SunnyCox

I rarely cook at home even though I know I should do it more often. lunch is often provided at my job, and I have meetings, family and friends to go out most evenings of the week. I have had no problems adjusting. I bring shakes with me to work and eat more solid foods when I am with others. Drinking with meals isn't a big issue. Order Water and no one will notice if you drink it. I will often have one or two small sips with my dinner. It helps things go down easily. If you are talking about drinking alcohol, I don't have much advice. I've never been a big drinker. About being sick after eating too much - I've never had an episode where I run to the bathroom. You can tell when you are eating too much, but it does come on a lot faster than it did pre-sleeve. When you feel it, it can often be too late. For me, it doesn't require a trip to the bathroom. I just know that I am going to be uncomfortably full for a while, and I don't like that feeling which causes me to avoid overeating. Most of the time, I just wait it out. This may be a little gross, but I have stuck my finger down my throat on a couple of occasions because I had too much. I didn't want to be miserable, so I got it over with quickly instead of waiting for it to pass. I've never vomited that I wasn't the one controlling it. I hear people getting what they call 'the slimies,' but this hasn't happened to me.

Great words to describe exactly how I feel. I've based a lot of decisions in all aspects of my life on whether my weight could be accommodated

You don't necessarily have to have your stress test done at a cardiologist's office. Many hospitals will do them on an outpatient basis. I would agree that you should call around and find another doctor who has an opening.

Women are more likely to seek out the connection/social aspect and come to the forum to share than men, but I've seen several before & afters of men. I hope you get some good responses.

3 days = the first night I got out of the hospital. The Hotel Lucerna was too romantic in the evenings for us not to enjoy ourselves.

Obesity alone is a major risk factor for CAD. Did you have an EKG done in the cardiologists office? Was it normal? What is your blood pressure? Have you ever had high blood pressure or high cholesterol?

I was thinking the same thing! You look way too young to have a 13 year old!

Not sure where you live, but you can find several doctors in the US that charge 10-11K. I chose to go to Mexico too. I've heard great things about Dr. Garcia on the forum, and I'm sure you'll be very happy.

Congrats! When you start eating right, exercising and losing weight, your insulin resistance improves which helps soooo many women get pregnant! Keep up the great habits!

Stress tests are ordered for a few major reasons and are very often used to evaluate patients who are at a high risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). You probably have a higher risk of CAD. You're at an increased risk for CAD with increasing age, being male, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity to name a few. If you've ever experienced angina (chest pains), you are likely to have a stress test to try to determine the cause. Some people can do their stress test on a treadmill. You will have to walk for a certain time to get your heart rate to a certain level. Some people can't do the treadmill stress test either because of physical limitations such as arthritis or knee problems or because they can't exercise adequately enough to really make their heart pump. If you can't do the treadmill stress test, you can have a nuclear stress test where you are given a medication that simulates the effect of exercise. Having your heart rate speed up due to the medication can be uncomfortable / un-nerving, but you'll be able to get through it. They will watch your EKG and take images of your heart while you lay flat. If you have undiagnosed cardiac issues, you would probably want to resolve them before going to surgery. Hopefully, everything will go just fine, your problems will be minimal, and you'll become even healthier after you've lost some weight!

I use antiperspirant in a big triangle right at the skin folds on a daily basis. I also wear a pantiliner every day. I get one spot that flares up all the time, but it isn't a clogged sweat gland. It is skin break down from the friction. It feels like a large cyst or pimple. As soon as I feel it starting to get the least little bit tender, I use an antibiotic ointment and cover it with a bandage for a few days. This seems to keep it from getting worse. Once it is flared up, I have also covered them with antibiotic cream and a bandage to help it go down. I've never had to have one lanced. It seems that with all the rubbing, it couldn't heal. The bandage prevents friction, and it heals up in about a week for me.

I gained weight after surgery, and I have with the other two surgeries I had years ago. Some people hold water after anesthesia.

Mine was post op day 10, but I could start as early as day 7 if I was doing well on clear liquids and felt weak/lethargic. I started on day 7.

