LilMissDiva Irene

Hi @@Beckyyb93 have you gotten your date yet? I see you wrote this a few days ago. Hopefully everything will move fast for you. I'm in the process of waiting on insurance approval now. Then the surgery shortly thereafter. Praying for us all!

@@thesupportedhalf Best wishes on your surgery and recovery! Yes I've heard that revision to bypass is about a 4 hour surgery. I'm not sure where the half hour came from. I don't know of any surgeries that are only 30 minutes long.

If no one ever started a new topic this website would get slow and no one would discuss anything. People would mass exodus to a new website that people enjoyed discussing all topics no matter if they've been asked a million times or for the first time ever (which is unlikely at this point). I've been around a very long time and I've seen it all. I still come here happy to help, so I'm not one of the folks you speak about that are tired of it. If I get a little burned out I just excuse myself for awhile until I'm ready to come back. Not a big deal really...

I only do that because it's funny and I don't feel like talking about my weight or how much I've lost all day all night. After awhile it's all people want to talk about with you and my mind just needs a break. So I make a joke to end the conversation. It's okay to dodge a question it doesn't automatically mean you haven't accepted who you used to be. Anyway I'm more concentrated on who I am today than who I was 10 years ago. That girl is long gone.

It depends on my mood at the time. Sometimes I tell them the truth and sometimes I tell them something outrageous on both spectrums. Like I've lost 10 Lbs or I've lost 250... It's funny and makes them laugh, but they also get the hint and leave it alone.

You can find liquid or chewable anything pretty much now days. I imagine crushing Iron would taste pretty horrible. I found iron chews at Vitamin Shoppe, as well as liquid. The liquid tasted really bad although it did help keep my iron up and I am severely anemic. Good luck.

I don't think it will affect absorption of protein, it just washes all the fluid out quicker. Good luck You're doing really good!

Yes still wait an hour after drinking protein shakes. Even though it is a liquid it still helps with satiety and your body does take longer to digest it. This is the rule I always followed and it has always worked for me.

I look best as a size 4. Getting back there the second time is even more fun. In vanity sizing I was fitting a 0 or a 2. I loved it.

How do you handle situations like this? Exactly like this!!! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I've had an abnormal EKG and have been told I have a slight heart murmur. I do have a cardiologist and they are always able to clear me quickly for surgeries. Praying all goes well and smooth for you! It is better to go for one surgery than be like me and have 3! I am also an ex bandster and revision to sleeve. My GERD is so bad I aspirate and choke in my sleep at night. I will be revising to bypass soon.

@@Birthsjourney Thank you for responding!! I am experienced your symptoms of GERD almost exactly. I have a horrible cough too from gastric acid aspirating into my lungs. It is really horrible All of you are giving me hope thank you!!

