keldolbeth

I was 3 1/2 weeks post-op when I went camping. I knew I would moving to soft foods that Monday so I "pushed it" a little bit with my diet. I was one of the lucky ones who was able to stop my pain meds after 2 or 3 days and never had any problems since (besides the suture reaction). A nice thing for me, maybe not for all, is that my parents wouldn't let them help set up! lol I tried to help move the picnic table not even thinking and they yelled at me!

What kind did you try? Had you eaten anything else with sugar alcohol in it today? My stomach has been very sensitive to SF candy but during my 4 month pre-op diet I sometimes had 2-3 Atkins bars a day and never had problems. I'm not sure which varieties have more SA but I would recommend the ones without chocolate. I got sick of the fake chocolate and towards the end I was only buying the oatmeal squares (so good in microwave), apple cinnamon bars and peanut nougat one (not sure of exact name). Unfortunately, I've never seen these ones sold individually but I will tell you WalMart carries Atkins products for MUCH cheaper than anywhere else!

So I did go camping last weekend and there were definitely ups and downs. Overall I had a really great time and got some good sun (main reason I go is a fabulous pool at this park). Eating was a little tricky because I wanted to indulge on my "vacation" but was still on purees until a few days ago. My one "treat" was a piece of SF Hersheys dipped in Peanut Butter. And it hit the spot! I did not feel like I was missing out on the smores. We go with a large group of family friends and do a potluck dinner every night. My mom brought alternate foods for me and I just stayed away from everyone during meals. HOWEVER, something I ate the second day gave me horrible diarrhea! It didn't last all day but a few hours... enough to make me want to go home. We have a pop-up camper with A/C and the campground has electricity and indoor plumbing (not the nicest or cleanest though) but it was still unpleasant (especially since I wanted to be at the pool). If I didn't have a friend with me I would have gone home but I felt bad ruining her trip. During that time I was also on antibiotics for a reaction to the sutures in my incision. I had a lot of pain and redness. I had to use special bandages to go swimming but luckily it continued to heal and is much better now. I'm not saying don't go... at 3-5 days post-op I couldn't buy a BM so you may not have the same problem as me. lol However, just make sure you prioritize yourself and your health.

It's funny because I went on a date this week and tomorrow I have plans with some college friends... I'm more worried about the drinking and eating issue with my former roommates than I was on the date. The guy knows I had surgery but not what kind and has been very polite about not prying. He knows I can't drink for a while and this week was our first meal together so of course he wasn't going to say anything. However, tomorrow I'm worried about the pressure to drink with my friends. We go out to bars with the sole purpose of drinking and dancing. I've heard some of the places we frequent will refuse to serve Water. I've gone out and been DD or sober by choice but I usually have at least 1-2 beers and nurse them all night. Not being able to have a drop is going to look suspicious. Plus, one of the girls just got engaged so I can only imagine how much "toasting" they are going to want to do! lol I was planning on saying something about not drinking due to medications but I found out a friend of a friend is coming also... who is a pharmacist. I really don't want to get hassled about it but I'm not sure all of these women will be supportive and/or not blab it to everyone so I don't want to 'fess up just yet! I'm a little worried and it sucks. I tend to get defensive in these situations and I don't want to make it a huge issue but I'm committed to the 6 months of no alcohol my doctor wants.

Depending on what sugar free product you are talking about there is probably a warning on the label. I haven't had issues with the popsicles but definitely the candy and once the NSA ice cream (but I've always had issues with ice cream so idk if it's related or not). When I was doing 4-5 months of pre-op low carb dieting with my Dr's NUT I decided to try some sugar free candy because I couldn't get over my sweets craving. One Friday night I made dinner and later started popping some Russell Stovers SF candy. I mindlessly ate several before I started with the diarrhea. Stupidly, I assumed it was from whatever I made for dinner because I've always had IBS-type problems. I was miserable for several hours but finished the rest of the bag of candy. Much later I was checking the nutrition label again and noticed "excessive consumption can lead to a laxative effect." Well that solved the mystery! lol I've learned my limits now. I try not to have more than 2-3 pieces, depending on the type.

