DLCoggin

This is really EXCELLENT. I love her "call a spade a spade" approach. Thanks so much for sharing!

Protein is rated according to digestibility in the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) which has been adopted by the U.S. food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health. Look at the nutrition label on Body Fortress protein shots - http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/new-whey-nutrition-new-whey-liq-protein-42-fruit-12-shots/yq-1007?sourceType=sc&source=FG&adGroup=20-40&keyword=YQ-1007&cm_mmc=Google+Shopping-_-Product+Listing+Ads-_-20-40-_-YQ-1007&gclid=CPrchc-v77wCFRSUfgodUSEAoA&gclsrc=aw.ds#.UxDKyCmYbIU. Ingredients on all nutrition labels are listed in descending order from highest to lowest content. The second ingredient reads "collagenic protein isolate". The PDCAAS rates Proteins on a scale of 1.00 (best) to 0.00 (worst). Collagen protein has a PDCAAS score of 0.08. whey, soy, milk and egg proteins all have PDCAAS scores of 1.00. Even though the Body Fortress shot has a lot of protein, all of the protein in the world is useless if your body cannot digest it. The ONLY protein shot I've seen that is not primarily collagen protein is "Yes Whey" (not New Whey) which is made from whey protein isolate - http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-435130-protica-nutritional-research-yes-whey-rtd-liquid-protein-shot-orange-29-oz-clearance-priced. So the good news is that Yes Whey has a great deal (25g) of highly digestible protein in a very small serving (2.9 fl. oz.). The bad news is that whey isolate is made using a high tech nano filtering process which removes virtually all fat, lactose and carbs. The resulting very pure protein content comes at what many believe to be a very high cost in terms of taste. I personally have never tried one but members of the forum who have say the taste leaves a lot to be desired. Of course taste is very subjective. If you're looking for a lot of protein in a very small serving, Yes Whey is a healthy option!

Your question is an interesting one - and a very difficult one to answer. The very complex physical changes following bariatric surgery are still the focus of a great deal of research. The psychological changes are even more difficult to identify, quantify and study and are not well understood. Insecurity, anxiety, depression and relationship changes have all been noted. What I call "buyers remorse" (regret) often occurs following surgery but is most often temporary and quickly resolved. On the other hand, weight loss surgery often improves self-esteem, self-confidence and expressiveness. But even those improvements are not universal and researching cause and effect is challenging and expensive. Hormonal changes (they fly all over the place) have been clearly identified in many studies. But the underlying mechanism between physiological changes as the result of the surgery and changes in hormone production is still a question mark and likely will be for some time. If you share a particular experience you are having or have had, you almost certainly will see many responses from folks who have had the same experience and are more than happy to share their insight. A list of specific psychological stages following surgery would be challenging. Congratulation on your weight loss and keep up the good work! You're gonna love the new you!!

Congratulations Terry! Good for you!!

I started with my weight on the day that I met with my surgeon for the first time - 285 lbs. That's what went into their records and that's what I used. Every pound counts!

Welcome to the forum Daly! Lots of great folks here - you'll enjoy sharing your journey. Several ideas came to mind when I read your post. Hungry all the time - are you getting enough liquids? Hungry and thirsty signals to the brain are very similar and it is common for folks to have difficulty telling the difference. Most doctors recommend 64oz a day. Two weeks out you probably will not be able to drink that much but the name of the game is sip, sip, sip - constantly throughout the day. Most RnY patients have little if any appetite for several weeks following the surgery. It is likely that what you are experiencing is head hunger as opposed to physical hunger. The liquids will help. Keep in mind too that your former stomach, now your new pouch, has nerves in it that serve as stretch sensors. Those nerves are usually ineffective for several weeks to months following the trauma of the surgery. As a result, your brain does not receive the "full" signals generated by those nerves until they've had time to heal. That makes it doubly important to follow the protocol as closely to the letter as you possibly can, even though you may not be feeling "full". It will come in time! It's very common for folks to say that the scales tell them they have lost weight but they don't "see" it. Your brain develops what science calls your "body image". That's the good news. The bad news is that it takes a while for your brain to catch up with your weight loss. Your friends are probably not just trying to be nice. They probably really do see the difference in your appearance even though you don't. Be patient - your brain will get there. Start setting aside your "new wardrobe" fund now - it's coming. Guaranteed! Starting weight of 256 and you're currently 208 - huge congratulations!! You obviously are doing absolutely fabulous!! You're gonna love the new you!!

