Nat's Diary with her new lil friend the sleeve...

[Natstar]

Well 3 weeks post op and here I am once again, it's scary how quick the time seems to go!

I only lost 1lb this week :-( and despite reading on here it's quite common to have a 3 week stall while your body caches up and its coming up to my totm it is still disheartening to read on the scales only 1lb. It's funny how it's easy to give out advice and tell people it's normal and not to worry however when it's yourself it can be very frustrating?

Anyway I have noticed on myfitnesspal that I haven't been having as much the past week, so I really needed to try and get in a 3rd shake a day. My fluids good but I've been struggling to muster up the energy to drink shakes at the moment and it seems a struggle. There is only more week of liquids then I'm officially on purée so I'm looking forward to some weetanix, yogurt and mash. I'm not sure I am actually going to purée food as the thought of it makes me gag, it just reminds me of sick and trying to eat sick is just uh we'll!

So if anyone out there has any good un sick purée ideas please let me know! At the moment smash is winning haha!

I'm also on count down to my holiday, 3 weeks on Thursday and I will be flying off to the Dominican republic! It's a 2 week all inclusive holiday and I started to have a mini panic last week about what I'm going to eat, whilst I out there I will be on purée/moving to soft foods and it does worry me about my choices. Obviously there will be smoothies and yogurt but buffets in these places aren't renown for their chicken, cheese, veg etc are they?! I'm going to take some shakes with me and try and get into see my dietician for my first appointment before i go so I can get some better ideas.

Other than everything is fins, wounds are healing nicely I am now running bio oil into them twice a day. One of the wounds, the staple marks are healing nicely and fading wear as the rest re still quite prominent so I'm hoping the bio oil will fade them before I go on holiday

I'm off to go and make a shake now ladies here goes!

Nx

 

[Delicious-Jax]

Sounds like you are loving your Sleeve !!
My only regret is that I didn't have mine done years ago but, it's done now !!

When you get to pureed stage....just make sure you chew everything thoroughly...I made the mistake once of swallowing a piece of chicken that I chewed just briefly....the pain and discomfort was awful...never did it again !!

 

[Natstar]

Well I've been rather naughty and just had my first purée meal (3 days early as I'm technically on liquids for 4 weeks) but as I am going on holiday I want to try as many different purée/soft options as possible before I go.

I was making chilli for my db and brother this evening and thought hmm this would be a good first test. So I had the mince, sauce and kidney beans and had a goat whizzing it it's a hand blender - which was not very successful! So I mushed it with a spoon as much as I could befor eating. I put it into one if this mini petri dishes that the gu pots come in and it was about 4 teaspoons worth. As I was using a tea spoon I did halfs so it was 8 mouthfuls and I chewed as much as I could before swallowing.

This was one hour ago and so far so good! I'm glad its been an hour so I can drink now as I'm thirsy again. It tasted yum but I didn't feel really full, and I could have done with a bit more but I stopped then as wanted to see how I felt. I can tell I've eaten though and it's nice - not too gasy either which I think is good. So the plus side is I kept a little out for tomorrow and have freezed a portion as well for the week.

Woo hoo first purée meal done! I'm desperate to try scrambled egg as I'm hoping to have this on holiday and I know some people struggle with eggs so I may try this next weekend and if it doesn't go down well at least I will be a home. Other options on the list are banana and custard and yogurt which I've got in the fridge ready to go.

As I'm back a work now I work away 3 days during the week so am going to stick with my protein shakes in the morning and whilst staying over I will try things like soggy weetabix and cottage cheese.

I'll update on Monday after my weigh in which will hopefully be more than 1lb grrrr! I was hoping to have dropped to 16stone by my holiday however the likelihood shifting a stone in 3 1/2 weeks (I weighed 17 Monday and I leave on 5th July) is v unlikely :-(

Nx

 

[cafh]

Good luck with the weigh in, I'm sure you'll do great

 

[Natstar]

Quick weigh in update - 3lb loss this week woo hoo!!!

