bikrchk

I drank Diet Coke like water my entire life. Took 6 months pre-op to give it up before I was headache free. Tried a sip once or twice and bubbles make me uncomfortable now so it's easy to not want it anymore! If I want something besides water now, which is not often, I go for tea sweetened with stevia or G2 or something like it. Even Crystal Light turns my stomach now. Kinda funny. I don't any "food" that doesn't agree post-op, but the liquids above, not so much.

8 pounds is totally recoverable particularly when you catch it and focus to get back where you belong like you are! Hip replacement at 49... I feel your pain. Sleeved October of 2014, hip displasia diagnosed in my 20's. Was told then I'd need double hip replacements eventually. Cartilage gone now.I have to be VERY careful not to over walk, over train, over bend... You get the picture. Docs are telling me it's best to wait on the hip replacement if I can manage given my relatively tender age of 48. Had to stop all workout activity for about a month due to pain, over the holiday's no less (I ride a stationary bike 5x per week and follow with push ups\crunches several days). I managed not to gain outside my maintenance zone, but got close. Then the last 2 weeks with Strep\sinus infection couldn't exercise and again got close to going over. Back at it this morning, VERY light duty, felt good! So is the pain better now? Do you feel like it solved the problem? You're young! What about having to have it done again due to wear on the replacement joints? The only folks I know who've had it done are in their 60's or above and they say "why'd I wait so long". What do you think?

Once per week during my loss phase and now in maintenance. No more, no less and I always log it in MFP as an accountability measure. I found it helped me stay focused on more important goals, (exercise, protein, etc) rather than being motivated by the scale alone. It also masks most "stalls" if you're only weighing once per week. I think I had a couple weeks I didn't lose but most weeks I'd lose at least a pound, (a loss is a loss)! So I never felt "stalled". It's kinda funny now when I get "likes" from my MFP friends for losing a pound as I bounce around in my maintenance zone. I'd go to once per month but I'm afraid I'll forget and get complacent. This way I know every Saturday, that's the routine.

I get it. We're close to the same age. I'm single and my mom was to be my support person after surgery. I can't say she "disapproved" exactly, but she kinda went all "worst case scenario" with fear. She's watched my dad literally commit slow suicide by knife and fork at 52 and didn't want the same for me, but she was uneducated and scared about the process and post-op life. I found that I was not the best person to educate her. I took her to my surgeon's office and sat her down with the nurse coordinator who calmly answered all her questions and helped calm her fears. Might try it if she's open to it.

Ditto. Never. One thing I found was that they make me uncomfortable now, (yeah, I HAD to try it), so I just don't want it anymore. The only time I miss it now is when I'm looking for a calorie free mixer for my drink!

Ditto THIS!

Check out http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ for some great ideas. I found anything I could make in the crock pot worked GREAT. Moist Protein you don't have to slave over all day rocks! My favs are to roast a whole chicken in there or a pork loin then freeze half the meat for later. I also discovered sauces over meat can make the same thing taste totally different! A fav is below. You could cut the sugar and put in some stevia if you're really new\sugar sensitive. Crockpot Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin Serves: 6 Ingredients 2 pounds Pork tenderloin 1 teaspoon Ground sage ½ teaspoon Salt ¼ teaspoon Pepper 1 clove Garlic; crushed ½ cup Water ½ cup Brown sugar 1 tablespoon Cornstarch ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar ½ cup Water 2 tablespoons Soy sauce Instructions Mix together the seasonings: sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over tenderloin. Place ½ cup water in slow cooker; place tenderloin in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. hour before the roast is finished, mix together the ingredients for the glaze in a small sauce pan: brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, water, soy sauce. Heat over medium and stir until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. (For a more caramelized crust: remove from crockpot and place on aluminum lined sheet pan, glaze, and set under broiler for 1-2 minutes until bubbly and caramelized. Repeat 2 to 3 more times until desired crust is achieved.) Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

A little. Not at a dangerous level, but I was advised to drink more to help my BP come up and avoid dizziness upon standing. It's hard the first few weeks. Keep working at it.

I don't think it's ALL about age. People gonna judge if you put it out there. And as an "older person", (LOL 'cause I refuse to grow up, especially since I got healthy enough to relive my youth as a thin person), I'm single now and party more than I did in my 20's! Do I have to watch the quantity now? Yes, more than I did 100 pounds ago, both because of the extra calories and for the fact I can't physically hold\metabolize what I used to. I'd not expect you to give up one bit of your youth because you got sleeved! I WOULD advise anyone young or old to take reasonable care of themselves post-op... Get your Protein, take your supplements and make the healthy choice at least 80% of the time so you're successful with your weight loss and live a long and healthy life!