I had my 4 week appt Monday... soft foods for me now too! Yay! I'm glad you're feeling better. I was freaking out that I was getting an infection in my big incision. I emailed Lisa and Dr. C at 8pm one night last week and both responded almost instantly. (I wasn't expecting anything until the next day.) I sent in pics and Lisa said she thought it was a reaction to the sutures, not an infection. It's waaaay better now! I can sleep on my stomach again!

I'm a month out as of today and I know I should be thrilled with 20 pounds in that time but 13 of it came in the first week. When I was dieting on my own for four months pre-op I was losing 15-17 a month so I guess I expected more quicker. I know I can only blame myself for not going to the gym as often as I need to and not counting my Protein but when I look at what and how much I eat it's hard to believe I'm not losing weight! Went to the DR on Monday and the NUT said that she's noticed the patients who lose a lot before surgery (65 lbs in 4 1/2 months for me) tend to stall or plateau sooner... not that helpful! lol I just want to get my energy back so I can get back in the gym like I was before! Good to know I'm not the only one who's a little discouraged! However, I know a negative attitude is only going to hurt me... and we obviously have everyone's support here! Go June sleevers!

I know the woman who owns Curvy Consignments, it's near Cleveland. A while ago she told me about a plus-size consignment shop in Columbus too but I cannot remember the name. However, MKambalimath, there is small chain of stores in Cincy called 2nd Chance which accepts and sells plus-sizes (as well as straight sizes). They have a website if you google them. I know they just started buying clothes outright (like Plato's Closet) or you can consign with them. There are locations in Springdale, West Chester (I think), and maybe one more out east. There's also one in Springboro, probably less than 30 minutes from you, called New Enuff. I haven't been there yet but my psychologist told me about it. She said she sells her mother's plus-size clothing there and the owner told her they can't keep those sizes in stock and are always in need.

I'm one month out today and still feel lethargic. I have ever since surgery. It has improved greatly but nowhere near where I expect or want to be. I'm having a hard time working out or running errands. I sleep 10 hours a night. At my appt Monday, everyone reassured me it is normal but I hate it. CNP told me to expect a big jump in energy around 2-3 months out.

I lost 13 in one week of clear liquids and just 6-7 in the following 3 weeks of purees. Frustrating, yes. There is no "normal" though. As everyone else will tell you, just make sure you are getting your protein and liquids.

Oh, I also saw something on pinterest about making a cheese taco shell. Put some shredded cheddar in a circle on wax paper and microwave it... low carb plus some protein.

I just checked... it's called Gigi's and it's in a yellow and white package.

What kind of pain are you talking about? Like internally, muscle pain, incisions, etc?

I only have a hair problem on my chin. I always had a few stray hairs but I swear after huge doses of steroids due to a really bad infection years ago that I now have a full-on goatee (no mustache, thank god). I've tried a little bit of everything. I have one of those mini-trimmers. You can just buy one at the drugstore for much cheaper than $15 plus SH, just to try it. I think I got mine for $6 at Big Lots. It doesn't get my chin nearly as smooth as a regular razor, but I don't like that either. Upon the recommendation of a friend I tried electrolysis a few years ago but it was too much of an expense. The woman said it could take 6-12 months before there's a huge difference and you pay for minute. It could have cost me upwards of $60-120/month, depending on how often I wanted to do it. However, it is permanent, unlike lasers and waxing. She also educated me about the different types of hair removal. She said waxing and lasers actually promotes more hair growth since you are pulling it out at the root. Shaving or trimming is about the only thing that doesn't stimulate more hair growth. That being said, if I can stand to let it grow to 1/4-1/2 inch I prefer to wax it at home. I can't remember the brand but it's from Sally's. It's called tweezeless wax, I think. You don't use strips, you just peel the wax off with your fingers. It's not as painful, I think. I use the kind for sensitive skin and I may see a few red spots immediately after but no major side effects.

