Kindle

I took 40mg/ day for 2 months then down to 20mg for a month then stopped. In the beginning, Even with the 40mg, I took Maaloxx occasionally when I had a sour stomach (at the recommendation of OCC's followup doctor). A friend of mine takes protonix because omeprazole does nothing for her.

What did you eat for lunch before surgery? Unless it was chips and cake and Cookies, you should be able to have the same thing. Just tweak it towards more protein/less carbs. Salads, sandwiches, burgers, Chinese, and even pizza are doable. If you don't want to go out and you've got a fridge and microwave at work there's not much you can't have. Don't think of this as a diet for the rest of your life or you won't make it. I don't get a lunch break, so I graze on nuts, Jerky, Protein bars, portable fruit (bananas, apples, pears, grapes, etc) and protein shakes all day long. Rarely (1-2 times a month) we actually stop for lunch and I order whatever looks good on the menu. And take home the leftovers.

I had surgery at OCC a year ago. My sister met me in TJ...she flew in from WI and I flew from ID. Which meant I travelled alone, but she was there with me for surgery and afterwards. We actually had a blast. I had a friend in FL also willing to meet me or my parents would have driven over from AZ if sis couldn't make it. My friends in ID had to stay here to take care of business and my animals ????????????. But there was a gal from northern Canada who was there alone and she was fine...just hung out with the rest of us.

I don't use it directly, but one of my favorite protein powders is the Spirutein line, which contains spirulina (as well as rice, pea and soy protein).

I'm 13 months out and have never regretted it for a minute. I had a pain free recovery and although it took 3-4 months before I felt "normal", I was OK with that. After all, I was recovering from major surgery. Initially I had some lactose intolerance and plain Water and artificial sweeteners hurt my sleeve. But I figured out how to deal with it and after the 4 month mark, those issues disappeared. I found an answer to my constipation (insoluble fiber), I get in all my Protein and fluids, take 3 Vitamin supplements (multi, Vitamin D and B12) and get regular bloodwork to keep ahead of any deficiencies. Fortunately I have had no long term intolerance issues. I can eat anything, including all meats, veggies, fruit, sugar, carbs, and alcohol. I just can't overeat or drink anything carbonated. I don't have GERD but I do get a little gastritis if I eat too many sweets or alcohol, but I guess that's a good thing. And nothing a couple Rolaids or some Zantac can't fix. Seriously, the only difference between my pre and postop life is that I drink less alcohol, I eat less and I eat healthier. It's been very easy to get over the psychological barriers of my food addiction. Being thin and feeling great far outweighs the emotional bond I had with overeating and eating crap. I can eat anything ( in moderation), so there's nothing to miss. I am one of the many lucky ones, but there are a lot of people on here that have had serious complications. Despite their struggles, they continue to maintain a good attitude and don't regret their surgery. Everyone's journey is going to be different and only you can make this a good experience or a bad one.

Well here's my experience with Obamacare.... I am self employed and have carried an individual health insurance policy for the past 15 years. In 2013 (the last year before Obamacare) I paid $256/month for a policy with $30 office visits and a $2000 deductible with 80/20 coverage after that up to a $5000 max OOP. It was through Blueshield and they were very good about approving and paying for everything. Even had a cervical spine fusion surgery 6 years ago with no financial issues...had an MRI, X-rays, referral to a specialist, surgery itself, PT and followup visits....i just paid my deductible. Then along came Obamacare. I now pay $316/month for a policy with NO office visit copays and a $5000 deductible. Basically i have to fork out $8692 in any given year before they pay a penny. Still through Blushield, but now have to fight to get anything approved. I'm having neck issues again and have complete numbness in both arms and they will not approve an MRI or CT. I had C. diff last year and they wouldn't pay for the curative fecal transplant, despite 2 appeals from my gastroenterologist. After 2 months of trying to cure it "their way" by taking antibiotics that made me sick and having to get IV fluids for dehydration 3 times, I finally just paid for the fecal transplant myself. Took about 30 minutes, worked like a charm and prevented months of suffering, permanent damage to my colon and probably being admitted to the hospital. And the b***h of it is, since it wasn't approved, the $3000+ I paid didn't even go towards my deductible. I am good friends with my PCP and his wife, who is the office manager of his clinic. She said dealing with insurance has become a nightmare since the switch. They don't accept any new Medicare or Obamacare policies, but are stuck with all the "grandfathered" patients (like me). So comparing apples to apples, in my case, Obamacare is rotten.

