2Big2Skate

Thanks for indulging me in a little patting myself on the back. I limped into the information session at a morbid 347#. I was sleeved on halloween at 322#. Today I weighed in after my shower and it read 283#. It's been a long time since I've seen a number that low and it feels great. Along with my clothes hanging off me, my mobility is greatly increased. Several people have told me "wow, you look really young." I am loving this sleeve. I am so glad I made that decision back in April! To you pre-surgery folks, be patient and have hope. It'll be here before you know it and it's worth it!

I just had my one month post op visit with the surgeon and he cleared me for all normal activity. I think the abdominal lining, which is sutured muscle, is the reason they say no Bending Lifting Twisting. Once he checks you out, ask him if you can resume lifting.

RE hot sauce. It saved me during purees. What do I put it on? What DON'T I put it on. My stomach loves it. I'm sticking with the weakest stuff in the fridge. I won't go with the crazy stuff until I'm much further out. For now it's franks.

What a great feeling! Clothes are expensive but joy is priceless! Keep up the great work!

I wasnt that nervous until I saw the hospital through the windshield, then the thoughts started coming hard and heavy. When it happens, remember why youre doing it. I always advocate writing a list and keeping it with you. Go over it. Then tell the nurse in pre-op that youre nervous and they'll give you a little liquid courage lol!

Thanks everyone! 279 this morning. And eating solid food is heavenly!

The isopure 40s are kinda stinky. I have to hold my nose. But they make a 20g Cocotein that I find much more drinkable. I'm pretty amused by how fickle my tastebuds and nose are post op. I grossed myself out on milk based drinks about a week ago, and did more solids and cocotein. Then last night I was craving the sweetness of the Syntrax cappucino. bizarre. To the OP - another good tip is to buy a good Blender Bottle for shaking them up. The kid with the little whisk-y thing in side. I find a blender froths it up and makes it too airy (especially post op). The shaker just breaks the chunks up real good without injecting air. All my best Jay

A peppercorn mightve sat in one place too long and given you a little inflammation. If it doenst get better soon, you might need a swallow study.

Don't let the chemicals talk you out of a really good decision you've made! You're almost done. The hard part is behind you! Did you lose weight on the supervised diet?

Did you spike a fever? Do you have any general feelings of crappiness? If you started internal bleeding, there'd be symptoms. One thing I felt, which was weird, was a suture 'tag' pull out of the top incision. That doesnt make much sense. Ok you know the abdominal muscle lays under the skin. Well the skin incision, they didnt sew, they used steri-tape and it just closed up easy. But the muscle has this stiff fishing line suture in it. And in one of my incisions there was a pointy end sticking out through the top incision! It was pokey and would catch my shirt a little after the steri strips came off. I was bending over or twising or something and POP it sucked itself back through and hid on the inside. So bizarre. If you have stuff like that, it might have healed into a gunky scab on the inside and just pulled out of it. They do dissolve eventually. If you feel weak all of a sudden or spike a fever, get it checked out.

Has your surgeons team been tracking your weight post op? They should definitely shown concern by now and initiated deeper testing. Get in their office and dont leave till your satisfied!

Congrats on the positive changes!

In another post, a psych described people for whom meals were the highlight of their day. That was me. lunch and dinner were like destinations, islands of comfort where I knew I'd be happy. Now I feel somewhat lost and forlorn with nothing to look forward to. What's going to cheer me up after a rough day at work? Some days it feels a little hopeless. And I have to rally myself back on my feet by reminding myself of the reasons I did this and the positive outcomes in the near future. I remember feeling some similar feelings on adkins since i was such a carbaholic at the time. It was like a detox program without any helper meds. Every cell in my body and brain lusted after carbs.

That's strange. Most prescribe clears only for a couple days (often coinciding with the hospital stay), then its ALL fluids for the next two weeks or so. If youre having trouble getting Protein, they will work with you. Call the NUT and surgeon. Jello is Water andfood coloring. Try the unjury in it. Most of us were served it in the hospital.

If you act nervous, they'll give you a "happy shot" once your IV line is in your hand. I loved my happy shot. It was like an 8 beer buzz. I didnt care what the heck happened after that.

