Kindle

Well, first of all I was still on liquids at three weeks so tuna wasn't even on the menu at that point. But no, even at two years out I don't think I could eat 4 ounces of tuna. Well, I probably could but I would be uncomfortable. Perhaps you don't feel full because you can't feel anything. Your nerves were cut during surgery so normal sensation probably hasn't returned. Be very careful and maybe decrease how much you are trying to eat at a time. Besides, eating to fullness should NEVER be a goal postop. It is a very bad habit that will lead to regain down the line.

What "calculation for bypass" are you looking at?

1) your nut is an idiot by setting too high of expectations. I was down 17 pounds at 2 1/2 months and I never considered myself a slow loser. 2) drink more Water. You should shoot for 64 oz but more is better....I get closer to 100oz most days. 3)as for loriemoms nut saying shakes are artificial Protein, she, too, is an idiot. whey protein is simply the liquid portion of milk that settles to the top during the cheese making process....just like what settles out of yogurt or cottage cheese. There's nothing artificial about it. In fact, it is the number one, fastest, best absorbed form of protein available. Better than meat, eggs, tofu, fish, etc. GENEPRO, however IS artificial. It is a chemically modified molecule that started out as protein but no longer is. The company is a quack and cannot provide any amino acid profile for their product and has absolutely no science based studies supporting their claims or even show if our bodies can absorb it. Anyone with a basic understanding of biochemistry can look at their product and see it's not really protein. Good luck, you are doing great!

It's not like they measure your stomach beforehand and then remove a certain percentage of it. The final size of your sleeve is determined by 1) the size of the bougie they use 2) how tight against the bougie they staple and whether they oversew the staple line and 3) the length of your stomach between the esophagus and pyloric valve. Taller people will typically have a longer sleeve.

I saw my nut day of surgery. That was 26 months ago. Haven't seen her since. Protein, Water, veggies, Vitamins. Healthy choices, don't eat crap, It's not rocket science. Bloodwork with your PCP will alert you to Vitamin deficiencies. Make sure you are checking B12, iron/ferritin, Vitamin D, folate and zinc. Blood Calcium levels are worthless to detect deficiencies, only a bone density scan can do that.

We started at a similar weight and you have far exceeded what I lost the first 4 months. Don't worry about your rate of loss. It has absolutely nothing, nada, zip, zero, to do with your ability to ultimately reach goal and keep weight off long term. This is not a race, it is forever. And like previously mentioned, I'd shoot for even more Protein and more Water.

I only took them for 2 months while my sleeve was healing. No need yo take them if you aren't having reflux. In fact, long term PPI use has so many detrimental side effects, it's best to avoid it if you can.

But that's my point, meat, cheese, tomatoes and veggie toppings ARE eating right. It's only the crust that makes pizza "wrong". Everyone raves about the ricotta bake, which is basically a cheese pizza sans crust. Add some pepperoni or sausage or Canadian bacon and you've just upped your protein.

Why? It is what it is and eating the toppings is a perfectly acceptable meal.....tomato sauce, spices, cheese, meat, veggies....all bariatric friendly things.

I was so swollen and bloated, the last thing I wanted postop was more pressure on my belly. I didn't even wear underwear because the waistband seemed too restrictI've. I lived in sweats and scrubs and Took three weeks before I even wore regular jeans. An abdominal binder would have been torture.

I had my first piece of pizza about 3 months post op. It was actually at a birthday party for my PCP's oldest son. Like others mentioned, I just ate the toppings. Even at 2 years out that's how I eat my pizza....toppings only.

My surgeon cancelled another patient's surgery because she didn't lose the required amount of weight preop. She had travelled all the way to Mexico, but hadn't followed the preop plan. It was made very clear to us exactly how much we needed to lose in order to reduce surgical complications so it was her own fault. I've read a couple other threads from patients who's surgeries were rescheduled due to severe weather.

You have no idea how you'll feel postop and you will likely be on liquids or pureed foods at that point, which would be a PIA to deal with on the cruise. I say postpone the surgery and have a blast pigging out on your cruise!

All questions to ask your surgeon and/or your prescribing physician. Online forum members can't possibly advise you on medication dosing.

If your diagnosis comes through as positive, and you don't have any other health issues, please look into becoming a regular blood donor. My mom has hemochromatosis and the Red Cross LOVES her. Her blood type is B neg and she donates every 6 weeks on the dot.. She actually has a letter from her doctor which allows her to donate more frequently than the normal 8 weeks. If she goes longer than her 6 weeks she feels like crap. She holds some crazy record for the most blood ever donated at the local regional Red Cross district.

@@livsmom if you haven't already, read this thread..... http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/341098-dr-ariel-ortiz-at-the-occ/page-215?hl=occ+ortiz#entry3849401 Experiences from dozens of OCC patients. I was there in December 2013. Been maintaining below goal for over 1 1/2 years with absolutely zero complications. Even at two years out they keep tabs on me via email. They are a great group of medical professionals. You can PM me with any questions as well.

