Miss Mac

Congratulations, you tiny little thing. What a year for you!

My issues are at the opposite end of the numbers topic. I know people don't mean it, But I feel bad when someone belittles those of us who have "only" 100 pounds to lose. Those of us who are short can be quite miserable with 100 extra pounds. I am having a six level spinal fusion a(L2-S1) at the end of the month because my spine was collapsing under the extra weight. The spine surgeon said that I had to lose weight before he did the surgery or it would not heal well. So far I have lost 55 pounds. I had a three level neck fusion about a year ago (C4-C6) for the same reason, and I now have scoliosis which I did not have five years ago. Anyway, I am trying to agree with what RJ is saying. Miserable is miserable, and we need both compassion and a since of humor with each other. Many of us have started out as big around as we are tall or fiercely ill because of all the co-morbidities The forum needs to be a judgement-free zone. I do not care how many times a newbie comes up with the same dozen questions we are so familiar with. Seriously, this site needs an easily accessable FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS in big letters on the home page.

meat will be easier if it is moist. I find other things are inconsistent. I have had no problem with Peanut Butter until yesterday. It hung up in my throat, and I could not drink enough Fluid to ease it on down, since Miss Tummy only holds so much, and I am not supposed to drink right after eating. I have not had a problem with pills either until I gagged on fish oil pearls today. My other most memorable disaster was thinking I could try steamed cauliflower at one month. WRONG!

Walking at first, 2 pound weights at 4 weeks, five pound weights at 2 months. I could do ten pounds now if I wanted to. One day a week I use weights, the second day I do body resistance. The other days I do a session of Pilates or some aerobic video. I have everything from bedfast to Hip Hop Abs (I am 62) so I won't get bored. I can't wait for an actually warm day to take my exercise outside. We have a big back yard with shade trees where my Sweetie can set up a small outdoor fitness trail for me. It will be great therapy for all my other orthopedic issues, especially since I have some spinal (L2- S1) reconstruction in three weeks (oh dear me. But that is why exercise is so important, even if all you can do is stretch. I even found that website travelcountry.com where I bought my Vibram Five Finger Walking Shoes for half price. I wish they would advertise on this site. I found them by accident while scooting around on Paleo/Primal websites. Marks Daily Apple marksdailyapple.com has turned out to be very informative for those who might want to pursue a more active lifestyle post-op.

riisey007, I just came out of an aggravating 7 week stall myself, which completely included my third month post op and then some. At a recent visit with the bariatric physician, she suggested that I take my Fluid consumption from 64 to 80 ounces or more. The science being that taking in more Water helps your body release water. She also raised my Protein from 70 grams to 80 grams. I still drink one shake per day to help get that protein in. For that I had to increase my calories from 600 to 800-1000, to break an apparent bout of starvation syndrome. Well guess what? The stall broken and weight loss has resumed. I wish you good health and good luck with your weight loss.

For my plan popcorn is on the list of foods not well tolerated after weight loss surgery. Lisa Musician, administrator of the Bariatric Discussion Board for St. Luke's University Hospital in Bethlehem, Pa. addressed this concern by saying: "Many patients that eat popcorn following these guidelines report an unpleasant experience: Their pouch feels tight and stuck because the popcorn just sits there. Without liquids to wash it through (and make it a slider food) and with our limited gastric enzymes and digestive juices, it takes a very long time for "dry" popcorn to digest in the pouch. Additionally we experience a dry mouth, bad breath and thirst. This is your pouch doing its job: You are supposed to feel uncomfortable when you follow the guidelines and eat something that appears on most "avoid these foods" lists provided by bariatric centers. Thank your pouch for doing a fine job and accept the message it is telling you. If we ignore the guidelines and eat popcorn while drinking a beverage often our portion size goes unmeasured and we cross over to grazing-style eating. This is a problem with popcorn because popcorn is a high glycemic food and it elevates our blood sugar. If the beverages consumed with it also raises our glycemic load we are in danger of dumping syndrome. More commonly we find people sustaining "low grade dumping" where their blood sugar is elevated to the point of dizziness or "offness" but not enough to manifest the signs of full-blown dumping. Soon this state of "offness" begins to feel normal and it can only be sustained by nibbling or grazing on similar simple carbohydrates such as pretzels and crackers." I hope this helps.

Four months out on 4/23/14 I still measure 1/3 cup of Protein and 2 tables of veg/fruit. I drink one shake a day to help me reach 80 grams of protein. You cannot control that which you cannot measure. It keeps me from falling into bad habits of scarfing down estimated amounts. With drinking 80 ounce of Fluid per day I don't have much tummy space for anything else.

madam rev.....glad to hear that your hair is coming back. I remember when you were in a deep blue funk about it for a while. I am just at four months, and my doc said last week that it's my turn to watch the tub drain. hmjdreamingbig.......madam rev is always spot on. You can take her advice seriously.

I blame the Emergen-C I can't make that nasty, bitter stuff taste good in anything. I have had much better luck with whey Protein powders, although sometimes I will add vanilla or sweetener to the shakes.

According to Mark Sisson of Mark's Daily Apple, a fitness website bent toward primal eating (which is low carbs like our plans), a stall can be broken by either eating more and exercising more or eating less and exercising less.

I agree with JeanZ_RN. While I am fervently working toward my goal weight, carbs are not my friend. I try to keep them very low in the ketosis range, 20-30 grams per day. That's not much, but potatoes, noodles, rice, pastries, and bread is what got me into this mess in the first place. Since my doctor just raised my Protein requirement from 70 to 80 grams per day, there is even less room for carbs. I am not going hungry without carbs, and I still manage to have my 1/2 of a banana nearly every day.

