terry1118

If I'm out too long and need to eat more than a protein bar I get a cup of chili from Wendy's. I haven't had a problem with it.

Is ricotta similar to cottage cheese? It's smoother... I bet it would be good w/fruit of your choice. I had cottage cheese w/strawberry tonite. Tomorrow I think I'll try the cauliflower pizza crust w/diced tomatoes, feta cheese and turkey pepperoni.

I tried cranberry chicken salad and after a couple bites I could tell it wasn't going to sit well, so I switched to Break stone's cottage doubler w/peaches. Much better. Lately that's my go to meal if my pouch is picky. I like the blueberry one best. :-)

Very beautiful! It's actually fun now to try on clothes, isn't it? And you don't have to buy something just because it fits. You can buy it because you LOVE it! :-) Someday in the not too distant future I'll need a mother-of-the-bride dress and I won't dread looking for one! I find that I like to go out to try on clothes for fun - I don't even have to buy anything. I know it will only fit for a little while so why bother. I just like to see what size I'm in and sometimes I try on things that are over the top for me just for giggles. And once in a while I find that perfect thing I love and I buy it the next size down. :-)

I have hypothyroidism also. I was diagnosed in 1999. It wasn't a factor in the surgery at all. For a month after surgery I had to crush my pill and mix w/applesauce to take it.

I only had glue on my incisions. Awesome stuff! I hate stitches - they itch and catch on clothing. The only stitches I had were internal stitches that dissolve.

I didn't have a drain, just five small incisions. It started near the lower part of my belly, about four inches below the lowest incision. There was some severe bruising there (blood pooling?) and the rash started on the bruised area. Initially I didn't even realize it was a rash. It wasn't visible w/all the discoloration already there - I thought it was just itchy dry skin until it worsened and spread.

What surprised me: Good - I was amazed at how easy the whole surgery and recovery process was for me. I expected a lot of pain but it was very minimal. I expected it to take a long time before I felt good but it was only 1-2 weeks. Bad: As easy as the recovery was for me my biggest issue was an allergic reaction to something surgery-related. A couple days post-op I developed a very itchy angry rash that grew and spread till it covered half my abdomen, upper arms, thighs, and lower back. Surgery no big deal... and a rash kicks my but! I was miserable for almost three weeks! Also I was surprised how difficult it was to manage my Vitamins, supplements, and medications and also juggle Fluid and Protein requirements. It takes time to develop a routine that fits your life and more to get used to it. I have a comfortable routine now and a backup plan for 'glitches'.

My go-to list: -Atkins Advantage protein shakes - every morning for breakfast and sometimes evening snack. -Yoplait Greek yogurt - currently hooked on peach flavor - Ostrim ostrich & beef sticks - tender and delicious - turkey chili w/ or w/o beans - refried beans w/jalapeño peppers - ham & swiss lunchable - I throw out half the crackers - pea soup - shrimp cocktail (or shrimp cooked any way except fried) - fish any kind but salmon and tilapia are favorites - clam chowder - deviled eggs or egg salad - scrambled egg w/chz and grilled veggies - Think thin bites (mini protein bar) - lentil crackers w/hummus or natural peanut butter - cottage cheese w/sugar free fruit preserves or fresh/frozen fruit - cheddar cheese slices

167! Need to go shopping today! :-)

Awesome and amazing! :-)

That's awesome! That's a medium-sized child! I can't even pick up 75 pounds! Did you ever try? That's how much weight is off your joints! I bet you feel great! :-)

I'm 5' tall and I weighed 233 lbs the first time I saw my surgeon. I lost 12 pounds pre-op. Surgery was May 30, surgery weight 221, current weight 167 (54 lb lost). Total weight loss pre-op and post-op is 66 lbs. I went from tight-fitting sz22 to a comfortable sz16. I'll be happy to lose 25 more pounds - anything more than that is just frosting on the cake! I am happy as hell! Back pain, knee pain GONE! :-) :-) :-)

I didn't need any help at all. But my children are all adults. If I had children under 3-4yrs I would have sought help. Young children are a lot of work and toddlers/babies need to be lifted and carried. They're probably over the weight limit for lifting. Talk to your doctor about your weight and time limits for lifting your baby. Good luck!

You're welcome! Please keep in mind that anything I have to say is from my own personal experience and shouldn't be a substitute for talking to your own doctor. It's nice to get the perspective of someone who's been through surgery, but we are all different and have different experiences. Always follow up with your own doctor. They know you and your personal situation better than anyone else. :-) Good luck to you! :-)

I had my one and only gallbladder attack over a year ago. It was bad enough to go to the emergency room and lasted 6-8 hours. It was pure hell. The pain radiated across my upper abdomen just below my ribs but stronger on the right side. You should check with your doctor - gallbladder pain can be pretty severe. Or it could be something else - or something totally harmless. I've known for 2 1/2 years that I have gallstones. I've only had the one attack but I feel like it's a ticking time bomb and it's just a matter of time until it happens again. I think I'll be having my gall bladder removed this coming Jan or Feb. There's nothing else to do in winter anyway...

I didn't worry about it. I had lost 12 pounds in the two months I was fulfilling my requirements. I had a few 'last supper' meals before surgery - those thing you love but might not eat again for a long time, if ever. My surgeon didn't require a liquid pre-op diet bit I did one for two weeks anyway (and lost 8 more pounds). I was ready to get started and I figured the more I lost before the less I'd have to lose after. 80 pounds is an awesome loss on your own - and very hard to do! That's probably a 4-6 month jump on what you need to lose after. Great job! It's my understanding that any weight loss before surgery will help your liver. As long as you're not gaining it back I'm sure your liver is good for surgery.

I make apple crisp with splenda blend brown sugar and oatmeal topping w/chopped pecans. It may still have too much sugar. Maybe try a baked apple! You peel it, core it, stuff it (any combo of fruit and nuts with splenda brown sugar), and bake it. You could also try an apple tart - can it be improvised w/whole grain flat bread, I wonder?). Thinly slice peeled apples and layer on the flat bread, maybe brush it w/a complementary flavor of sugar-free jam or jelly? Home made chunky applesauce is a simple way to get apple pie flavor without all the fat and sugar. Make w/a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and splenda (I like to add dried cranberries and chopped pecans to it). You could even top it w/a little lite or fat-free cool whip. :-) Lookup the recipes and improvise - change to low sugar, low fat ingredients. Be creative! :-)

That's awesome! You have gone from being a spectator to being the hero! :-)