Penpen

Wow! So glad they found that and cut it out. That's so scary! Will they do more testing to make sure there is none remaining in her sleeve?

starting weight: 280 weight lost during 3.5 week pre-op diet: 25 lbs. weight on day of surgery: 255 1st two weeks post-op I lost: 10 lbs. Then I stalled for almost 4 weeks. When I started losing again, I lost another 15 lbs. in 1.5 weeks. Then I stalled again for 2-3 weeks. Then I dropped 5 lbs. That was back around 8/26. I know I'm losing inches because my clothes are fitting different but the scale doesn't like me at all. I'm not horribly upset about it because my 3 month goal was 35% of my excess weight which would have been 52.5 lbs. I still have about 2 weeks before I hit 3 months and I've already lost 55 lbs. Tiff, I've printed out what you said you're doing and I'm going to try to do that. I had been writing everything down but then stopped about a month or so ago. I'm very careful about what goes into my mouth but I couldn't say exactly how much Protein, carbs, and calories I'm taking in and I feel extremely guilty for that. I'm afraid that a lot of days, I'm barely getting 600 calories because I'm just hardly ever hungry. My body probably thinks I'm starving.

Hi! I'm almost 3 months out and have already had 3 stalls. Ugh! But I'm actually past my 3 month goal. During my 3.5 week pre-op diet, I lost 25 lbs. Then in the first 2 weeks post op, I lost 10 lbs. Then I stalled out for a whole 4 weeks. Then I started losing again and within a week and a half I lost 15 lbs. Then I stalled out again for 2-3 weeks. Then another 5 lbs. fell off over 2 days. And now, I've been in a stall since then....I think about 2-3 weeks. Hope that helps.

I was on a 3.5 week pre-op diet. I lost 25 lbs. I started at 280 and the day of surgery I weighed 255.

My surgeon gave me a picture of mine. And now, you wonderful people gave me the idea to post it on my blog. I'll have to do that sometime this weekend. Thanks!

Hi all! I'm almost 3 months post op and am very curious about what all of you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks on a typical day. I really want to see if I'm kind of the same as everyone else or if I'm way out of the ball park. Also, it would be nice if I saw something new that I hadn't thought about before. Thanks in advance!

My surgeon said it was to shrink my fatty liver. Also, to help make the surgery faster and safer....and my recovery would be faster.

I just wanted to tell everyone, "Thank You!" for jumping on here and sharing your menu. I'm in the process of trying to read through them all.....wow, lots of good ideas! I hope this is helping everyone as much as it is helping me.

I drink about 1/2 a cup to a cup of coffee a day. I put one tablespoon of sugar and a little bit of dry cream in it. I never finish the whole thing. I haven't had any problems with acid...I take one chewable Pepcid AC Complete at night. Without that, I'm not sure if it would cause issues with acid reflux.

Franny, wow, that sounds like a long time. I had to wait until 6 weeks out. I really haven't had any problems except with hamburger meat. If it isn't cooked just right, it seems rubbery while I'm chewing it. As if I can't break it down enough with my teeth. It grosses me out! So the only way I will eat it, is if it is super tender and easy to chew. Maybe there's a reason in your own personal journey that your surgeon doesn't want you eating red meats. Give him a call. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Pre-op...I lost 25 lbs. First two weeks post op, I lost another 10 lbs. Then it happened, my first stall! It lasted for about 4 weeks. The scale would NOT budge at all! I wanted to scream! I blogged about how I thought my surgery was pointless! I read a bunch about others having stalls but still believed that in my case, it would never end! Then, after the 4th week of the nasty stall, I started dropping again. Within a week and a half, I lost another 15 lbs. Then I stalled again! So quick ... ugh! But this time, I felt like it might just pass once again. Finally, about 8/1/11 or so, I dropped another 5 lbs. over a 2-3 day time span. And now, I'm in the mist of another stall! My surgeon's office said that it would be like a staircase, you go down a step (or a chunk of weight), then you'd stay right there for a while. Then all the sudden, you'd take another step down (or another chunk of weight off). I'm now almost 3 months out (in about 2 more weeks) and have lost 55 lbs. which is more than my 3 month goal which is a loss of 35% of my excess weight (52.5 lbs.). So I think I'm doing pretty good considering!

I'm really bad about sticking to a given schedule. I told myself about a month ago that I would start measuring myself weekly just so I could see the movement over time. Well, I should have known better, I'm just not good at making sure I do that unless it's something super important. Not that this isn't important, just that it's a choice. So for me, I only do it when I'm in a stall and need encouragement. I measured myself right after I started my pre-op diet. Then twice since surgery. I'm almost 3 months out and as of 8/29/11 I had lost a total of 26.5 inches. I think I've lost more since then because my shirts are even loser on me now. Anyways, just my 2 cents!

