joatsaint

I have been using Jergins Skin Firming lotion - Walmart, about $4, after reading several Amazon.com reviews saying people were having good results. I figured for $4, it was worth a try. I don't know how well it's working because I have nothing to compare it to.

I have the sleeve and there aren't any forbidden foods. At 12 months post-op, there are some foods (like chicken breast or red pepper) that still make Frankensleeve grumble, but I can eat. A friend at work had gastric bypass about 6 months ago, and she regularly eats popcorn and rice. I guess it depends on your surgeon if there is a forbidden food list.

Welcome and good luck. Feel free to ask any questions. I'm sure one of us has gone through anything you might be curious about.

I feel for you. I purposely didn't go out to eat or to the movies to avoid just those kinds of foods. I don't know if I could have held out if popcorn was held right under my nose like that. Fortunately for me, I couldn't stand the thought of eating anything at 10 days post-op. Hang in there and Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!

I walk the stairs at work to build up my glutes. And it may sound weird, but when I'm on the toilet, I stand and sit about 10 - 15 reps, until I feel the burn... and I don't mean from jalapenos! :-P Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!

3 weeks from start to sleeve for me. 2 weeks from initial consultation to psy eval. Then one week of pre-op diet. I was fasttracked for surgery. I'd already had the medically supervised diet, long before I decided to have surgery. And having sleep apnea immediately qualified me under my insurance. I don't know if my nerve would have held out if I had to wait much longer to be sleeved. I'd already backed out on my first attempt a month earlier.

I wasn't depressed post-op... I WAS PISSED! Don't know why, but I hated the world and wanted to fight, every day for the first week.

eggs were one of the hardest things for Frankensleeve to digest. At the 2 month mark, I was still only eating about 4oz. total for the day. Just be sure and stay hydrated. Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!

The first 2 brands I tried were great and I recommend them to everyone... plus they're cheap! About $1.50 each at Walmart or Sam's Club.

I don't know if trying different techniques to break a stall really work of if it just keeps me occupied?

Lose it fast or slow, you're still losing. Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve! http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/9018/entry-31257-are-you-a-half-fast-loser/

This is my favorite puree recipe: http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/9018/entry-31168-my-favorite-mexican-food/ and here's a big thread full of ideas: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/228097-puree-stage-recipeideas/

Congrats on getting past that "voice". I hear it too. It's like a little kid pulling on my sleeve that I can't get rid of.

My psy eval was pretty easy. My doc sent me to the guy he sends everyone to. So everything went smoothly.... except for the part where he offered me some candy and a ride I balked at the offer when I saw the white panel van we were going to get in, but he added a puppy to the deal. I couldn't pass that up!

Congrats on coming through it so well. Now get out there and Pimp that sleeve! :-)

I had a mixed blessing my 1st week post-op. I was in so much pain that I was only able to eat about 1/2 sugar free popsicle each day. I didn't want to think about food. But I concentrated on keeping myself hydrated. I figured I had enough calories stored in my fat to last through the winter! :-P

I love nuts, but they are a slider food for me. It's way too easy for me to overeat them, but they do a lot of good fats in them.

I keep my vlog link in my signature. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaOsuR2p6f49ptPSPoNav1Q/videos

Me either, they said not to eat after midnight the night before surgery, that was it. But you might ask them about the catheter. I was given the choice of going to the RR right before surgery or having the catheter put in. I jumped off the gurney and made the hike down the hall to the restroom.

I was eating and drinking so little those first few weeks that I counted anything with Water in it towards my Fluid intake. sugar free popsicles, Crystal Light, broth... But when in doubt, you should refer back to your doc. I was lucky to have been sent home with a packet of guidelines that I could read over when I was unsure of something. Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!

Yeah, I know what you mean about missing solid food. I was lucky/unlucky in that I was so miserable the 10 days post-op and I couldn't/didn't want to eat anything. I was living on cream of mushroom soup for the first month, but at least it was semi-solid and I would take the occasional bite of chicken salad.

One more day to go! Have a great recovery.

I never tried chewable Vitamins because of all the complaints about the taste. I used liquid B12 until I found a better tasting tablet, one that dissolves under the tongue. I get it at Walmart. I started taking Vitamin tablets and Calcium tablets at around 1 month. I was able to swallow them by then and Frankensleeve didn't act like a garbage disposal filled with rocks. :-) I would check with your doc about the crushed meds and verify which ones can be crushed. Some meds are not supposed to be crushed because they are time release - crushing messes that up.

I was losing about a pound a day for the 1st week and about 20 pounds per month - the first 3 months. I'm sure I could have lost more if I had worked at it harder, but I was happy that the weight was falling off as fast as it was.