That is not enough food or nutrition for my 3 year old granddaughter. I was an anorexic teen because I did not want to be 300-500 pounds like the rest of my family. It eventually caught up with me, but that's another story and why I had a sleeve. Anyway, my doc has limited me to 600-800 calories, which must MUST MUST include 80 grams of Protein. You had better believe I have gone back to tracking because I do not want to fall into that fear of food ever again. See a psychologist. You are wasting away and are succumbing to unhealthy patterns. This is all about being healthy and happy. Good luck, and let us know how you do.

Before my surgery, I could drink pop and tea all day long. I could drink 3 glasses of pop plus my meal at a restaurant, or a 2 liter while working on my computer or watching TV.......so I just put that energy into sipping my non-carbonated fluids throughout the day. And I keep Water by the bed for when I wake up at night I can drink some more. About when it feels like my eyeballs are floating, the doc raises my quantity from 64 ounces to 80. Help me....I'm drownnnnnnning

That's like one of the best landmark victories....and Onederland is coming up soon. Congratulations!

It seems like I am always looking for the Stall Whisperer. This last stall was seven weeks, for crying out loud! So......I took my Water from 64 up to 80 ounces, and the Bariatric Physician changed my calories from 800 down to 600 (which is where I was in my pre-op phase). Stall broken and I have lost three pounds in the last week. Man...we knew this was going to be work. Also, I am right on my four month mark, and the doc reminded me that it is my turn for the hair to start falling out. She STRONGLY EMPHASIZED to be dead-on serious about getting my Proteins and fluids in.

My largest incision hurt occasionally for about six weeks and then backed off.

Do you have anything else on this list that insurance companies use for qualifying co-morbidities? Obesity Comorbidities To follow is a list of comorbidities (additional conditions or diseases) related to obesity which may help you in qualifying for weight loss surgery. Family history of heart disease Family history of stroke Family history of diabetes Family history of heart attacks Hyperinsulinemia Diabetes High blood pressure Coronary-artery disease Hypertension Migraines or headaches directly related to obesity or cranial hypertension Congestive heart failure Neoplasia Dyslipidemia Anemia Gallbladder disease Osteoarthritis Degenerative arthritis Degenerative disc Degenerative joint disease Recommended joint replacement from specialist Accelerated degenerative joint disease Asthma Repeated pneumonia Repeated pleurisy Repeated bronchitis Lung restriction Gastroesophageal reflex (GERD) Excess facial & body hair (Hirsutism) Rashes Chronic skin infections Excess sweating Frequent yeast infections Urinary stress incontinence Menstrual irregularity Hormonal abnormalities Polycystic ovaries Infertility Carcinoma (breast, colon, uterine cancer) sleep apnea Pseudotumor cerebri Depression Psychological/sexual dysfunction Social discrimination Premature death (of a family member who was obese)

The biggest disadvantage of this high tech age is that we don't get the tone or inflection of a personal conversation. I wish you good luck and good health.

Normally I try to respond with something encouraging, but this confession has me gobsmacked. I got my sleeve in December 2013 also, and all of those foods would have made me ill and given me the runs, plus I would not even consider sabotaging my sleeve. It's been too much damn pain and work. Sounds like your doctor is more of a friend or relative than a physician whose Hippocratic Oath is to "First do no harm". So, to avoid the risk of Miss Mac sounding mean or insensitive I will say no more.

Did not find any ready-to-drink shakes that I liked, but as for the powders: unjury chocolate - cold with almond or coconut milk/water hot (maximum 140 degrees) with almond or coconut milk/water and dollop of lite whip cream Unjury strawberry Sorbet with Crystal Lite Lemonade Syntrax Nectars - any flavor mixes well with Crystal Lite Lemonade (Grapefruit + Crystal Lite Lemonade tastes like Fresca) Celebrate brand bariatric supplies makes a vanilla Cake Batter Protein powder that tastes pretty good with Almond Milk I bought all of mine on-line.

An apple that has morphed into a pear as my belly droops from weight loss.

I am so glad I am retired from a large government agency where I interacted with hundreds of people every week in making my rounds. And I can guarantee that NO ONE would have noticed if I gained or lost a hundred pounds overnight. Just to show you how invisible overweight people are at work, I was having a stroke while making rounds - in a V A Hospital, and no doctor or nurse even noticed! I managed to drive myself 12 miles home in city traffic, and figured out to call an ambulance when I got home. Geeze Louise.......it is a crying shame how invisible we are. So, don't take it personally. It's just the way the world is.

I have been trying to lose weight on my own since 1976! I just finally got sleeved to break the cycle, because I would not have even been alive in another five years. With my compounding weight-related health issues, my body was shutting down fast. As soon as I heard about the sleeve, I knew that was the answer for me. If you do decide to hold back, look into the Paleo / Primal lifestyle of eating and letting go of fake foods made in factories. Those of us who have had weight loss surgery are typically eating high Protein (60-80 grams a day) and as low carb as we can go. I wish you good luck and good health whatever you decide.

I get the sugar free creamsicles, fudgesicles, or fruitsicles from Aldis or Krogers....ususally 15-35 calories. When I need something creamier, I go for Greek Yogurt with a little vanilla and sweetener. Also, 1/2 banana frozen on a popsicle stick or put through the processsor with a little yogurt hits the spot.

I take stool softeners daily, and Miralax or prune juice as needed. Anytime I have whey Protein I need a laxative chaser.