It DOES suck! Funny thing... I was in the Dr's office ALL THE DAMN TIME pre-op. I was either sick, or had to be monitored for all the meds I was taking. Just saw my doc today for the first time in a YEAR, (strep, can't dodge all the bullets apparently), I take no more perscriptions other then my PPI now so I'm living proof that medical costs GO DOWN when you reach a healthy weight. Pisses me off that they make us jump through so many hoops to get healthy! Hang in there. Some co-morbidities are "harder" than others. A history of high bp\cholesterol etc even on medication is harder to argue with than say, arthritis as there are no labs to prove it and degeneration takes time to show on an x ray. Bury them with documentation. And there's always quarters... In yer pockets and weighing with your boots on.

My process was: 6 month dr assisted diet (collect 6 sheets from 6 visits) Psych consult Nut consult THEN I met with the surgeon for consult, submission to insurance etc. They took all the completed documentation above along with the recommendation from my PCP, docs on co-morbidities, etc and submitted me at my weight that day. Approval took less than 2 weeks after which my EGD, blood work, pre-anesthesia and last pre-op with the surgeon and surgery was scheduled. Once submitted the rest of the process took about 6 weeks. I was close, with a BMI of about 36 the day I was submitted. (35 WITH co-morbs was the cutoff for my insurance). I weighed with my boots and coat ON. I'd have loaded rolls of quarters in my pockets if necessary!

I can and have lost a good amount of weight on the "just stop" diet. Problem is, I couldn't ever maintain that lifestyle and KEEP it off. Now I physically can't over eat. Can I self sabotage? Sure, if I work at it. I have no illusions I can fail at this too if I allow it. Difference is, if I get a little off track weight wize its MUCH easier to turn it around now. I creep outside my maintenance zone, focus for a week and RECOVER rather than going further down the rabbit hole. I feel like I finally have a fighting chance at maintaining my health this time.

Any WLS can be emotionally draining. Pre-op I found myself bat-sh#t crazy waiting on approvals, depending on others approvals, etc, (yes, I'm kind of a control freak). Post-op, bat-sh#t crazy crying (mostly happy crying) at the drop of a hat, (I'm not a crier) as the toxins and hormones stored up in my fat cells left my body at a rapid rate. Know that it's part of the process, (the crazy, it is real) but it does get better! Felt more like myself after the first 3 months.

You don't taste the protein because it's full of SUGAR! Be wary of Smoothie King and use as a treat (potentially later on). You may find yourself more sensitive to sugar especially for the first few months. Some sleeves don't "dump" but mine does if I over do it on sugar. It's improved with time, but just a word from the wise!

It can take a while to work your way up to the recommended amounts of protein and fluids. Try a "thinner" drink, (Isopure bottled or Nectar which mixes with water). They can be easier to get down or just sip on all day if you have to. It gets easier once the swelling is down. Keep working at it.

I love to make a pot of chili or other home made soup with lotsa meat and freeze it in single-serve portions. Instant frozen dinner! Quesidillas\Pizza: brush a low carb tortilla with olive oil and top with shredded chicken or shredded pork and cheese. You can roast a whole chicken or pork loin in a crock pot with a can of beer, shred it and freeze what you can't use immediately. It's yummy. I keep P28 high protein bread and flats (order on line) in my freezer for toast, grilled cheese, whatever. Even a PBJ on a slice of P28 with 14g of protein doesn't suck. I can get the "gourmet burgers" in my grocery store's meat section in sider size and slider buns. I always keep a few frozen for when I'm lazy or want a "real burger".

First of all, don't buy too many Protein supplements before hand. Try all you can and get enough to last a week, maybe two. I found I preferred the "thinner" non-milky products post op as they just went down easier. nectar makes a variety of flavors that mix with Water, plus they sell "sampler packs" so you can try multiple flavors before you commit to a 2lb jar). I think I lived on their Lemon Tea for a month! Nutribullet? YES! I lived out of mine for the first 6 weeks! Now I use it to make amazing sauces, lol. broth... not a fan, but if its fresh, its better. Made some fresh and froze it in ice cube trays for storage. Great to cook with later if you find you're not a broth person. Today, I favor a scoop of vanilla whey in my coffee every morning for a "latte", (this is not something you want to try and reheat btw), and a Powercrunch or Quest bar in the afternoon for a snack. Gas-Ex, chapstick and a pillow for the ride home for the hospital to put between your belly and the seat belt all good things.

I'm not sure what you mean by "stick to the program". I am not on a "diet" so there's nothing to stick to and no guilt for the occasional indulgence. I eat well\clean\healthy, (whatever you like to call it) about 80% of the time, choose protein first, take my supplements, (including protein supplements to get me to 75g per day), weigh once per week and exercise regularly.

