bikrchk

Yup. You need to do what you are comfortable with. For me, I find it easier to tell the truth than remember the lies. I stopped short of "coming out" on FB but told the folks I work with, close friends and family. Anyone who asks gets an honest answer. "I completely changed my lifestyle and regained my health by having surgery to reduce the size of my stomach". I don't kid myself or others... I could not make these changes stick without help. If that information helps someone, it's worth the risk of telling them. If they're not on my side, I really don't give a flip what they think anyway! Win/Win!

I can't take hydrocodone by mouth without puking on a GOOD day. The day they removed 90% of my stomach was NOT a good day. I didn't take\need narcotics. I chewed up some grape Tylenol Jr's and I was good to go. I was very lucky. No complications and made a quick recovery. Others have a harder time and need pain meds so they can move around and get better. YMMV.

I also had hernia repair with my sleeve. GERD got WAY worse for the first month. Omeprazole 2x day and raising the head of my bed the first month helped. Once the swelling subsided, so did my symptoms. As the weight came off, they got even better. Still on the xbid PPI but no symptoms after the first couple months post op.

For me the sleeve has handled the problem of over eating. I can get down 3-5 oz per sitting. That's it. If overdo it and get more it's either coming back up or I'm praying it will. I do 3 meals and 2 Snacks per day. If I didn't snack I'd not get enough calories to maintain and be low on Protein. I can eat pretty much what I like in small portions. Occasionally if I really over do on sugar\fat, it will dump which is one of the most miserable experiences ever! A cookie or 2 is fine, a slice of cheesecake is bad, bad news! For me, the sleeve has done exactly what I needed... forced me to decrease volume. I'm compliant with supplements, protein and exercise and about 95 pounds down, maintaining for 9 months.

Beer has bubbles. Bubbles are bad. I can't do most beer anymore. IF I drink beer I choose Guinness (an acquired taste for sure) but it is VERY lightly carbonated and doesn't bother me though it does fill me up fast. Margaritas have sugar which at best is bad for weight loss and at worst could make you sick\dump especially early on. Sooooo... I drink occasionally. Tried my first post op drink about 4 months out. Picked a bloody mary which filled me right up but didn't bother my tummy. YMMV with the spice. Red wine early on kinda hurt at first, white was better. Light cranberry\vodka is a good go to if I can get it. You may wish to experiment at home a time or 2 before indulging in public.

Beer has bubbles. Bubbles are bad. I can't do most beer anymore. IF I drink beer I choose Guinness (an acquired taste for sure) but it is VERY lightly carbonated and doesn't bother me tough it does fill me up fast. Margaritas have sugar which at best is bad for weight loss and at worst could make you sick\dump especially early on. Sooooo... I drink. Tried my first post op drink about 4 months out. Picked a bloody mary which filled me right up but didn't bother my tummy. YMMV with the spice. Red wine early on kinda hurt at first, white was better. Light cranberry\vodka is a good go to if I can get it. You may wish to experiment at home a time or 2 before indulging in public.

No. I see it as MY responsibility, not theirs. If I'm going to be somewhere I know I can't get what I want, I eat a Quest bar before I go, otherwise, I can always find SOMETHING I can eat in small quantities. I just make sure if one of my meals is not the healthiest that I've made room for that leaving a few extra calories and having been well supplemented for Protein for the rest of the day so I get what I need.

I think I'm thinner than I was in GRADE SCHOOL. at 5'6" started out at 235. Originally thought I'd lost 100 but purposely put the brakes on and entered maintenance at 145. Lost a few more and tend to hang out around 142. MY range for me is 135-145 and that keeps me in a 4\6 pant, 8 dress which I'm perfectly happy with.

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/ultimate-10-probiotic-13-billion-100-capsules/vs-2164#.VOH56fnF-ys

Excellent progress! Dealing with constipation - happened to me too as soon as I started on Protein shakes. Started a good multistrain probiotic post-op and it took care of the problem. Takes a couple weeks to kick in fully but I take no laxatives and have no issues any more. 1. Iron supplements. Are any of you taking iron supplements (above and beyond the iron you get in your multivitamins)? Yes. I take a sloFe once per day around noon to avoid the morning and night multivit. Iron\calcium at the same time counteract each other. 2. Protein shakes. I tried unflavored but didn't like it. I toss a scoop of vanilla whey in my coffee for a morning latte and do a powercrunch protein cookie in the afternoon sometimes. 3. I'm allowed hummus. I LOVE hummus. Problem is, I can't eat crackers, chips, pita, etc at this phase (and likely won't eat much even when I'm allowed), but I'm also not allowed bell peppers or cucumbers. The latter surprises me because I'm allowed squash and zucchini. Why not cucumber? I was allowed no raw veggies for the first several months. Crackers were okay once I started purees. I stuck to rice crackers as they're less pasty. Probably deemed hard to digest. I never had an issue with cukes. 4. At what point will drier Proteins taste ok? Maybe 4-5 months till all food went down well. I stuck to lunch meat, chili, fish and casseroles (anything with moist meat) until then.

I told the truth. That way I didn't have to remember anything!

