terry1118

Only the uninformed think it's the 'easy way out'. What is easy about all the testing and education pre-op, the pain, recovery, and possible complications of surgery, learning all over again how and what to eat, getting sick on foods as you learn, trying daily to meet protein and fluid goals, and remembering to take your vitamins and supplements for the rest of your life or risk permanent damage to physical and mental health? Not to mention that eating right and exercise are important lifestyle changes that we will have to maintain to be successful long-term. How is this easy? Set her straight - the girl needs educating. :-)

I can't eat pasta of any type - it all makes me sick. Mac & cheese sure sounds good! :-)

This is the first Christmas EVER that I didn't gain so much as a single ounce! I weigh exactly as much today as I did Tuesday. I made it through both Thanksgiving and Christmas w/o any trouble, aside from the pecans that made me sick last night. :-)

Congrats! :-)

I was fine till I decided to grab a handful of pecans... now I'm nauseous and have the gurglies. It's my own fault, I knew better!

I had a tiny bit of green bean casserole, an ounce of ham, and five shrimp cocktail. For a snack later I had four triskits w/my famous cheese ball. Yum! Not feeling deprived at all! :-) Was more than a little irritated when someone said "Look, Terry's eating!". Which was a pretty stupid comment to make - of course I eat! WTH are these people thinking?

You'll be able to catch up on your sleep after the surgery. It's good to get it done early, you'll be walking around by noon and feeling better by evening. Best of luck too you! :-)

Wow! You have changed so much! You look great! Sounds like your son is doing awesome too! :-)

I don't know anything about Mexico - I know some people have had their surgery done there. I took two weeks off but one would probably have been fine, as far as how I was feeling physically. I work in a bank which is considered light duty. When I went back to work I felt fine and had no trouble working a full day. Just a tip for you... don't introduce any new foods while at work. About two weeks after I went back I decided to try tuna. I got so sick and spent almost two hours in the ladies room trying to either puke or walk it off. It was horrible. Stick with foods you know you can tolerate well and save experimenting for home. :-)

Congratulations! Beautiful rings! AND "he went to Jared". :-)

Once I was very thirsty and I drank too fast. I was in pain for several hours. I thought I really hurt something but it eventually eased up and went away. First and last time I ever did that! :-p

It's not with regular allergy meds like you'd expect. They keep it with all the children's medicines. :-)

I took two weeks but could've gone back after one. I went out on FMLA which protects my job in case of complications. It also enabled me to collect TDI even though I had enough sick time to cover my time out. So I was paid double while out of work - a pleasant bonus! :-)

I was told to use children's liquid benedryl - it's much easier to get down. I buy the cheaper generic form at Walmart. I still take it if I have trouble sleeping.

I liked pea soup, hummus, yogurt, broccoli cheddar soup, refried beans thinned with broth, tomato soup w/a little cayenne pepper, and laughing cow cheese. You could boost protein by adding unflavored protein to these foods, but be careful let them cool a little first. I found that the protein made hot foods a little foamy and didn't like the texture. Someone also had an awesome ricotta cheese recipe that's good for pureed stage. You might find it in the recipe section?

You look great! :-)

Thank you everyone! Chris, you're so close! Maybe by New Year's Day...

Chicken is my kryptonite. I can't eat it in any form except ground. I also can't tolerate tuna, rice, or any food that has rice flour.

Me too! It's a little difficult to change that mindset. So many years spent buying something just because it fit! Everything fits now - if I bought them all I'd be broke! I can afford to be choosy! Now I ask myself "It fits... but do you LOVE it?". :-)

Google 'weight loss surgery and hair loss' for a more detailed explanation of the why's of hair loss. That's how I found the info. I was very curious after reading about hair loss concerns in this forum. I decided to research it myself. It's my understanding that getting enough Protein can help prevent ADDITIONAL hair loss due to poor diet but will not prevent hair loss caused by surgery/weight loss stress. I was curious but not overly concerned. I would have gladly gone completely bald if it meant feeling better and being healthy. :-)

I have lost almost a hundred pounds since April. It should have been obvious for quite some time that I have been losing. It was only recently (just this month) that customers at work have noticed and are commenting... and now suddenly I'm getting comments A LOT! Like 10+ times a day! I'm not used to compliments - it's a little disconcerting.

When I picked up my son the first thing he sad to me was "Wow! You lost a s***load of weight!". Spoken like a true marine! Lol

Education is a huge part of our continued success. A good program gives us ALL the tools we'll need for a successful, sustainable weight loss. I now have a better understanding of what and how much our bodies need for proper nutrition and energy. Also, due to the psychiatric evaluation I know what I've been doing wrong all these years and why I was doing it. It is a real eye opener! Understanding all this will help me to avoid the same pitfalls in the future. I feel confident that the changes I've made will be effective and permanent. One more thing that will be a huge help to you is keeping a food journal, either manually or electronically. In the beginning following my surgery I was not logging my food and really had no idea if I was meeting my dietary requirements. I was estimating which I later found was very inaccurate. Since logging I now know exactly how much Protein and fluids I am getting and can add a shake if I am falling short for the day. Good luck! :-)

Next year you may only need a teeny bikini, a skimpy little dress, some shorts, a tank top or two, and some strappy sandals. It'll all fit in your carry on! But bring a big bag anyway to hold all the cute things you buy while away. :-)

1. I, too, was quite surprised at how little pain was involved. After one week I felt completely normal and was mowing my grass. I only had 'pain' for a couple days. It actually felt more like muscle aches than actual pain. I threw out my mostly unused pain meds. I had my gallbladder out two weeks ago and was expecting it to be a piece of cake after my experience with RNY but it was actually a way more painful experience - I used every bit of my percosets. 2. I work in a bank, which I would classify as a light duty job. I went back to work after two weeks but could've after only one. My surgeon recommends 1-2 weeks for light duty work (with a twenty pound lifting restriction), and up to four weeks for a more physical job (not sure what the lifting restriction is as it didn't affect me). 3. Hair loss is inevitable but varies greatly from person to person. Some barely notice it and others may see more obvious signs. It is caused buy the initial stress to you body of having surgery, followed by drastic weight loss. Any physical stress can cause hair loss. After the stress occurs it takes 3-6 months for your hair to begin falling out. It will continue for another 3-6 months before stabilizing and new hair growth starts. Getting Protein and taking Biotin won't have much effect on hair loss but will ensure new hair growth will be healthy. Avoiding harsh hair procedures like coloring, straightening, or perming, and using gentle hair products can help keep the hair you have healthy. Changing your hair style can help disguise the hair loss if it becomes noticeable.