For my coffee, I use the ready to drink Muscle Milk Cookies 'N Cream. I have heard of plenty of people using the Protein powder instead. I am only 7 weeks out. I have been on solid foods since week 5. Not everyone does a long post op phase of liquids and mushy foods. For me - Week 1 - Clear Liquids Week 2 - full liquids Week 3/4 - mushy&soft food Week 5 - solids For the record, during my evening Snacks, my food of choice is edamame or watermelon, but on occasion, I have had ice cream or frozen yogurt with some fruit. I had half of a cupcake at a birthday celebration. I find that these foods seem incredibly sweet to me now, and I don't need more than a few bites before I feel satisfied. I purposely do not eat past the point of satisfaction. I do not want to feel stuffed. I did hit a stall at week 3-5, and I went back to mostly liquids for a few days. I am steadily moving down with another 8 lbs gone in the last 7 days. I feel that I may lose weight faster if I didn't have these treats or if I were on a liquid or mushy diet longer, but I am still losing. I am not miserable. I do not feel deprived. I'm satisfied, content, and I am still moving towards my weight loss goals. I am a firm believer that I shouldn't have to eliminate any one food from my diet. I want to have a normal, well rounded meal plan that involves moderation and healthy choices with occasional treats.

When I was on all liquids, I had a problem getting in more than 500 calories. I would drink roughly 3 shakes a day (20-30g Protein each) (160-180 cal each). The liquid stage for me only lasted two weeks, so it wasn't very long that I wasn't getting in enough calories. If I found that I was feeling a little lethargic, I would drink some fresh fruit juice - good for Fiber and calories. Now that I am eating more normally, I have no problem getting in all my calories. In fact, I often have to make sure that I don't go too high which keeps me tracking my intake during the week. I also supplement with shakes. I am not a big fan of eating first thing in the morning, so I found a way around this by pouring my ready made shake into my coffee (half shake / half coffee). I do this twice in the morning and get in 30g of protein and 160 calories. A second shake for brunch would be another 160cal and 30g of protein. I eat mid afternoon usually deli meat and cheese / fajita meat / or something similar. This usually runs me 150cal and 20g protein. For dinner, I eat taco salad, a hamburger patty, or something similar with cheese. 150 cals and 20g protein. (Sometimes I add sour cream, avacado, or greek yogurt - which adds about 60 calories) After dinner, I usually stay away from heavier, protein foods. I'm too close to going to bed to want to lay down with food in my stomach. I tend to have a cup of watermelon, edamame, steamed veggies, etc. I usually get another 150- 200 cals and sometimes some protein depending on if I eat Beans vs veggies or fruit. If I feel like I need more, I eat a handful of nuts. This makes anywhere from 750-1000 calories a day for me. It has been more than enough to lose weight without feeling run down. There are plenty of calorie dense, healthier foods (nuts, avacado, olive oil etc) that can fill your diet once you can eat solid foods.

There is a fit text that tells you if you are ready for P90X: http://www.beachbody.com/text/products/programs/p90x/p90xFitTest_Rev010809.pdf Power 90 is probably a better place to start if you haven't been exercising.

Mine was for one week. I lost 9lbs. I was on mushy foods and full liquids for the first four days. The last 3 days were clear liquids. My starting weight was 279. Being heavier, I expected to lose a little faster.

You have such a pretty face... (often because they can't mention the rest of me).

I agree with the gallbladder. Look up "cholecystitis," and see if the symptoms fit. The pain from my gallbladder started small. I would hurt for 20mins. Then, it was an hour. Then, I couldn't sleep at night. Next thing I know I'm in the hospital having developed pancreatitis due to my gall stones. I had to wait for the pancreatitis to have my gallbladder removed later in the week.

At least she offered what she could to help. She was trying, but she wasn't educated enough to really help you through your situation. Sometimes diabetics need insulin, and sometimes they only need to make dietary changes. Explain to her that you have already tried the dietary changes, but now you have to go to the next step to find relief for your obesity. And while she still may not understand, let her know that you have made your decision and need her support. You will gladly take her diet tips and recipes once you are able to eat regular food again.

I'm sure you're are not missing that extra chin! You look great!

You can bring protein drinks through security with you. Medically necessary food and drinks are aloud.

I've tried the sugar free slurpee at 7/11. It has an odd after taste, but it sure goes down nicely on a hot afternoon

I started with a new PCP when I came home from Mexico. He handles everything!

I've noticed that I've had a lot more acne over the years than I had as a teen. I never thought the Mirena would be the cause??