Hello I'm 1 week out and I have the same issue. I'm miserable so how long did it take to feel better for you? What did you do?

In the early months I was always hungry and had to eat nibbles all day long. I could not eat much at a time so I had to eat frequently. I would take a bite of protein bar throughout the day. Would end up eating about half of it. I also would keep beef jerky on hand to nibble on. It was good protein and did not make me eat too much. As for the sweet tooth, I used to have 2-3 sugar free popsicles at night while watching tv. That seemed to help my sweet tooth.

Same here on still craving sweets and some other junk foods. I'm working hard to ignore/dissipate those cravings. Lol! But I didn't lose the want for these items. Good Luck to you!

Originally Posted by sraebaer

No excuses on liquids, you just have to do it!

Are you having protein first at every meal, then veggies, then fruits or good carbs if room? If you eat that way you shouldn't be hungry.

As far as craving sweets, if you drop them completely, you won't crave them. Really.

Best of luck to you! Congrats on 27 pounds already.

Thank you! Yes, I notice when i push the protein first I feel fuller longer.

Originally Posted by Sandra3

Do you have acid reflux? acid can feel like hunger when it's not treated. I took a PPI for several month, now just take an antiacid made of calcium but when I eat something too spicy, acid if it's not too bad can feel like hunger.

Regarding sweets, I do agree with Ann. I do have to monitor my chocolate intake, and take really dark (85%) because I can't eat much since it's so strong, If I take like milk chocolate, I could eat too much...also I do have bad chocolate cravings when my iron is very low...is you blood work ok??

Regarding fluids, try to sip on things you like : I used to make iced herbal tea, or drink warm chicken broth. Something with a flavor, low on sugar will be easier to drink than just plain water. Also try different temperatures, I was able to drink more iced cold than warm, warm would make me gag...a little hot was better!

My surgeon used to say that even people who eat junk food will lose until month 9.
After that it's all about balanced diet and exercise.
So just don't worry, eat protein, veggies, little carbs, take your vitamins, drink as much as possible and you will be fine.
Took me 2 years to reach my goal, and I didn't regain half of what I lost so far even if you don't lose each month, not regaining is already a victory, and you body will need time to catch up, stalls are needed, don't worry, keep you goal in mind when you crave sweets, it will help you focuse, you will be ok!

take care!

Thank you. such great advice.

Originally Posted by SassyWade

Keep taking it one day at a time and don't beat yourself up about it. I agree with the other ladies, sip sip sip sip! I sip all day just so I can reach my fluid goals. Some days I do and some days I don't but I try each day to get it in. Before VSG, I only like my water room temp. After VSG, my water had to be ice cold even to just sip it. 6 months out, I'm back to drinking room temp. water. I've begin to add cinnamon sticks to my water to give it a different flavor and it's really good. As far as your sweet tooth, I would suggest drinking a protein shake by premier (I think they are sweet especially the peaches and cream). Another thing I would suggest is drinking Sytranx Nectars (Strawberry Kiwi is the best). This way you're getting in protein and killing that urge for something sweet. Hope this helps! A good luck on your journey!

I will give it a try. thank you!!

No excuses on liquids, you just have to do it!

Are you having protein first at every meal, then veggies, then fruits or good carbs if room? If you eat that way you shouldn't be hungry.

As far as craving sweets, if you drop them completely, you won't crave them. Really.

Best of luck to you! Congrats on 27 pounds already.

Keep taking it one day at a time and don't beat yourself up about it. I agree with the other ladies, sip sip sip sip! I sip all day just so I can reach my fluid goals. Some days I do and some days I don't but I try each day to get it in. Before VSG, I only like my water room temp. After VSG, my water had to be ice cold even to just sip it. 6 months out, I'm back to drinking room temp. water. I've begin to add cinnamon sticks to my water to give it a different flavor and it's really good. As far as your sweet tooth, I would suggest drinking a protein shake by premier (I think they are sweet especially the peaches and cream). Another thing I would suggest is drinking Sytranx Nectars (Strawberry Kiwi is the best). This way you're getting in protein and killing that urge for something sweet. Hope this helps! A good luck on your journey!

Do you have acid reflux? acid can feel like hunger when it's not treated. I took a PPI for several month, now just take an antiacid made of calcium but when I eat something too spicy, acid if it's not too bad can feel like hunger.

Regarding sweets, I do agree with Ann. I do have to monitor my chocolate intake, and take really dark (85%) because I can't eat much since it's so strong, If I take like milk chocolate, I could eat too much...also I do have bad chocolate cravings when my iron is very low...is you blood work ok??

