Lookinupin2010

Being almost 5 months post-op (in one week) I can tell you, you are not alone in this "what did I do to myself" syndrome. We go through it because of the stress that the surgery put upon our bodies, the emotional issues that we have to face because of 'gluttony' withdrawal, and the 'food' (and I use that word loosely) that we are left to eat newly postop. You will have many episodes of depression, each one from a different issue, but I can tell you first hand....when you start going to your closet and your clothes are too big for you, when you can feel bones that you haven't felt in years, when people say "You look great"...it will make this all worthwhile. Sorry about the rash, I agree, they should have checked the bracelet. But I'm wondering, how did you even get to wear the bracelet (even medical) in the operating room. I had papers that asked if I had any allergies to any medications. So sorry you have to go through the rash, but happy that you have met your first bout of depression to recover from our disease. Hang in there.....:thumbup1:

I was told in my presurgery seminar to not drink milk at all...(I used to love oatmeal in the morning). Milk sugars just like all sugars turn to fat if not used up. Sugar grams over 3 are a no no for my program. I do use a 1/2 cup of lite soy milk however...that is 3 on the dot.

I had my 4 month checkup not too long ago, complete with all my lab results. My Dr. said to cut back on the calcium because it could be causing my heartburn, and to take 2 Prilosec (morning and bedtime) instead of just one.

You are right !!! I put some low carb steak seasoning on them...very good.

I just discovered that Costco turkey burgers are about 200 calories each (just the meat) however, a full 35gm of protein in each one. 2/3 of one is probably all we can eat. I haven't tried them yet, just cooked for husband and the kid. Might be good later on! .I'm glad to hear that. I found some in the freezer today, that I must have bought pre-surgery. They looked good to me. Think I will take them out tomorrow and try them again. Seems like they were a little dry from the past, so I may have to modify them a bit. But anyway....I'll let you know.

I normally choose Protein as a food choice, because I struggle somedays trying to get enough in. Eating protein also keeps me from getting hungry besides the ghrelin hormone being disrupted for a time from the surgery. With that being said, I DO KNOW FIRST HAND, that the few times that I have had a carby snack...I get hungry. I hate that feeling, I love it when I feel satisfied for hours after a meal of protein. I definately have carb issues, and now that I'm sleeved, that has been proven to me, by my 'hunger' issues after eating them.

I have officially lost 88 lbs and still have 117 to go, so I'm no lightweight yet. But when I see overweight people now, I have such an overwhelming compassion for them. I'm 58 years old, I've struggled and 'white knuckled' this weight thing since before I was in 1st grade. My Grandmother had me on 'diets' before I was 6 years old. I've grown up with the attitude that I was never good enough and always an outcast from the rest of society. These feelings are now interjected onto those that I see, who are 'pretending' to be happy but I know first hand their sorrow. I want to race right over to them and tell them about this wonderful new surgery called VSG that will enable them to never 'white knuckle' again. I want to tell them that it is possible to be FREE of desiring food over life. But...I also know what it is like to be faced with 'do-gooders' who feel they have all the answers. So, therefore, I just sit, feeling deep sadness for them, and mind my own business.:tongue_smilie:

1st week: Profect, broth and sf popsicles (may I never taste another Profect !!) Weeks 2-4: 1 egg for breakfast 2 more Protein shakes for other 2 meals Weeks 4-6: mushy foods for one meal, 2 Protein Shakes for other two Weeks 6-12: One meal, (usually breakfast of 1/4 c eggbeaters with 1/4 c shredded lf cheese.) Sometimes could get it all down...sometimes not. 2 protein shakes for other 2 meals. Weeks 12-now: I eat one meal (about 3 oz. of protein, with some overcooked veggies) 1 Protein shake meal, and I juice about 5 veggies for the other meal and add unflavored Protein powder. I'm not allowed to snack, I must walk 45-60 minutes a day and drink at least 64 ounces of Water a day. I take 2 multi Vitamins, 3 Calcium (500 mgs. apiece) Biotin, vit c, B12, Iron, flax seed oil, B complex and just recently started adding Vit D (2,000 mgs) a day due to lab results. This is my day...

