Miss Mac

Well, he may scold you, but he can't make you give your surgery back. A doctor hurt my little feelings one time when I went in for some back pain. He said "your back probem is a front problem" and put me on the Atkins diet. I did lose 50 pounds quickly, but gained it all back as soon as I ate that first potato and re-introduced carbs. But he was right and I just did not like being told the obvious. I don't live in that state or have that doctor anymore, but one thing I do appreciate about my current primary physician is that he is honest with me. His tact is better than my old doctor, but this one is not shy about offering his solution to the complaint I am presenting. If he overlooked the causes of my medical issues and just gave me a bucket full of drugs, he would not be doing the job he took an oath to do. So......you already know the score here. You fell off your plan and want to get going again. Even though you know that the doctor who did the surgery can give you the best advice for approaching a new chance at success, you don't feel emotionally prepared to accept the inevitable reprimand. You know what? Just let him put you in "time out" for you transgressions and then move on. He may not be the green meanie that you think he is. If nothing else, go at least once to admit that you need help. That is the basis for any rehab/recovery. Let the doctor do his job that you are paying him to do. I wish you good luck and good health.

One year out and 66 pounds down. My boobs have gone from 44D to 38B at this point. They do not hang under my armpits anymore and are still perky enough at 63, that I think I can skip the boob job and just get a panni when I get to goal.

When my oldest daughter was a teenager, she and her BFF had a fiery argument and parted company for a few days, until a card arrived in the mail from BFF. It said "I HATE, IHATE YOU, IHATE YOU!" love, Christine I feel that way about my sleeve sometimes, too. But I got a new respect for it on Tuesday when I got an upper GI barium follow-through to see how Miss Tummy was doing. I saw on the imagess that my sleeve really is just a small tube, and I am going to have to be considerate of it forever. The best way I can avoid reflux and heartburn is to do what I was told: Take my Omeprozole every morning 1/2 hour before I eat anything. Avoid hot peppers, greasy and strongly spiced foods for three months to give Miss Tummy time to heal properly. I was eating Wendy's chili as soon as I was cleared for whole foods, but I can't eat things like the homemade jalepinos stuffed with cream cheese that my boyfriend makes. Hard miserable lesson learned. Measure out my food and never eat the last bite. To address your other issues...I have dark chocolate or hot cocoa almost every day, just not as much as I used to. I did not lose hair. The debate on the value of Biotin will never resolve, but here is what I was and still am doing: Some people take 500mg of biotin a day. I get the 10,000 mg from Walgreens and take one in the morning and one at night. Did that make a difference? I don't know, but I will put it in the "Don't mess with success" catagory. However, at two months my skin got really dry and my fingernails started chipping and shredding. My doctor advised me to have sugar free Jello or Soup with bone broth every day, to get Gelatin in my system. When I started that, the problem started resolving within a couple of weeks. My plan requirements after the first two months were 80 grams of Protein, 80 ounces of Water, and 800-1200 calories of real food. At that time, I was advised to wean off of the Protein shakes, so I only have one on strength training days. Hang in there. My first year went by like a comet.

lljenkins.......I just passed my one year on 12/23/2014. During that year I have lost 66 of my original goal to lose 100 pounds. My doctor was not upset at all, and actually pared 20 pounds off of my goal at my one year follow-up. She said if I lose 14 more pounds, then plastics will take care of another 12-15 poundsa and she would call my surgery a success if I could do that. If you had to duct tape six 10-pound bags of potatoes and a 5-pound bag of sugar and a 1-pound bag of carrots to your waist and hips, that is how much I do not have to carry around 24/7. What a relief! Did I make it to goal......no. Did other people who had surgery in December 2013 lose twice as much as I did in half the time......yes. But I don't care. I look better and feel better and am satisfied that I have made a noble effort in changing almost everything about the way I approach food. Since my insurance will not pay for a panniculectomy until two years post-op, I have a whole 'nother year to lose 14 pounds. That has really taken the pressure off of this whole process. I have never been in a contest with anyone else to lose weight. In light of my medical concerns with 17 herniated discs and mobility issues, I think I have done outstanding well. My exercise program is bold, but inconsistent because of pain management issues. Overall, though, I do have better range of motion, my posture is better, my outlook on life is better because I no longer feel doomed to an early death. I am happier. You hang in there and just follow the plan that was given to you. If your doctor and/or bariatric team do not like the rate at which you are losing, they can't undo your surgery, so "oh, well." Just give this your best effort and focus on fluids and Protein and not becoming part of the couch. Do you know why horses wore blinders when going over the old wooden bridges? It was so they could stay focused on the steps ahead instead of getting distracted by their surroundings and what the other horses were doing and get spooked. Just stay focused on what You are supposed to do, and don't worry so much about those who seem to be passing you by. Keep this in mind too, that a slower, more steady weight loss will help your skin to bounce back better. This is not a race to the finish - it is an all out war to reclaim a decent quality of life. Carry on, Soldier.