I would think that would take bypass completely off the table. I'm sure there are cardiac/bypass patients out there but not a scenario any surgeon would want to purposely create. Good luck with your decision!

I've been in maintenance for almost 1 1/2 years. If I pop over my bounce range I go back to strict Protein and veggies until I'm at the bottom of my range. When I wanted to drop 5 pounds before I went on vacation, I did a week of the liquid preop diet....3 shakes/day plus leafy greens. Not only did I lose the weight, it helped restore some restriction and definitely restored my willpower. You may try something like this if you have been straying away from basics. And then try eating different things than you have in the past. Different Proteins, different veggies. Eat at different times, drink more Water. Change your excercise routine. Since you aren't seeing results doing what you're doing, do something different. And make sure you are still taking your supplements.

Refried beans Cottage cheese Soft scrambled eggs (mix with water or milk and they are ok for pureed stage) Mix all three above, add green chili and you've got a mini huevos rancheros...mmmm! Hummus Mashed potatoes with added protein powder Mashed avocados with garlic and cilantro Mashed cauliflower with melted cheese Plain Greek yogurt flavored with protein powder Broth, Cream soups or any pureed soup (without noodles or rice) with unflavored protein powder added....Split pea, butternut squash and French onion were my favorites Pureed tuna fish with mayo (sounds gross but it's good) Deviled ham Ricotta bake (google it) Still drank protein shakes through all stages to meet protein goals.

Eating and drinking were an unwelcome chore for 4 months. I never got sick but I was so sick of eating and sipping. But I forced myself to meet Protein and Fluid goals and squeeze in some veggies for good measure. I didn't like eating till I was 6 months, my appetite returned in full force by 10 months, and all those bad cravings and habits came a knockin by 14 months. So yes, what you are experiencing is normal. And it will change. So take advantage of these early months to create new habits and coping mechanisms. You will need to be armed and ready to face the realities of life when you reach the cold hard stage of maintenance, cause that lasts forever!

I am single and live by myself. I had two horses, three dogs and three cats to feed, Water and walk. Not to mention laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, shoveling and plowing snow. Other than getting a friend to shovel snow for me, I was able to do everything else myself without assistance. I was shopping the day after surgery; plowing my driveway 4 days postop. I guess I was lucky....no pain or nausea at all, and actually back to work at an active, physical job within 7 days. A friend of mine had a hysterectomy 1 month after my VSG and her husband was working out of town at the time. Her recovery was much harder than mine. She was out of commission for almost 2 weeks. But her 10 year old son took care of everything....laundry, washing dishes, making simple meals, helping her up and down, and making sure she was following doctor's orders.

If you mix it with Muscle Milk cake batter Protein powder it tastes like cheesecake. Mixed with your favorite salsa. Melted in with scrambled eggs. I also like peaches with cottage cheese. But hey, if you don't like it don't worry about it. There are plenty of other protein options

Ditto to everything Bufflehed said. I progressed much slower than my plan allowed, eating only one new thing every few days and only a couple tablespoons at a time. Continued to get most of my Protein from shakes well into my normal solid food stage. Cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt flavored with Protein powder, refried Beans with cheese and salsa, egg salad, deviled ham, hummus, pureed tuna fish, creamy Peanut Butter, and scrambled eggs were all things I ate in pureed stage. But my number one goto was pureed Soups with unflavored protein powder. I ate pretty much any soup I could find....without noodles or rice of course. If it had chunks I just pureed it. I used Syntrax and unjury unflavored protein powder.

Those are probably "final numbers". I'm over two years out and I can't eat an 8oz meal. Like others said, don't eat until you're full. It's a bad habit to have because later on you WILL be able to eat more and you will be able to "out eat" your calorie requirement. Get used to being just satisfied, not full. And just cause you are allowed to eat X amount, you don't have to. I couldn't eat more than a couple tablespoons of anything solid until at least 4 months out. Meet Protein and Fluid goals and don't worry about amounts of food at this point. Get you protein from shakes if that's what it takes.... I still do.

What Babbs said...your doc is a moron. Have the surgery, lose the weight, keep it off and go back to him in five years just to rub it in his face. I didn't tell my PCP I was having surgery. I just did it. I am actually good friends with him and his wife and have spent holidays and vacation together. He wouldnt have necessarily discouraged me, it's just that I was self pay and didn't need him at that point in the process. Never even dawned on me to mention it. I came back from Mexico with a postop bloodwork schedule and gave it to him. He's been there for me ever since. 2 years later he and my OB/Gyn are recommending my surgeon to their patients who don't have insurance that covers WLS. Seeing is believing.