Pennie...I'm so happy for you. I know from your past posts that you have had some ups and downs. Don't we all ?? !! lol But you met your 6 month goal!!! YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY GIRL !!! By next February, you will look at your old pictures and wonder who the heck is that in that picture. BTW, have you checked out your picture on Dr. C's medical records yet? I just had my labs and asked him for a copy, I didn't recognize the picture in the upper right hand corner. It was ME 4 months ago. lol Bet your picture needs some updating too...

Put the scale away. Try on some clothes that you haven't worn in awhile, or better yet...try on some of those 'new' clothes that still have the tags on that you were going to lose weight and fit into (pre-surgery days). This 3-week thing is only the beginning of more stalls. You KNOW the weight will come off....how can it not !! But you stressing with that scale will just add stress, and we all know what stress hormones can do to any weight loss effort. Just focus on learning how to deal with food issues, chewing slowly, getting in enough Protein, taking Biotin for the future hair loss. It gets better....and MOST IMPORTANTLY..don't compare yourself with your husbands weight loss...or anyone else's for that matter. God made you unique...and embrace that uniqueness.

I don't have a gallbladder anymore, cause when I was in my early 20's I lost 180 lbs in 14 months by diet and exercise. I didn't have insurance for the first 3 years, then when I got insurance it was considered pre-existing (this was back in the 70's) and I had to wait another year before I had the surgery. The pain, I remember very well...it would start out feeling like a tight feeling in my chest...then my right side...then in my shoulder blades. I would hurt so bad that I couldn't stand for anything to touch my back. Couldn't even lie down. Then after the attack, I would spend several days with this horrible bloated feeling. Because I had to wait so long, my liver actually started causing me to get jaundiced. I would be sick for at least a week. My attacks came on when I would try to eat chocolate, spicy foods, or be stressed out. When I had my VSG...I do remember the nurse telling our pre-surgery class that there is a pill that you can now take that will help NOT get gallstones. Best of luck to you....Hope this is NOT gallbladder disease...but if it is..the surgery is now less invasive than in the 70's. I have a scar that goes all down my right side, and they also removed the appendics when they removed the gallbladder back then.

I will send you a facebook friend request....Patricia Williams Oh this is too funny...I was born in Murphysboro....lol

I have never had butter lettuce...but will try it...I miss my salads...

books to help us with the emotional side of our eating, which I now believe is 90% of the problem are a must. Another wonderful book is: "EAT IT UP" by Connie Stapleton, PhD She works us through the mind, body and spirit process of why we overeat. I love this book. Being a Christian, I know the importance for me to incorporate spirituality into the core of healing. If you are not a believer, this might not be for you. If you are...this is wonderful resource. I ordered mine from Barnes and Noble.

Before I had this surgery (which I still call a blessing btw) I used to have a salad everyday for lunch. I love romaine lettuce and grape tomatoes with just about any kind of Protein and other veggies that I'm in the mood for. I tried a small salad the other week, and I chewed it till it was almost liquid. It made me have the most awful heartburn. Yet, I can juice veggies, and not have a problem.

Yea...I'm thinking that I need to do this on a daily basis. My Dr. called this morning and said my labs were in. I'm low on Vit D (again !!!) and Vit A. I'm sure that juicing these veggies (tomatoes, spinach, zucchini, carrots, cucumber and apple...my favorite) will help with the Vit A. I never suspected to be low on that one.

Don't know if it happens to everyone. I am faithful with my Protein intake, take 2 Biotin 5,000 mcg's a day, take flax seed oil, and a hair, nail, skin formula containing the plant horsehair. I just started taking the horse hair, but my hair started falling out at 2 months. I'm just now beginning to see sprigs of hair coming back in around my hairline. Good thing, cause I was started to get depressed over the way my scalp was showing through.

Just take a peek at my stats....still have 120 lbs to go, and have already lost 85 lbs. No 'light weight' here.