When I hit the menopause hormone imbalance I got a small crop of goat hairs on my chin, throught, and the corners of my upper lip. All I bother with is one of those little itty bitty detail shavers. I don't have dark spots, but if I did, I would use the old hickey trick, similar to above: green concealer, then yellow concealer over the green. You can buy them as a kit at Walgreens.

No chores, no housework, no nothing is as important as rest and fluids. If it hurts to go from lying down to sitting up, sleep propped up or in a recliner for a few nights.

I don't know, but I feel younger. I know that I look better enough that I did not mind getting my picture taken for a new ID.

Stacking is when you eat more than your new tummy can hold and the food backs up in to your esophagus.

I had a two 2-litre a day habit. I don't dare go there again.

Yesterday I had my one year leaak test to make sure Miss Tummy is working right. The barium swallow follow-through was supposed to take two hours, but that is when you can drink 12 ounces of the stuff like old times. Because I could only sip an ounce every ten minutes or so, it took almost all day. Oh well. for the first time I got to see the complete path my food goes through. My sleeve really is a tube, like a garden hose. I am a visual learner, so this was helpful for me to see. Now I really understand why I fill up on so little food, and how stacking in the esophagus happens if you overeat. It was fascinating to see, and all was good - no leaks and no problems. Just drinking prune juice today.

There are a number of people post-op who develop gallstones after bariatric surgery. When I had my gallbladder out in 1973 (back when the still cut you half in two) my symptoms were similar to what you are describing: Back pain under my right shoulder blade felt like someone was stabbing me with a bowie knife and twisting it around. This one is worth calling your doctor about.

I started putting fruit in smoothies at about three months, BUT I was only having a couple a week - on strength training days - and usually berries smooshed in the blender. I am a year out and in a weeks time have a couple of apples, a few berries in yogurt twice, a small banana (work-out days) and a few tangerines. I spread it out and have not had any problem with dumping. HOWEVER, I have been a slow loser, and I am sure that is why. But I am only fourteen pounds from goal, so I am not giving up fruit now. I still do not eat fruit several times a day like I used to. I also have not had so much as a cold since my surgery on 12/23/2013.

Protein is good for your kids, too. Plan your shopping and your meals a week ahead of time. If grocery money is an issue, look for what is on sale and plan your meals around that. Have one day a week for batch cooking, like Rachel Ray does with her "week in a day" process. For example get a couple of whole chickens (You can buy the roasted ones from the deli because they are already cooked.) One chicken you can use right away for dinner that night. Steam some frozen veggies and throw some melted cheese on it. Dessert? Maybe apple slices and Peanut Butter. Sometimes I thaw out some frozen berries and mix it with vanilla Greek yogurt, Take your other chicken and tear it apart and make a casserole with it or a family pot pie. When it is time to eat, just don't eat the crust. Take the carcasses and loose bits and make a big pot of Soup. Take a dozen eggs and make a big pan of scrambled eggs and throw in some ham and cheese and whatever veggies you like. In this house itis mushrooms, peppers, avocado, and tomato. Or you can mix your scrambled eggs with salsa and cheese and make a dozen Breakfast burritos. When you eat yours, just don't eat all of the tortilla. or you can use store-bought pie crust and make a beakfast quiche just don't eat the crust. If you take a large beef roast, you can have roast beef one night (with your veggies), save some back to make stew or soup in the crockpot, or take some shredded and re-cook it in some beef boullion and Italian seasoning. Put that on buns, maybe with some melted provolone, and you have an Italian beef sandwich - just you don't eat the bun. If you get creative in the kitchen, you can get a lot accomplished in one day, and the rest of the week is just heat and serve. If your boys are old enough to help, they should be helping and learning how to cook and clean a kitchen. You can get them involved in the process by having a little sit down meeting once a week to discuss the plan ahead based on how to adjust their favorites into something healthy the whole family can eat. Maybe let them help with the shopping and pick out one crap item apiece They can have spaghetti and meatballs, just you don't eat the Pasta. Meatballs with sauce and parmesan hits the spot and I don't miss the spaghetti at all. Yes, you can have pizza. You just won't want as much as you used to eat. Thrown some veggies on your slice, maybe even extra meat and cheese, and then - don't eat all of the crust. I may have two bites, and then scrape the rest off and eat it that way. I have made fake-out buckeye candies by blending chocolate Protein powder with peanut butter, roll it into balls (about the size of a chocolate covered cherry) and dipping them in melted dark chocolate. Shoot, you can even dip strawberries in melted dark chocolate. You could make a huge pot of chili and it will last all week. Taco salad is good and skips the chips. You could make a dozen hamburgers with cheese ahead of time. Kids like hamburgers. So, find something they like and cook it all in one afternoon. Get creative. i

I wear a medical ID bracelet that says "Gastric sleeve - no NG"

I waited until I had a stroke. I am so glad you have decided to be pro-active about your health and longevity before you are doomed to a lifetime of pain and disease. I just passed my one year mark, and aside from being lighter, I feel so much better and my body functions quite well on way less food. My new normal is just fine. I do have to be vigilant, but it is the price I pay for not croaking out before my time. I like to refer new people to this Spark People link about what things weigh. If you have 100 pounds to lose like I did, that is like having a pony for a belt! If you live to be 98 like my maternal grandmother, that would be like hauling that pony around 24/7 for another 72 years. http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3421351

Purge your cabinets and fridge of all the stuff you lose all control over. Protein - go back to focusing on protein and plenty of it. Plan for the next day. You will be less likely to goof up if what you need is on hand and ready to grab. Play. Develop your exercise around activities that you enjoy.

