Matt Z

Amazing results! Congrats!

Congrats! I know it's an amazing feeling breaking that 300 mark! Now if I could only get this last 8 lbs to shed so I can hit my 250 mark!

Congrats that's Awesome!

Like Matty said, it's going to be on a case by case basis. I didn't have any issues, like at all. I was doing and getting everything I needed done the day I came home. I wasn't allowed to pick anything up over 10 lbs, so having someone home to do those things came in handy, but other than that, I really didn't need anyone. You'll know pretty much everything you need to once you are briefed by the surgical staff the day your husband gets released. Good Luck!

Seems almost every doctor is different. My "Liquid" pre-op was mainly shakes, but I could have watermelon and celery (as well as broth and SF jello, but those are "liquids" anyway). So just do what your doctor/surgical team says, any questions related to what they've instructed you on really should go to them at this point. Good Luck!

Going to be a case by case basis. You've got personal opinion and various different body sizes/shapes etc. I didn't need one, but I **LOVE** my compression gear for working out, ESP when I decide to do a little running, having everything held tight kills most of the jiggles and makes me fantastic. Good Luck!

Firstly, congrats! Secondly, you've got everyone on this site backing you up. I can fully empathize with the feelings of being alone in this, but you aren't. You'll have your surgical team there taking care of you! Whenever you start to feel alone or scared, just remember all the reasons you are doing this for yourself, remember that everyone here is waiting for you to post how things went and are ready with our advice, well wishes and support for when you need it. Other's have gone alone as well. I had my wife and mother waiting, and to be honest, I don't think it would have made any difference to me if they were not there. Once I got called back, I only saw my wife for maybe 10 mins before I was wheeled into the OR, and when I was in Recovery, there wasn't much they could do besides sit there next to me, I felt bad honestly. And once visiting hours were over, things really didn't change, my surgical and recovery staff kept me occupied / attended to as needed... I can totally understand the mindset, but personally it could have gone either way and it really wouldn't have mattered in the long run. Good Luck, Stay Strong, You Got This!

Things to pay attention to: - Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), this is the amount of calories your body needs in a day just to exist (think in a coma, alive but not moving). BMR drops as we lose weight and as we get older. So it's something that should be calculated and monitored with WLS. https://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/bmr - Your water intake, you stated that you try to hit your protein targets, which is great, but your body just cannot break down fat if there isn't enough water. - 3.5 miles 2x a week isn't near enough. The minimum basic goal is 30 mins of targeted physical activity EVERY DAY, for WLS, it really should be 60+. Also, running is great, but running will **ONLY** lean out muscle, if you want to burn more fat minute to minute, you need to be building muscle mass. - Without seeing (or being a doctor specifying in plastics) It's entirely possible to have 20 lbs of excess skin - Have you had your body fat measured? I'd be interested to see what your lean mass to fat mass numbers are. I'm 5'9 currently at 258.9, 37.2% body fat, My scale calculates that I have 162.7 lbs of lean muscle and 96.2 lbs of fat. I'm shooting for 200 lbs, so if I do make it to 200, I'll still have 37.3 lbs of fat that *could* be worked off if I really wanted to, this doesn't count skin weight though. If you are really stuck/stalled and frustrated, try re-doing the pre-surgical diet to "reset" things. I also highly suggest starting to track your intake and burn again, if you are burning more than you are taking in, you *WILL* lose weight.

Personally you'll want to try any "non-approved" foods at home first, just in case you have any issues. But you can eat things you really shouldn't if you can tolerate them. It's just a habit you REALLY don't want to get into if you can avoid it. Look for other, approved options first.

Cottage cheese would be fine, I was eating chunkier things on puree's, you just need to be very careful about your quantities and make sure to chew into a puree. Watch out for soups, there are often a LOT of sugar added in there, it would really suck for you to dump while out with your family!

I have the Aria scale, yes. Love it! Honestly I'd be so damn out of my mind this BS gain/lose rollercoaster if I wasn't continually seeing that body fat number drop.

Just had my Bypass 3/21, down 50 lbs since my pre-surgical check in... Wish I went with the bypass a long time ago!

Talk to your doc about Marinol/Dronobinal, it's covered under pretty much every medical, you get it a your typical pharmacy (CVS, etc) so she might be more willing to let you try it since it's "federally approved" even though it's just little THC pills. That's a tough situation to be stuck in... I hope it gets better soon!

Which surgery? Don't stock up on anything! Depending on what surgery, you might not really need much of anything afterwards. My wife wanted to stock up and I flat out told her not to buy anything. I'm glad she didn't. Because I was eating such small amounts that even then things got tossed out. For surgery, get some Dry Mouth Spray and Lip Balm, lifesavers for right after surgery. Bring a pair of sweatpants or PJ bottoms and a pillow from home, some comfortable slippers. Cell phone, charger and a book maybe. I really didn't need anything else for the 3 days 2 nights I was in the hospital. For home, just things to keep you busy / comfortable. A little bit of food will go a long way if you are a bypass patient, if you are getting the sleeve you'll be on liquids for the first month. Don't forget to WALK WALK WALK and be sure to use your incentive spirometer often! Helps with the gas pains.

