swimmom

Plain coffee does not agree with me either. However, a non-fat latte goes down really well - AND it contains fat-free protein - a double bonus! Also, I ordered the cappucino mix from American Bariatrics. I mix it with my morning coffee and it mellows out the acidity so the coffee goes down better. It also provides 15 grams of protein and 90 calories - I start every morning with one and get in my caffeine! The other thing I do in the afternoon is to mix a protein lemonade mix (also from American Bariatrics) with a glass of iced tea for a mock "Arnold Palmer" - it is delicious, and again has caffeine, 15 grams of protein, and 90 calories!

85-100 pounds. So far, I have lost almost 40 and feel totally great! I was sleeved March 18th.

My surgeon said they were fine. HOWEVER, he said to make sure the gummy has both vitamins and minerals - many of them are vitamins only. I started taking them right after surgery.

I have found it really fascinating. When people hear I had surgery, they are VERY interested, especially people I know that have struggled with weight. They ask tons of questions and are very interested in my progress. I try to talk honestly about it with those I know. However, I occasionally get people who have clearly NEVER had a weight problem, and who know NOTHING about the surgery offer advice - I had one friend suggest all sorts of fruit juice blends for post-surgery! But I just smile and try to walk away from that sort of advice. I try to focus on those that are interested and/or supportive. Never know - it may help someone else make a life-changing decision!

You will just have to start experimenting. And just remember - don't try anything for the first time when you are not at home! I had a few foods that didn't sit well at all and I was miserable and wanting to throw up. Other foods were fine. Try things one at a time - don't combine too much in the beginning. That way, if you do have a reaction, you will know what you are reacting to.... And sometimes, it doesn't matter what you eat, but how you eat it - often, I eat things too fast and I have problems. Keep focusing on those proteins until the doctor tells you to move on to other things.

Personally, if I had started out at a BMI of 32, I would not have done the surgery. It is pretty serious business. You may also have a hard time getting approval from your insurance with that low of a BMI, unless you have some serious co-morbidities. I started out with a BMI of 40, and have severe sleep apnea and high blood pressure. My doctor said I was one of their lightest and healthiest patients.

I am at two months out as well, and I average between 450 and 550 calories a day. I am going to see the doctor next week, and I was planning to ask where I should be at in terms of calories.

I was sleeved March 18th. Last week, I tried eating 3 Jelly Belly jelly beans (a sample on their factory tour). I had horrible stomach cramping for the next two hours. For me, intense sugar DOES make me physically sick, even with the sleeve. But everyone is different! I know one woman with a bypass that can eat cookies all day and has never had a problem. I know a man with a sleeve that tried eating a scoop of ice cream and got so sick he thought he was going to die. It just totally depends - no one is sure how they will react to either surgery until they go through it. Do the research, and talk to your surgeon. You can be successful either way if you commit to the lifestyle changes.

I think it is standard with a lot of insurance policies to approve one night - mine was the same way. However, if they feel it is medically necessary, your surgeon can deem another night "medically necessary" and get it covered. Don't sweat it at this point - your surgeon should make the right call. I was totally fine just staying one night - I was ready to go home the next day.

It IS tough when you don't have support! I first considered having WLS 4 or 5 years ago. My husband was totally against it. Last year, I started thinking about it again. My husband was still on the fence about it. After my PCP suggested it - and recommended it! - my husband agreed to go with me to the Informational Meeting that my surgeon hosts once a month. After the meeting, my husband felt better about it, and began supporting my decision. I have tried to keep him involved in the process so he feels like he is part of it. Now that he sees me happy and losing weight, I think he is actually GLAD I did this! I am glad that I didn't do it before he was on board with it - otherwise, it would have made things pretty miserable.

-Run a 5K this Fall, and then eventually, to do the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in Disneyland -Swim from Alcatraz -Travel with my kids - hit all 50 States, and Europe. Better start playing the Lottery.

Hang in there! For now, be thankful that you have lost 80 pounds and that you still have OPTIONS which will not interfere with your weight loss process! I am sorry you are having to go through this, but all is not lost!

I have been doing caffeine since day 3 because of the caffeine-withdrawl headaches I was getting post-op - and I have had no problem with the caffeine. I agree with other posters - it could be the coffee, it could be some other component of the smoothie, or you may have just taken a sip too fast - there are a lot of things that could have caused the reaction.

Enell bras, hands down, are the best for larger-breasted women. I have tried them all! My biggest disappointment is that I have shrunk out of my Enells, and I am trying to resist buying more until I am closer to my goal because they are quite pricey. Once I get to my goal, I plan to invest in a whole new fleet of Enells....

I am also in that "tween" size range now, but am hesitant to spend too much money, since I am not even halfway to my goal weight. Lane Bryant DOES go down to size 14, I also like Coldwater Creek, but only when they are having a good sale. I shop the Coldwater Creek clearance section, which is usually marked a percentage off of the marked price. Yesterday, I went to one of their outlets, and their clearance section was an additional 50% off. I picked up one pair of capris in a 16, and one in a 14, figuring that will carry me for a few months. I paid a total of $21 for both pairs, including tax. I have also found some great t-shirts at Costco which come in a size XL, they seem to fit me really well at the moment, and they are only $14.99. And I just bought a pair of workout pants at Costco for about the same price. If you have time, thrift stores are ALWAYS a great option at this point. Whenever I have time, I like to browse the thrift shops for things that might fit me now, or in the near future.

