Miss Mac

I lost 26 pounds on my pre-op diet and then gained 12 during the two days I was in the hospital. By the time I lost that, I was in the dreaded third week stall. So it really wasn't until a month before the noticeable weight loss started for me.

week one - full liquids week two - purees week three - soft week 4 1/2 - regular cooked foods as tolerated three months - raw foods as tolerated

Loved it. Which just goes to show you that if Miley wanted to, she too, could make beautiful haunting music with her clothes on.

This reminds me of when I escaped from a mean ol' rotten ex-husband. One of his crazy-makers was that I had to wear men's white cotton socks like he did. My first night away from him, I bought some Hershey Kisses socks at the truck stop where I ate dinner. Boy, that started it. I could not stop buying "girl" socks of all kinds. By the time I was six months away from him, I had a couple hundred pairs of girly socks. My new addiction is clothing related also. Now that I can wear a smaller bra, I get pretty ones that I have to pay good money for - not the $6 cheapos on sale at Walmart. It is still cheaper than all the money I was spending on nine medications pre-op.

It took several months before I was comfortable drinking more than an ounce every fifteen minutes. Now, at 15 months I can drink a ten ounce bottle of Water in about a half hour. Concerning the gurgleing: Miss Tummy sounded like a dinosaur fight for a couple of months.

Response: "And people would think you're a lot smarter if you would keep your opinions to yourself" Be on the alert for back-handed compliments like that. Bariatric surgery will expose the dynamics of your relationships as people are threatened or rejoicing over your progress. That is not a bad thing. It is good to know who is really in your corner.

Two of the three band-aids that the hospital left over my smaller incisions blistered up. I had to cover them with non-stick gauze bandages to keep from popping them.

With your next meal, then go for a walk or put on some loud crazy music and groove to the music. Get the crap edibles (can't call them foods) out of the house. Don't watch cooking shows for a while. If I could give only one piece of diet advice, it would be "Don't eat anything made in a factory." When you get up, stay out of the bedroom. Resist all day TV and becoming part of the sofa. Open up the window shades and let the sunshine in. When the outside temp becomes comfortable for you, take advantage of it and find reasons to be outside. We have a large back yard, and last year I set up a fitness trail for myself. Get a dog. Play with it and take it for long walks. The Vitamin D sunshine that you absorb will help perk up your mood. As with any formidable task that is inconvenient but necessary, eliminate excuses one by one. Want to eat crap? Don'y have crap in the house or stand by a vending machine. Too tired to exercise? Your body is a living machine designed for movement. It will resist you like a toddler who just learned the word NO. But once you start exercising, your body will thank you by giving you more energy to get through your day. Then, you will be tired enough to sleep better. Don't have time to exercise? Quit hitting the alarm clock. Get up and follow along with one of the gajillion 5 minute work-outs on Youtube. This morning I did a stretch and toning video - 4 minutes - helped to wake me up. Make a list of what is holding you back, and find creative ways to get around it. Chirp up, dear. You have friends here who understand what you are going through. Hugs.

Sometimes you just get tired of being strong. Hugs and love from Chicago. Plan for tomorrow and have some string cheese, nuts, or Protein bars in your purse. Even a banana is better than Twinkies. You can't count on hospital cafeterias to have quality protein.

I am taking Flintstones with Iron twice a day, not near the time when I take my Calcium. My one year labs were beyond perfect. I also take a B12 and D3. Taking these are the alternative to the bariatric horsepills that I could not tolerate.

