joatsaint

Here's a link to my recipe for my favorite Mexican puree dish. I literally lived on this stuff for weeks and weeks when Frankensleeve would not tolerate anything else. My Favorite Mexican Dish http://www.bariatricpal.com/blogs/entry/31168-my-favorite-mexican-food/

NSAIDs were on my restrictions list, but it was only temporary. After a month of healing, I had no medication restrictions.

Thanks for sharing your recipe. I was just curious why you didn't eat real oatmeal? Is this recipe for the puree stage or soft food stage? Or your sleeve doesn't like oatmeal? Thanks

I would recommend putting those funds aside somewhere, rather than buying up things that you might need. I wasn't advised to take any supplements pre-surgery. And I've never been advised to take anything other than a multivitamin, B12, and calcium. I've tried different supplements and "super foods" but never felt like they made a significant difference in the way I felt or in my health.

Pineapple and grapes - took me almost 9 months to train Frankensleeve to love them again. And still, sometimes, he acts up when I eat pineapple.

Do you mean your profile photo? The photos below show how to change your profile avatar.

Thanks for sharing your experience with Miralax. We all go through the constipation phase. And the question of how to get through it comes up often. I'm sure your story has helped a bunch of people. Fortunately, I seem to have gotten past all of that after the 1st year post-op.

Hey guys, just wanted to share another NSV benefit from having VSG. Pre-surgery my blood pressure was averaging 143 over 105. 2 years later its averaging 125 over 90. Sometimes it even gets as low as 117/82. I check my pressure about once a week when I make a Sam's Club run. They have a blood pressure machine over at the pharmacy.

Welcome aboard. This is a great community and there are a lot of people that are happy to answer your questions. It's been 2 years, but I can still remember how nervous/excited I was when I committed to surgery. The time from pre-op to finish is really going to depend on your insurance requirements and your doctor. From start to finish, I was done in less than 30 days. But, my insurance was Bariatric Friendly and I was already diagnosed with a co-morbidity (sleep apnea) that qualified me for VSG surgery. Some insurance companies require lengthy doctor supervised diets, multiple sessions with a nutritionist, in addition to the normal pre-op tests done to prepare for surgery. The best advice I can give you is to call your insurance company and ask them for a list of pre-surgery requirements and a list of WLS co-morbidities that they will accept before approving surgery. Then call your surgeon and find out his expected timetable for your surgery. Stay strong and keep on pushing on...and never give up on what is important to you, even if yesterday it got further away from you. Pull it back towards you today. Stake your claim. Change your ways. Do what is right for YOU!

Thanks for sharing your receipe. I'll have to give this one a try. I've had a taste for pepperoni ever since a co-worker heated some up left-over pizza at work. This will be a better substitute.

I was hurting like Hell for the 1st 7 or 8 days. But I think my pain was a combination of getting the hiccups (that stretched my staple line) and the 2 hour car ride home. The liquid pain meds made me gag so much I just stopped taking them. I didn't do much of anything other than try to find a comfortable position to relax during that time. But on day 9, I crossed some kind of turning point. The pain receded to a minimum and I was able to get out and drive. I went back to work feeling okay on day 11. No pain meds needed. I kept wearing the elastic belly support for the rest of the month, just to be safe. Here's to a new life. Keep moving forward, one step at a time. Make the right decisions, lean on the right people. Live for the right goal. I believe in you. Your time is now!

Thanks for sharing your channel. I'm sure it's going to be fun watching your adventure. But you should have posted a link to your channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsbwKrQUOvipmDZZ5vU5rpQ/videos It took a bit of searching on Youtube to find the user name "Getting Sleeved?" Do you know how many videos have the word sleeved in them? (just kidding)

I had 5 incisions. The 4 small ones were glued. The largest incision was glued and had 2 stitches. My doc removed the stitches on my first monthly visit.

Just wondering, since you're a New Yorker, if your sleeve will have a Brooklyn accent? My Frankensleeve has a Southern growl when he's angry at me.

I'm 2 years out and I still feel the pain of one bite too many. I learned a long time ago how much I can safely hold at one meal, but there are times when I just want one more bite - and I pay for it! Frankensleeve doesn't like to be pushed to his limits. Live every day with purpose. Live every day according to your mission and your plan. Have a vision for what you want to accomplish, and act in congruence with it. Focus on what matters in YOUR life and never, ever, EVER give up on what is important to you. Stay strong.

I didn't try popcorn again until 6 months post-op. Up till then, I was eating so little that I couldn't justify the empty calories popcorn has. But I had no problem with it. I think the 1st time I ate it, I could only eat about 1/2 of a 100 calorie microwave pack. Now - 2 years later, however, I can eat a whole 100 cal pack, plus a little.

I am open all day Saturday, 8am - till 4pm, then I have an appointment. I'm busy all Sunday - I visit my parents.

For my 1st 6 months, I was limited to about 1/2 cup of food per meal. Almost everything upset Frankensleeve. It would take 30 minutes to finish my 1/2 cup. I tried to make the best of it, thinking of how much weight I was losing. And I tried to get into the habit of picking the most nutritious food I could get per bite - since I felt like I was eating so little. Make the most of this time, and when the Honeymoon period is over, all your good eating habits will be so automatic, you won't even have to think about food choices and how much to eat to stay on track.

It's all been worth it for me. I'd do it all over again in a New York minute (currently clocked at 32 seconds ). Here's my body shot showing off my loose skin - 2 years post-op.

I've never just come right out and told anyone - other than family. During my initial weight loss, when people would ask how I was losing the weight, I told them the truth - I had cut back on my eating and I was walking more. I didn't tell them HOW I managed to cut back on my eating! But anyone that directly asked me if I had WLS, I told them about it.

I think I figured it out. For me, if I feel my sleeve cramping or kinda gurgling, it's real hunger. Every other type of hunger is head hunger, boredom, habit, or just something to kill time.

At 3 weeks, my recommended calorie limit was 800 a day. 75% lean protein and 25% from vegetables.

My doc said to realistically expect to lose 140lbs long term. I was 375 and he expected me to get down to 235. I've lost and kept off 170 lbs for 2 years and don't see any reason I can't maintain this weight effortlessly.

It's only a set back, not a permanent situation. Keep taking small steps, they will all add up. Here's to a new life. Keep moving forward, one step at a time. Make the right decisions, lean on the right people. Live for the right goal. I believe in you. Your time is now!

Congrats on getting off to such a great start, even if it did involve catching the flu. I too am looking to get the flu, maybe I can drop these last 6 lbs. (just kidding ) Things will get better. You can do it. You can change. Move forward today, one small, but significant step at a time.