Kindle

You are going to lose or not. Nothing you can do to stop it. It's just your body's way of dealing with the stress of surgery. All the supplements, special products, etc can help with regrowth, but won't stop the hair loss itself. That being said, I have very fine thin hair and any loss would have been noticeable. I planned on shaving my head and wearing hats. I didn't take Biotin or use special shampoos, and guess what.....I never lost a single strand of hair. In fact, it's thicker and longer now than it's ever been. The only thing I did do was take my whole food based Vitamins (not chemically synthesized ones), always met or exceeded Protein and Water goals, and I didn't fret over all the little things like preop and postop diets, stalls and hair loss. Remember, mental stress is just as hard on a body as physical stress.

While tracking, getting the right nutrients, excercise, etc, are all important elements to losing weight, the more important issue for any kind of long term success is fixing your head. Are you seeking professional help for your food addiction? You say we are your only support, but really, if you are this uncommitted so soon postop, you need a plan B or surgery will have been a waste of time and money. For those of us that have had WLS, food really isn't the problem. Our heads are the problem and your bariatric surgeon can't do anything to help with that. There are other programs and mental health professionals that deal with addictions and its your responsibility to seek them out, find out WHY you abuse food, and put in the work to learn new habits.

That seems like a LOT of food for a two week preop diet when they expect you to lose 10-15 pounds. Besides all that food, how much Water are you drinking? What kind of Protein shakes are you drinking? Check the labels. Some are loaded with carbs without a lot if protein. I was required to lose 5% of my body weight on my 2 week preop, which was 12 pounds. My diet consisted of 3 protein shakes/day plus leafy green veggies and a minimum of 64oz water. I could substitute one of the shakes with broth and unflavored Protein powder. I ate a ton of spinach, Brussels sprouts, kale and different lettuces. I ended up losing 22 pounds.

For all of you that have regained, did you ever seek psychiatric help? You are all admitted addicts and/or turned to old eating habits as soon as something bad happened in you life. We got help from a bariatric surgeon, but what we really need is help with our heads. What would you say to a meth addict who had the choice to get help and regain control of their life but instead chose to just stay in their room and keep using? Turning to bad eating habits is no different than giving in to a crack habit. I actually never sought counseling before or after WLS because I never had issues with the process. In fact, I found it quite easy to lose and maintain when everything was rose colored and happy. But when my best friend committed suicide last year, I knew I couldn't cope on my own. I was depressed, angry, sad, confused, and ready to put a bullet into my head as well. But since I couldn't do that to my parents, I had to figure out another option. I REFUSED to turn to my old standbys of food and alcohol....but that's all I knew how to do. After all, I spent 18 months drunk and gaining weight after my brother died. I was really good at it. With no relief in sight, I finally sought the help of a grief counsellor. I'm not saying it was a magical fix, I still struggle and I barely function through my fog of grief some days. But I'm still here and I am learning new coping mechanisms. We don't even talk about weight related issues because that's not the problem. The grief is the problem. And for most people who have WLS, eating isn't really the problem, either, life's stressors are the problem. You just don't know any other way to cope besides turning to food. But in the end WLS is a waste of time and money if you don't address the REAL reasons behind why you abuse food. You've GOT to learn how to deal with life without using food to cushion the blows. If time or money are constraints to getting help, there are alternatives. OA is free. Larger cities, hospitals, even churches have free support groups. It doesn't have to be bariatric specific support. It isn't about what to eat and what not to eat......You already know all that. It's about dealing with an addiction and learning new life skills. Even something as simple as meditation or yoga can be helpful. Smart Recovery is a very good addiction recovery program and an alternative to the better known 12 step programs like AA and OA. Its based more in CBT and treats addiction like a behavior that you have the ability to change rather than treating you like a victim of a disease. They have online forums and meetings, in person meetings, and the handbook to get started on your own is just $8.00. I've found it very empowering and a nice supplement to my counseling. There is no shame in seeking help. Life is hard and sometimes we need a stronger hand than our own to drag us through the worst parts. (Sorry for the long rant)

i don't like milk. I do like other dairy though like cheese, ricotta, cream cheese etc. Sorry, You mentioned mixing dry milk powder with the Protein Powder so you can just add Water, so I assumed you were OK with milk. Since you do like other dairy, and you are underweight, make sure you go for the full fat version of everything.....cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. Have you tried other milks? Rice milk has more carbs than almond milk. soy and coconut both have more (healthy) fats. Soy also has more protein than any of them. Any of these may be a better choice since you need more calories. They all also come in room temp stable containers that would be easy to bring to work.

