McButterpants

Things will get better - they will. Gas pains - I had pain in my left shoulder for a week after surgery. For that pain, I agree, Gas-X isn't going to help. The only thing that helped with the pain in my shoulder was walking, just pacing thru the house. It took a week for it to go away but it got better each day. I couldn't get all the Protein and Water minimums in for about a week after surgery. Just do the best you can. I realized quickly that I could no longer tolerate plain water - I drank nothing but plain water prior to surgery, but post-op couldn't drink it. I got dehydrated and felt horrible. I switched to Vitamin Water Zero and Propel Zero (both zero calorie drinks) and was able to get more in. I set the timer on my phone to chime every 5 minutes and that was my reminder to sip. Each day will get easier. Everything is a chore now and it will feel like that for a while. Once you start introducing foods, you'll get frustrated with how long it takes to eat (I remember crying one day because it took me 20 minutes to eat 1/2 of a scrambled egg). I'm here to tell you that at 10 months post-op those things, those frustrations, pains, worries are a distant memory. I'm now living the life I'm supposed to live. I'm living a new normal now. You're going to do great - be kind to yourself and your new tummy. You will learn what you can and can't do!

I got dehydrated immediately after surgery because I couldn't stomach plain Water (pre-surgery, I drank only plain water). I switched to Propel Zero - they have lots of flavors. Even if you have to add a little bit of plain water, that may help. Crystal Light didn't set well with me immediately after surgery, but I can now. You can also try a product call True Lemon or True Orange - it's crystalized lemon and orange.

this is a crappy situation and I'm sorry you're put in this position - it sucks. I had weight loss surgery because I needed to get healthy and I didn't want to hate myself anymore. It really had nothing to do with anyone else or their opinion of me. I wish I could tell you what I would do in your situation, but I can't. I would be devastated, angry and sad. I wish you good things! Sending you hugs and encouragement.

My husband was with me - he was there if I needed him, but I didn't want him to wait on me. It was good for me to get up and get my own Water or whatever else I needed. It was comforting to know he was there. He walked with me when I was able. I probably could have coped by myself, but it was nice to have someone there...

I'm 10.5 months. I'm down about 73 pounds from my high weight. I lost 18 pounds my first month - slow compared to some. Even my 73 pounds is low compared to some. I, too, stressed about my slow losing and worried about not meeting my goals when I was early in the process. Here's what I know now...10 months later 1. The scale does not have the power over me it did when I was 1 month out. 2. My body is going to lose or not lose at it's own pace - the only things I can control are what I put in my body and how much I move my body. 3. This process/journey has become so much more than the scale. When I say it's more than the scale, I mean I am now an active participant in my life. I have a better relationship with my husband and son. I love to exercise. I don't have to nap every day. I am happy - truly happy. I am proud. I am more confident. I am more patient with people. And most of all, I am kinder to myself. I am learning to be content - content with my life, content with my body...I'm learning to like myself again. I do hot yoga and I just ran a 5K last weekend - who would have thought that a year ago? Not me! You're doing fine - embrace this process and all it has to offer. There are going to be bad days and there are going to be awesome days (I remember buying a pair of size 14 shorts...I cried in the dressing room because they fit - I immediately took them to the cash register and bought them without looking at the price tag!). Be good to yourselves!

Hey - relax. We all gained at different rates and for different reasons, we're all losing. Comparing yourself to others is a set up for disappointment - this is your journey and yours alone. Instead of watching the scale, take your measurements and lots of pictures - those will show you a different story than that stupid scale!

I was a plain Water drinker prior to surgery - loved it. Only recently, when I started to do hot yoga have I been able to drink plain water - a couple of sips at a time. So now I am drinking about 20 ounces of plain water per day - it's ice water. I usually drink Propel Zero, Vitamin Water Zero or Crystal Light.

