Bufflehead

This sounds awesome, I am going to try it out tomorrow. Thanks! eta: tried it just now and it is super delicious! I may also try it with the new Belgian (Biskoff/Speculoos) Cookie syrup that Torani makes.

I have never had a "stuck" sensation. Sometimes I feel a little pressure in my chest/throat if I over-eat, but I try really hard to not do that. I measure my food carefully and don't eat more than my allotted portion. Chewing - I try to chew my food well but I don't chew it into liquid or anything like that. It is important to take small bites. No no foods - from what I have seen, many people end up with a couple of foods they can't tolerate anymore after surgery, but it really varies as to what those foods might be. I think the most common are bread and Pasta. I personally haven't found any foods I can't tolerate yet, but I'm still on soft foods (my surgeon has a strict plan of soft foods for six months after surgery) and I'm also not allowed bread, pasta, etc. until I hit my goal weight, so it's possible I have something lurking out there that I can't eat! I have no problem with dry meats such as chicken, turkey, etc. No drinking during meals or for 30 minutes after. How much food can you eat? I am almost six months out and I can't eat more than a half a cup of food, if that. It does depend on what I am eating. I can eat about an 1.5 ounces of chicken, but I can eat 3 ounces of yogurt. Frankly I hope it stays this way and I am doing everything in my power to preserve my restriction. There is no reason I need to eat more than this, and eating as much as I wanted in the past got me up to a BMI of 60 and needing weight loss surgery. Never again! A lot of how much restriction you maintain depends on how small and tight your surgeon made the sleeve in the first place as well as how careful you are with not overeating in the initial stages. Good luck!

I had decaf coffee and tea, G2, water, skim milk, a bottle with protein powder to make a shake, and sugar free jello. They brought me new trays three times a day and I had a little chart that I had to mark off how many ounces I drank every fifteen minutes.

I usually have about 1 - 1.5 oz sliced deli meat, a babybel light cheese, and a couple of prunes or dried apricots.

They have a dedicated place you can go and ask for your log in counter to be adjusted. I haven't used it myself but other people say that the MFP support folks are responsive and will help you out. Here is the link: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/login_counter_reset_request Good luck!

Caffeine is a diuretic but so is Water, and we don't avoid water due to it being a diuretic. There may be legit reasons to avoid caffeine (acidic, central nervous system stimulant) but it won't harm your hydration level more than water will - which is to say, not at all. Unless you are drinking maybe 8 cups a day. http://www.divinecaroline.com/self/wellness/coffee-makes-you-dehydrated-say-what http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5552790 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661 Also, coffee has significant health benefits for most of us: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/06/this-is-your-brain-on-coffee/ I avoided coffee for the first three months post sleeve due to the acidity and possible harmful effects on the upper digestive tract specifically: http://www.healthy.net/Health/Article/Effects_of_Caffeine_and_Coffee_on_Heartburn_Acid_Reflux_Ulcers_and_GERD/2396/2 But since then I've been having a couple of cups of black coffee almost every day and have not noticed any negative effects.

When I'm not in the mood for a shake, I can usually handle something lighter and warm. Someone above mentioned the unjury chicken soup Protein - when I was in my first month post-op that stuff was a godsend to me. Other things I did: --8 oz. beef broth mixed with a scoop of unflavored protein and steak seasoning --miso soup mixed with a scoop of unflavored protein --chai tea mixed with a half scoop of vanilla protein When you are mixing Soups and broths with Protein powder, make sure you use a food thermometer and keep the temp under 140 degrees. There are also protein powders and mixes specifically made to be mixed with hot liquids. For these, you don't need to keep them under 140 (for the most part, be sure to check the directions just in case) but you shouldn't mix with with anything that is simmering or boiling: --premade protein soups: http://www.bariatricchoice.com/bariatric-diet-soups.html#. (my advice - skip the ones with noodles, they are nasty) --powders specifically for Hot drinks, such as hot chocolate, that you mix with water: http://www.bariatricchoice.com/bariatric-diet-protein-hot-drinks.html -- I get the classic hot chocolate and doctor it up with sugar free syrups such as cinnamon brown sugar syrup, peppermint syrup, caramel syrup, etc. Good luck!

First, don't worry about laughing too hard The schedule my surgeon gave me was: walking only for the first four weeks. After that, I was cleared to start low impact aerobics, elliptical, circuit training with light weights and low impact cardio, swimming, and biking for the next two months -- but if I was doing anything involving my core, I had to stop immediately if I felt even a twinge of pain there. I never did feel that though! At three months out I was cleared for anything I wanted to do, including high impact aerobics and free weights. Definitely check with your own doctor though.

My practice had both tuna and salmon on the approved and recommended list for soft foods. Their requirement is that you be able to cut the food with a fork, and tuna and salmon both meet that criterion just fine.