Also, I forgot to tell you that I am now down 55 lbs. which is more than my 3 month goal. I still have a couple of weeks to go before I hit 3 months. I still have many days were I feel like I'm a very slow loser but if I'm reaching the goals before the goal date, then I think I'm doing pretty good. Hang in there! It will happen for you. Sorry I haven't changed my ticker or updated my blog with my new weight, just haven't had time.

Hi! I'm now almost 3 months out and I know exactly how you feel but your weight will come off. Please read my post on goals, slow losing, weight loss, and comparing ourselves to others. I hope this helps. http://sliceofhealthyplease.blogspot.com/2011/08/excess-weight-and-goals-and-am-i-really.html

I saw the nurse practioner one week out. Then I've been back 3 times for nutritional classes and weigh in. I'm scheduled to see my surgeon in a couple of weeks which I will then be 3 months out.

I drank very small amounts of coffee after about a week or two out. Now I drink about a cup a day and have no problems.

Thanks all! More ideas are welcome too!

I love the ideas so far, this is great! Keep 'em coming! Maria from Michigan, I have the same baked tortilla crusted lime fillet of Tilapia from costco in my freezer. It's really good except I kind of burned myself out of them for a while. Something I enjoy having is tuna (in water), a little bit of Micracle Whip, chopped apples, and some chopped walnuts. Yum! I've even eaten this for breakfast. You can substitute canned chicken for the tuna for a variation.

You look awesome!

I know exactly how you feel. I started at 280 lbs and am 5'4". I have lost 51 lbs. I was wearing a very tight 24w pants and am still in them. The only thing now is that they are super lose. I tried the next size down on last week. They fit but was still tight and uncomfortable. Oh by the way, I'm definitely a pear shape.....large legs and butt. I have lost a lot on my top half and ame down 2-3 sizes in my shirts. I guess my top half will lose first. Sigh! If you haven't taken your measurements, take them. I took my measurements right as I was starting preop. Then I took them again a couple of weeks ago. I didn't think I was losing down below but I was, just slower. I had lost 2 inches in my knees ... I think that's what it was...and like 1.5 inches in my calves. All together I'd lost 19.75". So the weights coming off just not the way I'd like it to. I blogged all about it and my measurements if you are interested. My blog address is in my signature.

Yes, I had this too. You have an internal incision that is about 2 inches long through your muscle. This is where they took the stapler in and out and your stomach out. They used some type of device that stretched in open while they were working on you. I actually had a dent right above my largest incision for about 5-6 weeks and the nurse practioner explained why. I actially had no pain there until around 3 weeks out. It would happen when I'd climb into the truck, sit the wrong way, bend, sleep. It would feel like it was burning and ripping. It freaked me out the first time I felt it so I called the doctor. They asked if I had been a little more active than usual and of course I had because I was starting to feel better. They said it was perfectly normal. It stopped hurting around 6 weeks and no more dent either.

Okay, well, I'm almost 9-10 weeks out and I have 3 incisions that still leak and itch. I was told by my doc's office that this is normal because there's no pus, no foul smell, and no fever. I was told that at 5 weeks it would be completely healed and that after that I could go swimming, etc. Nope, didn't happen. Sigh!! I have my 3 month appointment next week and I will be mentioning this forsure.

Wow! That does seem like a lot! I don't know but I'm really curious as to what others have to say about this.

I had my surgery at Texas Health/Presby and possibly by the same surgeon. I have UHC and they wouldn't cover Forest Park. But after all the bills have come in, they charged somewhere in the upper amount of $40,000+. My nutritionalist works both at Presby and Forest Park. She said that they are actually adding another wing to Forest Park. And get this, the facility is only around 2-3 years old and they are getting ready to do an update on all the already existing rooms. What? Then she said that they are adding an ICU but are not and will not be equiped for a true ICU. That they were doing it so that when a patient complains they are feeling a bit off, they can send the patient to ICU to be watched. We asked her why they would do that. She said because the insurance companies will pay more if the patient has to be put into ICU vs. a room where a patient may get a little more attention. It's all about the money! She even said that it made no sense, EXCEPT to make money. So, sounds like they are trying to pay for their new building, make lots of money, and have the tax write off. It does make you burn inside just thinking about it. We're the ones that suffer with our insurance cost or lack there of because it's not affordable.

You are doing awesome! And it sounds like your health is turning itself around. Keep up the hard work. Doesn't feel great to shed the old self and gain the new?