Knee2010

jasleeve, have you tried to "cover up" the smell of the Protein? I was the same as you, as soon as the "smell" got to my nose I was pushing it away. Then I tried putting some "vicks vapor rub" on my nose/upper lip area and then I found I could drink the unjury chicken Soup or the other Protein shakes sinces all I was able to smell was vicks vapor rub. Since the stomach is so tiny you can only do a couple of sips at a time and by then the vicks was starting to wear off, but it did help me get a little protein down, just a little at a time. I hope you start to feeling better soon, cuz it really does get better and it really is worth it once you get past this point. Just keep on hanging in there!

By the time you read this, you will be "one of us"!!! Hoping everything went smoothly, and looking forward to seeing your posts on how your doing.

Congratulations on making it thru and welcome to the losers bench!!!

Dont be afraid of the pain. While you are in the hospital they will give you something for pain and it really helps. I didn't have very much "incision" pain, mine was mostly due to the gas they use during the surgery and walking is the best way to get rid of it. I spent 2 nights in the hospital, my doctors standards and by the end of the first week, I really didn't have hardly any pain. If I drank to fast I got that feeling in the middle of my chest like you get when you swallow a bite that is too large. As long as you follow your doctors instructions, you should be fine. Keep in mind it seems like all the doctors have different instructions. Some doctors let you eat soft foods right away while other doctors make you stay on Clear liquids for a couple of weeks afterwards. I am 1 month out from my surgery and one of my requirements was to be on a 4 month monitored diet with a nutrienist (?) before the surgery, so all total I have lost a little over 50 pounds and I am feeling great. I can already tell the difference in how my knees and hips feel, I can't wait to see how I will feel when I lose the next 50. So as long as you have your goals in mind (getting healthy & living a long time) you can get thru any of the discomfort of the surgery. Just keep telling yourself the end result is soooooo worth it!!! Good luck, you will find a huge group of supporters here and always a comforting ear ready to listen to you.

Congratulations and welcome to the club!!!

It's perfectly normal to be nervous. As you have probably read, some people loose a lot real fast and others loose a little. You will drive yourself nuts if you try to compare your weight lose to others. I know because I have done it. lol As long as you are losing, then that is all that matters. We all lose, (just at different rates) and we all have stalls where the scale doesn't move at all. When is your surgery scheduled for?

I packed a pair of loose fitting elastic waist shorts and a loose fitting tee shirt (and loosest fitting pair of panties). My first walk up and down the hallway was in a hospital gown but my 2nd walk was in my shorts!!! I took a pair of crocks instead of flip flops, they were just a tad bit more comfy for me. I also took a freshly laundered soft fleece throw blanket, even though I wasn't cold at night, just having it the bed being able to smell "home" made it a little easier to rest. Good luck tomorrow!

I had my sleeve on 11/15 and Susan is right, there is very little surgery pain. I only used the pain medication the first day and then didn't need anything. I was up and walking that evening. Very slowly and not very far, but I was walking. The next day I walked further and was able to stand up straight. The incisions are very small and my doc used some type of clear glue stuff to close them so I didn't have any external stitches. The best thing was the 2nd day to be able to put on my clothes and do away with the hospital gown. I took a pair of elastic, loose fitting shorts to wear and once I got in my clothes, it was so much easier/nicer to walk the hospital hallways. I don't know of any tips for staying calm. This is such an exciting adventure we are all on. I would suggest that you take a couple of pictures of yourself now at this size, get a journel and weight and measure your entire body and keep a log. Once you have the surgery and you measure yourself at 1 month out you will be amazed! Also, once you start buying new SMALLER clothes, keep 1 outfit (jeans, tee shirt) from your current size so you can compare "where you were" to "where your at" thru this journey. My insurance required my to do a 4 month diet with a nutritionist so since I started that and had the surgery I have lost almost 50 pounds and have gone from a 20W pants to 16. And when I put my old jeans on the bed and lay the new ones on top, it will really blow your mind to see the difference, cuz for some crazy reason, we can't see it when we look in a mirror at ourselves. Good luck with your surgery, you will do just fine!

My doctors office offers Fusion. It has everything in it so I just take the 1 chewable 3 times a day. I think 1 bottle will last a little over a month and it costs about $20. I am taking the strawberry flavor and it tastes kinda like a sweet tart/smartee candy only not as strong. So if you want something to take away the "sweet" craving, this vitamin does it.

Your just 1 month ahead of me. My surgery was 11/15 at BMI of Texas close to the medical center. I've met another person from this site who is from San Antonio also. We will have to keep in touch and encourage each other as time goes by.

