CaliKat

I dont have difficulty with the Peanut Butter per se.... But the texture right after post-op made me queasy and the sugar (even in the low sugar kind) made me a bit nausious. I am a PB2 zelot..... LOVE the stuff. I love adding it to my shakes and Protein pudding. I have never had an issue with it- maybe a bit of flatulance, but nothing upsetting to the insides. I would reccomend you try it- especially if you cook or bake and because its dehydrated- its lasts forever on the shelf. Its also a great sauce for low cal chicken skewers with thai peanut sauce!

I wouldnt recommend this, but..... I never had an issue with dairy until after my surgery- after surgery I would get gassy and well..... you know. Since I love the Syntrax shakes with skim milk and the milk is a great way to get your Protein in, I decided to drink the milk, be patient with the intollerance issues everyday until I trained my body to get over it. I drank extra Water during this time to make sure that I wasnt getting dehydrated. About a week later I was able to consume all types of dairy (many servings daily of skim milk, NF yogurt and FF cottage cheese) without issues. I must have tricked/taught my body.

For all you that are interested in what happens during your procedure; Dr. Cirangle from LapSF will be doing a live VSG on Saturday where you can tweet questions and have a birds eye view of the surgery. I dont want to be a spammer or pusher and post the link, so if you are interested, Google the name and his practice- its under the BLOG tab. I have seen the video of my surgery and its pretty cool- once I got past the creepy-out-of-body-watching-yourself-OMG feeling!

In 45 days/31lbs I went from a full and perky (they seemed to defy gravity) DD to a slightly soft and kinda droopy D. So.... unfortunately with over 2/3 of my excess weight to go, im betting there are some serious push-up bra's and plastics in my future.

stay strong! keep a list of WHY you are having VSG surgery so when you see/smell trigger foods you have immediate support. oh- and dont watch the food Network channel- that Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show gets me EVERY time!

Get as much Fluid as possible. Anyway you can- Jello, Protein drinks, ice chips, poweraide zero, etc I personally try to get 88oz/day because its hot here in Cali and because I feel better with more liquid (and I can fool the head hunger). My secret to getting all that liquid is a (gasp!) straw! I know some Dr's dont like their patients using a straw because of the added air you can intake (plus air causes some seriously loud gurgling in my tummy)- but a bit of air beats an IV anyday in my book!

It took me 3 weeks from initial consult to OR table. I was self-pay, so I could have gotten a date within the week, but wanted to give my work a heads up I would be out for a few unplanned days. Also- some of the pre-op tests took a few days to schedule and get results.... surprisingly the psych consult took the longest to schedule as many of the referred docs were too booked w/ regular patients to take a one-off. congrats on taking control of your life and health!

OMG- your schedule is BRUTAL! A proper diet is #1 on the to-do list as a sleever, but #2 is exercise. It sounds like you are doing fine on your weight loss already (54# is awesome!) and your job is pretty physical, but is there any way you could incorporate your family into some exercise? Even some crazy Wii Fit or family walks/bike rides? And dont forget.... Sex counts as exercise As fellow Cali-girl.... I feel you on the traffic! I think I read somewhere that Lissa carries small weights in her car since she spends lots of time on the road. If its not too distracting or dangerous for you, give that a whirl.

If some foods are a trigger and/or you overeat them.... BANISH THEM FROM YOUR CUPBOARD! You already know where you crossed the line and good for you for seeking support (the mark of a strong confident women ) so just stick to the plan. Protein, protein, protein first - as long as you stick to that mantra you prob wont be able to fit in a poptart. Congrats on your airplane NSV- thats a huge emotional one for most people. Rock them short-shorts this summer girl!

Not a single regret. Best decision I ever made. Sorry husband, sorry college, sorry career.... but this is the #1 best decision I have ever made because it has positively impacted my life in every other area. And I WAS fundamentally healthy before surgery.... a ticking time bomb for diabetes, HBP, etc - but I was healthy. Some say that they operate on our stomachs and not our heads- its physically true.... and I dont know if its attitude, support from this forum or the fact I self-paid.... but I woke up out of anesthesia with a fresh perspective and a desire to leave behind the binge eating, the volume eating and the emotional connections I had with food. Im kinda in the "get busy living or get busy dying" phase- where I choose to live fully. If you are strong enough to seek answers, educate yourself and face the reality of your health, I am sure you are strong enough to make a change in your life. Best of luck

You need to see specificly what your surgeon wants- but mine allowed non-clear Protein drinks in the "clear" phase. Also- GNC or Vitamin Shoppe carries Isopure Zero Carb that is like Gatoraide w/ 40g protein in 20z. (I dont like the taste so I dope with crystal light). And the usual- Jello, SF popsicles and broth. Get some unflavored Protein powder and make your own protein jello, popsicles and add it to your broth.

When I crave something- I eat it. Not stuff-my-face-oh-my-god-I-ate-all-of-that-hide-the-wrappers eat.... But a small portion. I find if I give into the craving (in a reasonable way) I don't feel deprived or fixated and a small amount will fix the urge. If you are far enough out- have your potato.... Just add in some extra cardio and resistance training to make good use of the carbs. Enjoy the control your sleeve has given you!

