bikrchk

You're still swollen. Swelling=Water. Personal advice... Stay off the scale till your first follow up and weigh no more than weekly after that. It will help you focus on your behavior instead. You're still swollen. Swelling=water. Personal advice... Stay off the scale till your first follow up and weigh no more than weekly after that. It will help you focus on your behavior instead.

I tend to avoid them if I can. Obviously giving up diet soda pre-op made a huge dent. Today if I sweeten a drink I use stevia. I don't do yogurt since I came off purees unless it's unflavored and I'm adding ranch dip to make a veggie dip. My whey powder and fav protein bars do have sucralose so there's that, but I don't replace sugar when baking or whatever, I just use the sugar and watch the quantity of what I'm eating. If I WAY overdo on sugar, I'll dump so it's a good deterrent not to binge!

I use way less artificial stuff now than I did when I used to "diet". Gave up diet soda entirely which was the worst of it. Excluding my whey Protein supplement which contains sucaralose, I pretty much stick to stevia in my tea or just use sugar now when I bake. Real butter, real cheese, real eggs, etc. I only get a little bit these days and opt for natural even if it's more calories. As long as I don't over eat, it's not been a problem.

I hear some folks get lactose intolerant after being sleeved. For many it eventually resolves, but not for all who get it. Early on, the only thing I found was tough was rice. It seemed like it just wanted to "float". Good think I never cared much for rice! I can do rive just fine now in small quantities. Sushi is a fav. I can do 1/2 a roll. Other than that, as long as I'm smart about the quantity, nothing really disagrees anymore.

I liked how my surgeon's office described it. He does an 85%-90% sleeve (which is slightly smaller than the average, I hear). He feels the extra 5% offers a better long term success rate. Surgical technique can have as much to do with pouch size as the guide they use to make the pouch anyway. So far so good!

Well... it's a progression. I'm not sire what you mean by "real" food. My first 1/2 a scrambled egg felt pretty real to me, but a few weeks later, a few bites of flaky fish in a restaurant was HEAVEN! Best advice, you need less than you think so go easy\slow. Learn to enjoy leftovers!

Soups are a great choice as is hummus if you can avoid pita bread. Once you're allowed crackers that part gets easier. Some flaky fish is also a good choice as soon as you're allowed. I DO recommend that you try new foods at home before you jump in to eating out in a social setting especially if you don't want others to know so you learn your tolerances in the privacy of your own home.

I have hip displasia and too much walking can cause more damage so I purchased a good quality stationary bike. It sits in front of my big screen TV where I can binge on Netflix and pedal away with no pain\joint damage! Swimming is another alternative, but for me pools are just a pain. Keep working on your fluids\Protein and you'll get there.

The bypass is often called "the gold standard" because it's been around as a WLS longer than the alternatives. There are some really good reasons to choose one over the other but they are all very individual reasons. You should talk with your team about the medical reasons why one procedure is suggested for you over another. If you don't like their answers, by all means get a second opinion! 150 pounds is a lot to lose, but other things aside, you can be successful losing 150 with either procedure. Do your research, get another opinion if you're not comfortable with the first one, learn as much as you can. Best of luck in your decision. Whichever you decide, you'll be healthier for it!

Obese since childhood, I was sleeved at 47 years old. I'd gotten close to a healthy weight (for no longer than a few months) only a couple of times in my adult life through dieting. I think the smallest I can recall was a size 10, and it didn't last long! Today, I hang out in a 4\6. I concur, vanity sizing is a "thing" if you grab something from a thrift store or out of the back of your closet that's 10-15 years old, it's likely to be a size off, (smaller). I weigh less today than I did in Jr. High. I never would have though it possible.

Overweight since I was a kid, I'd been successful at "diets" as far as losing, but never could maintain for more than about 6 months. I was never a "food logger" pre-op, but took on food journaling with WLS because I needed to understand how to get all my Protein and re-learn good habits. Protein is the only macro I really paid attention to. 80-100g per day while getting 1000-1200 calories while losing. I logged everything for the duration of my loss and the first 6 months of maintenance until I decided consciously that I wanted to try and live a bit more naturally (if I could do it and not lose ground). Counting was beginning to feel more like a crutch than a tool. I made a deal with myself that I'd continue to weigh once per week always recording that, and if I went outside my 135-145lb zone I'd go back to journaling till I was comfortably back where I belong. It's working for me at least for now, (It's been 10 months). I've only had one incident where I needed to log again and that was right after vacay. I was back in the zone in a week. I pay attention to protein, (still supplement 20-40g per day) and I know based on the experience of journaling for a year I'm getting the rest of what I need from food. I'll continue doing it this as long as it works, but have no illusions I may have to return to counting at some point. I'm still a noob a this maintenance thing, less than 2 years out from surgery and refuse to let it get out of control again. Still learning what it means to live as a fit person long term.

The food funeral thing is something most of us go through, I think, myself included. Funny thing is, I've found it was totally unnecessary as I can eat what I like now, just how I like it prepared, but as long as I never over eat, I can maintain my 95ish pound loss. I have to watch sugar a bit. Once large bakery cookie is okay, more than one over the course of the day, probably going to retaliate. I'm grateful for that actually as it allows me treats in moderation but there is a strong deterrent to sugar binge.

It's safest to follow YOUR doc's instructions regarding alcohol! That said, I think I tried a bloody mary about 4 months out, (yes I drank against medical advice). It was HUGE, (probably not but felt that way) took me all night to sip down and became "dinner" it filled me so, but wasn't a problem. I haven't found that 1 drink will knock me out or anything, but now that I've lost almost half a person, I def can't manage it like I used to. Moderation in everything now, food and alcohol and its all good.