How To: Get Back on Track and Stay There Are you finding yourself at over a year out and now you find yourself struggling? Do you miss the excitement that you first had when you had post op surgery while the weight seemed to melt away? If this is describing you, then I want you to listen up… you are not alone. In fact, I’d say that probably all of us post-operative surgeries have felt this way at one time or another. The difference between all of us is how we respond and how quickly we can hit the ground running again after a setback. So then, what are those who are successful doing differently compared to those who are struggling more? I have been doing extensive research in the last 6 months and I’m going to share with you what I have discovered. I’m hopeful that it will help everyone out there, because none of us are failures. If we have a setback, we MUST forgive ourselves and fight to get back up. The only time one can be determined as a failure is if they simply give up. As long as you don’t give up, you still have a chance. Weighing In: I’ll be the first to tell you that your self-worth has nothing to do with the number on the scale. That said, the scale never lies, but you just have to determine what it is telling you. It will let you know when you have not been on track, that’s for sure. During my weight loss phase post op, I never went more than 10 days on a stall. I’d sometimes fluctuate up a Lb. or two due to hormones and water retention but it was the scale telling me I needed to do two things, drink more water which is a natural diuretic and second reduce my sodium intake. I tend to crave saltier foods at that time and no, the scale did not lie one time. Sodium is a major culprit in water retention, not only that if you have high blood pressure you will always want to be mindful of how much you are getting in. Someone with HBP should keep their daily total to 1,800mg or less per day. A normal person should be around 2,400mg per day or less. Back to weighing in however, doing so at the same time of day daily, weekly or monthly (whichever you personally prefer) is really the best way to measure the difference between your last weigh in. Again, do not allow the scale to crash your mood. It is a measure of success or changes that might need to be made. But it won’t lie to you! If you are up 5 Lbs. then likely you need to put on the brakes somewhere and get back to basics. Put a limit on how much you will allow yourself to weigh on your scale. You decide what that number is, as long as it’s a healthy number for you. The WORST thing you can do regarding staying on track is ignoring your scale altogether. It has to be a part of your regimen because take it from me, it is much easier to lose a 5 Lb. gain than to realize you have gained 40 and desperately need to stop the gaining in its tracks. If you have been ignoring the scale then it’s far beyond time to stop lying to yourself and check the damage. In the smaller sizes it only takes 7-10 Lbs to go up a size. Do not wait until your clothes feel too tight, because by then you probably have already gained that much. Diet: Diet: di·et1 noun noun: diet; plural noun: diets 1. the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats. (Google Definition) What does your Surgeon and/or Medical staffs say about this? Did they leave you with any kind of eating plan before you left from your hospital stay? The majorities of all of the journals I’ve ever read regarding post op diet plans are extremely similar to one another, give or take a few variations on when to move to the next step in foods. I’m talking about long term eating however, not the liquids or soft foods phases, but more what and how to eat as a Weight Loss Surgery patient once your stomach has healed. Back in 2011 when I was being asked by numerous members on the website how I was able to maintain my weight so well I decided to create a thread called the Basics Bootcamp. It was a regimen I held close to me if I felt I was falling off track and it helped me to stay at goal for nearly 3 years. I recently have made a bit of a revision to it knowing what I know now regarding nutrition and health sciences. I’ve been studying Nutrition and Health for a while now as well as speaking to many Bariatric Registered Dieticians and Nutritionists. But it still has the basic concepts which are: We do not need to eat so much sugar, we do not need to eat so much salt, we need to focus on protein first and we need to eat our fruits and vegetables. We especially need to be sure we are getting in our minimum of water every day. Sound simple enough? It should be but we have to deal with head hunger too. Indulging in sugar can become a slippery slope. Some people can do much better at moderation of these types of foods than others. I am not one of them. I find that if I abstain from junk food all together I do not think about eating it as much. But once I eat that first bite it feels almost uncontrollable to stop when I should. I continue to crave it for a week or more but then as time goes on the cravings do diminish once again. It all comes down to knowing how YOU react to them and recognizing these behaviors. Getting in tune with your personal triggers and avoiding them is one of the best ways to both get back on track and to stay there. When you hear that sound in your head that says “It’s okay, other people do it and they are okay. Go ahead, you’ve been good, you deserve it.” Realize this voice is a liar and if you listen you will likely find yourself back in square one. Anyhow, here is the thread if you’re looking to kick start getting back on track: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/306411-basics-bootcamp-v2-getting-back-on-track/#entry3459464 Exercise: Working out... Does everyone really need to do this? Even if you’ve lost weight really great in the beginning? The answer is definitely YES. Everyone should have some kind of exercise regimen tailored to them, but no matter what everyone should be doing something. Maybe all you can do is sit on the couch and do leg lifts. Then do that. Maybe you’re very advanced and you can run marathons… good for you! But do it and don’t stop. It takes a long time to become conditioned enough to be advanced but only a matter of weeks to fall all the way back to level 1. According to the Mayo Clinic standard adults should get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise weekly. Break that up into 21 minutes per day if you have to, but just be sure to do it. This is a general guide and a good one to follow, especially if you are just starting up or starting again. The secret is figuring out how to stay there is to find something you like to do. You don’t have to train to run a marathon if you hate running. All that will do is burn you out and likely you will want to give up because it does not meet your fancy. Keep searching and doing new activities. Even brisk outside walking is considered moderate aerobic activity. I personally love it; I can treat it as my getaway at work. I put on my head phones to my favorite tracks and just let my mind wander to another place and relax. Yes, I love it so much I find it more relaxing than tiring. I breathe the fresh air and let the sun soak in. Believe me there are so many choices out there, you only need to find your favorites to keep you coming back. If you are doing this for reasons such as health, you will want to add in your workout. That’s not the only thing working out is good for however, it can help tighten your loose skin, toning can help fill it out. Also, being able to withstand longer periods of workout can help with simply being in a good mood. It’s a great stress reliever. It’s all mental: Yes, it really is. Your attitude will always be the driving force to whether you become a success and especially if you stay a success. How do you perceive yourself? Do you see yourself as worthy of being healthy, active, and happy and at a reasonable weight? Celebrate every pound you are down, no one pound deserves more praise than another. Lose the word “only” or “but” when describing how well you’re doing. It is okay to feel good about yourself and shout it out to the world! Take periodic progress photos so on days you’re feeling down, look at them and see how far you have come. Take as many photos as you like! It is not a bad thing. Another rule to hold dear is to ALWAYS forgive yourself, get back up and keep fighting. A baby never learned to walk after his first step. It took many try’s, stumbles and falls – but the baby keeps getting back up and builds those leg muscles until it can walk without effort. One last thing, NEVER compare yourself and your journey to anyone else!! You should only compete with who you were yesterday. Struggling has quite a bit to do with how you feel about yourself, and how you feel about yourself will have everything to do with how often you’re struggling. Stay positive, always. Every time! “If you think you are beaten, you are; If you think you dare not, you don't. If you'd like to win, but think you can't It's almost a cinch you won't. If you think you'll lose, you've lost, For out in the world we find Success being with a fellow's will; It's all in the state of mind. If you think you're outclassed, you are: You've got to think high to rise. You've got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize. Life's battles don't always go To the stronger or faster man, But soon or late the man who wins Is the one who thinks he can.” ― Walter D. Wintle