 

[Natstar]

4 weeks post op - where has the time gone?!

Ok so I thought I would write a little update as I am now 4 weeks post op and I can't quite believe where the time has gone! When I booked my op I was given a date of having to wait 4 weeks and that seemed ages away but flew by and here I am now 4 weeks post crazy stuff!

I think part of the reason I managed to get in within 4 weeks was due to going private and therefore paying an obscene (but worth it amount of money) and also as I have had counselling etc before. I remember when they said your op will be on the 21st May and thinking for goodness sake I need it done quicker I cannot wait 4 weeks!! I am a very impatient person and once I have made up my mind, i want to do it there and then - this is a trait which drives my poor boyfriend mad! (example - I want to decorate my dressing room (thursday) Saturday- go to ikea buy open plan wardrobes etc, Sunday - wrip out old wall paper, pull up flooring, Monday - get someone round to wallpaper, Tuesday - Dad build wardrobes during the day, Tuesday night - go and buy carpet and then get it fitted....!) Everything is always go go go and this op was no different.

So after years and years of beign depressed and my weight spiralling it was my mum who actually made the decision for me and said she was looking into surgery and would lend me the money - I was always scared of surgery incase I somehow failed and became one of those statistics, especially after the baloon didnt work. So Tuesday night she text me ( I work away Tues - Thurs), Wed she booked me a consultant, and Friday I saw the doc and made my decision....and it's going to be the best decision I have ever made - my mantra "No regrets" comes into play

As i have said I am 4 weeks post op now and playing around with puree foods- which is prooving very difficult as every time I look at puree I want to be sick in my mouth so I am having to be very clever with what I eat ie meash, yogurt etc. As a result I am still drinking my protein shakes which I love and using myfitness pal to make sure I hit a minimum of 60g of protein every day. Babybels (although not puree can be smooshed easily when not cold) skinny lattes and yogurts are really helping me keep it high and I think this has helped in loosing 3lb this week as opposed to the 1 last week. When i looked back through my ap I noticed I had dropped my cals down that week - probably subconciously as I was worried I was having too many week 2 post op as I once hit 1000 due to fruit juice and smoothies etc and this obviously hindered my weight loss that week. So that said I'm back to avergaing 700-900 a day, 60g of protein and drinking 2L of fluid all in a bit to shift the weight and get it off sharpish.

I go on holiday 2 weeks Thursday which is where it may be difficult food wise being puree in an all inclusive resort however I am meeting my dieticain on Saturday and will also be taking protein powder with me. Then as soon as I am back I am going to be hitting the gym again. Luckily exercise is the one thing that doesnt bother me and I enjoy it, as i got towards my biggest (18.7) it dropped off but even at 17 stone I was still in the gym busting a gut with a trainer twice a week so I am looking to getting back in there as I'll have the all clear by then.

Other than not much else has happened sleeve wise, my scars seem to be healing well - they still have prominent staples marks though and some mroe than others which I was hoping would fade before my hols so I only had the line however that isnt looking too likely now. Hoepfully when I get some sun on them they will be better.

I'm starting to notice my face is less puffy and can fit into some of my smaller clothes now so I need to do a big ebay cull when back I'm back from hol's and made sure the bigger ones go!

I'm fully back at work now and pleased to be so! I think sitting around on backside all day wasnt helping really - although I did become a domestic goddess and have carried some of it over. Every day I now make my db's lunch and dinner and this is something I never did pre-op I had no interest in cooking or anything. Where as now every night I make his lunch usually a salad as he wants to loose a stone and I lay it out in the fridge with his fruit and yogurt and then I plan what he is going to have for tea and make sure everything is ready for tomorrow. It's a very bizzare feeling and even more so as I'm not eating! I'm hoping I become one of these ladies that likes to cook and prepare things from scratch as it is definitely starting to look like it is heading that way!!

Anyway 4 weeks post op - done, Ramble post - done so I won't go on anymore!!