Alex I'm in! Would you be interested in attending regular local chapter meetings in person? Absolutely Would you be interested in being a leader (or co-leader)? Chief or Indian, all the same to me. Would you like BariatricPal to provide agendas for meetings? I think that's a good idea. It would enable leaders to "compare notes" on most popular discussions and activities and participants to offer ideas on what they would like to see added as well as their feedback on the meetings and activities. Leaders can always make changes and/or additions based on the feedback they get from their groups. What additional support could BariatricPal provide to encourage your participation and/or leadership? I would like to see forums dedicated to the various chapters so that attendees and facilitators alike could comment. Should there be limits on the minimum and maximum numbers of members that each Local Chapter can have? Definitely. Colleen commented in the webinar today that in her experience 20 to 30 is a good number. 25 might be a good middle of the road. What other ideas do you have? The subject of establishing support groups by surgery type also came up in today's webinar discussion. We have seen on BP and BSCI has seen with in-person support groups that interaction is substantially more effective, better received and provide more targeted benefits when groups are surgery specific. Thank you for yet another great idea!

Thanks so much Terry!!

Welcome to the forum! My first thought was gall bladder but they've ruled that out. My second thought was a "twisted intestine" which my surgeon advised me sometimes happens and can be quite painful. But I'm thinking (I could easily be wrong) they would have been able to identify that with the CT scan. Please keep us updated on what they find. One of the benefits of the forum is that we can all learn from our collective experiences. Feel better soon!!

Terry I'd love to know the brand of the tortilla chips!

Wow. What a great thread! WOW! ReaRaes - simply fabulous. Well said! Mellie - welcome to the forum! Love your positive attitude and congratulations on your decision to change your life!! Let me add my voice to others - maintaining a food log is the single most powerful tool you can possibly have (other than the surgery itself). Make a commitment to log every day, every bite. That doesn't automatically mean that you're never going to have a day where you exceed your calorie goals. Perfection is n o t a criteria for success. But failing to log those days cripples much of the power of MFP. Fail to log one day and all of your weekly stats - calories, Protein, carbs, fats, Vitamins - all of it, are meaningless. Log every bite, no matter what, and you'll be amazed at how much you can learn from MFP. MFP makes you accountable to the only person that counts - you. Before you know it, your confidence soars. One tip for you that has helped me tremendously from pre-op to this day (well over two years out) - I never eat less than two hours or more than four hours apart. Less than two hours is "head hunger" - drink something! Water, coffee, tea, Crystal Light, whatever. liquids are a powerful bridge to your next "meal". More than four hours and you run the risk of getting overly hungry which increases the likelihood of overeating. Note that eating every four hours is not synonymous with eating a full blown "meal". A little yogurt, cottage cheese, low-fat cheese, hummus, turkey Jerky - all are rich in protein and surprisingly filling. You'll find countless other options right here on the forum. Great thread you guys! Is BP an amazing resource or what?!

Thank you loving.life! We all benefit from sharing our thoughts, ideas and experiences. But none of it, NONE of it, is as important as talking and listening to your DOCTOR. What a great reminder to us all. Asking your doctor fifty questions often results in fifty minor answers. Failing to ask your doctor one, can be life-threatening. Got it!

Welcome Katrina and congratulations on your surgery!! This forum is the best support group you could ever imagine. Lots of very special folks here! Looking forward to sharing your journey. You're gonna love the new you!!