They let me have regular coffee in the hospital! I start every morning with a "Protein Cappucino" - a cup of coffee mixed with a protein cappucino powder - delicious, and it gets me started! I also enjoy nonfat lattes from Starbucks as a source of protein. My surgeon is OK with it. I realized I didn't drink any coffee for the first few days home from the hospital and I was getting terrible headaches. Once I added some back in, I was fine. Like in all things, moderation...

I did the sleep study as part of the process as well, and discovered I have severe sleep apnea. I believe it really helped my approval - I was a slam dunk on the approval process and had it in less than a week. My surgeon was also very adamant that he wanted me using the cpap machine before and after the surgery to prevent complications and to help me rest better for a better recovery. You DEFINITELY should get the study done before submitting to insurance.

Walmart usually carries them. Target had them for a while around New Years this year, but they cleared them out and haven't gotten them back since. I actually prefer to buy them online because they have more color and style choices (as well as two different sizes):http://www.blenderbottle.com/ I own three and I use them EVERY DAY. I am almost 2 months post-op. I still have a Protein "Arnold Palmer" (I mix iced tea, unsweetened, with a lemonade protein drink) every day, and when I am out and about, I carry a Blender Bottle and Protein Drink mix in the car (I am on the road a lot with my job)- whenever I need it, I buy a bottle of Water and mix it up.

I am on the road a lot for my job. I always keep a small cooler with my protein drinks (I like the fruit drinks as opposed to the shakes), string cheese (I can eat it while I am driving), and I sometimes pick up a pre-packed container of tuna salad from whole foods (and a fork!) and toss it in my bag as well.

Pain was hardly bad at all! They send you home with great pain meds, but I could have gotten by without them. The biggest hurdle in the recouperation process is that you'll be pretty tired the first week. Also, I had some off-and-on bouts of nausea - I got car sick every time I rode in the car, even if I was driving! But that all passed after the first week. I was pretty fortunate that my husband was around to help out for that first week - he took care of the kids and the cooking, etc. He had also planned to be home the second week in case I needed him, but I was fine. They get you up and moving pretty fast post-op. Just take a nap when the kids do! Don't be shy to take the pain meds if you need them, but really, the pain is nothing to worry about!

I only had to do the liquids the day before surgery - my insurance didn't require it. However, it is GOOD that you are AWARE of the fact that it's not a super-easy picnic after surgery - so many people assume that it's a magic pill of sorts, and that after surgery, it is totally easy. It is not. You must be committed to changing your lifestyle permanently. HOWEVER, all that being said, it is worth it! I go to a support group at my local hospital. Before I had the surgery, every single person in the group said that DESPITE all of the difficulties, they'd do it over again tomorrow without a thought! They all said that the benefits FAR outweigh the hardships. And now that I am 6 weeks out from surgery, I am beginning to see the light as well - it is totally worth it! The first week was very hard, and there have been ups and downs since then as I re-learn all of my eating/drinking habits. But at this point, I am 31 pounds down, and I am feeling great! I can no longer fit into anything in my closet, and I am getting ready to bring a ton of stuff to charity and a consignment store. I need to buy new clothes (in smaller sizes), but I am careful not to spend too much now, because I hope to lose a considerable amount more before all is said and done (like another 60 pounds or so). People I haven't seen since before the surgery are shocked when they see me. I went out to eat with a bunch of friends yesterday at a mexican restaurant. They all ordered these massive meals - and ate most of them. I ordered a salmon salad, and I ate about an ounce of salmon and was stuffed. They were all shocked. I thought to myself that 6 months ago, I would have ordered one of those platters with enchiladas, rice and beans (and chips!), and I would have eaten most of it. Now, that meal alone is more calories than I eat in 3 days!! Once I got full on my salmon, it was totally easy to feel good about it!

I must say that I tried several before surgery - and found several I liked! Unfortunately, now that I am 5+ weeks postop and can eat them again, they really don't appeal to me anymore... I think they are all kind of yucky. That being said, my favorites were the Luna Protein Cookie Dough bars - available at Target and many grocery stores.

I just went on a strenuous, hot 4 mile hike yesterday. I carried water in my backpack, and stopped every 15 minutes or so to take a couple of sips (I drank almost 28 ounces on the hike). When I got back to camp, I focused on rehydrating with 32 more ounces of water. You just really have to THINK about it and not get side-tracked or forget to drink. Dehydrating is easy to do, but you can avoid it.

Totally normal. I had this issue as well. I actually found that warmer liquids went down better - my doctor suggested trying that. Tea, coffee, etc. I have a protein cappucino drink I like and it goes down really well! However, I found it frustrating in the first week or so when I had to take microscopic sips of water - I really wanted to just chug it!!!

I have capsules, and they are easy for me to swallow. However, my surgeon DID say (when he prescribed mine) that some people do NOT tolerate them well - and if that was the case, to talk to him. Not sure what the alternative might be, but I gathered that there was an alternative course of action if I had problems with it.