joatsaint

I like sugar free pops. Frankensleeve didn't like them. Something about the artificial sweeter sent him into fits during those 1st weeks post-op. He grew to like them, but it was a rough trip. :-) What don't you like about sugar free pops? I have one every day for my 'dessert' if you want to call it that I drink about 80-100 oz a day 3 weeks after surgery and about 90% of what I drink is crystal light, but I only use one packet per gallon compared to the recommended two packets. It makes it taste not like Water but not too sweet.

Thank you Cervidae. I wouldn't have been brave enough during my 1st year post-op. Since losing the weight, my self-confidence has really soared and I want to help as many people as I can come to their own decision about WLS as fully informed as possible - the same way I wanted to know. I'm never going to forget how nervous, unsure, and scared I was in the beginning. Hopefully I can help others by sharing what I've learned.

I'm getting my 15 minutes of fame or should I say, my 1 hour of fame. :-) I'm getting naked on The Naked Truth - Sunday Oct. 4th 7pm CST. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF2gfgx3NcfBCB-_2SkCarQ The Naked Truth is a live WLS support show on Youtube. Hosted by Jennifer Bleecher and Elizabeth We discuss life before and after WLS. The The Naked Truth is a candid look at real life experience and how we traveled this WLS adventure. And how you can apply our hard won knowledge to make your WLS adventure a success. Join the fun and get your WLS questions answered. :-) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF2gfgx3NcfBCB-_2SkCarQ If you would like to receive the latest newsletter updates and helpful tips/advice, I invite you to subscribe to both my Youtube channel and my email newsletter. You'll also receive my free ebook and any future free ebooks I publish. Get my latest free eBook here == http://frankensleeve.com

I hope it's good. I am used to being on camera alone. This will be a new NSV for me. :-)

I went with the Sleeve because it was the least invasive. No rerouting of my intestines. But it is slightly more difficult to lose weight as opposed to the Bypass - I've lost and kept off 160lbs for 3 years. With the Bypass, intestines are rerouted and food isn't absorbed as well afterwards and taking a Multivitamin for life is necessary. BUT having said that, I know 3 ladies that are 3, 5 and 11 years post-op Bypass and have lost the weight and kept it off. We are all very happy with our results. I don't think you can go wrong with either surgery. I would go with my doctor's recommendation, he's in the best position to advise you. Get my free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt!

Hang in there! I had to lose 130lbs before I could quit my CPAP. I had tried sleeping without the CPAP several times in the previous months when I was 90, 100, 100+ lbs down, but could not sleep without it. There was no weening off of the CPAP for me. One week I HAD to use it, the next week I was off of it forever. One of the symptoms I experienced when I was getting close to getting off the CPAP: I would wake up in the night belching and passing gas like crazy! I was passing so much gas that it was waking me up. :-P

I know where you're coming from when it comes to cravings. The pre-op diet was the toughest part of this whole adventure. But the good news is, you know there is an end point to the pre-op diet. Knowing the end date made getting through it much easier. And post-op, those relentless food cravings were gone! Get my free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt!

Here's one website that lets you do a virtual comparison of before and after - http://www.modelmydiet.com/ They have an iphone app, the android version is coming. The links for the apps are at the bottom of the website. Here's an Android/iPhone app that may do the trick - http://visualizeyourweight.com/ I have not tried them out, but I hope these help. Get my free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt!

I started taking these this week. They taste pretty good, kind of a berry flavor. Sometimes they have a bit of a bitter aftertaste, but I can live with it. :-)

One of the things that keep the weight on me is processed foods. I had to eliminate almost everything that comes pre-packaged, including the "healthy" meals in the freezer section. So many chemicals are added to stabalize and make the processed foods taste good, we don't know what the effect is on our metabolism and blood sugar. I stick with the rule, "Only eat things that are the ingredients for other things." :-) == Get my Free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! == get it here ---> http://frankensleeve.com

Yep, I noticed a real change in how much I could hold at 6 months and again at 9 and again at 12. From there on, it was stable at 1 1/2 to 2 cups, depending on the Protein to vegetable ratio. By 6 months, Frankensleeve's swelling had gone away and he would tolerate more types of foods. So it was important to stay with my doc's recommended Proteins and carbs. But I still continued to lose weight. It took my body about a year to lower it's metabolism to match my lower caloric intake. Take advantage of this time to get into good eating habits and a good exercise routine. It will pay off if your metabolism starts to slow.