It won't help with hair loss....that's just gonna happen or not and nothing you can do about it. but it may help with hair regrowth.

I had planned to shave my head and wear hats, but turns out I never lost a single strand of hair. In fact, my hair is longer and thicker than it's ever been. I did not take Biotin or use special shampoos. other people pile on the supplements and still lose. Basically If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen and there's nothing you can do about it. It's your body's reaction to the stress of surgery and basically starvation diet. The only things I did that may or may not have contributed to no hair loss were 1) I always met or exceeded my Protein goal 2) I take whole food based Vitamins with cofactors, enzymes and Probiotics for better absorption 3) I increased my calories as quickly as my restriction allowed so i wasnt starving my body and 4) I never stressed over the WLS procedure including the preop diet, surgery itself, stalls, hairloss, etc. .....mental stress is just as bad as physical stress.

Between my multi, calcium supplement (1 tablet three times/day), and my Greek yogurt, I'm getting at least 1000mg. But with all the milk, cottage cheese, broccoli, kale, and cheese I eat, it's probably closer to 1200-1500mg most days.

I could only eat 1/2 Quest bar for the first several months. A whoke one just made me too full. (Aaaah, those were the days). So just eat what you can (or are supposed to) and save the rest for later. Makes for a really cheap grocery bill.

Yea, if you are trying to gain I would definitely look at weight gainer powders instead of straight protein powders. I'd bring whole milk in a thermos to mix your shakes with too, when you can. Unfortunately I've only seen powdered milk in skim version.

I've been using PB2 since before surgery. Started eating creamy peanut butter in soft food stage. Started eating super chunky at 3 months once I was cleared for nuts. Ate it at least 3 times/week. That went fine for about 18 months. Then, for some reason, I lost PB control. I could no longer stop eating it. After finished a whole jar in less than a week, I permanently banned it from my house. Nuts and nut butters are the only thing I can't eat in moderation . I miss my nuts

I like mixing it in both vanilla and chocolate Protein shakes. I've mixed it with Water to make it spreadable and eat it with apple slices. Not as heavenly as real Peanut Butter, but it's a decent substitute. But here's the craziest thing I did with it..... Since PB2 is basically peanut butter with the fat removed, what happens if you add the fat back in? So instead of water, I mixed it with coconut oil. OMG it was good! coconut oil is supposed to be good for you, so hey, why not? And since real peanut butter is banned from my house because I love it too much to ever stop eating it, The coconut peanut butter is an option when I start jonesin.

I think having surgery is a personal decision. Of course there are risks involved, and only you know if they are worth it for you and your circumstances. I had a BMI of 40 and for me the risks were well worth the rewards I've gotten (including no more foot/ankle/knee pain) I see you have Dr. Ariel Ortiz listed as your surgeon. I went to OCC in 2013 and couldn't have asked for better care or an easier recovery. Your coordinator and/or any of the OCC doctors and staff should be able to help with any questions, but feel free to PM me if you'd like. I also wanted to say I LOVE your username. Mine (Kindle) is my horse's name and I know no one is happier with my 100 pound loss than she is! One of my favorite NSVs was being able to hop up onto her back effortlessly, without needing find a stump or rock to climb on. The other was having an excuse to buy a new saddle cause my skinny little butt no longer fit in my huge 19" saddle.

Some Protein powders like the Syntrax fruit flavors are actually better mixed with Water. As for mixing powdered milk to the protein powders and then just adding water, that's a great idea. I did that last time I Went on vacation. I NEED to get in a certain amount of insoluble Fiber every day to stay regular. I brought along a mixture of powdered skim milk, vanilla protein powder, ground flax seed and apple fiber in a tupperware container and added a certain amount to water every morning for Breakfast. Worked great. I also make a protein hot chocolate powder with dry milk, protein powder, cocoa powder and sweetener. Just add water for a yummy chocolatey treat.