I do my strength training twice a week, and both days I have to eat a little more to maintain any energy throughout the day. But that means more Protein, not carbs, grease and salt. I would love to revert to pizza and chips, but I am far better off with a cheese stick and a couple of gherkins. Cucumbers and tomatoes have become my new best friends. The other day I made some protein fudge (Peanut Butter, cream cheese, ricotta, chocolate Protein powder, flax, wheat germ, chia, articial sweetener because I add melted 85% dark choclate. A one inch square is all I can eat at any one time. I think that if I cannot find a recipe for a low-carb pizza casserole, I am going to have to invent one. On strength days, I have a protein smoothie made with almond milk and yogurt and lots of berries, spinach if I have it on hand. I love bananas and other fruits, but more than one serving slows down my progress. I do the strength training because my body needs it and I feel more involved in the purpose. Cardio, for me, has to be fun or it ain't gonna happen (sorry, grammar nerds - overcome). My two favorite cardio sessions involve sex and / or music. When my happy man (very happy - he loves my choice of cardio) is not around, I pull out my videos: Hip Hop Abs, Hula, Bali, Pussycat Dolls, African Heat-Latin Beat, Salsa, Zoomba, Belly Dance, Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies........this old white woman has them all. I have weaned myself off of all-day TV. I am no longer part of the sofa (which encourages grazing). When I am puttering around the house, I crank up the satellite radio to Classic Rock Workout. It adds groove to my move all day long. I have too much sacrafice invested in my new body to let it fall into disrepair, now. My health and extra years added to my life are worth the committment this takes. I have had to pick myself up off the ground several times and get my resolve back, but nobody else can do the work for me. Maybe a good website for you would be Mark's Daily Apple - www.marksdailyapple.com. It has a Paleo/Primal focus and recommends incorporating fun into your week. Volley-ball instead of calesthenics, surfing instead of step classes, bike riding in a scenic state or national park instead of an exercise bike in the basement. There is nothing stopping you but your creativity. Go have some fun.

A nice ripe one would mash up pretty good. Remember when you start purees, they must be runny enoigh to fall off the spoon. Maybe you could thin it out with some chicken broth.

I feel sexier now than I did in my twenties (I am 63). Plus the Wellbutrin gives a little sparky boost of its own. I'm not complaining. My flexibilty has greatly impoved in that respect.

When I had my three month visit, I was told to ease up on the shakes and try to get my protein from food, but they are not forbidden. At 15 months I still have a couple a week, on strength training days.

Here is a list of obesity co-morbidities the http:/www.nih.gov the government website for The National Institue of Health. Claim as many as you can. For most of us, that is more than a few. 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 in the immediate family

I buy the Well brand of Calcium + D at Walgreens. They have chewy caramel or chocolate, which come 60 in reclosable foil bag. I only need one per day.

I did not have any issues with hair loss, but my fingernails were brittle like potato chips from months three through six. Also, my skin got real dry and flakey during the same time.

What she said.

I was already retired when I had my surgery. I was exhausted the whole first month and really felt sorry for folks who have to go back to work or take care of small children. My hat's off to all of you. Maybe if I were thirty years younger at the time, the fatigue would not have been so bad. At one week, you will probably still be on full liquids or maybe starting purees. Be prepared to be tired and plan your nutrition carefully. I hope your recovery goes well.

It is good to hear that you are going to proceed no matter what. That's determination, girl!

Welcome to the forum. You landed in the right place. I found this site in August of 2103, after my primary doctor gave me a referral for a lap band. In the first information session I found out there was a procedure called the Gastric Sleeve, which I had never heard of. When I Googled it, I discovered Bariatric Pal. The folks here answered my questions and were very helpful in calming my fears. You can expect open and honest opinions, although approach and tact will vary. Not everyone has a textbook recovery, and some folks here have suffered considerably. If you want the naked truth, you will find it here. My surgery did not cost me anything except for a few small office co-pays with the nutritionist and psych. I had to do a three month supervised diet, and provide a two year record of my physician's participation in my attempts at weight loss. I had two pre-op visits with a psychologist, two pre-op visits with the surgeon, and monthly visits with the nutritionist. Post -op I see the bariatrician and nutritionist every three months until I hit my two year mark in December. My insurance, BCBS Federal Employee covered everything. Actually, the hardest part for me was not the post-op recovery, but the ten day liver shrinking liquid diet preceeding the surgery. I had no complications with my recovery, but I was nauseous for about a month, until I progressed to regular food. It took another month to get some energy back. My appetite was almost non-existant for the first month. I had to force myself to eat the required 1/3 cup of food and meet Protein and Fluid requirements, too. No lie, the first month is tough because your body has really taken a hit and feels brutalized. Miss Tummy was mad at me for a while. She is the boss of me and lets me know it. If I eat something that displeases her, she makes me suffer for at least four hours. However, at 15 months out, I am close to my goal of 100 pounds. Some people lose that much in four to six months. I am a slow loser, but am still moving forward to maintenance soon. I eat what I want, but what I want has changed. Now my body craves and thrives on protein and veggies and I can eat about a cup of food at one meal. Because of orthopedic and post-stroke issues like poor balance and fall risk, exercise was always difficult for me. As soon as I dropped that first thirty pounds, my posture started to improve because that big ol' 53" belly wasn't pulling me over as much. As I lost more weight, my spine (which has 17 herniated disks) has mellowed out and not given me near as much nerve pain, and I can walk without a cane around the house. When I go out, I need it because of the balance issue, which is worse in open spaces. This whole process has been a give and take. Sure, I had to drop comfortable old habits that were leading me to an early grave, but due diligence is rewarding me with better health and enough energy to exercise every day, including strength training twice a week. If you want to search a certain topic, go to the search bar at the top of the page, and type it in. There is a little down arrow. Click on that and go to the forums section. You will then get your results. Most newbies asked the same questions, and I did too. Hopefully we can encourage you and help you get the answers to your questions.