I've tried dozens of different brands and flavors (got samples from Nashua nutrition) and I must say the Bariatric Advantage and Bariatric Fusion were my least favorite. In fact, I threw out the extra samples. I'm not a big fan of Isopure either. I've had a protein smoothie everyday for the last 14 months and Muscle Milk, Premier, Unjury, Syntrax Nectar, Syntrax Matrix, Spirutein, Syntha 6 and Raw Protein are all good. But everyone has different tastes, so If you have the time, I would suggest getting samples and trying them first.

No, you can still blow a stitch and get a leak with plication. They fold the stomach in on itself and stitch the fold. Unlike with the sleeve where the two cut edges of the stomach heal and grow together, the suture line of the plication is the only thing maintaining the fold. There is a lot of tension on those sutures and they can pull out at any time.....months even years out. And when it does pull out it can tear a hole in your stomach. Every surgery has its own set of risks, and this long term potential for pulling stitches is one of the ones for plication.

I have my DVR set to record.... Greys Anatomy Ultimate Fighter Judge Judy I really miss House. I don't record, but watch Chopped and Beating Bobbie Flay whenever I catch them on the food Network. Watching UFC Fight Night right now. But mostly I watch movies.

Your doctor is an ass. She should be more concerned about your health, not how fast you lose. If you are getting in all your protein, fluids and vitamins then you are doing great. If not, then that's what you should concentrate on, not the numbers on the scale. Losing slower is much healthier and easier to maintain in the long run. It took me 7 weeks to lose 17 pounds postop and I was thrilled. Glad I didn't have your surgeon to make me feel bad about it. And my rate of loss did not prevent me from reaching and passing goal in less than a year.

Same here. I had to be careful for the first 6 months or so. I ate one bite too many a couple times and it hurt, so I learned how not to do that pretty quick. I tried using the eat slower app for awhile, and had it set for 45-60 seconds, but it was a PIA. So I just eat like I always have now (usually done in 5 min) and I've never thrown up and am well below goal, so....

Discovered a new one last night. I can lay completely submerged in a regular size bathtub. Other than the limitations of the tub length, which means either my feet or my head have to be out of the water, all of my parts are covered with water....legs, belly and boobs! With a couple inches to spare.

I stopped losing when I stopped losing. Not a whole lot you can do about it. I started eating at "maintenance" level as I approached my surgeon's goal. I'm now 23 pounds under that. I've maintained the same 4-5 pound bounce range for 5 months with little effort. Not to say that won't change as time goes by, but I'll take whatever comes. Basically eat whatever I want, whenever I'm hungry. I choose to eat healthy 90% of the time and total crap the other 10%. I drink a 30-40g Protein smoothie everyday so I have the freedom of eating veggies, fruits and whole grains, instead of just protein with every meal. I keep mental track of my fluids to make sure I'm hitting 64oz. That's about it. 12 month labs showed no deficiencies and I feel great. Obviously my body is where it wants to be right now. After people get used to seeing you at your new weight, they will stop with the "too skinny" comments. And although I've been blessed with a loss that exceeds any expectations I had, I would have been just as happy at 170.....10 pounds above my surgeon's goal. Because I felt good when I got there. My BP was normal and all of my aches and pains were gone. Since that was my ultimate VSG goal, everything else has just been frosting on the cake (mmmm...frosting ????)

Mine was day 1-18 liquid Day 18-28 puree Day 28-40 soft food Day 41 transition to real food And I can tell you I moved through the stages even slower than the recommended time frame. I made sure I only added in one new thing every few days so i didn't overwhelm my new tummy. I was doing liquids well into the pureed stage, and pureed well into soft food, etc. It was probably 3 months before I felt OK with real food, so your dr's schedule seems about right to me. I would definitely follow your plan and not worry about what other people are doing. It's the best way to keep safe and minimize any complications during that critical healing time. And there so many great recipes on here and eggface that you shouldn't get bored. Some of my favorite dishes are from the pureed stage and I still have them over a year out (not to mention my daily Protein shake)

In the hospital for about 18 hours after surgery. Surgery on a Friday, back to work the next Friday. I am a vet tech, so on my feet 10+ hours/day, bending, squatting, lifting, etc. I had to keep my lifting under 20 pounds for 3 weeks, but other than that I was fine. Energy level a bit low since I was on liquids only for 3 weeks, but got better once I started adding pureed fruit to my protein smoothies. I'm partners in a small veterinary practice, so if I don't work, we don't make money. No such thing as paid time off for me. The 7 days I took off included sat, sun, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so I only had to actually miss 3 days of work.