Probably not. He doesn't have to run out and pass the SATs or anything. The owner has a lot of experience raising Australian shepherds so she'll be able to pick up on anything unusual. Besides, I think I had the worlds dumbest dog at one time (a Pointer) and if I had to guess he could have been oxygen deprived at birth for several hours I loved him just the same.

Your post made me smile. A lot of times when someone asks what we're doing we simply answer "Savin lives".

I'm a vet tech. Worked in the small animal ICU at the University of Wisconsin vet school for 3 years, and 14 years in private practice. The last 7 as a partner in a mobile mixed animal practice. Just me and one vet....we stay very busy but days like this make it all worth it.

Once you are cleared for normal, solid food there's nothing you can't eat.

I really don't understand all the slow loser posts I read. I have yet to read one from someone actually losing slow. EVERY SINGLE "SLOW LOSER" lost faster than me. I started with a BMI of 40, lost a bunch on my preop, but then was "only" down 17 pounds at 3 months postop. The difference was I was ecstatic! My rings started to fit and my tight jeans were hanging on me. I was the incredible shrinking woman! It's all a matter of perspective and having a good attitude. I had expectations of losing weight and finally keeping it off. I focused on the rest if my life, not just the first few months. I had no deadlines for X number of pounds. I guess thats the difference and the key to being happy with your sleeve....expectations. I suggest following your diet plan, sit back, relax, throw the scale away and have fun!

Studies show weight gain or loss is mostly about diet and very little about exercise. Excercise will improve your cardio and build muscle which will help increase your metabolism, but in the end it's all about what you put in your mouth. I lost 22 pounds on my preop diet and 100 pounds overall, without engaging in any exercise whatsoever. Sure, I have a physical job and an active lifestyle, but it's the same job and lifestyle I've always had. Nothing changed except my food choices and portions. Just concentrate on eating healthy, stay away from carbs, drink LOTS of Water and focus on the things you can control in order to reach your goal.

IN the meantime you could try Imodium. That's what my surgeon recommended before he knew it was C. diff.

Could be all the artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols in the SF stuff. I know I couldn't tolerate artificial sweeteners at all and a lot of people have problems with sugar alcohols causing diarrhea. If it continues, call your surgeon or PCP. You don't want to get dehydrated and they may want to check for C. diff. What you describe is how mine started.

My surgeon wanted us up to 10,000 steps/day ASAP. I stayed on the sixth floor of the Marriot when I had my VSG in Mexico. I used the steps rather than the elevator every time I went up and down. The Walmart plaza was a mile round trip walk from the hotel and I walked there twice/day starting the day after surgery. I paced the airport halls for over an hour waiting for my flight and walked through the SLC airport to the long term parking shuttle 3 days postop. Went shopping and drove 5 hours on day 4. Did nothing but couch surf day 5 and was back to work on day 7 which meant 10 hours mostly on my feet. So the answer to your question is "yes"

Thanks for the input. I think I'm going to have to get a second opinion., My doctor says I'll stop vomiting eventually. Try different foods, etc. After 9 months of vomiting, I just feel like something is wrong. You are right to feel that something is wrong, because it is. Please seek out another doctor. Yours is obviously not interested in your well being. What you are experiencing is NOT normal. I had a similar experience with the surgeon who removed my gallbladder. At two weeks out I knew I had a hernia (which he created). It was protruding, I could reduce it and actually stick my finger in the hole of my abdominal wall. I am a vet tech....I know what a hernia feels like. When I pointed it out to him he just said it was normal swelling. I then had my partner (a veterinarian) confirm it was a hernia. Then went to my PCP and he confirmed it was a hernia. Then had the ultrasound tech scan it while I Was in for a different procedure and she confirmed it. I went BACK to the original surgeon and he STILL won't admit it's a hernia. Granted, my experience is not anywhere near as serious as yours, but just goes to show there are arrogant surgeons who refuse to admit they may have screwed up. And it is the patients that suffer for it. If you can't find a decent bariatric surgeon, try a gastroenterologist. They would be able to perform all the necessary and appropriate diagnostic tests. Maybe even ask your PCP for a referral.

I actually lost 22 pounds on my two week preop diet (I kicked that liquid diet's a$$ !). Took 9-10 months to lose another 78. I actually maintain about 97-98 pounds down. I was 45 when I had surgery.