I can work if YOU work it. I was worried about the same thing pre-op having failed so many times to maintain whatever weight loss I managed, (20, 40, 60 pounds, only to gain it back with interest withing the next year). It's different now because I CANNOT physically over eat. I'm able to eat what I like, how I like it in very small quantities and never feel like I'm on a "diet". I exercise moderately but regularly and miss it when I can't, (WTH?). DO I get hungry? Yes. Hunger returned after about 6 months, but not to the degree I had it before. It's manageable now. I still have to watch what I'm doing. Calories can add up and if I'm not careful I can creep outside my maintenance zone. When that happens, I go back to logging for a week or two until I'm back where I belong. You still have to manage your tool. I just find I manage A LOT better now!

I've not met anyone who didn't have one. They want to check and make sure there are no surprises down there before they start cutting. Seems like a fine idea to me. And the procedure its self was not a big deal at all. They found a hiatial hernia when they did mine which led to a correct diagnosis and successful treatment of silent refuux. I'd been incorrectly diagnosed and unsuccessfully treated for asthma for 10 years prior. It's glorious to breathe again!

I think you're right in the zone! I lost on 1000-1200 calories per day while exercising 5x per week, (about a 500 calorie burn each day), and I bet you're burning more than that if your training for a 1/2. Know that the more calories you can consume now and still lose, the better place you'll be in when you get to long term maintenance. Athletes eat and train. They do not diet and exercise.

Some people are very successful with the band, but knowing what I know now... the rate of failure, the rate of complications, slippage, rejection, etc and the difficulty most of my banded friends have with meat and other foods we're SUPPOSED to be favoring, I'd not have one. I also know a few folks who've had complications after the sleeve procedure, stricture, gallbladder, blood clots. The difference is, I don't know any sleeved person who's been damaged beyond repair after being sleeved. They've all recovered from their complications and would do it over again if given the choice. Unfortunately, I know a few folks who weren't so lucky with the band, having so much internal damage they needed revision to bypass or worse, or having continued problems after it was removed. It's true, the sleeve is an "irreversible" surgery. That is scary, but for me, lap band complications... much scarier and more frequent.

Does sound like dehydration. Less fluids can lower your blood pressure and cause dizziness on standing. I get it now occasionally even still, (which is funny as one of my qualifying comorbidities was high bp uncontrolled on 3 meds)! Make a conscious effort to get more fluids and add some G2 or other electrolyte beverage once a day. Also raising the head of the bed (I used bed lifts under the top 2 feet) can help the night time reflux along with a good PPI 2x day.

Probably 4-6 months. I dealt with it by logging everything and sticking to my goal of 1000-1200 calories per day with 75+g of protein. If I could work it into my day and meet those goals, it was all good. No guilt for that 1 cookie or skinny cow ice cream or popcorn. I'd simply have to plan appropriately and take treats in moderation. After the first 6 months in maintenance I released the logging but return to it if I creep outside my goal zone. I figure diets failed me for 40 years. They create a cycle of guilt\failure\binge in me. This "everything in moderation" approach just works better for me now that I cannot physically over eat without painful consequences.

I don't know if I'm a "vet", but at a year and 1/2 out, and in maintenance for the last 9 months or so maybe more than many here, so here goes... A typical breakfast for me is one egg with a slice of cheese on it. Eat that almost every day. If I splurge and go out, I'll do an Egg White Delite or other breakfast sandwich and remove half the bread. Lunch is often whatever leftovers I have on hand... 1/2 c of chili or other home made soup or stew. Dinner, much the same as lunch. I do a scoop of whey in my coffee every morning for a "latte" and often a PowerCrunch or Quest bar in the afternoon. Sometimes 1/2 an apple or Cutie orange. I am far from perfect in my choices! "slider" burgers are a perfect size for me, chicken finger, yes! But all of it in moderation! Drinking? Yeah, I do. My social life has kinda blown up with new confidence! Typically one or 2 glasses of wine or mixed drinks 1 or 2 times per week. Occasionally more, but it's a lot of calories and I still have to watch that! What do I eat at celebrations? Whatever I want in small quantities! Bite or 3 of cake, sure! A cookie, yes! A half dozen, not so much! They say sleeves don't "dump, but mine does if I binge on sugar. It's a good deterrent! I'd say I eat protein first, what I like, how I like it, just in very small quantities. I exercise typically 5x per week, at home on a stationary bike and add a few crunches and push ups for tone. I weigh once per week. No more! Never have in this process as I didn't want to get "scale obsessed". I don't log anymore, (though I did religiously while I was losing), but return to logging if I creep outside my goal range of 135-145 pounds.