I kind of felt the same way. Even though the nut and myself had certain goal numbers, once I hit 170, I finally felt really good, all my aches and pains were gone and my BP was normal. I thought at that point I would be happy even if I didn't lose another pound. The rest has just been bonus!

I used PB2 in my shakes. It was easier to mix than peanut butter. But I'm sure regular would be fine if you don't have PB2. I was eating veggies by 3 weeks out.... Puréed split pea soup and vegetable soup, puréed sweet potatoes, cauliflower, etc. Mixed unflavored protein powder with all of the above. In the soft food stage I was eating artichokes, cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes, spinach, green beans, and carrots. I waited for regular food stage (7 weeks I think) to eat things like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and celery. I cooked everything very well at first and was eating raw veggies (including salad) by about 3-4 months. I guess the only veggies to kind of stay away from are sweet/starchy veggies like corn, peas, potatoes and sweet potatoes (even though I ate all of these, they aren't the "best" veggies as far as weight loss goes)

My surgeon's dietician gave me an expected goal after doing a body fat analysis and asking a lot of questions about my past and present weight and activities. My personal goal was 10 pounds less than hers based on what I weighed in my 20's when I was very fit and active. I currently weigh 13 pounds less than that. Your body will make the ultimate decision on your final goal weight.

@@CowgirlJane, thanks so much for this thread. At 13 months out and below goal for about 5, I'm not exactly a newbie, but definitely far from a veteran. I feel my weight loss and maintenance has been fairly easy to this point, but it's very good for me to read that this may not always be true. Knowing things will change and get harder in the years to come helps keep me grounded. I consider yours a great WLS success story and your post is a welcomed reality check for me. I hope you continue to have the strength to keep carrying on and to be happy with your choices. And @@VSGAnn2014 I know exactly who you're talking about ????

Exactly! I feel it is our responsibility to be a part of our own health care and to work WITH our doctors, not simply accept their advice as infallible. Luckily I have a great doctor who feels the same way and his ego does not get in the way when I ask questions or make suggestions based on what I know about my own body and what I've discovered in my research. He also doesn't hesitate to consult with other specialists concerning my health so that he can provide the best care for me. I am, in fact, responsible for my own post WLS plan. No one held my hand or told me what I can and can't do. I took bits and pieces from my surgeon's recommendations, my PCP, medical journals, nutritional research and from veterans on here and did what was best for ME. Like it's been said before, there is not one right way to do this. No medical degree in the world makes someone an absolute expert. Everyone should own their own journey and be informed beyond the confines of their medical team.

Like Bufflehead said, as soon as I saw the other products they put out and the "miracle" performance they claim, I ruled them out as a reputable source. Nowhere could I ever find if genepro has a complete amino acid profile. And the complete lack of third party, scientific, fact-based evidence, and no FDA approval are other obvious red flags that this is a scam.

HW 238 SW 216 CW 137 TPL 101 TGP 88 Same as last week.

I've definitely lost all I'm going to lose. I've been around the same weight for almost 5 months. They say 6-12 months after reaching low weight before plastics because it can take that long to "stabilize" and see what your skin is going to do. My face, neck and arms have already tightened up nicely. My tummy has some looseness but nothing I can't live with. However, nothing but a scalpel could fix my thighs, butt and boobs. With that being said, I don't think I will be getting plastics. 1) all my "problem areas" are really only visible when I'm naked (or wear shorts), and I don't really care what I look like, 2) I don't have the time it takes for plastic surgery (both the surgical time and recovery) and 3) Its a lot of money that I could use in a more productive way. But I guess if I won the lottery I would find the time to get a LBL and boob job (without augmentation....I love my teeny chest, just not all the extra skin).

My story is similar to the one above. I did not want the malabsorption of a bypass, and I was all set for a lap band. It was a friend who was banded 6 years ago that talked me out of the it. I was about to give up the idea of WLS when I found out about the sleeve. But everyone's goals and expectations are different, so reseach all of the options and decide what fits best for YOU.

It's great to see at least some people have nuts and surgeons that don't believe in starving their patients after surgery!