My Gastric Sleeve

When They Say Don't Eat and Drink at the Same Time, They Mean It!

By now, you may have noticed that I'm a bit of a rebel. It's not that I refuse to obey any rules; I'm just not real big on arbitrary rules. For instance, I've always loved the combination of certain tastes, like milk and Oreos or a Diet Coke and a perfectly grilled cheeseburger. I wasn't happy when the rules of my new bariatric diet contained a prohibition against eating solid foods and drinking fluids at the same time.

I didn't say so to my surgeon, but I privately made up my mind that it was a silly rule and that I would not be following it.

Flash forward eight months. My weight loss has hit a long, steady plateau. I'm not gaining, but I'm not losing, either.

The day I had my second endoscopy, my surgeon came into the room to talk to me after the procedure and asked me nicely, but bluntly, whether I was combining fluids and solids. I admitted that I was because I had not been able to think of a good reason not to.

MILESTONE: 50-Pound Weight Loss (& a Lecture on Protein)

 
I saw my bariatric surgeon today, and she told me I had officially hit the 50-pound mark. We talked about how my clothes felt and looked better and how I didn't become so horribly short of breath with exertion anymore. She was very pleased with the results of the surgery.

Just one thing concerned her. Since the surgery, I've been suffering waves of overwhelming fatigue. Sometimes I can scarcely keep my head up and my eyes open. I've been known to arrive home from work, fall directly into bed, and not stir until the next morning.

My doctor reminded me that I'm only three months out from major surgery and that my body is still probably doing some healing. She also, however, expressed concern that I'm not getting enough protein. Protein, she explained to me, is the second most abundant substance in the human body (water is first) and "the most important nutrient in a bariatric diet."

Eating Out After a Gastric Sleeve

 
Let's face it, I've got to be one of the world's worst cooks. All right, all right, take away the words "one of" and you've probably hit the nail on the head. Let's just say that I'm not bad at serving up cat food, but when it comes to edibles consumed by humans, I'm just not the domestic type.

Besides, when my friends and I get together, we don't want to waste out time cooking.  We want to enjoy each other's company, so we usually go to a restaurant to eat.

After my gastric sleeve decreased my stomach size by over 70%, however, I started to notice a problem. I was paying full price for entrees that stopped tempting me after a few bites. I have just enough German in me to dislike wasting money, so I came upon a few solutions that made eating out a less expensive proposition.

5 Things I Wish I'd Known Before My Gastric Sleeve

 
First of all, if you're considering weight loss surgery, don't let this post discourage you. I don't for one moment regret having a gastric sleeve. I'm slimmer and healthier right now than I have been in more than a decade, and it's a great feeling.

I hope, however, that this post does inform you. In spite of my surgeon's best efforts, I was somewhat naive when I had my procedure. If I could go back and have a talk with my pre-surgery self, there are a few things I would like to tell her.

Stuck in a Snow Storm

I'm not saying meteorologists in Kansas are bad, but normally when they predict a snowstorm, you can plan on putting on a bikini and sunbathing. (Okay, maybe not a bikini, but you know what I mean.) This time, however, they got it right. When they said snow, they meant exactly that--about 11 inches' worth, in fact.

So, what was I doing out driving around in this mess? Seeing my doctor, of course. My mouth and throat are still incredibly swollen and sore, and I knew I needed to do something about that if I still wanted to have my gastric sleeve on Monday. I called my dentist's office, and they suggested that I see my primary care physician. Unsurprisingly, it was not difficult to get an appointment today--all the smart, skinny people stayed home.

Full Liquid Diet - Day 5

Today marks the fifth day of my full liquid diet. I went for my anesthesiology consult at the hospital today, and when they weighed me there, I'd lost nearly ten pounds. Sure, most of it is water weight, but I'll take a ten pound weight loss however I can get it!

So, how am I doing? Okay, I think. I haven't cheated, although sometimes the cravings have been so strong they've brought me close to tears. Can you imagine crying over a McDonald's cheeseburger? Good grief!

Full Liquid Diet Starts Today!

In exactly two weeks, I'll be having my life-changing (I hope) gastric sleeve. But before I can get to the fun part of having the surgery and losing weight--well, losing weight, anyway--there's just one more itty bitty trial I have to get through.

I can't eat for two weeks.

Today, I start my full liquid diet in preparation for surgery. That means I get four shakes per day, no more than two hundred calories per shake. I can also have two cups of skim milk, and as many sugar-free and calorie-free fluids as I want, but that's it.