JerseyGirl68

Hi Erica: Check out theworldaccordingtoeggface.com and emilybites.com lots of recipes that are perfect for both of you. Good luck!

No regrets on surgery. Thankfully, I had the benefit of following members like Cheri, Butterthebean, OTR, Proudgrammy... the list goes on.. They had some time under their now smaller belts and I was able to read and learn from their experiences and get a good idea of what what to come. Cheri's advise is spot on. Read... search the topics you have questions or concerns on, there is a abundance of posts on every aspect of the surgery, before and after. Good luck to you!

I think losing 80 pounds on your own is quite an accomplishment, and one you should be very proud of. The sleeve is just a tool, you still have to do the work. You very well could continue as you are, keep losing and be just as happy. It is a personal decision and what is best for one may not be best for all. The major difference is after you are sleeved a few ounces fill you, phyiscally satisfies you in a way that just restricting your diet will never do. Also, the area of your stomach that is removed is a producer of the appetite/hunger hormone ghrelin. This is not to say you'll never feel hunger, many do feel traditional hunger again. I'm 7 months out and still do not feel hunger, thankfully. It makes for a much easier time while losing weight for me. I tried every diet/pill/gimick known to man for 20 plus years, nothing stuck. I went to an endocronologist and was found to have a painfully slow metabolism. Dieting was always going to be in my life and it was always going to be a struggle. The restriction from the sleeve is completely different than simply restricting your diet on your own. If you follow your nutritionists plan, get in your Protein & Water, you won't have the physical reprocussions of a calorie deficit diet. There are "rules" to follow - and you can read a ton of information on that here. It is a great idea to scour the posts here, you will get a very wide view of people's experiences. No two people are alike, and as I said what is right for one may not be right for all. You have to think about what is best for you. You have to give yourself some credit for all you have lost so far. It will not happen overnight, with or without the sleeve. You have folks here who know what you are going through. Search the forum for topics you have questions on. BEst of luck in whatever you decide!

Awesome Michele, Congratulations and glad you are feeling well.

I woke this morning to an email from Alex congratulating me on my anniversary with VST. What a difference a year makes. A year ago, I had just decided to move forward with surgery and joined VST after lurking for a few weeks. A year ago, I was carrying 133 more pounds than I am today. A year ago, I would never have believed that so many people that I had never met, would make such a profound difference in my life. So many of you here have been so many things to me that even those closest to me could not be. You walk in my shoes. We share a unique bond and I am thankful to so many of you for being a wealth of information, mentors, shoulders to lean on and the cheerleaders we all need from time to time. If you ever doubt that your contribution here matters, don't. I'm still in the throws of my journey and continue to seek out VST as much as I ever did for continued support and information. I hope to be the same help to others as so many have been to me. A big Thank you and huge cyber hug to you all! I couldn't have done it without you. Chris

Hi! Everyone is different, and reacts differently to surgery. I was sleeved on a Tuesday and went back to the office on Monday. More healing time is always better, but I don't regret going back when I did. I had a very smooth recovery, no real pain, just some tenderness. I did make sure to stay well hydrated, keep my shakes handy and get up and walk a few times an hour. I wore very loose clothing so I was comfortable. I was off pain med the day I came home, so they were well out of my system and I was able to drive. That being said, I only work a short distance from home and only had to go on local roads. I don't know that I would have felt comfortable driving highway speed. Turning was an issue and I'm sure my reflexes were not 100% ( I took that into consideration and was very careful and left plenty of commuting time) I was slightly more fatigued than usual after the day and went to bed much earlier,, but other than that I felt fine. I let my boss know that I would have to play it by ear the first few days and that if need be, I would leave and do some work from home. Best of luck to you on Wednesday! Keep us posted!

One of my favorites when I was on puree's was from theworldaccordingtoeggface.com (I did it both in one pan and in 4oz. individual ramekins) Shelly's Baked Ricotta 8 oz of Ricotta cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1 large Egg, beaten 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning salt & pepper to taste 1/2 cup Marinara Sauce 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese Mix ricotta cheese, parmesan, beaten egg, seasonings together and place in a oven proof dish. Pour marinara on top and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake it in the oven @ 450 for about 20-25 minutes (best) or nuke it till hot and bubbly. I usually made it first in the oven and heated the leftovers in the microwave.

Good luck!!

What a great way to start off! When I went to my surgical consult, I was told I had to go through the 6 month supervised diet. Three months in, that requirement changed and I was on the fast track. I took it as an opportunity to get myself in check before surgery and I'm so happy I did. In the months leading up to surgery, I lost 50 lbs.and I feel that set me up for a good mindset going into surgery and all changes I would need to embrace. I had the time to emotionally prepare for what I was getting into. It is very easy to get suduced by the "I want it now" mentality. And yeah, I wanted it done as fast as possible too. That pre-op time gave me the opportunity to get in touch with my issues. It is a huge part of what will make us succesful. This post hit it on the head for me http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/78443-the-pre-op-diet-is-not-a-punishment-its-an-opportunity/ Best of luck to you!

The emotional part of all this can be overwhelming. This is a huge step you are taking, and all the emotions come along for the ride. You can absolutely do this. It is hard to avoid thoughts of what you can't have, try and focus on all the positive changes to come.... What I love about this site, is we are all in the same boat. We have either gone through it, are going through it with you or waiting our turn. One stop shopping for support from folks who kow exaclty what you're going through. Stay strong and take it one day at a time. You can do it!

That is awesome! Good for you Joe!

