Caribear

Excellent job! You are doing great!

I can completely relate to how you feel. I was almost 400 pounds at my highest weight. I lost 120 pounds, and was still morbidly obese. It's incredibly frustrating. But I would echo what others have said, just keep going! I also echo Inner Surfer Girl's suggestion to find a class you enjoy. If you like to dance, I recommend finding a REFIT class near you. It is similar to Zumba, but they use pop and contemporary Christian music instead of all Latin. They are very uplifting, and I think you will find a lot of support there. Keep on keeping on, sister! Praying for you!

I quit cold turkey several years ago. I think my son's dad was afraid of me for the first three days, lol. Just warn the people who are close to you that you might be a little emotional for a while, and explain why. I think the biggest thing for me was reminding myself that every time I craved a cigarette but didn't smoke one, I was closer to being healthy and smoke-free. I took up crocheting and used that to distract myself. Quitting isn't easy, but it is worth it. And you can do it.

I started in June, but since my insurance requires 9 months of supervised diet, I am right there with you.

I think you should be ok. According to the paperwork I got from my surgeon's office, they are checking for things like un-treated depression and excessive risk-taking behaviors. I was diagnosed with dysthymia (long-term chronic depression) and I asked my surgeon if it would be an issue, and he said no, as long as it was being controlled and I was not suicidal. (no worries there, I would like to live, that's why I'm having the surgery)

I am also pre-op, so take from this what you will, but I have dealt with joint pain for many years. I am another one who has had some success from tumeric, but I have also had a lot of relief from taking Gelatin as a supplement. I use Great Lakes brand beef gelatin, and it shortens my recovery time and just generally makes my joints happier. I sprinkle a spoonful in a cup of juice, let it absorb the liquid, stir it up, and drink it. There is a flavor to it, and a texture that some people find unpleasant, but I don't mind it too much because it really helps. Don't know how your sleeve would like it, but it's worth a try. A one-pound can of it is about $18 on Amazon. It does take a little while of taking it regularly to really see the benefits, but I don't go without it now. I am hard on my joints and I need all the help I can get. I hope you find some relief soon, and that your added shifts go well.

Here is a page with some great suggestions for purees/soft foods. I hear the ricotta bake is wonderful! http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/08/pureed-foods.html

Glad to hear there is some progress being made. Hopefully they get everything straightened out and things start running more smoothly from here on out!

If you burned the cheese on top, next time you make it, cover it with foil until the last 5-10 minutes of baking. I haven't tried it but it looks wonderful. So far as nutritional information goes, I use MyFitnessPal and put all the ingredients into the recipe builder section. That should give you a pretty good idea of what you are working with.

Do you still have your gallbladder? Sometimes gallstones can cause shoulder pain.

I am still pre-op, but I use and love the nectar powders. I also have an issue with mixing, especially if the Water I use is very cold. I use this shaker bottle, it has blades in the lid instead of having the little spring ball that other shaker bottles use. I find it works much better than the others. Plus it has a screw-on compartment on the bottom for a second serving of Protein powder, some nuts, or whatever you would like to put in there. https://www.amazon.com/VALI-Stainless-Compartment-Capacity-Supplements/dp/B00T4XT99W/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1468457350&sr=1-4&keywords=steel+shaker

Congratulations! I am so happy for you!

@@johnbamber here is the page with the ricotta bake recipe on it, along with some more helpful suggestions. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/08/pureed-foods.html

Nice to meet you! I am pre-sleeve, but I get how you feel. I am a fitness class instructor, and certified personal trainer. I am also pretty healthy for my size, but I also have family history of major weight-related illnesses. I look forward to hearing about your journey!

Hi all, I stumbled upon this channel watching YouTube the other day. It is a recipe channel dedicated to bariatric "treat" recipes. Thought I would share it with you all. https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC4Q4uCuntpSyAr0ArbZCx_w

Hi all, I was wondering if any of you have fibromyalgia or other similar chronic pain conditions, and what your experience has been with the surgery and recovery? I was diagnosed with fibro, it is fairly mild in my case, and I am pretty active. Most days I feel like it won't cause any issues when it comes time to have surgery. Then there are days like today when I feel like I have been hit by a bus, and I worry that the surgery will throw me into a major flare. My last surgery was gallbladder removal, and the resulting flare is actually what caused me to receive my fibro diagnosis to begin with. I was a train wreck for almost a year, nearly bedridden at one point. I like to think that now I am armed with more knowledge and better coping mechanisms, and that all will be well, but I do still wonder.

I just asked this question the other day. I am pre-op but have fibro as well. Here is the link to the thread I posted about this: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/371463-fibromyalgiachronic-pain-and-the-sleeve-surgery/ And here is a link to the Sleeved Spoonies group: http://www.bariatricpal.com/groups/455-sleeved-spoonies/ Welcome!

Happy birthday! I hope you feel better soon. Have you taken anything like milk of magnesia to help with the bathroom issues? What did your doctor suggest?

I think doctors set your goal by the expectation that the average sleeve patient loses 60% of their excess weight. However, you absolutely should set your own goals. If you want to aim for 140s, then go for it!

My doctor said that any pill that is the size of an m&m or smaller is ok for us to take as soon as we can drink. Anything larger than that, and we will have to crush them, get the liquid form, or switch to a smaller dose more often. Also, any extended release meds will have to be exchanged for multiple doses of the regular form. But yes, you will want to talk to your doctor/pharmacist about your specific needs.

When I quit soda, the first three days were the worst. Lots of water helps. Hang in there, you can do it.

I have a personal training certification. Your trainer 1) doesn't know what they are talking about and 2) should not be giving you any nutritional advice, period, because it is outside their scope of practice. There are very, very few CPT certifications that include any kind of nutritional information. Your NUT will be able to give you better advice. Sorry if this comes across as snippy. It really irks me when professionals overstep the boundaries of their licensure, because they could actually hurt someone with their bad advice.

Did you call your surgeon? Mine has made it pretty clear to us that if we have any pain in our abdomen, that we are supposed to call him. For the constipation, I have heard that milk of magnesia is the most widely used.

Thank you all for the input, it's good to hear other people's experiences with the surgery. @@theantichick I joined your group, thank you for starting it! Did any of you find that the physical or emotional stress of the surgery itself kicked off a flare-up of your symptoms? How was your pain during your recovery? I think that is what I am most concerned about. I have a limited amount of time that I can be off work after surgery, and parts of my job are very physically demanding. I worry that I will have a very hard time getting back into the swing of things. Thanks again, and gentle hugs to everyone!