Welcome to the forum Michele. This is a special place with a lot of special people. When I read "I'm so lost and afraid" it brought to mind a quote that I've fallen back on for more years than I can count. It has taken me through, and out of, some tough situations. And I have experienced the truth of it many, many times. That's saying a lot for three little words. Action quells fear. So the message is do something. And do it now. Don't spend too much time stressing over doing exactly the right something - you can always make adjustments and even changes later. The very act of doing something, taking a step in the right direction, is empowering. It gives you hope. It opens your mind to discovering new possibilities. Perhaps most importantly, it calms your fears. My suggestion is that you reconsider your surgeon's recommendation. Start maintaining a food log. I highly recommend My Fitness Pal. Yes, it is easier said than done. Logging can be tedious. And it can be frustrating. Consider the flip side. After your surgery, logging is the most powerful tool you can have in your arsenal for taking control. Logging can "break the downward spiral". Logging can renew the spirit you had when you lost 155 lbs. The spirit you still have or you wouldn't be seeking help. Logging can boost your confidence like nothing else I know of. Logging reinforces your success and your commitment every day with every entry. Logging can calm your fears. You'll never again "think" you did well today - you'll know. Logging makes you accountable to the most important person - you. It's quick, it's easy, it doesn't cost a dime and if you commit to it for 90 days, you'll be amazed at the results. If you're interested, if you're ready to take action and quell the fear, PM me and I'll be more than happy to share some ideas with you. I've logged every bite for more than two years and I'm confident I can give you some great suggestions on how to get started and how to realize the almost unlimited potential logging offers. You're gonna love the new you!!

I'm two years out and still can't gulp water (or anything else for that matter). Two nights ago I was just about to go to bed and was quite thirsty. Drank too much too fast - most uncomfortable.

I'm only two years out but have experienced the same challenge for the exact same reason - when I get really busy, eating just isn't at the top of the priority list. I weigh daily and have only once allowed myself to fall below the minimum weight in my "maintenance weight window" of 151 to 156. My surgeon to say nothing of my wife would not be amused if I lose any more. But I have on any number of occasions been on the lower side of that window and made it a goal to regain a few pounds. For reasons I cannot even begin to explain, it is often challenging to add just a couple of pounds. Then other times, it is all too easy to add a couple of pounds that I wasn't looking to add. So I guess as my grandma used to say - "It all comes out in the wash!" Lol!!

Welcome Beth! This is a very special place with a lot of very special people. You're gonna love the new you!!

Great job!! Celebrate every delicious moment of the journey!

Over two years out and have one for Breakfast almost every day. My surgeon set the Protein goal at 100g a day and I have hit it about 95% of the time for over two years. I seldom have a problem getting the remaining 65g a day from food but without the shake, the 100g goal would be difficult to achieve on a consistent basis. Most doctors seem to recommend 60g-80g a day for the gals. After the first year, some have little trouble hitting that goal with food alone. But getting ALL of you doctor's recommended daily protein is crucially important for the first year following your surgery. Protein is extremely important for repairing and replacing damaged tissue as the result of the surgery, reducing loss of lean muscle during the rapid weight loss stage, protecting against bacterial and viral infections, keeping your metabolism and energy levels up and reducing hair loss. Real food is always the best option for getting your protein and if you can meet your goals with food - great! If you're struggling, shakes and powders are versatile and convenient options.

What an interesting and perhaps more importantly, healthy conversation. The responses are a unique opportunity to see both sides of this very personal decision. One that has no right or wrong answer. Each option offering its own benefits, risks and opportunities. - The motivation for keeping the surgery private is often to avoid potential negative comments and actions. Certainly understandable. And the risk is real. But the decision also eliminates the potential for very positive and very powerful support. Not only from friends and family, but co-workers and acquaintances. - It's no one's business but mine. Most definitely true. But how many that might have been motivated by your personal courage and strength to take their own leap toward a better, more fulfilling, happier and longer life will miss that opportunity? - Who understands the pain and the unfairness of the obesity stigma better than the thousands of folks right here on this forum? And if we are willing to take the risk, who could possibly be better, real life examples of what is possible, what is attainable and who we really are?

Me too and of course I strongly second My Fitness Pal!

What an insightful perspective your story of your online horse friends provides. When someone we know is diagnosed with cancer or any serious or life-threatening disease, most of us respond with sympathy and at least some degree of understanding of what that means. For whatever reason or reasons, obesity solicits a completely different response. Folks who have never experienced it simply have no frame of reference. They don't realize that obesity is a progressive, life-threatening disease. They don't understand the lifelong battles that have been fought and lost - again and again. It doesn't make them bad people. They simply do not have the knowledge and emotional basis for understanding how life changing bariatric surgery really is. I believe there is an important lesson there for all of us.

