swimmom

My NUT recommends them as one of the better choices for protein bars.

I started losing hair around the 3 month mark. I am now at 4.5 months and still losing hair. Not too worried - I am not bald yet. And I trust it will all come back, as others have said. Figure I may invest in a couple of cute hats if it gets too bad!

Just keep the course and have patience - it all eventually comes off, in it's own way and time.

Look forward to seeing your posts from the Loser's Bench!

For me, there was no question in my mind that I needed to do this. I have been on the weight yo-yo my entire life, and I had nearly 100 pounds I needed to lose. Tired of being a frequent flyer with Weight Watchers. I knew the surgery would involve a commitment to permanent lifestyle changes, and I was ready. So far, I am at 4 months post-op and down 65 pounds. And I have NO REGRETS - would do this again in a heartbeat! It was the best decision I have made in a long time. But I will not lie - it has been, at times, difficult. My head still wants pizza sometimes, or pasta, or whatever everyone else is eating. But I am commited to doing this the right way - I eat my lean protein and veggies and quit after a few bites when I am full. Is it POSSIBLE to eat whatever you want after surgery? For some people, yes, and for others, no. I cannot eat concentrated sugar in any form without horrible stomach cramps. But it is ALSO possible to gain all that weight back by eating slider foods and junk. With the ability to eat so little, you must be focused on getting nutrition in every bite. And it all boils down to calories in, calories out. You can pack a lot of calories "in" with alcohol and slider foods. So unless you are ready to commit to a healthier lifestyle, I would say "wait." For me, it was a no-brainer - I was totally ready, and I have NO REGRETS.

The World According to Eggface (a blog) has some GREAT recipes, including ones for protein mini donuts, and protein ice cream - both WLS friendly. But just as a word of caution... My surgeon does NOT recommend going for pseudo-substitutes - he feels that once your body gets used to sweets - even if they are "fake" or sugar-free - that you will start craving them MORE.

Be careful with granola! Many of them are high fat, high sugar, high carb, and high calorie! It is not so much the texture as what is in it that could be harmful.

Congratulations!

Thank you for posting this! I totally agree!!

Without tracking, I find it is too easy to slip back into old habits - even with restriction. A nibble here and a taste there add up - even though restriction does not kick in. You can graze on a double cheese burger for 2 hours and eventually get it down. Chips are a slider food and you can eat the whole bag before restriction kicks in. You get the point. It is totally possible to eat around the restriction issue. Tracking helps keep us accountable. I am trying to be a serial tracker on MFP. I am thinking about rewarding myself when I have tracked for "x" consecutive days!

Here's a great recipe for a tuna and white bean salad! Very refreshing and different! http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tuna_white_bean_salad.html

Personally, I don't mind frozen. But either way, the Foodsaver has helped a TON - you may be better able to tolerate frozen foods if they are vacuum-sealed (no freezer burn, etc.). I make up a double batch of EVERYTHING. Then I pre-freeze in a muffin pan in individual portions for a couple of hours, and then I pop them out and vacuum seal them in my foodsaver. I keep them in the freezer and then pull them out as I need them and nuke them. It is super convenient, and I have NO problems with the taste - I find they taste freshly-made when frozen in vacuum sealed packages. I am a teacher and a busy mother of two girls. By the time we get home from school and swim practice, it is often 7pm and I have not been home all day to cook anything. I then make something for the girls, and pull out a frozen, pre-prepped meal for myself. I am now experimenting with freezing dinners for them as well. SO much easier than trying to cook a full dinner when it's late and we're tired!! My foodsaver is my latest FAVORITE appliance!!

Wow! That's a lot of calcium! I take two of those a day. Is there a particular reason for such high doses?

My doctor recommended Omeprazole (which is the active ingredient in one of those well-known brands - I think Prilosec?), which is a PPI. They wanted me to take them for the first 6 weeks, which I did. However, I am at 4 months out now, and have been having some recurring heartburn problems, so I am going back on the Omeprazole for 2 weeks to try to knock it out. I get the generic form of it at Costco - MUCH CHEAPER than buying the name brand! And it works just as well.

I usually get the American Bariatrics Cappuccino and I LOVE it mixed in hot coffee! Sometimes, I add a shot of Torani SF syrup - my favorite is coconut - it's a total coconut latte! I have one every morning for breakfast. 15 grams of protein to start the day - as well as some much-needed caffeine!

The ricotta bakes are great - and you can do them many different ways, including adding some meatball, or sausage, or something like that!

OMG - totally funny!

I had the sleeve done on a Monday, and I was working by the end of the week - and feeling pretty good doing it! However, I do work primarily from home, so it gives me a little more flexibility (I can take a nap if I need to do so during the day). But for me, recovery was not too bad. Just remember that everyone is DIFFERENT - some people feel fine to go back to work the next day, and some people need a couple of weeks off.

I totally agree with Laura - I like your honesty! It is so very necessary! People are looking for enablers to make this whole thing seem easier. The bottom line is that it is NOT easy. And trying to make it out to be is just a lie. People need the whole HONEST picture before going into surgery. Some people go in with Rose Colored Glasses and don't want to know the whole picture. I appreciate all you do to keep us on the straight and narrow!

I was at a 40 BMI going into surgery. My surgeon's office said that, relatively speaking, I was one of their smallest patients. However, they still felt it was a good idea and I was a great fit. My PCP totally agreed that it was a great option. I told myself for years that I was too small for surgery. I thought you had to be 500 pounds and on your death bed to make WLS worth the risk. However, after much research, and many more attempts to lose - and keep off - the weight, I finally realized that 40 BMI (along with my sleep apnea and high blood pressure) was NOT healthy, and I was not able to lose the weight on my own. I realized that the surgery was less risky than my remaining at 40 BMI. Best decision ever. Wish I would have done it sooner.

They gave me vicodin. I cannot take codeine, or I would imagine this might be an option for some people as well. HOWEVER, I didn't really need the pain meds - honestly, the pain was not bad at all! Plain ol' tylenol probably would have been more than enough!

This poster is correct - your odds of survival are better with the surgery. Leaks do happen, but they are pretty rare. You are probably more likely to get severely injured in a car crash in the next week. If you choose a doctor with a good reputation and follow his/her orders, you are fairly likely to have a good outcome - and improve your overall health and quality of life - probably your best bet for seeing your child graduate from college! I won't lie - there are times when this is emotionally and mentally difficult, especially in the first month or so when your hormones are all out of whack and you want a piece of that pizza that your family is eating. Or when you are having extreme stomach cramps from eating 3 jelly beans (I seem to have dumping issues from concentrated sugar). But overall, I LOVE my sleeve, I am SO HAPPY I did this, and HAVE NO REGRETS. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat - just wish I would have done this years ago!!

I am having the same problem! So far, I am finding the Emma Bra by Soma to work pretty good. Not the cheapest, but they do go on sale from time to time.

I am at 4 months out and only eating between 500 and 600 calories a day - and still losing. I am very fearful to add calories at this point.

I am almost 4 months out and concentrated sugar has caused dumping issues with me - including super sweet fruit. Talk to your doctor about it and go slowly if you do it!