You sound like you are doing exactly what you should. Main focus on staying hydrated, and yes, for the first week or so it is a full time job, or at least feels like it is. Have you tried Unjury chicken soup? Protein packed and very tasty. Warm liquids of any kind went down easier for me initially so the soup was a god send. I also heated the milk with my chocolate protein powder and drank it like hot cocoa the first week or so. The noises calmed more and more every day after my surgery, if you get more sore, try a heating pad. But you really sound as if you are doing great. Congratulations and best of luck!

Best of luck to you for a text book surgery and smooth recovery!

The first time I went out to dinner after being sleeved I was on mushies and we were meeting friends at a pizzaria. I ordered a calzone, and only ate some of the center cheese, it was full fat cheese, but I only had a few bites. It wasn't a problem at all and I took the rest home. Since then I've gone out a bunch of times. If I'm in a position to take home leftovers I'll order from the regular menu, typically broiled or grilled seafood or chicken. If not, I'll get something off the appetizer menu or a grilled chicken salad or shrimp cocktail and eat what I can. I have not found a situation where I couldn't find something on the menu.

Did your doctor give you any post op rules to follow? Generally, after you are approved for all foods, the aim is for 60-70+ grams of lean Protein a day, low fat/low carb. 64oz. of Water minium a day. You could use an app like MyFitnessPal to track your intake. There are a lot of us here that use it or something similar. All NUTs are different, so you may find that opinions vary on this. For menu ideas, you can check the recipe forum here or sites like emilybites.com or theworldaccordingtoeggface.com While Weight Watchers is a good plan, I don't know that it will best serve you initially. How far out from surgery are you?

Unjury makes a chicken soup that is high in protein, or try adding unflavored protein to different items to bulk you up.

I imagine the amount varies. For my insurance I had my deductible, then the insurance paid 80%. I was responsible for the next 20% but only until I reached my maximum out of pocket expences. It isn't a perfect indication, just what mine was. My total out of pocket was about $4000.

When I get a copy of our insurance policy from work, almost always there are riders attached. They start with a standard policy and revise from there. If you received approval, I would'nt worry too much about it. Do you have the approval in writing? If not, you could have the insurance company send you a copy for your records. You could call them and ask the rep what exactly your out of pocket expenses will be. Oftentimes it is a percentage. Good luck!

I was strongly advised to avoid Pasta too for at least 3 months, Technically I was approved to have it at 6 weeks out (as I was cleared for all foods), but as others have said, it has no nutrional value for you and for many it does not sit well. Carbs have always triggered the want for more carbs for me so I tend to avoid them. It is very early in your journey, try not to give into the cravings if you can. Good luck!

Can you try an "altered" burger to satisfy you? Make your own lean beef or turkey burger, put it in a lettuce wrap or even a lite bun. I'm betting you can work it into your diet plan and still stay the course. Granted it won't be a gooey, fat heavy burger, but it might be enough to satisfy that craving. The 6 months leading up to surgery I stayed on a Weight Watchers plan an lost about 50 lbs. before the pre op diet. A great way to prepare yourself for the uncompromising changes you'll have to make after surgery is to start some changes now, ease yourself in with good choices and meal planning that will make your transition that much easier.

Lisa, you seem to have the hardest part of this down... a great mental attitude going into it. Let us know how you are doing.

It is hard, thankfully it is only for a few more days. If you find it difficult to work, call your Nut. They might be able to give you a revised diet or add to it to get you through. Best of luck to you!!

Congrats on your surgery! In my experience, yes you will be able to eat about 4oz. at a sitting. I'm at 7 months, and my NUT told me this may increase. This will also vary slightly on what you are eating, I can only get in about 3oz. of dense Protein (steak). I was instructed NOT to drink with meals ever. It was explained to me that it was for a few reasons. You can only hold a few ounces when you eat, liquids take up room in your stomach and will limit your nutrional intake at meals. Also that drinking while eating speeds up digetstion a bit. You want your food to satisfy you as long as possible. Good luck!!

I agree about the initial full feeling, just a heads up.. You may not want to get into the habit (or continuing the habit) of eating until you are full, one extra bite can really be very painful. You might want to try portioning or weighing your food out and seeing how that goes. At 7 months out, 4oz. is what I aim for and I never go back for more. If you're conditioned to eat what is on your plate and that plate always has more than 3-4oz on it, you'll constantly be pushing the limits. Yesterday someone posted (sorry I forgot who at the moment, but I bookmarked it) a link to an article about if your sleeve can stretch. http://www.obesityco...stomach-stretch It was a good read, I thought. Old habits die hard. I was also a "finish what's on your plate" person my whole life and those plates were always plenty full. Now, using smaller plates and portioning what I put on it, lets me clean my plate, but not overindulge. I can bring lunch to the office, I only use small 4oz. containers, and when I wrap leftovers for me, I use this size too. I love that I'm not having food go to waste and I'm starting new patters for myself that will keep me going long term. Our sleeves will be able to handle more food in time, I don't want that to be my downfall. Good luck!! and congratulation on your surgery.

On the advise of my NUT I purchased a FitBit One right after surgery, and wear it every day. It absolutely keeps me motivated. I work long hours at my desk and I can track my steps with it. On a day where I get below my goal, I hit the ellpitcal for a few extra minutes. Watch Amazon & ebay, sometimes you can get a good deal. Their customer service is above and beyond. I lost my fitbit while out one day... they replaced it for free. I couldn't belive it. I also once left it on my clothes and washed and dried it, it worked perfectly afterward. I love that it syncs up with myfitnesspal also.