I have IBS and decided to not give that info to my surgeon. My PCP has it on his records, but somehow it was not brought up. I was just worried that it might keep me from getting the surgery, and knew from the years past what to do if I start having problems with it. Sometimes, I think my constipation would not have been as bad after the surgery if I didn't have IBS...but now I take flax oil capsules every day, and don't have any problems. I can't get 25 grams of Fiber down a day...I'm 4 1/2 months out...but my Protein powder has 5 grams of fiber in it...and I drink 2 a day. My veggie intake is practically nill right now. Raw veggies still make my stomach hurt. Your friend has to decide whether to tell or not....I just didn't want it to interfere with my acceptance with the insurance.

I have tried several of her recipes, and most I love. I use soy flour instead of white flour or even whole wheat. That way, I get some added protein in.

You should definately discuss any questions you have before you leave the hospital. I was given Protein (PROFECT SHOTS) while in the hospital, and had to continue them for the next 2 weeks. By the time that two week period was over...I WAS EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO EAT 1/2 AN EGG !! I have some Profect left over, and plan on putting it in the 'free' basket at my support group. I never want to drink the stuff again. I was also offered 1/4 c of beef broth while in the hospital, and loved it. But the nurse said to drink my Profect first, then if I was able to, THEN drink my broth. I didn't have room....sad to say. But the second week of being home..It tasted like a steak to me, after drinking that protein stuff first.

Yep, I agree with the last post whole heartedly. I'm 58, lift weights 3 times a week, and walk 1 1/2 miles 5 days a week. I have lost 83 lbs in 4 months. I have beautiful muscles in my legs and arms, and can walk faster than my 2 daughters ages 21 and 26... but, YES I HAVE SKIN SAG !!! When I was in my early 20's I lost 180 lbs in 14 months through diet and exercise. I exercised faithfully 6 days a week. Because my skin was younger, it sagged some the first year, but (I kept the weight off for 10 years) each year it looked better and better. By year 3 except for my apron on my stomach area, I looked perfectly normal. I'm expecting that the case will not be that way this time around. My chin is no longer double, but it looks like a turkey gobble. I might get that taken care of after I've lost the rest of my weight. I don't look forward to another surgery, so I'll just wait and see how bad it is after all the weight is off. :crying:

I agree with all the above items. Especially those Vitamins...they HAVE TO BE CHEWABLE OR LIQUID for the first few weeks. Don't buy a lot of Protein...your taste buds will more than likely change after the surgery...then change again weeks later. Have some sugar free Jello, broths (I had mostly beef....tasted like steak to me after the surgery) sugar free popsicles if you can find them ( I couldn't) and a couple of weeks from now you will really enjoy that first egg, and maybe refried Beans as well as low fat or fat free cottage cheese and sugar free puddings (if you can handle the milk...I usually make it out of soy milk and protein powder) Good Luck.....

It's called the '3rd-week stall'. Perfectly normal....it will start coming off again. Most of us go through it.

I have had one on my left heel for over 30 years. My NEW podiatrist x-rayed it and said it was the biggest one he has ever seen. I get steroid shots in it about once a year from him. He said he would do more of them, but I don't want to take them unless the pain is horrible. Now that I'm losing weight and walking daily on the treadmill, sometimes it hurts again. This time around, I may get it surgically removed. I had one also on my right foot that was causing me excrutiating pain, but it was not as large as this one. I wore the brace, did the stretching exercises, had the cortizone shots....etc etc etc. I ended up letting THAT podiatrist talk me into having a non-invasive surgery like that of a patient with kidney stones. They put a machine on my foot that sent electrical shock waves into my foot to break up the facia (spelling). It was the most horrible thing I've ever had done to me. He never bothered to tell me before the procedure that my foot should be totally numb. I just thought the heel had to be numb. I was supposed to have 2,000 shocks, and by 500 I was literally coming off the table. He stopped, and then kinda yelled at me cause I didn't tell him my foot was numb. BIG JERK !!! He finished the treatement after giving me another shot to numb the rest of my foot, but I had pain on TOP of my foot and swelling of the ankle for over a year. THis time around, I'll just go for the old fashioned surgery if need be. My NEW podiatrist doesn't believe in the shock wave lithotripsy and calls it experimental. If you should find a Dr. that suggests it...remember this please, and do your homework. I thought it just sounded like a good idea to be non-invasive. NOT A GOOD IDEA !!!! Unless you want to have a sore foot for another year, only sore in another area of your foot. Good luck......