Bufflehead

Don't crush any pills without checking with a pharmacist first. Many pills will lose their effectiveness if crushed.

The rules from my team during puree were: 3 meals per day, no more than 3 T. of food per meal All food must be high protein - meat, eggs, fish, dairy, beans, small amounts of nut butters No snacks other than protein shakes Minimum 75 grams of protein per day Maximum 60 carbs per day Maximum 800 calories per day Weigh/measure all food and record in an online food journal such as myfitnesspal. Your team may have a different plan or set of rules -- you would probably want to check in with them? Every practice is different.

I'm almost three years out now. In maintenance approx. 1600 calories per day, when I need to drop back into weight loss mode, 900-1100.

I had my incisions glued as well. I did nothing to try to prevent scars and I have to tell you I have absolutely zero visible scars. My dermatologist had to get out her lighted magnifying glass and search for them. And I'm someone who tends to scar easily and noticeably, I even have some keloid scars! I think gluing the incisions really helped. If you want to do something to help with scarring, silicone scar sheets are what my dermatologist said are the only things worth spending money on.

When I was at your stage I was consuming about the same amount of calories. My team always stressed not to count calories burned or trying to eat them back -- they said that's a recipe for over-eating, especially since most people over-estimate the calories burned. I was successful with their approach.

Hi Cberry, In some ways my starting stats were pretty similar to yours, at least in terms of BMI and the fact that we have/had been obese all our lives. I had my surgery almost 3 years ago. I've lost roughly 220 lbs. I had no complications and an easy recovery. My knee pain and back pain are gone. My blood pressure is normal. I am so much more active! And the freedom of being able to go anywhere I want without worrying about whether I will fit into a seat or a booth or through a turnstile or whatever is amazing. My bariatric team has a very strict diet and conservative progression. I won't bore you with all the details because chances are your plan will be different -- every surgeon is different, it seems like! But it's important that you commit to following the plan. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, losing weight and being successful with weight loss surgery is hard work! But it makes it possible if you are willing to put in that hard work. For me, being a normal weight and having a healthy life had always been impossible without it. Good luck to you!

Hi Lindsey. I don't eat "all" healthy food, but healthy food is my regular diet. I save the non-healthy food for special occasions. I quickly found that if I try to eat non-healthy food "in moderation" -- well, apparently I suck at moderation. Everything goes downhill for me -- except my weight, which goes up! So for me, it is best to stick to healthy food except on special holidays and for rare treats. Other people have different ways of managing post-op eating. I think it's important to work hard on figuring out what works best for you once you get to maintenance. I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all plan. I just advise keeping an open mind and being willing to change up your plan if you find that what you are doing is not working for you. Good luck!

1: After surgery, what was your schedule for getting in fluid and Protein shakes? How much were you to consume a day? I didn't have a schedule, I just kept sipping any time I was awake and not walking. I was able to get in my required 64 ounces of liquids and 75 grams of protein starting the first 24 hours after surgery. 2: Generally the people I have spoken to have a few days to a week after surgery where they are pretty miserable. What did you do to help easy this transition? I wasn't miserable. I was exhausted and sore but not miserable at all. I was happy that my surgery went well and that my recovery was going well. I wasn't interested in food. 3: My surgeon does not require a pre-op diet, but I want to do one. I think that although it will be hard, it will easy my transition after surgery. I would rather be used to a full liquid diet prior to surgery than going through surgical pain AND adjusting to a new diet. What was your pre-op diet? My pre-op diet was 2 weeks of eating low calorie, low carb, and high protein. The consistency of the food didn't matter at all though. I didn't have any trouble "adjusting" to being on liquids after surgery. The idea of putting anything other than liquids into my freshly sliced and diced stomach was horrifying and scary -- but I know some people do struggle with it and say things like "I just want to chew something!" or "I want something crunchy!" -- that was not me! Frankly, though, I think that militates against a liquid pre-op diet. Why suffer through six weeks of liquids instead of four (or however many your surgeon requires), if it is going to be hard for you?