The subject of artificial sweeteners is an interesting one and I've enjoyed reading the variety of responses. I mentioned in my previous post that I had not located information on recommended limits of consumption. After doing more research I discovered that the FDA has established "Acceptable Daily Intakes" (ADI) for the seven non-nutritive artificial sweeteners that they have approved for use in the U.S. By definition, the ADI is 100 times less than the smallest amount considered safe for daily consumption by adults over the course of a life time. So what does that mean? To put the ADI in perspective, we can look at aspartame (sold as Equal and NutraSweet). In addition to being a "tabletop" sweetener, aspartame is used in literally thousands of foods and beverages. The ADI for aspartame is 50 mg per kg of body weight. Still a little obscure for those of us who are metric challenged. So...that translates into 3,750 mg per day for a typical adult weighing 75 kgs or about 165 pounds. A 12 oz. can of diet soda contains, on average, 180 mgs of aspartame. So our typical adult would have to consume 21 cans of diet soda every day to go over the aspartame ADI, which is 100 times less than the smallest amount considered safe for daily consumption. The ADIs for the other artificial sweeteners are as follows: Saccharin (Sweet 'n Low or Sugar Twin) = 5 mg/kg or the equivalent of 9 to 12 packets per day. Some of us remember the saccharin cancer scare in the early 70's. That led to an FDA requirement for a warning label on all products containing saccharin. The initial study was performed using lab animals (rats) and was subsequently proven not to apply to humans. The warning label requirement was subsequently dropped. Sucralose (Splenda) = 5 mg/kg or the equivalent of six cans of diet soda containing sucralose per day. Splenda has been the subject of fewer health controversies than other artificial sweeteners. More than 100 studies have not identified any significant side effects related to the use of Splenda. Acesulfame K (Ace-K, Sunnet or Sweet One) = 15 mg/kg. I've never heard of this one but it apparently is used in some diet drinks. The K comes from the symbol for potassium. Stevia (Truvia, PureVia, or Sun Crystals) = 4 mg/kg. This one is complicated by the fact that stevia is metabolized by the body into steviol which is not absorbed into the blood stream and leaves the body unchanged. So the 4mg/kg translates into 12 mg/kg of steviol or about 12-14 cans of a diet drink containing stevia. Neotame - 18mg/kg. Neotame is one of the newest artificial sweeteners approved for use in packaged foods and beverages. And last but not least... Luo han guo - an ADI has not yet been established for this sweetener but it is classified by the FDA as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS). GRAS substances are "deemed by qualified professionals based on scientific data as being safe for their intended use, or they have such a lengthy history of common use in food that they are considered generally safe and don't require FDA approval before sale." Artificial sweeteners have been controversial literally for decades and no doubt will continue to be. And new studies continue to be performed to this day. And even though no links have been identified with catastrophic diseases (cancers, tumors, etc.), many folks experience headaches, diarrhea, etc. which seem to be associated with different artificial sweeteners depending on the individual. As is so often the case in science, the search continues. http://www.mayoclinic.org/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936 http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/aspartame http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007492.htm http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=289

Technically, you have the right and the doctor has a legal responsibility to respect your right to direct that he/she not discuss the surgery with anyone including your husband if that's what you specify. The laws on confidentiality of medical treatment and history are quite strict and vigorously enforced.

Peanut Butter is a good source of Protein and healthy fats and PB2 is an excellent reduced calorie version. I think of peanut butter (smooth as opposed to the crunchy) as being pretty soft and mushy but if there's any doubt, check with your doctor or nutritionist. Hummus is about as versatile as it gets. Some folks eat it right out of the container with a spoon. Others mix it with mashed potatoes, spread it on tomatoes, mix it with salsa for a spicy version, use it as a dip, make lettuce wraps with it, the list goes on and on. You can flavor hummus with just about anything. And hummus is rich in protein, Fiber, healthy fats, Vitamins and minerals. You can read more at - http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/hummus-recipe-and-health-benefits . Good stuff!