kczar

I'm in. I already use the existing app. Plus I test software at my job.

I couldn't get into edamame. I think it's because I remember reading here that someone actually got a bezoar from them. That's basically a fur ball caused by the fibers in the raw soy bean. I don't know how much you have to eat for this to happen, but it freaked me out. I'm sure that the roasted versions don't have an issue.

First of all, congratulations! Lots of questions, and you definitely came to the right place. 1. Emotional eating - Like someone else said, getting sleeved isn't going to stop that. Yes, it will slow you down. But not for long. At seven months, I have found my slider foods and it isn't pretty. So I'm rededicating myself to eating Protein first, veggies and fruit next and little to no carbs. 2. I'm surprised your surgeon or NUT haven't given you anything. You're almost at the pre-op liquid diet stage. I would suggest immediately cutting out carbs. Stop drinking 30 minutes before, during and 30 minutes to an hour after eating. This was the toughest one for me but now it's second nature. Find a Protein Drink that you like. Depending on your BMI, your surgeon will have you on a liquid diet for 7-14 days before the surgery itself. So I would definitely suggest calling them to get details. 3. Bougie size - You're really not going to have any control over this. Most surgeons have a size they favor but may use a different size after they are able to see the structure of your stomach. My surgeon uses 32 bougie. I've had zero issues. 4. Go for it regarding YouTube. I meant to do it and regret that I didn't. I've watched several different ones. Some are helpful, others aren't, at least to me. Who knows, your insight and experience may be an inspiration to others out there. Best of luck. Keep us posted.

Are you only wanting to use prepared drinks? Because you have a lot more options of you buy protein powder. I like about time brand because they have very few ingredients and use stevia as the sweetener. Plus it's got 24 grams of protein! Mix it with milk and you're at over 30 in one meal. Good luck.

You have the right too tell or not tell. I was honest with the people who know me best. My family, boss and closet friends all knew. Now that my weight loss is very obvious, I've had casual acquaintances ask what I did. I told one person the whole truth and the rest I just said I was doing high Protein, low carb. Which is true. A couple of people asked because they thought I might be sick, lol. Go with your gut on what to do. But keep in mind that people who see you every day are going to notice the pre and post op liquid diet, the tiny portions and probably your struggle to drink large quantities of Water. They'll probably figure out you had some kind of weight loss surgery. And they may wonder why you didn't feel like you could tell them. Just my thoughts on the subject.

I'm taking B-12 sublingual once a week. I was taking it three times a week and my levels on my latest blood work was way too high. Yes, you can take took much B-12.

I put one on the night before surgery. I had gotten sick from prior procedures (from the pain meds.) It worked great for me. I was a bit nauseous but didn't vomit. I was really glad I had it.

My seven month sleeversary will be March 20th and I've been a bit discouraged because I've been hovering between 205-206 for a few weeks now. For the first time since being sleeved, I don't think I'll lose more than 2-3 pounds. So I decided to take stock of my NSV's. 1. Inches lost - Since I started the process in February 2012, I've lost a total of 60.6 inches! Over six of those inches have been in the last 45 days. 2. When I had my mammogram last year, I had to hold the gown closed. This year, It was swimming on me. 3. Last year, I was wearing a size 26/28 in jeans. This weekend, I bought a pair of size 14's. I can honestly not remember a time in my life when I fit in that size. Granted, they're a bit tight right now, but they zip up! 4. For the first time in years, I bought dresses. And they're 14/16, not 26/28. 5. When I did Walk MS this year, I walked the entire 5k and didn't feel like I was going to die. 6. I'm sleeping through the night, not waking up gasping for air or vomiting because of severe acid reflux. 7. I'm able to easily cross my legs. 8. I don't have to guess whether I can fit into a booth at a restaurant. 9. I'm able to get 2-3 meals out of an entree, or order an appetizer and have plenty left over. I'm sure there's a number 10, but I can't think what it is right now! I'm having an easier time eating foods I shouldn't have (chips, carbs) and I'm sure that's why I'm not losing much this month. I really think that since I'm pretty close to goal (15 pounds to meet surgeon's goal, 25 for mine), I'm kind of self-sabotaging. So my focus now is resisting those foods that don't give my body what it needs. I hope all my fellow August sleevers are doing well. Keep it up, we can do it!