I've been having a bit of a problem with my main incision above my belly button. I'm four weeks out. It was fine the first few weeks then it started looking really red. I showed my mom (a nurse) and also my PCP, both said it wasn't anything to worry about and just use some neosporin. A few days after that it started to get really red and painful and I could feel heat around the area (a big warning sign). I emailed my DR and CNP at 8pm and both responded almost immediately. They asked me to email them a picture. This was Thursday night and I had an appt scheduled today anyway. Dr said he couldn't tell from the pic. CNP thought it could be a reaction to the disolvable sutures but NOT an infection. She called me in an antibiotic the next morning and said she'd check it today. (Asked Dr and he agreed with that.) Between 4-5 days of oral antibiotics now and still using neosporin, the incision is looking MUCH better and they agreed today, told me to quit worrying! Do you have the ability to email the DR and ask? Or maybe some neosporin would help. I'm a stomach sleeper so it helped if I put a band-aid on at night.

Are you on Pinterest? I did 5 months of low carb before surgery and found some substitute recipes on there. There's a cauliflower crust (never tried), I found a pizza bake that uses cream cheese as the main ingredient (never tried), there was a calzone recipe that used a low carb tortilla (tried that one and it was amazing). Now that I'm finally out of purees I plan on trying more alternatives because I'm having major pizza cravings. I would also recommend EggFace and Emily Bites because I did see pizza substitute recipes on both which sounded great. Also, EggFace's baked ricotta can help with pizza cravings too, or did for me. I just added a few "topping" ingredients to the recipe. Good luck! Please share if you find anything tasty cuz I'm a pizza freak! lol

I'm 27 days out and tomorrow I will switch from purees to soft solids... during the three weeks of purees I was eating greek yogurt, baked ricotta, soup, chili, sloppy joe, pureed meatballs with tomato sauce, scrambled eggs and turkey sausage, string cheese, a few slices of lunch meat, refried beans, SF popsicles, NSA ice cream, cream of wheat. It did get a little boring but, looking back, it wasn't too horrible.

I totally understand the first thing! I considered myself a plus-size fashionista, of sorts, as well (worked at LB for 5 years too). AND I'm also a teacher! I did two weeks worth of laundry at my parents' house today and the only thing in my hamper was underwear, bathing suits, work out clothes and towels! lol Not much dressing up here either. I'm nervous about my work wardrobe as well. I've pretty much always been the dress size I was pre-op so I never was one to have multiple sizes. I tried on some outfits for a date about 2 weeks post-op and everything just looked so sloppy. So I tried on some items I had just ordered from Old Navy (only let myself buy clearance now) and they were still a little too tight! Ugh! I take pride in my appearance. I get many compliments on my style. I don't like the idea of only having a few items that fit in each size until I'm at goal. It's a scary and demoralizing thing for a lot of women. If I know I have a special event coming up I plan my outfit weeks in advance. Now that outfit might not fit when the time comes. I know we have to keep reminding ourselves that this is going to be worth it but it's a difficult, emotional and LONG transition period. Not many people can truly understand that. It's ok to get upset from time to time. I had my first post-op breakdown last week about going out to lunch with my brother. He was in town for a few days and was giving me a hard time about my limited diet (still on pureeds) and having to choose specific restaurants. It really bothered me. It's gonna happen but it doesn't mean it's not gonna suck... wish I had something more encouraging to say! lol

I replied to another post about this because I've been worried about the same thing... I don't want to lie to the guy if I'm going to get into a relationship with him but it's not first date conversation for me. I started talking to someone right before surgery and have hung out a few times now post-op. I've just been trying to avoid dinner dates. He knows I had surgery but no more and knows I cannot drink for a while. We've gone to the pool, to see live music, watched movies at home. I say take the planning out of his hands or at least make suggestions... the guys I've dated would love that because I know there's a lot of pressure with planning dates. I always used to be a beer and sports bar kinda date so I'm having to get creative and doing some research online for things to do in my city. I like the appetizers idea, or coffee, or a "drink". It's up to you when you tell a guy. Timing may depend on where you at with your food/diet stages and your weight loss. At 25 days post-op it might be necessary for me to tell a guy sooner than if I was a year post-op and at goal (which is why I'm avoiding dinner dates)! I definitely plan on telling my new guy soon but I like to do that in person and I never know how to bring it up! He's lost 150 pounds himself (idk how yet) so I'm hoping we get comfortable enough to start discussing our weight problems/solutions soon.