Krisk - First off, Dont give up! You can do this! It's vital medicine. It sounds like you're mixing your own shakes instead of using the Ready To Drink (RTD) ones. Am I right? If you're mixing them, I highly recommend trying some premade RTDs to identify flavors you can stand. Then try making them at home to match that target flavor and thickness. A lot of the problems are in the making. I find all milk makes them too think so I cut it with Water. I also find the powder clumps if its too hot or too cold. So I sit my milk out and use some room temp water, mix it, then put it in the fridge to chill post-mixing. (It also lets the 'froth' die down). For non shakes - Try adding your unflavored to other soups you can buy at the store. Start with a little bit and step it up. Dont make it too hot. I found wegmans tomato soup had a little spice to it that covered up the Protein 'nose' completely. You can buy it one little cup at a time and experiment. Also, dont be surprised if your tastes change daily. You can mix up a vat of SF Jello and add unflavored to that too. It's a clear liquid. For RTDs, Premier chocolate IS really chocolaty. They taste like real shakes. You may think its too sweet. Try to buy one and try it before getting a case. For non sweet, I found the less thick they were, typically the easier I could get them down. And vanilla is the least sweet (some would say bo-ring). EAS carb control vanilla will probably go down very easy for you. It's almost watery, with just enough vanilla flavor to mask the protein in it. I think you can get a 4 pack at GNC to try. They're also best COLD, very cold. Vitamin Shoppe is real good about making samples. They have lots of open jugs under the counter. Tell them protein makes you wretch and they take it as a challenge! 10 mouthwash-sized dixie cups later, you may find one you can handle. There are also tricks. How did you take medicine as a kid? In Peanut Butter? Mary Popping sang "a spoonful of sugar" - we cant do THAT. But bust open a SF popcicle. Take a drink of shake, take a lick of pop. Hold your nose. Smells are powerful. Put something that smells fruity under your nose while drinking the protein. It's medicine. You can add SF Torani flavored syrup to ANYTHING. hazlenut is my favorite, but they make them all. It will mask the taste and also the smell. Be creative! You only have to survive this grueling phase a short time. Finally, contact your NUT, maybe they approve you to switch early. But don't do it on your own. We're all pulling for you. You can do it!

Youre left with a pencil sized circular wound that heals over at about the same rate as the rest of your incisions. It feels really weird coming out, but not the kind of pain that would make you yelp or cry. No painkillers needed.

Awesome! I'm with you, all my pants fit like MC Hammer pants. And my belts on the last hole before I have to start cutting new ones. It's a good problem to have!

Ive been short with my kids lately. I caught myself the other night getting frustrated with my boy for no reason.

My throat hurt from the breathing tube. Ice was relieving and stinging at same time.

I love the one about transferring power to others. When we let other people control our emotions, but it a crying 2 year old, or an enemy or opponent who wants to hurt us, we are deciding to lose. Don't give them the power!

Dark red blood is OLD blood. Your drain just found a new pool that was glopped up and needed to come out anyway. When its coagulated in the no-mans-land space your body has a harder time breaking it down and clearing it. I had a hematoma (big bruise) under an incision and the dark stuff actually forced its way out the incision one day. It was probably worked free by natural movement, aided by your bodys own attempts to break it up. (Im no physician, but I did stay at a holiday inn express last night - check with your real doc if you're worried)

I'm a month out and I try to have a "real" meal at 7am 1pm and 6pm with Snacks in between. No gym for another 2-4 weeks for me. Todays meal plan: wake - Water with pills 7 - cream of wheat with unjury stirred in 10 - 1-2oz egg salad 1 - 1-2oz cubed chicken from a previous nights dinner 3 - 1-2oz cottage cheese 6 - not sure. some kinda meat with a little vegetable 9 - snack - cottage cheese or maybe a SF ice pop if im low on my liquids In between im drinking water with some crystal light in it. And i have a Cocotein form Isopure open in the fridge if im low on Protein. I kinda wing it based on how it's going. My goal right now is to work more solid meats in and to really focus on feeling "satisfied" and not get to "full".

4 weeks here and I'm on the fifth hole in my belt. I was on the first hole when this started. And I really notice clothing isnt grabbing in the armpit and crotch area. That's the best feeling!!!

Also, being salty, you'll want to drink right after and you'll flush it through. Popcorn smell is a real trigger for me. I have to run run far away.