terry1118

No buyer's remorse here. I had an easy recovery, little pain, no complications, and no stalls that lasted more than a week. I'm very happy with my experience so far - if I stopped losing today I would still be happy with my results. At only 5 months I have lost 70lbs and 12 pre-op for a grand total of 82lbs! I think it's not stopping yet. It's the only time in my life that I have LIKED my scale. :-)

I'm in southern RI. Not as cold or snowy as the northern parts of New England but definately colder than Nashville. I think I could do southern winters but southern summers? Never! I HATE heat! :-)

So far I've gone from a 9 1/2W to a 9W but they're getting loose. I may need to go to a 9 regular or maybe an 8 1/2W. I'm hoping to get to an 8 1/2 regular, which was my size before my first pregnancy 28 years ago. :-)

Too busy tonite to make a meal. I had to paint a pair of martini glasses for a microbiologist - they're covered in bacteria and microscopic parasites. :-p Greek yogurt it is! :-)

My little dachshund, Copper, is from Nashville. Poor little southern guy doesn't like the northern winters. I had to buy him a coat! :-)

The smallest clothes I own are now too big for me. I went from having only two complete outfits in 2X that fit (barely) back in May, to 1X, to XL, to L (pant sizes going down from 22, 20, 18, 16, 14) - all of which I already owned due to an Optifast weight loss back in '09. I'm edging into unfamiliar territory - MEDIUMS!! And sz12's! From here on in it is all unfamiliar territory. Now, whenever I buy a sz12, I also pick up a sz10. I'm even eyeing sz8's and smalls on clearance racks - is it possible I could get THAT small? :-)

I agree! Those photos really look like two different people! You look great! :-)

No nsaids EVER (Motrin, Advil, Aleve, which are ibuprofrin and naproxin). Because of the extremely high risk of ulcers, I believe. Anyone remember if there is another reason for it?

Just wanted to point out that choosing the right surgeon - one with lots of experience and associated with a center for excellence - can drastically reduce your risk of complications. Even my insurance company's website recommends researching and choosing an experienced surgeon because - in their exact words - there is definitely a 'learning curve' in weight loss surgery. Choosing the right surgeon is probably the most important first step.

Some favorite foods with Protein are: *Turkey chili w/beans (I also mix in refried beans) *Geek yogurt *Turkey meatballs w/extra sauce *Pea soup w/ham *Tilapia *Chowder (I know, not much protein but good and you can add a little unflavored protein to it) *Mini burger patty w/swiss and guacamole *Think thin bites (small Protein Bar - I can eat a whole one of this size) *Ostrim ostrich and beef stick - teriyaki flavor *Single serve Cracker Barrel cheeses *Lentil crackers w/spicy hummus (crackers made from Beans and have 5gr protein - Walmart) *Lentil crackers w/natural peanut or almond butter

I felt the same way at your stage. I would buy foods that I wanted to eat, take a bite, and... ick ... throw it away. I threw away a LOT of food back then. Sometimes I still do. Your tastes change. The amount you can eat changes too. At five months I can eat a whole yogurt, or 3/4 cup chili, 2-3 ounces of protein (depending on what it is - poultry makes me sick). Supplement your meals w/a Protein shake if you are having trouble meeting protein goals. I wasn't very good at getting all my protein until I started logging my food (at around three months). 'Guesstimating' doesn't work for me. Logging shows me exactly where I stand and if I come up short I add a shake or a Greek yogurt in the evening to boost me over the top. Adding a little unflavored Protein powder to whatever you are eating helps too. Someone mentioned months ago that he put a single scoop of unflavored protein in a small bowl and sprinkled a little on everything he ate throughout the day. That would add about 25gr to your daily protein and a little wouldn't affect the taste much. Try to make every bite count. Look for the highest protein foods to get the biggest bang for your buck. It takes time but you'll get there. :-)

Great idea! I bet he was surprised... and eager to study now that he knows it DOES pay off! Lol

I liked these a lot, they tasted great! But my pouch said 'heck no' and punished me. :-)

Chili with refried beans mixed in. :-)

I did a lot of searching for info. I saw so many positives so I started looking for negatives - I wanted to know what to expect if something didn't go as planned. What I found was people who had infections, difficult recoveries, complications and even a young woman who had a heart attack (she had an undiagnosed heart condition). Even of this group no one regretted having the surgery. That was a big factor in my ultimate decision. I did have a friend who went through the whole pre-op process and backed out. She was afraid because she has a family history of stomach cancer. She was told that once the surgery was done there was no way to scope (?) the detached portion of her stomach. It was a genuine concern for her. She admits she might change her mind some day in the future.

Ignore it and it will go away. One negative comment generates more and more and more. If there is no reaction it'll fizzle. See how negative comments are already beginning to affect the attitudes of so many people here? There are many nice people on this board with so much to offer in the way of encouragement and support. And more equally nice people seeking it. Focus on the positive and ignore the negative. :-)

Protein bars are very portable. I don't eat them often but I do keep some of my favorites in my car. If I'm out doing errands and get hungry I have a better alternative to junk food. It tides me over till I get home. Read the labels for low sugar, lower carb bars. Faunce Corner Nutrition in Dartmouth MA has some good options for bariatric patients. They also have hot chocolate mix w/12gr of protein (I bought a box for when it gets cold). Their products are available online. :-)

I'm five months out. I'm not counting it out forever but I think I'll wait till after the holidays to try again. The next two months are too busy to deal w/feeling sick. :-)

Your welcome! And thanks for the compliment! :-)

My daily protein goal is 60gr minimum. I know isolate is more easily and quickly absorbed but don't know if soy and whey are comparable or not, or if there is a benefit of one over the other. That would be a good question for your nutritionist. :-)

I made it last night with spinach and feta. Love, love, feta! :-)

The process can be different, depending on what program your doctor is involved with, what your insurance requires, and your own general health and age. I decided on rny after regaining all the weight I lost on Optifast, and then my weight started to climb even higher. I only has two pairs of slacks and a few tops that fit and I refused to buy bigger clothes. My back was killing me, so were my knees and feet. I'd come home from work and sit on the couch till bedtime - I had no energy and was exhausted. I was prediabetic and my cholesterol was getting high. I was not living my life - I was suffering through it. After making my decision and attending the seminar, my surgeon's office set up many appointments for me. I needed two w/the surgeon, complete labs, chest x-ray and EKG, two appointments with the dietician, two appointments with the psychiatrist, pulmonary tests, stress-test with a cardiologist (required for people over 50), medical clearance, nurse education class, and three workshops. My insurance required a documented failed weight loss which was easy for me because I did Optifast a few years ago and my insurance paid for the copays for nine months. The whole process, from seminar to surgery, took 3 1/2 months. I'm five months out and down 68lbs. I also lost 12lbs pre-op for a total of 80lbs lost. I feel great and have lots of energy. My back, knee, and foot pain is gone. I don't need cholesterol meds anymore and all my labs are normal. I like to shop for clothes. I don't dread the future anymore and I'm LIVING my life now, not just suffering through it. I'm pretty happy. :-)

Shoulder surgery was DEFINATELY hardest!!! I had surgery to remove bone spurs 4 yrs ago, and they found I also had a torn rotator cuff. Very painfull and loooong recovery. RNY was piece of cake by comparison!