Definitely talk to your professor. I am a professor and if a student told me they needed to miss some extra classes for surgery, I would be fine with that as long as we could come up with a plan to make sure they were back on track soon and keeping up with readings etc. Be ready to offer a note from your surgeon or the hospital with your surgery date. I wouldn't require that (unless I already knew the student was having problems with the class, a tendency to blow things off, etc.) but some professors might.

Almost everyone hits a stall at the third week. It doesn't matter what you eat (unless you are eating milkshakes and french fries or something awful and need to fix it). That said, my doctor prescribed a maximum of 60 g carbs and a minimum of 75 g protein while on purees. I also ate a lot of eggs, protein shakes, and refried beans. Other things I ate: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and various white meats pureed with different sauces, such as: sweet & spicy tuna (the kind that comes in a pouch) pureed with sriracha sauce hickory smoked tuna pureed with low cal bbq sauce lemon dill salmon pureed with olive oil mayo chicken pureed with marinara sauce, then heated up with melted mozzarella cheese turkey pureed with peanut satay sauce I was limited to 3 tablespoons of food per meal, 3 meals per day, no snacks (other than liquids/protein shakes). All of that said . . . the three week stall is completely normal and it doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong with your eating! I promise!

You are not failing, you've hit that plateau that just about everyone does, right on schedule. You are normal. Keep following the program (sounds like you are doing great!) and the weight will come off - it just won't necessarily come off in a nice, smooth, straight line, downward pattern. If you graphed out my weight loss over the past almost six months, it would look like a staircase designed by visually impaired chimpanzee, but I'm still doing well overall. Don't let a little pause in weight loss derail you or get you down -- seriously, I cannot repeat this enough -- it is normal! You are doing great.

If you don't have one already, a mini food processor is really helpful for puree stage: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DLC-2ABC-Mini-Prep-Processor-Brushed/dp/B0000645YM/ And Fiesta and Le Creuset both make really cute small ramekins: http://www.fiestafactorydirect.com/c-108-ramekin.aspx?pid=207 http://www.amazon.com/Le-Creuset-Stoneware-Stackable-Caribbean/dp/B008JCGHGC/ I find these absolutely perfect for baking, nuking, or serving my tiny little meals For blenders, I don't know what you have picked out, but I have found my immersion blender is absolutely the best for ease of use and clean up as well as making Protein shakes without adding a ton of air: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-75BC-2-Speed-Immersion-Blender/dp/B00ARQVM5O/ If you don't have a kitchen scale, you should definitely get one: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ A heating pad for after surgery -- I loved mine! http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-2013-912-XpressHeatHeating-Extra-Large/dp/B005NZ66KU/ Bubba Keg to fill up with ice and Water (or hot fluids) and sip all day, keeps your drinks insulated for hours and hours: http://www.amazon.com/bubba-34-mug-classic-plum/dp/B008G0SMAQ/ I also received a couple of gift cards for Amazon and iTunes that I used to buy Kindle books, games, and stream movies and tv series while I was recuperating. Good luck to you!

when you aren't walking, sit in a rocking chair, cross your arms over your tummy, lean forward, and start rocking. This kind of motion will also help get gas out.

I would say, behaviorally, try practicing some small changes that will mirror your post-sleeve life. Maybe make a little schedule and try out one new thing each week between now until early February. You don't have to keep doing each thing, but try it out. Having a plan and an agenda of what you will do over the next few months may feel like you are being an active participant in your healthy future now rather than just waiting at the mercy of an army of bureaucrats at the insurance company. It could be something like this: Week of Dec. 9: walk 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night (it can be super slow and gentle walking, nothing that will hurt you). Week of Dec. 16: don't drink during meals or for 30 minutes after (let's be good to ourselves and skip Christmas week) Week of Dec. 30: sign up for a MyFitnessPal account and practice logging all foods Week of Jan. 6: get protein samples and test out making protein shakes Week of Jan. 13: no caffeine, alcohol, chewing gum, or straws etc. etc. Also, stop beating yourself up about deciding to have surgery! Taking advantage of medical breakthroughs is NOT a sign of weakness or a character flaw. It's not like I'm planning to tell the dentist to hold the anesthetic and just give me a shot of whiskey and have someone hold me down the next time I'm getting a filling, because that's the old-fashioned way of enduring dental care. The truth is that 95% of morbidly obese people will never lose a significant amount of weight and maintain that weight loss unless they have bariatric surgery. So, you are in the great 95%, as am I and pretty much everyone else here. I think the fact that we researched our options, made this decision, and will work incredibly hard both before and after surgery is a testament to all of our strength, diligence, and willingess to be bold. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. This will be work and you are going to need to learn and apply a lot of information in addition to the physical, nutritional, and emotional work of surgery preparation and successful weight loss. You are making a brave choice and if anything should be patting yourself on the back. Hang in there and keep posting here -- this can be a great place for affirmation and support (or even a kick in the pants if you end up needing one).