I am doing the opposite. My hair was pretty short at pre-op and my red hair has been trying to turn white and grey for a while now. So, I decided to embrace the gray ( I am 63) and let it grow to shoulder length. It is curled at chin length now and looking dull and mousy even though it has stayed thick and healthy all the way through this journey. I am one of the fortunate few who did not have hair loss. So, I decided last week that maybe I could color my hair to match my eyebrows. It came out a real light blonde, and I love it. I have had to change my make-up and i need to adjust the colors I wear. I am wearing make-up more often and the replacement clothes that I am buying have more detail - not so many t-shirts.

At 15 months out and I have a new normal. I can eat anything I want, but what I want has changed. I want natural food that will nourish this earthly container that I live in. My old normal was Twinkies and Dr. Pepper for Breakfast. My new normal is 21 grams of Protein. This morning, for example, I had 1 ounce of steak left over from supper yesterday, 1/2 cup of omelet with veggies, and 1 ounce of shredded cheddar, with a little salsa. I never had decadent steak and eggs for breakfast pre-op. My midmorning snack was blended yogurt and ricotta with blackberries and strawberries. lunch today will be home-made ham and lentil Soup with carrots and celery. My late afternoon snack today will be a deviled egg, a 1ounce mozzerella string cheese, and a gherkin pickle. Supper tonight will be grilled chicken and green Beans. I even made up a batch of my chocolate protein fudge today. I mix up Peanut Butter, cream cheese, melted dark chocolate, some of my Omega 3 sprinkles that I add to as many meals as possible (flax seed - wheat germ-chia), chocolate Protein powder, and some artificial sweetener. A one inch square is all I can eat at any one time. I don't measure this recipe. I just throw in what's on hand. Overall, I eat a satisfying variety of fresh meats and garden veggies. I had to cut back on fruit because it was slowing my roll, but I do have my berries every day and usually one serving of some other fruit. This morning it was 1/2 of a small banana. Eating post-op does not have to be torture. Once your new tummy acclimates to its new condition, you can add a happy and welcome variety. And don't waste time worrying about what other people think. Don't give away your power. I, too, wish I had done this sooner - before two knee replacements and a stroke. I call that negative back-talk "hampsters in my head". Do this for you, and let us know how it goes.

Stellar! Good for you.

There is a theme here, dear bariatric sister: Don't give away your power! Good for you that you decided to take control of your health. Bariatric surgery exposes the dynamics of your relationships, and that is not a bad thing. For once in your life, you get to know how the people in your life really feel about you. That is a gift. Speak up for yourself. As you continue to lose weight, you will gain confidence. As you gain confidence, it becomes easier to be bold with the people who are bringing you down. It is ok to get mad when someone is mistreating you. Maybe one good theatrical tantrum and walk-away will be fun - just this once. Congratulations for your success so far. You have come to the right place for support. Hopefully you will be able to recruit new friends who understand your weight loss journey.