Make your own Protein jello! Use small individual cups (plastic dixie cups, not paper)to solidify - and make lots of flavors because you will be sick of just one! And you will not eat a whole packet before it goes bad. Use I packet SF Jello and a scoop or two of unflavored Protein powder. I also added extracts to mine to get some fun flavors- ie cherry jello w/ vanilla extract, orange jello w/pineapple extract.... Go to your baking isle in the grocery store or use Amazon- tons of flavors to choose from. you can also use Torrani SF syrups to flavor jello- just less Water what you used in syrup. For what it's worth, I used lots of the extracts and SF syrups to dope Protein shakes (mint helps bad chocolate shakes) so I could enjoy them. I drank a lot of the Isopure 40g carb Fruit drinks and added lots of crystal lite so I could tolerate too.

Best of luck to you tomorrow! I am sure that many of us wondered what the "refund policy" of our surgeons would be if we ran for it from the pre-op room! Lol! A little nervousness or a little second guessing is normal. It sounds like you have got a few people to give you the emotional support and you have your faith helping you too. Use them when you are feeling scared- thats what they are there for. Try and get some good rest tonight and if you have time prior to the surgery to keep yourself distracted, work on a "new-me-list" of things that you are looking forward to once you are on your way to goal- activities you want to do, clothing you hope to wear, weight goals, etc. In my experience, there was some delays/waiting in the pre-op area and I really had to focus on meditating and even did some "gurney-yoga" to relax and center my head. Good vibes your way and congrats on your journey to a life beyond your wildest dreams!

Sounds pretty normal compared to me. You have to think that most of what you are eating (jello, soup, Protein drinks) goes through you very fast. Its when you start eating plain pure protein- just tuna, just chicken, etc is when you will really feel it. Also- at 3 weeks, you may notice a slight increase in volume & capacity simply because the swelling should be almost gone. I was in your shoes at 3 weeks too- I was PETRIFIED of streching and "popping" my sleeve- I could eat/drink much more than lots of people on the forum. But I kept to the perscribed diet progression and felt good/strong.... I am normal now (VSG normal) in eating & drinking and small amounts of pure protein do the trick and the weight loss is trucking along. As for the hunger- take your PPI and be mindful of the head hunger that makes you overdo it. Its so crazy how just one bite is overfill and gets you to that "ugggggh" stage!

Thought i would chime in with my two cents here...... I had not planned on telling ANYONE- EVER that I had this surgery.... Just my BF who I live with. I ended up telling my sister-in-law who is a surgeon just because I wanted an outside opinion from a medical perspective. I made her promise not to tell my brother- and she promised me and never said another word. A few weeks after the surgery, my sis-in-law and I went out to dinner and I told her that I dont plan on telling anyone-ever- about the surgery. She said she understood that I had my reasons for not telling my family- but from a surgical or medical perspective- I should reconsider. Her reasoning was that if you come into an ER unconcious- and there is no one there to tell the docs what surgeries youve had, what meds you are on, etc.... Than they may do a medical procedure that can harm you. And since family makes the life-or-death call.... They should know. She also told me that there are many Dr's out there who are unfimiliar with the VSG procedure- so having somone that can explain can be benificial. So..... I plan on telling a few choice family members about the surgery when I see them next- and they see some of the fabulous results! Hope that helps somone.

Lol- I did something similar too- I think everyone does this once accidentally. It truly is amazing how easy it is to eat foods that arent filling- sliders- and eat a lot of it! Those calories/carbs/fat just go down way too easy! Im kinda glad I did, cause now I am acutely aware of the "danger zone" of slipping back into old habits. You know what they say...... "progress, not perfection."

Sleved 4/4 Im on vacation and ive been doing fab except..... I had one fajita quesidilla slice (1/2 with tortilla) and 1/4c of a Sonic carmel milkshake and I didnt take my Iron Vitamin. I promise myself I will do better tomorrow!

For quick and easy try Chipoltle bowls (ask for no rice and double meat) or Taco Bell Fresco chicken soft taco (dont eat the tortilla) I eat out a lot and have found that ethnic or specialty resturants are the better way to go- sashimi or Tepanyaki at Japaneese, Kebabs or shwarma at Indian/Mediteranian (hummus can do in a pinch too- kinda high in carbs tho), fajitas and tacos al fresco for Mexican, beef & broccoli (light sauce) for chineese and lots of seafood at resturants everywhere. Itallian was the tough one for me- lots of noodles and everything was breaded- but I ended up getting a seafood carpaccio thing and mostly ate the seafood... although a side of meatballs and sauce would have been acceptable too. I always carry the nectar Samples with me when I am on the go- that way I can just buy a bottle of Water or milk and have instant Protein. I also carry the Babybells (no refrigeration required), Protein Bars (for occational use), beef jerkey and natural Peanut Butter singles.