Regarding fluids, try to sip on things you like : I used to make iced herbal tea, or drink warm chicken broth. Something with a flavor, low on sugar will be easier to drink than just plain water. Also try different temperatures, I was able to drink more iced cold than warm, warm would make me gag...a little hot was better!

My surgeon used to say that even people who eat junk food will lose until month 9.
After that it's all about balanced diet and exercise.
So just don't worry, eat protein, veggies, little carbs, take your vitamins, drink as much as possible and you will be fine.
Took me 2 years to reach my goal, and I didn't regain half of what I lost so far even if you don't lose each month, not regaining is already a victory, and you body will need time to catch up, stalls are needed, don't worry, keep you goal in mind when you crave sweets, it will help you focuse, you will be ok!

take care!

Re liquids, you just have to sip, sip, sip every day until you get it all in. You'll feel SO MUCH BETTER when you finally get all your water in. Really. Give yourself that gift. You can do it.

Re the sweet tooth ... it's a hard truth, but the fewer sweet things you eat, the less you'll crave sweet things. It's odd how that works. But there's SO much research that says sweets make us crave sweets. And I can testify, based on my own anecdotal experiences, that it's true.

Best to you. Keep moving forward.

[QUOTE=cpttrsn;bt203841]Liquids. I worried about the same thing. I can drink all 11 oz of a Premier Protein shake over the course of 5 minutes and not have any pain. If I tried 11 oz of solid food I would die.

The liquids seem to slip right through and that includes a cup of yogurt.

You will be experimenting with solid foods soon. Take your time. Take...your...time.Thank you.!
It took me a bit to realize that a sneeze after a few bites was my "warning" sign. If I don't stop real soon after that sneeze then I am going to throw up. Weird, but true.[/QUOTE
Thank you!

Liquids. I worried about the same thing. I can drink all 11 oz of a Premier Protein shake over the course of 5 minutes and not have any pain. If I tried 11 oz of solid food I would die.

The liquids seem to slip right through and that includes a cup of yogurt.

You will be experimenting with solid foods soon. Take your time. Take...your...time.

It took me a bit to realize that a sneeze after a few bites was my "warning" sign. If I don't stop real soon after that sneeze then I am going to throw up. Weird, but true.

Originally Posted by erc70

Thank you!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by MikeMo

Also -- when you get to solids you will find yourself burping, feel a pull from your stomach, or a feeling in the back of your throat that will be the hint. It took me two weeks to figure this out, but my digestive system helped me out as overeating = hurling. Very effective notification system. After a few instances, I've not had any others except for rare occasions when I've tried something that my body does not like, such as MSG laced Asian food or overly spicy foods. Don't sweat it, the process all works out in the end and you adapt quickly.

Thank you!

Soft things like yogurt are pretty easy to eat. Eat a piece of chicken and you will feel it. Also, when you do eat the solid food go very slow and chew really well. You will probably overeat before you realize you are full in the beginning and it is very uncomfortable.

Also -- when you get to solids you will find yourself burping, feel a pull from your stomach, or a feeling in the back of your throat that will be the hint. It took me two weeks to figure this out, but my digestive system helped me out as overeating = hurling. Very effective notification system. After a few instances, I've not had any others except for rare occasions when I've tried something that my body does not like, such as MSG laced Asian food or overly spicy foods. Don't sweat it, the process all works out in the end and you adapt quickly.

You won't know the feeling of full until you are eating real foods, especially dense proteins. Liquids just go right through you. Talk to me when you try a piece of chicken, I guarantee you will know what full feels like then! (Yogurt is basically a liquid in my book.)

Originally Posted by DutchSleeve

Don't stress.
Your stomach is still in shock and trying to recover and survive.
That takes a while and until then he does not give the proper signals.
That is why you don't feel a thing.
Just wait, it will happen again.

And when that happens you have to learn the signs, that your stomach gives, when you are full.
That can be a little burp, or you start sighing, or have a runny nose or watery eyes.
Maybe a little pressure in your stomach area.
All of that are "full signals".
When you feel that STOP EATING.
Even when there is only one bite left, don't eat it, or you wil be in pain!

Thank you so much for your advice this helps so much!

Don't stress.
Your stomach is still in shock and trying to recover and survive.
That takes a while and until then he does not give the proper signals.
That is why you don't feel a thing.
Just wait, it will happen again.

And when that happens you have to learn the signs, that your stomach gives, when you are full.
That can be a little burp, or you start sighing, or have a runny nose or watery eyes.
Maybe a little pressure in your stomach area.
All of that are "full signals".
When you feel that STOP EATING.
Even when there is only one bite left, don't eat it, or you wil be in pain!