HI there...I'm 10 months post-op... Vitamins and other supplements Bariatric Advantage chewables (don't give up after the first few tries - you get used to the taste), essential fatty acids, Vitamin D Protein shakes unjury vanilla and chocolate Splendor (try sugar free Torani syrups to mix in - they have tons of different flavors) Skin products for sagging Nivea Skin Firming Body Lotion (honestly, I don't know if it helped, but it made me feel like I was doing something productive and my skin is much softer) hair products for hair loss Biotin and Folic Acid (approved by doc), Nioxin shampoo & conditioner, Toppik (to cover the hair loss - works just like their on-line videos) My doc says there's nothing you can do to stop the loss, but you can help it come back.

I'm 10 months out and still struggle with fruits and veggies...Pineapple can be bad for me. Cherries this summer caused me great pain! salad is something I can't do much of either - I used to love sitting down to a nice fresh salad for dinner. Can't do it any more. A salad for me is about 1/4 cup of finely chopped romaine. Maybe 1 or 2 cherry tomatoes and a couple of tablespoons of red bell pepper. This weekend I did have some pineapple - two chunks is all. I chew, chew, chew and chew some more. Any more than a couple of chunks and I would be in pain. I have a real hard time with oranges, too.

I'm 10 months post-op....I will eat some fried foods, but not a lot. I find that they don't make me feel great. I now have a rule - if I'm going to eat it, it will be of high quality and taste really good. I find that a lot foods don't fall in that category. The other day we got a pizza from one of our favorite places - it has wonderful crust that I can tolerate 2-3 bites of, then I eat only the toppings. The pizza was sub-par - not of the usual taste and quality and it came to the table cold. I didn't eat any of it - it wasn't worth it.

Here are a couple of my favorites...I use unjury only. I always mix in the Protein powder last - it seems to reduce the froth. I use a Magic Bullet to mix my shakes. 5 ice cubes, 8 ounces Water or almond milk, 1 teaspoon Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder - whiz together. Add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar free Torani peppermint syrup and a scoop of Unjury chocolate Splendor, whiz again until blended. Tastes like a Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie. 2-3 frozen strawberries, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/3 of a banana, 8 ounces of almond milk or water splash of sugar free Torani vanilla syrup. Whiz up in the Magic Bullet. Add one scoop of Unjury Vanilla and whiz again until blended. 5 ice cubes, 8 ounces water or almond milk. Whiz together. 1-2 teaspoon PB2 powder, 1 scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder. Whiz again. Sometimes I will add some Greek yogurt. You can play around with different sugar free puddings - pistaccio pudding mix with Vanilla Unjury is awesome. Lemon pudding mix is good. I usually have 4 or 5 bottles of Torani sugar free syrups at all times. You need to play around with different flavors and textures. If you want something savory - Unjury chicken Soup is pretty good.

Beef Jerky, almonds, Protein chips (Health Wise BBQ), turkey pepperoni w/ cheddar cheese. I snack on nuts - they are a whole food with healthy fat, something we all need.

Sending hugs and positive vibes your way! You're going to do great! See you on the losers' bench very soon

Couldn't agree more with @@Kindle! I really don't "ban" anything any more...I just don't like many process foods any more. Bread? Doesn't make me feel wonderful, so I don't eat it often. I might order a 6" Subway sandwich or a Jimmy Johns and take a couple of bits w/ the bread. Then I just eat the insides and I'm perfectly happy. I might have a couple of bites of pizza crust (only if it's wonderful crust - if it's marginal, I won't eat it), then I eat the toppings. Pasta, which used to be a staple in my diet, rarely touch it any more and I don't crave it like I used to. I also rarely used the reduced fat stuff - we eat so little and our bodies need good fats. I cook with olive oil, am known to used butter sometimes and will use real sour cream. I've dieted or thought about my weight since I was 17 years old and I'll be 45 this week...that's a long time to be on a diet. I've pulled that shift and am done - I know focus on living as healthy as I can today.

@TheRealMelsIsHere, it's one Mission Carb Balance Tortilla shell. Sorry! I think there are 4 or 6 net carbs.

It's perfectly normal to feel nervous and scared. I assume you researched the surgery and your doctor before yesterday and think you made a good decision. Reading one more blog or one more post about complications should not change your mind if you're confident in your decision. That's not to say you're not scared - I was. I almost backed out in admitting the morning of my surgery - I thought, "I could walk out of here and only be out $500!" Then I looked over at my husband and something changed in my mind at that moment. I CHOSE to go thru with it. That was empowering. Only you can determine whether you are ready for surgery or not. Try to figure out why you're scared/nervous/whatever and get resolution. Then stop reading negative blogs and posts!

