gomekast

176. Family is here from out of state so lots of stuff going on.

Alright, so there is now a Labor Day challenge thread going now. Feel free to add your name to the list for this next challenge. Also, as Bea prepares for her new life across the globe, let's thank her for everything she has done to keep us on track and inspire us. I for one know that often these challenges have been the one motivating factor for me in my life. Thank you Bea. Also...I need a crash course on how to post links and how to post that thread link on his one. Or can someone else do that for me?

My ins requires that any common maintenance med like that be written in a 90 day supply for the script. If it's written in 30 day form it won't get covered. 90 day scripts will. Maybe it's something similar??

I had that too. I had just finished taking 3 rounds of antibiotics so that's partly why mine was low. But my bariatric dr told me to eat more real whole food and less protein supplements to bring it up.

Yes! The more I eat the better I lose for sure. But even at 9 months post op, its tough for me...so I know how hard it is on you! Just do the best you can. Maybe add in a few Quest bars. They are filling with Fiber and Protein.

Months 6,7, and 8 I have averaged 5-7 pounds loss each month. Things are moving tho and inches are dropping still tho. Get your tape measure ready for that part of the journey...it's a better gage for progress versus the scale.

Hey Bea....has anyone stepped forward to take over the spreadsheet yet? If not, shoot me an email. Kelly_doane@yahoo.com.

177 today. Still going down slowly!

Wow. That's pretty low. Your still able to function with full energy on 650 cals? Good for you! I'd never be able too...my dietician and therapist would both hospitalize me if I was restricting to 650. I'm also just about 5'10 so that makes a difference too. If your body is still losing without hitting starvation stalls then awesome!

Put a heating pad n the swollen belly. It helps bring the swelling down faster and flushes out all the extra fluid out a little faster.

I took alive for women chewables. Flintstone vitamins were recommended by my program but they gave me a rash.

I echo what Mrs RRn said. Mine started at at least an F or G cup. Now I'm in a DD. Their just saggy nipples like she said at this point.

Ok ladies...I have to chime in here on this. Hubby and I have tried a few times..but I'm facing an odd situation that I've never had..and I'm too embarrassed to talk to friends about this. I am so boney down there now that it hurts. No matter how we try to position...its all bones down there now. Its strange and it HURTS like hell!! Any advice for me?

K, so I just got my fitbit flex....tell me all about how you guys use it. Can it. Be worn in the shower and in the pool for an hour? Thanks for any info and tips!

I began my post op recovery just like you. Did the same things you said...then at my 6 month check up I was ordered to stop counting and measuring everything I ate and drank. I was becoming obsessed with it..I thought for a good reason. But when my therapist started warning me and telling me it was bordering on some sort of eating disorder...that opened my eyes. My dietician also gave me the same warning..without knowing that my therapist already had this on her radar. I too had a bout with exercise bulimia, as mentioned above...I recognized that and stopped. That's still something I struggle with now, so I have to limit myself to walking and swimming(once I'm able too resume swimming anyways). Its a fine line for me. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is...just be careful. I did both..therapy and responsibility. The therapy made me realize my responsibility had gone too far and was slowly getting out of control. I no longer count anything, measure anything or track anything that goes into my body. I added in a mid morning and mid afternoon scoop of Protein powder to be sure I met protein goals without needing to count them. It was scary but once I got used to it it felt great. I was told to use the app recovery road I think it is to just write the food in a place that I could also track my anxiety I felt over not logging and tracking the numbers. I do still weigh every morning, but.., for me that doesn't define me/who i am and my day. I use it more to gage how my body is reacting to food, beverage, activities, stress...anything like that. I think its a fine line between responsibility and eating disorder like behavior. But again....that's just based on my own experience.

This is why your my hero Lipstick!!

I got his reaction two weeks ago from my mom. She told me some relatives thought I was sick because I wasn't eating much. It was a family funeral and all the food was either made with 100% butter or full fat cool whip and regular Jello. No thanks. But it did bother me. She told me I hardly eat now...which in all reality im stuffing something into my pie hole that's sustenance 6 times a day. Its just small portions. Do I think its annoying?? Yeah...because like Cowgirl Jane said...no one questions someone with half a plate of sugary crap before them..polished off with 3 pieces of cake and pie. What I really wanted to tell her was to keep what she THINKS I should eat to herself. Someone above me eluded to something about having eating disorders if your bothered by those comments. I have to disagree there. Sometimes, we just want to stop feeling like everyone is judging us....between the pre op weights we endured and the behaviors we dealt with then, to the hardly eating comments after...its all judging someone else and yes...we wish it would just stop. My solution for my mom?? I will have to educate her more on why I choose to eat healthy and stick with the rules for my sleeve. To Cowgirl Jane...I know where you're coming from...I darn near took my mom out with a Quest bar and some cashews over her comment.

My program wants yearly returns to do labs and tell us for 5 years minimum. Each program varies in this greatly.

What is dgl licorice?

Your intake will always vary based on stress, activity level and other things. Just do the best you can. Yesterday it was super humid and hot where I am..and we were moving some stuff out of storage to bring back home. Well, I tried to drink my propel zero abd it just wasn't happening. So I tried to just sip sip sip when I was able too. I'm 8 months and it varies even now. But I sort of know when it will change now.

I too use recovery record. It was recommended by my dietician. Good luck in your journey.

Hey honey. .sounds like a miserable time. Call your program asap. They may want to see you today to rule out anything serious. Is there anything that is creating some unknown stress? I remember my nurse telling me that stress will cause the sleeve to swell more than usual greatly limiting eating and drinking capacity (it wss holiday season which is a high stress trigger for many). But seriously, make a call to them asap!

You'll lose fast the first month post op. Then it tetters off gently each month. I lost around 43 my first month post op. Then it lightened up each month there after. As long as your following the rules, you'll be fine. Trust the process and trust your sleeve!

I'm kinda worried about this now myself. I've been on prilosec since October last year. I had diagnosed reflux that they found once my surgery was done...what do the Dr's recommend long term that's safe? Anyone found anything safer long term for reflux post op?

I am 8 months post op. My post op recovery was difficult and not the norm. I had a double stricture right out of surgery. Shots of steriods were given and an oral ppi was prescribed. My first 3 months was basically liquids only. shakes, broths, some yogurts. That was it. Every time I'd try solids, I would be sick in the bathroom...even after chewing the daylights out of it. That said...I did have the option of more intervention had I wished. But I didn't and that's just me. I wanted to just allow my body to do what it does, as long as everything else was still good. And it was. Then, at 3 months they were afraid my sleeve was beginning to twist on itself....that's the point I knew I needed to do something to resolve once and for all. So I did what they suggested and it worked. But that's when the hard part came. I needed to still make the healthy choices with each bite. I needed to work on hitting Protein and Fluid goals each day...in the same day. My point is simple...if your honest during your psch eval, without telling them what you know they want to hear...and you pass...you'll be ready to hamdle whatever the outcome is. This journey isnt for the weak hearted or timid. It can be tough, it can be amazing, it can be stressful, it can be fun...but most of all...you need to be able to hang in there and follow the rules, take time to listen to your body and what its telling you. To date, I've lost something around 110 pounds. I've hit my surgeons goal...will hit my own goal in 17 pounds. Would I do it again?? Heck yeah I would..and I'd still deal with what I did..because it all taught me something very important.....that I was strong enough to pull threw anything life handed me along the way. The struggle has given me the self confidence..not the results that the scale give me. Sorry if this is long winded...but I hope everyone that goes into ANY of the wls makes an informed HONEST choice. Trust your instincts and what it tells you to do.