Single and newly sleeved 6/25! I've been single for the better part of the last 2 years (yet another brief try with the ex last year). I told myself I wanted to remain single throughout this process and until I got close to my goal. However, I met a guy a few weeks before my surgery. For the most part I enjoy being single and I'm wondering if I should think about getting serious (he totally wants to) or see what life can bring down the road (in dating and other avenues). He doesn't know about the surgery yet. Ohh, the joys of becoming hot(ter)! Anyone have tips for cooking for one? I always hated it before but the thought of it post-sleeve when I'm eating 1/2 cup is just not turning me on. I'm still on purees but will start soft solids next week.

How far out are you? I was sleeved 6/25 and I'm going camping this weekend! I can't wait! I can't drink, of course, which stinks. I may have to bring my Magic Bullet and some special food just for myself since my mom does the shopping and packing. I was cleared to swim after 2 weeks. Sooo, I don't feel the surgery is going to restrict me too much. Only thing I'm worried about is other people commenting on what I'm eating or the fact I don't have a beer since we go with a big group of family and church friends. I guess it depends on how serious of a camper you are... hiking and backpacking, probably kayaking/canoeing probably wouldn't be approved until 4-6 weeks, my guess.

This has been discussed previously and my doctors had a much different reaction. My mother was worried because there is an isolated family history of blood clots. She made me check with everyone I talked to! lol My bariatric surgeon, his nurse practitioner and my primary care doctor all said it was fine to continue the birth control pill throughout. I never went off it. However, I was due to start the day before surgery and I tried to do what you are talking about- skipping the placebos. I ended up starting the day AFTER (so two days late) and had a fairly light to normal period. THEN I started up again less than two weeks later and was on for 10-11 days. It was not just spotting, it was a full blown period. Then it got time in my pill pack for my placebos again (meaning to start) and I skipped them again to end the 10 days period. That finally worked! I've NEVER had issues with irregularity when I've been on the pill so I was not happy with this. I'm thinking if you just start the pill a few months before surgery skipping your placebo might not be that effective at that point because it can take a few months to fully regulate. Point is, if you read anything in the powder room forum, you will see that your hormones are going to be whacked out no matter what so who knows if anything will make a difference!

I was on phentermine, under the name Adipex, for pre-op weight loss. My surgeon has a medical weight loss program too. I was also working with his dietician, eating low carb/high Protein and working out. I lost 65 pounds in 4 1/2 months. When I went in for my one week post-op appt I was describing some strange symptoms I was having to the CNP and she said "you're not taking the Adipex anymore, are you?" I said no. She said "whew! Ok good because that could be bad. Just throw them away." So, she didn't say exactly why and maybe it just has to do with immediate post-op healing so I don't know what they would say about it a year or two out. I was nervous about starting the pill in the first place because I had a friend lose 90 pounds on it in about 8-9 months and has gained 30 back in that same amount of time. I knew it would be a yo-yoing thing so if it were not going to be followed up by surgery I'm not sure I would have done it. I've heard too many bad things about rebounding once off of them. However, the great thing for me was learning better habits pre-op. I couldn't imagine going into surgery without the months of practice and education I received.

There are other threads on here with more information on protein powders. I found one that listed sites to get samples. I ordered 13 samples (buy 12 get 1 free) from Vita Lady for $3/piece. They are large samples, could probably make at least 4-6 shakes with each. I've also read others who said GNC and Vitamin World will mix you a shake in the store or give you a sample to take. I would recommend trying those things before purchasing a huge container, many of them are nasty!

I had surgery 6/25 and I'm still lacking energy... you're giving me hope it's going to pick up soon. But I'm also have sleeping problems so that could be it too. I'm a teacher and not having a routine right now is killing my eating and exercising habits! We go back a month from yesterday and as much as I want summer never to end I NEED to get a routine going again. I lost 65 lbs pre-op and was going to the gym 3-4 days a week! Ugh!