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I have had a Protein shake every day since I started my preop diet 25 months ago. (With the exception of a few vacation days). 24-32 oz with 20-40g protein each and I have maintained a 100+ % excess weight loss for over a year. So no, protein shakes do not impede weight loss. I guess they would if I drank 3 of them/ day on top of my regular meals, but the same is true of eating anything in excess. I drink protein shakes 1) because I like them, and 2) because they are an easy way to help meet protein goals. Early on in the liquid and pureed stages, they are, quite frankly the ONLY way to meet goals. But even once on solids, I prefer to supplement with protein smoothies. This frees me up to eat more fruits and veggies and grains instead of just protein at every single meal. Not to mention that 100% whey isolate is the number one best absorbed firm of protein available....better than any animal or plant protein source. Of course not all protein shakes are created equal. Read labels...some are actually loaded with sugar. Look for 20-30g protein and less than 5g carbs.

Whenever you can without it being painful or getting sick It was about 10 months before I could take big, normal gulps.

Just google it. I've gotten them from Amazon, My Bariatric Pantry, Vitamin Shoppe, Nashua Nutrition and probably a couple body building websites. Whoever has the best price/shipping combo at the time.

What Babbs said....walk walk walk

Just curious about the balloon for long term maintenance. Are you going through counseling or therapy or any other psychiatric program in conjunction with the balloon procedure? If not, what is the consensus of how to keep the weight off once the balloon is removed? Without some sort of behavior modification aren't you right back where you started? I've read a bunch about the balloon. My surgeon was actually highlighted on NBC Dateline when the Obalon was going through the approval stage. A nearby bariatric clinic is advertising the heck out of it on tv. But I've never seen any followup with patients after the balloon is removed.

My partner did this for her chronic neuropathic pain that resulted from a surgical complication years ago. She had been on gabapentin and tramadol forever and this treatment has really helped. Don't know anyone who's done it for MDD. But I have a good friend who, after years of different therapists, various antidepressants and even in house treatment, found relief from his depression with CBT, meditation and a structured excercise routine. There are dozens of different approaches to help with depression. If your current therapist isn't helping, maybe you should seek an alternative option.

Went to an International Center of Excellence in TJ. I had surgery at 3pm Friday and discharged at 9am Saturday, so not much more than outpatient. Felt great the next day. No nausea. No pain meds needed. Went shopping next two days. Went in on Monday to have drain removed before flying home. I was on clear fluids those first 3 days.....Popsicles, chicken broth, pedialyte, diluted fruit juice and decaf herbal tea. Got some isopure at GNC while I was there but it made me gag. I had no problems with the Syntrax nectar drinks. Once on full liquids I drank all the previously mentioned things plus Protein shakes, V8, Siggis and Kefir drinkable yogurt, and tons of pureed/strained soups with unflavored Protein powder added. Warm liquids went down better for me and a big cup of Sleepytime tea was a welcome, soothing bedtime treat.

I hated the chewables and switched to capsules as soon as I was OKd for them...about 1 month postop.

I can't tell you why people gain after reaching goal.....but I'd bet it has a lot to do with all of the things you listed plus a dozen more. All I know is that I have maintained within 4-5 pounds of my lowest weight for 14 months and I do it by eating healthy and working the plan every single day. I go back to basic Protein and veggies or even a couple days of liquid Protein "preop" diet if I pop even one pound above my range. I don't eat perfect every day, but I am proactive when I know I'm going to eat off plan and make sure I start any holidays, binge weekends, etc at the bottom of my bounce range. I have done this through the loss of two beloved pets and my best friends suicide. I've never felt more depressed than I am right now. But being a successful WLS patient is a priority for me and I've worked hard not to deal with my emotions through food and alcohol. Gaining my weight back would be oh, so easy. You just have to figure out how to deal with life and make the option of slipping back into old habits simply and completely unacceptable.

I knew darn well I was going to eat crap through the holidays, so I just planned for it. Went on a 5 day liquid Protein "preop" diet the week before. Started the holidays at my lowest weight ever and ate pancakes, hash browns, Cookies, candy, eggnog, rum, chocolate, bloody Mary's, stuffing, you name it. Actually am glad it's over cause my tummy hurts! But weighed in after it was all over at just 1 pound over my bounce range which a couple days of protein and veggies will remedy. Love my sleeve!