When I was just considering it? No, I didn't tell anyone. When I had decided on it, been approved, and had a surgery date scheduled, I told my family and closest friends. Most of the people at work (other than those I consider close friends) I just told I was having surgery and would be back in two weeks. No one had the gumption to ask me what kind of surgery! Over the years I've gotten pretty good at listening to people's input and then doing whatever the hell I want. I think it helps that I'm a gay atheist in the Bible Belt. If I listened to other people's judgment about my life and decisions I'd probably be miserable and suicidal by now. I did tell almost everyone who asked after the surgery ("how are you losing weight?" or "did you have weight loss surgery?") the truth and the whole truth. I figured if I am in a position to help erase the stigma against, and myths about, weight loss surgery, I should do it. I know other people are not in the same position I am in and I don't judge anyone for the choices they make about what to tell other people. I would say, it's probably a bad idea to outright lie about it ("no, I didn't have weight loss surgery" "I'm having my gall bladder taken out and will be back in two weeks") -- those lies have a way of being found out, and that makes you look dishonest and untrustworthy -- something no one wants in either a friend or an employee/co-worker. ETA I got no negative responses or feedback when I told people I had surgery. And two people were really interested, followed up, and ended up also getting surgery and are doing really well.

@@Maggie Journey if you hover your cursor near the "Multiquote" button in the bottom right corner of your post, an "Edit" button should appear just to the left of it. The multi-posting thing happens a lot. What I usually see is that I compose a reply, click "Post" and then the little wheel spins like it is trying to post . . . but nothing happens. So then click "Post" again. If the same thing happens, click it yet again. And then it eventually posts but with the same thing three times! So what I have learned is that if I see that happening on the first instance, where it looks like it didn't post, well, it actually did. I don't click post again. I navigate away from that particular page then come back to it, and there my post is just like normal. It's a weird glitch.

Yes, it is very common. You just had most of a major organ removed and your whole abdomen is extremely injured and traumatized! It takes most people 2-3 weeks to get pain-free. Some advice in the meantime: --if you were prescribed pain meds, take them. Don't be a hero -- suffering will not help you heal faster. --you may want to try an abdominal binder if you can get your hands on one. --brace your abdomen with your arms or hands when you have to do something like bend down or twist to one side. Good luck!

@@tnf0920 I have lost about 220 lbs. My standard eating plan in weight loss mode is the same now as it was 2 years ago, I think. I drop back into weight loss mode occasionally when I find I've strayed out of my comfort range. I am in weight loss mode right now! Here is my plan: 4 small meals each day + 1 snack & 1 protein shake. Breakfast: 3 oz chicken breast Lunch: 3 oz chicken breast + 1.5 oz chopped green veggies (asparagus, artichoke hearts, green beans, etc.) + 1/2 T. light salad dressing Dinner: 1.5 oz roasted veggies (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower -- something like that), + 2-3 oz fish or maybe 2 oz fish + 1 egg. Sometimes I mash up the fish with some avocado or frozen chopped spinach or kale and some sauce, such as curry sauce, and bake it in the oven with the egg on top. After dinner: this is my "dessert" meal -- Greek yogurt, and a very small amount of nuts and dried fruit. Snack: small apple Protein shake: I use a half serving of protein powder and mix with unsweetened vanilla cashew milk.

I was still losing -- I kept my calories between 900 & 1100, minimum 80 grams of protein per day. In weight loss mode, I avoided all grains, starchy veggies, sweets, and tropical fruits. I exercised almost every day -- jogging, weights, circuit training, HIIT -- but I never "ate back" burned calories and had (and continue to have) a mindset that exercise is for health, not for weight loss.

I drank Isopure for several weeks out of surgery. The numbers on it are great. However, to me, the taste was vile, and I had to mix it 50/50 with G2 or Powerade Zero to choke it down. Some people like it -- I would definitely recommend trying single bottles before committing to a crate. Syntrax Nectar has some similar flavors and tastes much better IMO. It's also cheaper. On the other hand, it's a powder, so you have to mix the shakes yourself. If that's something you are interested in, you can also buy sample packs of the Syntrax Nectar flavors. I haven't tried making the popsicles but they sound good I would just be careful to count all the calories and carbs. Depending on the fruit you use, that can add up quickly.

