BKLYNgal87

How long ago were you sleeved? Some patients need to take PPI's longer than the usual 4 weeks post op. I am still on omeprazole 20mg a day and can't go a day without taking it. I hope the acid subsides soon!

Agree with MIJourney & AntiBand. I am not yet used to the strange looks and second guesses I get from waitstaff when I order an appetizer. But I shrug it off because the prevaling mentality in the food service industry is get what you pay for. I wouldn't take it personally. Be psyched about your success so far!!

Are you on blood pressure or diabetes medication? If so you may need to cut back. Your doctor(s) would be able to give you a new dose.

You pose a great question. How do we go about developing new and healthier habits so that our surgeries and weight loss are successful long term? I used to get a low blood sugar feeling every few hours and would seek out the closest sugary substance I could find. I was incorrigible. This fed into my food addiction and at some points, gave me the excuse to stuff my face. I started counseling a few years ago for food addiction and it really helped me a lot. My social worker taught me cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and mindfulness. I also changed my diet to higher Protein lower carb. Slowly the low blood sugar feeling started to go away and when I looked at sweets I didn't reach out for them subconsciously like I used to. I think both the CBT and the diet change helped me physically and mentally. I did still like to eat sweet things but the pull wasn't so complete as before. Then I started the pre-surgery liquid diet. After 2 weeks I really started to detest sweet tasting things since I was drinking [artificially] sweet Protein shakes all day. To this day I will reach for savory over sweet. The spell has been broken. If it happened for me it can happen for you too! Here's a great book I read when I started therapy. The great thing about CBT and mindfulness is most people can learn to do it themselves: http://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Eating-Rediscovering-Relationship-Food--/dp/1590305310/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375367684&sr=8-1&keywords=food+addiction+mindfulness I wish you best of luck!!

Maybe you should ask that same relative more pertinent details. As others have said the coordinator company is irrelevant. The relevant information would be who the surgeon was and the hospital. Edit: Unless of course the goal of your posts today was to slam your most hated coordinator company yet again.

Awesome! Keep up the great work!

BMI actually does not account for fat-muscle ratio. It is not a great indicator.

Awesome! Keep up the great work

Wow way to go!!

Orange juice has a lot of sugar. Juices usually have added sugar, aside from just the fruit. I wouldn't have if but if its not against your nutrition plan it won't hurt unless you're newly post-op then the acid may wreak havoc on your stomach.

You can eat tofu, hummus, refried beans, eggs, ricotta cheese, etc. Instead of pureeing a meatball try using soy crumbles with some marinara sauce. Sounds good to me!

EXACTLY. At the end of the day surgeons may have the MD degree but they are best at only three things - cutting, sewing, and making money. Many don't have much of a clue when it comes to real medicine.

You do realize that surgery is a tool, not a cure, right? There are people who don't lose all the excess weight they needed to and people who lose it all and gain some back. You have to be mature enough and dedicated enough to be in control and stick to your diet and exercise program, even in maintenance. And maintenance is for life. There are plenty of adults who have a hard time wrapping their heads around that. I had a serious food addiction as a teenager [i suspect your daughter at her weight does too] and nothing would have stopped me from overeating except counseling, which I finally started when I was 21. I made sure I had all my ducks in a row before I had the surgery to give myself the best possible chance of success. Ultimately this choice is up to you and your daughter but you are still the parent and she is still the teenager. Furthermore I implore you as I said before to get a second or even third opinion from a doctor who doesn't have a vested interest in your daughter having surgery.

This is a very weighty (for lack of a better word) decision. You need to be honest with yourself from the get-go. Your daughter at 5'3" and 246 lbs is not overweight. She is morbidly obese. If she doesn't make serious diet and exercise changes, she is at great risk of developing serious illnesses at a younger age (heart disease, diabetes, to name a few). A drastic change is needed but at her age and development, surgery may not be it right now. There are diet plans run by clinics especially for children and teenagers. I think it will be easier for her to implement these changes once you've had your surgery. You can be her motivator. If you're strongly leaning toward surgery and after extensive trial and effort dieting doesn't work then ask yourself: First off - does her primary care doctor have any thoughts as to whether she has finished her bone growth? What is his or her opinion on obesity surgery on a teenager? It is very important to get at least one or two medical opinions from doctors and not just your surgeon. He has financial incentive to approve her. Second - do you think she is mature enough to handle surgery and the life altering changes she'd have to make and stick to? I know I couldn't have done it at 14, though I wish I hadn't gone through high school and college obese. People can be cruel and they certainly were to me in high school, less so in college. Bottom line is both regular diet and exercise and surgery diet and exercise are difficult and require ongoing compliance and dedication. It's a lifelong change. We can never eat what most people normally eat. We always need to take our Vitamins. We can't be lazy. Both avenues require emotional stability. At 14, I just don't think most teenagers are mentally up to the challenge. There is no rush, you and your daughter should take more time to consider all the options. Teenagers love to make impulsive decisions, and this choice would be a bad one to make impulsively. I wish you and your daughter all the best.

