Please help 10 days post op and very HANGRY!!!

[vgsgirl]

HI, I'm Nia and had VGS 10dys ago and I'm doing pretty good. I'm able to sleep, walk and feel good. Day of surgery I weighed 185 and ten days later I'm 170. I'm 5'3". My goal weight is 120-130. I do get a pain on my upper left under my ribs mainly when I eat something. I'm having a hard time sticking to the liquid/soft food diet. Today I was craving a Big Mac so bad. I decided to get one and told my daughter I would have only a small bite. I chewed it really good and it made me so sick. I had the worst pain ever. Yesterday I was craving breadsticks and I had two, but chewed them and spit them out. I have a hard time because I loved food and now I cant eat anymore. Please don't judge me. I need advice on how to deal with cravings. Also, I'm not eating well. I usually have yogurt, protein shake, vitamin, water, jello, and baby food. This is very hard for me. I don't want to leave the house because I see lots of the restaurants that I loved. I cant watch TV because of the food commercials. I also need advice on vitamins and stuff. I only take a regular multi vitamin. I will post before/after pics soon. Thank you

[LaffeyTaffey]

Well you should be drinking protein shakes and broth. Popsicles. That sort of thing. If you continue to eat foods like big macs, you'll definitely tear open your sleeve and be in for a world of pain from the infection. Once you're 2-3 weeks post op you can start having more exciting things like tomato soup, yogurt, etc. Around 3-4 weeks post op is about when you can have pureed foods. And it doesn't have to be baby food.
The plans vary for everyone. Once you start eating pureed foods and so on, you'll want to stick to 1/4 of a cup. It would take me a solid 30 mins to eat my meals. I didn't start eating 1/2 of a cup at a time until closer to 3 months post op. Which is great since that's what my nutritionist told me I should be doing. Eventually I'll start eating 3/4 of a cup when I'm closer to being a year post op and should not eat more than that according to my nutritionist and surgeon. I hope this helps! I can eat anything I want. I just choose to eat healthy and the way I know I should, because eating whatever I want when I want would catch up. I've seen it happen to many many people on here throughout the years so keep that in mind too

[vgsgirl]

I didn't know I could tear my sleeve by eating too soon. Thanks for your response. I'm trying, I really am. I paid lots of money and have been through all of this, just to mess it up. Thank you

[senorita lolita]

Don't feel bad you are doing great and only have a few pounds to loose compared to many of us. I was hungry the second I came out of surgery and saw the food trucks in Mexico? What I realized 2 years later I was really dehydrated and my body was craving water. Fill your body with super healthy liquids water, fruit infused waters, crystal light, lemon, and water, I did not know this and still forget when I am hungry and run to the fridge.
The 2nd week I was eating a hotdog and popcorn at the movies....I sat in a row by myself and was in heaven.,..could not believe I ate 1/2 and few pieces of popcorn...but it was a battle sense thank God for the sleeve or I would have blown up again....you will have food wars with your head, I have had so many bags of food favorites only to take a few bites and through the whole thing away. I am trying to keep healthy snacks with me and water, water, fill up on water if you can. You are doing great I wish I only had a few pounds to loose.

[charebee]

Hello Senorita,
Just wanted to tell you - that you are doing great. When I look at people who had the surgery around the same time I did and have lost so much more I tend to think I am doing something wrong. I had got sleeved 3/2014 and I started at 286 just as yourself and today I am 217 - and our goal weight is very similar mines is 150. Keep on pushing we will reach our goal

[Stacy'sSleevedLife]

Okay just so you know to tear your sleeve open, you would have to consume a lot, and the pain would be so bad that you would stop long before you tore it open. Second shame on them for not explaining what vitamins you need or going over the post op as this is so important to someone just sleeved. You should have been given a post op diet a list of vitamins to take, or something to help guide you when you go home. This is why my hubby will not be getting sleeved by him. You need to contact the coordinator and get some help.

Good luck

Stacy

[Aydensmomma]

The hunger might be acid in your stomach. I felt hungry, stomach growling...but it was acid. I took prilosec OTC daily. Tums are OK but not all the time, the calcium in them can cause constipation.
Also, try drinking. You need to work your way up to 64oz water and 70g of protien. My doc wanted me to start reaching those goals at a month out. The water will definitely help you feel full and protein shakes should be like a meal for you. Sip, sip, sip.
It is hard. We've been there, it gets so much easier but you really shouldn't go near a McDonald's. I'm 13mo out and a piece of bacon is too greasy for me. A bit of a big Mac would make me feel horrible. To tear your sleeve you really need to over fill it. I would be more concerned with what if something like a sesame seed from that bun gets stuck in the staple line. I was told nothing with seeds for a while because of that.
For me I lived on popcicles, yogurt, broth, jello. Yeah, it's boring but again, each day is easier. One day at a time. Remember that eating carbs makes you crave more carbs.
As for the vitamins
My doc gave me prenatal vitamins post op. I hate swallowing pills and those baby's were huge so I had to crush them.....after a month I went to gummy vitamins. I like taking them, it's a treat for me. (Doctor approved)
And don't forget.....the sleeve is only a tool but our brains haven't been changed. Our brain tells us we want that big mac, or ice cream. You have to fight the head hunger. Everytime you think you want food that isn't a good choice go do something to distract your mind. It helped me a lot. Now I'm a that point where I have to make sure I eat a certain amt. Of calories or I'll loose more weight then I want. (Where was that problem before????)
You can do this. Buy yourself a small bathing suit and hang it on your fridge if you have to. That will be your reminder of what you won't have of you eat what you shouldn't. Get rid of the junk food now. You can do this.

