Help please!

Can I please get some affirmation about a few things?

#1 I am only 2 weeks out from surgery and I have been in a stall since right after week one! No loss the second week at all. I did have to do a 2 week liquid diet prior to surgery date. I am following my plan, exercising, protein, water, all of it. I know people get the 3 week post surgery stall but 1 week? I gave someone else positive words about stalls yesterday but now I am kind of freaking. 

#2 I feel hungry. Not a lot. But I do! It's not head hunger (though I definitely have my fair share of that) but actual desire and need to eat. I do try to drink water instead when it's not meal time and not eat after a certain hour. One night this week I swear my stomach growled!

#3 I am worried that the sleeve isn't working as well as I want it to. I can eat over 1/2 cup of mushy food without discomfort. I was able to eat 7 oz of a protein frozen meal in 20 minutes when I was too busy and was not able to eat until nearly 2pm one day( it was very soft chicken and water chestnuts). Granted I have not eaten any solid foods/meats yet, but I am scared that my sleeve is not tight enough and I won't have good success because of it. 

This is going to work, right?

Stalls are totally normal, not just during the third week, but throughout the entire losing process.  Just.. take a deep breath, keep following your plan, and try not to get discouraged.  You'll lose the weight!  

Are you taking a PPI such as nexium or prilosec?  Hunger is often acid in disguise, so taking a PPI normally fixes the problem.  Also, right now, you can't trust anything you think your stomach is telling you.  All of its nerves were severed and it is currently a lying liar that lies.  

Wow, why are you eating so much?!  You could actually damage your stomach, which is still healing, by overeating right now.  It's super important to weigh and measure everything you eat right now and not try to push things, even if you missed a meal.  (If you did miss a meal, have a shake instead, you can't damage your healing with liquids.)  As for the tightness issue, see the above "lying liar that lies" comment.  The nerves are healing so your stomach is not a reliable indicator of anything.  It is possible to overeat right now and damage yourself.  Weigh your meals, stick to just a few ounces.  

This WILL work.  

^^^^ What Gwen said.  

She's particularly on point that the nerve endings in your stomach have been severed and are still healing, so you won't feel the restriction of your new sleeve yet.  It's VERY IMPORTANT to measure out your food and not overeat.  

Thank you so much you two. I will take your challenge of measuring. Dedication on LOCK.

First of all you need to take a breath and RELAX! Hey I'm just like you, I tend to freak out a little everyday over this surgery. I even feel sometimes that they didn't do anything at all. But I know that they did take 75% of my stomach out with VSG. That's a lot gone! We pretty much got the sleeve done around the same time. We probably have different plans, but I'm sure our healing process is going to be about the same. My stomach is growling as I write this to you lol. This is totally normal I promise you.

Belle, why are you eating so much two weeks out? I wouldn't even dare. I literally have two protein shakes and a half a cup of Healthy Choice Slip Pea, Broth, Cream of Mushroom, SF popsicles, or SF jello a day. I try to even out the day with as much water as I can handle. Don't push the limits of your Brand New Stomach! One of my docs at the hospital told me to be very careful, because my Body has to get used to its new anatomy. That's some heavy stuff right there to think about.

I feel hungry too, trust me. I'm not saying you have head hunger, but this whole process is going to mess with your mind a bit. SIDE STORY...I was out for sunday dinner with my boyfriend and his parents...they decided on a family style restaurant( which everything on the menu is big enough for 2 people!!!) I was in HELL! Salmon, Steak, Pasta, and Bread all surrounded me. I was the lucky one at the table that ordered a cup of chamomile tea! LOL TEA!!! I swore I was starving! I swore I could eat a damn cow. But it was going hurt me, this whole process would of been for nothing. 6 months of clearance down the drain. Not worth it. I walked out of there sad yes lol, but happy with the choice that I made. I knew months from now when I can slip into a Sexy Little Black Dress, all of that food I missed out on would not matter. I keep on telling myself I NEED TO BE A SUCCESS STORY, and I do the right thing. I want to share my story when all of our OH Family.

Your 2 weeks out, in my opinion your doing awesome, just don't beat yourself up and trust this whole thing. I only suggest to keep up on your liquids, and small small portions of full liquids. Girl this is going to be a struggle, but the results are going to show. Walk, exercise definitely keeps my mind off food for the most part. Belle you got this, and I believe in you. Walk, Drink, and Small Portions.

Keep it Up Girl, it will Show!

You are a doll baby! Thank you surgery buddy. Thank you also for sharing a for instance. It really helped solidify goals. 

Tonight I decided that I am going to MEASURE everything. 1/4 cup of mild chili for dinner. Boom. I feel satiated. 

I baked protein mini muffins and will have 1 for dessert in a couple of hours. ONE.  💖

I am 4 weeks out today and I am just allowed soft foods now. The things that I liked before the surgery, I can't stand now.  I make sure not to eat more than a 1/2 cup total at a time.  It takes me time to even get that down. Your stomache will have a hard time knowing when you are full due to the cutting of the nerves.  I am lucky to get 500 calories in and 70grams of protein a day. I get hungry at times, but if you have a bite of something every hour, you will feel satisfied. I am in a 3 week stall right now and everyone says to not worry about it.  It took me 22 years to gain it and it will take time to lose it.  Keep up the good work and also try to remember to NEVER drink with your meal.  That will make you throw up.

I am so glad to hear someone else in the same boat!!  I am 2 weeks out, too, and last Sunday gained...gained....9!  How the heck do you gain when you're not eating????  I get all of my protein, all of my water, all of my exercise and I still gained!  I figured it would come right back off, but NO...4 days later I've been up and down .2, but it's still not gone!  I'm listening to the vets and hanging in there...praying for you, too as we go through this glorious journey!!

Oh no! That gain must feel really hard. Are you noticing that you are losing inches and gaining mobility? That is one thing that has been keeping me motivated

I am losing inches, so that is a huge plus!  And picking up a bunch of stamina....can walk a mile without sitting down, so I keep adding a little more, a little faster every day!  Thanks for you post...glad to know we're all in the same boat!