Hi Becky I am so glad that you found this thread! We will definitely keep in touch. I'm wishing you the very best on your surgery in a couple weeks and please check in to let us know how you're doing. I pray that having the revision to bypass will get you on the road to recovery and having use of your tool like you're supposed to.

THE BASICS BOOTCAMP VERSION 2 (5.2.2014) RULES: The most important rule is you must follow the rules for it to work. It's only 5 days, you CAN do it! For 5 STRICT DAYS eat only AS MENTIONED BELOW... If you are desperate to get back on track this WILL work, but again you MUST follow the rules EXACTLY. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Proteins: Seafoods, Poultry (skinless and fat trimmed) and eggs (no or half yolks only and not more than 1 yolk per day), Dairies (No more than 2% milk fat), nuts/seeds including Peanut Butter (No more than 1 serving or 1 Tbsp PB only). Veggies: As much as you can get in. Tomatoes are fruit. Fruits: None. Breads/Cereals/Other Carbs: Net 30g. Fluids: Minimum 64 Oz Water. Protein drinks (No sugar. RTD or Powder). ~AVOID SUGAR AND SODIUM~ Keep your servings to 8g or less in processed foods with nutrition labels. Never any candy, Cookies, chips, pop corn, crackers, cake, pastries, etc. Total sodium for the day should not exceed 1800 mg (unless you have a health issue that would make this more or less). Once the 5 days are over, I am pretty much over the Sugar Carb Demon. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate carbs! I do need them to live a healthy life. However, I need GOOD carbs. Whole grains, fruits, veggies... But I don't need processed sugars. White carbs, in cereals, breads, rice... etc. Lots will do the 5 day pouch test. liquids only is simply from being threatened with my life (post op) or if I'm just feeling sick and to let my Sleevie rest. That's it. AS WITH ANY DIET REGIMEN PLEASE MAKE MODIFICATIONS IF NECESSARY IF YOU HAVE ANY HEALTH CONDITION THAT WOULD MAKE ANY PART OF THIS DIET HARMFUL TO YOU!! Or if you find this too difficult find substitutions that might work better. Good luck everyone! This journey is tough, but nothing worth doing is ever easy. Xox

I just made it up many years ago when I was signing up with LapBandTalk.com and somehow it stuck with me. I used it everywhere now.

Hi @@kimpatcan are you getting enough fluids in during the day? Are you getting up and being as active as you can for being 6 weeks post op? Are you near you time of the month? Have you maybe been consuming a little more sodium? Those might be a few things you can ask yourself to get the scale back in the right direction.

@@green*eyed*girl no unfortunately back when I had my sleeve it was not as well know as it is now that people with pre Op GERD could become worse. It's okay I'm a fighter and I will just roll with the punches. Good news I woke up to another pound lost today so only 2 more to go and 6 more days!!

Hi we do have a Duodenal Switch forum here as well. You may be able to find some answers over there too. http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1018-duodenal-switch-surgery-forum-new/

@@green*eyed*girl yes please trust he knows! Ha! I don't have an exact date yet, I am on a little weight loss regimen pre op and need to lose 10 Lbs before surgery. I am down 7 already and have 3 more to go. My follow up is on May 8th so wish me luck on those last 3 Lbs in one week's time! If I come short I'm hoping he will be a little kind to me for I did really try hard. I haven't eaten any sugar in 18 days now. Wishing you well on your surgery!

That's great! I'm quite happy today too.

Going back on liquids may not be a bad idea at all. I'm praying you are okay.