Nx

 

[cafh]

Great to hear that your doing so well

 

[Bellydancer57]

You are doing just great. Well done.

 

[Natstar]

Just a delayed mini update I lost 4lb this week so hit my 2 stone mark although ended to loose 2 1/2 by the times go on holiday so doubt that will happen!

I've been all over the place this week and haven't been hitting my protein or fluid intake so I really need to step it up again!

 

[Sharonimo]

Congrats on 4 lbs off and reaching your 2 stone milestone!

 

[Natstar]

6 weeks Post Op -

So today I am officaly 6 week's post op - it is hard to believe how quickly the time has gone. I remember the morning well and how I flitted about trying not to think about it whilst waiting for my mum to arrive to take me down there.

As for my weigh in update I lost another 3lbs this week which I am very pleased with! I actually ran out of protein powder on Tuesday and didnt get round to picking more up unitl the Saturday so my protein really dropped off as did my fluid intake.

I need to make sure I step it up this week, especially as I am off on holiday on Thursday as well hoorah finally!

I am all prepped and ready to go now, waxing done, nails, toes, eyebrows tinted, all packed up and ready to hit the plane now. I had my jabs on Friday to make sure I am all up to date and have got my dvt socks at the ready so I can use them and walk around every hour on the plane. I must sort out travel insureance today though! Argh I keep forgetting. It was nice packing at the weekend and not feeling horrendous, I mean I am still big but it was nice being able to pack clothes that fit and not fretting over what I will wear when I am out there. I have a nice number of tankini's and dresses. I am hoping the sun will also help my scars a bit and get them to start fading, although for 6 weeks out they are looking good. Once I am back I am going to do a big ebay haul and then get rid of it all as I have no intention if being this size on my next beach holiday (Feb/March next year)

Food wise I am doing ok, still on puree/soft but have found it so hard to get enough protien in doing this so I have to have shake every day still. I am having things like cracker breads with low fat phili, chicken, yogurts, custard, banana. Last night for tea I had chciken, 3 parsnips and 1 new potatoe which was v yum! I tried scrammbled egg last week, the first time it went down ok and then I tried again Wednesday night and it wasn't pleasant - I was fighting with myself not to throw up (I HATE being sick) so as a result I haven't tried again. I really wanted to be ok on egg's but maybe I'm not going to be lucky enough

Last Saturday I also had my first appointment with the dietacian and she was pleased with my progress and how I had been getting on. I took along my chewable vitamins (Centrum) and she was very pleased with them and hadnt seen them before (new in Boots) so I left her the empty pot so she can show other clients which ones to get in the early stages. I think becuase I have done so much research on here and everyone is so good at giving advice she didnt have too much to say really. I have 4 appointments with her that are built into the cost of my package and it is up to me when I sue them so I will probably wait a couple of months and then make another one.

On that note I am going to go and make a protien shake and crack on with some work!

Nx

 

[Natstar]

Back from holiday!

Just a quick update I'm back from holiday now and in 3 weeks I lost another half a stone woo hoo!

I'm very pleased as I wasn't able to hit my 60g of protein at all! I survived on crackers, meats, ice cream (1 mr whippy a day) and crackers. I found it very difficult food wise but sort of found my routine - it also meant I tried a lot more foods which I think has helped! I didn't drink any alcohol woo hoo! I wasn't sure how I would get on being on holiday with 7 other all abusing the unlimited free drinks but I was good and I am pleased over all!

I'm now back home and back to normal now, hit 71g of protein today and 1000cals so I'm doing well! I don't feel as though I'm on a diet like I used to, I feel like this is actually working for a change!

In 2 weeks the fun begins with all my hen do's and weddings so I'm looking forward to shrinking enough to get in a nice outfit hopefully a 16 by then xxx

 

[Sharonimo]

Just a quick update I'm back from holiday now and in 3 weeks I lost another half a stone woo hoo!

Fab news !!