I haven't been to a Pampered Chef show but based on your description, for me, that would have been about four weeks out and I had no complications and a pretty easy recovery.

It could be all sorts of weird fluctuations - yes, dehydration will make your body hold on to fluid, could be normal water retention from TOM, you could need to poop, it might just be one of those weird inexplicable things. Unless it turns into a long term trend, I wouldn't worry.

I was fine with a cat on my lap as long as they got there gently, so you may be fine with a doggie on your lap. I had to remember not to pick up my largest kitty as he was over my doctor's lifting limit. That was hard! And one time I was napping and one of my kitties decided to do a kamikaze leap from the top of my tall headboard smack onto my abdomen -- now that was agony! But other than that small pets and healing tummies can mix if you are careful

So cute! I too had badly thinning hair before surgery. I bit the bullet and got a bonded topper (partial) in October. I love it and have gotten tons of compliments on my new "hairdo!" -- I told people I had a massive set of extensions installed, which is not far from the truth. I don't care if all my surgery-related hair loss grows back, I'm keeping this.

Body Fortress is a good protein and it is relatively inexpensive. You can get it at WalMart or online. If you want a meal replacement (protein + vitamins) maybe GNC Total Lean? Pure Protein is another good, budget-friendly option (Kroger, Target, online).

I can't give you advice directly about being that far out, as I am just coming up on six months out. But these are the rules from my surgeon & his staff for all post-sleeve people until they reach their goal weight: --no more than 800 calories per day --no more than 60 grams of carbs per day --no more than 30 grams of fat per day --minimum 75 grams protein for women and 80 grams protein for men --minimum 64 oz liquids per day (preferably more) --keep meals at a maximum of 3 oz per meal up to 6 months, may increase to 4 oz per meal after that --no snacking on solid foods (drinks such as protein drinks are fine) --no soup, no cereal --no grains, no starchy veggies, nothing with refined sugar --journal everything you eat on Myfitnesspal or a similar app/site --attend support group regularly Every surgeon seems to have their own rules -- yours may have his/her own plan to follow. In some ways my surgeon's plan is extremely strict, and lots of people will disagree with things like no snacking -- but I made the decision to follow all of the rules without question since making up my own rules wasn't working for me before surgery! And in some ways he is more lenient than other surgeons, since we are allowed up to 60 grams of carbs while many others say you have to stay under 40. Good luck to you!

There should be a scoop! You may have to dig to the very bottom of the canister to find it though. If there really isn't a scoop, call Chike and they will send you one (and maybe a free canister of protein, who knows). If I were you I would weigh the protein powder on your food scale to get 36 grams of it. If you don't have a food scale (btw, unsolicited advice, get one! Every post-wls person should have one IMO) then my guess is that 5 - 6 tablespoons is about the equivalent of 1 packet or 2 scoops of Chike coffee. Good luck!

What stage are you on? It would all depend on what you are allowed to eat. Things I was eating at 4 weeks out: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, poached and scrambled eggs (mix in some shredded cheese for extra protein), pureed tuna, chicken, salmon, and shrimp. I would puree those with a little bit of olive oil mayo and something flavorful like sriracha sauce or bbq sauce, but it all depends on what you can tolerate. Dizziness and nausea also sounds like dehydration, are you sure you are getting in all your fluids? And of course you should check with your dietician/surgeon to let them know of the difficulties you are having. They are the ones who can provide you with expert medical guidance. Best wishes.

With respect to the possibility of being punctured by a NG (naso-gastric) tube - yes it could happen. Many surgeons recommend getting a medic alert bracelet saying something like GASTRECTOMY - NO BLIND NG TUBE. It is okay to have an NG tube inserted if they use one of ones that lets the person inserting see where they are going. I've been considering a medic alert bracelet but haven't gotten around to it yet! That said, it's a lot more common for unconscious people to be intubated with a tracheal tube (to assist breathing), which won't hurt someone with a gastrectomy. Being fed NSAIDS while unconscious should not be an issue. First, if someone is unconscious and in need of painkillers, typically they are going to get something stronger than NSAIDS (like morphine). Second, NSAIDS aren't going to be a problem for the vast majority of sleeve patients (unlike RnY patients for example), especially if used on a limited basis. There are some doctors who think that long-term, high dosage use of NSAIDS is contraindicated for sleeve patients, but not even all of them agree on that. Being on NSAIDS for a couple of weeks won't result in immediate death or disability or anything - at worst, it would be an irritated stomach.

It sounds like you are prepared and ready! I guess my only words of "wisdom" would be to make sure you take full advantage of any breaks you are allowed, and perhaps consider replacing some of that decaf tea you are sipping on with protein shakes if you can tolerate them. You'll need energy and the calories and protein in a shake will help you out. Good luck!