I felt "good" enough to have a normal day 2 days later- the only discomfort I had was getting out of bed or off the couch. Normal day being no pain meds, driving and running errands, working (desk job), light housecleaning and walking with boyfriend. That being said- I am over a month out and on the days when I am not dillagent in taking the Vitamins or not getting enough water- I can totally feel it and I feel tired. Its sooooo easy to skip the Proteins or forget to eat in the beginning and you get weak really quick. Its also easy to not get enough water- thats a major NO-NO and can land you in a hospital. Put yourself first- take the opportunity to create a new habit of taking your meds/vitamins and tracking your food/fluid. Happy sleeving!

Go to Nordstroms- a full size one, not a Rack- and have a fitting done. A real Nordstroms will have sports bras that will fit you and they will be of good quality. Your sports bra should be versitile enough to change with you for at least a few band sizes. They also make "sports bras" that are more like real bras- but I have not worn those- they make me too chesty. I "double bag" with a sports bra and a tank with built in bra- im large chested and am not OK with any flopping!

I work in a trendy/professional environment- so frumpy sloppy "waiting it out" isnt going to cut it for me. Belts, wrap dresses and skirts are my go-to items now. Oh and if you have nice high end clothing- make friends with a tailor. I bought some nice wide strechy belts at Target- the trendy kind- and now all my clothing that looks baggy or unprofessional, I just belt and wear a light cardigan over. It gives me this nice cinched in waist and will work until it gets too hot to wear a cardi. Skirts are awesome because you can wear them a bit higher if they are tight and low on the hips if they are loose. I live in pencil skirts (Target has ones for $30) and I can wear the size 18 even though im really more of a 14/16 now. You can get a skirt taken in at a tailor for much cheaper than you can a pair of pants. A nice strechy cartigan can be worn open when its still a bit tight, but looks great buttoned in a few months/few pounds later. Get a spray tan for your stems and a good push-up and you are va-va-voom sex kitten in no time! I call it my sexy librarian look! Wrap dresses are also a must. You can have an XL and ride that sizing all the way down to a M if you are lucky.

First off.....Dont beat yourself up! The popular saying round here is they remove your stomach, not the brain that craves the food! Its gonna take a while for you to have a happy relationship with those "nasty" carbs and sugars. That being said, I refuse to go hardcore with my diet- I accept that I am going to have to figure out what works for me and rock it that way. If you like your occational chocolate or enjoy those pringles (and if you are far enough along) DO IT- but do it in MODERATION! Have intake goals for yourself- Protein, calories, sugars, carbs, etc- but make sure the excercise balances out the intake. Yesterday I had a slice of smoked gouda cheese and a piece of dark chocolate- 300 calories just in that!!! So I busted my tush at the gym last night and burned 600. If you have a craving- indulge in it- in moderation and make up for it in the gym, bedroom, whatever..... Also keep in mind that if you are working out, you are building muscle- which weighs more than fat- and you could be seeing a scale slowdown because of that. Dont stress, drink lots of Water and it will happen.

@Hawaii4me I am on the go and eat out a lot- im a procrastinator so if its not grab-able at the last minute it doesnt come with me! I have had great success in ordering off the starter menu "as a meal". Usually its something like chicken skewers or seared ahi, meatballs (no sauce), non-cream soups or even cocktail shrimp. I would recommend avoiding the Chili's, Red Lobsters and TGIF type resturants and go for more ethnic or local places that you can get something other than fried cheese and chips! My to-go vice is the premier Protein drinks, light babybell cheeses, Jack Links Jerkey Nuggets (be mindful of the sodium), hard boiled eggs, almonds (if you are far enough out), 3oz tuna or chicken singles and or if you can stomach it- SPAM lite, Oscar Meyer sells these 2oz Turkey cold cuts for like $.99 that are a bargain. I also LOVE the Taco Bell "fresco soft chicken taco"- Its just chicken, tomatoes and lettuce- and I toss the tortilla. Its 2g carbs, under 100 cal and 6g protein per taco that way. Healthy and quick! I also bought nectar Singles from Vitamin Shoppe and mix them in the Skim milk singles you can get at 7-11's that give you 32g protein and they are good! Maybe if you are on the road a lot, keep a small cooler in your car with gel packs. I also bought 7 small vitamin containers at GNC for $1/ea and make my vitamin/pill pack once a week. Hope that helps

I am one month out. My NUT has me on: 400-600 cal/day 70-90g protein/day less than 30g carbs/day less than 30g fat/day 72oz liquid and my surgeon asks (ok... kinda demands) 30min/3x week medium intensity cardio. (Days I do cardio I am allowed 100 extra calories and 10g extra carbs) I was told by my surgeon that the above mentioned plan is applicable until I am within 15lbs of my goal weight and only when I hit goal am I susposed to up my calories. I am cleared for most/any foods and have been eating LOTS of seafood, eggs and canned tuna and sticking to Protein shakes (I enjoy them now). I can eat a lot (relatively)- a whole egg and 1/2 turkey sausage, 3oz of tuna, etc in one sitting and feel sated and not stuffed. My loss since surgery has been 12% of my overall weight- it has slowed down considerably this week- but im not in stall territory yet. Hope that helps