Alex, is there a way to add a "sex" or "gender" (touchy these days I understand) option on the Account Settings / Profile and make each of the rooms blocked for the opposite sex? This way men and women can feel just a bit more comfortable with the Sex/Gender specific questions? I mean, there isn't anything stopping anyone from viewing posts or commenting on either forum. Doesn't seem like it would be a hard addition to make from a website/programming point of view.

I think a lot of the "women in the men's room" posts are due to the App being crap and not telling you *AT ALL* where you are and where you are posting. Or they just don't care that this is a Men's only room... Seen that a few times, But post in the Women's only room and watch them lose their collective minds.

What Surgery? Seems you don't need to worry about liver size reduction which is one of the main reasons folks are typically put in pre-surgical diets. I'd really step up your attempts to follow the plan, after surgery not following your plan can and will lead to issues. Speaking from personal experience. Do it right the first time no matter how hard it is... or you'll end up needing a second WLS. I wish I was as strict as I am now back in 2011 and didn't go through cycle after cycle of attempting to "sorta" try to do it and failing... I won't make that mistake twice, WLS isn't cheap enough to treat it like a disposable item. Get cracking and follow whatever instructions you've been given to a T, it's hard and it sucks, but it gets easier, you just REALLY need to stay focused while you can. Good Luck!

I noticed you don't have Cannabis listed as an attempt to stop your nausea. You seem to have tried everything else, if Medical Cannabis isn't available you can try Marinol (Dronobinal) which is the "legal" prescription version of THC (I'm on it for sleep issues), it doesn't have all the extra benefits that you'd get with Cannabis from the CBD's, like reduction in swelling or muscle and pain easement, but it does quell nausea. With being at the end of options, it's worth talking to your PCP or Surgical Team about trying it if it's something you are willing to try.

Trade out for non-meat proteins and see if that helps. Only thing that really gets me is artificial flavorings really, but the odd changes right out of surgery have seemed to mostly go away at this point (a little over 2 months since surgery)

Potentially controversial suggestion, but, have you talked to your pain doc about Medical Cannabis for your fibro? It also helps with nausea.

For my pre-op blood work they did the following tests which totaled 56 results: IRON AND TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY, COMPREHENSIVE METABOLIC PANEL, CBC (INCLUDES DIFF/PLT), C-REACTIVE PROTEIN, HS CRP, HEMOGLOBIN A1c, HOMOCYSTEINE, FERRITIN, FOLATE, RBC, T4, FREE, TSH, VITAMIN B12, VITAMIN D,25-OH,TOTAL,IA, HELICOBACTER PYLORI, UREA BREATH TEST, VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE), BLOOD, LC/MS/MS, NICOTINE AND COTININE, LC/MS/MS, SERUM/PLASMA It's just to make sure they have your full baseline to compare with post-op and follow up, and to make sure you aren't already deficient in anything or have any bacteria or issues that would cause complications during surgery. Totally normal stuff!

If you want to be successful, don't quit "cold turkey". Ween yourself off of it slowly, the slow stepping down is easier to do and to keep up. It's easier to make a large change when you do so slowly, otherwise you risk rebounding. 100% Cocoa and 100% Cacao are the same thing (they have to be 100% though, no sugar or anything added), just one is made from High Temp Roasted Cocoa beans (Cocoa) and one is made from Low Temp Roasted or Cold Pressed Raw Cocoa beans (Cacao)... That said, 100% Cacao is better for you because you don't lose the beneficial enzymes. Read the panel, if it's got no added sugar, either one is going to be fine to use. Hersey's sells tins of 100% cacao and can be found pretty much in every baking section.

It's like chalky Greek yogurt. It's not even really an issue, it's not offensive or off putting. It's not unpleasant or gross, it's just, meh.

I've had my CPAP for about 10 years now, 2 WLS's in that time and no, the 30 day monitor is not standard procedure. For my first WLS (lapband) insurance didn't care that I had a CPAP(like at all, zero requirements except to bring my CPAP with me). For my second WLS (Bypass) my new insurance didn't care that I had a CPAP, they just wanted to know if I used it all the time and what my pressure was. That's it. You will need to bring it with you to your surgery, otherwise your surgeon can and usually will cancel the surgery. The 30 day wait does seem more like an insurance thing, to make sure you are within compliance before allowing you to move forward with surgery. I'd try to find out WHO is imposing the 30 day delay, if it's your insurance, then there isn't much you are going to be able to do about that, if it is actually the Pulmonologist, I'd ask why he's imposing the delay if it isn't required by insurance. The CPAP isn't for your actual surgery, because they *WILL* intubate and put your on a breathing machine anyway, CPAP or not. The requirement is for AFTER your surgery during your overnight stay. But hey, I've only been through this a few times now...

Protein bars, fruit leathers, dehydrated fruits, snack cheese, you can bring a TON of stuff without just as long as it isn't "liquid" There are so many "on the go" style options out there that it's almost too much to sit and try to list them all!