Until you're used to sipping, portion your Water. When I was discharged, the bariatric coordinator gave me a few of the little measuring cups they use to dole out medicine. They were two ounce cups, so I would take four sips. After a couple of days, I was able to gauge my sips without measuring. If they didn't give you any of these, use a shot glass or measuring spoon. Hang in there, you'll get it. Six months out, I can swallow a pretty good amount of water at one time. I was a guzzler but you do adapt.

I'm kind of slow 30 days - 17 60 days - 13 90 days - 9 The important thing is that I'm losing weight (and not hair!)

Congratulations and best of luck. You'll do great.

Isn't that an unusual problem to have? I guess every insurance company is different. My surgeon said my insurance used the bmi from my initial consult. But my bmi was over 40 so it really want an issue for me. Good luck and get to the Cheesecake Factory while you can!

I set a goal without taking excess skin into consideration. My understanding is that not only is there a wide variance on how much loose skin patients will have, people often overestimate how much that skin weighs. Although my goal is 190 (my lowest adult weight), I'd love to be at 165. I already have a lot of loose skin so I know that I'll need plastic surgery to have the kind of body I've always wanted. I figure I will lost these last 20-30 pounds then have a consultation. If they remove 10 pounds of skin, great. Otherwise, I'm going to be happy whatever "extra" weight I lose through the process. So I guess the short answer is, no, I'm not counting the excess skin to be removed into my weight loss goal.

Are you required to buy the shakes through your surgeon's office? If so, you're not going to have much of a choice. They may be getting some kind of kickback from the company but hopefully the product is mandatory because they feel it works best for their patients. My surgeon gave me a pre-op plan that offered three options for my Protein shakes. I chose the Premier shakes that are available at Sam's and costco. I don't like pre-mixed shakes but I was able to do it for a week. I had five shakes a day plus broth and unlimited sugar free drinks and popsicles. It was actually very freeing to not have to choose what I was going to eat. Post-op, I relied on About Time Protein Powder. It has 31 grams of protein plus 10-11 grams in the milk so I got plenty of protein in. Just don't buy huge quantities of any protein drink/powder. Your tastes will most likely change and what you love now you could despise after surgery. Good luck!

You're probably dealing with a combination of thirst, acid buildup and head hunger. When you feel "hungry", try sipping a bit of water. If you still feel it, then chew a Tums. Head hunger is the toughest. If you're like most of us, you've eaten on a schedule for years. If it's 12:00, it's time for lunch. 2:30? Snack time! You have habits that need to be broken. A good way to do that is to evaluate the feelings and determine if it's true hunger or not. You may find that sweets don't feel so good on the sleeve. The first three months, anything with more than a bit of sugar in it made me feel sick. Unfortunately, I've kind of gotten over that so now I have to discipline myself. You only get these first few months once. Following the plan laid out by your surgeon or nutritionist. Limit sweets, carbs and other empty calories. Get as much protein in as you can and drink at least 60-80 ounces of water a day. I'm five months out and take in between 800-1000 calories a day. I have increased my carbs slightly and that seemed to kick start my loss again. I can't say that I've felt true hunger like I did pre-op. Now my sleeve has to remind me to eat by gurgling like crazy. Getting the sleeve is the easiest part of this whole process. The mental work involved it tremendous. You have to retrain your thought process from "how much can I eat" to "what are the best choices for me". It's an ongoing struggle but you can do it. Good luck!

I've been fortunate because all the people I'm closest with have been extremely supportive. Perhaps she's worried that you'll "leave her" once you've lost your weight. I'm sure insecurity has a lot to do with it. Don't most of us fatties (said with love) suffer from at least a bit of that? Maybe her insurance doesn't cover the sleeve and she can't afford to pay for the procedure out of pocket. Her seeing you succeed could be painful. If you're truly close to her, I would suggest talking to her. If you said, "You know, if you were able to get the sleeve and I couldn't, I'd be kind of jealous of you", that might open the floodgates. It's hard to admit you have those kinds of feelings for someone you care about, so you taking the initiative would probably help a great deal. Remember, your life is changing while her's may not be. She might be afraid she'll be left alone.

