Matt Z

Get another doctor. Some insurances have cut offs at 30,35,40 BMI. But they also have other qualifying issues called co-morbidities that lower the cut off BMI. Sounds like that doc just didn't want to bother doing the legwork of finding out what your insurance really needs for qualification. You can call your insurance and ask, they will tell you exactly what they need for an approval.

Ok, first off, there is no such thing as "normal" with the bypass, everyone's surgery is different in some aspects. Even surgeries done by the same team, are going to have variations. AND everyone heals differently. So, don't stress about "normal", worry about your requirements. I could down a full cup of food before 2 months was out, just make sure you are making good choices, do not drink for 30 mins after eating, I don't follow the before typically, but the after part is important to making sure you stay full and don't just flush everything through. And DO NOT eat and drink at the same time for the same reason. Those cravings sound mental... find something that tastes good that's a good alternative to those foods. I love ice cream, couldn't live without it sort of like. I found Halo Top, low cal, low sugar, good taste. So it's a good "swap" for standard ice cream and it fits into my diet and restrictions with no issues. The trick isn't to deny, it's to defer. Don't deny yourself something, defer those cravings to something else that's close, but healthy. Not sure why you are ashamed about how much you can eat... unless you did the surgery yourself... or are somehow willing yourself to want to eat more... you can't blame yourself for what's instinctual.

So much YES! Can't wait for this! I can't wait to get back on roller coasters, to be able to travel without being super uncomfortable, zip-lining and other canopy based fun. Certainly going to enjoy my 40th Birthday and 20th Wedding Anniversary this Nov, working hard to get back to the weight I was when I was 20 for this. 30 lbs to go... sure do hope I make it! My "Big one" is to climb a mountain, Looking at Katahdin maybe next year, Hitting the summit of Baxter Peak at 5,267 feet. Just need to get past the 6 month post-op mark so I can start doing some proper training.

Not sure what surgery you had since your profile is still set to "pre-op" but you should be fine taking Emergen-C

Info, Review and photos of it being stored. https://thethriftycouple.com/squatty-potty-worth-hype/

Congrats and Happy Birthday!

It nests under the toilet pretty easy, it's out of the way unless you put it out from under the bowl kinda thing, never had any issues or complaints with it being stored under/in front of the toilet.

Things will get hard. When they do, remember all the reasons why you want the surgery. And never forget that it does get better. Whatever it is, it *will* get better. The pain will pass, you will heal, you will feel normal again in the future, you didn't make a mistake, you aren't the only one, well all have stalls, don't focus on things you can't control, never focus short term issues, work for the long term goals, no one gains or loses the same way so don't compare your body to anyone else, don't compare your weight loss to anyone else, stick to your plan and if you have questions that might be serious, NEVER be afraid to call your surgical team!

LOVE LOVE LOVE my Squatty Potty! I have to caution that they do come in different heights and the height does matter, not only for the toilet in question, but for sitting angle as well. Very much a great little addition to the bathroom!

G zero is sugar free. I use Propel or a generic branded SF electrolyte additives/ powders.

Sounds typical/normal. Everyone heals at different rates and everyone doesn't have the same sensations, sounds like you got lucky and those sliders are sliding on through without issue. Being able to drink normally is a good thing believe it or not! Once you move to solid foods you'll get the restriction you are expecting. Just watch your intakes, you don't want to over shoot your calorie goals.

Strawberries are one of my go-to sweet foods. Also, this recipe is really tasty https://acleanbake.com/3-ingredient-detox-cookies/

branlee90 I don't think I've heard of a sleeve patient having vitamin deficiencies, but then again, that persistent diarrhea is more than likely the cause of that. Hope everything gets sorted out!

Congrats on the approval, sorry that it had to come to that. Hopefully the reversal goes smoothly and that you are able to retain your weight loss!

Oh I'm a million % sure your posture has improved! I'm working on mine still... so much computer work, and all the slouching forward to try to hid myself and my fat... has done a number on my back... Keep it up! you look fantastic and very VERY pleased!

Very interesting... most folks with bypass were no liquids day of surgery, full liquids day 2 and purees day 3. So, if you are actually *IN* the hospital, what are they saying about the bloody stool?

Curious when you say "first liquid"? What are they having you do for a diet post op? Pretty much everyone I've seen (myself included) were on puree's before even leaving the hospital. To answer the question, your first evacuation can have blood/tar/iron in it... my first was a mess of black tarry/sandy old blood and boy was it nasty. If you are seeing fresh blood, check for a hemorrhoid/fissure, if you are not able to determine where the blood is originating and it's still occurring... get in touch with your surgeon asap.

You can also click the drop down on the "Patients" tab and select "My Surgery" Then select the "Progress" option on the left side of the screen. These functions are not available on the apps.

I'm to the point now where I don't think I get dumping syndrome anymore, at least not from sugars... I've been able to eat things I really shouldn't (and wish I couldn't) cookie dough, oreos, cake, etc etc etc... nothing seems to bother me, which REALLY sucks.

Not quite the same, but I've been dealing with back pain due to spinal arthritis, guess that when I was heavier the visceral fat was covering the arthritis to the point where it wasn't being felt. Now that I've dropped a bunch, I can absolutely feel it and boy does it suck! I'm trying to get my insurance to approve some physical therapy so I can start work through the pain. Might be worth looking into for your situation as well. Proper re-alignments and targeted muscle strengthening helps out immensely.

Don't worry about what you can't control. Odds are they won't deny you for weight gain due to quitting smoking. It's a side effect that's pretty much a guarantee. Cut all added sugars, cut all extra carbs (every veggie has carbs, avoid bread really) Start drinking ONLY water and get in upwards of 128oz a day. All of this will help you shed weight. But, stress makes you gain, so... stop stressing! If they deny, you can appeal. But until they do actually deny you... worrying about it is just a waste of energy.

Even if you can't find your original, *ANY* online pre-op for sleeve diet should be sufficient to get you where you need to go.

@MrsLucas sorry for your loss. You can just start over. Pretend you didn't have the surgery and start off with a pre-op diet, then transition though the stages the same way you didn't when you originally had the surgery. It can be challenging, but it's a great way to hit the reset button and get back on track. Good luck!

Adding back some electrolytes is a good idea, ESP when you are doing extensive flushing. When I go to the gym, I use electrolyte added to my water to help prevent it from dropping too low. But, that might not be why you are stalled out, that much exercise with that little of an intake is more than likely putting you right into conservation mode, add another 200-400 calories of protein a day on your heavy work out days and see if that helps out. Using a slow burn protein at night (Casein) might help out as well.

Might be worth trying to up your caloric intake a bit, see if your body is stuck in conservation mode, this is why I was also asking if you were paying attention to your BMR. Are you paying attention to your fat% by chance? Lots of times I personally didn't lose any weight, actually have gained some, but still would lose body fat.