I was sleeved on 12/21/15 and before surgery I had lost 14lbs, right after surgery I was up with weight and attributed it to water weight and swelling, and then now, just under 2 weeks out I continue to show an up and down weight (yes, I'm getting on the scales everyday ... perhaps I shouldn't right :-) ...) ... I am about 20lbs down but I do worry about losing weight consistently because of such a difficult time in the past with losing weight. Did you see this in your weight loss journey too? Congratulations on your success!!Don't know because I really didn't step on the scale that often. Here's what I remember.....Lost 22 pounds on preop First postop weigh in was at 11 days and I weighed the same as surgery day Didn't weigh again until 6 weeks out and I was down 17 pounds 7 weeks gained 3 pounds, so down 14 pounds (was really sick at this point and was hardly eating or drinking a thing -funny that that was when I GAINED) 10 weeks down the same 17 pounds I was at 6 weeks...but I dropped a whole pant size during this stall, so I was thrilled....just goes to show that the scale numbers don't mean shit. 12 weeks down 25 pounds (8 pounds in those two weeks was my biggest drop besides preop....and it was right when I was finally feeling better and had doubled my food intake) After that I don't remember, other than a pound or two down each time I Weighed which was 2-3 times/month. Passed surgeons goal somewhere around 6 months. Passed personal goal about a month or so later. Hit my lowest weight around 9-10 months out and have maintained within 5 pounds ever since.

Any rapid weight loss can cause gallstones. It has to do with the imbalance of cholesterol and bile salts in the gallbladder. Some believe it's also from the gallbladder not contracting strongly or frequently enough since most weightloss scenarios involve low fat diets. Many surgeons will put you on Ursodial postop to help prevent stones. I took Ursodial, and still developed stones. But I also have a strong family history of gallstones, so I was pretty much doomed.

I started having gallbladder attacks 8 months post VSG. The most excruciating experience ever. Breaking my back and having vertebrae fused in my neck were a cake walk compared to this pain. Usually started under my sternum and felt like bad heartburn for about 10 minutes before radiating to my back and progressing to inconsolable, curled up on the bathroom floor, vomitting and with absolutely no relief for an agonizing two hours. I had 4 attacks over the next 14 months with absolutely no symptoms in between attacks. I kept postponing surgery because I never had any stones. Finally, after the last attack, ultrasound confirmed stones, so I scheduled my surgery to have it removed the day before Thanksgiving. Turns out It was the easiest surgery ever. Into the OR at 8:30, discharged by 12:30. Went to the grocery store and puttered around the house for 3 hours when I got home. Thanksgiving dinner at grandmas the next day. I had to make myself lay low for the next two days and back to work Monday. Never took a single pain med they sent home. The best part is I seem to be able to drink coffee again. Prior to surgery It was too acidic and gave me bad gastritis. I had resigned myself to being a tea drinker. But I 've drank coffee several times since with no problems. Yeehaw!

A lot of people find relief with papaya and papaya extract. (But don't take if you're pregnant)

I stopped smoking cold turkey 3 months before surgery. Weaned off caffeine at 2 months prior. I didn't want to be going through nicotine and caffeine withdrawals at the same time I was on my preop diet. I started back drinking coffee about 6 months postop but never started back smoking. A good friend of mine smoked and HAD to stop. Her surgeon gave her a nicotine test prior to surgery. But she started back up immediately postop. It took FOREVER for her incisions to heal and her drains had to stay in 2 weeks. (Mine was in only 3 days). She subsequently had knee replacement surgery and they didn't make her stop smoking for that surgery. Ended up in the hospital for over three weeks with complications. These things may or may not have been related to smoking, but why take a chance.

Um, I don't see where the problem is. Break up with him and kick him out. Why in Gods name would you let him stay if he treats you like crap? He's not your responsibility. He can find somewhere else to live. Crash on a friend's couch if he has to. Mooch off someone else for awhile. Go to a homeless shelter, whatever. I've broken up with three live in boyfriends, although none of them treated me bad. It's just life. It happens. Once I had to move, once he had to move and once we both had to move since we were in an apt and neither could afford the rent alone. And with him treating you the way he does, I wouldn't wait even one more day.