If you do a search for post-op diet, you'll find that it varies greatly. Some surgeons are stricter than others. In my case, I went home on full liquids for a week, then moved to soft foods for another two weeks, then slowly introduced solid foods back into my life. I did't pass through the clear liquid and mushy/puree food stage like a lot of others. Protein shakes are a big part of your life for at least the first several months. I've gone off them for the last couple of weeks just because I was tired of their taste. However, I think I'm going to add them back a few times a week since they add such a huge amount of protein for one meal.

Like most here, I don't have regrets about the procedure itself. I'm five months out and have lost 57 pounds since surgery, 83 pounds including pre-op diet. I've never lost that much weight on my own, let alone in just a year's time. There are some foods I no longer care for and eating carbs in the form of bread products is very uncomfortable. But it's a small price to pay. However, heed the words of the two posters who shared their leak experiences. It can happen. You have to be prepared for that possibility. Of course, there is a risk to any surgery. My daughter's friend had two hospitalizations due to problems with her gall bladder surgery, which is the second most common procedure done in the US. So if something that "routine" can have problems, anything can. As far as hiatal hernias are concerned, my surgeon detected it on the chest x-ray they did as part of my pre-op tests. Oddly, the EGD I had done several month earlier didn't show anything. And sometimes they won't know until the are actually doing the sleeve. But if you have one, they'll repair it at the same time. Do your research, think long and hard and then decide what you want to do. You really do have to be mentally prepared for this step. I think there are way too many people who rush into being sleeved without taking into account all the changes it brings.

I'm five months out and this is definitely an issue that I'm dealing with. It's due to the high protein, low carb diet. We're not taking in a lot of fiber and it takes its toll. I would suggest adding some kind of fiber (I take Benefiber 2-3 times a week) to help the process along. You don't want to rely on laxatives or stool softeners because I think this is a long term issue. Eventually when you can add more veggies and good grains into your diet, it should get better. Hang in there!

I'm five months out and haven't experienced any loss yet. It's interesting how varied the responses are.

You're fine! I agree with Traci J, though. For at least the first few months, I'd eliminate pretty much all carbs except for milk and cheese products. You'll eventually get to the point where you can add some crackers or cereals into your plan, but right now all they will do is fill you up and probably make you feel bad. Last month (I'm almost five months out) I started upping my carb intake a bit. I was in a stall and that kick started my loss again. This is a learning process. You'll probably make some mistakes and suffer the consequences. But eventually, you'll be able to tell right away how much food you need to put on your plate and what works best for you. It's tough to completely mess up your sleeve. Just stay focused and contact your surgeon or nutritionist with any specific questions. Good luck!

It is a definite adjustment. I didn't bother buying special plates, bowls and spoons but just used dessert plates and cups. If you use a regular plate, you'll definitely feel frustrated and a bit sad. And things like big family dinners with a bunch of choices do make you realize your limitations. But...it can give you a great sense of freedom. You look at a huge spread and know you're going to eat the best available Protein and a bite or two of something else if you have room. You'll slowly realize that more than a couple of spoonfuls of a food is too much. It is a process, but it's so worth it!

The pain immediately post op isn't too bad. I mainly had problems getting in and out of bed. When I got home, I slept in a chair for a couple of nights. My surgeon actually inserted a lead into my abdomen that delivered constant pain meds that I took out the third day day. He also prescribed a anti-nausea patch that I put on the night before surgery. Check with your doctor to see if he does the same. Really, the worst pain for me came a few weeks after surgery. As you get more mobile, you'll feel pulling where they stitched up your ab muscles. That clears up once they dissolve. Just make sure your surgeon knows you had a bad reaction to morphine. You'll do great!