I can see why women would be intimidated. I was always the sort of girl who would look from afar and never approach. Awesome work !

Why does he hurt you to make himself feel better? Because that's the way he is. That's the way all abusers are. It's a cornerstone of their personalities and that is why they seldom change, whether they seek help or not. Since you've done therapy before and it hasn't helped your relationship, I'd say you know where things stand with him. If it were me, I'd take the high road out of his life for good. You deserve better. You should never be asking yourself "why do I let the things he says get to me?" because if he really loved and cared for you he wouldn't discourage or belittle you in any way. This life change you've made doesn't stop at surgery.

Sounds like this behavior is familiar to you. Do you really want to live the rest of your life with this man knowing he is manipulative and abusive? Do you want him to keep sabotaging your health and happiness? The best advice I can give you is abusers don't change - you're the one that has to.

I saw this a while ago. It's ironic because nothing gets a dissertation written like caffeine and carbo-loading.

22 lbs in not even 3 weeks?? CONGRATS!! In my week 3 I also stalled for most of that week. Then I started kicking up the exercise and the scale started dropping again. i think your experience is typical and the numbers will go down again soon - I promise! Also I hope you're not weighing yourself every day. It's a very bad habit! I've found since I've started eating more dense Protein and less slider-type foods (soups, refried Beans, eggs, etc) I feel more full for longer. Dense protein takes longer to digest than most other foods. Some days I eat up to 750 cals but I do also go to the gym 5x a week and ride my bike the days I don't work out. My sleeve also seems to be made of steel so I'm working on being as vigilant as I can about what I eat. There's no turning back now!

Great work! Congrats on your engagement too! I'll jump for joy the day I can wear normal sized clothing.

Thank you for your honesty and your humility. Complications can happen to anyone. I hope after your surgery your acid pain will be much better - it's an awful thing to live with. I can understand your concerns about a second surgery too. There are liquids and puree's that are not so light in calories/sugar you could have if your surgeon gives the OK. That should help stem continued weight loss until you're back on your maintenance diet. Other than the complication it seems your health and wellbeing has dramatically improved. It was a hard road but you overcame so much and you should be very proud .

Awesome work!! I agree your arms are enviable!

OP - mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy have great tools for battling the "head" hunger. I've been keeping a mindfulness food log since my psych eval and it has actually helped tremendously. I also know people who have had bypass and a few have regained or never did well to begin with. I think their mentality was "well now I'm thinner so I should be able to eat like a thin person" not realizing that one's body make up and chemistry (hormones, genetics, metabolism, etc) are still mostly the same. We will never be able to eat like the girl who can stuff her face and stay thin. I believe we're just not wired that way. I am not making a judgement about you. Bypass may be a solid option for you and you may be successful with it as long as you go in with as much knowledge and confidence as possible. Wishing you well!

My apologies for the poor word choices on my part. I meant to say if getting attention from men is the reason, that it was the guiding factor in one's decision, then the hypothetical person ought to do some real reflection. Sometimes the thought does't reach the keyboard for me . Here's a hard truth: relationships come and go and one should never peg their happiness to being in one. I did that for many years and it left me hollow, depressed and dissatisfied. Thin people can also have a hard time getting dates. One of my best friends is thin as a rail, blonde and blue eyed. Typical cheerleader looks. She is also funny and smart - has a PhD in the basic sciences. I think she's an amazing catch but the eligible men of New York seem to disagree. She doesn't let her occasional bouts of loneliness and perpetual singlehood interfere with getting the most out of life and having fun with her family and friends. In any case, sounds like you did this surgery to change your life completely and I can't think of a better reason. You've done an amazing job thus far and have so much to be proud of and I know you'll find people who are supportive and understanding. They can't argue with the results. All the best.

C_TimesThree is correct. They will require a 2 year history. You can check with your employer to be sure but it's a general fact that insurance will want to see documented evidence of obesity for a certain timeperiod. Even though your husband saved them money by not going to the doctor . http://www.aetna.com...0_199/0157.html ^ this lists the general requirements. Good luck.