Stay focused, and you will outlive them all.

Nope. I have been on a diet since 1978. I have lost 50 pounds three times and at least 30 pounds several time more. I got sleeved a year ago at the age of 62 because my health problems were escalating and my spine was collapsing under the weight. My extra weight was like wearing a pony for a belt. Here is a list from Sparkpeople about what things weigh: http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3421351 If you want to try on your own one more time, then do what our doctor's have us do on our pre-op diets: Eat food - not too much. Eat mostly Protein. Eat your protein first, then non-starchy veg, the a little fruit, but not as much as you used to. An apple is fruit. Apple pie a la mode is not fruit. White foods are to be avoided as much as possible because of the starch (bread, potatoes, rice, noodles, cake, twinkies, chips, etc) Don't eat anything made in a factory if you can help it.....(fresh / freshly frozen is best) Drink Water until your eyeballs float. Don't become part of the sofa. I am glad that you peeked in on the forum. You will get a variety of opinions and experiences here. I wish you the best, just don't wait until you are old and your weight affects your quality of life. It finally took a stroke to convince me it was time.

Delay is not denial. Congratualations and kudos to you for being persistent and pro-active.

Another red flag is when the verbal and emotional abuse goes from the kitchen to the Walmart. Same meanie I mentioned earlier told me that "Every time you lose weight you get jowls". Not long after that in the Walmart he said out loud "I am getting sick and tired of looking at your ugly face". That stuff hurts and can't be fluffed of when e says "I'm kidding. Can't you take a joke." How about "You are a lot easier to get along with when you drink more." I ignored the red flags for a long time, even when he threw things at me. It wasn't until he started to mistake me for a punching bag, that I finally left. Maybe this will help: instead of thinking......I love him, so why does he treat me this way?.......start thinking.....Why would I love someone who treats me this way?

Hugs from Chicago, too.

Well, this is not about them. It's about you. Would they say you are taking the easy way out to deliver a baby at the hospital, or to have a broken leg set? Now is a good time to remove all of their junk foods out of the house. If they really want to support you and expect you to eat healthy, then by golly, they should set the example for you, eh? So.....broccoli and baked chicken for dinner tomorrow?

Not that many people are big-boned. What if you don't like being healthy? What if you don't like having more energy? What if you don't like shopping for cute clothing in regular sizes? What if you don't like outstanding nutrition that gets you off your meds and reduces inflammation? What if you don't like getting compliments? What if you don't like not having to go to the doctor all the time? You are in the hardest part of the process right now.....worrying and waiting. If you are not getting support from family and friends, then come here to the forum. We'll talk you down from the ceiling.

It is no secret around here that bariatric surgery will expose the raw dynamics of a relationship.... good or bad. I am concerned that he thinks you should be lifting that heavy stuff at all - even if you did not just have surgery. My mean ol' rotten ex- husband expected me at age 54 to be doing the work of a 25 year old male farm hand.......lifting concrete blocks, cleaning out the chimney (from the roof) working under the truck, cleaning out the underside of the riding mower, putting heavy logs on the truck....all kinds of things that I was physically struggling to do at 100 pounds overweight and with dangerously high blood pressure which eventually caused me to have a stroke. Once he forced me to shovel snow after a blizzard (27" deep plus drifts) down a driveway about 80' long. When I complained of knee pain afterward he accused me of trying to get out of the work, and refused to let me go to the doctor. As it turns out, I had torn my meniscus and eventually had to have a knee replacement because the knee healed wonky because of not being treated. Add that to other crazy stuff he was doing and you can see why I had to escape to a womens' shelter in the middle of the night. What I am saying is this: I suspect this is just the tip of the iceburg and you need to pay attention to how he treats you at other times - at home and in public. Just because you may live out in the country doesn't mean that you have to be treated like a hired hand. And especially freshly post-op. When I finally had a chance to get myself to a doctor, I told him what was happening, and he simply said "Then why are you still there?" One thing they told me at the shelter was that women who get used to abuse will typically start abusing themselves through isolation or detrimental habits. When you said you went straight for the yummies, I thought about all the times I escaped to the Krispy Kreme Donuts on the shelf. I had gained 80 pounds in the ten years I was with him. So, until you can fully examine the true nature of your relationship - be strong. Don't let him or any negative nellies get to you. You have feelings to and need to stand up for yourself. And if you are afraid to stand up for yourself and have your own mind, then that is red flag about your marriage. I am all for folks working things out, but not if you have to lose your true self in the process. I wish you good luck and good health. Take care.

As a retired supervisor of federal employees, I would have said.........My health is not up for discussion. Now get back to work.