I had a hiatal hernia repair and I never threw up or had searing pain. That doesn't sound normal to me, especially not after something as harmless as broth. If I were you I would be very aggressive in seeking follow-up info from your surgeon, and if it happened again I would go to the ER. Not to alarm you but better safe than sorry.

Can I make lentils and smoosh them? Not unless your dietitian tells you to. If you don't want to wait until your next appointment, call them and ask them -- but no one here can give you permission to vary their rules. Lentils are very carb and calorie-dense so perhaps not a great choice. Or at least something else that I don't have to chew too much for Protein? Can I introduce Peanut Butter in yet? Again, that's a question for your dietitian, not a message board stranger. IMO peanut butter is not a good choice because it is so calorie and carb dense, even more so than lentils -- but I'm not in charge of your diet. Good luck!

I have lost approx. 220 lbs. It isn't easy though. I had to fight hard for every pound after about the 150 lb mark, commit to eating healthy for the rest of my life, and radically revise the way I thought about food and nutrition.

When I was taking calcium supplements I used liquid supplements, the Wellesse brand. It is mostly calcium citrate with a small amount of calcium phosphate. Solaray also makes a chewable calcium citrate that you can buy from Amazon. Both Wellesse and Solaray have fewer calories and carbs than the "bariatric" specialty chews.

Keep walking. When you are sitting, try to be in a rocking chair or glider where you can rock back and forth. While rocking, cross your arms over your abdomen and lean forward with the motion of the chair. I found a heating pad where the gas pain was the worst helped the pain as well. Good luck!

Okay, I think your expectations are unreasonable and the pressure you are placing on yourself is not helping. I advise erasing the word "only" from your vocabulary. Sounds to me like you are doing great -- stalls where your body hangs on to water weight are completely normal. Be proud of yourself for doing so well. From my perspective, I see excellent progress. Good luck to you going forward!

Right? Imagine there were a surgery (say, a brain surgery) that could cure 75% of alcoholics and opiate addicts and it had a lower risk of complications than knee replacement. People would be singing the praises of that surgery, and people who needed it would be encouraged to get it. There wouldn't be a huge chorus of naysayers saying things like "why don't you just kick your addiction the natural way?" and "you just need to go to more AA meetings" and "you just need to work on will power and drinking less" or "my Aunt Mabel's hairdresser had that surgery and he died! Plus I know of one other person who had it, and she stopped using oxycontin but she looks kind of sickly. Why don't you just stop shooting up instead?" or "you can be healthy and be an alcoholic too! Health at any drinking rate is fine! Just try to cut back if you find you've been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. You don't need surgery, you only think you do because our society shames alcoholics and drug addicts!"

IMO your surgeon needs to be taken out back and and horsewhipped. Losing 27 lbs in a little over 3 weeks is an incredibly fast rate of weight loss. Maybe he was looking at the wrong numbers or something. 20 lbs per month is possible from here on out but I think to have it as an expectation is extremely unreasonable. Please just focus on following your plan and stop stressing about numbers. It isn't going to help you and I don't think your doctor is helping you with these unrealistic expectations and crazy pressures. I'm usually all about listening to your team, your surgeon knows best, etc. etc. but frankly I am just really angry at your doctor right now.

You should ask your surgical team what they want from you in terms of a pre-op diet. Every plan varies. Some teams specifically do NOT want you on a pre-op diet, so be sure to check in with yours to get their specific instructions about when, how, and whether to diet. Good luck!

I don't have any details per se but I know several people on the boards who went to Dr. Thomas Umbach (Blossom Bariatrics) in Las Vegas and they all had very good things to say about him and their experience.

Can you ask for a prescription for liquid lortab? That was what I was prescribed and it did help me sleep.