SpaceDust

By the way, I don't have a sore throat either, just a very slight scratchy feeling like my allergies are playing up a little. In all honesty, it could be my allergies Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

I'm home after stopping to have lunch on the way back. It was entirely uneventful. I love my bariatric team. They had the right blend of leaving me alone to read and relax with intermittent stopping by to chat and make me chuckle while I was waiting for my turn. I'll be working with many if not all of the same peeps when I have the big surgery, and it was great knowing I'll feel comfortable with them! Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

And is your inner HR department reminding your inner supervisor that talking to your inner employee that way is an HR violation? Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

Be careful with how much peanut butter you add - it's pretty heavy in fats and calories. If you can, find PB2. It's peanut butter powder with most of the fat removed. It's easy to order online from Amazon, or you may be able to find it locally - check the health food and diet sections of good supermarkets, or at local nutrition and supplement stores Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

This morning I had to go in and give blood for lab work - 8 vials worth. Well make that 9 vials. I got a call this afternoon to tell me that one of the tests was done incorrectly and they needed one more vial. Good thing I'm not phobic about it! Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

I gave enough that I wondered if I should follow blood donation protocol and stick around till I had juice and a cookie! Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

For me it is between 105 and 120 Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

If you have local restaurant supply stores, they are generally open to the public and often have a full line up of flavors available for cheaper than you can get them at the supermarket. Here, Cash & Carry the major one. There are Smart & Final stores in California. It's well worth looking to see if something like that is available in your area. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

And you do that so well! Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

Added to suit your taste. I usually add a half scoop to yogurt or cottage cheese, but you may find a different amount works better for you. Remember, any extra will help, especially if you can add that little bit several times a day. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

Get some of the unflavored protein powder and add it to whatever you're eating to boost the protein levels more or less painlessly. If you do cottage cheese or yogurt, add it to those. If you have a small serving of mashed potatoes, it works there.

Hiya, Gab - I'm 72 days out from my surgery, so we're in the same boat, more or less As far as Protein, it might help if you list some of the things you've tried. I am pretty tolerant of the Protein shakes in general (I've been using protein shakes for Breakfast and/or lunch for quite a while now), but I've tried a lot of them. I am particularly fond of the Syntrax nectar protein shakes for a changeup - they have lots of fruit flavors and dessert flavors. If you haven't tried the Premier shakes from Costco/Sam's Club, they are good ready-to-drink options - pricier per serving than the powders, but really good protein levels and great for grab-and-go. I don't really recommend the ones that are labelled as "meal replacements" like Chike or Big Train unless your dietician or surgeon specifically says to take those - they are perfectly good nutrition for the most part, but they tend to be higher in calories and include Vitamins that you won't need if you're taking the recommended supplements from your dietician. I have some single serving packs of those which I will keep around for post-surgery, when I might need to occasionally boost my calories, but I really prefer protein powders or RTD shakes that are 20+ grams of protein and 1 gram or less sugar, and don't include additional vitamins and minerals above what naturally occurs in the ingredients. Because I am trying to boost my gym time, I also use protein shakes that are formulated to support that after my workouts.

I take it you're on soft foods at this point? Did your NUT or your surgeon give you guidance on what constitutes soft foods? If so, you should follow their directions, of course. At soft food stage for me, I can have moist, flaky white fish, no shellfish. I can also have ground meats, especially chicken or turkey. Basically, if it can be mashed with a fork and it's moist and easy to digest I can probably have it, so soft-cooked veggies and fruits would be okay, bananas, the usual things like cottage cheese, yogurt, refined hot cereals like Cream of Wheat. Poached or soft-boiled eggs are good, and lightly scrambled (i.e., so they are still moist). No fried stuff, no solid hunks of meat, no raw fruits (except bananas). No unrefined whole grain stuff. I hope that helps!

That is completely dependent on what your surgeon prefers. It can vary from no liquid diet at all to 8 weeks before you get to pureed foods. The normal seems to be 2 - 4 weeks. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

I've found the Syntrax Nectar to be a nice alternative. It can be ordered online from a lot of sites. BJBariatrics has a "build your own" sampler so you could go choose the flavors that interest you in packets that will make 16 oz each. There are a number of fruity flavors, as well as chocolate, vanilla and such. I also like the Unjury unflavored that is mentioned above, and the Unjury chicken broth is pretty decent, too.

I see. Thank you for answering. To me, this doesn't seem like a moderator in the terms of any other forum I've ever frequented or moderated, it sounds like an administrator. I'd really like to see someone who is responsible for keeping things more even-tempered and less of a full-on snarkfest. I'm not suggesting a stifling of useful debate - disagreements are to be expected and most people generally have some valid reasons for their positions, and it's good to see those discussed, even with some passion. But when threads flame out of control like this, I think that it's bad for everyone, including newbies on the site who get scared away by the viterol. Any semblance of useful discourse fled this thread about 9 pages ago, but I keep peeking back into it - it's like a train wreck. I hate it, but there's a weird fascination in it. Good luck to all with whatever you decide, whether to tell, not tell, bend the truth, or tell the part of the truth you're comfortable in sharing. It isn't my, or anyone else's, business to dictate how you proceed. All we can offer is our perspective, for you to pick up or leave on the table.

If you've otherwise done well, I doubt it would be enough to cancel your surgery. Get back on track, though - you really want to be in the best position possible to succeed!

Haha. I do love fancy expensive coffee drinks, although I usually go to a local stand. But believe me, I can take my coffee black, sweet and black, with milk or with the whole shebang. It depend on my mood. Right now my choice seems to be black with cinnamon and a little sweetener. If I indulge in a latte, it will be a caramel macchiato or a white coffee latte with peppermint (sugar and fat free, natch). I was born and raised in the other side of the Sound, so not quite a native Seattleite... Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

I'm a contractor with no paid sick leave, either, so I totally understand! Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

It's best if you know before. 1. If you have sleep apnea it's a co-morbidity that insurance will take into account when approving you for surgery. 2. If you have sleep apnea it impacts the anesthesia that you're given during surgery. 3. It impacts your general health - with sleep apnea you are probably not getting as good a rest as possible, and you want to be getting that rest in order to heal properly. 4. Not getting sufficient rest can also impact weight loss negatively. Your surgeon may ask you to have a sleep study done before approving you for the surgery, and it truly is a good idea. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST

Not that I'm suggesting that the consumption of empty calories is a good idea, but according to the information I've read and what I've been told by experts there is little to no chance of significantly stretching your sleeve via carbonated beverages. The reason is that the stretchy part of your stomach, the fundus, is what is removed during the surgery. The reason that such stretching still comes up is because it can affect the pouches for both bands and gastric bypasses because the pouches do include a higher percentage of fundus. That said, it could impact you before your stomach is fully healed around the staple line. Additionally, your sleeve is small enough that the carbonation may cause a fair amount of discomfort, in part because it can't stretch like it would have. But do think about this before having that drink: most sugared soda pops contain approximately 100 calories per 8 oz. If we assume that the average calorie consumption is 800 calories per day, that means that cup of soda pop is 12.5% of your normal calorie intake. Do you really want that amount of your daily calories to go to something that isn't providing nutritional benefit? And if you actually consume just one 12 oz can, you're now talking about almost 19%. Obviously, the choice is yours. If after thinking about the impacts you decide you really do want to have some, then my recommendation is to sip it slowly and savor it as a once in a while treat. Thoroughly enjoy it, then get back on track. But better yet would be to skip it and find something else. Good luck! Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using VST