I had the Sleeve, and the feeling of being full is not the same post-op. Before, I had that "oohhhh, my belly's full" stretchy sensation... that was very satisfying. After, I have that, "oh crap! I ate one bite too much!" tight, pulling sensation, that doesn't feel good at all. Which is a good thing in my book. That feeling keeps me alert and mindful about watching my portion sizes and stopping when I feel satisfied, instead of overeating. :-) == Get my Free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! == get it here ---> http://frankensleeve.com

I am 48, and believe I had mild sleep apnea since grade school. But it really kicked in in 2009 - after I gained about 100lbs. And weighted about 375lbs. I was on a CPAP machine 2010 - 2013. It took about 10 months after WLS and losing 130lbs to eliminate my apnea. Somewhere around Oct 2013, I started noticing I my sleep without the CPAP was almost as good as with the CPAP. A month later I was able to stop using the CPAP machine and have never used it again. http://www.bariatricpal.com/blogs/entry/31195-blow-is-just-an-expression-cpap-and-sterilized-water/

I like these A LOT! Just be sure and stick to the listed serving size on the back of the pack. They're so good, it's waaaayyyyy to easy to overeat on them - even though they are low calorie. :-) I tried the Quest Protein chips too -

Well I think you can add passing the psych eval as an NSV! :-) My eval lasted about 3 hours. 2 1/2 of which I spent filling out the questionnaire. I don't know if it was part of the eval or not, but they didn't provide any desks or tables to write on. So me and the other 2 guys were sitting there, trying to hold the clipboard/pencil in one hand and hold the 40 page questionaire in the other! Talk about a pain. I was pissed they did that to us! == Get my Free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! == get it here ---> http://frankensleeve.com

I would recommend Premier Protein chocolate shakes. I liked the flavor a lot. == Get my Free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! == get it here ---> http://frankensleeve.com

The best thing I did after WLS was to get my friends and family onboard as part of my support team. They were already supportive, but I made sure they knew my progress and felt like I was keeping them in the loop. That way, they felt like they were part of the process and didn't feel like I was moving away from them emotionally. == Get my Free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! == get it here ---> http://frankensleeve.com

I would think it would be pretty safe. I've never had an issue with charging anything on my credit card... including my hospital stay. I know from experience that my credit card company is on my side if there is a dispute. If this charge is going to be substantially bigger than your normal CC charges, you may want to call your credit card company and forewarn them. Otherwise it might get declined.

My doc didn't set an exact weight to lose pre-op. I was on his fast-track program and only had to do a 1 week diet. Once I was approved for surgery, completed all the tests, and got my surgery date, 1 week was all the time I had before being sleeved. I managed to lose 10lbs. First appt. with doc - Dec 7th 2012... Sleeved and released on Dec 27th 2012. == Get my Free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! get it here ---> http://frankensleeve.com

I am right there with you. Even at 3 years post-op, I can still remember how scared/nervous/excited/scared.... did I mention scared? :-) Not knowing how my friends/family were going to react when I told them I was having surgery. And what did I know about being "normal" sized? I have 40 years of being the "fat guy" at work, at home, and around my friends. The good news is, when I woke up from surgery, I wasn't instantly thin! :-) It took me 18 months to get to what I call "normal" size. So I had plenty of time to grow into my new body and get used to my new way of living. I can tell you, that it's sooooo much better after the weight loss. It was the best decision I ever made. Get my FREE eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! http://frankensleeve.com

I had a rough recovery, but I was back at work on day 11. Get my FREE eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! http://frankensleeve.com

I'm pretty self conscious about my loose skin and apron, but my girlfriend doesn't seem to care. I don't care if the lady I'm dating has an apron or not. I try my best (not always successfully) :-( to see the person inside, not what's on the outside.

I've never developed any cravings for any flavors post-op. But my tastes in foods have changed. I now love broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts. My old fast food favorites just don't taste that good anymore. (happy dance!) :-)

My turning point was in June of 2012. I was on a cruise and sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing a whit T-shirt. I looked sideways at myself in the mirror and I looked like a big white bag of garbage. My life was already miserable enough, between the constant head hunger, feeling trapped by my weight in a job I hated, limited mobility and the random pains in my knees and feet. I just couldn't see myself living that way for another year. Get my free eBook - The Top 10 WLS Fears and How to Kick Their Butt! http://frankensleeve.com

Thank you, that's exactly what I was looking for. I'd never realized that it was the complex carbs that weren't listed. I had tried Googling the answer a few times, but I was never able to get a straight answer.