The surgeon that removed my gallbladder last month is telling me he didn't create an incisional hernia. I can feel it. I can push the protruding tissue back in and stick my index finger in the hole. It's ACTUALLY there, despite my surgeon saying it isn't. My PCP confirmed I have a reducible hernia at one of the incision sites which will likely require a second surgery to repair. But according to you I should listen to my surgeon and "pretend" the hernia doesn't exist because he said there isn't one. So no, I'm not going to just blindly follow without question every order my surgeon gives me. Sometimes the "reason" doesn't have anything to do with my well being. WLS success is not a "one size fits all equation" and surgeons and nuts should not lump all patients under one umbrella set of rules. But unfortunately it's easier, more convenient and cheaper to do it that way. And just as unfortunately, a lot of times the patient suffers for it.

Just drink a little less of it each day. I weaned off caffeine 2 months before surgery. My source was coffee and I just slowly transitioned from caffeinated to decaf a little each day over several weeks. I don't know about soda, though. The sugar / artificial sweetener withdrawals may make it more complicated than caffeine alone. Just go slow. 1/4 can less every few days.

I drank the Water in a cup provided in the clinic. Even if it wasn't from a bottle the facility does have a water purifier. the hotel provided free bottled water. But I did eat popscicles from a local street vendor....hibiscus, peach and pineapple....yum! Didn't even think about it at the time but I imagine they were not made with purified water. I also drank tea at Starbucks. My sister drank coffee at Starbucks a couple times/day. She also drank the water with ice cubes in the restaurant at the Marriott and I had their chicken broth a couple times. Neither of us had any digestive problems. Depending on where you are staying, there are plenty of places to pick up bottled beverages. I got pedialyte from Walmart and Isopure from GNC while there. Unfortunately the isopure was gross and made me gag, so it went down the drain.

I was on 40mg omeprazole daily for two months just while my incision was healing. Weaned to 20mg for two weeks then stopped completely. No need to continue any longer unless you have GERD symptoms and then you need to talk to your surgeon or a gastroenterologist about the best way to manage the symptoms long term. It's best NOT to take PPIs long term. Besides the calcium/osteoporosis issues there are other potential issues including Chronic inflammation of the stomach lining (Atrophic Gastritis); Vitamin B-12 deficiency. (Which we already deal with as VSG patients); susceptibility to GI bacterial infections like salmonella and C. diff, and Low magnesium levels.

I used Torani and davinci syrups and PB2. Flavor combos are nearly endless. Just experiment to find out how much to add. 1-2 squirts per 24oz shake is what works for me. I also added pureed fruit, but I see you aren't allowed. But the carbs really helped my energy level when I was early postop..

I followed that rule for a little bit, but discovered I was hungry after 2-3 hours whether I drank with my meal or not. Since there is no physical reason not to do it, I threw that "rule" out the window. Like Inner Surfer Girl said its kind of a rule left over from bypass. Since our pyloric valve is intact, it controls how fast food comes out of our sleeves. And I'm perfectly capable of deciding when and what and how much I eat. The Water I did or didnt drink with my previous meal doesnt dictate my eating habits. So do what it takes to get your Protein and fluids in.

Nope, never lost a single strand. Also never took biotin or used and special hair products. If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. Nothing you can do about it. Just your body's reaction to the stress of surgery and fast weight loss. The only things I did do was always exceed protein goals, always take my vitamins, ate food from all four food groups, and I never mentally stressed over surgery or stalls or anything else along the way.

I felt great. Never took any pain Meds at all. Went shopping the day after surgery and walked a total of two miles. Napped in the afternoon. More shopping the second day. Eating Popsicles and sipping on broth and pedialyte all day both days. My abdominal muscles felt fatigued like I'd done a zillion sit-up, that's about it. Never had any problems or needed help moving around, getting in and out of bed, etc. travelled from TJ to SLC alone on the 3rd day. Good luck with a smooth recovery!

Just be mindful of how fast you consume that much protein. Our bodies can only absorb 10-20g protein in an hour. (Best case scenario) The rest is converted to glucose, so you might as well be drinking sugar water.