I like Muscle Milk chocolate flavor. I order it online, it's a lot cheaper than buying it at a store. I mix mine with HEB fat free Moo-topia milk. It tastes better than using Water. Plus I think it has 12 or 13 grams of Protein per serving. I see your from San Antonio, I am also. Have you had your surgery yet?

My husband did not take off and stay with me, but my Mom lives next door and she was there if I needed her, which I didn't but my children are grown. I was very tired the first week I was home and looking back (3 weeks for me now), there is no way I would have been able to take care of small children. It was all I could do to sip Water and heat a can of Soup. I'm sure your doctor will sign the FMLA paperwork for your husband, after all your doctor only wants (or should) you to get healthy/healed and having your husband home should help you with that. My doctor told me I couldn't lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk until my 3 week follow-up. All doctors are different and have different rules/guidelines that they want you to follow, but I would think having your husband at home would be a benefit. Hope this helps.

I think this is an appropriate prayer for each of us. I'm sure the night before we have all said something similar, something that best fits our own lives. How nice of you to share yours! Good luck with your surgery and we will keep a spot open for you on the losers bench!

Get a "mug warmer", the electric kind that plugs in so you can put your broth in a coffee cup and keep it warm. I'm 3 weeks out and the warm broth sucks when it gets cold! You can't drink/sip it fast enough to get it down otherwise. I still struggle with getting enough liquids in. I'm averaging between 1 and 1 1/2 bottles of Water a day, plus my 1 cup of either Protein shakes or Soups that I have at mealtimes. So I get 1-1/2 bottles of water plus 3 cups of liquid food (shakes and soups). I try to not depend soley on the Protein Shakes, but I know I'm not getting enough protein yet, hopefully that will get better for me in the coming weeks when I can finally eat some real food. But until you get to that point, just sip SLOWLY, otherwise it does hurt and sip all day long, eventually you will get to where you can get more fluids down. Hope this helps.

Thanks everyone, I was hoping it was just a muscle or too much walking and it sounds like it was. The pain is much better/less today than it was Friday night and even yesterday. Thank goodness. It's funny how we can get so scared over something that before the surgery we wouldn't have even thought twice about. Anyway, thanks for listening and for your helpful comments!

Elise, you bet we can be sleeve sisters! Congrats on your date. The bigger (or should I say "smaller" lol) the sleeve sister family is the better!!! We will have to make sure and check in on each other thru this journey to help each of us get to our goal weight and goal health.

Wow, we can be sleeve sisters. My surgery date is Nov 15 in San Antonio Tx. Yea for us!!!

I'm set for Nov 15 in Texas.

You are doing great and you look fantastic, loved reading your blog! My surgery date is Nov 15 and every time I go shopping (and have done this for years) I just look at all the boots and sigh, knowing that they are not going to fit over my calfs. Well this year I have decided that for Christmas I am going to buy me a pair (at least 1) and then also buy some more at the end of season clearance sales so that next year at the beginning of cooler weather I will FINALLY BE ABLE TO WEAR BOOTS! That is one of many of things that I can't wait for.

I am so confused by all the different Protein drinks out there? I think I have narrowed it down to a choice of 3. Muslce Milk, Muscle Milk Light or GNC Pro Performance AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60. I have tried them all in the flavor of chocolate and to me they all taste good. I will be starting my pre-op diet in October, my surgery date is Nov 15 and I want to get the most/best results I can from the pre-op diet and also from the honeymoon stage/losing stage right after surgery. Do I pay more attention to the protein or the carbs or the calories? I talked to a sales rep at GNC and we figured out/decided that the GNC one requires 3 scoops to get their hign protein numbers, but if I actually use 1 scoop, which is the same amount for Muscle Milk then all the numbers for these 3 items are closer in range to each other. Experienced sleevers please help clear up some of this confusion for me on which one will be better for me to drink. THANKS!!!

Congratulations!!! I too am looking forward to weighing less than my husband. About 8 months ago he started exercising and watching what he ate and he looks and feels great now. Even though he is about 8 inches taller than me and I know I should (AND SOMEDAY WILL) weigh much less than him, that is one of many of my goals that I have set for myself.

I haven't tried any of the meal replacements yet, but I LOVE the Strawberry flavored vitamin. So far, it's the best out of all the others that I have tried.

I'm not having mine done at BAMC but at BMI in the Medical Center in San Antonio on Nov 15, 2011. When is your surgery date? Nice to know there is/will be someone close by who is going thru the same thing at probably close to the same time.

So far 4 out of the 20 that I set for my Oct 31 goal. I haven't had my surgery yet, (Nov 15, 2011) but I'm ready to jump on-board. SN....................Starting Wt..............Current...........Goal..........Lbs to Goal Knee2010.......235.5.......................209..................189............20 ......................................................205...................189...........16