The chewing thing wasn't an issue. I don't know that I chew any more now than I ever did. I eat a bit slower in self defense because 1 bite too many is not pleasant, (you learn not to over fill your pouch)! As far as drinking while eating, I thought this would be a problem for me but its just not. Particularly early on, if I tried that it'd kinda make my food float, (think foamies, reflux), so I learned not to do it. Not drinking while eating will also help slow you down and make you chew as you'll need to generate enough moisture on your own to swallow your food.

Mine worsened for about the first month. They had to double my omeprazole. Then with healing and weight loss it resolved. I still take 40 mg omeprazole 2x day. May have to for life. Small price to pay IMHO!

I logged EVERYTHING while losing and for the first 6 months of maintenance so I'd be firmly in my groove and know I was getting my protein. Decided, (didn't just slack it, purposely decided to try and live more naturally) to stop logging. Deal I made with myself was that if I crept even a pound outside my goal range (I weigh once per week, its a 10 pound range and I typically bounce around in the top half), I'd log religiously until I was back where I belong. I had to do it after vacay once and maybe one other time, but it's never more than 1 week before I get back where I belong. Habits... Scoop of whey in my coffee every morning. Sometimes a PowerCrunch bar as a snack in the afternoon. Powercrunch is not the best nutritionally, but it's got 13g of protein and satisfies my need for a cookie. I know I meet my protein requirements if I do this. Also exercise 4-5x per week, so those things help.

You can get bariatric Vitamins, chewable and contain the prescribed mix of what we need, but they are expensive. All docs are different in what they recommend. Mine doesn't sell vitamins or recommend bariatric supplements specifically. My instructions: AM Multivitamin d3 b12 I also take fishoil, Biotin and a PPI Noonish Iron (iron is never to be taken with the multi or with Calcium as it affects absorption) dinner Time release calcium citrate (early on I did 3 calcium citrate chews spaced through the day avoiding the iron supplement) Night multivitamin I also take fishoil and a second dose of PPI Yes, it's a lot to remember. Yes, taking your supplements is a NECESSARY part of your aftercare. I put mine in a weekly pill keeper once per week and have an alarm for the mid day iron so I don't forget. If you think it's going to be a problem for you, either figure it out or re-think your plan for WLS. This is just one very MINOR price that we pay for letting them cut out our stomach so we can get healthy. Even with the bariatric supplements, you'll need them more than once per day. This supplement schedule is FOR LIFE as are the rest of they changes you'll have to make, (if you value your bones, hair, skin and general health). Sorry if this sounded harsh, but if vitamins seem "hard", I worry about proper attention to after care. (You got the "tough love" speech).

My doc prescribes for the first year. I had to double up, 40 mg at night 40 mg in the AM. It also helped to raise the head of my bed for the first month.

I really only notice the bigger one where they took the stomach out. It's less than 2" and kinda pink. The others could honestly be mistaken for mosquito bites.

I'm assuming with all those professionals consulted at least one of them has told you to keep a food\exercise diary. How many calories are you getting?

No diet soda. Ever. Don't want it anymore, (which is a MIRACLE considering I had a 4-6 per day habit before). Carbonation tends to make me uncomfortable now so its easy to avoid it. I will occasionally go for a beer, as lightly carbonated as I can get, (typically Guinness), but it fills me up faster than I can finish it before it's hot!

Yes. It's a good place to start. You REALLY don't want to over fill your pouch, especially at this stage. Early on, it's easy to do damage to the still healing tummy and solids, (even soft ones) will fill you up FAST. Plus it hurts like hell to over do it. You'll be able to eat more in time. I ended up adding 2 snack\meals once I went to mushies as I just couldn't get the recommended calories (at least 1000 for me) without them.

Agree, Agree, Agree! One of my very good friends, (always my skinny, fashion conscious friend) has gained abut 15 and struggling with it as I've lost 95. She's 5 years older, an inch taller and has about 20 pounds on me now. She's had 3 kids. I've never been pregnant. It hurts that she thinks of herself as my "fat" friend now. We can share M tops, but she's like a 10 on bottom and I'm a 4-6. She is SO NOT FAT! And I don't feel THAT thin! I hang between 142-144 most of the time, (I'm 5'6"). I'd LIKE to be 135, but I'm not gonna kill myself to get there. BOTH of us are somewhere in the "normal" range and that's okay!

I didn't actually consult with the surgeon until the 6 month diet, 2 face to face support groups, psych consult and dietitian consults were complete. They wanted all the paperwork bits done so they can submit after the first consult. It was about 6 weeks, (could have been 4, but the doc had a trip schedules and didn't want to "cut me and run out of town"). Less than 2 for the approval and about 3 to schedule and complete EGD, pre-anesthesia testing, blood work, and for me, a pulmonologist visit to check up on asthma. I was also required to lose 10+ pounds for liver shrink between consult and surgery.

Insurance only covering bypass and the band may be old information. Check with yours to be sure. I'm with ya on, the VSG route, and the reasons for it over the band or R\Y (but I'm biased as a VSG success story). One note, they say sleeves don't dump, but occasionally if I WAY over do it on sugar, mine will. Not fun and a good reason to avoid a sugar binge for me. A cookie or 2 in moderation is not a problem though! Keep doing your research. Attend a face to face support group if you can and get to know folks living with the surgery. For me, it gave me my life back! Absolutely no regrets!