I'm 10 months out...Here's a typical day for me. 1/2 of a Protein shake before hot yoga mid-moring, my Breakfast is usually 1 scrambled egg topped w/ cheese and a Jimmy Dean turkey sausage pattie for lunch, a tortilla shell pizza - 1 carb balance tortilla shell, spread some BBQ sauce and top with diced turkey and mozzarella cheese and peppers and onions I always have in the fridge - I usually eat about 3/4 of this dinner - 1/2 of a hamburger pattie topped w/ cheddar cheese and a couple of bites of cooked veggies or baked Beans Snacks would be some beef Jerky and almonds or a Protein Bar. I also have a couple of cups of coffee w/ milk every day. I know this early out you think your life will never get back to normal or how can you subside on such little food. At 10 months out, I feel perfectly normal. This is my new normal - I feel less and less like a weight loss surgery patient as the weeks go by. For you, in the meantime...Be patient. Know that the next few months aren't going to be easy, but they will get easier. You're going to do great!

Wowsa! Congrats to you! I reward myself...where I used to reward myself with food or a trip to Starbucks or something, I now am a workout clothing addict and reward myself with a new yoga top or compression pants. Maybe if/when I get to 100 pounds, I'll do something like a treadmill! Again, congrats on your success!

First, thanks to you and your family for his service for our country! Second - what a great compliment! That has to make you smile. The other day I was talking to my husband about my revised goal weight...I said I have 23 more pounds to go. My 14-year old son walked in and proclaimed, "24 more pounds! That's too much. You should stop now!" It made me smile.

Hi guys! We will be having a live chat session on Thursday, September 18th at 8:00 pm Eastern time. This will be a great opportunity to chat with others going thru the decision making process, to ask questions, offer advice or suggestions, etc. Would love to see you there! (This is the first scheduled live chat we are doing - there will be more scheduled and subjects will change. If you have a suggested topic, you can message that to me and we see what we can do about getting it scheduled.)

Hi guys! We will be having a live chat session on Thursday, September 18th at 8:00 pm Eastern time. This will be a great opportunity to chat with others going thru the decision making process, to ask questions, offer advice or suggestions, etc. Would love to see you there! (This is the first scheduled live chat we are doing - there will be more scheduled and subjects will change. If you have a suggested topic, you can message that to me and we see what we can do about getting it scheduled.)

We will be having a live chat session on Thursday, September 18th at 8:00 pm Eastern time. This will be a great opportunity to chat with others going thru the decision making process, to ask questions, offer advice or suggestions, etc. Would love to see you there! (This is the first scheduled live chat we are doing - there will be more scheduled and subjects will change. If you have a suggested topic, you can message that to me and we see what we can do about getting it scheduled.) You can discuss this announcement here.

We will be having a live chat session on Thursday, September 18th at 8:00 pm Eastern time. This will be a great opportunity to chat with others going thru the decision making process, to ask questions, offer advice or suggestions, etc. Would love to see you there! (This is the first scheduled live chat we are doing - there will be more scheduled and subjects will change. If you have a suggested topic, you can message that to me and we see what we can do about getting it scheduled.) You can discuss this announcement here.

We will be having a live chat session on Thursday, September 18th at 8:00 pm Eastern time. This will be a great opportunity to chat with others going thru the decision making process, to ask questions, offer advice or suggestions, etc. Would love to see you there! (This is the first scheduled live chat we are doing - there will be more scheduled and subjects will change. If you have a suggested topic, you can message that to me and we see what we can do about getting it scheduled.) You can discuss this announcement here.

We will be having a live chat session on Thursday, September 18th at 8:00 pm Eastern time. This will be a great opportunity to chat with others going thru the decision making process, to ask questions, offer advice or suggestions, etc. Would love to see you there! (This is the first scheduled live chat we are doing - there will be more scheduled and subjects will change. If you have a suggested topic, you can message that to me and we see what we can do about getting it scheduled.) You can discuss this announcement here.