Question? What is VBG with a sleeve? How is it different from VBG? If you know. Thanks. MKJ

At your stage, my diet consisted of ... Sugar free pudding Sugar free Jell-O Low fat cottage cheese Tomato soup Potato soup Once a week Mexican (small portion of runny refried beans with a spoonful of ground taco or enchilada meat - beef) Once a week seafood - lobster or other bisque - mostly the juice part I found it critical to stay within portion (especially when eating out) and BORING!!!! But, it worked. If you get a 6oz. yogurt leave 2 behind. If you get a cup of soup, leave half in the cup, etc. NOW my diet consists of: 6-6:30 am sugar free instant oatmeal - about 3-4 oz. Head to work. Start on a 20 or 24 oz water bottle 10am - 4oz of yogurt, cottage cheese, sugar free pudding, or natural/sugar free apple sauce (only one of these) Noon - lunch - either a small portion of something not so solid (soup, fish, some casserole like king ranch chicken) from the cafeteria, or the same as 10am above 2pm - same as 10am above. Usually finish water started in AM by this time. 2:30 go to gym and work out...every day bike 3-4 miles, every other day upper body (arms and chest) weight machine circuit - DO NOT DO ANY WEIGHTS UNTIL dr. H OKs it. Can cause hernia. 3:00-3:15 get home - have another 20-24oz. water bottle usually finish within an hour 5:30-6pm - dinner - usually very small can 4oz by volume of Wolf Brand Chili no beans - sometime a portion of family dinner. Have had roast with carrots and gravy, baked chicken (very hard on me), meatballs with spaghetti sauce (also hard on me) 7:00pm - start another 20-24zo water bottle - usually done by 9:00-9:30 9:00-11:00pm - This is when the snackies/munchie**** me hard - I am almost always watching TV or computing or both at this time and my HEAD wants BAD FOOD - I have turned to Sugar Free Popsicles (I like the tropical flavors best) and I usually have 2 or 3 pairs - then head to bed At least once a week we go out for seafood. I usually get a bowl of bisque and stay with the soup part, or a get grilled fish and my wife eats the almost complete meal leftovers next day because I eat such a small portion of the plate. I did try to have my own leftovers one day, but CHUCKED. Apparently 2nd day fish from the nuker is changed substantially from fresh grilled. Also, at least once a week we go Mexican, and I have not changed what I eat there (runny refried and a little meat), but I may have a Frozen Rita. STAY AWAY FROM THE CHIPS. You CAN eat them, but SHOULD NOT. And we go to super salad sometimes. I stick to a cup of some soup. I have had trouble chewing allot. Hard habit to make for an ex-military 20 minute eater, and timing. Stopping between each bite is excruciating. I have stopped eating at the table with the family for 2 reasons. 1) they eat a whole plate in 10 minutes and that is hard to be near while waiting etc. 2) I have found if I am doing something else while eating (TV, Computer Game) it is easier for me to break in between mouthfuls. Also, learning to take very small bites it hard for me. Lastly, my food is ALWAYS cold before I finish...ALWAYS. At this point, I just eat it anyways. I have NOT had bread, potatoes (except soup in the early days), rice, cookies, chips, cake, basically all the good stuff since before my surgery. It is hard, but so far, so good. I hope this helps. I can say do the exercise, it helps battle the depression. My wife who is thin could not understand my depression when she was cooking Chicken Fried Steak and I knew I couldn't have any. People who are not like us DO NOT understand. For her, she says, but you should be happier you are loosing weight...like I ever wanted my life to be about that. BUT, it kind of is NOW. Like Dr. H says, it is a tool. You use it or you don't. You take care of it or you don't. Once stretched, can't be unstretched. Happiness... MKJ

Yep, I had VBG. I watch portions carefully and am staying away from bread, sugar, rice, potatos, etc. So far the only foods that just disagreed with be have been scrambled eggs, pan sausage, and microwaved leftover fish. Honestly, my main stay has been Wolf Brand Chili (no beans - comes in very small cans about 4oz by volume, not weight) and sugar free popsicles to satisfy my late night tv cravings. I think where you start kind of dictates loss speed. I was 489.5, so I expect faster loss than someone only trying to loose 100 total (know what I mean?). I am worried though about stories from people who had VBG and then had to get revised to RNY or just didn't succeed after a long time. What do you think of that situation? Is it not using the tool or just a problem with the VBG? MKJ

I think any non-solids are going to pass through quickly. Yogurt, cottage cheese, soups, etc are all the same. The point at the beginning is to learn NEW HABITS. Don't eat 2-4 ounces because you think it will fill you up, but rather because when you do get to solids, if you overeat...YOU WILL BE HUGGING THE PORCELAIN GODDESS...the john...chucking like there is not tomorrow. The point of the surgery is to give you a tool. Don't abuse it or it will stretch and become ineffective. I am only 9 weeks out, but I learned this lesson the hard way. teach your body to expect less intake. Stay on the fluids. And the earlier you embrace exercise the better. I lost 50.5 by 5 weeks out and didn't really do much exercise. Now I work out 5-6 time a week. I think it accelerates your weight loss and most importantly, it makes you feel better/happier. Keeps you out of depression by releasing the endorphins. I am not trying to preach, just help. Lastly, find a support group. There is nothing like talking about common subjects with others who have actually been there. Happiness... MKJ

Dawn I guess what I was trying to get across the most was that no matter what WLS a person has, my experience was that the weight loss part was the easiest. The hard part was truly changing my poor eating habits. When I was at my slimmest and looked great I was still not exercising or eating healthy. I had no support groups or messageboards or books and my surgeon ended up losing his license for several yrs. for sexual misconduct. Plus I was so successful at losing the weight I had too much false pride to seek help when I started struggling with overeating again. I wish you all the best and as long as you are honest with yourself on this journey and have a support system I think you'll do great!! SassyGal