topgun

My immediate family and very close friends only. Any others can just think I have great discipline and lost the weight myself.

The last time I had anything like "Fuel in a Bottle" it was 80 proof! (Sorry, I couldn;t resist.) I use the protein shots that Wal Mart sells for $9.97 for 6. I think it is by Body Fortress. It's around 26 grams of protein and it's only 2.9 ozs of yucky stuff I have to drink. I figure 2.9 ounces is better than having to choke down an 11 oz protein shake (that I used to love before surgery) with the same amount of protein

This is a classic example of why they recommend that any new foods must be introduced very gradually and in very smal Do yourself a favor and don't weigh every day. Now I weigh only once a week. If you weigh once a week, you won't ever have a 2 day stall. Don't be desperate and especially don't resort to anything like vomiting after eating. You will wind up in the hospital so fast with a case of dehydration or severe nutrient deficiency, both of which can be life threatening. THEN you really will be miserable, at best. It is a proven fact that those who lose slowly over an extended period are the most successful sleevers and the most likely to keep their weight off. Maybe a consultation with your NUT would be beneficial. Per my doctor's recommendation, I try to eat up to 1100 calories a day. I'm not always successful, but I try. Don't let desperation defeat you. Stick with a plan and weight loss is inevitable.

You may be ahead of the game if you haven't lost any hair yet. As I understand it, most people notice it very soon after surgery. That is what happened in my case. As far as taking anything for it, I think being proactive is better than being reactive. Hair loss is a combined result of a nutritional deficiency and the post operative shock that your body goes thru after major surgery. You may be one of those fortunate few who will not experience a significant hair loss. Keep doing what you're doing because it doesn't sound there's anything broken for you to fix! Good luck!

You're probably eating so little that limiting yourself to nothing but purely "healthy" may not be your best option this early on. I'm using reasonably good judgment but I'm catering to my palate at the same time. My doctor supported my reasoning and feels that taking in a reasonable amount of calories should be as important a goal as eating healthy. Don;t get me wrong, I'm not shoving chocolate down my throat at every opportunity (or at all), I'm just eating what I please in greatly reduced quantities. I'm probably not taking in more than 500 calories in food (with another 260 in protein drinks) daily. Don;t abuse your sleeve, tho, by eating too much or eating foods that are too hard to process.

Welcome to the holy crap club! None of us are strangers to the myriad of pre op emotions that you are going through and wondering if this really is the right thing. I am, number one, a guy, 64 years old and I was sleeved just over 4 weeks ago. I had no post op surgical complications and I think you will find that they are very rare. I had some dehydration issues and the normal couple of weeks of low energy. I can honestly tell you that right now I feel better, more energetic and optimistic than I have felt in many years! Only you can decide if the sleeve is right for you because there are some trade offs that are irreversible. First... are you ready to change your entire concept of food to being no more than a fuel for your body?

Buy almost nothing until after surgery. I've got a pantry full of stuff I bought so I would be prepared and then, after surgery, couldn't stand the thought of eating. Just make sure you have vitamins, a sampling of protein drinks and maybe a couple of cans of soup. Then, after surgery, buy what sounds good. Trust me, what sounds good today will make you gag post-op. You're going to be eating so little after surgery you don't need to have a pantry full. The tastiest broths I had after surgery were strained soups. I'd strain out the chicken and noodles, for example, so I could have the liquid only. Good luck!

My doctor said to eat 10-12 times a day at first. These should be planned meals, not just random snacks. Keep it healthy, eat often and wisely, and you'll be fine. Calorie counting isn't really that important at the beginning for most people because most of us are not eating enough to really be considered significant amounts. I'd say eat whatever sounds good just to get some fuel for your body to run on. Plenty of time to count calories after you've recuperated from surgery.

Nobody can pray better than a real loser! Your support group here on the forum is with you all the way. Have a great trip to Mexico, be safe, and God speed.

I was miserable the first few days, then followed by a couple of weeks of low energy and generally not up to sorts. The third week was a major turnaround and now, at 4 weeks post op, I can truthfully say that I really feel great. And by great, I mean better than I have in years! Get through the first couple of weeks and then it's all a breeze after that as long as you stick with your nutrition / fluid intake plan.

That;s the highest BMI prerequisite I've ever heard! Do they give any allowances for comorbidities such as sleep apnea, back/knee problems, etc?