The "rules" as they were explained to me... Protein first No drinking 30 minutes before or after meals 72 or more grams protein per day Take your Vitamins on schedule Avoid grazing 64 ounces or more of fluids per day Measure or weigh food No straws No gum No carbonation No alchohol until you're in maintenance Journaling can be a good tool. Try it. Protein first - Yep, usually, but I like variety so I still supplement 1-2x per day No drinking 30 minutes before or after meals- Yep. It makes me uncomfortable so I don't do it. 72 or more grams protein per day - Usually more Take your vitamins on schedule - Always. Have a timer on my phone to remind me of my mid day dose Avoid grazing - I should do better 64 ounces or more of fluids per day - I should do better Measure or weigh food - I often still do this when at home. Started out as a self-defence technique, (overdoing HURTS), now it's more of an anti-waste technique No straws - Wasn't a big straw person before. Don't use them much now but they don't bother me No gum - occasionally No carbonation - No soda. Ever. Makes me uncomfortable. Occasionally I will do a Guinness which is very lightly carbonated. No alchohol until you're in maintenance - I think I waited till month 4 to try it at all. I drank occasionally during my loss, counting the calories. Today I drink socially, usually not more than 1 or 2 if I'm out with friends. More makes my tummy hurt\too full\icky\etc. Journaling - While I was losing and for the first 6 months of maintenance I food\exercise journaled religiously so I could understand what was going in\wht I was burning and know I was meeting my protein goals. Eventaully after several months of maintenance I made a concious decision to stop as is felt more like a crutch than a tool. (I have calories left so I can have whatever I want OR Look at me! I exercised again today). I wanted to live these things naturally if I could do that and still maintain succesfully. It's working so far, but I WILL go back to the journal if I slip outside my 10 pound goal range. Hasn't happened so far.

It's ideal to have the support of those we love, but unfortunately many do not. I'm single and live alone. Once I got my mom on board, there was going to be no keeping her away, but I didn't "need" her there to do anything for me, (other than call an ambulance just in case something went really, really wrong). I recovered quickly and was back at work the next week. If things go well, as long as you have help with the kids, (you won't be able to lift and will have limited energy for the first few weeks), you got this! I echo the "find a support group" comments. Even for those of us with supportive friends and families. Face to face support can be invaluable.

I'm an inch taller at 5'6" but my original goal was 135 pounds, (would have been an even 100 pound loss and put me smack in the middle of healthy BMI). I got to 140 and decided it was "enough" and raised my goal range to 135-145. I can wear a size 4 skinny jean comfortably and hang out between 140-142 most of the time. It's all good.

I gained about 12 pounds in the 6 month "Physician assisted" weight loss attempt. My surgeon doesn't submit paperwork till you've completed this step. I was close as far as qualifying BMI wise at 36 (35 with co-morbidities was the cut off), when I started the 6 months so losing before I qualified wasn't an option, AND my PCP had just started me on a statin, which can cause weight gain. No one cared. What my surgeon DID care about was AFTER I was submitted I did have to lose 10 pounds for liver shrink within the 4 weeks before surgery. I dropped 13.

I gained about 12 pounds in the 6 month "Physician assisted" weight loss attempt. My surgeon doesn't submit paperwork till you've completed this step. I was close as far as qualifying BMI wise at 36 (35 with co-morbidities was the cut off), when I started the 6 months so losing before I qualified wasn't an option, AND my PCP had just started me on a statin, which can cause weight gain. No one cared. What my surgeon DID care about was AFTER I was submitted I did have to lose 10 pounds for liver shrink within the 4 weeks before surgery. I dropped 13.

Being put on a Statin cholesterol med (which helped me gain MORE weight), and being diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Diabetes does not run in my family.

Talk to your doc but I had weird metallic tastes in my mouth for the first couple of months. Also struggled with reflux getting worse before it got better. It did get better though I still take Omeprazone 2x day.

Talk to your doc but I had weird metallic tastes in my mouth for the first couple of months. Also struggled with reflux getting worse before it got better. It did get better though I still take Omeprazone 2x day.

I don't think I used mine for more than 2 weeks post op. Your morning symptoms may be something else. GERD maybe? I never had heartburn symptoms, but mine looked more like asthma\breathing difficulty (10 years pre-op) and was way worse at night. It got much worse before it got better post op even on Omeprazole. I raised the head of my bed with 6" lifts from a Bed and Bath store and it helped immensely the first month. After that, the problem got better on its own. Still take the Omeprazole but no more breathing problems! Ask your doc.

I don't think I used mine for more than 2 weeks post op. Your morning symptoms may be something else. GERD maybe? I never had heartburn symptoms, but mine looked more like asthma\breathing difficulty (10 years pre-op) and was way worse at night. It got much worse before it got better post op even on Omeprazole. I raised the head of my bed with 6" lifts from a Bed and Bath store and it helped immensely the first month. After that, the problem got better on its own. Still take the Omeprazole but no more breathing problems!

I do! I waited probably 4 months before trying it. I favor dry reds and it took some time to tolerate them again. Dry whites went down better in the beginning. Just be careful with the extra calories and work it into your day as you would any "treat".

Try swapping the bananas for a high quality Protein bar like Quest. Very low sugars and very high protein is helpful for me particularly for my first meal of the day. Mine's usually 1 egg + a scoop of whey in my coffee. If I'm hungry before lunch, veggies and greek yo dip or 1/2 a Quest. I do eat sugar and probably more carbs than most, but fruit and yogurt are high in sugar and may be working against you if eaten before you've had a protein fix. I also work out 5 days per week, only about 45 min of cardo these days, but it's a habit. I DO require more food when I'm active.

I used MFP religiously to log everything during my loss phase, (mostly to make sure I was getting enough protein). I worked my calories up to 1000-1200 per day, (it was a struggle at first) with about 80g of Protein. I still supplement protein in maintenance and probably always will. I was burning 500-600 5 days per week in exercise. You DO need to feed your still healing body! Follow your team's instructions on how much. It DOES take a while to get back to full energy and "real food" will help a lot as far as maintaining a normal energy level.