Originally Posted by Stacey03

Hallo you! First of all, it is really easy to eat a whole yogurt as it is really like liquid. Anything liquedy slips down easily. Have you eaten anything solid yet ... like tuna or chicken, I wouldn't have thought so because it seems a bit early?? I had 3 weeks of liquids which were protein shakes, teas, blended soups etc and then at day 21 I went onto what they call soft foods so things like cottage cheese, tuna mashed with yogurt, avocado mashed etc... then at 4 weeks I could have solid food and chew it well so things like scallops and fish and meat etc.
So I'm thinking you may possibly be moving onto soft foods now? And I'm also thinking that when you start to eat those you will realise that you had your knickers in a big twist LOL. Because you will certainly feel the restriction. It's very different when you start to eat things that are not liquid based. Honestly.
Also everything you are feeling now is totally normal. I think all of us at 12 days probably had doubts about whether this would work for us etc. Top tip: it will.
Something I would advise you to do is hide your scales till about the 5 or 6 week mark and then weigh yourself as some people do get a bit of a stall at 3 to 5 weeks and get discouraged, then they start losing again and are like yayyy!
You're not going to gain anything back. You are going to lose a ton of weight and feel like a million dollars. I know cos I've done the study!
There is a ton of emotions at this stage and its good just to feel them, acknowledge them, but don't believe them ;-) You're going to do so great x

Thank you so much for your response. I really needed this. My dietician did allow me to eat solid food. They skip the pureed stage.

Hallo you! First of all, it is really easy to eat a whole yogurt as it is really like liquid. Anything liquedy slips down easily. Have you eaten anything solid yet ... like tuna or chicken, I wouldn't have thought so because it seems a bit early?? I had 3 weeks of liquids which were protein shakes, teas, blended soups etc and then at day 21 I went onto what they call soft foods so things like cottage cheese, tuna mashed with yogurt, avocado mashed etc... then at 4 weeks I could have solid food and chew it well so things like scallops and fish and meat etc.
So I'm thinking you may possibly be moving onto soft foods now? And I'm also thinking that when you start to eat those you will realise that you had your knickers in a big twist LOL. Because you will certainly feel the restriction. It's very different when you start to eat things that are not liquid based. Honestly.
Also everything you are feeling now is totally normal. I think all of us at 12 days probably had doubts about whether this would work for us etc. Top tip: it will.
Something I would advise you to do is hide your scales till about the 5 or 6 week mark and then weigh yourself as some people do get a bit of a stall at 3 to 5 weeks and get discouraged, then they start losing again and are like yayyy!
You're not going to gain anything back. You are going to lose a ton of weight and feel like a million dollars. I know cos I've done the study!
There is a ton of emotions at this stage and its good just to feel them, acknowledge them, but don't believe them ;-) You're going to do so great x

For the gas they introduce into the abdomen to do the procedure, the best things I found to alleviate is walking, lying on my left side and using a heating pad. I put the pad on the shoulder that hurt the most (for me was left). All of this made it go away by third or fourth day post op.
Definitely use a pillow to hold on your stomach for the ride home, I did not but so wish I had!
Best to you as you recover.

Originally Posted by MikeMo

Took me all of the first week and some of the second to deflate. I found keeping a pillow against my gut helped a lot. The ladies auxiliary at my hospital made small firm travel pillows that they gave to all bariatric patients and they helped many of us. Walking, moving, and fluids seemed to help too.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Christie13

About a week. I used a heating pad a lot and also used a body pillow to adjust my body to get comfortable.

Thanks!

About a week. I used a heating pad a lot and also used a body pillow to adjust my body to get comfortable.

Took me all of the first week and some of the second to deflate. I found keeping a pillow against my gut helped a lot. The ladies auxiliary at my hospital made small firm travel pillows that they gave to all bariatric patients and they helped many of us. Walking, moving, and fluids seemed to help too.

Originally Posted by Stacey03

You did it!!! Onya! Now you have to just remember to sip lots. I really liked fruit herbal tea as it was much easier to get down than colder drinks, maybe try that. Also lots of rest and loving yourself, keep in touch on the board and post all your questions etc so we can help. and rest, nap, sip, smile... in that order :-)

Thank you for all your support !

You did it!!! Onya! Now you have to just remember to sip lots. I really liked fruit herbal tea as it was much easier to get down than colder drinks, maybe try that. Also lots of rest and loving yourself, keep in touch on the board and post all your questions etc so we can help. and rest, nap, sip, smile... in that order :-)

Hi everyone. Surgery went well. Today is my second day and I hope to be released soon. Struggling to drink the required liquid intake before I can get released.

You got this!! It may be uncomfortable for a little bit but it isn't unbearable. The first week is the hardest but it does get a little bit better each day. Let us know how the surgery went. Wishing you a speedy recovery!!!