment has been really tough. Just know that as you

struggle through each day, it gets a little easier. It really does.

>

> Hey everyone

>

> I am still having a hard time with my sleeve. I am scared to eat anything as I

feel like crap almost every time I eat I find if I stick to bland foods I am

better but the smell of foods makes me want to puke. If my husband cooks fish I

can't be in the house. It's like I am pregnant again and I for sure am not that.

Does anyone have this issue and any advice. Will this get better. Baby said that

I need to take anti acids that it is caused from acid and a sour stomach. I am

upset about how I feel. Whaaaaa!

>

March 22, 2011

Hi friends,

Please remember that your stomach had MAJOR SURGERY. Its hard to remember this

when we look and feel so " normal " on the outside. If you had gone through open

heart surgery, you would expect at least 6 months of healing time. Well, your

stomach needs that same amount of time.

It takes many months before the swelling goes down completely, and the nausea IS

caused from the acid. You stomach is still producing the same quantity of acid

it needed for it's previous size. It will take months before it will adjust.

I had my surgery in June 2010 and it was probably October or November before my

tummy felt truly healed.

And there are still many things that I can no longer eat. I used to love steak;

now if I have more than two tiny bites I feel ill. Bummer.

But I do great with " soft " foods like fish, or anything that was ground

(hamburger meat; sausage). I can eat chicken but not very much or it doesn't

sit well either. I think the " dense " proteins are just out for me now. I can't

eat rice anymore either.

BUT! I started my journey at 250 pounds on a 5'6 " frame and today I am under

180 for the first time in 12 years. I am no longer pre-diabetic. My feet and

knees no longer hurt. I feel SO much better with all that excess weight gone

that giving up steak and rice seem a pretty tiny price to pay.

Remember to give yourselves time to heal, friends!

Cheryl*

March 22, 2011

Yeah for Cheryl,

As always you really do a nice job telling everyone what to expect. You have been there more recently than I have so sometime I forget some of this stuff that I went through at the start of it.

Nice job,

Suzanne

In a message dated 3/22/2011 11:56:32 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, boernecheryl@... writes:

Hi friends,Please remember that your stomach had MAJOR SURGERY. Its hard to remember this when we look and feel so "normal" on the outside. If you had gone through open heart surgery, you would expect at least 6 months of healing time. Well, your stomach needs that same amount of time.It takes many months before the swelling goes down completely, and the nausea IS caused from the acid. You stomach is still producing the same quantity of acid it needed for it's previous size. It will take months before it will adjust. I had my surgery in June 2010 and it was probably October or November before my tummy felt truly healed.And there are still many things that I can no longer eat. I used to love steak; now if I have more than two tiny bites I feel ill. Bummer.But I do great with "soft" foods like fish, or anything that was ground (hamburger meat; sausage). I can eat chicken but not very much or it doesn't sit well either. I think the "dense" proteins are just out for me now. I can't eat rice anymore either.BUT! I started my journey at 250 pounds on a 5'6" frame and today I am under 180 for the first time in 12 years. I am no longer pre-diabetic. My feet and knees no longer hurt. I feel SO much better with all that excess weight gone that giving up steak and rice seem a pretty tiny price to pay.Remember to give yourselves time to heal, friends!Cheryl*

March 23, 2011

Thanks Suzanne,

You and the others on this group were so very supportive to me when I was

starting my journey. I want to give back whenever I'm able.

(((Hugs!)))

Cheryl*

March 23, 2011

I have a question to the ones that are farout in their journey's. How is the stomach holding up as far as restriction goes. Have you lost the restriction after so long?

From: CherylH <boernecheryl@...>Subject: Re: When will I love my sleeve? Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 7:16 AM

Thanks Suzanne,You and the others on this group were so very supportive to me when I was starting my journey. I want to give back whenever I'm able.(((Hugs!)))Cheryl*

March 23, 2011

I'm 19 months post-op, lost 133 pounds, and have no trouble maintaining

that loss. I'm 5'-7.5 " tall and 116 pounds. I actually need to work at

keeping the weight on, so I eat little meals 5X a day, plus I have

deserts sometimes and wine before dinner, so lots of calories and carbs

- no regain. I have 70 grams of protein a day and drink fluids all day

long. I don't work out as much as I should, but I do work out. That

should tell you everything you need to know that this surgery WORKS

permanently.

>

> From: CherylH boernecheryl@...

> Subject: Re: When will I love my sleeve?

>

> Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 7:16 AM

>

> Â

>

> Thanks Suzanne,

> You and the others on this group were so very supportive to me when I

was starting my journey. I want to give back whenever I'm able.

> (((Hugs!)))

> Cheryl*

>

March 23, 2011

Hi,

I am 2 years and 5 months after surgery and YES I do still have a great restrictions. You have to remember you have changed your lifestyle so much and small amounts of food seems to always work better for me. I could NEVER consume as much food as I did before my sleeve surgery. I also still exercise almost every day too and will probably also do this. It just feels good to walk everyday.

Suzanne

In a message dated 3/23/2011 11:14:40 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, tonjuark@... writes:

I have a question to the ones that are farout in their journey's. How is the stomach holding up as far as restriction goes. Have you lost the restriction after so long?

From: CherylH <boernecheryl@...>Subject: Re: When will I love my sleeve? Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 7:16 AM

Thanks Suzanne,You and the others on this group were so very supportive to me when I was starting my journey. I want to give back whenever I'm able.(((Hugs!)))Cheryl*

March 24, 2011

Hello,

It will be 2 years in June since I got my sleeve and I've had no change in restriction. I can still only eat about 1/4 of what I used to eat. I eat several small meals throughout the day and my weight seems to have plateaued at about 135 lbs. Now I am working on toning up.

I LOVE my sleeve!

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