[LaffeyTaffey]

Stacy is right, you should have been given a solid plan to follow from your surgeon or nutritionist. From this point on for the rest of your life, you'll to take a multivitamin that has iron in it. The big multivitamin pills make my stomach nauseous so I switched to the multi gummies and a small iron pill on the side.

And I said if you continue to eat foods you shouldn't this early on, you'll mess up your sleeve. Not that you already have, because from what I've seen on here, you'd know if you did. Stacy joined this site about a year after I did so she knows what's what. Unfortunately, I had to wait for my sleeve so my advice is from years of watching others on here - seeing how some succeed and some fail. Temporarily of course since all we have to do is use the sleeve correctly in order to reach our goals. I wish everyone would be required to wait a certain length of time in order to know what they're getting into, you know?

[Ann2]

Apparently, you went to the Mexican surgery center where they just poked a flashlight in your stomach and looked around.

It's really a good thing you didn't go to a Mexican surgery center where they CUT OFF 85% OF YOUR STOMACH AND THEN STAPLED THE CUT EDGES BACK TOGETHER AND SEWED OVER THE STAPLES AND THEN SENT YOU HOME AFTER GIVING YOU INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO EAT AND WHAT NOT TO EAT DURING THE FIRST 6-8 WEEKS OF RECOVERY WHILE ALL THOSE CUT PARTS OF YOUR STOMACH ARE TRYING TO GROW BACK TOGETHER AND NOT RIP APART.

So glad you didn't go to one of those. Because if you had you'd be in trouble.

[densol]

OP - I do sympathise. Ive stuck well to my plan but the other day I " needed " to chew something ! I dreamed of it I chewed on a piece of rotisserie chicken really carefully then spat it out and the dog ate it ! Lol - I just needed the teeth feeling. Im from UK so we advance to puree a bit quicker. I must say I hate puree food. I prefer soup as puree certainly fills me up quickly. Stick with it - Im new too and I love my sleeve already

[sandlif]

Please just take more liquids and pop sickles, broth. Do not worry about vitamins yet.. way to early. Always have something beside you to drink protein drinks are great. I was back at work in 8 days post op. I am a nurse. Please take care not to over eat at this very important time. You could do some serious damage, resulting in additional surgery. Please take care.

[December 7]

I agree with what sandif posted.I was told we need time to give our stomach to heal ; we had major surgery. I also wasn't getting full but you also have to completely change the way you think about food. This surgery will change you physically , mentally, and emotionally . BEST OF LUCK . Remember you are not alone. I believe in you because you already took the first step to get sugery. We all have fallen down but we need to continue to dust ourselves off and keep moving forward. (I still continue to fall but refuse to stay down) You got this.
Celia

[Munecagirl85]

Iam exactly like you. I have a horrible full blown out food addiction that is not any differnt then a alcoholic or somone who uses drugs. Ive wasted time and most weekd over drawn my bank account just to eat! With my sleeve i tried to eat sonic cheesesticks and a wendys hamburger. Incouldnt. I tried tho. Its been 3 months now and i can tell you i no longer crave like inused too i no longer am looking for the next hamburger "fix". I know its pointless and bc i cant eat but a bite it has no flavor any more i can now go out shopping and go home from work wout even thinking about a drive thru. Its the most amazing feeling took about 2 months. I now go home and cook or meal prep. I love hamburger still but i eat a krystal (1) and iam good!

The onnnnly one thing i stillllll cry over is my fizZy diet coke its a fight everyday of my life! If i ever. Get to my goal weight ill probably drink one but i wont before and if i never hit my goal ill never drink one again! Believe me this gets sooo much easier. Iam only. 3 months tho so i cant say much more than this.

[senorita lolita]

Pure Alkaline Water......that will help...water, instead of food, that is what I love about the Sleeve i can get full off liquids...still lerning though....

[senorita lolita]

you are very inspiring. You have lost a lot of weight,,,, keep up your encouraging post. I gained 10 lbs and I am 2 years out in April, I only lost 50 lbs now, and I need to loose 72 more. Please help doing the 5 day pouch..