Well, of COURSE American doctors think going to Mexico is crazy! They're losing business! They seem to forget that America, too, is FULL of people who graduated from medical school at the bottom of their class and then barely squeaked by their internships. And guess what they are called...DOCTOR! I'm sure there are good - and bad - Mexican surgeons. Do your research well. Be careful of a lot of the so-called "reviews" on the internet, I am sure that a number of them are advertising plants made to look like satisfied customers. Best of luck.

I am sort of a bug about liquids, having been through the misery of dehydration and having to be infused with fluids two times after surgery. After surgery you will be faced many times with choosing between fluids or Protein. By all means choose fluids. Your body can do without everything except fluids for quite a while. All fluids count, not just Water. Milk is low or non fat milk is good because it's the best of 2 worlds - its a Fluid and it is high in protein. Good luck!

I think you would be well advised to arrange for 3 weeks off of work (if you have a sedentary occupation) and then return earlier if you feel up to it. Going back too early does your employer no good or you, either. I was devoid of energy for at least the first 2 weeks and still not up to par for another week after that. This was at least partially due to my becoming dehydrated which mean I had to go in for Fluid infusions twice. I went back to work after 2 weeks because I'm self-employed and just couldn't say away longer. If I could have, I would have. The third week was a major milestone for me. After that I really felt good, as I do now, and feeling like I can take on the world. I feel so much better now than I did before the surgery and better than I've felt in many years. Surgical complication rates are very low so I wouldn't fret too much about that. Deal with things as they actually occur, not as you fear they will occur. There is enough pre-op stress as it is! Best wishes for your new life!

No, I started counting weight loss when I first started my pre op nutrition plan with Kaiser (Called "Options" program). That started in November, 2011 and I was able to lose around 55 pounds or so even before surgery on 3/29/12. I've lost about 27 pounds or so since my surgery. I'm sorry if it's misleading. Don't be in a rush to lose weight by starving yourself. You can actually slow the process if you do. During times of famine, the human body will automatically put itself in "starvation mode" and reduce the number of calories it needs to function. If this happens, it will cause a slowing or even a stopping of your weight loss. This is a common reason that many people experience stalls. Take in a reasonable number of calories (my doctor says 1000 - 1300 a day) and keep up the protein for the best long-term results. And plenty of fluids! Good luck!

Isn't it too cool? Way to go! I know that for the first time in my life I'm getting rid of my "fat clothes" instead of saving them for when I'll need them again. The sleeve ain't easy, but these are the things that make it all worth while. Congrats to you and to all of my other loser buddies!

Call President Obama... it's an election year! Sorry, I don't mean to make light of your dilemma and I wish there was an easy answer for you. I just get frustrated because there are so many Americans out there who really need help - such as you - but can't get it because our government squanders so much money on the undeserving. I think probably the easiest way for you would be to apply for a credit card and use that. Qualifying standards change from one lender to another and, while you may not qualify for one, you may for another. I really wish you the best of luck!

I'm only 4 weeks out and I really haven't found any slider foods yet. I guess that will happen later as my sleeve heals and the capacity increases. Early on I think eating and drinking at the same time is more of an overfill problem and then later down the road it becomes a slider issue. I do sometimes take a very tiny sip of fluid once or twice during my 1/3 cup meals, but I'm careful not to overdo it.

Rapid weight loss is characteristic of the period immediately following surgery. It will then level off. I think what you are reporting is great and .5 lbs per day average is - I think - a tad above the norm. I am 28 days post op and I've lost about 27 pounds. Way to go!

I know of no downside to consuming more than your protein goal. I think the goal is meant to be a minimum.

My latest salty crunchy snack is fried pork skins! 80 cal per generous serving, ZERO carbohydrates and they don't fill me up. They're a little high in sodium, but it's worth it to satisfy that craving when it hits. Added plus.... 7g of protein per serving. Who woulda thunk it?

I am 64 years old and just got sleeved last month. Everything went just fine and all is A-okay to this point. Your Mom is going to be more than fine and she's going to be around longer to enjoy her wonderful, caring daughter. Best of luck!

Kaiser has a gazillion different coverages so yours is going to be different than others. My Kaiser cost was just the $150.00 for one night in the hospital. I don't think I even paid a surgical co-pay. If I did, it wasn't much. Good luck!

Your liquids are the #1 priority at the beginning. You may not even be interested in eating at first, so don;t worry too much about it. Your body has enough nutrients stored to last some time, but it has no fluid reserves. Dehydration is probably the #1 problem and it can be miserable. If you have to make a decision between eating or drinking, then drink. Yes, milk and all fluids count, not just water. Milk is good, too, because it's high in protein. Best of luck!

You'd probably overload your sleeve very quickly and to your extreme discomfort. Better to wait, I know.